New Rostrums (Matt. 13:1-2)

Matthew Henry’s commentary on the Bible resonates with much truth and modern application, regardless of the fact that he wrote the words almost 300 years ago. My most recent “harvesting” of his writing is from his commentary on Matthew 13:1-2, which I was reading along with the scripture this morning. Some might wonder that any relevance could be found in commentary based on the the description of Jesus leaving a house to sit by the sea before getting in a boat to preach to a multitude, but there is significant relevance there. This week, many preachers had to find a “boat” to reach their congregations as their congregations could not come to the buildings to hear the Word preached. On Facebook and YouTube I saw several preachers sitting at their kitchen tables or in their living rooms or in their offices. Some, as my husband did, preached to empty pews with much sorrow and difficulty getting started. It was not anyone’s ideal Sunday morning, but certainly not the one any preacher would ever desire.

Here are Henry’s words on these two verses:

His [Jesus’] pulpit was a ship not like Ezra's pulpit, that was made for the purpose (Neh. 8:4) but converted to this use for want of a better. No place amiss for such a Preacher, whose presence dignified and consecrated any place: let not those who preach Christ be ashamed, though they have mean and inconvenient places to preach in. Some observe, that the people stood upon dry ground and firm ground, while the Preacher was upon the water in more hazard. Ministers are most exposed to trouble. Here was a true rostrum, a ship pulpit.

Had I not been an eyewitness to the painful struggle my husband experienced in preparing and preaching the gospel in a building otherwise devoid of life, I would not understand the difficulty—really, I still don’t and feel unsure I will ever be able to do so.

Even though I am physically walking through this strange COVID-19 experience with Greg as my daily contact, my human with skin on, I have no clue what it feels like to bear the heavy burden of a shepherd for his sheep, some of which are lost or helpless or ill. He would love nothing more than to pick them up and bring them all home with him to weather the storm together if it were possible. 

I have no true understanding of what it is like to be separated from and overwhelmingly desire to care for his sheep in this time of distress. I see evidence of it in his restless desire to help, in his endlessly trying to do something to make this better, in his texting and calling and 6-foot yard and parking lot visits. I see evidence of his desire in his attempts to transfer his attempts to help to others (who don’t always see or receive it with the same urgency he is feeling). I even see it when he attaches his boat to the back of his trailer in the mornings as he leaves for work knowing he will have time afterwards to fish, the irony being that although he now has time to go, he would much rather be with his people. 

This preaching of the gospel is not an easy call—it never has been. Pray for those who are herding sheep from a distance, who are trying to feed them and care for their illnesses and help them rest from the anxious cares of this world right now. Their normal is new.

If you would like to listen to his sermon, the link is below. It begins with a prayer that shows the difficulty of what pastors are having to do, and then there are many announcements related to caring for his congregation (skip past 17:20 to hear sermon, which is full of truth and encouragement in this difficult day).