And at this time of his being baptized Jesus was about thirty years old, the age before which the Levites were not to be admitted to sacred functions, Num. iv. 3 and 43, 1 Chron. xxxiii. 2. And being born of a pure virgin he had truly no father on earth, but yet Joseph the son of Heli being betrothed to Mary his mother, he was his reputed father. [h] my Father's business] Ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς seems to refer to the place where they found him, i. e. in the temple; and so τὰ ἴδια in the neuter, his own, John xix. 27, signifies his own house; as Esther v. 10, and vi. 12, 2, house, is rendered τὰ ἴδια, his own. Thus the Syriac reads it, and thus Theophylact, ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ, in his temple. So Chrysostom, hom. 52, in Gen. speaking of Abimelech driving Isaac out of his country, asks, Ποῦ ἀπελαύνεις τὸν δίκαιον; Whither drivest thou the righteous man? οὐκ οἶσθα ὅτι ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν συμβαίνῃ, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ δεσπότου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἀνάγκη; "Dost thou not know that whithersoever he shall happen to depart, it is necessary he should be in his Father's house, i. e. within his providence?" And ʳ Dionysius Alexandr. Ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μοῦ εὗροσάν με, λέγει διὰ προφήτου, ἐν δὲ εὐαγγελίοις, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς μου δεῖ με εἶναι, "They found me in my house, saith he by the prophet, but in the gospel, I must be in those of my Father," i. e. in his house likewise. So ʒ Titus Bostrensis, Εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἂν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἔφη, Οὐκ ἠδείτε ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς μου δεῖ εἶναι με; "Being in the temple of God he said, Knew ye not that I must be in my Father's (house)?" See the learned Fuller's Miscell. p. 585. And though in that of staying in the temple (an introduction or essay preparatory unto his office, to which he was sent by God, to whom obedience is due before parents) he did somewhat without his parents' leave, (see John ii. 4,) yet in all other things he lived in perfect obedience to them: but his mother— And Jesus in respect of his human nature, consisting of body and soul, did grow or improve, his soul improved in wisdom, his body in stature, as others of his age are wont, and withal became daily a more eminent illustrious person in the eyes of all. ### CHAP. III. procurator of Judæa, and Herod governor of that fourth division of the kingdom called Galilee, and his brother— in my Father's house. See Matt. iv. 7. a left him for a time, meaning to wait an opportunity to assault him again. See Matt. iv. 11. b being by the powerful incitation of the Spirit of God now stirred up to set upon this prophetic office, returned into Galilee— c exceedingly admired of all. d and he made shew to undertake to expound some part of sacred writ, as their doctors are wont to do. And the officer of the synagogue (see ver. 20.) brought him the book of— e those that long imprisonment and shackels have bruised, To proclaim to all a year of jubilee, wherein servants are set free, &c. And all that heard him did with acclamations express that they were amazed at the power and wisdom with which he spake, (see Psalm xlv. 2,) wondering whence he had such excellencies, Matt. xiii. 54; but because they knew he was Joseph's reputed son, one brought up in an ordinary condition, they did not believe on him. Whereupon he spake unto them, saying, That which among the Jews is by way of gibe vulgarly used to a physician who is himself fallen into any disease or infirmity, "Physician," &c., (which signifies a man that pretends to do cures abroad, but is able to do none at home,) is become applisable to me, who being believed on by strangers, and by that means having opportunities to do miracles or healing among them, am despised and rejected among my own countrymen, very few of whom having that belief of my power as to come to me for cure, Mark vi. 5, I cannot consequently do many such miracles here, Matt. xiii. 58, which in Capernaum and other places I have done. And so generally hath it been; when prophets have been sent to work miracles of mercy, very few among their countrymen, to whom they were familiarly known, have been found fit to receive them. 25, 26. As in Elias's time, of the many men and women, particularly of widows that were in that time of famine through all Israel, there was none qualified to receive that miracle from Elias but one only, the widow of Sarepta, or Zarephath, a city of Sidon, 1 Kings xvii. 9. And though there were many leprous persons among the Israelites in Elisha's time, yet they being his countrymen the observation was there as here, that no one of them had faith to seek and qualify himself for a cure of his leprosy, only Naaman, which was not that countryman, but a Syrian, was by Elisha converted to the true religion, and healed of his leprosy. And saw two boats, one belonging to Andrew and Simon, Matt. iv. 18, the other to Zebedee and his sons, James and John; and the fishermen having made an end of fishing for that time, had carried out their nets and cleansed them, meaning not to let them down or use them any more. both the boats with the weight of the fish sunk into the water discernibly, and were in danger to be lost. [a] gone out of them Some differences seem to be between the story of Christ's coming to these two boats, &c. here set down, from what it had been in St. Matthew. There Peter and Andrew were casting nets into the sea, or lake, Matt. iv. 18, and James and John were in This he spake not out of a desire to be rid of his company, but out of a great sense of his own unworthiness, and a great dread and amazement wrought in him by the miracle. 'thou shalt be a fisherman no longer, thy trade shall be changed into a more honourable, that of catching, so as to keep alive, and not (as in hunting and fishing, &c. it is ordinary) to kill what is caught by thee; thou shalt catch men, and by so doing preserve them to all eternity. 'all four of them forsook all— 'recover me from my foul disease. And he did but touch him, and speak the word, and immediately— 'but, said he, Go, &c. See note [d] on Matt. viii. [n] opened the book The word ἀνοπτύσσω refers to the manner of writing among the Jews, which was not in parchments or papers sewed together, as we now use, but in one continued page or long roll, and that folded up to save it from dust or other harm. So the Hebrew מִגְלָתָה signifies no more than charta volubilis, a paper, or parchment folded up, according to that of Isaiah xxxiv. 4, וְנָגַל and the heavens shall be folded up בְּסַפֵּר as a book, referring to the custom of folding books and writings; and so Apoc. vi. 14, the heavens passed away, ὡς βιβλίον ἐλισσόμενον, as a folded book, that is, מִגְלָתָה, which is by the Greek sometimes called βιβλίον, and by us rightly rendered a bill, Deut. xxiv. 1; and sometimes κεφαλὶς, from the round form, when it is folded up; as in architecture some round parts are called κεφαλίδες, Exod. xxvi. 32, xxvii. 17, xxxvi. 34, xxxviii. 28, 27; and so saith Suidas, Κεφαλὶς βιβλίον: "Οπερ τινὲς εἴλημά φασιν, 'the volume,' or 'round form of a book, which some call the folding.' Thus it is used Heb. x. 7, out of the psalmist, for a roll, or instrument, or indenture, wherein Christ undertakes in writing, under his hand as it were, to do God's will, or that which God requires of him, by way of office. And Theophylact, who explains it by εἰλητάρων, a roll. After the manner of these rolls or bills were their books and other writings rolled up, when they would shut them, סַפְּרִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּגְלָלִין, "the books of the law folded up," saith R. Eliezer, in Gemar. Sanhed. c. 7, and opened by way of ἀνάπτυξις, unfolding, or unrolling; and then again, πτυσσόμενα, rolled up; as here, πτύξας, rolling it up, ver. 20, which the Hebrews ordinarily express by וְנָלַל and he folded up the book, or roll, that is, shut it up, Joma. c. 7. §. 1. Matt. ix. 2. 'This is sure a blasphemer, making a God of himself, for none but such can forgive sins. h What ground have you for this dispute beginning in your hearts, and expressed by your tongues? (ver. 21.) 23, 24. Is it blasphemy for him that is endued with divine power, and can cure all diseases with his word, 'he was also teaching, and, sal aibri h v bidamw: sal [e] son of Heli The settling of the genealogy of Christ, and reconciling the differences between St. Luke and St. Matthew, is a matter of some uncertainty, arising from the customs of the Jews in reckoning their genealogies, among whom it is ordinary to find different pedigrees, which seem to contradict one another when they do not. And the matter requiring some length, I rather refer the reader to the labours of the learned H. Grotius on this place, and in the particular of Cainan, ver. 36, to the learned Sam. Bochartus, in his Phaleg. l. 11. c. 13. [b] their scribes] Αὐτῶν, their, or of them, cannot relate to those which went next before, the publicans, and other guests at the feast; for It is not best immediately to bring men to an austere course of life, but by degrees, lest they fall off upon the ungratefulness of it: for they that have tasted old wine, which is the smoother, will not willingly leave that for new, which is more harsh, (see Ecclus. ix. 10,) the old being sweeter, more grateful and delightful, and agreeable to the stomach: and thus it is fit to condescend to the weaknesses of men, and not presently to require of my disciples the austerities of fastings, &c., especially while I am with them, which is rather a time of festivity to them, but there will soon be a season for fasting also: ver. 35. &c. In the morning of the day of Pentecost falling on a sabbath day, by which conjunction that day became an high sabbath, Christ passed through the corn fields, which were now full ripe, (this feast of Pentecost being called the feast of harvest, Exod. xxiii. 16,) and his disciples (see note [a] on Matt. xii.) plucked the ears of corn and eat of it. [a] second sabbath after the first] This phrase, δευτερόπρωτον σάββατον, hath been matter of trouble to interpreters. The most probable conjecture concerning it is that of the learned H. Grotius, which I shall thus explain and confirm. When any of the solemn yearly feasts fell on the sabbath day, that sabbath had a special extraordinary respect attributed to it, and was called sometimes μίγα σάββατον, a great sabbath, and μεγάλη ἡμέρα τοῦ σαββάτου, a great day of sabbath, John xix. 31. Now three of these feasts there were: the passover, pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles. Of these feasts, some days there were days of holy assemblies, קְרָא מִקְרָא, wherein the assemblies were called together; as the first day of unleavened bread, Lev. xxiii. 7; and the seventh day of it, ver. 8; the day of pentecost, Lev. xxiii. 21; the first of the feast of tabernacles, Lev. xxiii. 35; and the eighth, ver. 36. And these being days of rest, (as it is appointed in every of those places,) were a kind of sabbaths, and distinguished from the other days of the feast, and therefore called ἡμέρα μεγάλη, the great day, Isaiah i. 13: and ἡμέρα μεγάλη τῆς ἑορτῆς, the great day of the feast, John vii. 37. And accordingly Tertullian, cont. Marcion. l. 5, speaking of the observation of days, mentions jejunia et dies magnos, "fasts and great days." But when any of these great days fell on the sabbath too, then that was not only a great day, but a great sabbath. Now this great sabbath was called also πρῶτον σάββατον, a prime, or first sabbath, (as πρῶτον and μίγα are all one); and consequently three of these prime, or great, or first sabbaths there were: 1. when the passover, that is, either of the great days of that feast, but especially the first, fell on a sabbath; and, 2dly, when the day of pentecost, and, 3dly, when the great day of the feast of tabernacles fell on a sabbath day; and these prime or great sabbaths were thus distinguished one from another: the first of them called And the Pharisees questioned them, saying, Why do you eat before the public service, which is not to be done on sabbath days, especially on such days as this, the feast of Pentecost? See note [a] on Matt. xii. 3, 4. And Jesus answered for the disciples, by putting them in mind what David did in the like case, that of hunger, transgressing the law of holy things, which is in like manner applicable to such transgressions as these on the sabbath days. See note [a] on Matt. xii. ᵃ observed him insidiously, and at last asked him whether the working a cure on the sabbath day were lawful or no? Matt. xii. 10, that they might— ᵇ designs of treachery, (see note [c] on Matt. xv.) ¹ second prime sabbath. ² machinations, διαλογισμοί. And therefore said, He that doth not an act of charity when there is need of it, and he can do it, doth commit sin, and he that then doth not cure, destroys: I shall therefore ask you this question, Which of these is the fittest employment for a sabbath day, to cure or kill? ' senseless anger or rage, and consulted together what they might do to Jesus. ' at that time, or then, he betook himself (see note [b] prayer] Προσευχή signifies an oratory, a place where men are wont to pray; and so seems to be used in some places of the scripture, especially in St. Luke's writings. So Acts xvi. 13, οὐ ἐνομίζετο προσευχή εἶναι, the Syriac reads ubi conspiciebatur, בית צלותא, where a house of prayer was seen, a praying place by a river side, as here on a mountain: such an one there was in Mispah, 1 Mac. iii. 46, where upon occasion of the victory gotten by Joshua in that place, Joshua xi. 3. 8, they were wont to meet to pray, and to deliberate on any great affair; and there was an altar built by Joshua, and בית התפלה, an house of prayer, or בית מכורש לתפלה, an house consecrate for prayers; which prayers and consecration, being both made unto God, it is very agreeable, that those places so consecrated to him should be called, as here, προσευχαὶ Θεοῦ, oratories, or praying houses of God. Of these προσευχαὶ we find frequent mention in Josephus, in his own life, the people convened in a προσευχή, as they call it, a house of prayer, ample and capacious of great multitudes; and speaking of Tiberias, "I found the people convened" in a προσευχή: and Epiphan. t. 2. l. 3. c. 80. there were ancient places of prayer both among the Jews, without the city, and among the Samaritans, as we find, saith he, in the Acts of the Apostles. Such a place there is in Sichem, which is now called Neapolis, without the city in a plain region. And some such place it may seem to be wherein Jesus continued all night, in this verse. [c] apostles] The title ἀπόστολοι, apostles, which is here by Christ said to be given to the twelve, is a name of power and dignity and authority in the church; and how it doth signify so will deserve to be explained. That the government of the church of God was now settled on the Son of man upon earth, that is, upon Christ incarnate, had been foretold, Isaiah ix. 6, The government shall be upon his shoulders; and Isa. lxi. 1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings, &c.; he hath sent me to bind up &c., to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, &c. (see Luke iv. 18. 21.) In which place, as the anointing, and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him, so the sending is the settling the government upon him. And the sending is a solemn word, noting a diploma, or commission, sealed to him (as it were by God in heaven) by the Spirit's descending on him, Matt. iii. 17; and that supplied the place of the solemn unction, (the ceremony of advancing to any office, which is therefore paraphrased by the Chaldee by [d] blessed are ye] That the beatitudes here repeated are the same which are mentioned Matt. v, there is little cause of doubting, though whether they were but once delivered only, in the sermon on the mount, or whether again repeated in some other sermon to other auditors, it is uncertain. That there is some variety in the words, as also in some other places some light differences between this and the other Gospels, seems to be caused by St. Luke's writing his Gospel by short notes, which he had received from those which were present, being not an eyewitness or earwitness himself, (see ch. i. 3, and note on the title of St. Matthew's Gospel.) From whence it follows, that these words in St. Luke are to be interpreted according to the importance of those in St. Matthew, who sets them down more fully. And accordingly by the poor here must be understood the poor in spirit there; by the hungry here, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness there, as the words of an epitome are to be interpreted according to the sense of the entire copy, before it was thus contracted. [e] separate] That the word ἀφορίζειν, to separate, denotes the first sort of excommunication among the Jews, there is no doubt; that they called ירו, remotion, or separation to the distance of four paces, for thirty days, and that (though not totally, yet) in that degree, from civil and domestic and sacred commerce, there being a gate into the temple called the gate of mourners, by which these were to enter, to discriminate them from other men. And that Hebrew word cannot be more literally rendered in Greek than by ἀφορισμός. This did lay a reproach on him that was under it; and therefore that which is here added of ὀνειδίσωσι, reproach you, may perhaps be but an appendix, or consequent of that; but then the ἐκβάλλειν τὸ ὄνομα ὑμῶν ὡς πονηρόν, to cast out your name as evil, seems to refer to an higher degree, that of חרב, or anathema; for there is an Hebraism in that phrase; the word ὄνομα, name, signifies no more than person, (so many ὀνόματα, names, Acts i. 15, is so many men); ὄνομα ὑμῶν, your persons, you; and πονηρόν is scandalous, offensive, abominable; as בָּשָׂה is by the Septuagint sometimes rendered αἰσχύνομαι, being ashamed; sometimes βδελύττω, to abominate; sometimes πονηρός εἰμι, to be evil or wicked, Gen. xxxiv. 30. Esdr. iv. 12; and so to cast out your names as evil, will signify to cast out as wicked, shameful, abominable persons, a denotation of the חרב, which was the total casting out, and that with reproaches, curses and execrations added to it, such as in Moses are denounced against the greater malefactors. See more of this matter note [b] John ix. Matt. v. 11. m the wealth and great prosperities of this world are a sad presage to those which do not use them christianly: for all the good things or matters of comfort that belong to them they receive in this life. All the worldlings' present plenty will end in famine and misery, all their jollity in weeping and gnashing of teeth. Even a good reputation when it is popular and general, the universal applause of the men of this world, is a very ill sign, and that which hath been generally the false, not the true prophets' portion. and from him that taketh away thy upper garment withhold not thy shirt or inner garment also. See note [r] on Matt. v. Every man that truly wanteth (such is not he that maketh begging his trade, and refuseth to make use of his labour to sustain or rescue him from want) is the proper object of every man's charity; and therefore no man that is thus qualified to receive, and by asking offers thee an opportunity, is to be rejected by thee: and liberality consisting of two branches, giving and lending freely without interest, do thou exercise both parts of it towards the poor; give to all distressed persons that ask from thee, and from him that wanteth and receiveth any loan from thee, exact no use. [f] ask] What the word ἀπαιτείν here signifies will be worth the inquiry; for if it signify to require, or demand, or ask again, the prohibition will be somewhat strange, and not so agreeable, either to the context or to the duty of liberality here prescribed, that any thing but necessity should incline us to pitch on that interpretation. For if the ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴροντος τὰ σὰ, from him that taketh thy goods, be so interpreted as to understand his forcible or involuntary depriving thee, it will then be a means to offer up the Christian to the violence of every unjust person, and oblige him never to make use of Christian judicatures, or arbitrations, (which appear not to be forbidden the Christian, 1 Cor. vi. 4, 7.) to gain his own again, nay, not so much as to challenge or make claim to it when he finds it in another's hands. Which, besides that it is not agreeable to any other precept of the gospel, is not at all pertinent to the business And whatever you would think an act of duty or charity from others to you, if you were in their condition and they in yours, be ye careful to do the same for them. what thanks or reward can you expect? see 1 Peter ii. 19; for the very heathens (as publicans, Matt. v. 46.) are willing to pay kindnesses to them who have shewed them some first. the heathens lend to heathens, that at another time they may borrow as great a sum. borrow, ἀνολάβειν. that they may borrow as [g] hoping for nothing again] The ἀπελπίζειν, compared with ἀπολαβείν going before, ver. 34, may seem to signify, proportionably to that, hoping for a return of kindness from him to whom kindness hath been shewed; and so as ἀπέχειν, ver. 24, signifies no more than ἔχειν ἀπὸ, to receive. So by analogy might ἀπελπίζειν be ἐλπίζειν ἀπὸ, to hope from. But the truth is, there is not in the Bible any such notion of the word ἀπελπίζω, but the word constantly signifies to distrust, or despair. So Esth. xiv. 19. Judith ix. 12. Isaiah xxix. 19, ἀπηλπισμένοι, forlorn persons, in a desperate condition. So also Ecclus. xxii. 22, μὴ ἀπελπίσης, fear not; and ch. xxvii. 21, ἀπήλπισεν, is without hope; and 2 Mac. ix. 18, ἀπελπίσας, despairing; and in all the Bible in no other sense but that of distrust, or despair. And this will very well agree with the context also; thus, The heathens give and lend to other men, knowing that they may want themselves; and so designing their present act of charity with reflection on themselves, that they to whom they lend or give may do as much for them at another time; but the Christian is to do his acts of charity without any such purpose or design of receiving any retribution from man, and yet need not distrust, or doubt, or be discouraged in his work. For though he lose that present advantage, yet God, who Matt. vii. 1. Do not accuse (see note [d] on John xii.) or interpret other men's words or actions uncharitably, lay not unfavourable censures on them, but deal with that candour toward others as you expect or desire God should do to you. All your works of mercy and liberality shall be most abundantly repaid. Another parable there was which Christ at some time used, though it seem not to have been spoken at the time when the former passages were delivered. See Matt. xv. 14. every right true follower of Christ will be content to suffer what his Master suffers before him, Matt. x. 25, and that portion he must look for. small thin shiver of wood Matt. vii. 4. distrusting nothing, and pit, Blower. shall be perfected as, paraphrasives foras by. shiver: see note [a] on Matt. vii. For it is not thy supercilious finding fault or judging of others that will ever denominate thee good, unless thine own heart and practices be accordingly. For every tree is discerned to be good by bringing forth that fruit which is proper to it, good of the kind. Every man hath a treasury or repository within him, from whence all his actions are sent forth; he that hath an honest heart, a repository of good purposes and resolutions, on all occasions brings forth from thence good actions; and an evil man— It is to little purpose for you to profess Christianity, to expect any good by that profession, unless your actions are suitable to my commands. 47, 48 Every disciple of mine that obeys my doctrine is to be compared to a builder, which in laying his foundation digged till he came to a firm rock, or hard stone, and laid his foundation upon that, and he had the benefit of it, no violence of wind or flood (parallel to which are the most boisterous temptations of the world) could shake his building, Matt. vii. 26. But he that sinketh not down my precepts into his heart is like a man— [a] sent unto him] A seeming difference there is in the setting down this relation of the centurion here from what we find Matt. viii. 5. There the centurion is said to come unto him, beseeching him, and saying, ver. 6; and answering, ver. 8. Here he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, and they besought him; and when Jesus was not far from his house, ver. 6, he sent friends to him, saying; and part of his speech is unreconcilable with his having come unto him himself—Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, ver. 7—rendering a reason why he had not come in person to him. This seeming difficulty may be answered by proportion with that known saying of Aristotle, 'Ἀ διὰ τῶν φίλων δυνατὰ ἡμῖν δυνατά ἐστι,' Those things that are possible by our friends are possible to us;" which supposes, that those things which we do by others, we are ourselves thought to do; and so what the centurion did ε Ap. Stobæ. p. 523. h Hær. 10. v. 30. cont. Ebion. versus finem. For, said they, he is, though a Roman commander, a great lover of the nation and religion of the Jews, and hath expressed that by an act of special piety and favour to us, he hath built— b but instead of thy trouble of coming, give but thy command by word of mouth, and I make no doubt but that will cure my servant. And they were all astonished at this sight of a wonderful work of God, and as it struck them with aw and dread at his presence, so did they acknowledge with thanksgiving to God, that a great— all Galilee: see note [e] on Matt. iv. the Messias expected? (see note [a] on Matt. xi.) or look we— See note [b] on Matt. xi. See note [c] on Matt. xi. circumambient region, &wipixy. Malachi iii. 1. ᵇ any disciple of mine, the meanest or least of them, Matt. xi. 11, is designed to a more honourable office than he. And when this John preached, none but the meaner people and publicans and the like received God's message by him, or expressed their thankfulness to God, (for this mercy, proclaimed by him as a forerunner of Christ, viz., pardon upon repentance,) and they came in cheerfully to his baptism: see Matt. xi. 12. But the Pharisees and doctors of the law, the great and the learned men, they would not repent or make themselves capable of that mercy, but rejected him, (and now reject me,) and that proffer of mercy tendered to them. Whereupon Christ delivered this parable unto them, thereby to express most lively the Jews of that age. ³ scandalized about, or offended at me, σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐμοί. ⁴ towards, cis. Matt. xi. 16. ¹ in a strict