5 

5:25 Even as Christ loved the church - Here is the true model of conjugal affection. With this kind of affection, with this degree of it, and to this end, should husbands love their wives.

5:26 That he might sanctify it through the word - The ordinary channel of all blessings. Having cleansed it - From the guilt and power of sin.By the washing of water - In baptism; if, with "the outward and visible sign," we receive the "inward and spiritual grace."

5:27 That he might present it - Even in this world. To himself - As his spouse. A glorious church - All glorious within.Not having spot - Of impurity from any sin. Or wrinkle - Of deformity from any decay.

5:28 As their own bodies - That is, as themselves. He that loveth his wife loveth himself - Which is not a sin, but an indisputable duty.

5:29 His own flesh - That is, himself. Nourisheth and cherisheth - That is, feeds and clothes it.

5:30 For we - The reason why Christ nourishes and cherishes the church is, that close connexion between them which is here expressed in the words of Moses, originally spoken concerning Eve. Are members - Are as intimately united to Christ, in a spiritual sense, as if we were literally "flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone."

5:31 For this cause - Because of this intimate union. Genesis 2:24.

23 

23:30 We would not have been partakers - So ye make fair professions, as did your fathers.

23:31 Wherefore ye testify against yourselves - By your smooth words as well as devilish actions: that ye are the genuine sons of them who killed the prophets of their own times, while they professed the utmost veneration for those of past ages.

From the 3d to the 30th verse Matthaeum 23:3-30 is exposed everythingthat commonly passes in the world for religion, whereby the pretenders to it keep both themselves and others from entering into the kingdom of God; from attaining, or even seeking after those tempers, in which alone true Christianity consists. As,

1. Punctuality in attending on public and private prayer, Matthaeum 23:4-14.
2. Zeal to make proselytes to our opinion or communion, though they have less of the spirit of religion than before, Matthaeum 23:15.
3. A superstitious reverence for consecrated places or things, without any for Him to whom they are consecrated, Matthaeum 23:16-22.
4. A scrupulous exactness in little observances, though with the neglect of justice, mercy, and faith, Matthaeum 23:23-24.
5. A nice cautiousness to cleanse the outward behaviour, but without any regard to inward purity, Matthaeum 23:25-26.
6. A specious face of virtue and piety, covering the deepest hypocrisy and villany, Matthaeum 23:27-28.
7. A professed veneration for all good men, except those among whom they live.

23:32  Fill ye up - A word of permission, not of command: as if he had said, I contend with you no longer: I leave you to yourselves: you have conquered: now ye may follow the devices of your own hearts. The measure of your fathers - Wickedness: ye may now be as wicked as they.

23:33  Ye serpents - Our Lord having now lost all hope of reclaiming these, speaks so as to affright others from the like sins.

23:34  Wherefore - That it may appear you are the true children of those murderers, and have a right to have their iniquities visited on you: Behold, I send - Is not this speaking as one having authority? Prophets - Men with supernatural credentials: Wise men - Such as have both natural abilities and experience; and scribes - Men of learning: but all will not avail. Lucam 11:49.

23:35  That upon you may come - The consequence of which will be, that upon you will come the vengeance of all the righteous blood shed on the earth - Zechariah the son of Barachiah - Termed Jehoiada, 2 Paralipomenon 24:20, where the story is related:
Ye slew - Ye make that murder also of your fathers your own, by imitating it: Between the temple - That is, the inner temple, and the altar - Which stood in the outer court. Our Lord seems to refer to this instance, rather than any other, because he was the last of the prophets on record that were slain by the Jews for reproving their wickedness: and because God's requiring this blood as well as that of Abel, is particularly taken notice of in Scripture.

23:37  Lucam 13:34.

23:38  Behold your house - The temple, which is now your house, not God's: Is left unto you - Our Lord spake this as he was going out of it for the last time: Desolate - Forsaken of God and his Christ, and sentenced to utter destruction.

23:39  Ye - Jews in general; men of Jerusalem in particular: shall not see me from this time - Which includes the short space till his death, till, after a long interval of desolation and misery, ye say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord - Ye receive me with joyful and thankful hearts. This also shall be accomplished in its season.