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SECTION XXVII.

'For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' MATT. xvi. 25, 26.

THE parallel places are Mark viii. 35-37, and Luke ix. 24, 25. A similar passage occurs in Matt. x. 39, which has been noticed in its place.

The only popularity this text has been able to acquire, as affording proof that some men shall be endlessly miserable, arises from what an orthodox commentator, (Dr. Clarke,) pronounces to be a false translation. I venture to say, if it had at first been translated as this writer acknowledges it ought to be rendered, no one would have ever suspected that it contained proof of misery in the future life; as it is, however, it furnishes a principal argument in almost every book, or sermon, or tract, written in opposition to the salvation of all mankind. It of course deserves notice in the present place. In addition to what is here said, the reader is referred to the notes on Matt. x. 39.

1. PEARCE. Ver. 25, Rather is willing (or desirous,) to save his life. Luke xvii. 33, says, shall seek to save his life. This is meant of the time of the destruction of the Jewish state. See ver. 27, 28.' Ver. 26,Rather lose his life, as in ver. 25, and in chap. ii. 20, and x. 39. Agreeably to this, Luke says, lose himself, chap. ix. 25.' Com. in loc.

The same writer says, 'Rather lose his life, as in ver. 35. See Com. on Matt. xvi. 26.’—Com. in Mark viii. 35, 37. On ver. 35, to which he refers, Bishop Pearce says, 'That this was meant of what was to come to pass in the destruction of the Jewish state, see ver. 38, of this chapter, together with chap. ix. 1.'

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2. WAKEFIELD. Or, to redeem his life; i. e., when it

is once lost; for, as Homer says, ouden psuches antaxion, there is no equivalent of life.' Note in loc.

3. HAMMOND. Doctor Hammond, like some others, gives this passage a double interpretation; he first interprets it according to its literal import, and then adds, by way of improvement, what he considers to be its remote or mystical allusion, as follows :—

'And let me tell him, that the great care of preserving himself, if it make him to deny or forsake me, in the pursuit of it, shall not be a probable course of standing him in any stead in this world; it shall be the very means to destroy many, who, if they continued firm to their profession, might probably escape, (see Matt. xvi. 25,) and, however, the advantages to the constant, and losses to the cowardly, in another life, are infinitely above all other considerations. The losing of life here, if it happen by an unchristian desire to save it, or however, everlasting death, is so great a loss, that nothing else is worth having, that is so purchased.' Par. in Mark viii. 35, 36, 37.

4. CAMPBELL. • With the forfeit of his life: English translation, Lose his own soul. Forfeit comes nearer the import of the original word, which Doddridge has endeavored to convey by a circumlocution, should be punished with the loss of his life. But the chief error in the English translation lies in changing, without necessity, the word answering to psuche, calling it, in the preceding verse, life, and in this, soul. The expressions are proverbial, importing, It signifies nothing how much a man gain, if it be at the expense of his life.' Note in loc.

Dr. Campbell adds, though for what reason he has not informed us,- That our Lord had a principal eye to the loss of the soul, or of eternal life, there can be no doubt. But this sentiment is couched under a proverb, which, in familiar use, concerns only the present life. The reader will observe, that, according to Dr. Campbell, the language of Jesus concerns only the present life and if he had his eye on something else, it

must be determined by some other testimony than is afforded by this passage.

5. CLARKE. 'Lose his own soul; or lose his life. On what authority many have translated the word psuche, in the 25th verse, life, and in this verse, soul, I know not; but am certain it means life, in both places. If a man should gain the whole world, its riches, honors, and pleasures, and lose his life, what would all these profit him, seeing they can only be enjoyed during life ? Com. in loc.

SECTION XXVIII.

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.'-Matt. xvi. 27, 28.

THE parallel places are said to be Mark viii. 38, ix. 1, and Luke ix. 26, 27. But as the phraseology in those passages is different from that which occurs here, I shall notice them under Mark viii. 38; the connexion is the same, however, in regard to all the texts named.

This passage is, by some, said to be descriptive of the general judgment. But there is abundant orthodox authority for giving it a different interpretation. I quote authorities the more freely, as this text is so very frequently alleged in proof of misery after death.

