Month: June 2021

WORD

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. GEN 24:67

Rashi

Into the tent of Sarah his mother—He brought her into the tent and she became exactly like Sarah his mother; i.e., she became the likeness of Sarah his mother. For whilst Sarah was living, a light burned from one Sabbath eve to the next, there was always a blessing in the dough and a cloud was always hanging over the tent, but since her death all these had stopped. However, when Rebecca came, they reappeared (Bereishit Rabbah 60:16).

After his mother’s death—It is natural that whilst a man’s mother is living he is wrapped up in her, but when she dies he finds comfort in his wife (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 32).

26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

30 because we are members of his body.

Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.” GEN 2:23

Rashi

This at last—This teaches that Adam endeavoured to find a companion among all cattle and beasts, but found no satisfaction except in Eve (Yevamot 63a).

She shall be called Woman, because, out of Man—Here we have a kind of play upon words (the words אִשָּׁה andאִישׁ sounding similar): hence we may learn that the language used at the time of the creation was the Holy Tongue (Bereishit Rabbah 18:4).

31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

For your Maker is your husband,

the Lord of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called. ISA 54:5

Sanhedrin 22b:3

Rav Shmuel bar Unya says in the name of Rav: A woman is raw material, like a vessel that has not been completed, and makes a covenant, becoming truly connected, only to the one who made her a vessel through her first act of sexual intercourse, as it is stated: “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name” (Isa 54:5).

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The first half of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians articulates the gospel. In the second half of the letter, he explains that this gospel and our relationship with Christ is to be evident in every area of our lives. This includes every relationship. We can walk in love, be united, and be at peace with others because of God’s great love for us and our identity in Christ. In this lesson, we will look specifically at marriage, a covenant relationship between a man and a woman. A biblical marriage is founded on Christ’s love for the church. This love enables us to reflect him in our lives, marriages, and relationships.

We are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ

20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

John Gill

Submitting to one another—Which may be understood either in a political sense, of giving honour, obedience, and tribute, to civil magistrates, since they are set up by God for the good of men, and it is for the credit of religion for the saints to submit to them; or in an economical sense; thus the wife should be subject to the husband, children to their parents, and servants to their masters, which several things are afterwards insisted on, as explanative of this rule; or in an ecclesiastic sense, so the Ethiopic version renders it, “subject yourselves to your brethren”: thus members of churches should be subject to their pastors, not in the same sense as they are to Christ, the head, nor are they obliged to believe or do everything they say, right or wrong; yet honour and esteem are due to them, and submission and obedience should be yielded to their doctrines, precepts, and exhortations, when they are agreeably to the word of God; since God has set them in the highest place in the church, called them to the highest service, and most honourable work, and bestowed on them the greatest gifts; the younger members should also submit to the elder, and the minority to the majority; one member should submit to another, to the superior judgment of another, and to the weakness of another, and to the admonitions of others, and so as to perform all offices of love: and the manner in which this duty is to be performed, is

Out of reverence for Christ—Which may be considered as the moving cause of submission, or, as the rule of it; submission should be on account of reverence for Christ, and so far as is consistent with it; and indeed, reverence for Christ is that which should influence and engage to every duty; and which should be before our eyes, and in exercise in our hearts, in all concerns, civil and religious: the Alexandrian copy and some others, the Complutensian edition, and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, “in the fear of Christ”; who is the head of the church, and King of saints, and as such to be feared and reverenced; and for his sake there should be a submission to one another; the Syriac version reads, out of love for Christ, which should force the saints to this duty.

My son, fear the Lord and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise, PRO 24:21

Rashi

My son, fear the Lord and the king—Fear the Lord and fear the mortal king, but only if he does not turn you away from the fear of the Lord, for the fear of the Lord is always first.

Do not join with those who do otherwise—Heb. שונים, who say that there are two powers governing the world.

The apostle Paul wrote that every relationship we have is to exhibit humility, respect, and love because we understand who Christ is and what he has done for us. To submit to one another means to yield, give way, and defer. This is not easy and is certainly not expected today. In popular culture and society, people are focused on what they can get out of marriage and in protecting their own rights and privileges. However, the Bible says that we are to mutually submit to one another because of Christ. This is an attitude of humility, serving, and putting others’ needs ahead of our own. What is reverence? What do you think it means to do things out of reverence for Christ? How are we to relate with one another if we obeyed this passage?

Husbands are to love their wives, following Christ’s example

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

Yevamot 63b:2

The Gemara asks: Didn’t Rav Yehuda teach Rav Yitzhak, his son, the following baraita: A man finds peace of mind only with his first wife, as it is stated: “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice from the wife of your youth” (Pro 5:18), and his son said to him: For example, whom, and his his father responded in this case as well: For example, your mother. This indicates that Rav Yehuda did find peace of mind with his wife. The Gemara answers: She was aggressive and forceful, but she was easily appeased.

19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;

be intoxicated always in her love. PRO 5:18-19

26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

John Gill

That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her—Being defiled, both with original sin and actual transgressions; for God’s elect, whom Christ loved and betrothed from everlasting, fell in Adam with the rest of mankind; and, in their natural state, live in sin as others do; and so are under the guilt, and in the pollution of it, as others be: Christ gave himself for them, that he might deliver them out of this state; he gave himself a sacrifice for them, that he might expiate their sins and make atonement and satisfaction for them; he shed his blood that he might cleanse them from them; and he wrought out a righteousness that he might justify them from all their iniquities; and which being put upon them, makes them to appear pure and spotless in the sight of divine justice; for this sanctifying and cleansing does not so much refer to the inward work of sanctification of the Spirit, though that is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ, and is brought about by the following means, as to the justification of them by the blood and righteousness of Christ: which is said to be,

By the washing of water—Not baptism, which is never expressed by washing; nor does it purify or cleanse from sin; nor is it the means of sanctification and regeneration, which ought to be before it; nor the grace of the Spirit, though that is often compared to water, and regeneration and sanctification are owing to it; yet the saints are not so cleansed from sin by it, as to be without spot or wrinkle; but the blood of Christ, which is the fountain to wash in, and which cleanses from all sin:

With the word—Not the form of words in baptism; but either the gospel, which brings the good news and glad tidings of peace, pardon, atonement, and justification by Christ; or the sentence of justification pronounced upon the conscience by him; see Joh 15:2.

27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Paul made clear connections in this passage: Christ’s love for the church is the basis for love in a marriage, and a husband is to follow Christ’s example in loving his wife. Since Christ loved the church to the point of death, how is this reflected in the way a husband leads and loves his wife?

Wives are to submit to their husbands in reverence to Christ

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children.

Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,

but he shall rule over you.” GEN 3:16

Rashi

Your pain—This refers to the trouble of rearing children (Eruvin 100b).

In childbearing—This refers to the pain of childbearing.

In pain you shall bring forth children—This refers to the pangs of childbirth (Eruvin 100b).

Your desire—Heb. תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ, your desire, like Isa 29:8: “a yearning (שׁוֹקֵקָה) soul.”

Your desire shall be contrary to your husband—For sexual relations. And, nonetheless, you will not have the temerity to proposition him with your mouth, but rather he shall rule over you—Everything will come from him and not from you.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

God’s original design for marriage is a reflection of his great love for the world. As a husband loves his wife, a wife respects and submits to her husband as to the Lord. This does not mean she doesn’t have a voice or say. A wife helps her husband accomplish God’s purpose for their family. However, if her husband’s decision is sinful, she is not obligated to obey him. The truth is, love and unity are only possible because of Christ’s example and his love. How is a wife’s decision to submit to her husband a reflection of her trust in God?

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.”

5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

John Gill

And for your lifeblood I will require—And so is a reason of the preceding law, to teach men not to shed human blood; or though, “your lifeblood,” as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; though God had given them liberty to kill the creatures, and shed their blood, and eat them, yet he did not allow them to shed their own blood, or the blood of their fellow creatures; should they do this, he would surely make inquisition, and punish them for it:

From every beast I will require it—Should a beast kill a man, or be the instrument of shedding his blood, it should be killed for it; not by means of another beast, God so ordering it, as Aben Ezra suggests, but by the hands or order of the civil magistrate; which was to be done partly to show the great regard God has to the life of man, and partly to punish men for not taking more care of their beasts, as well as to be an example to others to be more careful, and to lessen, the number of mischievous creatures:

And from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man—Which may be reasonably supposed; for if it is required of a beast, and that is punished for the slaughter of a man, then much more a man himself, that is wilfully guilty of murder; and the rather, since he is by general relation a brother to the person he has murdered, which is an aggravation of his crime: or it may signify, that though he is a brother in the nearest relation, as his crime is the greater, he shall not go unpunished.

Rashi

And for your lifeblood—Although I have permitted you to take the life of cattle yet your lifeblood I will require from him who sheds his own lifeblood (see Bava Kamma 91b).

For your lifeblood—Even though one strangles himself (Bereishit Rabbah 34:13) so that no lifeblood flows from him.

From every beast—Because the generation of the flood sinned and they were therefore freely exposed to become food for wild beasts which would have power over them—as it is said (Psa 49:13, 21), “he is like the beasts that perish” (Shabbat 151b)—it was therefore necessary to proclaim a punishment against wild animals on their account.

And from man—From one who kills with premeditation, without witnesses, I will require it.

From his fellow man—From the one who loves him like a fellow man, and killed him accidentally, I will require it, unless he go into banishment and pray for forgiveness for his iniquity. For even one who kills another by accident needs atonement. If there are no witnesses to sentence him to banishment and he does not humble himself, the Holy One, blessed be he, will require it of him, as our Rabbis explain the text (Exo 21:13) “And God placed him into his hand,” in Treatise Makkot (Makkot 10b): The Holy One, blessed be he, causes them to meet at the same inn. The former in ascending a ladder falls upon the latter and kills him and has to go to banishment.

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man shall his blood be shed,

for God made man in his own image.” GEN 9:5-6

John Gill

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed—That is, he that is guilty of wilful murder shall surely be put to death by the order of the civil magistrate; so the Targum of Jonathan,

“by witnesses the judges shall condemn him to death,”

that is, the fact being clearly proved by witnesses, the judges shall condemn

“him to death,”

that is, the fact being clearly proved by witnesses, the judges shall pass the sentence of death upon him, and execute it; for this is but the law of retaliation, a just and equitable one, blood for blood, or life for life; though it seems to be the first law of this kind that empowered the civil magistrate to take away life; God, as it is thought, reserving the right and power to himself before, and which, for some reasons, he thought fit not to make use of in the case of Cain, whom he only banished, and suffered not others to take away his life, but now enacts a law, requiring judges to punish murder with death: and which, according to this law, ought never to go unpunished, or have a lesser punishment inflicted for it: the reason follows,

For God made man in his own image—Which, though sadly defaced and obliterated by sin, yet there are such remains of it, as render him more especially the object of the care and providence of God, and give him a superiority to other creatures; and particularly this image, among others, consists in immortality, which the taking away of his life may seem to contradict; however, it is what no man has a right to do.

Rashi

By man shall his blood be shed—If there are witnesses you kill him. Why? For God . . . in his own image (Bereishit Rabbah 34:14).

God made man—This verse is abbreviated and should be “the Maker made man”; there are many similar expressions in the Scriptures.

22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

John Gill

So if you are offering your gift at the altar—The Jews obliged such who had done any damage to their neighbours, by stealing from them, to make satisfaction before they brought their offering; concerning which they say,

“he that brings what he has stolen, before he brings his compensation, is right; he that brings his compensation, before he brings that which he has stolen, is not right.”

Again,

“they do not bring the compensation before the sum of what is stolen is returned, either to the owners, or to the priests.”

Some have thought Christ refers to this; only what they restrained to pecuniary damages, he extends to all sorts of offences. But not a compensation, but a freewill offering, seems to be designed by “the gift”: which, when a man either intended to bring, or was going to bring, or had already brought, as a voluntary sacrifice to be offered to God; and it came into his mind, that he had offended any man by showing any undue passion, or by any reproachful words, then he was to do what is advised in the following verse: “and there,” whilst going, or when at the altar,

Remember that your brother has something against you—Has anything to charge you with; any just ground of complaint against you; if you have done him any injury, or given him any offence: particularly, if he had at any time said Raca to him, or called him “fool” for those words have reference to what goes before, and are a corollary, or conclusion from them, as appears from the causal particle “so.”

24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. JOB 42:8

John Gill

Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams—Creatures used in sacrifice before the giving of the Levitical law (Gen 4:4; 8:20; 15:9); and the same number of the same creatures were offered by Balaam in the country of Moab, not far from where Job lived, nor at any great distance of time from his age (Num 23:1-2); and among the Gentiles in later times. And these were typical of Christ, being strong creatures, especially the bulls, and which were used for labour; and the number seven may point at the perfection of Christ’s sacrifice; to which these men were directed in their sacrifices to look for the complete atonement of their sins: now though they were not at their own dwellings, and could not take these out of their own herds and flocks, and Job had none, yet they could purchase them of others; and which having done, they are bid to do as follows:

And go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves—That is, by Job, who was to offer it for them in their name, and at whose hands the Lord would accept it, and for his sake. Job, as the head and master of his family, was disposed to sacrifice, as every such man did before the Aaronic priesthood took place (Job 1:5). Now this was doing Job a great deal of honour, both by calling him his servant, as before in Job 42:7, and twice more in this; which was plainly giving the cause on his side; confirming the character he always bore, and still retained; and declaring he had other thoughts of him than his friends had; as well by sending them to him with their sacrifices to offer for them; which was saying, that they had sinned, and must offer sacrifice, and that Job was in the right; and therefore must offer the sacrifice for them. This was putting them on a great piece of self-denial; that men, who were older than Job, great personages, heads of families, and who had been disposed to offer sacrifices in them, yet are now sent to Job to offer them for them; a man now in mean circumstances, and who in they had treated with great contempt; and he in his turn had used them as roughly. And it was also a trial of Job’s grace, and of his forgiving spirit, to do this for them, and pray to God on their behalf: and the Lord’s design in it was, to exercise the graces of them both, and to reconcile them to one another, and to himself;

And my servant Job shall pray for you—That their sacrifice might be accepted, and their sin pardoned. In this Job was a type of Christ, as he was in many other things; see the notes on Job 16:9-13; 30:8-10. There is an agreement in his name; Job, whether it signifies love or hatred, desired or hated, in both ways the etymology of it is given; it agrees with Christ, who is beloved of God and man, and the desire of all nations; who hates iniquity, and was hated for his inveighing against it. Job was a type of him in his threefold state; before his low estate, in it, and after it; see Php 2:6-10. In his temptations by Satan, and sufferings from men; and particularly in his office as a priest, who both offered himself a sacrifice for his people, and offers their services and sacrifices of prayer and praise to God; and who prayed for his disciples, and for all the Father has given him, for transgressors and sinners, and even for his enemies that used him ill;

For I will accept his prayer—Or his face, that is, hear his prayer, and grant what is asked by him; as well as accept his sacrifice;

Not to deal with you according to your folly—As all sin is, being committed against God, a breach of his law, and injurious to men themselves; see Deu 4:6; 32:6; Pro 8:36. Though here it seems to be restrained to their particular sin and folly in their dispute with Job; want of wisdom in them was discerned by Elihu (Job 32:7, 9). So it follows:

For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has—And if by neglect of his advice, which would have been another instance of their folly, they had provoked the Lord to deal with them as their sin deserved, it must have gone hard with them. The Targum is,

“lest I should do with you ‘what would be’ a reproach”

(or disgrace); would put them to shame, and make them appear ignominious to men; as by stripping them of their substance and honour, and reducing them to the condition Job was in.

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

John Gill

Truly, I say to you—This may be depended upon, you may assure yourself of it, that

You will never get out—From prison,

Until you have paid the last penny—Or as the Ethiopic version reads it, “until you have exactly paid all”; which seems to express the inexorableness of the creditor, and the impossibility of the debtor’s release.

Salt and Light

13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

John Gill

You are the salt of the earth—This is to be understood of the disciples and apostles of Christ; who might be compared to “salt,” because of the savoury doctrines they preached; as all such are, which are agreeable to the Scriptures, and are of the evangelic kind, which are full of Christ, serve to exalt him, and to magnify the grace of God; and are suitable to the experiences of the saints, and are according to godliness, and tend to promote it: also because of their savoury lives and conversations; whereby they recommended, and gave sanction to the doctrines they preached, were examples to the saints, and checks upon wicked men. These were the salt “of the earth”; that is, of the inhabitants of the earth, not of the land of Judea only, where they first lived and preached, but of the whole world, into which they were afterwards sent to preach the gospel.

