Part 14
27. And he took the cup - Called by the Jews the cup of thanksgiving; which the master of the family used likewise to give to each after supper.
28. This is the sign of my blood, whereby the new testament or covenant is confirmed. Which is shed for many - As many as spring from Adam.
29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, till I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom - That is, I shall taste no more wine, till I drink wine of quite another kind in the glorious kingdom of my Father. And of this you shall also partake with me.
30. And when they had sung the hymn - Which was constantly sung at the close of the passover. It consisteth of six psalms, from the 113th to the 118th. The mount of Olives - Was over against the temple, about two miles from Jerusalem. Mark xiv, 26; Luke xxii, 39; John xviii, 1.
31. All ye will be offended at me - Something will happen to me, which will occasion your falling into sin by forsaking me. Zech. xiii, 7.
32. But notwithstanding this, after I am risen I will go before you (as a shepherd before his sheep) into Galilee. Though you forsake me, I will not for this forsake you.
34. Before cock crowing thou wilt deny me thrice - That is, before three in the morning, the usual time of cock crowing: although one cock was heard to crow once, after Peter's first denial of his Lord.
35. In like manner also said all the disciples - But such was the tenderness of our Lord, that he would not aggravate their sin by making any reply.
36. Then cometh Jesus to a place called Gethsemane - That is, the valley of fatness. The garden probably had its name from its soil and situation, laying in some little valley between two of those many hills, the range of which constitutes the mount of Olives. Mark xiv, 32; Luke xxii, 40.
37. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee - To be witnesses of all; he began to be sorrowful and in deep anguish - Probably from feeling the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in his soul, while God laid on him the iniquities of us all. Who can tell what painful and dreadful sensations were then impressed on him by the immediate hand of God? The former word in the original properly signifies, to be penetrated with the most exquisite sorrow; the latter to be quite depressed, and almost overwhelmed with the load.
39. And going a little farther - About a stone's cast, Luke xxii, 41 - So that the apostles could both see and hear him still. If it be possible, let this cup pass from me - And it did pass from him quickly. When he cried unto God with strong cries and tears, he was heard in that which he feared. God did take away the terror and severity of that inward conflict.
41. The spirit - Your spirit: ye yourselves. The flesh - Your nature. How gentle a rebuke was this, and how kind an apology! especially at a time when our Lord's own mind was so weighed down with sorrow.
45. Sleep on now, if you can, and take your rest - For any farther service you can be of to me. 47. Mark xiv, 43; Luke xxii, 47; John xviii, 2. 50. The heroic behaviour of the blessed Jesus, in the whole period of his sufferings, will be observed by every attentive eye, and felt by every pious heart: although the sacred historians, according to their usual but wonderful simplicity, make no encomiums upon it. With what composure does he go forth to meet the traitor! With what calmness receive that malignant kiss! With what dignity does he deliver himself into the hands of his enemies! Yet plainly showing his superiority over them, and even then leading as it were captivity captive!
51. And one of them striking the servant of the high priest - Probably the person that seized Jesus first; Cut off his ear - Aiming, it seems, to cleave his head, but that by a secret providence interposing, he declined the blow. Mark xiv, 47; Luke xxii, 49; John xviii, 10.
52. All they that take the sword - Without God's giving it them: without sufficient authority. 53. He will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels - The least of whom, it is probable, could overturn the earth and destroy all the inhabitants of it.
55. Mark xiv, 48; Luke xxii, 52 57. They led him away to Caiaphas - From the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, to whom they had carried him first. Mark xiv, 53; Luke xxii, 54; John xviii, 12.
58. But Peter followed him afar off - Variously agitated by conflicting passions; love constrained him to follow his Master; fear made him follow afar off. And going in, sat with the servants - Unfit companions as the event showed.
60. Yet found they none - On whose evidence they could condemn him to die. At last came two false witnesses - Such they were, although part of what they said was true; because our Lord did not speak some of those words at all; nor any of them in this sense.
64. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man - He speaks in the third person, modestly, and yet plainly; Sitting on the right hand of power - That is, the right hand of God: And coming upon the clouds of heaven - As he is represented by Daniel, Dan. vii, 13, 14. Our Lord looked very unlike that person now! But nothing could be more awful, more majestic and becoming, than such an admonition in such circumstances!
65. Then the high priest rent his clothes - Though the high priest was forbidden to rend his clothes (that is, his upper garment) in some cases where others were allowed to do it, Lev. xxi, 10; yet in case of blasphemy or any public calamity, it was thought allowable. Caiaphas hereby expressed, in the most artful manner, his horror at hearing such grievous blasphemy.
67. Then - After he had declared he was the Son of God, the sanhedrim doubtless ordered him to be carried out, while they were consulting what to do. And then it was that the soldiers who kept him began these insults upon him.
72. He denied with an oath - To which possibly he was not unaccustomed, before our Lord called him.
73. Surely thou art also one of them, for thy speech discovereth thee - Malchus might have brought a stronger proof than this. But such is the overruling providence of God, that the world, in the height of their zeal, commonly catch hold of the very weakest of all arguments against the children of God.
74. Then began he to curse and to swear - Having now quite lost the reins, the government of himself.
XXVII
1. In the morning - As the sanhedrim used to meet in one of the courts of the temple, which was never opened in the night, they were forced to stay till the morning before they could proceed regularly, in the resolution they had taken to put him to death. Mark xv, 1; Luke xxii, 66; xxiii, 1; John xviii, 28.
2. Having bound him - They had bound him when he was first apprehended. But they did it now afresh, to secure him from any danger of an escape, as he passed through the streets of Jerusalem.
3. Then Judas seeing that he was condemned - Which probably he thought Christ would have prevented by a miracle.
4. They said, what is that to us? - How easily could they digest innocent blood! And yet they had a conscience! It is not lawful (say they) to put it into the treasury - But very lawful to slay the innocent!
5. In that part of the temple where the sanhedrim met. 7. They bought with them the potter's field - Well known, it seems, by that name. This was a small price for a field so near Jerusalem. But the earth had probably been digged for potters' vessels,
so that it was now neither fit for tillage nor pasture, and consequently of small value. Foreigners - Heathens especially, of whom there were then great numbers in Jerusalem.
9. Then was fulfilled - What was figuratively represented of old, was now really accomplished. What was spoken by the prophet - The word Jeremy, which was added to the text in latter copies, and thence received into many translations, is evidently a mistake: for he who spoke what St. Matthew here cites (or rather paraphrases) was not Jeremy, but Zechariah. Zech. xi, 12.
