Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Plueking Corn on the Sabbath. LUKE VI, VII. The Twelve Apostles CItogcn.
this draught of fishes, when I shall bring lo thy net what will beggar all this gl Dry?' Bee on Matthew 4. 18. 11. forsook all—They did this before (MaUhew 4. 20); now tliey do it again ; and yet alter tlie Crucifixion they are at tlieir boats once more. (John 21. 3.) In such a business this is easily conceivable. After Pentecost, however, they appear to have finally abandoned their secular calling.
Multitudes-Glorious Healings. l!J, 1.3. went ont— probably from Capernaum, all night in prayer . . . and wlien . . . day, he called, &c.—tlie work with whioli the next day began shows what had been the burden of this
devotions. As Hedirected His disciples to pray for " labourers" Just before sending Iheinsi lvrs forth (see on
Matthew 9. 37; 10. 1), so here we find the Lord MiinseU In prolonged communion with His Fatlier in piepaialion for the solemn appointment of those nu n who were to give birth to His Church, and from whom the world in all time was to take a new mould. How iiist i iiciive is this; 1»-16. See on Matthew 10. 2-4. 17. in tUv plain-by some rendered 'on a level place,' i. e., a piece of high tableland, by which they understand the same thing, as "on the mountain," where our Lord delivered the sermon i*ecorded by Matthew (5. 1), of whicli they take this follow-
12-16. Leper Healed. See on Matthew 8. 2-4. 15. but BO, &c.^—See on Mark 1. 45.
17-2(). Paualytic Healed. S*-s on Matthew 9. 1-8. 17. Pharisees and doctors . . . sitting bj-—the highest testimony yet borne to our Loi'd's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. power of tlic Lord present—with Jesus, to heal them—the sick people. 18. house-top the flat roof, throujfh the tiling . . . before Jesns—See on Mark 2. 2. SJi. take up thy couch—'sweet saying! The bed had borne the man; now the man shall bear the ing discourse of Luke to be but an abridged form. But as the sense given In our version is the more accurate, so there are weighty reasons for considering the discourses different. This one contains little more than a fourth of the other; It has woes of its own, as well as the beatitudes common to both; but above all, that of Matthew was plainly delivered a good while before, while this was sp<iken after the choice of the twelve; and as we know that our Lord delivered some of His weightiest sayings more than once, there is no dilficulty in supposing this to be one of His more extended repetitions; nor could anything be more worthy of It. 19. healed—kept healing, denoting successive acts of mercy till it went over that needed. There Is something unusually grand and pictorial in this touch of description. 20, ai. In the Sermon on the Mount the benediction Is pronounced upon the "poor in spirit" and those who "hunger and thirst bed !' [Bengel.]
27-32. Levi's Call and Feast—See on Matthew 9. 9-13; and Mark 2. 14. 30. their scribes—a mode of expression allowing that Luke was writing for Gentiles.
33-3!). Fasting. See on Mattliew 9. 14-17. The incongruities mentioned in v. 36-38 were intended to illustrate the difference between the genius of the old and new economies, and tlie danger of mixing up the one with the other. As in the one case supposed, "the rent is made worse," and in the other, " the new wine is spilled," so by a mongrel mixture of the ascetic ritualism of the old with the spiritual freedom of the new economy, both are disfigured and destroyed. Tlie additional parable in v. 39, which is pecuaffeirighteotcsness." (Matthew 5. 3, 6.) Here It is simply on the "poor" and the "hungry now." In this form of the discourse, then, our Lord seems to have had in view " the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him," as "these very beatitudes are paraphrased by James (2. 5). langli—how charming is the liveliness of this word, to express what in Matthew is called being "comforted!" separate you—whether from their Church, by excommunication, or from their society; both hard to flesh and blood. for tlie Son of man's sake—cf. Matthew 5. 11. " for My sake;" and immediately before, " lor righteousliar to Luke, has been variously interpreted. But the "new wine" seems plainly to be the evangelical freedom which (''lirist was introducing; and the old, the opposite spirit of Judaism: men long accustomed to the latter could not be expected " straightway"—all at once—to take a liking lijr the former; q. d., 'These inquiries about the difference between my disciples and the Pharisees,' and even John's, are not surprising; they are the effect of a natur il revulsion against sudden change, which time will cure; the new wine will itself in time become old, and so acquire all the added charms of antiquity. What lessons does this teach, on the one hand, to those who unreasonably cling to what is getting antiquated; and, on the other, to hasty reformers who liave no patience with the timidity of their weaker brethren !
ness' sake" (V. 10). Christ thus binds up the cause of righteoK.Diess in the world with the reception of Himself. 33. leap for joy—a livelier word than "be exceeding glad" o:
'exult,' Matthew 5. 12. 24,25. rich . . . full . . . laugh —who liave all their good things and Joyous feelings here and now, ii\ perishable objects, received your consolation—see on cli. 16. 25. shall hunger—their inward craving strong as ever, but the materials of satisfaction for ever gone. 20. all speak well of you—alluding to tlie court paid to the false prophets of old. (MIcali 2. 11.) For the principle of this woe, and Its proper limits, see John
CHAPTER VI.
Ver. 1-5. Plucking Corn Ears on Sabbath. See on Matthew 12. 1-8; and Mark 2. 23-28. 1. Second sabbath aftei the first—an obscure expression, occurring here only, generally understood to mean, the first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread. The reasons cannot be stated here, nor is the opinion itself quite free Irom difficulty. 5. Lord also—rather 'even,' as Mattliew
15. 19. 27-36. See on Matthew 5. 44-48; 7. 12; and 14. 12-14. 37, 38. See on Matthew 7. 1, 2; but this Is much fuller and more graphic. 39. can tlie blind, &c.—not In the Sermon on the Mount, but recorded by Matthew In another and very striking connection, ch. 15. 14. 40. the disciple, &c. —q. d., 'The disciple aims to come up to his master, and he thinks himself complete when he does so: If you then be blind leaders of the blind, the perfection of one's training under you will only land him the more certainly
12. 8—of the sabbath—as naked a claim to all tlie auihorUy of Him who gace the law at Mount Sinai as could possibly be made; q. d. 'I have said enough to vindicate tlie men ye carp at on my account: but in this place is the Lm-d of the law, and t/icy have His sanction.' See on Mark 2. 28.
6-11. Withered Hand Healed. See on Mattliew 12.
9-15; and Mark 3. 1-7. watched whether, &e.—in Matthew this Is put as an ensnaring question of theirs to our Lord, wlio accordingly speaks to the state of their hearts, v.
in one common ruin with yourselves.' 41-49. See oa Matthew 7. 3-5, 16-27.
9, Just as If they had spoken It out. 9. good or evil, save or destroy-By this novel way of putting His case, our Lord teaches the great ethical principle, thai to neglect any opportunity of doing good is to incur the guilt of doing evil
CHAPTER VII.
Ver. 1-10. Centurion's Servant Healed. See on Mat thew 8. 5-13. 4. he was wortliy, &c.—a testimony most precious, coming from those who probably were strangers to the principle from which he acted. (F.cclesiastes 7. 1.) lovctli our nation—having found that " salvation was of the Jews," he loved theni fur II. built, Ac, —his love took this practical and appropriate form.
and by this law He bound His own spirit. (See on Mark
8. 4.) 11. filled with madness—the word denotes .senseless rage at Ihi conlusion to which our Lord had put them, both by word and deed, what to do with Jesus—not so much whi'tlwr to get rid of Him, but liow to compass It.
(See on Matthew .3. 0.)
12-19. THK TWELVB AP03TLK8 CHOSKN — GATHKBJ NO
U-17. Wiuow or Nain's Son Raised ToXiiFE. (lu Luk*
Oirisl's Testimony of John. LUKE viri. His Feel Washed with Tean.
only ) 11. Naln—a small village not elsewhere mentioned lu Scripture, and only this once probably visited by our Lord ; it lay a little to the south of Mount Tabor, About twelve miles from Capernaum. 12. carried outwas being carried out." Dead bodies, being ceremon ially unclean, were not allowed to be buried within the cities (though the kings of David's house were buried in the city of David), and the funeral was usually on the same day as the death, only son, &c.—afifectiug particulars, tween them ; but she could keep her leeiings no longer to lierself, and having found her way to Him (and entered along with him, v. 45), they burst forth iu this surpassing yet most artless style, as If her whole soul would go out to Him. 39. the Pharisee— wlio had formed no definite opinion of our Lord, and invited Him apparently to obtain materials for a judgment, spake within himself, &c.—'Ha! I have Him now; He plainly knows nothing of the person He allows to touch Him, and so. He can be no propliet.' Not so fast, Simon; thou hast not seen through thy Guest yet, but He hath seen through thee. 40-43. Like Nathan with David, our Lord conceals His home-thrust under the veil of a parable, and makes His host himself pronounce upon the case. The two debtors are the woman and Simon ; the criminality of the one was ten times that of the other (in the proportion of "5(X)" to "50"); but both being equally insolvent, both are with equal frankness forgiven ; and Simon is made to own. that the greatest debtor to forgiving mercy will cling to her Divine Benefactor with the deepest gratitude. Does our Lord then admit that Simon was a forgiving man 7 Let us see. 45-47. I entered . . . no water—a compliment to guests. Was this "much love?" Was it anyf no kiss—of salutation. How much love was here ? Aity told with delightful simplicity. 13, 14. the Lord—'This sublime appellation is more usual with Luke and John than Matthew; Mark holds the mean.' [Bengel.J saw her, had compassion, &c.—What consolation to thousands of the bereaved has this single verse carried from age to age ! 14, 15. What mingled majesty and grace shines in this scene! The Resurrection and tlie Lite in human flesh, with a word of command, bringing back life to tlie dead body; Incarnate Compassion summoning
Its absolute power to dry a widow's tears! 10. visited hi8 people—more than bringing back the days of Elijali and Elisha. (1 Kings 17. 17-24; 2 Kings 4. 32-37; and see on Matthew 15. 31.)
