Ver. 1. Always to pray and not to faint] Gr. εκκακειν, not shrink back, as sluggards in work or cowards in war. Prayer should be redoubled and reinforced, as those arrows of deliverance, 2 Kings 13:19. The woman of Canaan prays on when denied; and Jacob holds with his hands when his thigh is lamed. He wrestled with slight and might, he raised dust, as the word signifies, and would not away without a blessing. James, surnamed the Just (Christ’s kinsman), had his knees made as hard as camel’s knees with much praying, as Eusebius writes. Father Latimer, during his imprisonment, was so constant and instant in prayer, that often times he was not able to rise off his knees without help. Yea, Paulus Aemilius, being to fight with Perses, king of Macedonia, would not give up sacrificing to his god Hercules, till he saw certain arguments of a victory. As loathing of meat (saith a divine) and painfulness of speaking are two symptoms of a sick body, so irksomeness of praying and carelessness of hearing, of a sick soul. Etiam post naufragium tentantur maria.
Ver. 2. Which feared not God, nor regarded man] These two, fear of God and shame of the world, God hath given to men as curbs to restrain them from outrage. But sin hath loaded such an impudency in some men’s faces that they dare do anything.
Ver. 3. Avenge me of mine adversary] A downright request, without either logic or rhetoric to set it forth or enforce it; to teach us that though our prayers be but blunt or broken language, if importunate, they shall prevail nevertheless.
Ver. 4. And he would not for awhile] There is a passive injustice. Non faciendo nocens, sed patiendo fuit, saith Ausonius of Claudius: Not to do justice is injustice.
Ver. 5. She weary me] Gr. υπωπιαζη, she buffet me, or club me down. God must be pressed in prayer till we put him (as you would say) to the blush, or leave a blot in his face, unless we may be masters of our requests. Vota fundimus, coelos tangimus, Deum tangimus, misericordiam extorquemus. (Tertul. Apol.)
Ver. 6. Hear what the unjust judge saith] Hic paria non inter se conferuntur, sed minus cum maiore, saith Beza.
Ver. 7. Though he bear long with them] When they are at the utmost under. When their enemies are above fear, and they below hope; when there is not faith in earth to believe, then are there bowels in heaven to relieve and restore them.
Ver. 8. Shall he find faith upon earth?] God often stays so long till the saints have done looking for him, when they have forgotten their prayers, and he comes, as it were, out of an engine.
Ver. 9. That they were righteous, and despised others.] Pray to be preserved from this perilous pinnacle of self-exaltation.
Ver. 10. The one a Pharisee] A Doeg may set his foot as far and farther within the sanctuary as a David. The Pharisee and publican went both of them up to private prayer.
Ver. 11. God, I thank thee] Non vulnera, sed munera ostendit, he shows not his want, but his worth, and stands not only upon his comparisons, but upon his disparisons,—I am not as this publican. No, for thou art worse; yea, for this, because thou thinkest thee better. But of Pharisees it might be said, as Arnobius did of the Gentiles, Apud vos optimi censentur, quos comparatio pessimorum sic facit. They are very good that are not very bad. Αντιπροσωπος βλεπων τω θεψ διελεγετο. (B asil.) Velut dignus qui cum Deo colloqueretur. (Erasm.) I am not as other men are] Pride wears a triple crown with this motto, Transcendo, Non obedio, Perturbo. This Pharisee held himself the whole piece, and all others a remnant only, as Basil of Seleucia hath it; he takes his poor counter and sets it down for a thousand pounds; he priceth himself above the market.
Ver. 12. I fast twice a week] Cardinal Bellarmine did more, for he fasted thrice a week, saith he that writes his life. John, Archbishop of Constantinople, he who first affected the style of Universal Bishop, was surnamed Nesteutes, from his frequent fasting. Monday and Thursday were the Pharisees’ fasting days, because Moses went up to the mount on a Thursday, and came down on a Monday, saith Drusius. The Manichees fasted on the sabbath, from whence the whole week here taketh its denomination in the original. I give tithes] He braggingly made a gift of that which he was bound to pay.
Ver. 13. Smote upon his breast] In token of indignation, and that he would have smitten his sin so hard if he could have come at it. God be merciful, &c.] Here was much in few. The Publican prayed much though he spake little. As a body without a soul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun without powder, so are words in prayer without spirit. Oratio brevis penetrat coelum. Short prayer penetrates heaven. The hottest springs send forth their waters by ebullitions. Prayer is called a charm, Isaiah 26:16. Now, in a charm or enchantment, in three or four words there is much efficacy. To me, a sinner] This prayer was often in Mr Bradford’s mouth, and likewise in Mr Samuel Crook’s. See his Life, page 32.
Ver. 14. Justified rather than the other] The Pharisee was not at all justified; neither is there more or less in justification. But our Saviour here useth a popular kind of expression.
Ver. 15. [See Trapp on “Mt 19:13”]
Ver. 16. [See Trapp on “Mt 19:14”]
Ver. 17. [See Trapp on “Mt 19:14”]
Ver. 18. And a certain ruler] St Mark, Mark 10:17, saith that this ruler came running, which argues his earnestness, and in a man of quality was unusual, for such walk softly for most part, and in state, Gressu grallatorio.
Ver. 19. See Matthew 19:16,17.
Ver. 20. See Matthew 19:17-19.
Ver. 21. See Matthew 19:20.
Ver. 22. Yet lackest thou one thing] Yea, all things. But our Saviour speaketh thus by a holy irony.
Ver. 23. See Matthew 19:22.
Ver. 24. See Matthew 19:23.
Ver. 25. It is easier for a camel] Caveant ergo divites (saith an interpreter) et solicite; mane, vesperi, interdiu, noctu, secum de periculosa vitae suae ratione commententur. Let rich men therefore weigh their danger, and beware.
Ver. 26. See Matthew 19:26.
Ver. 27. See Matthew 19:26.
Ver. 28. See Matthew 19:27.
Ver. 29. See Matthew 19:28.
Ver. 30. See Matthew 19:30.
Ver. 31. See Matthew 20:17 Mr 10:32.
Ver. 32. See Matthew 20:17 Mr 10:32.
Ver. 33. See Matthew 20:17 Mr 10:32.
Ver. 34. And they understood none, &c.] Prejudicate opinions of Christ’s earthly kingdom hung as so many bullets at their eyelids, that they could not perceive so plain a truth.
Ver. 35. See Matthew 20:29 Mr 10:46.
Ver. 36. See Matthew 20:29 Mr 10:46.