1. GILL. Dr. Gill says the coming of Christ, ver. 27, may mean either his coming at the general judgment, or at the destruction of Jerusalem. But ver. 28, he says, seems chiefly to have regard to his coming to show his regal power and authority, in the destruction of the Jews." Expos. in loc.

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2. WYNNE. Coming in his kingdom; i. e., coming to visit the Jews by the destruction of their city, of which some who were present should be eye-witnesses.' Note in loc.

3. CLARKE. Ver. 27, 'This seems to refer to Dan. vii. 13, 14; "Behold one like the Son of man came to the ancient of days-and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and nations, and languages, should serve him.” This was the glorious Mediatorial kingdom which Jesus Christ was now about to set up, by the destruction of the Jewish nation and polity, and the diffusion of his gospel through the whole world. If the words be taken in this sense, the angels or messengers may signify the apostles and successors in the sacred ministry, preaching the gospel in the power of the Holy Ghost. It is very likely that the words do not apply to the final judgment, to which they are generally referred; but to the wonderful display of God's grace and power after the day of Pentecost."

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Ver. 28, This verse seems to confirm the above explanation, as our Lord evidently speaks of the establishment of the Christian church, after the day of Pentecost, and its final triumph after the destruction of the Jewish polity; as if he had said, "Some of you, my disciples, shall continue to live till these things take place." The destruction of Jerusalem, and the Jewish economy, which our Lord predicts, took place about forty-three years after this; and some of the persons now with him doubtless survived that period, and witnessed the extension of the Messiah's kingdom; and our Lord told them these things before, that when they came to pass they might be confirmed in the faith, and expect an exact fulfilment of all the other promises and prophecies which concerned the extension and support of the kingdom of Christ.' Com. in loc.

4. CAPPE. 'The desolation of Judea, Matt. xvi. 27, is called the coming of the Son of man in the glory of his Father, with his angels.' Crit. Rem. i. 150.

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5. PEARCE. This is meant of his coming to visit and punish the Jews, as in ver. 25. See chap. xxiv. 30, and xxvi. 64, Dan. vii. 13, and Rev. i. 7.- John the apostle, (we know for certain,) lived long enough to see this coming of Jesus in his kingdom. See John xxi. 22, 23.’ Com. in loc.

6. HAMMOND. "

Coming in his kingdom :-The near

ness of this to the story of Christ's transfiguration makes it probable to many, that this coming of Christ is that transfiguration of his; but that cannot be, because, ver. 27, the Son of man's coming in his glory with his angels to reward, &c., (to which this verse clearly connects,) cannot be applied to that. And there is another place, John xxi. 23, (which may help to the understanding of this,) which speaks of a real coming, and one principal person, (agreeable to what is here said of some standing here,) that should tarry, or not die, till that coming of his. And that surely was fulfilled in John's seeing the famous destruction of the Jews, which was to fall, in that generation, Matt. xxiv., that is, in the life time of some there present, and is called the kingdom of God, and the coming of Christ; and by consequence, here most probably the Son of man's coming in his kingdom is, his coming in the exercise of his kingly office, to work vengeance on his enemies and discriminate the faithful believers from them,' &c. Annot. in loc.

7. KNATCHBULL. · This place can scarce mystically be understood, by no means literally, but of the coming of the Son of man to the destruction of Jerusalem, who then may truly be said to come in his kingdom, when he came to triumph over his enemies the Jews, by taking a severe and just vengeance of them. Of his resurrection, which is also called his kingdom, it reasonably cannot. For what wonder were it, if some of the standers by should live to see him coming in his resurrection, which came to pass in so short a time? But if any of them should live to see the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened so many years after his passion, that might deserve the notice. And that some of the standers by, when our Saviour spoke those words, did remain alive to that very day, is true and known. And in this sense it is true, Verily, 1 say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled, chap. xxiv. 34. Neither before this time of his coming did the disciples go over all the cities of Israel, chap. x. 23. And in this sense did John remain alive till Christ came, whereof see more, John xxi. 22.' Annot. in

loc.

8. BEAUSOBRE and LENFANT. In his kingdom: Jesus

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