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At length the rejection of the nation, in consequence of their contempt of
the Lord, is plainly shewn, as well as the cessation of all His relations
with them as such, in order to bring out on God's part an entirely
different system, that is to say, the kingdom in a particular form. Thus
this last chapter is the great turning-point of the whole history. Christ
is a divine witness to Himself, and John Baptist has so to receive Him, as
another would. He stood no longer as Messiah witnessed to, but as Son of
God, but gives His full testimony to John. But the nation had rejected God
manifested in warnings and grace alike: only there was a remnant. Wisdom
was justified of her children. Then comes His submission to His rejection,
evil as it might be, as the Father's will; but this leads Him out into the
consciousness of His personal glory, the real ground of that rejection. All
things were delivered to Him of His Father. None could know Him, nor any
the Father unless He revealed Him. The whole world, tested by His
perfection, was found lying in wickedness (though with a spared remnant),
but man was universally away from God. He looked down from heaven to see,
as we read, but they were all gone out of the way, none righteous, no, not
one. So Jesus, as He walked on the sea, stood alone in a judged world,
judged by His rejection, but now in the sovereign grace of the Father, as
the Son revealing Him, and calling to the revelation of this grace in
Himself. This is just now the new position. He had tried man. The very
thing that He was, hindered their receiving Him. Now he that was weary must
come to Him who stood thus alone, and He would give them rest. They must
learn of Him who thus had absolutely submitted, and they would have rest as
to the world and everything here. So with us: where we wholly bow, we come
into the conscious possession of our privileges as disowned, on the
heavenly and higher ground.
The first circumstance that brought forward the question of His Person, and
of His right to close the dispensation, was the disciples' plucking the
ears of corn and crushing them in their hands to satisfy their hunger. For
this the Pharisees rebuke them, because it was on a Sabbath day. Jesus sets
before them that the king, rejected by the malice of Saul, had partaken of
that which was only given to the priests. The Son of David, in a similar
case, might well enjoy a similar privilege. Besides God was acting in
grace. The priest also profaned the Sabbath in the service of the temple;
and One greater than the temple was there. Moreover, if they had really
known the mind of God, if they had been imbued with the Spirit which His
word declared to be acceptable to Him-"I will have mercy and not
sacrifice," they would not have condemned the guiltless. In addition to
this, the Son of man was Lord even of the Sabbath. Here He no longer takes
the title of Messiah, but that of Son of man-a name which bore witness to a
new order of things, and to a more extended power. Now that which He said
had great significance; for the Sabbath was the token of the covenant
between Jehovah and the nation (Ezek. 20: 12-20); and the Son of man was
declaring His power over it. If that was touched, it was all over with the
covenant.
The same question arises in the synagogue; and the Lord persists in acting
in grace, and in doing good, shewing them that they would do the same for
one of their sheep. This only excites their hatred, great as was the proof
of His beneficent power. They were children of the murderer. Jesus
withdraws from them, and great multitudes follow Him. He heals them,
charging them not to make Him known. In all this however His doings were
but the fulfilment of a prophecy which clearly traces out the Lord's
position at this time. The hour would come when He should bring forth
judgment unto victory. Meanwhile He retained the position of entire
lowliness, in which grace and truth could commend themselves to those who
appreciated and needed them. But in the exercise of this grace, and in His
testimony to the truth, He would do nothing to falsify this character, or
so to attract the attention of men as to prevent His true work, or which
could make it even suspected that He sought His own honour. Nevertheless
the Spirit of Jehovah was upon Him as His beloved, in whom His soul
delighted; and He should declare judgment to the Gentiles, and they should
put their trust in His name. The application of this prophecy to Jesus at
that moment is very evident. We see how guarded He was with the Jews,
abstaining from the gratification of their carnal desires respecting
Himself, and content to be in the background, if God His Father was
glorified; and glorifying Him perfectly Himself on the earth by doing good.
