Matthew Henry Commentary Deuteronomy 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
Deuteronomy 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
Deuteronomy 15
"At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Jehovah`s release hath been proclaimed. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it: but whatsoever of thine is with thy brother thy hand shall release. Howbeit there shall be no poor with thee; (for Jehovah will surely bless thee in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it;) if only thou diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command thee this day. For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee. If there be with thee a poor man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto Jehovah against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto. For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and to thy poor, in thy land." — Deuteronomy 15:1-11 (ASV)
This year of release symbolized the grace of the gospel, in which the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed, and through which we obtain the release of our debts—that is, the pardon of our sins.
The law is spiritual and restrains the thoughts of the heart. We are mistaken if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and scrutiny.
Indeed, a heart is wicked that produces evil thoughts from the good law of God, like those who, because God had obligated them to the charity of forgiving, refused the charity of giving. Those who want to avoid the act of sin must keep the very thought of sin out of their minds.
It is a terrible thing to have the cry of the poor justifiably against us. Do not begrudge a kindness to your brother; do not distrust the providence of God. Whatever you do, do it freely, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
"If thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou lettest him go free from thee, thou shalt not let him go empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy winepress; as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to-day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go out from thee; because he loveth thee and thy house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise. It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou lettest him go free from thee; for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee six years: and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest." — Deuteronomy 15:12-18 (ASV)
Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to help them establish themselves when they are released from their servitude, during which they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the sources of family prosperity, when we are conscientious about our duty to our family relations.
We are to remember that we are debtors to Divine justice, and have nothing to pay with. That we are slaves, poor, and perishing. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by becoming poor and by shedding His blood, has made a full and free provision for the payment of our debts, the ransom of our souls, and the supply of all our needs.
When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release from our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in Him. And as faith in Christ and love for Him prevail, they will triumph over the selfishness of the heart and over the unkindness of the world, doing away with the excuses that arise from unbelief, distrust, and covetousness.
"All the firstling males that are born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto Jehovah thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy herd, nor shear the firstling of thy flock. Thou shalt eat it before Jehovah thy God year by year in the place which Jehovah shall choose, thou and thy household. And if it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto Jehovah thy God. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it out upon the ground as water." — Deuteronomy 15:19-23 (ASV)
Here is instruction on what to do with the firstlings. We are not now limited as the Israelites were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest. Let us then look to the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God; and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise, and under the direction of his law, since we have them all by his gift.
Jump to: