Mat 13:30, 14:3, 21:2 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 30. Let both grow together . They would not spoil the true wheat; and in time of harvest it would be easy to separate them. Our Saviour teaches us here, (1.) that hypocrites and deceived persons must be expected in the church. (2.) That this is the work of the enemy of man. They are not the work of Christianity, any more than traitors are of patriotism, or counterfeiters are of the proper effect of legislating about money. They belong to the world; and hypocrisy is only one form of sin. The Christian religion never made a hypocrite; nor is there a hypocrite on the face of the earth whose principles and practice it does not condemn. (3.) That all hope of removing them entirely would be vain. (4.) That an attempt to remove them altogether would injure real Christianity, by causing excitements, discord, and hard feelings even among Christians. (5.) That he will himself separate them at the proper time. There is no doubt that it is the duty of the church to attempt to keep itself pure, and to cut off gross and manifest offends, . He refers to those who may be suspected of hypocrisy, but against whom it cannot be proved; to those who so successfully imitate Christians as to make it difficult or impossible for man to distinguish them. (s) "time of harvest" (t) "to burn them" (u) "wheat into my barn"

Matthew 13:30

Verse 30. Let both grow together. They would not spoil the true wheat; and in time of harvest it would be easy to separate them. Our Saviour teaches us here,

(1.) that hypocrites and deceived persons must be expected in the church.

(2.) That this is the work of the enemy of man. They are not the work of Christianity, any more than traitors are of patriotism, or counterfeiters are of the proper effect of legislating about money. They belong to the world; and hypocrisy is only one form of sin. The Christian religion never made a hypocrite; nor is there a hypocrite on the face of the earth whose principles and practice it does not condemn.

(3.) That all hope of removing them entirely would be vain.

(4.) That an attempt to remove them altogether would injure real Christianity, by causing excitements, discord, and hard feelings even among Christians.

(5.) That he will himself separate them at the proper time. There is no doubt that it is the duty of the church to attempt to keep itself pure, and to cut off gross and manifest offends, 1Cor 5:4,5. He refers to those who may be suspected of hypocrisy, but against whom it cannot be proved; to those who so successfully imitate Christians as to make it difficult or impossible for man to distinguish them.

(s) "time of harvest" 1Timm 5:24 (t) "to burn them" Mal 4:1 (u) "wheat into my barn" Lk 3:17

Matthew 14:3

Verses 3-5. For Herod had laid hold on John, etc. See Mr 6:17-20 Lu 3:19,20. This Herodias was a grand-daughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother's; fell in love with his wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the daughter of Arteas, king of Petraea; and Herodias agreed to leave her own husband, and live with him. They were living, therefore, in adultery; and John in faithfulness, though at the risk of his life, had reproved them for their crimes. Herod was guilty of two crimes in this act:

(1) of adultery, as she was the wife of another man;

(2) of incest, as she was a near relation, and such marriages were expressly forbidden, Lev 18:16.

Matthew 21:2

Verse 2. Go into the village over against you. The village here meant was not far from Bethany, and about two miles east of Jerusalem, (Mark and Luke.) He had lodged at Bethphage [Bethany] the night before, and in the morning sent his disciples to the village over against them; that is, to Bethany, [Bethphage,] Jn 12:1-12.

Ye shall find an ass tied, etc. In Judea there were few horses, and those were chiefly used in war. Men seldom employed them in common life, and in ordinary journeys. The ass, the mule, and the camel, are still most used in eastern countries. To ride on a horse was sometimes an emblem of war; on a mule and an ass the emblem of peace. Kings and princes commonly rode on them in times of peace; and it is mentioned as a mark of rank and dignity to ride in that manner, Jud 10:4, 12:14, 1Sam 25:20. So Solomon, when he was inaugurated as king, rode on a mule, 1Kgs 1:33. Riding in this manner, then, denoted neither poverty nor degradation, but was the appropriate way in which a king should ride, and in which, therefore, the King of Zion should enter into his capital--the city of Jerusalem.

Mark and Luke say, that he told them they should find "a colt tied." This they were directed to bring. They mention only the colt, because it was this on which he rode.