10. As the Lord commanded me - To write, to record. 11. Art thou the king of the Jews? - Jesus before Caiaphas avows himself to be the Christ, before Pilate to be a king; clearly showing thereby, that his answering no more, was not owing to any fear.
15. At every feast - Every year, at the feast of the passover. Mark xv, 6; Luke xxiii, 17; John xviii, 39.
18. He knew that for envy they had delivered him - As well as from malice and revenge; they envied him, because the people magnified him.
22. They all say, Let him be crucified - The punishment which Barabbas had deserved: and this probably made them think of it. But in their malice they forgot with how dangerous a precedent they furnished the Roman governor. And indeed within the compass of a few years it turned dreadfully upon themselves.
24. Then Pilate took water and washed his hands - This was a custom frequently used among the heathens as well as among the Jews, in token of innocency.
25. His blood be on us and on our children - As this imprecation was dread. fully answered in the ruin so quickly brought on the Jewish nation, and the calamities which have ever since pursued that wretched people, so it was peculiarly fulfilled by Titus the Roman general, on the Jews whom he took during the siege of Jerusalem. So many, after having been scourged in a terrible manner, were crucified all round the city, that in a while there was not room near the wall for the crosses to stand by each other. Probably this befell some of those who now joined in this cry, as it certainly did many of their children: the very finger of God thus pointing out their crime in crucifying his Son.
26. He delivered him to be crucified - The person crucified was nailed to the cross as it lay on the ground, through each hand extended to the utmost stretch, and through both the feet together. Then the cross was raised up, and the foot of it thrust with a violent shock into a hole in the ground prepared for it. This shock disjointed the body, whose whole weight hung upon the nails, till the persons expired through mere dint of pain. This kind of death was used only by the Romans, and by them inflicted only on slaves and the vilest criminals.
27. The whole troop - or cohort. This was a body of foot commanded by the governor, which was appointed to prevent disorders and tumults, especially on solemn occasions. Mark xv, 16 John xix, 2.
28. They put on him a scarlet robe - Such as kings and generals wore; probably an old tattered one.
32. Him they compelled to bear his cross - He bore it himself, till he sunk under it, John xix, 17. 33. A place called Golgotha, that is, the place of a skull - Golgotha in Syriac signifies a skull or head: it was probably called so from this time; being an eminence upon Mount Calvary, not far from the king's gardens. Mark xv, 22; Luke xxiii, 33; John xix, 17
34. They gave him vinegar mingled with gall - Out of derision: which, however nauseous, he received and tasted of. St. Mark mentions also a different mixture which was given him, Wine mingled with myrrh: such as it was customary to give to dying criminals, to make them less sensible of their sufferings: but this our Lord refused to taste, determining to bear the full force of his pains.
35. They parted his garments - This was the custom of the Romams. The soldiers performed the office of executioners, and divided among them the spoils of the criminals. My vesture - That is, my inner garment. Psalm xxii, 18.
38. Mark xv, 27; Luke xxiii, 32. 44. Mark xv, 32; Luke xxiii, 33. 45. From the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the earth unto the ninth hour - Insomuch, that even a heathen philosopher seeing it, and knowing it could not be a natural eclipse, because it was at the time of the full moon, and continued three hours together, cried out, "Either the God of nature suffers, or the frame of the world is dissolved." By this darkness God testified his abhorrence of the wickedness which was then committing. It likewise intimated Christ's sore conflicts with the Divine justice, and with all the powers of darkness.
46. About the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice - Our Lord's great agony probably continued these three whole hours, at the conclusion of which be thus cried out, while he suffered from God himself what was unutterable. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? - Our Lord hereby at once expresses his trust in God, and a most distressing sense of his letting loose the powers of darkness upon him, withdrawing the comfortable discoveries of his presence, and filling his soul with a terrible sense of the wrath due to the sins which he was bearing. Psalm xxii, 1.
48. One taking a sponge, filled it with vinegar - Vinegar and water was the usual drink of the Roman soldiers. It does not appear, that this was given him in derision, but rather with a friendly design, that he might not die before Elijah came. John xix, 28.
50. After he had cried with a loud voice - To show that his life was still whole in him. He dismissed his spirit - So the original expression may be literally translated: an expression admirably suited to our Lord's words, John x, xviii, No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. He died by a voluntary act of his own, and in a way peculiar to himself. He alone of all men that ever were, could have continued alive even in the greatest tortures, as long as he pleased, or have retired from the body whenever he had thought fit. And how does it illustrate that love which he manifested in his death? Insomuch as he did not use his power to quit his body, as soon as it was fastened to the cross, leaving only an insensible corpse, to the cruelty of his murderers: but continued his abode in it, with a steady resolution, as long as it was proper. He then retired from it, with a majesty and dignity never known or to be known in any other death: dying, if one may so express it, like the Prince of life.
51. Immediately upon his death, while the sun was still darkened, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy of holies from the court of the priests, though made of the richest and strongest tapestry, was rent in two from the top to the bottom: so that while the priest was ministering at the golden altar (it being the time of the sacrifice) the sacred oracle, by an invisible power was laid open to full view: God thereby signifying the speedy removal of the veil of the Jewish ceremonies the casting down the partition wall, so that the Jews and Gentiles were now admitted to equal privileges, and the opening a way through the veil of his flesh for all believers into the most holy place. And the earth was shaken - There was a general earthquake through the whole globe, though
chiefly near Jerusalem: God testifying thereby his wrath against the Jewish nation, for the horrid impiety they were committing.
52. Some of the tombs were shattered and laid open by the earthquake, and while they continued unclosed (and they must have stood open all the Sabbath, seeing the law would not allow any attempt to close them) many bodies of holy men were raised, (perhaps Simeon, Zacharias, John the Baptist, and others who had believed in Christ, and were known to many in Jerusalem, ) And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, went into the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many - Who had probably known them before: God hereby signifying, that Christ had conquered death, and would raise all his saints in due season.
54. The centurion - The officer who commanded the guard; and they that were with him feared, saying, Truly this was the Son of God - Referring to the words of the chief priests and scribes, chap. xxvii, xliii, He said, I am the Son of God.
56. James - The less: he was so called, to distinguish him from the other James, the brother of John; probably because he was less in stature.
57. When the evening was come - That is, after three o'clock; the time from three to six they termed the evening. Mark xv, 42; Luke xxiii, 50; John xix, 38.
62. On the morrow, the day that followed the day of the preparation - The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath, whereon they were to prepare for the celebration of it. The next day then was the Sabbath according to the Jews. But the evangelist seems to express it by this circumlocution, to show the Jewish Sabbath was then abolished.
63. That impostor said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again - We do not find that he had ever said this to them, unless when he spoke of the temple of his body, John ii, 19, 21. And if they here refer to what he then said, how perverse and iniquitous was their construction on these words, when he was on his trial before the council? Chap. xxvi, 61. Then they seemed not to understand them!
65. Ye have a guard - Of your own, in the tower of Antonia, which was stationed there for the service of the temple.
66. They went and secured the sepulchre, sealing the stone, and setting a guard - They set Pilate's signet, or the public seal of the sanhedrim upon a fastening which they had put on the stone. And all this uncommon caution was overruled by the providence of God, to give the strongest proofs of Christ's ensuing resurrection; since there could be no room for the least suspicion of deceit, when it should be found, that his body was raised out of a new tomb, where there was no other corpse, and this tomb hewn out of a rock, the mouth of which was secured by a great stone, under a seal, and a guard of soldiers.
XXVIII
1. Mark xvi, 1; Luke xxiv, 1; John xx, 1 2. An angel of the Lord had rolled away the stone and sat upon it - St. Luke and St. John speak of two angels that appeared: but it seems as if only one of them had appeared sitting on the stone without the sepulchre, and then going into it, was seen with another angel, sitting, one where the head, the other where the feet of the body had lain.
6. Come, see the place where the Lord lay - Probably in speaking he rose up, and going before the women into the sepulchre, said, Come, see the place. This clearly reconciles what St. John relates, John xx, 12, this being one of the two angels there mentioned.
7. There shall ye see him - In his solemn appearance to them all together. But their gracious Lord would not be absent so long: he appeared to them several times before then. Lo, I have told you - A solemn confirmation of what he had said.
9. Hail - The word in its primary sense means, "Rejoice:" in its secondary and more usual meaning, "Happiness attend you."
10. Go tell my brethren - I still own them as such, though they so lately disowned and forsook me.
13. Say, his disciples came by night, and stole him while we slept - Is it possible, that any man of sense should digest this poor, shallow inconsistency? If ye were awake, why did you let the disciples steal him? If asleep, how do you know they did?
16. To the mountain where Jesus had appointed them - This was probably Mount Tabor, where, (it is commonly supposed, ) he had been before transfigured. It seems to have been here also, that he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once.
18. All power is given to me - Even as man. As God, he had all power from eternity. 19. Disciple all nations - Make them my disciples. This includes the whole design of Christ's commission. Baptizing and teaching are the two great branches of that general design. And these were to be determined by the circumstances of things; which made it necessary in baptizing adult Jews or heathens, to teach them before they were baptized; in discipling their children, to baptize them before they were taught; as the Jewish children in all ages were first circumcised, and after taught to do all God had commanded them. Mark xvi, 15.
NOTES ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK
THIS CONTAINS, I. The beginning of the Gospel,
a. John prepares the way Chap. i, 1-8 b. Baptizes Jesus, who is proclaimed the Son of God 9-11 c. Tempted of Satan, served by angels 12, 13 II. The Gospel itself,
A. In Galilee: where we may observe three periods,
a. After John was cast into prison, In general,
1. The place and matter of his preaching, 14, 15 2. The calling of several of the apostles 16-20 In particular, 1. Actions not censured by his adversaries 1. He teaches with authority 21, 22 2. Cures the demoniac 23-28 3. Heals many sick 29-34 4. Prays 35
5. Teaches every where 36-39 6. Cleanses the leper 40-45 2. Actions censured by them, Here occur, 1. The paralytic forgiven and healed ii, 1-12 2. The call of Levi, and eating with publicans and sinners. 13-17 3. The question concerning fasting answered 18-22 4. The ears of corn plucked 23-28 5. The withered hand restored: Snares laid iii, 1-6 3. Our Lord's retirement, 1. At the sea 7-12 2. In the mountain, where the apostles are called 13-19 3. In the house, where after refuting the blasphemy of the Pharisees, he shows who are his mother and his brethren. 20-35 4. In the ship; various parables iv, 1-34 5. On the sea, and beyond it 35-41 v, 1-20 6. On this side the sea: Again: Jairus, and the woman with the flux of blood 21-43 7. At Nazareth: His countrymen offended vi, 1-6 8. The apostles sent forth 7-13 b. After John was put to death,
1. Herod's hearing of Jesus, and judgment of him 14-29 2. Christ's retiring with his apostles, now returned 30-32 3. The earnestness of the people; Christ's compassion; five thousand fed 33-44 4. His walking on the sea 45-52 5. He heals many in the land of Gennesaret 53-56 6. And teaches what defiles a man vii, 1-23 7. A devil cast out in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon 24-30 8. At the sea of Galilee, the deaf and dumb healed; four thousand fed 31-37 viii, 1-9 9. He comes into the parts of Dalmanutha, and answers concerning the sign from heaven Chap. viii, 10-13 10. In the ship, he warns them of evil leaven 14-21 11. At Bethsaida, heals the sick 22-26 c. After he was acknowledged to be the Son of God,
1. Peter confessing him, he enjoins his disciples silence; foretells his passion; reproves Peter; exhorts to follow him 21 ix, 1 2. Is transfigured: casts out a devil; foretells his passion. 2-32 3. Reproves and instructs his disciples 33-50 B. In Judea,
a. In the borders x, 1
1. He treats of divorce 2-12 2. Of little children 13-16 3. Of entering into life, and of the danger of riches 17-31 b. In his way to the city,
1. He foretells his passion a third time 32-34 2. Answers James and John, and instructs them all 35-45 3. At Jericho, gives sight to Bartimeus 46-52 4. At Jerusalem xi, 1 a. His royal entry' 2-11 b. The day after, the fig tree cursed 12-14 the temple purged 1519 c. The day after that,
1. Near the fig tree, he shows the power of faith 20-26 2. In the temple, 1. His authority vindicated 27-33 2. The parable of the wicked husbandmen xii, 1-12 3. Of paying tribute to Cesar 13-17 4. Of the resurrection 18-27 5. Of the great commandment 28-34 6. Of David's Lord 35-37 7. He warns the people of the scribes 38-40 8. Commends the poor widow 41-44 3. On Mount Olivet, he foretells the destruction of the city and temple, and the end of the world xiii, 1-37 d. Two days before the passover; his enemies bargain with Judas. xiv, 1-11 e. On the first day of unleavened bread,
1. The passover prepared 12-16 2. The Lord's Supper instituted 17-25 3. After the hymn, the offense of the disciples and Peter's denial foretold 26-31 4. In Gethsemane, Jesus prays; wakes his disciples 32-42 is betrayed; taken; forsaken of all 43-52 5. In the high priest's palace, He is condemned to death 53-65 Denied by Peter 66-72 f. Friday, What was done,
1.In Pilate's palace xv, 1-20 2. In the way 21 3. At Golgotha 22 1. The wine and myrrh offered 23 2. The crucifixion; his garments parted 24, 25 3. The title 26 4. The two malefactors 27, 28 5. Revilings 29-32 6. The darkness; the cry of Jesus; the scoff; the vinegar; his death; the veil rent 33-38 7. The saying of the centurion; the women looking on 39-41 4. In the evening, the burial 42-47 g. Sunday, Our Lord's resurrection declared,
1. By an angel Chap. xvi, 1-8
2. By himself, To Mary Magdalene 9-11 To two going into the country 12, 13 To the eleven sitting at meat 14 III. The Gospel,
1. Committed by Christ to apostles after his resurrection. 15-18 2. Confirmed after his ascension 19, 20
MARK
1. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - The evangelist speaks with strict propriety: for the beginning of the Gospel is in the account of John the Baptist, contained in the first paragraph; the Gospel itself in the rest of the book. Matt. iii, 1; Luke iii, 1
2. Mal. iii, 1 3. Isaiah xl, 3. 4. Preaching the baptism of repentance - That is, preaching repentance, and baptizing as a sign and means of it.
7. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose - That is, to do him the very meanest service.
9. Matt. iii, 13; Luke iii, 21. 12. And immediately the Spirit thrusteth him out into the wilderness - So in all the children of God, extraordinary manifestations of his favour are wont to be followed by extraordinary temptations. Matt. iv, 1; Luke iv, 1.
13. And he was there forty days, tempted by Satan - Invisibly. After this followed the temptation by him in a visible shape, related by St. Matthew. And he was with the wild beasts - Though they had no power to hurt him. St. Mark not only gives us a compendium of St. Matthew's Gospel, but likewise several valuable particulars, which the other evangelists have omitted.
14. Matt. iv, 12. 15. The time is fulfilled - The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is fully come.
16. Matt. iv, 18; Luke v, 1. 18. Straightway leaving their nets, they followed him - From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call!
21. Luke iv, 31. 26. A loud noise - For he was forbidden to speak. Christ would neither suffer those evil spirits to speak in opposition, nor yet in favour of him. He needed not their testimony, nor would encourage it, lest any should infer that he acted in concert with them.
29. Matt. viii, 14; Luke iv, 38. 32. When the sun was set - And, consequently, the Sabbath was ended, which they reckoned from sunset to sunset.
33. And the whole city was gathered together at the door - O what a fair prospect was here! Who could then have imagined that all these blossoms would die away without fruit?
34. He suffered not the devils to say that they knew him - That is, according to Dr. Mead's hypothesis, (that the Scriptural demoniacs were only diseased persons, ) He suffered not the diseases to say that they knew him!
35. Rising a great while before day - So did he labour for us, both day and night. Luke iv, 42. 40. Matt. viii, 2; Luke v, 12. 44. See thou say nothing to any man - But our blessed Lord gives no such charge to us. If he has made us clean from our leprosy of sin, we are not commanded to conceal it. On the contrary, it is our duty to publish it abroad, both for the honour of our Benefactor, and that others who are sick of sin may be encouraged to ask and hope for the same benefit. But go, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what Moses commanded for a testimony to them - The priests seeing him, pronouncing him clean, Lev. xiii, 17, 23, 28, 37, and accordingly allowing him to offer as Moses commanded, Lev. xiv, 2, 7, was such a proof against them, that they durst never say the leper was not cleansed; which out of envy or malice against our saviour they might have been ready to say, upon his presenting himself to be viewed, according to the law, if by the cleansed person's talking much about his cure, the account of it had reached their ears before he came in person. This is one great reason why our Lord commanded this man to say nothing.
45. So that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city - It was also to prevent this inconvenience that our Lord had enjoined him silence.
1. And again - After having been in desert places for some time, he returned privately to the city. In the house - In Peter's house.
2. And immediately many were gathered together - Hitherto continued the general impression on their hearts. Hitherto, even at Capernaum, all who heard received the word with joy.
3. Matt. ix, 2; Luke v, 18. 4. They uncovered the roof - Or, took up the covering, the lattice or trap door, which was on all their houses, (being flat roofed.) And finding it not wide enough, broke the passage wider, to let down the couch.
6. But certain of the scribes - See whence the first offense cometh! As yet not one of the plain unlettered people were offended. They all rejoiced in the light, till these men of learning came, to put darkness for light, and light for darkness. Wo to all such blind guides! Good had it been for these if they had never been born. O God, let me never offend one of thy simple ones! Sooner let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!
12. They were all amazed - Even the scribes themselves for a time. 13. All the multitude came to him - Namely, by the sea side. And he as readily taught them there as if they had been in a synagogue.
14. Matt. ix, 9; Luke v, 27. 15. Many publicans and notorious sinners sat with Jesus - Some of them doubtless invited by Matthew, moved with compassion for his old companions in sin. But the next words, For there
were many, and they followed him, seem to imply, that the greater part, encouraged by his gracious words and the tenderness of his behaviour, and impatient to hear more, stayed for no invitation, but pressed in after him, and kept as close to him as they could.
16. And the scribes and Pharisees said - So now the wise men being joined by the saints of the world, went a little farther in raising prejudices against our Lord. In his answer he uses as yet no harshness, but only calm, dispassionate reasoning.
17. I came not to call the righteous - Therefore if these were righteous I should not call them. But now, they are the very persons I came to save.
18. Matt. ix, 14; Luke v, 33. 23. Matt. xii, 1; Luke vi, 1. 26. In the days of Abiathar the high priest - Abimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest then; Abiathar himself not till some time after. This phrase therefore only means, In the time of Abiathar, who was afterward the high priest. 1 Sam. xxi, 6.
