--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 214 of 769 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/214/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 214. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/214/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2. ## 214. Matthew · 58 of 88 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/214/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/214/#p-N [¶0] 4. He should consider that true apostolic greatness consists in serving the followers of Christ with all the powers and talents he possesses. [¶1] 5. That he should be ready, if required, to give up his life unto death, to promote the salvation of men. ### Verse 28 [¶3] A ransom for many - Λυτρον αντι πολλων, or a ransom instead of many, - one ransom, or atonement, instead of the many prescribed in the Jewish law. Mr. Wakefield contends for the above translation, and with considerable show of reason and probability. [¶4] The word λυτρον is used by the Septuagint for the Hebrew פדיו, pidion, the ransom paid for a man's life: see [Exo 21:30]; [Num 3:49-51]; and λυτρα is used [Num 35:31], where a satisfaction (Hebrew כפר copher, an atonement) for the life of a murderer is refused. The original word is used by Lucian in exactly the same sense, who represents Ganymede promising to sacrifice a ram to Jupiter, λυτρον υπερ εμου, as a ransom for himself, provided he would dismiss him. [¶5] The whole Gentile world, as well as the Jews, believed in vicarious sacrifices. Virgil, Aen. v. 85, has nearly the same words as those in the text. "Unum Pro Multis dabitur Caput," - One man must be given for many. Jesus Christ laid down his life as a ransom for the lives and souls of the children of men. In the Codex Bezae, and in most of the Itala, the Saxon, and one of the Syriac, Hilary, Leo Magnus, and Juvencus, the following remarkable addition is found; "But seek ye to increase from a little, and to be lessened from that which is great. Moreover, when ye enter into a house, and are invited to sup, do not recline in the most eminent places, lest a more honorable than thou come after, and he who invited thee to supper come up to thee and say, Get down yet lower; and thou be put to confusion. But if thou sit down in the lowest place, and one inferior to thee come after, he who invited thee to supper will say unto thee, Go and sit higher: now this will be advantageous to thee." This is the largest addition found in any of the MSS., and contains not less than sixty words In the original, and eighty-three in the Anglo-Saxon. It may be necessary to remark, that Mr. Marshall, in his edition of the Gothic and Saxon Gospels, does not insert these words in the text, but gives them, p. 496 of his observations. This addition is at least as ancient as the fourth century, for it is quoted by Hilary, who did not die till about a.d. 367. ### Verse 30 [¶7] Two blind men - [Mar 10:46], and [Luk 18:35], mention only one blind man, Bartimeus. Probably he was mentioned by the other evangelists, as being a person well known before and after his cure. Blindness of heart is a disorder of which, men seldom complain, or from which they desire to be delivered; and it is one property of this blindness, to keep the person from perceiving it, and to persuade him that his sight is good. [¶8] Sitting by the way side - In the likeliest place to receive alms, because of the multitudes going and coming between Jerusalem and Jericho. [¶9] Cried out - In the midst of judgments God remembers mercy. Though God had deprived them, for wise reasons, of their eyes, he left them the use of their speech. It is never so ill with us, but it might be much worse: let us, therefore, be submissive and thankful. [¶10] Have mercy on us - Hearing that Jesus passed by, and not knowing whether they should ever again have so good an opportunity of addressing him, they are determined to call, and call earnestly. They ask for mercy, conscious that they deserve nothing, and they ask with faith - Son of David, acknowledging him as the promised Messiah. ### Verse 31 [¶12] The multitude rebuked them - Whenever a soul begins to cry after Jesus for light and salvation, the world and the devil join together to drown its cries, or force it to be silent. But let all such remember, Jesus is now passing by; that their souls must perish everlastingly, if not saved by him, and they may never have so good an opportunity again. While there is a broken and a contrite heart, let it sigh its complaints to God, till he hear and answer. [¶13] They cried the more - When the world and the devil begin to rebuke, in this case, it is a proof that the salvation of God is nigh; therefore, let such cry out a great deal the more. ### Verse 32 [¶15] Jesus stood - "The cry of a believing penitent," says one, "is sufficient to stop the most merciful Jesus, were he going to make a new heaven and a new earth; for what is all the irrational part of God's creation in worth, when compared with the value of one immortal soul!" See on [Mar 10:50] (note). [¶16] What will ye that I shall do - Christ is at all times infinitely willing to save sinners: when the desire of the heart is turned towards him, there can be little delay in the salvation. What is thy wish? If it be a good one, God will surely fulfill it. ### Verse 33 [¶18] That our eyes may be opened - He who feels his own sore, and the plague of his heart, has no great need of a prompter in prayer. A hungry