The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-02-11

rs, 1s0s-Tbe Call of Matthew-Aiatt.
9s0-17.
ARRANGED from Peloubets Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-Follow me.-Matt. go
THE SECTION includes merely the les
son with its parallels; with glance also
at the course of Matthew sestory as told
in this chapter. ~
PARALLELS.-Mark 1882; Luke 5:27-
80.
TIME. The discourses at Matthews BAN
quet belong to the autumn Of A. D. %, after
the Sermon on the Mount. Matthews call,
given here to introduce the feast, took place
in the previous spring.
PLACE.-Capernaum, at the custom
house, Matthews place of business; and at
his home in the city.
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
1. The. Call of Matthew. "And as
Jesus passed FORTH" from His house
in Capernaum, where He had healed a
paralytic (Vs. 1-s). He saw man." a
publican (Luke sep, named Mat
thew" Luke calls him Levi, the name
he went by when engaged in business,
before his conversion. Sitting at the
receipt of custom:" Toulouse, or Gus
tom house, for the collection of the
taxes on fish, or duties on the merchan-
disc which passed along the great roads
to Jerusalem, Tyre and Damascus and
the east, which centered at Capernaum.
"And He saith unto him: Follow me- :"
both in heart as his Saviour, Teacher
and Master, and literally by taking his
place among our Lords constant at
tendants. "And he arose" from his
place in the Office "and' followed him:"
Without doubt, leaving his business in
competent hands. There were plenty
TO do the work.
II. The Banquet and Reception at
Matthew's House.-Vs. 1913. 10. Sand
it came to pass" Some weeks after the
call of Matthew and his subsequent
choice as one of the twelve. "Jesus sat
at meat in the house" of Matthew
(Luke). "Many publicans and sin
ners:" Disreputable sinners and out
casts, notorious offenders. The Phar-
isees were quite as great sinners, butin
another way. Game" probably at Mat
thew's invitation, to meet "Jesus !.
and His disciples" in order that they
might come under their influence and
be saved.
II. sand when the Pharisees:" They
were large and influential sect of
Jews, who prided themselves on the
strictness with which they kept the GER
emonial law, which they often made
a substitute for the morality of the
heart. "Saw it," The Pharisees were
not guests, but freely came into the
house and looked on, according to the
custom of the east. "Said unto His dis
ciples:" Who were probably nearer.
why eateth your Master with pub
1icans and sinners?' The substance of
their charge was not that he taught sin
ners, but that he ate with them-that
is, mingled with them on terms of social
equality.
12. when Jesus heard that He said
unto them:" He made two answers to
their criticism, one from analogy ".
12), the other from the Scriptures CV.
49,. 1t is only "they that are sick" who
need a physician. So that the very
things on account of which the Phari-
sees objected and found fault with
Jesus were the reason why He should
go among publicans and sinners.
10. "But go ye" to the Scriptures,
with which the scribes were familiar;
but they often knew more about the
husk than the corn, the shell of the nut
than the meat. "And Learnt" Get at
the real meaning. what that mean
eth:" He quotes from Hosea Go. at
will have" I wish in my people, "mer-
cy," deeds of kindness to those in need,
pity and help for the sinful, "and not
sacrifice" the external forms of reli-
gion, without the heart and the deeds
they signify. For am not come to
call the righteous" those who are al
ready good, "but sinners to repent
ance," for they need the call.
III. New Methods for New Times
VS.. 14-17. IA. "Then came to Him:" At
the same banquet Of Matthew. "Why
do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but
Thy disciples fast not?"
The reply was by familiar illustra-
tion.
Is. "Can the children of the bride
chamber mourn:" Jesus reply means
that fasting, to be real, must not be
mere form, but the outward express
sion of deep and sincere sorrow for
sin. He, the Bridegroom, was with His
disciples, and they should rejoice rather
than fast. "But the days will come"
ETC., when at Jesus death they will feel
like mourning, so sad and troubled that
fasting will be the natural expression
of their hearts.
10. mo man putteth piece of new
CLOTH" unfulled, unshrunk, rather than
"undressed," as in r. ", which is an
unfamiliar manufacturers term. "Un-
to an old garment" as patch. "Taketh
from the garment" etc. The patch, ex-
actly fitting the rent in the old gar
ment, would shrink more and more, till
H. 81 IL