27. The Sabbath was made for man - And therefore must give way to man's necessity. 28. Moreover the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath - Being the supreme Lawgiver, he hath power to dispense with his own laws; and with this in particular.
He entered again into the synagogue - At Capernaum on the same day. Matt. xii, 9; Luke vi, 6. 2. And they - The scribes and Pharisees, watched him, that they might accuse him - Pride, anger, and shame, after being so often put to silence, began now to ripen into malice.
4. Is it lawful to save life or to kill? - Which he knew they were seeking occasion to do. But they held their peace - Being confounded, though not convinced.
5. Looking round upon them with anger, being grieved - Angry at the sin, grieved at the sinner; the true standard of Christian anger. But who can separate anger at sin from anger at the sinner? None but a true believer in Christ.
6. The Pharisees going out - Probably leaving the scribes to watch him still: took counsel with the Herodians - as bitter as they usually were against each other.
8. From Idumea - The natives of which had now professed the Jewish religion above a hundred and fifty years. They about Tyre and Sidon - The Israelites who lived in those coasts.
10. Plagues or scourges (so the Greek word properly means) seem to be those very painful or afflictive disorders which were frequently sent, or at least permitted of God, as a scourge or punishment of sin.
12. He charged them not to make him known - It was not the time: nor were they fit preachers. 13. He calleth whom he would - With regard to the eternal states of men, God always acts as just and merciful. But with regard to numberless other things, he seems to us to act as a mere sovereign. Luke vi, 12
14. Matt. x, 2; Luke vi, 13; Acts i, 13. 16. He surnamed them sons of thunder - Both with respect to the warmth and impetuosity of their spirit, their fervent manner of preaching, and the power of their word.
20. To eat bread - That is, to take any subsistence.
21. His relations - His mother and his brethren, ver. 31. But it was some time before they could come near him.
22. The scribes and Pharisees, Matt. xii, 22; who had come down from Jerusalem - Purposely on the devil's errand. And not without success. For the common people now began to drink in the poison, from these learned, good, honourable men! He hath Beelzebub - at command, is in league with him: And by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils - How easily may a man of learning elude the strongest proof of a work of God! How readily can he account for every incident without ever taking God into the question. Matt. xii, 24; Luke xi, 15.
28. Matt. xii, 31; Luke xii, 10. 30. Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit - Is it not astonishing, that men who have ever read these words, should doubt, what is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Can any words declare more plainly, that it is "the ascribing those miracles to the power of the devil which Christ wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost?"
31. Then come his brethren and his mother - Having at length made their way through the crowd, so as to come to the door. His brethren are here named first, as being first and most earnest in the design of taking him: for neither did these of his brethren believe on him. They sent to him, calling him - They sent one into the house, who called him aloud, by name. Matt. xii, 46; Luke viii, 19. 34. Looking round on them who sat about him - With the utmost sweetness; He said, Behold my mother and my brethren - In this preference of his true disciples even to the Virgin Mary, considered merely as his mother after the flesh, he not only shows his high and tender affection for them, but seems designedly to guard against those excessive and idolatrous honours, which he foresaw would in after ages be paid to her.
1. Matt. xiii, 1; Luke viii, 4. 2. He taught them many things by parables - After the usual manner of the eastern nations, to make his instructions more agreeable to them, and to impress them the more upon attentive hearers. A parable signifies not only a simile or comparison, and sometimes a proverb, but any kind of instructive speech, wherein spiritual things are explained and illustrated by natural, Prov. i, 6. To understand a proverb and the interpretation - The proverb is the literal sense, the interpretation is the spiritual resting in the literal sense killeth, but the spiritual giveth life.
3. Hearken - This word he probably spoke with a loud voice, to stop the noise and hurry of the people.
10. When he was alone - That is, retired apart from the multitude. 11. To them that are without - So the Jews termed the heathens: so our Lord terms all obstinate unbelievers: for they shall not enter into his kingdom: they shall abide in outer darkness.
12. So that seeing they see and do not perceive - They would not see before now they could not, God having given them up to the blindness which they had chosen.
13. Know ye not this parable? - Which is as it were the foundation of all those that I shall speak hereafter; and is so easy to be understood?
19. The desire of other things choke the word - A deep and important truth! The desire of any thing, otherwise than as it leads to happiness in God, directly tends to barrenness of soul. Entering in - Where they were not before. Let him therefore who has received and retained the word, see that no other desire then enter in, such as perhaps till then he never knew. It becometh unfruitful - After the fruit had grown almost to perfection.
21. And he said, Is a candle - As if he had said, I explain these things to you, I give you this light, not to conceal, but to impart it to others. And if I conceal any thing from you now, it is only that it may be more effectually manifested hereafter. Matt. v, 15; Luke viii, 16; xi, 33.
22. Matt. x, 26; Luke viii, 17. 24. Take heed what ye hear - That is, attend to what you hear, that it may have its due influence upon you. With what measure you mete - That is, according to the improvement you make of what you have heard, still farther assistance shall be given. And to you that hear - That is, with improvement.
25. He that hath - That improves whatever he has received, to the good of others, as well as of his own soul. Matt. xiii, 12; Luke viii, 18.
26. So is the kingdom of God - The inward kingdom is like seed which a man casts into the ground - This a preacher of the Gospel casts into the heart. And he sleeps and rises night and day - That is, he has it continually in his thoughts. Meantime it springs and grows up he knows not how - Even he that sowed it cannot explain how it grows. For as the earth by a curious kind of mechanism, which the greatest philosophers cannot comprehend, does as it were spontaneously bring forth first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear: so the soul, in an inexplicable manner, brings forth, first weak graces, then stronger, then full holiness: and all this of itself, as a machine, whose spring of motion is within itself. Yet observe the amazing exactness of the comparison. The earth brings forth no corn (as the soul no holiness) without both the care and toil of man, and the benign influence of heaven.
29. He putteth in the sickle - God cutteth down and gathereth the corn into his garner. 30. Matt. xiii, 31; Luke xiii, 18. 33. He spake the word as they were able to hear it - Adapting it to the capacity of his hearers; and speaking as plain as he could without offending them. A rule never to be forgotten by those who instruct others.
35. Matt. viii, 23; Luke viii, 22. 36. They take him as he was in the vessel - They carried him immediately in the same vessel from which he had been preaching to the people.
38. On the pillow - So we translate it, for want of a proper English expression, for that particular part of the vessel near the rudder, on which he lay.
