Matthew 21

There are two sorts of infirmities: such as are sinful without pain, or such as are painful without sin. The first of these infirmities Christ did not take upon him, sinful infirmities, to be covetous or ambitious, Christ never took these upon him: but Christ took upon him painf…

Let him ask in faith. Matthew 21:22: Whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. Invoco te Domine quanquam languida & imbecilla fide, tamen fide; Lord, said Cruciger, I pray, though with a weak faith, yet with faith.

(1.) God's curse, (Galatians 3:10). As when Christ cursed the fig-tree, it withered (Matthew 21:19). So when God curses any, he withers in his soul.

This appurtenance of them to the Ark, the Apostle expresseth by the Preposition [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] from the Hebrew [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] now this preposition is so frequently used in the Scripture to signify, adhesion, conjunction, approximation, appurtenance of one t…

This was God's vineyard (Isaiah 5:7, 8). Hereunto he sent all his ministers and last of all his Son (Matthew 21:35; Jeremiah 2:21). And to them he calls, O earth, earth, earth hear the word of the Lord (Jeremiah 22:29).

God would accept of them, own them, preserve and bless them; and this blessing of God consisted in four things: (1) In his gracious acceptance of them in Christ and the approbation of their obedience, ver. 9. (2) In delivering them from that dreadful curse and judgement which no…

We fear that to say this, would be to the dishonor of God's holiness and glory. And plain it is, that it is the same kingdom of God, that is, the same church-estate for substance and kind, which is taken from the Jews, and given to the Gentiles (Matthew 21:43), and therefore the…

And hence we learn, that in time of peace, all those that are called to the office of the ministry, must (if it be possible) spend their labor publicly, so as they may do most good. Secondly whereas Christ says, he preached in their synagogues and temple, which at that time were…

It is reported of a nobleman of this nation, that the queen gave him a ring, and told him that when he was in any strait, let him send that ring to her, and she would relieve him. To this ring I compare prayer, when a child of God stands in need of anything, he sends this ring t…

See (Acts 4:21). They let them go because of the people: so (Matthew 14:5) and (Matthew 21:46). And again, I say they must own it whatever it cost them, for zealous defences are a great honor to the truth: the disputations of the doctors do not commend it to the world so much as…

Look but upon one piece of the accomplishment of this prophecy, and by it, judge of the rest. When Christ comes to Jerusalem meek, and sitting upon an ass (as the Prophet said) all the city is troubled at his coming (Matthew 21:5, 10). When he had but cast out the buyers and sel…

We read (2 Chronicles 19:8) that with the Priests were joined some of the chief of the fathers of Israel, to judge ecclesiastical causes and controversies. And however many things among the Jews in the latter times, after the captivity, did wear to confusion and misorder, yet we…

Therefore that doctrine can come from none other than God Himself. Since theology is the principle and norm of all divine worship, faith, and obedience, it is accordingly necessary that it also be of heavenly origin and infallible certainty — from heaven, not from men (Matthew 2…

Hence He was also called "a minister of the circumcision" (Romans 15:8). The Son and Heir was indeed to be sent into the same vineyard from which the servants had been repulsed (Matthew 21). And all acknowledge that He came to that church in her last days, when she had not yet q…

If you love the nurse for the child's sake, then you love the child more. So the Jews killed the servants, the Prophets, they stoned them, and beat them, (Matthew 21:35) but they did more to Christ, Verse 39. They caught him, slew him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and took…

He submitted to baptism, but then owned by a voice from heaven to be God's Beloved Son. He was deceived in the fig tree, when hungry; which shows the infirmity of human ignorance; but suddenly blasted, this manifested the glory of a divine power (Matthew 21:19). Here, tempted by…

Fourthly, the manner how, in the spirit of meekness. For the first, the duty is set down in the word restore, which in the original signifies, to set a joint, or bone, that is broken; so as it may become as strong and sound, as ever it was: so the word is used (Matthew 21:16). B…

From there it is that these calumniations and false accusations are raised up against the faithful servants of God at this day: from there is it also that such doubtful and curious questions are propounded to them, even as nets and snares to put the innocent in hazard of their l…

And Solomon in dedicating the Temple said, When they shall come and pray in this house, then you will hear in heaven your dwelling place (1 Kings 8:33). Which is the cause why Christ reproaches the Jews for making his Father's house a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13), and thereunt…

As they have provoked me, says the Lord, to jealousy, with that which is no God, and have stirred me up to wrath by their vanities: so also will I move them to jealousy by that which is no God, and will provoke them by a foolish nation (Deuteronomy 32:21). In a word, the Prophet…

This agrees with the former similitude, in which he compares God to a stone. Christ alludes to it, comprehending both the members: Whoever falls upon this stone, shall be broken; and upon whoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder: Matthew 21:44. That which follows afte…

Matthew 21:1-9 1. And when they approached Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, to the mountain of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

Matthew 21:10-22 10. And when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this?

Matthew 21:23-27 23. And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him, saying By what authority doest thou these things?