18-35. The Baptist's Message, thk Reply, and conSKQUENT Discourse. See on Matthew 11. 2-14. 39, 30. nud all the people that heard— at all* with oil . . . not anoint—even common olive-oil in contrast with the woman's " ointment" or aromatic balsam. What evidence was thus afforded of any feeling which forgiveness prompts? Our Lord speaks this with delicate politeness, as if hurt at these inattentions of His host, which though not invariably shown to guests, were the customary marks of studied respect and regard. The Inference is plain only one of the debtors was really forgiven, though in tlie first instance, to give room for the play of withheld feelings, the forgiveness of both is supposed in the parable, her sins %vlilch are many—
' on hearing (tiiis).' These are the observations of the Evangelist, not of our Lord. Knd the pnbllcans—a striking clause. Justified God, bring baptized, &c.—rather, ' having been baptized.' The meiining is. They acknowledged the Divine wisdom of such n preparatory ministry as John's, in leading them to Him who now spake to them (see ch. 1. 16, 17); whereas the Pharisees and lawyers, true to themselves in refusing the baptism of John, set at naught also the merciful desigti
(if God iu the Saviour himself, to their own destruction. 31-35. the Lord said, <fec.—As cross, capricious children, invited by tlieir playmates to join them in their amusements, will play with them neither at weddings nor funerals (juvenile imitations of the joyous and mournful scenes of life), so tliat generation rejected both Jolin and his Master: the one because he was too unsocial—more like a demoniac than a rational man; the otfier, because he was too much the reverse, given to animal indulgences, and consorting with the lowest classes of society. But the children of Wisdom recognize and honour her, whether in the austere garb of the Baptist or in the more attractive style of his Master, whether in the Law or in the Gospel, whether in rags or in royalty; for "the fall tout loatheth an honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is meet." (Proverbs 27. 7.)
' tliose many sins of hers,' our Lord, who admitted how much moresheowed than the Pharisee, now proclaims in naked terms the forgiveness of her guilt, for—not because, as if love were the cause of forgiveness, but 'inasmuch as,' or 'in proof of which.' The latter clause of the verse, and the whole structure of the parable, plainly show this to be the meaning, little forgiven . . . lovelh little— delicately ironical Intimation of no love and no forgiveness in the present case. 48. said unto lie«", &c.—an unsought assurance, usually springing up unexpected in the midst of active duty and warm affections, while often it Hies from those who mope and are paralyzed for want of it. 49, 50. they that sat . . . who is this I &c.—no wonder they were startled to hear One wlio was reclining at the same couch, and partaking of the same hospitalities with tliemselves, assume the awful prerogative of 'even forgiving sins.' But so far from receding from this claim, or softening it down, our Lord only repeats it, with two precious additions: one, announcing what was the one secret of the " forgiveness" she had experienced, and which carried "salvation" in its bosom; the other, a glorious dismissal of her In that "peace" which she had already feltj but is now assured she has His full warrant to enjoy! This wonderful scene teaches two very weighty truths:
36-50. Christ's Veet Washed -with Tears. 37, 38. a Inner—one wlio had led a profligate life. iV. B.— There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. See on ch. 8. 2, an alabaster box of ointment—a perfume-vessel, in some cases very costly (John 12.5). 'The ointment lias here a peculiar interest, as the oflering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unliallowed work of sin.' [Alford.] at hU feetbehlnd him tlie posture at meals being a reclining one, with tlie feet out behind, began to wa«h, Ac.—to' water with a shower.' The tears, which were quite involuntary, poured down in a flood upon His naked feet, as she bent down to kiss
(1.) though there be degrees of guilt, insolvency, or inabilify to wipe oul the dishonour done to God, is common to all sinners,
(2.) As Clirist is the Great Creditor to whom all debt, whether great or small, contracted by sinners is owing, so to Him belongs the prerogative of forgiving it. This latter truth is brought out in the structure and application of the present parable as it is nowhere else. Either then Jesus was a blaspheming deceiver, or He is God manifest in the flesh.
lliera; and deeming them rather fouled than washed by this, she hastened to wipe them ofl" with the only luwel she had, the long tresses of her own hair, 'with wliich slaves were wont to wash their masters' feet.' [Stikr.] klmed—the word signifies 'to kiss fondly, to caress,' or to 'kiss again and again,' whicli v. 4o shows is meant here. What prompted this? Much love, springing from a sense cj much forgiveness. So says He who knew her liearl, v. 47. Where she had met with Christ before, or what words of His had brought life to her dead heart and a sense of Divine pardon to her guilty soul, we know not. But prolmbly she was of the crowd of "publicans and sinners" whom Incarnate Compa.ssion drew so often around Him, and heard from His lips some of those wordo such as never man spake, "Come unto me, all ye that labour," Ac. No peraooal interview had up to this time taken place be-
CHAPTER VIII.
Ver. 1-3. A Galilean Circuit, with the Twelvb and certain Ministering Women. (In Luke only.) went—' travelled,' ' made a progress'—throughout every city and village— ' through town and village'—preaching, Ac—the Prince of itinerant preachers scattering far and wide the seed of the Kingdom, certain women healed, &c.—on whom He bnd the double claim of having brought healing to their bodies and new life to their 105
Christ TtTcnislered In by Women. LUKE IX. Pda-^s Confession of Christ.
souls. Drawn to Him by an attraction more tlian magnetic, they accompany Him on tills tour as His almoners —ministering unto Him of their substance. Blessed Saviour! It melts us to see Thee living upon the love of Thy ransomed people. That they bring Thee their poor offerings we wonder not. Thou hast sown unto them spiritual things, and they think It, as well they might, a small thing that Thou shouldst reap their carnal things.
haps they witnessed at a distance the sudden calming c tlie tempest. Here at least they are, watching for His re turn, and welcoming Him to the shore. The tide of HI popularity was now fast rising. 415. Who tonched me —'Askest Thou, Lord, who touched Thee? Rather a
" who touched Thee not In such a throng.' 46. somebod touched—yes, the multitude "thronged and pressed Him' —" they jostled against Him," but all involuntarily; the. were merely carried along ; but one, one only—" somebod touched Him," with the conscious, voluntary, dependen touch of faith, reaching forth Its hand expressly to hav cont.act with Him. This and this only Jesus acknow ledges and seeks out. Even so, as the Church Fatlier Atr GUSTiN long ago said, multitudes still come similarly close t
(J r^^rinthians 9. 11.) But dost Thou take it at their hand, ai.d subsist upon it ? " Oh the depth of the riches"—of this poverty of His ! Mary Magdalene— t". e. , probably, of Magdala, on which see Matthew 15. 39. went—rather 'had gone.' seven devils—(Mark 16. 9.) It is a great wrong to this honoured woman to identify her with the once profligate woman of ch. 7. 37, and to call all such penitents Magdalenes. The mistake has arisen from confounding unhappy demoniacal possession with the conscious entertainment of diabolic impurity, or supposing the one to have been afflicted as a punishment for the other—foi which there is not the least scriptural ground. Joanna, wife of Cliuxa, Herod's steward—If the steward of such a godless, cruel and licentious wretch as Herod Antipas
Christ in the means o/ grace, but all to no purpose, being ontr sucked into the crowd. The voluntary, living contact o faith is that electric conductor which alone draws virtu out of Him. 47. declared before all—this, though a grea trial to the shrinking modesty of the believing woman was just what Christ wanted in dragging her forth, her public testimony to the facts of her case—both her disease, with her abortive efforts at a cure, and the instantaneous and perfect relief which her touch of the Great Healer had brought her. 55. give her meat—See on Mark 5. 43.
(see on Mark 6. 14, <tc.) dil Tered greatly from himself, his post would be no easy or enviable one. That he was a disciple of Christ is very Improbable, though he might be favourably disposed towards Him. But what we know not of him, and may fear he wanted, we are sure his wife possessed. Healed either of " evil spirits" or of some one of the "infirmities" here referred to—the ordinary diseases of humanity—she Joins in the Saviour's train of grateful, clinging followers. Of "Susanna," next mentioned, we know nothing but the name, and that here only. But her services on this memorable occasion have immortalized her name. "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that ehe hath done," in ministering to the Lord of her substance on His Galilean tour, "shall be spoken of as a memorial of her." (Mark 14.9.) many others—i.e., many oiheT healed women. What a train! and all ministering nnto Him of tlieir substance, and He allowing them to do it and subsisting upon It! 'He who was the support of the spiritual life of His people disdained not to be supported by them in the body. He was not ashamed to penetrate so far Into the depths of poverty as to live upon the alms of love. He only fed others miraculously ; for Him-
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-6. Mission of the Twelve Apostles. See on Matthew 10. 1-15. 1. power and authority—He both gttoiifled and authorized them.
7-9. Herod Troubled at what he Hears of Christ, Desires to See Him. See on Mark 6. 14-30. 7. perplexed—'at a loss,' 'embarrassed ' — said of some that John was risen—among many opinions, this was the one which Herod himself adopted, for the reason, no doubt, mentioned on Mark 6. 14—desired to see him—but did not, till as a prisoner He was sent to him by Pilate just before His death, as we learn from ch. 2.3. 8.
10-17. On the Return of the Twelve, Jesus retires with them to Bethsaida, and there Miraculously Feeds Five Thousand. See on Mark 6. 31-44.