39. Peace - Cease thy tossing: Be still - Cease thy roaring; literally, Be thou gagged.
1. Matt. viii, 28; Luke viii, 26. 2. There met him a man with an unclean spirit - St. Matthew mentions two. Probably this, so particularly spoken of here, was the most remarkably fierce and ungovernable.
9. My name is Legion! for we are many - But all these seem to have been under one commander, who accordingly speaks all along, both for them and himself.
15. And they were afraid - It is not improbable they might otherwise have offered some rudeness, if not violence.
18. Matt. ix, 1; Luke viii, 37; 19. Tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee - This was peculiarly needful there, where Christ did not go in person.
20. He published in Decapolis - Not only at home, but in all that country where Jesus himself did not come.
21. Luke viii, 40. 22. One of the rulers of the synagogue - To regulate the affairs of every synagogue, there was a council of grave men. Over these was a president, who was termed the ruler of the synagogue. Sometimes there was no more than one ruler in a synagogue. Matt. ix, 18; Luke viii, 41.
25. Matt. ix, 20; Luke viii, 43. 37. John, the brother of James - When St. Mark wrote, not long after our Lord's ascension, the memory of St. James, lately beheaded, was so fresh, that his name was more known than that of John himself.
40. Them that were with him - Peter, James, and John. 43. He charged them that no man should know it - That he might avoid every appearance of vain glory, might prevent too great a concourse of people, and might not farther enrage the scribes and Pharisees against him; the time for his death, and for the full manifestation of his glory, being not yet come. He commanded something should be given her to eat - So that when either natural or spiritual life is restored, even by immediate miracle, all proper means are to be used in order to preserve it.
1. Matt. xiii, 54; Luke iv, 16. 3. Is not this the carpenter? - There can be no doubt, but in his youth he wrought with his supposed father Joseph.
5. He could do no miracle there - Not consistently with his wisdom and goodness. It being inconsistent with his wisdom to work them there, where it could not promote his great end; and with his goodness, seeing he well knew his countrymen would reject whatever evidence could be given them. And therefore to have given them more evidence, would only have increased their damnation.
6. He marvelled - As man. As he was God, nothing was strange to him. 7. Matt. x, 1; Luke ix, 1. 8. He commanded them to take nothing for their journey - That they might be always unincumbered, free, ready for motion. Save a staff only - He that had one might take it; but he that had not was not to provide one, Matt. x, 9. Luke ix, 3.
9. Be shod with sandals - As you usually are. Sandals were pieces of strong leather or wood, tied under the sole of the foot by thongs, something resembling modern clogs. The shoes which
they are in St. Matthew forbidden to take, were a kind of short boots, reaching a little above the mid-leg, which were then commonly used in journeys. Our Lord intended by this mission to initiate them into their apostolic work. And it was doubtless an encouragement to them all their life after, to recollect the care which God took of them, when they had left all they had, and went out quite unfurnished for such an expedition. In this view our Lord himself leads them to consider it, Luke xxii, xxxv, When I sent you forth without purse or scrip, lacked ye any thing?
10. Matt. x, 11; Luke ix, 4. 12. Luke ix, 6. 13. They anointed with oil many that were sick - Which St. James gives as a general direction, James v, 14, 15, adding those peremptory words, And the Lord shall heal him - He shall be restored to health: not by the natural efficacy of the oil, but by the supernatural blessing of God. And it seems this was the great standing means of healing, desperate diseases in the Christian Church, long before extreme unction was used or heard of, which bears scarce any resemblance to it; the former being used only as a means of health; the latter only when life is despaired of.
14. Matt. xiv, 1; Luke ix, 7. 15. A prophet, as one of the prophets - Not inferior to one of the ancient prophets. 16. But Herod hearing thereof - Of their various judgments concerning him, still said, It is John. 20. And preserved him - Against all the malice and contrivances of Herodias. And when he heard him - Probably sending for him, at times, during his imprisonment, which continued a year and a half. He heard him gladly - Delusive joy! While Herodias lay in his bosom.
21. A convenient day - Convenient for her purpose. His lords, captains, and principal men of Galilee - The great men of the court, the army, and the province.
23. To the half of my kingdom - A proverbial expression. 26. Yet for his oath's sake, and for the sake of his guests - Herod's honour was like the conscience of the chief priests, Matt. xxvii, 6. To shed innocent blood wounded neither one nor the other.
30. Luke ix, 10. 31. Matt. xiv, 13; John vi, 1. 32. They departed - Across a creek or corner of the lake. 34. Coming out - of the vessel. 40. They sat down in ranks - The word properly signifies a parterre or bed in a garden; by a metaphor, a company of men ranged in order, by hundreds and by fifties - That is, fifty in rank, and a hundred in file. So a hundred multiplied by fifty, make just five thousand.
43. Full of the fragments - of the bread. 45. He constrained his disciples - Who did not care to go without him. Matt. xiv, 22. 46. Matt. xiv, 23; John vi, 15. 48. And he saw them - For the darkness could veil nothing from him. And would have passed by them - That is, walked, as if he was passing by.
52. Their heart was hardened - And yet they were not reprobates. It means only, they were slow and dull of apprehension.
53. Matt. xiv, 34; John vi, 21.
1. Coming from Jerusalem - Probably on purpose to find occasion against him. Matt. xv, 1. 4. Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches - The Greek word (baptisms) means indifferently either washing or sprinkling. The cups, pots, and vessels were washed; the couches sprinkled.
5. The tradition of the elders - The rule delivered down from your forefathers. 6. Isaiah xxix, 13. 10. Exod. xx, 12; Exod. xxi, 17. 15. There is nothing entering into a man from without which can defile him - Though it is very true, a man may bring guilt, which is moral defilement, upon himself by eating what hurts his health, or by excess either in meat or drink yet even here the pollution arises from the wickedness of the heart, and is just proportionable to it. And this is all that our Lord asserts.
19. Purging all meats - Probably the seat was usually placed over running water. 22. Wickedness - The word means ill natured, cruelty, inhumanity, and all malevolent affections. Foolishness - Directly contrary to sobriety of thought and discourse: all kind of wild imaginations and extravagant passions.
24. Matt. xv, 21. 26. The woman was a Greek (that is, a Gentile, not a Jew) a Syrophenician or Canaanite. Canaan was also called Syrophenicia, as lying between Syria, properly so called, and Phenicia.
