Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them!

“What words are these from the lips of Christ! The price of them is above rubies. But the reason assigned, "FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD," or "of heaven," as in Mt 19:14, completes the previous information here conveyed; especially as interpreted by…”

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”

“Thou knowest, &c.--Matthew (Mt 19:17) is more complete here: "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which?--as if he had said, 'Point me out one of them which I have not kept?'--Jesus said, Thou shalt," &c.”

“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.

“Ah! this gives us a glimpse of his heart. Doubtless he was perfectly sincere; but something within whispered to him that his keeping of the commandments was too easy a way of getting to heaven.”

But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

“Mark still more, "was sad" or "sullen" at that saying, and "went away grieved." Sorry he was, very sorry, to part with Christ; but to part with his riches would have cost him a pang more.”

Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

“In Mark (Mr 10:24) an explanation is added, "How hard is it for them that trust in riches," &c.--that is, with what difficulty is this idolatrous trust conquered, without which they cannot enter; and this is introduced by the word "children"--sweet diminutive of affection and…”

“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents…

“Lo, &c.--in the simplicity of his heart (as is evident from the reply), conscious that the required surrender had been made, and generously taking in his brethren with him--"we"; not in the spirit of the young ruler. "All these have I kept," etc.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God

“There is no man, &c.--graciously acknowledging at once the completeness and the acceptableness of the surrender as a thing already made. house, &c.--The specification is still more minute in Matthew and Mark, (Mt 19:27; Mr 10:29) to take in every form of self-sacrifice.”

will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

“In this sense certainly the promise has been illustriously fulfilled [CALVIN, GROTIUS, LIGHTFOOT, &c.]. But if the promise refers to the yet future glory (as may be thought from Lu 22:28-30, and as most take it), it points to the highest personal distinction of the…”

But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.

“Perhaps, if we knew all the facts, we should see no difficulty; but that we have been left so far in the dark shows that the thing is of no moment any way.”

Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him,

“"And he, casting away his garment"--how lively is this touch, evidently of an eye-witness, expressive of his earnestness and joy--"came to Jesus" (Mr 10:49, 50).”

“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.” “Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.”

“What wilt thou, &c.--to try them; to deepen their present consciousness of need; and to draw out their faith in Him. Lord--"Rabboni" (Mr 10:51); an emphatic and confiding exclamation.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it…

“There was no demand made for either; but, as if to revenge himself on his hitherto reigning sin (see on Joh 20:28), and to testify the change he had experienced, besides surrendering the half of his fair gains to the poor, he voluntarily determines to…”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.

“But salvation to a house is an exceedingly precious idea, expressing the new air that would henceforth breathe in it, and the new impulses from its head which would reach its members (Ps 118:15; Ac 16:15, 16, 31).”

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

“(See on Lu 15:32.) What encouragement is there in this narrative to hope for unexpected conversions! A different parable from that of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30).”

and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.

“(See on Lu 13:9.) thy peace--glancing perhaps at the name of the city. (Heb 7:2) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. How much is included in this word! now . . .”

He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”

“He shall come, &c.--This answer was given by the Pharisees themselves (Mt 21:41), thus pronouncing their own righteous doom.”

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

“And he said--"to His disciples," whom He "called to Him" (Mr 12:43), to teach from it a great future lesson. more than . . . all--in proportion to her means, which is God's standard (2Co 8:12).”

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

“(2) Christ's standard of commendable offering is not our superfluity, but our deficiency--not what will never be missed, but what costs us some real sacrifice, and just in proportion to the relative amount of that sacrifice.”

How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.

“"For then shall be tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be"--language not unusual in the Old Testament for tremendous calamities, though of this it may perhaps be literally said, "And except those days should be shortened, there…”

When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

“What this was intended to mean, interpreters are not agreed. But as before Christ came to destroy Jerusalem, some appalling portents were seen in the air, so before His personal appearing it is likely that something analogous will be witnessed, though of what nature it…”

Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.

“Satan, seeing this door into his heart standing wide open, determines to enter by it, but cautiously (2Co 2:11); first merely "putting it into his heart to betray Him" (Joh 13:2), suggesting the thought to him that by this means he might enrich himself.”

And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.

“With desire . . . desired--"earnestly have I longed" (as Ge 31:30, "sore longedst"). It was to be His last "before He suffered"--and so became "Christ our Passover sacrificed for us" (1Co 5:7), when it was "fulfilled in the Kingdom of God," the typical ordinance…”

And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me,

“I appoint, &c.--Who is this that dispenses kingdoms, nay, the Kingdom of kingdoms, within an hour or two of His apprehension, and less than a day of His shameful death?”

But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

“But I have prayed--have been doing it already. for thee--as most in danger. (See on Lu 22:61, 62.) fail not--that is, entirely; for partially it did fail. converted--brought back afresh as a penitent disciple.”

“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

“I am ready, &c.--honest-hearted, warmly-attached disciple, thinking thy present feelings immovable as a rock, thou shalt find them in the hour of temptation unstable as water: "I have been praying for thee," therefore thy faith shall not perish; but thinking this superfluous, thou shalt find…”