But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? The “taste” here supposed that it may be lost, cannot mean the taste of grace, or true grace itself, which cannot be lost, being an incorruptible seed; but either gifts qualifying men for the ministry, which may cease; or the savoury doctrines of the gospel, which may be departed from; or a seeming savoury conversation, which may be neglected; or that seeming taste, zeal, and affection, with which the gospel is preached, which may be dropped: and particular respect seems to be had to Judas, whom Christ had chosen to the apostleship, and was a devil; and who he knew would lose his usefulness and place, and become an unprofitable wretch, and at last be rejected of God and men; and this case is proposed to them all, in order to engage them to take heed to themselves, their doctrine and ministry. Moreover, this is but a supposition;

If salt—And proves no matter of fact; and the Jews have a saying, that all that season lose their taste, “but salt does not lose its taste.” Should it do so,

It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet—Salt is no longer good for anything except to make things savoury, and preserve from putrefacation; and when it has lost its taste, it is of no use, neither to men nor beasts, as some things are when corrupted; nor is it of any use to the land, or dunghill, for it makes barren, and not fruitful: so ministers of the word, when they have dropped the savoury doctrines of the gospel, or have quitted their former seeming savoury and exemplary conversations; as their usefulness is gone, so, generally speaking, it is never retrieved; they are cast out of the churches of Christ, and are treated with contempt by everyone.

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. LEV 2:13

Berakhot 5a:19

And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and theword covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your grain offering; with all your sacrifices you shall offer salt” (Lev 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deu 28:69). Just as, in the covenant mentioned with regard to salt, the salt sweetens the taste of the meat and renders it edible, so too in the covenant mentioned with regard to suffering, the suffering cleanses a person’s transgressions, purifying him for a more sublime existence.

John Gill

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt—Which makes food savoury, and preserves from putrefaction; denoting the savouriness and acceptableness of Christ as a grain offering to his people, he being savoury food, such as their souls love, as well as to God the Father, who is well pleased with his sacrifice; and also the perpetuity of his sacrifice, which always has the same virtue in it, and of him as a grain offering, who is that meat which endures to everlasting life (Joh 6:27), and also the grave and gracious conversation of those that by faith feed upon him (Mar 9:50; Col 4:6),

You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering—This seems to suggest the reason why salt was used in grain offerings, and in all others, because it was a symbol of the perpetuity of the covenant, which from thence is called a covenant of salt (Num 18:19), namely, the covenant of the priesthood, to which these sacrifices belonged (Num 25:13), hence the Targum of Jonathan,

“because the twenty four gifts of the priests are decreed by the covenant of salt, therefore upon all your offerings you shall offer salt”:

With all your offerings you shall offer salt—Even those that were not to be eaten, as well as those that were; as the burnt offering of the herd, of the flock, and of fowls, and their several parts; all were obliged to be salted that were offered, excepting wine, blood, wood, and incense; hence there was a room in the temple where salt was laid up for this purpose, called “the salt room”; and which was provided by the congregation, and not by a private person; our Lord has reference to this law in Mar 9:49 the Gentiles always made use of salt in their sacrifices.

Rashi

The salt of the covenant with your God, because a covenant was established with the salt as far back as the six days of creation when the lower waters received an assurance that they would be offered on the altar in the form of salt and also as water in the ceremony of “the libation of water” on the Feast of Booths.

With all your offerings you shall offer salt—Upon burnt offerings of cattle and fowls and upon the fat portions of all sacrifices in general (Menachot 20a).

14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

which shines brighter and brighter until full day. PRO 4:18

Rashi

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn which shines and illuminates from the first ray of dawn.

Until full day—Until midday, which is the brightest time of day.

15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

John Gill

Let your light shine before others—Here Christ applies the foregoing simile to his disciples, and more fully opens the meaning and design of it. His sense is this; that the light of the gospel, which he had communicated to them, the spiritual knowledge of the mysteries of grace, which he had favoured them with, were to be openly declared, and made manifest before men. Light was not given merely for their own private use, but for the public good of mankind; and therefore, as they were placed as lights in the world, they were to hold forth, in the most open and conspicuous manner, the word of light and life:

That they may see your good works—Meaning their zeal and fervency; their plainness and openness; their sincerity, faithfulness, and integrity; their courage and intrepidity; their diligence, industry, and indefatigableness in preaching the gospel; their strict regard to truth, the honour of Christ, and the good of souls; as also their very great care and concern to recommend the doctrines of grace, by their example in their lives and conversations:

And give glory to your Father who is in heaven—That is, that when the ministration of the gospel has been blessed, for the illumination of the minds of men, to a thorough conviction of their state; and for their regeneration, conversion, sanctification, and comfort; they may give praise to God, and bless his name for qualifying and sending such gospel ministers to show to them the way of salvation; and that the word has been made useful to them for communicating spiritual light, life, joy, and comfort, “Our and your Father who is in heaven,” is a name, appellation, or periphrasis of God, frequently used by Jewish writers; and is often expressed by Christ in these his sermons on the mount.

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,

and your healing shall spring up speedily;

your righteousness shall go before you;

the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. ISA 58:8

John Gill

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn—Through thick clouds, or the darkness of the night, suddenly, swiftly, irresistibly, and increase more and more, till it is perfect day. This is to be understood best of temporal and spiritual prosperity, especially the latter, which will attend the churches of the Reformation, when a spirit of persecution is laid aside, and a spirit of love commences, which will be in the Philadelphian church state; and it particularly respects the glorious light of the gospel, which will break forth very clearly, and shine out in all the world; and the light of joy, peace, and comfort, which will attend it, in the hearts of the Lord’s people; see Isa 60:1:

And your healing shall spring up speedily—As the herbs and grass out of the earth, by clear shining after rain; by which is meant the healthful and sound state of the church in the latter day, when all divisions shall be healed; contentions and animosities cease; sound doctrine preached; the ordinances administered according to their original institution; true discipline restored; and all the parts of worship performed, according to the rule of the divine word; and so the souls of men, under all these means, be in thriving and flourishing circumstances:

Your righteousness shall go before you—Not the external righteousness of the saints, or works of righteousness done by them; these do not go before them, at least to prepare the way for them into a future state of happiness, but follow after (Rev 14:13), rather the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and so theirs; or Christ their righteousness, the sun of righteousness, that arises upon them with healing in his wings, and from whom they have the health before mentioned; he goes before his people by way of example, as a guide to direct them, and as the forerunner of them, and whose righteousness will introduce them into the heavenly glory. Though perhaps the meaning here is, that their righteousness, in the latter day glory, shall be very manifest, both their righteousness before God, and before men; which will, as it were, visibly walk before them, make way for them, and protect them; see Isa 60:21,

And the glory of the Lord shall be your reward—The glorious power and providence of God, preserving his people; or the glorious Lord himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, the brightness of his Father’s glory, he, as the word may be rendered, “shall gather you”; are straggling behind; and he brings them up, being the reward, and saves them. The phrase denotes a glorious state of the church in the latter day, when the glory of the Lord will be risen on his church, and abide upon it, and upon all that glory there shall be a defence; see Isa 4:5; 60:1.

The Parable of the Seed Growing

26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.

The wicked earns deceptive wages,

but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. PRO 11:18

Rashi

The wicked earns deceptive wages—The wage of the wicked lies to him. He thinks that his prosperity will remain, but all is lost.

But one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward—But one who sows righteousness, it is a wage of truth, for he is surely confident that he will receive his wage at the end. שכר cornial in Old French. This appears to mean a weir in several dialects; i.e., a fence placed in the water to catch fish. Manuscripts of Rashi yield: eclusse or esklusa, which is e’cluse in modern French; in German wasserschleuse, a lock or a sluice gate. Like a man who locks a canal in order to gather fish, and he is confident that he will find many fish there. A similar instance is Isa 19:10: “all who work (שכר) for pay.”

27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.

28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.

Rashi

Let the earth sprout—Let it be filled and covered with a garment of different plants. In Old French דֶשֶׁא is called erbediz, herbage, all species of herbs growing together collectively whilst each root by itself is called anעֵשֶׂב .

Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed—דֶּשֶׁא does not mean the same as עֵשֶׂב nor does עֵשֶׂב mean the same as דֶּשֶׁא so that it is not a correct expression in Biblical Hebrew to say תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ, for the species of דֶּשֶׁא are all different, each by itself being called this or that עֵשֶׂב, and it would not be linguistically correct for a speaker to say this or that דֶּשֶׁא, for by דֶּשֶׁא is meant that which forms the covering of the ground when it is filled with herbage.

Yielding seed—That its seed should grow within itself, so that some of it may be sown in another spot.

Fruit trees—That the taste of the tree be exactly the same as that of the fruit. It the earth did not, however, do this, but “the earth brought forth, etc., trees bearing fruit” and the trees themselves were not fruit; therefore when Adam was cursed on account of his sin, it (the earth) was also visited (because of its sin) and was cursed (Bereishit Rabbah 5:9).

In which is their seed—This refers to the kernels of each kind of fruit from which the tree grows when they are planted.

12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. GEN 1:11-12

Chullin 60a:12

Immediately, every kind of grass emerged after its kind, as it is stated: “The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds” (Gen 1:12). The minister of the world began tospeak and said: “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works,” who do his will even when not explicitly instructed.

Chullin 60b:5

Rav Asi raises a contradiction between two verses. It is written: “The earth brought forth vegetation” (Gen 1:12), on the third day of the week of creation. And it is also written: “No bush of the field was yet in the land” (Gen 2:5), on the Sabbath eve, the sixth day of creation, immediately before Adam was created. Rav Asi explains: This teaches that the grasses emerged on the third day and stood at the opening of the ground, but they did not grow until Adam, the first man, came and prayed for mercy upon them, and rain came, and they sprouted. And this is meant to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be he, desires the prayers of the righteous.

Rashi

The earth brought forth etc.—Although the expression לְמִינֵהוּ according to their own kinds, was not used when the various kinds of herbage were commanded to grow, they heard that the trees were so commanded and they applied to themselves the argument à fortiore, as it is explained in the Aggadah of Tractate Chullin 60a.

29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

John Gill

But when the grain is ripe—To perfection, and is fully ripe; signifying that when grace is brought to maturity, and faith is performed with power, and the good work begun is perfected; then, as the man of the soil,

At once he puts in the sickle—And cuts it down, and gathers it in;

Because the harvest has come—At death or at the end of the world, which the harvest represents: when all the elect of God are called by grace, and grace in them is brought to its perfection, and they have brought forth all the fruit they were ordained to bear, they will then be all gathered in; either by Christ himself who comes into his garden, and gathers his lilies by death; or by the angels, the reapers, at the close of time, who will gather the elect from the four winds; or the ministers of the gospel, who shall come again with joy, bringing their sheaves with them; being able to observe with pleasure a greater increase, and more fruit of their labours, than they knew of, or expected.

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,

like a sheaf gathered up in its season. JOB 5:26

Rashi

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age—Heb. בְכֶלַח. In other words, you will be saved from pestilence. As for the word בְכֶלַח : there is no Biblical support to understand its meaning, but according to the context, it can be interpreted as an expression of the completion of the ripening of the grain, when it is completely ripe. Our Rabbis, however, interpret בְכֶלַח as “sixty years,” according to its numerical value.

Like a sheaf gathered up—Like a sheaf is taken off the ground in its season.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?

18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?”

20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” LUK 13:18, 20-21

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,

32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

John Gill

Yet when it is sown—So the gospel, when it was preached, it spread notwithstanding all the opposition made against it by, the Jews and Gentiles: there was no stopping it; though the Jewish council charged the apostles to speak no more in the name of Jesus, they regarded them not; though Herod stretched forth his hands against the church, and killed one apostle, and put another in prison, yet “the word of God grew and multiplied” (Act 12:1-3; 12:24), and gospel churches when set up, whether in Judea, or among the Gentiles, presently had additions made to them, and “grew up,” as holy temples in the Lord: and wherever the grace of God is really implanted, there is a growing in it, and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus:

And becomes larger than all the garden plants—The gospel exceeds the traditions of the Jews, and the philosophy of the Gentiles, and any human scheme whatever, in its nature, usefulness, and the largeness of its spread: and the gospel church state will before long fill the world, and all nations shall flow to it; when the Jews shall be converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles shall come, it will be a greater kingdom, than any of the kingdoms of the earth ever were: and the grace of God in the heart, is vastly above nature, and does that which nature can never perform; and which spreads and enlarges, and at last issues in eternal glory:

And puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade—By whom are meant, saints; such to whom the gospel is come in power, and who have the grace of God wrought in their hearts, who are partakers of the heavenly calling: these come where the gospel is preached, and where gracious souls are met together, even in the several gospel churches; where they not only come and go, but where they make nests, abide, and continue, in the shade of the gospel, and gospel ordinances, and that with great delight and pleasure; singing songs of praise to God, for his electing and redeeming love, and for calling grace, and for all spiritual blessings, and gospel privileges: for a larger explanation and illustration of this parable, see Gill on Mat 13:31-32.

10 You cleared the ground for it;

it took deep root and filled the land.

11 The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches.

Rashi

The mighty cedars with its branches—Heb. ארזי אל, like strong cedars, i.e., mighty kings.

12 It sent out its branches to the sea

and its shoots to the River. PSA 80:10-12

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

John Gill

With many such parables—As those of the tares, of the leaven in three measures of meal, of the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and of the scribe instructed to the kingdom of God; which though not related at length here, are by the evangelist Matthew, in Mat 13:24-30, 33, 44-50, 52 together with others elsewhere:

He spoke the word to them—Preached the gospel to the multitude,

As they were able to hear it—Meaning either that he condescended to their weakness, accommodated himself to their capacities, and made use of the plainest similes; and took his comparison from things in nature, the most known and obvious, that what he intended might more easily be understood; or rather, he spoke the word to them in parables, as they were able to hear, without understanding them; and in such a manner, on purpose that they might not understand; for had he more clearly expressed the things relating to himself, as the Messiah, and to the gospel dispensation, so as that they could have took in his meaning, such were their pride, their wickedness, and the rancour of their minds, that they would have at once rose up, and attempted to have destroyed him.

34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

John Gill

He did not speak to them without a parable—For the above reason, as well as for the accomplishment of Scripture (see Gill on Mat 13:34-35).

But privately to his own disciples he explained everything—After they returned with him from the sea side, to the house in Capernaum, where he usually was when there; see Mat 13:36. The multitude being dismissed, he unfolded and explained all these parables to his disciples, and led them into a large knowledge of himself, and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; whereby they were furnished for the work he had called them to, and designed them for.

Beware of the Scribes

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

John Gill

And in his teaching he said—As he was preaching, not to the scribes and Pharisees but to the multitude, and to his disciples particularly; and to them in the audience of the people, as appears from Mat 23:1; Luk 20:45.

Beware of the scribes—For though he had just spoken favourably of one of them, this was but a single man, and a singular instance; the body of that set of men, were very bad in their principles and practices, and therefore to be avoided, and that for the reasons following:

Who like to walk around in long robes—The Persic version renders it, “who affect to walk in coats and garments conspicuous, and in long robes”; such as were very particular, and different from others, and out of the common way of apparel; and so were observable and taken notice of by others: very likely it may have reference to the common length of their fringes on the borders of their outward garment, which they enlarged beyond others (see Gill on Mat 23:5);

And like greetings in the market places—Or “streets,” as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, in any public places, where there was a resort of men, and they were taken notice with respect, in a public manner. The Syriac Persic supply the word “like,” as we do from Mat 23:6-7 (see Gill on Mat 23:6-7).

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. MAT 6:5

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

be assured, he will not go unpunished. PRO 16:5

Sotah 4b:10

Rabbi Yohanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: Any person who has arrogance within him is considered as if he were an idol worshipper, as it is written here: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5), and it is written there concerning the destruction of idols: “And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house” (Deu 7:26).

Sotah 5a:17

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: Even a law scholar should not have any arrogance or any part of arrogance, i.e., not even one-eighth of one-eighth. He explains why arrogance should be avoided entirely by asking: Is it a small matter that it is written with regard to arrogance: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5)?

Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:14

Anyone who goes into the street with his shoes unlaced is haughty of spirit. He who walks with his sanṭer hanging side-ways, or his cap turned backwards, or sits crosslegged, or holds in his hand the straps of the tefillin and puts them back while walking in the street belongs to the haughty of spirit. Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit is as though he worships idols, as it states, You shall not bring an abominable thing into your house, and it states elsewhere, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord: the word abomination is written in the one connection and also in the other—as the abomination mentioned in the one refers to idolatry so the abomination mentioned in the other refers to idolatry.