He was soon to be declared to the Gentiles; whether by the execution of the
judgment of God, or by presenting Himself to them as the One in whom they
should trust.
This passage is manifestly placed here by the Holy Ghost, in order to give
the exact representation of His position, before laying open the new scenes
which His rejection prepares for us.
He then casts out a devil from a man who was blind and dumb-a sad
condition, truly depicting that of the people with respect to God. The
multitude, full of admiration, exclaim, "Is not this the Son of David?" But
the religionists, on hearing it, jealous of the Lord, and hostile to the
testimony of God, declare that Jesus wrought this miracle by the power of
Beelzebub, thus sealing their own condition, and putting themselves under
the definitive judgment of God. Jesus demonstrates the absurdity of what
they had said. Satan would not destroy his own kingdom. Their own children,
who had the pretension to do the same, should judge their iniquity. But if
not the power of Satan (and the Pharisees admitted that the devils were
really cast out), it was the finger of God, and the kingdom of God was
among them.
He who had come into the strong man's house to spoil his goods had first to
bind him.
The truth is that the presence of Jesus put everything to the test;
everything on God's part was centred in Him. It is Emmanuel Himself who was
there. He who was not with Him was against Him. He who did not gather with
Him scattered. Everything now depended on Him alone. He would bear with all
unbelief as to His own Person. Grace could remove that. He could pardon all
sin; but to speak against and blaspheme the Holy Ghost (that is, to
acknowledge the exercise of a power, which is that of God, and to attribute
it to Satan) could not be pardoned; for the Pharisees admitted that the
devil was cast out, and it was only with malice, with open-eyed deliberate
hatred to God, that they attributed it to Satan. And what pardon could
there be for this? There was none either in the age of the law
[see note #32] or in
that of the Messiah. The fate of those who thus acted was decided. This the
Lord would have them understand. The fruit proved the nature of the tree.
It was essentially bad. They were a generation of vipers. John had told
them the same. Their words condemned them. Upon this the scribes and
Pharisees asked for a sign. This was nothing but wickedness. They had had
signs enough. It was only stirring up the unbelief of the rest.
This request gives the Lord occasion to pronounce the judgment of this
generation.
There should be only the sign of Jonah for this evil generation. As Jonah
was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so should the Son
of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. But then
lo! Christ was already rejected.
The Ninevites by their conduct should condemn this generation in the day of
judgment, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and a greater
than Jonah was here. The queen of the south likewise testified against the
wickedness of this perverse generation. Her heart attracted by the report
of Solomon's wisdom, had led her to him from the uttermost parts of the
earth; and a greater than Solomon was here. Poor ignorant Gentiles
understood the wisdom of God in His word, whether by the prophet or the
king, better than His beloved people, even when the Great King and Prophet
was among them.
This was then His judgment: the unclean spirit (of idolatry) which had gone
out of the people, finding no rest away from Israel (alas! its true house,
whereas they ought to have been the house of God), should return with seven
spirits worse than itself. They would find the house empty, swept, and
garnished; and the last state should be worse than the first. What a solemn
judgment of the people was this-that those among whom Jehovah had walked
should become the habitation of an unclean spirit, of a superabundance of
unclean spirits; not merely of seven, the complete number, but together
with these (who would incite them all to madness against God and those who
honoured God, thus leading them to their own destruction) that other
unclean spirit also, who would draw them back into the wretched idolatry
from which they had escaped! Israel's judgment was pronounced.
In conclusion Jesus publicly breaks the bonds that naturally existed
between Himself and the people after the flesh, acknowledging those only
which were formed by the word of God, and manifested by doing the will of
His Father which was in heaven. Those persons only would He acknowledge as
His relations, who were formed after the pattern of the sermon on the
Mount.
His actions and His words after this bear witness to the new work which He
was really doing on the earth. He leaves (chap. 13) the house and sits
beside the lake. He takes a new position outside, to proclaim to the
multitude that which was His true work. A sower went forth to sow.
