A warning to all Christian ministers and teachers not to court popularity by speaking smooth words, and saying 'Peace, when there is no peace.' Plutarch relates of Phocion the Athenian, 'Once while he was delivering a public speech and making a good impression, and saw that all his hearers were equally pleased with what he said, he turned to his friends and said, “Surely I must have forgotten myself, and said something wrong.” 'Similarly Diogenes Laertius relates of a certain philosopher, that when some one announced to him that all men were praising him, he replied,' Why, what evil have I done?'

The false prophets] cp. Jeremiah 5:31; Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10.

27-38. Exhortations to love, forgiveness of injuries, and avoiding of rash judgments.

27-30. See on Matthew 5:30.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising