And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain
woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the
womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. (Luke 11:27)
Christ now corrected the saying of the woman. It was because
men are commonly chargeable with neglecting even those gifts of God, on which
they gaze with astonishment, and bestow the highest praise.
This woman, in applauding Christ, had left out what was of the
very highest consequence, that in him salvation is exhibited to all; and,
therefore, it was a feeble commendation, that made no mention of his grace and
power, which is extended to all. Christ justly claims for himself another kind
of praise, not that his mother alone is reckoned blessed, but that he
brings to us all perfect and eternal happiness.
We never form a just estimate of the excellence of Christ,
till we consider for what purpose he was given to us by the Father, and
perceive the benefits which he has brought to us, so that we who are wretched
in ourselves may become happy in him.
But why does he say nothing about himself, and mention only
the word of God? It is because in this way he opens to us all his treasures;
for without the word he has no intercourse with us, nor we with him.
Communicating himself to us by the word, he rightly and properly calls
us to hear and keep it, that by faith he may become ours.
We now see the difference between Christ’s reply and the
woman’s commendation; for the blessedness, which she had limited to his
own relatives, is a favor which he offers freely to all. He shows that we ought
to entertain no ordinary esteem for him, because he has all the treasures of
life, blessedness, and glory, hidden in him, (Colossians 2:3,)
which he dispenses by the word, that they may be communicated to those who
embrace the word by faith; for God’s free adoption of us, which we
obtain by faith, is the key to the kingdom of heaven. (Commentaries)
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