austere course of abstinence, and your censure of him is, that he is an hypochondriac, frantic fellow. And I on the other side observe no such abstinences, eat meats indifferently, and converse with men indifferently, and ye censure me as sharply, saying, Behold— See note [h] on Matt. xi. ᵐ an heathen, or one that had lived in a sinful course. [b] a sinner] Ἦτις ἦν ἁμαρτωλός, which was a sinner, here applied to the woman, may be taken in the notion wherein we find ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν, Gal. ii. 15, sinners of the Gentiles, and to signify no more than a Gentile woman. Thus the word seemed to signify, ch. vi. 32 and 34, where it is said, that sinners love those that love them, that is, aliens from the law of God or Christ. (Amicos diligere omnium est, saith Tertullian, "It is common to all men to love friends,") for which St. Matthew sets publicans, ch. v. 46, who we know are oft joined with sinners, and for their conversation with the heathen (from the necessity of their office) are looked upon as a kind of heathens, whether they were such or no, and were most of them Gentiles, as it is probable, their office being an employment under the Romans, to bring in taxes to them. But it is also true that publicans and harlots are put together, Matt. xxi. 31, and that seems to refer to the baseness and unworthiness of those two infamous callings; and then ἁμαρτωλός, sinner, as it is of affinity of signification with these, may perhaps signify one that had been a whore; and that is very reconcilable with the former conjecture, that vice or trade of prostitute whores being among the Gentiles so ordinary; and so this woman, if she were a whore, was either a Gentile also, or, because guilty of that Gentile sin, called by this common name of Gentiles, ἁμαρτωλός, a sinner. That this woman, whosoever she was, was not Mary Magdalene, is probable, first, by the no-argument on that side, but only the mention of the name of Mary in St. John, ch. xii. 3, which presently shall appear to be Martha's and Lazarus's sister, and that another story. Secondly, by the words in the chapter here following, ch. viii. 2, where, when it is said that Mary Magdalene was with Christ, she is described by another character, taken from that remarkable mercy wrought on her by Christ, that she had seven devils cast out of her, the very mark which is again given her, Mark xvi. 9, when it is said that Christ first appeared to her; and no other mention is made of her in any of the Gospels but only of her watching where Christ was laid after his And as he lay along, his feet being behind him that lay next to him, she standing behind him, let fall drops of tears upon his feet, effects of sorrow and love, and stooping down wiped his feet (after that new kind of washing them) with no other towel than that of her own hair, then fell down and kissed his feet, and poured the ointment upon them, (a festival ceremony, and an expression in her of great kindness.) ¹ walled, ἰκλαύσατε. ᵃ a cruise: see note [h] on Matt. xxvi. [h] running over] It being acknowledged that ἐκχύνομαι signifies being poured out, it will follow, that ὑπερεκχύνομαι must, by analogy with other words, signify abundantly poured out. So we may measure it by ὑπερικῶ and ὑπερπερισσεύω and ὑπεραυξάνω, and many more in the New Testament; and generally the word ὑπὲρ in composition is an αὐξητικόν, to increase and augment the signification, and so must be understood in this place; to pour out being a note of plenty, and this of being more than poured out, of very great abundance. And Jesus knowing the thoughts of his heart resolved to take notice of them, and addressing his speech either to the Pharisee, whose name perhaps was Simon, (see note [b]) or else to Simon Peter, said, I will answer that objection of the Pharisee by a parable which will render the reason of this woman's extraordinary expression of love, and an account why I should be far from rejecting of her. "the one of a very great, the other of a much less (but the tithe of the former) sum. 'thou bestowedst no festival expression of the ordinariest sort upon me: but she hath— [i] perfect] What is the full meaning and grammatical construction of κατηρτισμένος ἵσται ὡς —, hath been intimated, note [c] 2 Cor. xiii. To it I here add the consentient judgment of h Epiphanius: "A disciple," saith he, "is not above his master," ἦτω δὲ κατηρτισμένος κατὰ πάντα ὡς ὁ μαθητὴς, ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, τοῦτ' ἵστιν ἕτοιμος εἰς διωγμὸν καὶ κακολογίαν, "but let him be made perfect as his own Master was," (of whom the apostle tells us, Heb. xi. 10, that he was to be made perfect by sufferings,) "that is, ready for persecution and evil speaking." [c] water for my feet] That it was the fashion of those countries in their entertainments to wash their guests' feet before meals, is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. And the same was of custom also among the Grecians in their more splendid extraordinary feasts, as we find in Athenæus, l. 14: Συνελθόντων εἰς τὸ δείπνον, &c., "When they come together to dinner," τοῖς εἰσιούσι προσεφέροντο ποδόνιπτρα οἶνον δι' ἀρωμάτων, "they bring out to the guests baths for their feet of wine and spices." Thou didst not entertain me at my first entering into thy house with a kiss, which is the ordinary salutation and expression of kindness: but this— [d] for] That ὅτι signifies therefore, and not for in this place, is apparent, not only by the clear importance of the parable precedent, where he that had the greater debt forgiven is supposed to have greater love and kindness to the creditor, and not therefore forgiven because he had that love and kindness, but also by the signification of the Hebrew [2,] which is promiscuously taken for ὅτι, or διότι, for, or therefore; and so (by an observation before mentioned, note [f] Mark xiv,) according to the practice of these writers, one of these Greek words may be taken for the other, ὅτι, for, used when the sense bears διότι, therefore. And so Mark iv. 28, the same ὅτι clearly signifies διὰ τί, for what ) See Psalm cxvi. 10. 2 Cor. iv. 13. Eccles. viii. 6. [a] ministered] The true notion of the word διακονεῖν, so often used in the scripture, will be worth considering a while, for the right understanding of all places where it is used. And, first, it is sufficiently known to belong unto, and to be frequently taken in general for any kind of service or ministry. Such was that of disciples, who waited, attended on the prophets, did their servile offices, (see note [A] Matt. iii.) and accordingly διάκονος is taken for such a disciple, John xii. 26, compared with Luke vi. 40. Matt. x. 25. But omitting this ordinary notion, the best rise will be by considering the word διάκονοι, and διακονεῖν, as it refers to that one particular office of servants, that of waiting at feasts. Thus Lucian in his Cronosol. among the leyes convivales, mentions this, Οἱ διάκονοι πρὸς χάριν μηδενὶ μηδὲν, "Let the waiters do nothing out of favour or partiality to any;" where διάκονοι are "those that in feasts distribute the μοιράς, or portions to each guest," as it follows there, μηδὲ τῷ μὲν ὁ μηρὸς, τῷ δὲ ἡ γνάθος σὺς, ἀλλ' ἰσότης ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, "not to one a larger or better, to another a meaner or lesser piece, but equality in all." For this we find among those rites or customs of feasts, that the διάκονοι distributed the portions, first to the master of the feast, and then to the guests, each of them in order, either according to the direction of the ἀρχιτρίκλινος, or "the orderer of the feast," or as they pleased themselves, when he did not direct, only according to that rule of equality, that they should not τῷ μὲν μεγάλα, τῷ δὲ κομιδῇ μικρὰ παρατίθεσθαι, "give one a great, another a very little portion." This we find in Lucian, both in his Cronosol. and Epist. Saturn., and, speaking of unjust officers, he saith, Ἐσκομισθέντος σὺς οἰκίτης διανέμων τῷ μὲν δεσπότῃ παρατίθησι τὸ ἡμίτομον ὅλον σὺν τῇ κεφαλῇ, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ὀστᾶ φέρει ἐγκεαλυμμένα, "In the division of a swine, the servant gives his master half of it with the head, and to the rest a few bones." Agreeable to this They that receive the word, parallel to the seed sown by the path or way, are those hearers which receive it so little way into their hearts, that the devil comes presently and picks it up, as birds do corn, and so they are never the better for it. [b] bring no fruit to perfection] The word τελεσφορεῖν here is best explained by Hesychius, καθ' ὥραν τοὺς καρποὺς, ἡ τελείους αὐτοὺς φέρειν, m P. 97. o Fragment. p. 558. * Ἐν τῷ κατ' Ὀνῆτορ. For it is not God's will that any talent should be laid up useless and unprofitable, Matt x. 26, Mark iv. 22. See therefore that you receive profit by what you hear: for to him that employs his present stock shall more be given; but from him which doth not so, even that which hath formerly been given him, shall be taken away again, Matt. xiii. 12. ¶ kindred near unto him, Matt. xii. 46. ' speak with thee. Matt. xii. 50. ' perseverance, inouvert. Matt. viii. 23. ¶ their boat was filled with water. ¹ commanded the wind to cease, and the waves of the sea not to move so turbulently, and accordingly they ceased— Mark v. 9. o cast them into the pit of hell. p And to shew the people the destructive power of this legion of devils, if not restrained by his omnipotent goodness, and so to let them see the great benefits that were now come to them, if they would receive and believe in Christ, he did permit (or not restrain) them to do what they so much desired, to enter into the swine. See Mark v. 13. q villages in the country. [a] appeared] The word ἐφάνη, appeared, seems here to be taken for ἦλθε, was come. So it is evidently in 2 Mac. vii. 22, οὐκ οἶδ' ἄπως εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἐφάνητε κοιλίαν, I know not how ye came into my womb. So the Scholiast of Theocritus, φανείς, ἐλθὼν, appearing signifies coming. So Plato in the beginning of his Protagoras, Πόθεν δὲ Σωκράτης φαίτη; that is, "Whence comest thou, Socrates?" So Chrysostom P, Οὐδὲ σὺ εἰς τὴν ἄνω φανῆναι δυνήσῃ πόλιν, "Thou canst not come to the city which is above." [b] lodge] Καταλῦσαι properly signifies, among mariners, καταίρειν ἀπὸ πελάγους εἰς τὸν λιμίνα, to come back, and retire from the sea to the haven; and from thence it is applied to travellers that betake themselves to their inn, which is therefore called κατάλυμα, because the man and the beast there laid down his lading, and so it is generally to refresh one's self, ἀπολαῦσαι, εὐωχηθῆναι, saith Phavorinus out of Hesychius. See note [b] on Matt. viii. The prophecies must be fulfilled which affirm that the Messias shall suffer many things, and be rejected by the great sanhedrim, and be slain— [c] the lake] That which is here truly called λίμνη, (for so it was the lake (and not the sea) of Gennesuret, ch. v. 1,) is called θάλασσα, the sea, Matt. viii. 24; and θάλασσα Γαλιλαίας, the sea of Galilee, Matt. iv. 18; and John vi. 1, θάλασσα τῆς Γαλιλαίας τῆς Τιβεριάδος; and ch. xxi. 1, θάλασσα τῆς Τιβεριάδος, the sea of Tiberias. And all this, not because it was a sea, but because of the ambiguity of the Hebrew □, which, as it signifies the sea, so also any lake, or confluence of waters; and is used for that great vessel in the temple, 1 Kings vii. 23, which being of such a largeness, (30 cubits round, and 5 cubits high, and containing 2000 baths,) was a kind of lake, and is there so called, a molten lake, the Hebrew □ being there used, and by us rendered sea, but would be more properly lake. And so likewise the word θάλασσα in the other Gospels would be better, according to the sense, rendered lake also, the lake of Galilee and Tiberias. See Lyra on Gen. i. 10. Matt. x. 39, Mark viii. 35. gain all the wealth of the world, and lose his soul, or life? See note [m] on Matt. xvi. when he comes so illustriously to punish his crucifiers (or at last judge the world). See note [o] on Matt. xvi. Which is not now so far off but that some here present shall live to see it. six complete days, but eight, reckoning the first and last, (see note [m] on Matt. xii.) after these— Which appearing, as angels are wont, in a glorious condition, spake of his going out of this world (see note [a] on John xiii., and note [f] on 2 Peter i.) as of Moses out of Egypt to a Canaan, by this means delivering his faithful people, but withal destroying them that believed not, Jude 5. Of all which, and the several branches and consequents of it, Jerusalem was shortly to be the scene, and first of his crucifixion there. [d] the deep] That ἄβυσσος should here signify the pit of hell, the place created for the devil and his angels, wheresoever it is situate, may be guessed by the nature of the word, which signifies bottomless; and from the use of it in some other places of the New Testament, as Rev. ix. 1, 2, and xi. 7, and xvii. 8, and xx. 1, 3, where there is mention of chains, as there is of tartarum, 2 Peter ii. 4; and so also the context here inclines it; for the first request of the devil to Christ was, ver. 28, I beseech thee, torment me not; and in the other Gospel, Matt. viii. 20, Art thou come to torment me before my time? expressing the devil's fear, that by this coming of Christ he should presently be cast into his chains of hell, (see note [b] Mark v,) and confined to those torments which he thought belonged not to him till the day of judgment; and the next was in plain words, not to send him into hell, or the pit. [c] decease] That Christ's ἰξοδος here signifies his death, and going out of this world, will be acknowledged, first, by the use of a P Hom. 73. in Matt. 8 2 And as Moses and Elias were parting from Christ, Matt. xvii. 4, Peter said unto Jesus— and they were amazed with fear, as the cloud came so near to them. Moses and Elias were departed from Jesus. And Christ commanded them to tell no man what they saw departure. And as the voice was, or, was heard, Kai ἐν τῷ T 2 Matt. xvii. 15. ⁸ a sore affection seizeth upon him at certain times of the moon, and makes him cry out, and it causeth such a boiling and agitation within, (see note [c] on Mark ix.) that he foams at mouth, and it never departeth from him without great pain and agony: this coming to himself again (though when it first takes him it makes him senseless, Mark ix. 25, able neither to speak nor hear) is joined with an horrible torment, and many grievous bruises remain afterward. See note [c] on Matt. xvii. And I earnestly entreated thy disciples, that went about doing miracles, ver. 6, to cure him of this epilepsy, and they were not able. And Jesus said to his disciples, What an act of perverse infidelity, not of weakness, is this in you! Will my presence so long, and the power given you by me, ver. 1, work no better effects upon you? You will make yourselves unworthy of such favours by your not making use of them: see Matt. xvii. 21, and Mark ix. 28. Having thus reprehended his disciples, he said to the man, Bring thy son hither. ⁷ he fell into a fit of that disease, which by the power of the devil was brought upon him, and fell down, and after his manner it made an horrible agitation or tumult within him, and Jesus cast out the devil, and freed the man from the disease, and delivered him— Mark what I say unto you; it is this: I shall ⁷ shakes, tumultuates, boils within him with foaming, and hardly, or with difficulty depart- eth from him, bruising him, σπαράσσει αὐτὸν μετὰ ἀφροῦ, καὶ μόνις ἀποχωρεῖν᾽ αὐτὸν οὐ συν- τρίβον αὐτόν. But by occasion of them thinking Christ's kingdom should shortly begin, they fell into a dispute among themselves, who of them should have the highest dignity at this revelation of Christ's kingdom. And Christ either being asked by some of them, Matt. xviii. 1, or else of his own accord, discerning by his divine knowledge the debate they were engaged in, (though now they were ashamed that he should know it, Mark ix. 33, 34,) and being willing to cure this vain ambition in them, took a little child, and set him in the next place to himself, And said unto them, The dignity that from me, or in my kingdom, accrueth unto any, belongs to such as these, the humblest and meekest: the dignity which from my Father is communicated to me, and from me to others, is the portion of the meekest. See Matt. xviii. 4. a for though he keep not company with us, yet if he do it in my name, he is one that believes in me, and not to be forbidden. See Mark ix. 39, and Matt. xii. 30. b when the time was come (see note [a] on Acts ii.) when he was to be crucified, not being terrified with that danger, he resolved firmly to go up to Jerusalem. c some of his disciples before, as harbingers (which was part of the disciples' office): and they went— [d] received up] Ἀνάληψις, here applied to Christ, may possibly belong to his assumption up to heaven out of this world, which then might be said to draw near; but it is somewhat more probable that it should signify his crucifixion, which was to be at Jerusalem, toward which place he is here said to go, because his time was come. And to this the expression agrees which is used by Christ, John xii. 32, ἰὰν ὑψωθῶ, if I be lifted up; which the text saith was a testification of the kind of his death, that is, of his crucifixion; and, indeed, the Syriac word for the cross being וַיִּקַּפַּח, from וַיִּקַּח, to erect, or lift up, (noting the tignum, or palus which was in sublime erectus,) to be crucified, in the Syriac expression will be, to be exalted, or lifted up. And the Samaritans would not give him reception, because he appeared to them to be a going to Jerusalem, and they never do so, but worship in mount Gerizim, John iv. 20, and so separate from all those that think Jerusalem the only place of worship. d The Christians' spirit, the economy or course prescribed them, differs much from that of a prophet in the Old Testament, moved by zeal against the enemies of God; the course which you must take with such is that of sweetness and persuasiveness; and this proposal of yours is very contrary to that. [e] spirit] The word πνεῦμα, spirit, is very diversely taken in the New Testament. 1. Sometimes (with the addition of Θεοῦ, or Χριστοῦ, God, or Christ, or ἅγιον, holy, and sometimes without it) for the eternal Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, the third person in the sacred Trinity, Matt. xxviii. 19, into which we are baptized. And from thence, 2dly, for the graces and gifts of that Spirit, whether those that are of use to all sorts of men, as the spirit of supplication, Zech. xii. 10, that is, zealous, ardent prayer; and accordingly we read of praying, ἐν πνεύματε, Ephes. vi. 18, in, or with the spirit: and Jude 20, with the addition of ἁγίψ, in, or with the holy spirit praying, as those do that are by the Tom. 4. p. 441. L 27. 9 Lib. 35. Tom. 8. p. 560. For I came not to kill any, but to preserve and rescue from death, and from all that is ill. And all the revenge that Christ thought fit to act upon them was to leave them, and go to another village. 'You had best to consider what you do; for doing so will be far from advancing any temporal interest of yours, Matt. viii. 20. And there was another disciple of his, who had already undertaken his service, and attended on him, Matt. xviii. 21, who came unto him, and said, Sir, before I betake myself wholly to attendance on thee, spare me so long till I have buried my father, either now newly dead (of which the news is now come to me) or very old, whom I would attend while he lives, and give him that civility of burial, and then come and follow thee. (Theophylact.) But Jesus replied unto him, The Nazarite, Num. vi. 7, being consecrated to God, was not to pollute himself with his dead father, but leave that work of burying him to others; and so the priest also; and therefore thou, that hast by the tender of thine attendance consecrated thyself to me, must refer that office of burying thy father to others that have not undertaken that attendance, and set presently about thy task of preaching the gospel. See note on Matt. viii. 22. Yet let not that deter you, or put you upon making provisions beforehand for your journey: and as you go, spend no time in civilities with any, intend and mind that one business you go about. 