man can easily ask bread; he has no need to go to a book to get expressions to state his wants in; his hunger tells him he wants food, and he tells this to the person from whom he expects relief. Helps to devotion, in all ordinary cases, may be of great use; in extraordinary cases they can be of little importance; the afflicted heart alone can tell its own sorrows, with appropriate pleadings. ### Verse 34 [¶20] So Jesus had compassion on them - Σπλαγχνιαθεις, He was moved with tender pity. The tender pity of Christ met the earnest cry of the blind men, and their immediate cure was the result. [¶21] They followed him - As a proof of the miracle that was wrought, and of the gratitude which they felt to their benefactor. For other particulars of this miraculous cure, see the notes on [Mar 10:46], etc. [¶22] Reader, whosoever thou art, act in behalf of thy soul as these blind men did in behalf of their sight, and thy salvation is sure. Apply to the Son of David; lose not a moment; he is passing by, and thou art passing into eternity, and probably wilt never have a more favorable opportunity than the present. The Lord increase thy earnestness and faith! ### Introduction [¶24] Christ rides into Jerusalem upon an ass, and the multitude receive him joyfully, [Mat 21:1-11]. He enters the temple, and expels the money-changers, etc. [Mat 21:12], [Mat 21:13]. The blind and the lame come to him and are healed, [Mat 21:14]. The chief priests and scribes are offended, [Mat 21:15]. Our Lord confounds them, and goes to Bethany, [Mat 21:16], [Mat 21:17]. The barren fig-tree blasted, [Mat 21:18-22]. While teaching in the temple, the chief priests and elders question his authority; he answers and confutes them, [Mat 21:23-27]. The parable of the man and his two sons, [Mat 21:28-32]. The parable of a vineyard let out to husbandmen, [Mat 21:33-42]; applied to the priests and Pharisees, [Mat 21:43-45]; who wish to kill him, but are restrained by the fear of the people, who acknowledge Christ for a prophet, [Mat 21:46]. ### Verse 1 [¶26] Bethphage - A place on the west declivity of Mount Olivet, from which it is thought the whole declivity and part of the valley took their name. It is supposed to have derived its name from the fig-trees which grew there; בית beeth, signifying a region as well as a house, and פג phag, a green fig. ### Verse 2 [¶28] Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt - Asses and mules were in common use in Palestine: horses were seldom to be met with. Our blessed Lord takes every opportunity to convince his disciples that nothing was hidden from him: he informs them of the most minute occurrence; and manifested his power over the heart in disposing the owner to permit the ass to be taken away. ### Verse 3 [¶30] The Lord (the proprietor of all things) hath need of them - Jesus is continually humbling himself, to show us how odious pride is in the sight of God: but in his humility he is ever giving proofs of his almighty power, that the belief of his divinity may be established. ### Verse 4 [¶32] All this was done - The word all, in this clause, is omitted by some MSS., versions, and fathers. [¶33] Which was spoken - The Spirit of God, which predicted those things that concerned the Messiah, took care to have them literally fulfilled: [¶34] 1. To show the truth of prophecy in general; and, [¶35] 2. To designate Christ as the person intended by that prophecy. [¶36] See the note on [Mat 2:23]. ### Verse 5 [¶38] Tell ye the daughter of Sion - The quotation is taken from [Zac 9:9], but not in the precise words of the prophet. [¶39] This entry into Jerusalem has been termed the triumph of Christ. It was indeed the triumph of humility over pride and worldly grandeur; of poverty over affluence; and of meekness and gentleness over rage and malice. [¶40] He is coming now meek, full of kindness and compassion to those who were plotting his destruction! He comes to deliver up himself into their hands; their king comes to be murdered by his subjects, and to make his death a ransom price for their souls! ### Verse 7 [¶42] And put on them their clothes - Thus acknowledging him to be their king, for this was a custom observed by the people when they found that God had appointed a man to the kingdom. When Jehu sat with the captains of the army, and Elisha the prophet came, by the order of God, to anoint him king over Israel, as soon as he came out of the inner chamber into which the prophet had taken him to anoint him, and they knew what was done, every man took his garment, and spread it under him on the top of the steps, and blew the trumpets, saying, "Jehu is king." [2Kgs 9:13]. [¶43] And they set him thereon - Και επεκαθισεν επανω αυτων, and he sat upon them; but instead of επανω αυτων, upon Them, the Codex Bezae, seven copies of the Itala, some copies of the Vulgate, and some others, read επ' αυτον, upon him, i.e. the colt. This is most likely to be the true reading; for we can scarcely suppose that he rode upon both by turns, - this would appear childish; or that he rode upon both at once, for this would be absurd. Some say he sat on both; for "the ass that was tied up was an emblem of the Jews bound under the yoke of the law; and the colt that had not been tied represented the Gentiles who were not under the law; and that Jesus Christ's sitting on both represented his subjecting the Jews and the Gentiles to the sway of his evangelical scepter." He who can receive this saying, let him receive it.