Matthew 10:16

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

David Brown

To be left exposed, as sheep to wolves, would have been startling enough; but that the sheep should be sent among the wolves would sound strange indeed. No wonder this announcement begins with the exclamation, Behold.

Be ye therefore wise, etc Wonderful combination this! Alone, the wisdom of the serpent is mere cunning, ... the harmlessness of the dove little better than weakness ... in combination, the wisdom of the serpent would save them from unnecessary exposure to danger; the harmlessness of the dove, from sinful expedients to escape it. In the apostolic age ... how harmoniously were these qualities displayed! Instead of the fanatical thirst for martyrdom ... there was a manly combination of unflinching zeal and calm discretion, before which nothing was able to stand.

Matthew Henry

... what may a flock of poor, helpless, unguarded sheep expect, in the midst of ... ravenous wolves, but to be worried and torn?

Note, Wicked men are like wolves, in whose nature it is to devour and destroy. God's people, and especially his ministers, are like sheep among them, of a contrary nature and disposition, exposed to them, and commonly an easy prey to them. It looked unkind in Christ to expose them to so much danger, who had left all to follow him; but he knew that the glory reserved for his sheep, ... would be a recompense sufficient for sufferings as well as services. They are as sheep among wolves, that is frightful; but Christ sends them forth, that is comfortable; for he that sends them forth will protect them and bear them out. But that they might know the worst, he tells them ... what they must expect.

Be ye wise, etc ... a precept, recommending to us that wisdom of the prudent, which is to understand his way, as useful at all times, but especially in suffering times. “Therefore, because you are exposed, as sheep among wolves; be ye wise as serpents; not ... foxes, whose cunning is to deceive others; but ... serpents, whose policy is only to defend themselves and to shift for their own safety.” ... disciples of Christ are hated and persecuted as serpents ... their ruin is sought ... they need the serpent's wisdom.

Note, It is the will of Christ that his people and ministers, being so much exposed to troubles in this world, as they usually are, should not needlessly expose themselves, but use all fair and lawful means for their own preservation. .... We must be wise, not to pull trouble upon our own heads; wise to keep silence in an evil time and not to give offence, if we can help it.

Be ye harmless, etc “Be mild ... meek ... dispassionate; not only do nobody any hurt, but bear nobody any ill will; be without gall, as doves ... this must always go along with the former.” They are sent forth among wolves, therefore must be as wise as serpents, but they are sent forth as sheep, therefore must be harmless as doves. We must be wise, not to wrong ourselves, but rather so than wrong anyone else; must use the harmlessness of the dove to bear twenty injuries, rather than the subtlety of the serpent to offer or to return one.

Note, It must be the continual care of all Christ's disciples, to be innocent and inoffensive in word and deed, especially in consideration of the enemies they are in the midst of. We have need of a dove-like spirit, when ... beset with birds of prey, that we may neither provoke ... nor be provoked ....

Albert Barnes

... That is, I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly and cruel world. Your innocence will not be a protection.

... Serpents have always been an emblem of wisdom and cunning, Gen 3:1. The Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No animal equals them in ... rapidity and skill ... in escaping danger. So said Christ to his disciples, You need caution and wisdom in the midst of a world that will seek your lives. He directs them, also, to be harmless, not to provoke danger ... do injury, and ... make their fellow-men justly enraged against them.

Doves are ... a striking emblem of innocence. Most people would foolishly destroy a serpent, be it ever so harmless, yet few are so hard-hearted as to kill a dove.

Marvin Vincent

I send, etc (ego apostello) Cognate to the word apostolos (apostle). The I is emphatic: “It is I that send you forth.”

Wise (phronimoi) So AV and RV. Denoting prudence with regard to their own safety. Wycliffe, "wary".

Harmless (akeraioi) Lit, unmixed, unadulterated. Used of wine without water, and of metal without alloy. Hence guileless ... Luther, "without falsity". Cf Rom 16:19; Phi 2:15. They were to imitate the serpent's wariness, but not his wiliness. “The presence of the wolves demands that ye be wary; the fact that ye are my apostles (compare “I send you”) demands that ye be guileless” (Dr Morison).

Matthew 9:12

On hearing this, Jesus said, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

A T Robertson

But they that are sick (alla hoi kakōs echontes). Probably a current proverb about the physician. As a physician of body and soul Jesus was bound to come in close touch with the social outcasts.

