19. And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

Either John sent them for their information and conviction that Jesus was the Christ: or, perhaps, it might be on his own account; which is the more probable, as Christ said, "Go your way and tell John." It was a trying time with John. Herod had bound him fast in prison for his plain speaking; and possibly he might give way to doubts and fears. We none of us know how it will be with us, when we come to be thoroughly tried. They ask Jesus, art thou the so long promised, and expected deliverer ?

20. When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21. And in the same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22. Then Jesus, answering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

Christ appeals to his miracles as an infallible proof of his being the Messiah; and they are recorded for our belief. But in vain do we believe them, if they do not bring us to him for our own healing and cleansing. It is only by his power in us, that he can be our Christ.

23. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

For the meanness of his appearance, or the purity and strictness of his doctrine. We are in most danger of being offended at the latter. We have heard something of it in the last chapter, and it is well if our hearts do not rise at it.

24. And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

25. But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft

raiment ? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

26. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

27. This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Christ seems to reprove his hearers for going to John, more out of curiosity than anything else; and takes occasion from thence to tell them who and what he was.

28. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

In God's kingdom of grace under Christ. Every one who is truly in, and of it, has a better knowledge, and greater advantages for holiness, than John, or any one else had, before that kingdom was fully opened. We little think what reason we have to bless God for what we may know, and be, under Christ: and how inexcusable we are in being so ignorant, and being so much less than we might.

29. And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

They owned it to be just and right in God to call them to repentance; and they could praise him for calling them to it, and for granting it to them. Observe, not the Pharisees, and doctors of the law, these were wise and righteous in their own conceits: they rejected or frustrated the counsel of God, by justifying themselves, and thinking they needed no repentance; but the lowest of the people, and the worst of men, were the only persons whom they supposed to be called upon to repent. The way to God is always the same. If you would justify him, or be justified by Christ, you must first hear John Baptist, saying, Repent.

30. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

They made light of Christ to their own condemnation. -Edit.

31. And the Lord said, Whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

What can sufficiently describe their perverseness, in frustrating all the methods which God has taken for their conversion? Let not this be said of us. Think with what

grief and concern Christ spoke these words.

32. They are like unto children sitting in the market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

33. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread, nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

John came in a way of great mortification, and separating himself from all society: and they cast upon him the reproach which they were wont to throw at austere persons.

34. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

This was a grievous calumny. But what will not men say against the truth, when they are resolved not to embrace it? Have you nothing in your hearts against Christ? You certainly have if you do not receive him. They accuse him of being a friend of publicans and sinners. This was true, but it showed their blindness in denying their own sin. God be thanked that we have all such a friend.

35. But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Christ, who is the highest wisdom. All his children, who learn of him in simplicity; and who know him to be so, let others say what they please.

SECTION XXV.

Chap. vii. ver. 36-50.

CHRIST'S FEET ANOINTED BY MARY MAGDALENE.

36. And, one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

37. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38. And stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

We are not to suppose that this was the first time of her coming to Jesus. She knew the Saviour before, and believed in him and what she does now is the natural, lively expression of her faith in Jesus, and her love to him.

39. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner.

She is known to have been so; probably by her life. Observe here the natural working of a dark, proud heart. Simon had no sense of his own corruption, and want of forgiveness, therefore he judged hardly of Christ, and pronounced him to be no prophet, for doing the very thing which showed him to be so, and that for which we all want him. What would have become of us all if he had said, as this self-righteous man would have had him, "Come not near to me, for I am holier than thou.”

40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

Simon did not speak out, but Jesus saw his heart, and

he answered to that. Think of the piercing eye of Christ; and if you would know yourselves, look where he looks. The Lord may be considered as addressing this to us; here he opens the heart of God to all. O speak it to our hearts! 41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

We need not fear being mistaken in supposing that our debt to God is the five hundred pence. But whether it is five hundred pence, or fifty, we cannot pay either.

42. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

He forgave them, as he does us, frankly and freely; without any desert, work, or payment of ours. This sounds sweetly in the heart of a convinced sinner. To all others, it is a dead letter.

43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

Behold, therefore, the great end and design of the pardoning love of God in Christ. It is, that we may love him for the great love wherewith he loved us. You know in your consciences that you would be the basest of all creatures, if you did not judge, and act thus toward one who had saved your life, or who had forgiven you a great debt. And why, then, should things work just the wrong way with respect to God? They would not, they could not, if you knew your sin, and the mercy of forgiveness.

44. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Simon paid Christ the outward civility of asking him to