18-27. Peter's Confession of Christ— Our Lord's First Explicit Announcement of His Afproachinq Death, and Warnings Arising Out of it. See on Matthew 16. 13-28 ; and Mark 8. 34. 84. will save—' is minded to save,' bent on saving. The pith of this maxim depends—as often in such weighty sayings (for example, " Let the dead bury the dead," Matthew 8. 22)—on the double sense attached to the word "life," a lower and a higher, the natural and the spiritual, temporal and eternal. An entire sacrifice of the lower, or a willingness to make it, is indispensable to the preservation of the higher self, He lived upon the love of His people. He gave all things to men. His brethren, and received all things from them, enjoying thereby the pure blessing of love: which
Is then only perfect when It is at the same time both giving and receiving. Who could Invent such things as tliese ? ' It was necessary to live in this manner that it might be so recorded.' rOLSHArsEN.]
4-18. Parable of the Sower.—See on Mark 4. 3-9, 14- life; and he wlio cannot bring himself to surrender the one for the sake of the other shall eventually lose both. 36. ashamed of me and of my words—the sense of shame is one of the strongest In our nature, one of the social affections founded on our love of reputation, which causes instinctive aversion to what Is fitted to lower It, and was given us as a preservative from all that Is properly shameful. When one is, in this sense of It, lost Va shame, he is nearly past hope. (Zecliariah 3. 5; Jeremlab
'20. 16. No man, &c.—See on Matthew 5. 15, of which this is nearly a repetition. 15. For nothing, <&c.—See on ch. 12.2. 18. how ye—in Mark 4.24, "what ye hear." The one Implies the other. The precept Is very weighty, seemeth to have—or, ' thlnketh that he hath ' (Margin). The "having" of Matthew 13. 12 (on which see), and this thinking he hath,' are not different. Haliging loosely on iim, and not appropriated. It is and is not Ills.
19-21. His MOTHEK AND BRETHREN DESIRE TO SPEAK WITH Him.—See on Mark 12. 46-50.
6.15; 3.3.) But when Christ and "His words "-Christianity, especially in its more spiritual and uncompromising features—are unpopular, the same instinctive de-
22-25. Jesus, crossing the Lake, Stills the Stou.m.— See on Matthew 8. 23-27, and Mark 4. awi. 23. fllle»l— sire to stand well with others begets the temptation to be ashamed of Him, which only the ' expulsive power ' of a higher affection can effectually counteract. Son of man be ashamed when he cometh, Ac—He will render to that man his own treatment; He will disown him before the most august of all assemblies, and put him to "shame And everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12. 2.)
were getting filled,' i.e., those who sailed ; meaning that their ship was so.
2ft-39. Demoniac or Gadara Healed.—vSee on Mat- .hew 8. 28-34; and Mark 5. 1-20.
40-56. Jaikus' Daughter Raised, and Issue of Blood Healed.—.See on Matthew 9. 18-20; and Mark 5.21-43. 40. glaKlIy received him, for . . . all waiting hlin—Tlio abundant teaching of that day (In Matthew 13. : and see Mark 4. 36), had only whetted the people's appetite; and disappointed, as would seem, that He had left them In the evening to cross the lake, they remain hanging about the oeach, having got a hint, probably through some of His disciples, that He would be bacJc the same evening. Per106
' Oli shame, to be put to shame before God, Christ, and angels!' [Bkngel.] 87. not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God— "see It come with power" (Mark 9. 1); or see " the Son of man coming in His kingdom " (Matthew 16. 28). The reference, beyond doubt, is to the firm establishment and victorious progress, in the lifetime of some then present, of that new Kingdom of Christ, which was destined to rite Transfiguration of Chriat. LUKE IX. Demoniac and Lunatic Boy Ilealvl.
work the greatest of all changes on this earth, and be the ^rauU pledge of His final coming in glorj'.
which thoy appeared ; thtii profouna interest in the progress of it , their humble solaces and encouragements to go through with it; and their sense of its peerless and overvihelming glory. 'Go, matchless,- adored One, a Lamb to the slaugliter! rejected of men, but chosen of God and precious; disliououred, abhorred, and soon to be slain by men, but worshipped by cherubim, ready to be greeted by all heaven. In virtue of that decease we are here; our all is suspended on it and wrapped up in it. Thine every step is watched by us with ineflable interest; and though It were too liigli an honour to us to be permitted to drop a word of cheer into that precious but now clouded spirit, yet, as the firstfruits of harvest, the very joy set before Him, we cannot choose but tell Him that what is Aie depth of shame to Him is covered with glory in the eyes of Heaven, that the Cross to Him is the Crown to us, that that "decease" is
Jesus Transfigured, as. an eight days after these aaylngg— including the day on wliich this was upoken and that of the Transfiguration. Matthew and Mark say " after six days," excluding these two days. As the "sayings" so deflnitelj' connected with the Traasflgnration scene are those announcing His death —at wliich Peter and all the Twelve were so startled and scandalized—so tliis scene was designed to show to the eyes as well as the heart how glorious that death was In the view of Heaven. Peter, James, and John partners before in secular business; now sole witnesses of the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5. 37), the Transfiguration, and tlie Agony in the garden (Mark
14.33). a moiuitaln—not Tabor, according to long traall our salvation and all our desire.' And who can doubt that such a scene did minister deep cheer to that spirit?
dition, with which the facts ill comport, but some one near the lake, to pray— for the period He liad now reached was a critical and anxious one. (See on Mattliew
'Tis said they "talked" not to Him, but "unth Him:" and if they told Him how glorious His decease was, might He not fitly reply, ' I know it, but your voice, as messengers from heaven come down to tell it me, is music in mine
16. 13.) But who can adequately translate those "strong cryings and tears?" Methlnks, as I steal by His side, I hear from Hira these plaintive sounds, ' Lord, Wiio hath believed Our report? I am come unto Mine own and Jline own receive Me not; I am become a stranger unto My brethren, au alien to My mother's children: Consider Mine enemies, for they are many, and tliey hate Me with cruel hatred. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth: Show Me a token for good: Father, glorify Thy name." 29. as He prayed, tl»e fashion, &c.—before He cried He was answered, and whilst He was yet speaking He was heard. Blessed interruption to prayer this! Thanks to God, transfiguring manifestations are not quite strangers here. OftUmes in the deepest depths, out of groanings' which cannot be uttered, God's dear children are suddenly transported to a kind of heaven upon earth, and their soul is made as the chariots of Aminadab. Their prayears.' 33. and when they were awake—so, certainly, the most commentators: but if we translate literally, it should be 'but having kept awake.' [Meyer, Alford.] Perhaps 'having roused themselves up' [Olshausen] may come near enough the literal sense; but from the word used we can gatlier no more than that they slwok off their drowsiness. It was night, and the Lord seems to have spent the whole night on the mountain (v. 37). saw his glory, &c.—the empliasis lies on "saw," qualifying them to become "eye-witnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1. 10). 33. they departed—Ah ! bright manifestations in this vale of tears are always " departing" manifestations. 34, 35. a cloud—not one of our watery clouds, but the Shekinah-cloud (see on Matthew 2;i 39), the pavilion of the manifested presence of God with His people, what Peter calls " the excellent" or "magnificent glory" (2 Peter 1. 17). a voice "such a voice," says Peter emphatically; "and this voice (he adds) we heard when we were with Him lu the holy mount." (2 Peter 1. 17, 18.) my beloved Son ers fetch down such light, strength, holy gladness, as make their face to shine, putting a kind of celestial ra/liance upon it. (2 Corinthians 3. 18, with Exodus 34.
U9-35.) raiment white, &c.—Matthew says, " His face did thine as the sun" (17. 2), and Mark says " His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them" (9. 2). The ligiit, then, it would seem, shone not upon Him from wit Jumt, but mit of Him /ram uiifiin; He was all irradiated, was in one blaze of celestial glory. What a contrast to that "visage more marred than men, and His form than the sons of men !"
. . . hear Him reverentially, implicitly, alone. 36. Jesus found alone—Moses and Ellas are gone. Tlieir work is done, and they have disappeared from the scene, feeling no doubt with their fellow-servant the Baptist, "He must Increase, but I must decrease." The cloud too is gone, and the naked majestic Christ, braced in spirit, and enshrined in the reverent affection of His disciples, is left— to sufl Ter ! kept It close—feeling, for once at least, that such things were unmeet as yet for the general gaze.
(Isaiali 52. 14.) 30, 31. there talked with him two men. . . Moses and Ellas . . . appeared In glory—
' Who would have believed these were not angels had nob their human names been subjoined?' [Benqei,.] (Cf. Acts 1. 10; Mark 16. 5.) Moses represented "the law," Elijali "the prophets," and both together the whole testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, and the Old Testament saints, to Christ; now not borne in a book, but by living men, not to a coming, but a come Messiah, visibly, for they "appeared," and audibly, for they "spake." spake—'were speaking.' of hU decease—'departure;' beautiful euphemism (softened term) for death, which Peter, who witnessed the scene, uses to express his own expected death, and the use of which single term seems to have recalled the whole by a sudden rush of recollection, and occasioned that delightful allusion to this scene wliich we find in 2 Peter 1. 15-18. which he should accomplish —'was to fulfil.' at Jemsalem—Mark the historical character and local features which Christ's death assumed to these glorified men—as important as it is charming—and see on ch. 2. U. What now may be gathered from this statement? (1.) That a dying Messiah is the great article of the true Jervish theology. For a long time the Church had fallen clean away from the faith of this article, and even from a preparedness to receive it. But here we have that Jewel raked out of the dunghill of Jewish traditions, and by the true representatives of the Church of old made the one subject of talk with Christ himself. (2.) The adoring
87-45. Demoniac and Lunatic Boy Healed—Chkist'3 Second Explicit Announcement of His Death and' Resurrection.—See on Mark 9. 14-32. 43-45. the mighty* power of God—'the majesty' or 'mightiness' of God lii this last miracle, the Transfiguration, &c. ; the Divine grandeur ot Christ rising upon them daily. By comparing Matthew 17. 22, and Mark 9..30, we gather that this had been the subject of conversation between the Twelve and their Master as they Journeyed along, these sayings not what was passing between them about His grandeur [Meyer, &c.], but what He was now to repeat for the second time about His sufferings [De Wettb, Stikk,. Alford, &c.]; q. d., ' Be not carried off your feet by all this grandeur of Mine, but bear in mind what I have alreadytold y m, and now distinctly repeat, that that Sun Inwhose '"earns ye now rejoice is soon to set in midnight' gloom. " The Son of man," says Christ, " into the hands of men- -a remarkable antithesis (also in Matthe-w 17, 22, and Ma k 9.31). and they feared—'insomuch that tliey feared.' Their most cherished ideas were so completely dashed by such announcements, that they were afraid of laying themselves open to rebuke by asking Him any. questions.
46-48. Strife amonq the Twelve, who. (miould bb Gkeatest-John Rebuked for Excldsiveness. 4648. See on Matthew 18. 1-5. 49, 50. Johnjinawcred, &c —The link of connection here with the foregoing context lies in the words "in My name" (v. 48). . 'Oh, as to that 107 ffrotiiude of glorified men for His undertaking to accomplish tuch a decease; titeir felt dependence upon it for the glory in 54
The Refusal of the Samaritans. LUKE X. The Mission of the Seventy.
(8ftld John, joung, warm, but not sufficiently apprehending Christ's teaching in these things), we saw one casting out devils "in Thy name," and we forbade him: Were we wrong?' 'Ye were wrong.' ' Bnt we did "becHn.se he fo Uoweth not us." ' 'No matter. For (1.) "There
57-62. INCIUENTS ILLTTSTRATIVR OF DFSCIPLESHIP. S7, 58. The PRECIPITATE disciple. See on Matthew 8. 19, 20. 59, 60. The PROCRASTINATING disciple. See on Matthew
8. 21, 22. 61, 6*. The IRRESOLUTE disciple. I will follow. . . tout—The second disciple had a " bnt" too—a diiliculty in the way Just then. Yet the different treatment of the two cases shows how diflierent was the sj/irit of the two, and to that our Lord addressed Himself. The case of Elisha (1 Kings 19. 19-21), though upj Htrenlly similar to this, will be found quite diflerent from the "looking back" of this case, the best illustration of which Is that of those Hindoo converts of our day who, when once persvaded to leave their spiritualfathers in order to " bid thcti farewell which are at home at their house," very rarely return to them. no man, Ac—As ploughing requires an eye Intent on the furrow to be made, and is marred the instant one turns about, so will they come short of salvation who prosecute the work of God with a distracted attention, a divided heart. Though the reference seems chiefly to ministers, the application is general. The expression "looking back" has a manifest reference to " Lot's wife." (Genesis is no tnau wliich shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly (or 'soon') speak evil of Me," Mark 9. 39. And (2.)
If snch a person cannot be supposed to be " against us," yoii are to hold him "for us." ' Two principles of immense importance. Christ does not say this man should noi have followed "with them," but simply teaches how he was to be regarded tJumgh he did not—M a reverer of His name and a promoter of His cause. Surely this condemns not only those horrible attempts by force to shut up all within one visible pale of disctpleship, which have deluged Christendom with blood In Christ's name, but the same spirit in its milder form of proud ecclesiastic scowl upon all who "after the form which they call a sect (as the word signifies, Acts 34. 14), do so worship the God of their fathers." Visible unity in Christ's Church is devoutly to be sought, but this is not the way to it. See the noble spirit of Moses, Numbers 11. 31-29.
19. 26; and see on ch. 17. 32.) It is not actual return to the world, but a reluctance to break with it,
51-56. The Period of His Assumption Approaching, Christ takes His Last Leave of Galilee—The Samaritans Refuse to Receive Him. 61. tUe time wng come—rather, ' the days were being fulfilled,' or approaching tiieir fulfilment—that he should be received up of His assumption,' meaning His exaltation to the Father; a sublime expression, taking the sweep of His whole career, as if at one bound He was about to vault into glory. The work of Christ in the flesh is here divided into two great stages ; all that preceded this belonging to the one, and all that follows it to the other. During the one, He formally "came to His mvn" and "would have gathered them:" during the other, the awful consequences of "His own receiving Him not" rapidl.v revealed themselves, he steadfastly get His face—the "He" here is emphatic—
CHAPTER X.
