Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field.
&c.] These words are a conclusion from the former, and contain an argument from the lesser to the greater; that if God, for this is solely his work, so clothes the lilies, the flowers of the field, and whatever grows up out of the earth, in such a beautiful and splendid manner, as even to outdo Solomon, in his richest apparel; there's no doubt to be made of it, or at least ought not, but that he will much more provide clothing for men. The argument is illustrated, by the short continuance of the grass of the field, which is so clothed; and the use it is put to, when cut down;
which today is
in being, but abides not long, as it were but for a day: it flourishes in the morning, continues for the day in its glory and verdure, is cut down at evening, and withers and dies,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
to heat it with, or as the Syriac version reads (arwntb) , "in the furnace". And so Munster's Hebrew edition of this Gospel. For furnaces used to be heated with straw and stubble, and such like things, as were gathered out of the fields; so, we read in the Misna F11, that pots and furnaces were heated;
``a pot which they heat "with straw and stubble", they put into it that which is to be boiled--a furnace which they heat "with straw and stubble", they put nothing into it, nor upon it (i.e. till they have removed the coals or ashes): a little furnace, which they heat (abbgbw vqb) , "with straw and stubble", is as the pots.''The last word, (abbg) , Bartenora says, signifies wood, or sticks, small as stubble, which they gather out of the field; that is, the stalks of some sort of herbs and plants, that grow in the field: now if God clothes these plants, which are so short lived, and at last used for such mean purposes;
shall he not much more clothe you
men, his people, who are of a much longer life, and designed for greater ends and purposes; for the worship and service of God, for his honour and glory here, and for eternal life and happiness hereafter,
O ye of little faith?
As such persons are, who distrust the providence of God, with respect to food and raiment, The phrase, (hnma ynjq) , "men of little faith", is often to be met with in the Rabbinical writings: so Noah is represented by them, as one of "little faith", who believed, and did not believe the flood; and therefore did not go into the ark, till the waters drove him F12: and though he is said to be perfect, this was not by his works, but by the grace of God F13. So the Israelites at the Red Sea, who thought that when they came out on one side, the Egyptians would come out on the F14 other. So the little children that mocked Elisha, are said to be so called, because they were men "of little F15 faith". So everyone that exalts his voice in prayer, is reckoned such an one {p}. But what comes nearest to the case before us, is the following
``Says R. Eliezer the Great, whoever has a morsel in his basket, and says, what shall I eat tomorrow? is no other than (hnma ynmqm) , "one of those of little faith".''