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Likewise in Saul's case to the second convicting question of Samuel, still looking for confession, he has the hardihood as though he had nothing to look for but commendation to answer,” Say on,” unshrinkingly demanding that judgment according to his merits should be weighed out to him. Samuel, still lingering over him in tender pity and intercession, strives once more to awaken conscience by reminding him of what be vies, what God had made him, and His command to him as such; then, instead of finishing with the word of judgment, he in tenderness questions him as to the cause of his disobedience, covetousness, and rebellion, thus leaving an open door of humility and confession; but in vain, and this forbearance and longsuffering only produces in Saul greater hardihood and stubbornness, for he now proudly and lyingly declares “Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord” —not disobeyed— “have gone the way the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek “did not fly upon the spoil— “and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites” —therefore have not done evil in the sight of the Lord. He adds lies to rebellion, equivocation to lies, and hypocrisy to equivocation; then lays all the blame upon the people but suggests that Samuel's God ought to be very well satisfied since the best of the things taken, which should have been destroyed, would be sacrificed to Him, denying that God was his God whatever He might be for others—that he was his own master and could do as he liked. This is fleshly wickedness perfectly developed (see Ps. x. 4, marg.; xii. 4). This fills up the measure of iniquity; therefore judgment must fall, and it is swift, complete and irrevocable. Samuel does not wait for Saul's answer but gives God's answer to his question, stripping off the cloak of hypocrisy; he then distinctly describes the sin and immediately pronounces judgment, bringing him to the bar of God, whose sentence he had so recklessly required, and casting him away from thence. Now that it is too late confession comes, but even now is he willing to justify himself like Adam, laying the blame upon the people, caring little who suffers so that appearances and his honor among men are saved, with an eye only upon Samuel, or the people, or himself, anything but God; not seeing God in the matter at all, only the things which are seen and for a time. So he says to Samuel, “I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me;” but Samuel is in the presence of the Lord, and to Him it is that Saul is now brought, for he says, “I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.” Thrice had Saul called down judgment upon himself. The first time is to the rejection of his kingdom, having through motives of worldly policy forced his fleshly self into the presence of God as one fit to be there in worship. The second occasion had proved one of utter destruction to himself and people, for he claims God's sentence as a sinless one; but one was there a sinless one whom God chose to be a scape-goat and a substitute for all the people. The third time he himself is rejected as a servant. As a worshipper, a man under law, and a servant, is he alike rejected. But as bound to the law, he in common with the whole multitude had one to stand in his place who bore the irrevocable curse that was due; thus on that ground all alike went scot-free. It is thus that the Lord Jesus convicts the Jewish system of failure and consequent rejection: in Matt. 5; 6; 7, as to worship; 9, 10, 11, 12, 15:1-20 as to transgression: 15: 29-39, 18: 21-35 and onward as to service.
As already noticed the character of persons, to whom the blessing rent away from the Jewish system should be given, is brought out in the circumstance of the Canaanitish woman; who, when brought to the point of giving up all claim of merit upon Jesus and taking the place of an unclean outsider unworthy of any notice, receives from the Lord the bread intended for the children, the blessing provided for the lost sheep of Israel's house. She first claims the blessing as a matter of pity due from the Son of David. This proved that she did not know Him nor herself, nor the place in which alone blessing could be received and the Lord cannot allow the plea for an instant, for she was not dealing in truth. Again she seeks and now for help as one who owns Him as her Lord, but she has not yet got to the end, still finding some little strength in self, though needing help; still urging some claim upon the Lord, though that of bond-slave. At last He answers, bringing her to use an argument which could not be gainsayed, a plea which was founded on absolute grace, undeniable truth which He Himself had stated in its extremest form—what He was and what she was. The wider the contrast, the stronger her case, for now she rested her claim upon the fact that He was rich and she was poor; He full, she empty; He the Master, she a dog; He having enough and to spare, she hungering for the crumbs. The higher the ground He took and the lower he placed her, the more strongly did she bind Him to grant her desire. She was sure, if His claims were tested, the more His abundant fullness would be brought out, and if hers were examined, the more her utter need would be exposed. Here, therefore, she rested confident in the truthfulness and validity of her plea; and here the Lord acknowledges her truth, granting all her heart's desire.
From Matt. 15:29-39 the way in which mercy was to reach the Gentiles is again illustrated. Jesus goes up into the mountain and sits down there, and great crowds Come to Him and cast down their suffering ones at His feet, and He heals them all. On the former occasion the disciples brought the case of the hungry crowds before the Lord's notice, desiring that they might be sent away as those who could shift for themselves; but now they are left three days unregarded until the Lord Himself takes up their need, and having broken the seven loaves (the number of perfectness denoting a complete supply for all, be they who they may) the disciples distribute to the four thousand, and all eat and are filled; and of the fragments seven baskets full are gathered up, showing that of the Bread of life which He had to bestow there is not only sufficient for the need of those who partake by faith but also provision for the need of the whole world.
In Matt. 16:1-4 the whole fleshly religious thing, comprising within its limits every sect, party and shade of religious opinion as represented in the Pharisees and Sadducees, the ritualists and deists, is brought into judgment, proved worthless, and cast away. From verses 5-1 the remnant is shown in its connection with the religious system and bidden to beware of its corruption; from verses 13-20 their proper standing and ultimate position is revealed. From verses 21-28 the path thereto is shown and the conditions attached to walking in it, and chapter 17:1-9 reveals the chief corner-stone of the new building in the glory attaching to His character as such. The Lord convicts the Pharisees and Sadducees on the ground of scripture and common sense, declaring that, if they used the same judgment in the things of God which they did. daily in common things, they could not but discern that His wrath was about to burst and that even now if they learned from the example of some they might escape though it were from the belly of hell itself. Verses 5-12 prove that they would neither use the judgment nor learn the lesson, and are therefore counted reprobate (verses 15-20) and the kingdom taken from them and given to their neighbor better than they. (Compare Matt. 16:1-20; 1 Sam. 15:17-31.)