Ver. 1-24. Mission of the Seventy Disciples, and THEIR Return. As our Lord's end approaches, the preparations for the establishment of the coming Kingdom are quickened and extended. 1, the Lord—a becoming title here, as this appointment was an act truly lordly. [Bengel.] other seventy also-rather, 'olhers (also in number), 70;' probably with allusion to the seventy elders of Israel on whom the Spirit descended in the wilderness. (Numbers 11. 24, 2i.) Tlie mission, unlike that of the Twelve, was evidently quite temporary. All the instructions are in keeping with a brief and hasty pioneering mission, Intended to supply what of general preparation for coming events the Lord's own visit after* wards to the same "cities and places" {v. 1) would not, from want of time, now suffice to accomplish ; whereas the instructions to the Twelve, besides embracing all those to the Seventy, contemplate world-wide and pemiartent effects. Accordingly, after their I'eturn from this single missionary tour, we never again read of the Sevent}'. 9. tlie harvest, Ac—See on Matthew 9. ;?7, SS. 3-Vi. See on Matthew 10.7-16. son of peace—inwardly prepared to embrace your message of peace. See note on " worthy," Matthew 10. 13. 19-15. See on Matthew U. 20-24. for Sodom—Tyre and Sidon were ruined by commercial prosperity; Sodom sank through its vile pollutions: but the doom of otherwise correct persons who, amidst a blaze of light, reject the Saviour, shall be less endurable than that of any of these. IG. he that, ifcc—See on Matthew 10.40. 17. returned— evidently not long away. Lord, Ac.—'Thou hast exceeded Thy promise, for "even the devils,"' &c. The possession of such power, not being expressly in their commission, as in that to the Twelve (ch.9. 1), filled them with more astonishment and Joy than all else. In thy name—taking no credit to themselves, but feeling lifted into a region of unimagined superiority to the powers of evil simply through their connection with Christ. 18. I beheld-As much of the force of this glorious statement depends on the nice shade of sense indicated by the imperfect tense in the original, It should be brought out in the translation: 'I was beholding Satan aslighlning falling from heaven :' </. d., 'I followed you on your mission, and watched its triumphs ; while you were wondering at the subjection to you of devils in My name, a grander spectacle was opening to My view; sudden aa the darting of lightning from heaven to earth, lol Satan was beheld lulling from heaven !' How remarkable is
' He Himself then.' See His own prophetic language, "I have set my face like a flint," Isaiah
60.7. go to Jerusalem—as His goal, but including His preparatory visits to it at the feasts of tabernacles and of dedication (John 7. 2, 10; and 10. 2-2, 23), and all the intermediate movements and events. 53. messengers before his face ... to make ready for htm—He had not done this before; but now, instead of avoiding. He seems to court publicity—all now hastening to maturity. 53. did not receive Him, because, <bc.—the Galileans, in going to the festivals at Jerusalem, usually took the Samaritan route [JoSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20. 6. 1], and yet seem to have met with no such inhospitality. But if they were asked to prepare quarters for the Messiah, In the person of one whose "face was as though he would go to Jerusalem," their national prejudices would be raised at so marked a slight upon their claims. (See on John 4. '20.) 54. .Tames and Jol»n—not I'eter, as we should have expected, but those "sons of thunder" (Mark 3. 17), who afterwards would have all the highest honours of the Kingdom to themselves, and the younger of whom had been rebuked already for his exclusiveness (v. 49, 50). Yet this was " the disciple whom Jesus loved," while the other willingly drank of His Lord's bitter cup. (See on Mark 10. 3.S-40 and Acts 12. 2.) That same fiery zeal, In a mellowed and hallowed form, in the beloved disciple, we find in 2 John 5. 10 and 3 John 10. lire ... as Ellas—a plausible case, occur-.rlng also in Samaria. (2 Kings 1. 10-12.) 55, 50. know not -nvhat spirit, &c.—'The thing ye demand, though In keepilng with the legal, is unsulted to the genius of the evan-
dispensation.' The sparks of unholy Indignation uroulil seize readily enough on this example of Kllas, ftbough our Iord's rebuke (as is plain from v. 50) is diirected to the principle Involved rather than the animal heat which doubtless prompted the reference. 'It is a golden sentence of TlUotson, Let ns never do anything for.religion which is contrary to religion.' [Webster and Wilkinson.] for the Son of man, &c.—a saying truly Divine, of which all His miracles—forsalvation, never dc- •lr\iction—were one continued Illustration, went to an- «Uier'->Ulustruting HU own precept, Matthew 10. 23.
this, that by that law of association whlcli connects a part with the whole, those feeble triumphs of the Sevenl,T seem to have not only brought vividly before the Redeemer the whole ultimate result of Ills mission, but compressed It Into a moment and quickened It Into the rapidity of lightning ! iV: B.—The word rendered "dtfvO*," »•
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