Tractate Kallah Rabbati 10:18

BARAITHA. If he loosened his shoe and went out into the street he is regarded as haughty.

GEMARA. What is he to do? This is what it means to say: If he put on his shoe when he went out into the street he is regarded as haughty. Raba said: It is forbidden to bring a haughty man into one’s house; for the Rabbis said: Any man in whom is haughtiness of spirit will in the end stumble through an unfaithful married woman, as it is stated, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Even if he be learned in the law like Moses our teacher, he will not be free from the judgment of Gehinnom. As for everyone who is lowly of spirit, the Holy One, blessed be he, will save him from evil visitations that come upon the world; as it is stated, For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

John Gill

And have the best seats in the synagogues—Where the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders of the people sat (see Gill on Mat 23:6).

And the places of honor at feasts—Or the first and chief places where they sat, or rather lay along at public entertainment (see Gill on Mat 23:6).

2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,

3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” JAS 2:2-3

40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. EZE 22:25

Rashi

The conspiracy of her prophets—Heb. קֶשֶׁר lit. a knot. They are joined together in an evil counsel.

They have devoured human lives—For they would take bribes and strengthen the hands of evildoers to kill and plunder and rob, and then they would prophesy peace for them.

Treasure—Heb. חֹסֶן, money.

The dogs have a mighty appetite;

they never have enough.

But they are shepherds who have no understanding;

they have all turned to their own way,

each to his own gain, one and all. ISA 56:11

Rashi

The dogs have a mighty appetite wanting to fill their stomachs engrote talent in O.F., sick with hunger.

But they are shepherds—Just as the dogs know no satiety, neither do the shepherds know to understand what will occur at the end of days.

They have all turned to the way of their own benefit, each to his own gain, to rob the rest of the people over whom they are appointed.

One and all—Heb. מִקָּצֵהוּ, lit. from its end. Comp. Gen 19:4 “all the people from the end (מִקָּצֶה),” from one end of their number until its other end, they all behave in this manner.

The Widow’s Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.

Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the Lord. And the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. 2KI 12:10

Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 6:4:31

A dissenting opinion was taught in a baraita of the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Jehoiada prepared a single chest for one free-will offering, as it is written: “So the king commanded, and they made a chest” (2Ch 24:8). The verse specifically states that Jehoiada made only one chest. This is the same chest mentioned elsewhere: And he placed it in the sanctuary of the house of God, “and he bored a hole in the lid of it” (2Ki 12:10).

Rashi

Beside the altar—In the temple court.

On the right side as one entered—On the right side where the people come in.

Who guarded the threshold—The thresholds of the temple court, those in charge of the keys of the temple court, for Jonathan rendered it as “Amarkalia,” and there were seven “Amarkalim,” for the seven gates of the temple court (Tosefta Shekalim 2:15).

2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

John Gill

And he saw a poor widow—Whom he took particular notice of above all the rest: the poor, and the widow, are regarded by him, and are his care; nor are their mean services, done in faith, and from a principle of love, despised by him, but preferred to the greater services of others, where faith and love are wanting:

Put in two small copper coins—The value of a farthing. The Persic version renders it, “two bottoms of yarn” (see Gill on Mar 12:42).

3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” LUK 21:2-4

42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

John Gill

And he called his disciples to him—Who were at some little distance from him, he having finished his discourses:

And said to them, “Truly, I say to you”—A way of speaking he often used, when he was about to deliver something of importance, and not so easy of belief, and which required attention, and what he solemnly affirmed:

This poor widow—Pointing to her,

Has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box—Not that she had cast in more, or so much as any one of them as to value and substance, much less more than them all put together; but that she had cast in more in proportion to what she had, than they had in proportion to their substance; and that hers, though very small in itself, and might be contemptible to others, yet it was more in the account of God and Christ, and more highly valued and esteemed of by them, than all that the rich men put in: since what she gave, she gave in faith, and from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God; when theirs was given only in hypocrisy, to make an outward show, and to be seen of men.

So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. ACT 11:29

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site.

69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. EZR 2:68-69

Rashi

According to their ability—According to their ability and their money.

Darics—Heb. דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים, the name of a golden coin.

And priests’ garments in which to serve.

2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 2CO 8:2-3

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying,

John Gill

And Sadducees came to him—The same day, immediately after he had silenced the Pharisees and Herodians: these were a set of men distinct from the former, in some of their sentiments, especially in their religions ones, and particularly in the following:

Who say that there is no resurrection—Of the dead, in a literal sense, either general or particular (see Gill on Mat 22:33);

And they asked him a question, saying—As in the next verse.

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

John Gill

And as they were speaking to the people—For though only mention is made of Peter’s preaching in the preceding chapter, yet doubtless John preached as well as he; either in turn, or to a part of the people at some distance: and this shows their diligence, faithfulness, and integrity, in the ministration of the word; and it is recorded to their honour, that whilst they were about their master’s business, and discharging the duty of their office,

The priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them—By agreement, with great violence, and at unawares: the “priests” might be those who kept the watch in the temple; for

“in three places the priests kept watch, in the house of the sanctuary; in the house of Abtines, in the house of Nitsots, and in the house of Moked, and the Levites in one and twenty places.”

