III. GENTILES AND THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM.

11. Many shall come from the east and west.

The terms "the east and the west," the extreme points of the compass, are taken to indicate the regions that are far away, the whole world. The Lord means not only those who are geographically far away from Israel, but those who had been far away spiritually. The centurion was. Gentile, his faith was of surpassing excellence. None need wonder that he is commended, for he is only one of. vast number of Gentiles who shall enter into the kingdom, becoming children of Abraham by faith. "A prophecy that the Gentiles, even those the most remote, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. The centurion was. kind of first fruits of the rich harvest of the future extending to all the nations of the earth."-- Schaff.

Shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

The Jews were accustomed to speak of the delights of the Messiah's kingdom as. feast with the patriarchs. The language implies intimate domestic intercourse and fellowship. The patriarchs were the first separated from the Gentile world. The Gentiles shall be again united with them in the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven

Here refers, rather, to the eternal blessed state rather than to the church on earth, for the patriarchs lived too early to sit down in the kingdom of heaven on earth, which both John the Baptist and Christ spoke of as still in the future ("The kingdom of heaven is at hand").

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