Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_600.lzh/4_691.TXT

Text File | 1994-10-04 | 7KB | 129 lines

worship: the letting it out to these agrees with the
parables in Matt. xx. 1, 2. anti xxi. 33. where there
seems to be an alluston to this passage. Christ is the
prc-prietor of the vineyard, and the principal vine-
dresse.,'; yet he makes use of his' ministers to take the
care of it, watch and keep it in order; tbr which pur-
pose he lets, or gives {g}, it to them, as the word is, for he
makes them in some sense owners; and they have an
interest in the churches, and their iif? and comfort.
greatly lie in the fruitfulness and well-being of them;
the vines are calied ours, ch. ii. 15. Every onofor the.
.fruit thereof was to bring a thousana' pieces oJ' silver
or shekels, amounting to about an hundred and fifty
pounds; which shows the fruitfulness of the vineyard,
that its produce should be worth so much; and the
great usefulness of the Gospel ministry, in bringing
souls to Christ; the f:'uit of his labour is as dear to
him .as pieces of silver, Luke xv. 8, 9. Christ's ministers
are his rent-gatherers, and the coHectors of his fruit,
John xv. 16. and though they have different talents
and success, yet, being. honest and faithful, the meanest
are reckoned to bring in the same as others, or what
make for Christ's delight, pleasure, and glory; as will.
appear when the reckoning-day comes, and an ac
count will be given in, Matt. xxv. 19--28. Hob. xiii. 17.
Ver. 12, My vineyard, which is mine, is before me,
&c.] These are either the words of Christ, assert. ing
and confirming his right and property in his vineyard,
the church; and which he distinguishes from artd pre-
fers to all others; and which being said to be before
him denotes his exact knowledge of every vine in it,
not a plant escaping his watchful eye; his presence in
it, his care of it, the delight and complacency he has
therein: or else the words of the church, expressing
her care, watchfulhess, and diligence in the vineyard,
and her concern for the welfare of the several vines
and plants in it; see oh. i. 6. and vii. 12. And certain
it is that the next clause is spoken by her: thou, 0
Solomon, must have a thousand; a thousand pieces or
shekels of silver, as before: the church is willing Christ
should have all he desires and demands, his whole due
and full revenue of glory from his people; for he is
meant, and not Solomon literally, as many Jewish
writers {h} acknowledge. And the church being now
in his presence, and using familiarity with him, thus
addresses him, and those that keep the fruit thereof
two hundred; by which may be meant an honourable
maintenance for themselves and families, and much
esteem and respect among the people to whom they
minister; this is the double honour in I Tim. v. 17, 18.
Christ has the greatest share, as in reason he should,
being the proprietor of the vineyard, and having the
chief care and oversight of it, and gives it its increase:
however, faithful ministers have their reward, which
lies greatly in the conversion of sinners, and edification
of saints; for that is their joy, and crown of rejoicing;
and in eternal happiness they shall enjoy hereafter,
1 Thess. ii. 19. 1 Pet. v. 4.
Vet. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, &c.'
These are the words of Christ to the church, describing
her by her habitation, and may be rendered, 0 thou,
inhab,'tress oJ' the gardens i; the word used being in
the feminine gender, which determines the senseOf it,
as belonging to the church: but the Septuagint version-
renders ,t by a word in the masculine gender; and so
Ambrose {k}, who ,nterprets the words as spoken by the
church to Christ; though he observes that Symmachns
and Aquila interpret them as the words of Christ to
the church. By the gardens are meant particular con-
gregations, the dwelling-places of the church, and
where she has work to do by her ministers, to plant,
water, prune, and dress the gardens; and of particular
'believers, whose business it is to attend on the ministry
of the word, and other ordinances; and dwelling here
may denote diligence and constant attendance here,
and which is approved of by Christ, and well-pleasing
to him: and it is honourable, as well as profitable and
delightful, to have a place in these gardens, and espe-
cially an abiding one; and indeed those, to whom
Christ gives a place and a name here, are in no danger
of being turned or driven out, as Adam was from Eden.
,,'the companions hearken to thy voice ; meaning either
the divine Persons, the Father and the Holy Ghost,
as Piscator; the companions of Christ, of the same
nature, perfections, and glory with him; who listen to
what the church and true believers say to them and to
one another, Mal. iii. 16. or the angels, as Jarchi and
At;eu Ezra, the friends of Christ and his people,
who hearken to the conversation of believers, in private
and public; and especially to the Gospel, preached
in the assembly of the saints, Ephes. iii. 10. 1 Pet.
i. 12. or rather the daughters of Jerusalem, who all
along attend the bride in tiffs Song, and are the virgins
her companions, Psal. xlv. 14. and it is a title that
belongs to all truly gracious souls, Psal. cxxii. 8. and
cxix. 63. who hearken to the voice of the church, to
the Gospel, preached by her ministers; which is a
joyful sound, and gives great delight and pleasure.
Cause me to hear it; that is, her voice; so sweet and
charming to him, as in ch. ii. 14.. her voice in prayer
and praise; in speaking of him, Iris person, offices,
and grace, to others, and confessing his name before
men. Some render the words, preach me {l}; and .then
the sense is, seeing the companions flock unto thee,
and listen with great attention and pleasure to thy
voice, take the opportunity of preaching me unto
them; let my person, righteousness, and grace, be the
subject of thy ministry: and which was done in the
first times of the Gospel, by the apostles; has been,
more or less, ever since, by faithful ministers; and will
be continued until the second coming of Christ,
prayed for in the following verse.
Vet. 14. Make haste, my beloved, &c.] These are
the words of the church, to Christ, calling him her
beloved; a title often used in this Song, see ch.i. 13, 14.
and is continued to the last; for Christ was still the
object of her love; anct she bad now a comfortable
sense of her interest in him, and claimed it; and makes
use of this title, not only to distinguish him frotn
ethers, but to obtaiu her request the more easily, that

{g} \^Nty\^ \~edwken\~ Sept.; dedit, Marckius, Michaelis.
{h} Shir Hashirim Rabba,  Alshech in loc. R. Abendanae Not. in
Miclol Yophi in Psal. lxxii. 20.
{i} \^tbvwyh\^ quae habitas, V. L. Pagninus, Brightman, Junius & Tre-
mellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis; quae sedes, Cocceius.
{k} Enarrat. in Psal. cxviii. octon. 22. p. 1088.
{l} \^yneymvh\^ praedica me, Junius & Tremellius.