31. Matt. xv, 29. 33. He put his fingers into his ears - Perhaps intending to teach us, that we are not to prescribe to him (as they who brought this man attempted to do) but to expect his blessing by whatsoever means he pleases: even though there should be no proportion or resemblance between the means used, and the benefit to be conveyed thereby.
34. Ephphatha - This was a word of SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY, not an address to God for power to heal: such an address was needless; for Christ had a perpetual fund of power residing in himself, to work all miracles whenever he pleased, even to the raising the dead, John v, 21, 26.
36. Them - The blind man and those that brought him.
1. Matt. xv, 32. 8. So they did eat - This miracle was intended to demonstrate, that Christ was the true bread which cometh down from heaven; for he who was almighty to create bread without means to support natural life, could not want power to create bread without means to support spiritual life. And this heavenly bread we stand so much in need of every moment, that we ought to be always praying, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
11. Tempting him - That is, trying to ensnare him. Matt. xvi, 1. 12. Matt. xvi, 4. 15. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, or of the Sadducees; two opposite extremes.
17, 18. Our Lord here affirms of all the apostles, (for the question is equivalent to an affirmation, ) That their hearts were hardened; that having eyes they saw not, having ears they heard not; that they did not consider, neither understand: the very same expressions that occur in the thirteenth of Matthew. And yet it is certain they were not judicially hardened. Therefore all these strong expressions do not necessarily import any thing more than the present want of spiritual understanding.
23. He led him out of the town - It was in just displeasure against the inhabitants of Bethsaida for their obstinate infidelity, that our Lord would work no more miracles among them, nor even suffer the person he had cured, either to go into the town, or to tell it to any therein.
24. I see men as trees walking - He distinguished men from trees only by their motion. 27. Matt. xvi, 13; Luke ix, 18. 30. He enjoined them silence for the present, 1. That he might not encourage the people to set him up for a temporal king; 2. That he might not provoke the scribes and Pharisees to destroy him before the time and, 3. That he might not forestall the bright evidence which was to be given of his Divine character after his resurrection. 31. Matt. xvi, 21; Luke ix, 22. 32. He spake that saying openly - Or in express terms. Till now he had only intimated it to them. And Peter taking hold of him - Perhaps by the arms or clothes.
33. Looking on his disciples - That they might the more observe what he said to Peter. 34. And when he called the people - To hear a truth of the last importance, and one that equally concerned them all. Let him deny himself - His own will, in all things small and great, however pleasing, and that continually: And take up his cross - Embrace the will of God, however painful, daily, hourly, continually. Thus only can he follow me in holiness to glory.
35. Matt. xvi, 25; Luke ix, 24; Luke xvii, 33; John xii, 25. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words - That is, avowing whatever I have said (particularly of self denial and the daily cross) both by word and action. Matt. x, 32; Luke ix, 26; Luke xii, 8.
1. Till they see the kingdom of God coming with power - So it began to do at the day of pentecost, when three thousand were converted to God at once.
2. By themselves - That is, separate from the multitude: Apart - From the other apostles: and was transfigured - The Greek word seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, {mentioned by St. Paul, Phil. ii, 6, 7, } and may intimate, that the Divine rays, which the indwelling God let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. Matt. xvii, 1; Luke ix, 28.
3. White as snow, such as no fuller can whiten - Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art.
4. Elijah - Whom they expected: Moses, whom they did not.
7. There came a (bright, luminous) cloud, overshadowing them - This seems to have been such a cloud of glory as accompanied Israel in the wilderness, which, as the Jewish writers observe, departed at the death of Moses. But it now appeared again, in honour of our Lord, as the great Prophet of the Church, who was prefigured by Moses. Hear ye him - Even preferably to Moses and Elijah.
12. Elijah verily coming first restoreth all things: and how it is written - That is, And he told them how it is written - As if he had said, Elijah's coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is come: yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah's continuing for ever.
14. Matt. xvii, 14; Luke ix, 37. 15. All the multitude seeing him were greatly amazed - At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps also at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance.
17. And one of the multitude answering - The scribes gave no answer to our Lord's question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples. A dumb spirit - A spirit that takes his speech from him.
20. When he saw him - When the child saw Christ; when his deliverance was at hand. Immediately the spirit tore him - Made his last grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before Satan is cast out of a soul, of which he has long had possession?
22. If thou canst do any thing - In so desperate a case: Have compassion on us - Me as well as him.
23. If thou canst believe - As if he had said, The thing does not turn on my power, but on thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe?
24. Help thou mine unbelief - Although my faith be so small, that it might rather be termed unbelief, yet help me.
25. Thou deaf and dumb spirit - So termed, because he made the child so. When Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not. I command thee - I myself now; not my disciples.
26. Having rent him sore - So does even the body sometimes suffer, when God comes to deliver the soul from Satan.
30. They passed through Galilee - Though not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways. He was not willing that any should know it: for he taught his disciples - He wanted to be alone with them some time, in order to instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. The Son of man is delivered - It is as sure as if it were done already. Matt. xvii, 22; Luke ix, 44.
32. They understood not the word - They did not understand how to reconcile the death of our saviour (nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death) with their notions of his temporal kingdom.
33. Luke ix, 46. 34. Who should be greatest - Prime minister in his kingdom. 35. Let him be the least of all - Let him abase himself the most. 36. Matt. xviii, 2; Luke ix, 47. 37. One such little child - Either in years or in heart. 38. And John answered him - As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name - Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples. And we
forbad him, because he followeth not us - How often is the same temper found in us? How readily do we also lust to envy? But how does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learnt a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Luke ix, 49.
39. Jesus said - Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not - Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion.
40. For he that is not against you, is for you - Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
41. For whosoever shall give you a cup - Having answered St. John, our Lord here resumes the discourse which was broken off at the 37th verse. Mark ix, 37. Matt. x, 42.
42. On the contrary, whosoever shall offend the very least Christian. Matt. xviii, 6; Luke xvii, 1. 43. And if a person cause thee to offend - (The discourse passes from the case of offending, to that of being offended) if one who is as useful or dear to thee as a hand or eye, hinder or slacken thee in the ways of God, renounce all intercourse with him. This primarily relates to persons, secondarily to things. Matt. v, 29; Matt. xviii, 8.
44. Where their worm - That gnaweth the soul, (pride, self will, desire, malice, envy, shame, sorrow, despair, ) dieth not - No more than the soul itself: and the fire (either material, or infinitely worse!) that tormenteth the body, is not quenched for ever. Isaiah lxvi, 24.