Matthew 21:33-46 33. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it by a ditch, and dug a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen, and went abroad,

Here again he alleges a place out of Psalm 118 of the Prophet David: The same stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Which place Christ himself also cites in Matthew 21: and is repeated in Acts 4: The stone whic…

Now, it is true, that conversion is the condition of pardon and justification: but if it be so, how absurd is it to say that conversion is one condition of justification, and faith another; as though they were two distributively distinct and parallel conditions? Conversion is th…

It is he that is terrible out of his holy places; who is mightier than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty waves of the sea; before whom a fire goes, and burns up his enemies round about; at whose presence the earth quakes, and the hills melt; who sits on the circle o…

Election passes by civil honest men, and [reconstructed: ingenious, temperate men], and commonly runs to men, that have been scandalous, loose, atheistical, profane livers, before they were called. Whores and harlots shall come to Heaven before you (Matthew 21:31). Manasseh, tha…

Fourthly, God in electing men to life, does pass by moral and civil honest men, that trust and depend upon their own righteousness and strict living, rather than any sort of men in the world. Matthew 21:31, 33 says Christ, John Baptist preached the Gospel of repentance, but you…

You are more unlikely to be called than any men in the world. Matthew 21:31 — There is a parable of a man that had two sons, he bid both work in the vineyard; one son said he would not work: he was obstinate; the other son said he would work, but did not, and so was worse than h…

Prayer, as it is the great engine whereby to prevail with the Almighty (Isaiah 45:11) so it is the sure refuge of the Saints at all times, both in their own behalf (Psalm 61:2) and also of others (Acts 12:5). It is a benefit which the poorest believer may bestow, and the greates…

For as God of old spoke in the Prophets, so in these last days he spoke in the Son; that is, in him, personally present with the Church, as the Prophets also were in their several generations (Chap. 2. v. 3). Now as to his personal ministry, he was sent to the lost sheep of the…

In clearing the case here supposed, as incident to the Church, we are to consider, 1. What these vines are. 2. What be these foxes. 3. How they spoil the vines. For clearing the first; Consider, that the visible Church is often compared in Scripture to a Vineyard (Matthew 21:33)…

1. She is the Lord's, the Father, Son, and Spirit, his by eternal Election; This is the first right (John 17:6), Yours they were, to wit, by your eternal purpose: And from this flows the second, to wit, the Mediator's right, and you gave them to me. The Father is the owner and p…

This will more fully appear in the opening up of the Song: 3. What is the scope of these allegories, in other Scriptures, as that of Psalm 45, that of planting a vineyard (Matthew 21), that of marriage (Matthew 22), (which none can deny) is meant of espousing spiritually. (See t…

And God blessed a speech so well tempered, and so full of soft and melting oratory, with success. Indeed we find an instance of a disobedient son in the parable of our Savior (Matthew 21), who though he obeyed not the commands of his father, yet thought it too shameful a crime n…

O sirs, one pure act of a lively faith will bring you in more treasure, than many hours tugging and struggling in duties, and performances: nothing in the world does [ponere obicem] shoot a bar, and bolt the door between Christ and the heart, but unbelief: if you can believe all…

- 1. Careless loiterers. - 2. Vain-glorious boasters. - 3. Impious offenders. - 4. Unprofitable Christians. 1. Careless loiterers, that sleep out a fair summer's day of grace, and forget the day of their visitation; many poor ministers have cause to weep over their dear people,…

Surely this must be some great and extraordinary person indeed, and a great work indeed it must necessarily be that he is coming about. We read, Matthew 21:8, 9, 10, that when Christ was coming into Jerusalem, and the multitudes ran before him, and cut down branches of palm tree…

Through his poverty he doubtless was often pinched with hunger, and thirst, and cold. We read, Matthew 4:2 that he was an hungred; and so again in Matthew 21:18. His mother and natural relations were poor, and not able to help him: and he was maintained by the charity of some of…

They are called Silver-Dross, and Reprobate or refuse Silver (Ezekiel 22. 18. Jeremiah 4. 30.) which glistens and shows like true Silver, but has not its inward Worth. So they are compared to adulterated Wine, Isaiah 1, 22. and to Trees full of Leaves, bidding fair for Fruitfuln…

Isaiah 6: "Go make the heart of this people fat, their ears dull, etc." Christ executes by the Gospel that curse upon many souls, which he denounced against the fig tree (Matthew 21:19): "Let no fruit grow on you henceforth for ever, and immediately the fig tree withered away."…

And evils must be in our construction judged inevitable, if there be no apparent ordinary way to avoid them; because where counsel and advice bear rule, of God's extraordinary power, without extraordinary warrant, we cannot presume. The argument which our Savior uses against pro…

What shrieks, and cries have they uttered! What will it then be when the Judge of all the earth shall say to the man, as (Matthew 21:41): depart you cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Which sentence will be immediately followed with as terrible…

5. Had I more grace, I would not deny Christ for fear of men, nor sell Christ for money, as did Peter and Judas. Now just so spake the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:30), if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the…

Nor is there any such threatening that the nation or person that commit such sins, and omit such duties, shall be punished with the want of the preached Gospel for ever, and with the want of faith and repentance: only the latter suffers an exception in persons that sin against t…

It speaks much grace in Josiah (2 Kings 22:19) to feel and suffer, with softness and tenderness of a meekened and a tamed heart, the smart and pain of the influences of the threatening law. And it is prevalency of grace for Hezekiah (Isaiah 39) to stoop to the like and to say, g…

3. There is a spiritual disposition in the conscience of the Centurion (Luke 23:47), in Thomas (John 20:27), in Peter (1 Peter 5:8). The contrary whereof was in the Pharisees and Rulers wrestling against the manifest light of God (Matthew 12:22, 23, 24; Matthew 21:33, 34 & 45, 4…

Nor do any curse the rising sun but those that are scorched by it. Why were the Pharisees so exasperated against our Savior but because he spoke his parables against them (Matthew 21:45), and laid them open in their own colors? Why did the world hate him who so loved the world,…