And it now being evening, they might be about to take their stands; “and the captain of the temple” might be he, whom they call, “the man of the mountain of the house”; who was, a ruler, or governor, and, a president over all the wards; he is sometimes called, “the head of the ward”; and of him it is said,

“the man of the mountain of the house goes his round through every ward, with burning torches before him; and every ward that does not stand (is not on his feet), the man of the mountain of the house, says to him, peace be to you; and if he observes that he is asleep, he strikes him with his staff, and he has power to burn his garments.”

The Vulgate Latin and the Oriental versions read in the plural number (see Gill on Luk 22:4, 52). The Sadducees were a sect among the Jews, that denied the resurrection of the dead; of their rise, name, and tenets (see Gill on Mat 3:7).

2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ACT 4:1-2

John Gill

Greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people—Any doctrine, and especially that which follows, and which particularly gave uneasiness to the Sadducees, they were exceedingly distressed by it; it pained them to the very heart, and they were filled with wrath and indignation:

And proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead—They not only preached the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in general, but gave an instance and proof of it in the resurrection of Christ, affirming that he was risen from the dead; and they also preached up the resurrection of the dead in his name, and asserted, that he would be the author of it, and it would be erected by his power: so that their doctrine was equally disagreeable to the Pharisees and Sadducees; to the Sadducees, who denied that there was, or would be any resurrection of the dead; and to the Pharisees, who though they believed it, yet were highly offended that it should be said, that Jesus was risen from the dead; and that the general resurrection of the dead should be attributed to him.

19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

John Gill

Teacher, Moses wrote for us—Has left in writing for us the following precept to observe; for they acknowledged the writings of Moses, and indeed all the Scriptures of the Old Testament; adhering to the literal sense of them, and rejecting the traditional interpretation of them by the Rabbins:

If a man’s brother dies and leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother—Which is the sense of the law in Deu 25:5 (see Gill on Mat 22:24).

Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” GEN 38:8

Rashi

And raise up offspring—The son will be called by the name of him who is dead.

20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring.

John Gill

There were seven brothers—In a certain family, at a certain place; perhaps at Jerusalem, who were brothers by the father’s side; for such only were reckoned so, and such only did this law oblige:

The first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring—No child: hence it is clear that the ancient Jews used the word offspring, of a single person, as these Sadducees did; though modern ones deny such an use of it in our present controversies with them about the sense of (Gen 3:15; 22:18); (see Gill on Mat 22:25).

21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died.

John Gill

And the seventh left no offspring—All, the seven brothers married her, one after another, and neither of them had any children by her:

And last of all the woman also died—After all the seven brothers, to whom she had been married.

23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?

John Gill

Jesus said to them—Which they thought he was not able to do, but would have been silenced at once by them, as many of their antagonists had been:

Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? What is expressed in Matthew affirmatively, is here put by way of interrogation, which, with the Jews, was a more vehement way of affirming (See Gill on Mat 22:29).

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. GEN 18:14

Rashi

Is . . . too hard—As the Targum takes it: is anything too hard—far distant and apart from me that I cannot do as I would wish?

At the appointed time—At that time that was appointed, that I fixed for you yesterday when I said (17:21), “at this time next year.”

But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” MAT 22:29

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

John Gill

For when they rise from the dead—These seven brothers, and the woman; and so any, and every other:

They neither marry nor are given marriage—There will be no such natural relation subsisting, nor any need of any:

But are like angels in heaven—(See Gill on Mat 22:30).

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. MAT 22:30

26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

John Gill

And as for the dead being raised—For the proof of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead,

Have you not read in the book of Moses—That is, in the law of Moses; for though it was divided into five parts, it was but one book; just as the Psalms are called the Book of Psalms (Act 1:20), and the prophets, the book of the prophets (Act 7:42). The book of Exodus is particularly intended; for the passage referred to is in Exo 3:6,

In the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him—Or “out of the bush,” as the Syriac and Persic versions read;

Saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? (See Gill on Mat 22:31-32).

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

Rashi

And I will establish my covenant—And what is this covenant? To be God to you.

Yevamot 64a:2

Abba Hanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: A man who does not engage in procreation is liable to death, as it is stated with regard to the sons of Aaron: “But Nadab and Abihu died . . . and they had no children” (Num 3:4). This indicates that if they would have had children they would not have died. Others say: He causes the divine presence to depart from the Jewish people, as it is stated: “To be God to you and to your offspring after you” (Gen 17:7). When your offspring is after you, i.e., when you have children, the divine presence rests upon the Jewish people, but if your offspring is not after you, upon whom can the divine presence rest? Upon wood and stones?

8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. GEN 17:7-8

31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God:

32 “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. MAT 22:31-32

27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

John Gill

He is not God of the dead—This is our Lord’s reasoning upon the passage; showing from hence, that since God is God of these persons, they must be now alive in their souls, for God is not God of the dead; and that their bodies must rise again, or he will not be God of their whole persons;

But of the living—The word “God,” in this clause, is retained in the Persic and Ethiopic versions, but omitted in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions (see Gill on Mat 22:32);

You are quite wrong—Signifying, that it was not a slight mistake, an error of small importance, but a very great one; inasmuch as it was contrary to the Scriptures, and derogated from the power of God, and destroyed that covenant interest, which God has in his people, and particularly in the principal men of their nation, who were the fathers and founders of them.

Cease to hear instruction, my son,

and you will stray from the words of knowledge. PRO 19:27

Rashi

Cease to stray—Heb. לשגות, like מלשגות, from straying. Likewise (Num 9:13): “and refrains (וחדל) from performing (לעשות) the Passover service.” Also (Gen 41:49): “they ceased to measure it (לספר).”

Cease to stray, my son, etc.—This is an elliptical verse, and this is its explanation: Cease to stray, my son, from the words of knowledge in order to hear discipline.

as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. ROM 4:17