49. Every one - Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption.
50. Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another. More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus:- As every burnt offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to Divine justice, and be cast into hell fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one, who, denying himself and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which like salt will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good
that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt if it loses its saltness is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest. Matt. v, 13; Luke xiv, 34.
1. He cometh thence - From Galilee. Matt. xix, 1. 2. Matt. v, 31; Matt. xix, 7; Luke xvi, 18. 4. Deut. xxiv, 1. 6. From the beginning of the creation - Therefore Moses in the first of Genesis gives us an account of things from the beginning of the creation. Does it not clearly follow, that there was no creation previous to that which Moses describes? God made them male and female - Therefore Adam did not at first contain both sexes in himself: but God made Adam, when first created, male only; and Eve female only. And this man and woman he joined together, in a state of innocence, as husband and wife.
7. Gen. ii, 24. 11, 12. All polygamy is here totally condemned. 13. Matt. xix, 13. 14. Jesus seeing it was much displeased - At their blaming those who were not blame worthy: and endeavouring to hinder the children from receiving a blessing. Of such is the kingdom of God - The members of the kingdom which I am come to set up in the world are such as these, as well as grown persons, of a child-like temper.
15. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child - As totally disclaiming all worthiness and fitness, as if he were but a week old.
17. Matt. xix, 16; Luke xviii, 18. 20. He answering, said to him, Master - He stands reproved now, and drops the epithet good. 21. Jesus looking upon him - And looking into his heart, loved him - Doubtless for the dawnings of good which he saw in him: and said to him - Out of tender love, One thing thou lackest - The love of God, without which all religion is a dead carcass. In order to this, throw away what is to thee the grand hindrance of it. Give up thy great idol, riches. Go, sell whatsoever thou hast.
24. Jesus saith to them, Children - See how he softens the harsh truth, by the manner of delivering it! And yet without retracting or abating one tittle: How hard is it for them that trust in riches - Either for defense, or happiness, or deliverance from the thousand dangers that life is continually exposed to. That these cannot enter into God's glorious kingdom, is clear and undeniable: but it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a man to have riches, and not trust in them. Therefore, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom.
28. Lo, we have left all - Though the young man would not. 30. He shall receive a hundred fold, houses, &c. - Not in the same kind: for it will generally be with persecutions: but in value: a hundred fold more happiness than any or all of these did or could
afford. But let it be observed, none is entitled to this happiness, but he that will accept it with persecutions.
32. They were in the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed - At his courage and intrepidity, considering the treatment which he had himself told them he should meet with there: and as they followed, they were afraid - Both for him and themselves: nevertheless he judged it best to prepare them, by telling them more particularly what was to ensue. Matt. xx, 17; Luke xviii, 31. 35. Saying - By their mother. It was she, not they that uttered the words. Matt. xx, 20. 38. Ye know not what ye ask - Ye know not that ye ask for sufferings, which must needs pave the way to glory. The cup - Of inward; the baptism - Of outward sufferings. Our Lord was filled with sufferings within, and covered with them without.
40. Save to them for whom it is prepared - Them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality. For these only eternal life is prepared. To these, only he will give it in that day; and to every man his own reward, according to his own labour.
45. A ransom for many - Even for as many souls as needed such a ransom, 2 Cor. v, 15. 46. Matt. xx, 29; Luke xviii, 35. 50. Casting away his garment - Through joy and eagerness.
1. To Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives - The limits of Bethany reached to the mount of Olives, and joined to those of Bethphage. Bethphage was part of the suburbs of Jerusalem, and reached from the mount of Olives to the walls of the city. Our Lord was now come to the place where the boundaries of Bethany and Bethphage met. Matt. xxi, 1; Luke xix, 29; John xii, 12.
11. Matt. xxi, 10, 17. 12. Matt. xxi, 18. 13. For it was not a season of figs - It was net (as we say) a good year for figs; at least not for that early sort, which alone was ripe so soon in the spring. If we render the words, It was not the season of figs, that is, the time of gathering them in, it may mean, The season was not yet: and so (inclosing the words in a parenthesis, And coming to it, he found nothing but leaves) it may refer to the former part of the sentence, and may be considered as the reason of Christ's going to see whether there were any figs on this tree. Some who also read that clause in a parenthesis, translate the hollowing words, for where he was, it was the season of figs. And it is certain, this meaning of the words suits best with the great design of the parable, which was to reprove the Jewish Church for its unfruitfulness at that very season, when fruit might best be expected from them.
15. Matt. xxi, 12; Luke xix, 45. 16. He suffered not that any should carry a vessel through the temple - So strong notions had our Lord, of even relative holiness! And of the regard due to those places (as well as times) that are peculiarly dedicated to God.
17. Isaiah lvi, 7; Jer. vii, 11.
18. They feared him - That is, they were afraid to take him by violence, lest it should raise a tumult; because all the people was astonished at his teaching - Both at the excellence of his discourse, and at the majesty and authority with which he taught.
20. Matt. xxi, 20. 22. Have faith in God - And who could find fault, if the Creator and Proprietor of all things were to destroy, by a single word of his mouth, a thousand of his inanimate creatures, were it only to imprint this important lesson more deeply on one immortal spirit?
25. When ye stand praying - Standing was their usual posture when they prayed. Forgive - And on this condition, ye shall have whatever you ask, with. out wrath or doubting. Matt. vi, 14.
27. Matt. xxi, 23; Luke xx, 1.
1. Matt. xxi, 43; Luke xx, 9. 10. Psalm cxviii, 22. 12. They feared the multitude - How wonderful is the providence of God, using all things for the good of his children! Generally the multitude is restrained from tearing them in pieces only by the fear of their rulers. And here the rulers themselves are restrained, through fear of the multitude!
13. Matt. xxii, 15; Luke xx, 20. 17. They marvelled at him - At the wisdom of his answer. 18. Matt. xxi, 23; Luke xx, 27. 19. Deut. xxv, 5. 25. When they rise from the dead, neither men marry nor women are given in marriage. 26. Exod. iii, 6. 27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living - That is, (if the argument be proposed at length, ) since the character of his being the God of any persons, plainly intimates a relation to them, not as dead, but as living; and since he cannot be said to be at present their God at all, if they are utterly dead; nor to be the God of human persons, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, consisting of souls and bodies, if their bodies were to abide in everlasting death; there must needs be a future state of blessedness, and a resurrection of the body to share with the soul in it.