Albert Barnes

Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those ... in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, "If you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves - already pure and holy - you do not need my aid. It would be of no use to you, and you would not thank me for it. With those persons who feel that they are sinners I may be useful, and there is my proper place." Or ... "I came on purpose to save sinners: my business is with them. There are none righteous; and as a physician is in his proper place with the sick so am I with guilty and miserable sinners."

John Gill

But when .... The charge the Pharisees brought against him, and the insinuations they had made of him to his disciples; which he either overheard himself, or his disciples related to him,

he said ... the Pharisees, with an audible voice, not only to confute and convince them, but chiefly to establish his disciples, they were endeavouring to draw away from him

they that be whole ... by which he would signify that he was a "physician": and so he is in a spiritual sense ...

• very skilful ... he knows the nature of all the diseases of the soul, without being told them by the patient; what are the true causes ... what is proper to apply; ... the best time ... the best manner ...
• universal ... with regard both to diseases and to persons that apply to him; he heals all sorts of persons and all sorts of diseases; such as are blind from ... birth ... deaf ... halt ... lame, such as have broken hearts, yea the plague in their hearts, and have stony ones, and all the relapses of his people; which he does by his stripes and wounds, by the application of his blood, by his word and Gospel, through sinners looking to him, and touching him ...
• infallible ... none ever went from him without a cure; none ever perished under his hands; the disease he heals never returns more to prevail, so as to bring on death and destruction ...
• freely, without money, and without price. ...

Now Christ argues from this his character, in vindication of himself ... he was with these persons, not as a companion ... but ... a physician ... and as it is not unlawful, but highly proper and commendable, that a physician should be with the sick; so it was very lawful, fit and proper, yea praiseworthy ... to be among these publicans and sinners, for their spiritual good. He suggests indeed, that they that be whole, in perfect health and strength, as the Pharisees thought themselves ... even free from all the maladies and diseases of sin, were strong, robust ... able to do anything and everything of themselves; these truly stood in no need of him ... a physician, in their own apprehension; they saw no need of him; in principle they had no need of him, and in practice did not make use of him ... therefore it was to no purpose to attend them, but converse with others, who had need ...

These words seem to be ... proverbial ... there is something like it in the Talmud, ... "he that is afflicted with any pain goes", or "let him go to the physician's house"; that is, he that is attended with any sickness or disease ... ought to consult a physician.

Matthew 8:8

The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

John Calvin
Lord, I do not deserve, etc Matthew’s narrative is more concise ... Luke explains more fully ... this was a message sent by his friends ... the meaning ... is the same. There are two leading points ... The centurion, sparing Christ by way of honouring him, requests that Christ will not trouble himself, because he reckons himself unworthy to receive a visit from him ... next ... he ascribes to Christ such power as to believe, that by the mere expression of his will, and by a word, his servant may recover and live. There was astonishing humility in exalting so highly above himself a man who belonged to a conquered and enslaved nation. It is possible, too, that he had become accustomed to the haughty pretensions of the Jews, and, being ... modest ... did not take it ill to be reckoned a heathen, and therefore feared that he would dishonour a Prophet of God, if he pressed him to enter the house of a polluted Gentile. However ... it is certain that he speaks sincerely, and entertains such reverence for Christ, that he does not venture to invite him to his house ....

But ... what moved him to speak of Christ in such lofty terms? The difficulty is ... increased by ... that ... only say the word, etc ... for if he had not acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, to transfer the glory of God to a man would have been superstition. It is difficult to believe ... that he was properly informed about Christ’s divinity ... Yet Christ finds no fault with his words, but declares that they proceeded from faith ... this ... has forced many ... to conclude that the centurion bestows on Christ the title of the true and only God. I rather think that the good man, ... informed about the uncommon and truly divine works of Christ, simply acknowledged in him the power of God ... too, he had undoubtedly heard about the promised Redeemer. Though he does not distinctly understand that Christ is God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16) yet he is convinced that the power of God is manifested in him, and that he has received a commission to display the presence of God by miracles. He is not therefore chargeable with superstition ... but, looking at the commission which God had given to Christ, he believes that by a word alone he can heal ....

Is it objected, that nothing belongs more peculiarly to God than to accomplish by a word whatever he pleases, and that this supreme authority cannot without sacrilege be yielded to a mortal man? The reply is again easy. Though the centurion did not enter into those nice distinctions, he ascribed this power to the word, not of a mortal man, but of God, whose minister he fully believed Christ to be: on that point he entertained no doubt. The grace of healing having been committed to Christ, he acknowledges that this is a heavenly power, and does not look upon it as inseparable from the bodily presence, but is satisfied with the word, from which he believes such a power to proceed.

Matthew Henry

Christ's humility, in being willing to come, gave an example to him, and occasioned his humility, in owning himself unworthy to have him come. Note, Christ's gracious condescensions to us, should make us the more humble and self-abasing before him.

Matthew 7:6

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew Henry

This may be considered, either,

(1) ... A rule to the disciples in preaching the gospel; not that they must not preach it to anyone who were wicked and profane ... but the reference is to such as they found obstinate after the gospel was preached to them, such as blasphemed it and persecuted the preachers of it; let them not spend much time among such, for it would be lost labour, but let them turn to others, Acts 13:41 ...

(2) ... A rule to all in giving reproof. Our zeal against sin must be guided by discretion and we must not go about to give instructions, counsels and rebukes, much less comforts, to hardened scorners, to whom it will certainly do no good, but who will be exasperated and enraged at us. Throw a pearl to a swine, and he will resent it, as if you threw a stone at him; reproofs will be called reproaches, as they were (Lk 11:45; Jer 6:10), therefore give not to ... unclean creatures holy things. ...

[1] Good counsel and reproof are a holy thing, ... a pearl: ... ordinances of God ... precious ...

[2] Among the generation of the wicked, there are some that have arrived at such a pitch of wickedness, that they are looked upon as dogs and swine; they are impudently and notoriously vile ...

[3] Reproofs of instruction are ill bestowed upon such, and expose the reprover to all the contempt and mischief that may be expected from dogs and swine ...

[4] Our Lord Jesus is very tender of the safety of his people, and would not have them needlessly to expose themselves to the fury of those that will turn again and rend them ....

John Gill

Give not that which is holy, etc .... Dogs were unclean creatures by the law; the price of one might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for a vow, Dt 23:18, yea, these creatures were not admitted into several temples of the Heathens. Things profane and unclean, as flesh torn by beasts, were ordered to be given to them, Ex 22:31, but nothing that was holy was to be given them, as holy flesh, or the holy oblations, or anything that was consecrated to holy uses; to which is the allusion here. It is a common maxim with the Jews, ... "that they do not redeem holy things, to give to the dogs to eat".

Here the phrase is used in a metaphorical sense; and is generally understood of not delivering or communicating the holy word of God and the truths of the gospel, comparable to pearls, or the ordinances of it, to persons notoriously vile and sinful: to ... violent and furious persecutors ... impudent blasphemers ... "dogs"; or to such, who are scandalously vile, impure in their lives and conversations, ... swine;

neither cast ye, etc But since the subject Christ is upon is reproof, it seems rather to be the design of these expressions, that men should be cautious and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their sins, in whom there is no appearance or hope of success; yea, where there is danger of sustaining loss;

lest they trample them, etc that is, despise the admonitions and reproofs given, and hurt the persons who give them, either by words or deeds; see Prov 9:7. The Jews have ... sayings ... like these ... eg "do not cast pearls before swine, nor deliver wisdom to him, who knows not the excellency of it; for wisdom is better than pearls, and he that does not seek after it, is worse than a swine.''

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Ambrose

You must not think that he means by this a room with four walls separating you physically from others, but the room that is within you, where your thoughts are shut up, the place which contains your feelings. This room of prayer is with you at all times, wherever you go it is a secret place and what happens there is witnessed by God alone.

A T Robertson

Into thy closet (eis to tameion). The word is a late syncopated form of tamieion from tamias (steward) and the root taṁ from temnō, to cut. So it is a store-house, a separate apartment, one’s private chamber, closet, or "den" where he can withdraw from the world and shut the world out and commune with God.

David Brown

Of course, it is not the simple publicity of prayer which is here condemned. It may be offered in any circumstances, however open, if not prompted by the spirit of ostentation but dictated by the great ends of prayer itself. It is the retiring character of true prayer which is here taught.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Mathew Henry

This is the most comprehensive of all the beatitudes; here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together.

1. Here is the most comprehensive character of the blessed: they are pure in heart. Note, True religion consists in heart-purity. Those who are inwardly pure, show themselves to be under the power of pure and undefiled religion. ...

2. Here is the most comprehensive comfort of the blessed; They shall see God. Note

(1) It is the perfection of the soul's happiness to see God; seeing him, as we may by faith in our present state, is a heaven upon earth; and seeing him as we shall in the future state, in the heaven of heaven. ...

(2) The happiness of seeing God is promised to those, and those only, who are pure in heart. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would it be a felicity to the impure. What pleasure could an unsanctified soul take in the vision of a holy God? ....

John Wesley

The Pure in Heart are those whose hearts have been purified through faith in the blood of Christ Jesus. They are purified from unholy affections and filthiness of the flesh and spirit by perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 7:1). They have the spirit of gentleness and meekness and hunger and thirst after righteousness (verse 6).
The Pure in Heart shall see God. What a blessing this will be! God will bless them with the clearest communication of his Spirit as they proceed through this present life, the most intimate of fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). He will cause his glory and countenance to shine upon them. The Pure in Heart do see God dealing with every aspect of their lives, and they see his hand over them for good ....

Albert Barnes

Blessed are the pure in heart That is, whose minds, motives, and principles are pure; who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to be holy in heart, and who are so. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

They shall see God There is a sense in which all will see God, Rev 1:7 ... as a Judge, not as a Friend. In this place it is spoken of as a special favour. So also in Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face. To see the face of one, or to be in the presence of anyone, were terms among the Jews expressive of great favour. It was regarded as a high honour to be in the presence of kings and princes, and to be permitted to see them, Prov 22:29 He shall stand before kings. See also 2 Kings 25:19 Those that stood in the king’s presence; in the Hebrew, those that saw the face of the king; that is, who were his favourites and friends. So here, to see God, means to be his friends and favourites and to dwell with him in his kingdom.

A T Robertson

Shall see God (ton theon opsontai). Without holiness no man will see the Lord in heaven (Heb 12:14). The Beatific Vision is only possible here on earth to those with pure hearts. No other can see the King now. Sin befogs and beclouds the heart so that one cannot see God. Purity has here its widest sense and includes everything.

Matthew 4:20

At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew Henry

Note, Those who would follow Christ aright, must leave all to follow him. Every Christian must leave all in affection, set loose to all, must hate father and mother (Luke 14:26), must love them less than Christ, must be ready to part with his interest in them rather than with his interest in Jesus Christ; but those who are devoted to the work of the ministry are, in a special manner, concerned to disentangle themselves from all the affairs of this life, that they may give themselves wholly to that work which requires the whole man.

Albert Barnes

At once Immediately - as all should do when the Lord Jesus calls them.

They left their nets Their nets were the means of their living, perhaps all their property. By leaving them immediately, and following him, they gave every evidence of sincerity. They showed, what we should, that they were willing to forsake all for the sake of Jesus, and to follow him wherever he should lead them. They went forth to persecution and death for his sake; but also to the honour of saving souls from death, and establishing a church that shall continue to the end of time. Little did they know what awaited them when they left their unmended nets to rot on the beach, and followed the unknown and unhonoured Jesus of Nazareth. So we know not what awaits us when we become his followers; but we should cheerfully go when our Saviour calls, willing to commit all into his hands - come honour or dishonour, sickness or health, riches or poverty, life or death. Be it ours to do our duty at once, and to commit the result to the great Redeemer who has called us. ...

And followed him This is an expression denoting that they became his disciples, 2 Kings 6:19.

Matthew 3:11

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

 

John Calvin
Christ is ... so far superior in power and rank, that, with respect to him, John must occupy a private station. Hence we infer, that his intention was not at all to distinguish between his own baptism, and that which Christ taught his disciples, and which he intended should remain in perpetual obligation in his Church. He does not contrast one visible sign with another visible sign, but compares the characters of master and servant with each other, and shows what is due to the master, and what is due to the servant. ... the comparison, which they imagine to have been made, would involve great absurdities. It would follow ... that the Holy Spirit is given, in the present day, by ministers ... John’s baptism was a dead sign, and ... we have not the same baptism with Christ ....

We must therefore hold ... that John merely distinguishes ... between himself and the other ministers of baptism, on the one hand, and the power of Christ, on the other, and maintains the superiority of the master over the servants. And hence we deduce the general doctrine, as to what is done in baptism by men, and what is accomplished in it by the Son of God. To men has been committed nothing more than the administration of an outward and visible sign: the reality dwells with Christ alone. ... where a comparison is made between our Lord and the minister, the former must have all the honour, and the latter must be reduced to nothing.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire It is asked, why did not John equally say, that it is Christ alone who washes souls with his blood? The reason is, that this very washing is performed by the power of the Spirit, and John reckoned it enough to express the whole effect of baptism by the single word Spirit. The meaning is clear, that Christ alone bestows all the grace which is figuratively represented by outward baptism, because it is he who "sprinkles the conscience" with his blood. It is he also who mortifies the old man, and bestows the Spirit of regeneration. The word fire is added as an epithet, and is applied to the Spirit, because he takes away our pollutions, as fire purifies gold. In the same manner, he is metaphorically called water in another passage (John 3:5).

David Brown
To take this as a distinct baptism from that of the Spirit - a baptism of the impenitent with hell-fire - is exceedingly unnatural. Yet this was the view of Origen ... and (others) ... Nor is it much better to refer it to the fire of the great day ... Clearly, as we think, it is but the fiery character of the Spirit's operations upon the soul-searching, consuming, refining, sublimating - as nearly all good interpreters understand the words. And thus, in two successive clauses, the two most familiar emblems - water and fire - are employed to set forth the same purifying operations of the Holy Ghost upon the soul.

Matthew 2:2

(Magi from the east came to Jerusalem) and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

A T Robertson

eidomen gar autou ton astera en tēi anatolēi. This does not mean that they saw the star which was in the east. That would make them go east to follow it instead of west from the east. The words "in the east" are probably to be taken with "we saw" ie we were in the east when we saw it, or still more probably "we saw his star at its rising" or "when it rose" as Moffatt puts it. The singular form here (tēi anatolēi) does sometimes mean "east" (Rev 21:13), though the plural is more common (Mt 2:1). In Lk 1:78 the singular means dawn as the verb (aneteilen) does in Mat 4:16 (LXX). The Magi ask where is the one born king of the Jews ... These men may have been Jewish proselytes and may have known of the Messianic hope ... The whole world was on tiptoe of expectancy for something. Moulton (JTS, 1902, 524) "refers to the Magian belief that a star could be the fravashi, the counterpart or angel (cf Mat 18:10) of a great man" (McNeile). They came to worship the newly born king of the Jews. ... Alford is positive that no miracle is intended by the report of the Magi or by Matthew in his narrative. But one must be allowed to say that the birth of Jesus, if really God’s only Son who has become Incarnate, is the greatest of all miracles. Even the methods of astrologers need not disturb those who are sure of this fact.

John Calvin

The notion of some commentators, that he is said to have been born King, by indirect contrast with one who has been made or created a king, appears to me over ingenious. I rather suppose the Magi to have simply meant, that this king had been recently born, and was still a child, by way of distinguishing him from a king who is of age, ... for they immediately add, that they had been drawn, not by the fame of his exploits, or by any present exhibitions of his greatness, but by a heavenly presage of his future reign. But if the sight of a star had so powerful an effect on the Magi, woe to our insensibility, who, now that Christ the King has been revealed to us, are so cold in our inquiries after him!

And have come to worship him The reason why the star had been exhibited was, to draw the Magi into Judea, that they might be witnesses and heralds of the new King.  So far as respects themselves, they had not come to render to Christ such pious worship, as is due to the Son of God, but intended to salute him, according to the Persian custom, as a very eminent King. For their views, with regard to him, probably went no farther, than that his power and exalted rank would be so extraordinary as to impress all nations with just admiration and reverence. It is even possible, that they wished to gain his favour beforehand, that he might treat them favourably and kindly, if he should afterwards happen to possess dominion in the east.

Matthew Henry

Note, Those in whose hearts the day-star is risen, to give them anything of the knowledge of Christ, must make it their business to worship him. Have we seen Christ's star? Let us study to give him honour.

Matthew 1:17

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Matthew Henry

Lastly. The general summary of all this genealogy we have where it is summed up in three fourteens, signalized by remarkable periods. In the first fourteen, we have the family of David rising, and looking forth as the morning; in the second, we have it flourishing in its meridian lustre; in the third, we have it declining and growing less and less, dwindling into the family of a poor carpenter, and then Christ shines forth out of it, the glory of his people Israel.

Henry Alford

If we carefully observe Matthew's arrangement, we shall have no difficulty in completing the three "fourteens" For the first is from Abraham to David, of course inclusive. The second from David (again inclusive) to the migration; which gives no name, as before, to be included in both the second and third periods, but which is mentioned simultaneously with the begetting of Jechonias, leaving him for the third period. This last, then, takes in from Jechonias to Jesus Christ inclusive. So that the three stand thus, according to the words of this verse: (1) from Abraham to David (2) From David to the migration to Babylon, ie about the time when Josiah begat Jechonias (3) From the migration (ie from Jechonias) to Christ.