'any to whom peace properly belongs, any pious person, called by an Hebraism the son of peace, (as the wicked apostate traitor is the son of perdition, John xvii. 12,) any pliable person capable of the blessing of the gospel dwell there, your peace shall rest— Woe unto you, ye cities of Jewry, among whom so many miracles have been shewn to work faith in you, and so to bring you to repentance, and all in vain! had the like been done in heathen cities near you, they in all likelihood would have been wrought on by them. And accordingly their portion in the vengeance approaching shall be more supportable than yours. The not hearkening to your preaching, the despising of these warnings of yours is the despising of me that have sent you, and so of God that sent me, and hath destined this only means to avert his judgments from the world, and shall accordingly bring all vengeance upon the Jews on their refusal. And when the seventy returned, they came to Christ and told him with great joy, that although it was not part of their commission, ver. 9, yet they having used his name (as afterward, Acts xix. 13.) against devils, it thrived with them, the devils were subject to do what they bid them. And he said to them, Wonder not at that; for it is determined that within a while the prince of devils shall be dethroned, and fall from his great unlimited power in the world, as lightning when it flasheth and vanisheth doth, that is, come to nothing, never recollect again. I bestow upon you a power to cast out devils, and to be above any harm that any the most noxious creature, which the devil may use as his instrument, can do unto you. l you are children and heirs of God, set in that right way, in which as many of you as shall continue shall inherit eternal life. See note [a] on Phil. iv., and note [b] on Rev. iii. Matt. xi. 25. m this is an act of thine infinite wisdom and mercy and condescension to the weakness of men, mixed with all justice toward the proud contemners. I come not in mine own, but my Father's name; all my power is delivered to me by him, and so my doctrine also; and no man— Matt. xiii. 17. ° a student of the law came to try what his judgment was about the law, or rule of life, and asked him what was necessary to be observed to the attaining that eternal life which Christ promised. And he answered him, The very same which in the law of Moses is set down as the main substantial part of the law, which he therefore bid him recite unto him. And he recited out of Deut. vi. 5, the known summary of the law, Thou shalt love— P the due performance of this is all that I now require of thee to salvation. But he willing to set out his own perfections, and being confident of his having performed the first part, the duties toward God, by the exact observance of the ceremonies of the law, made no question concerning that; but for the second, the love of the neighbour, he proposed that other question, Who are contained under that title of neighbour? This question Jesus thought best to answer by a parable, saying, A certain man— And a certain priest, without any knowledge of what had happened, at the same time went that way, and saw him, and would take no pity on him. ⁹ coming thither in his passage, stayed so long as to see what condition he was in, and having done, left him without any compassion. [a] by chance] The word συγκυρία signifies literally concurrence, when two things fall out together. Συγκυρεῖ, (it should be συγκυρία,) συντυχία, saith Hesychius, and Συγκύρημα, συντύχημα, (not with any respect to τύχη, fortuna, but from τυγχάνω, sum, the word signifying being, and no more.) So places that lie together are called συγκυροῦντα, Num. xxi. 25. and xxxv. 3, and Deut. ii. 37, according to the notion of the simple Κυρῶ, τυγχάνω, saith Hesychius, and Κυρεῖ, ὑπάρχει, and Κυρία, ἡ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχουσα δύναμις. And then the rendering will be most exactly thus: And the same time it fell out that a certain priest came down that way; according to Calcidius's definition of fortune, that it is concursus simul cadentium causarum duum, originem ex proposito trahentium, ex quo concursu provenit aliquid præter spe cum admiratione, "a concurrence of two causes falling together, having their beginning from counsel, from which concurrence something proceeds besides hope with But though the priest and the Levite, which were his countrymen, or fellow-Jews, were not so compassionate, yet a Samaritan, which was not so, being of an Assyrian extraction, (see John iv. 20,) and one whose religion separated him from the Jews, (John iv. 9, and Luke ix. 53,) was not so hardhearted, but as soon as he saw him— washed his wounds, applied healing things to them, and then bound them up cleanly, as surgeons are wont, and set him— ⁶ See note [i] on Matt. ix. ⁷ Take that for an answer to thy question, Who is thy neighbour? ver. 29. For every person that is in want of thy relief, although he be to thee as a Jew to a Samaritan, upon terms of absolute separation and hostility toward thee, must be looked on by thee as the object of thy compassion and mercy, and of any charity of thine of which he is capable, Matt. v. 43, 44. ⁶ Or, upon occasion. And upon occasion of his frequent retiring to prayer, at a time when he was upon that performance, his disciples took into consideration how needful it was for them to be directed in a right performance of that duty, and thereupon, at his coming out to them, one of them besought him to give them a form of prayer, which they might constantly use, as John Baptist had given to his disciples. And upon that demand of his, (being another time, and upon another occasion from that in the sermon on the mount, Matt. vi. 9,) Christ said to his disciples, Whensoever ye pray solemnly, omit not to use this form of words, Our Father— See Matt. vi. 11. hath done us any injury. [a] indebted] The word ὀφείλειν, to owe, is here to be taken in a notion peculiar to the Syriac language, (wherein Christ certainly spake,) which neither the Greek nor Latin nor Hebrew had made use of; for he that sins or offends, either against God or man, is in Syriac said חרב, a debtor; and so חיבא, debitum, "a debt," that is, peccatum, "a sin." So Exodus xxxii, This people, חטא, have sinned a sin; the Targum reads, חב חרבא, hath ought a debt. So Lev. iv, If a priest &c. חטא, shall sin; the Targum reads, חרב, shall owe. So Luke xiii. 4, of those on whom the tower fell, do you think, saith Christ, that these were ὀφειλέται παρὰ πάντας, debtors, that is, offenders, beyond all? And proportionably to this, to pardon is by them expressed by שבק, to remit, and here is rendered ἀφιεῖαι, to release, or absolve. [b] the door is now shut] The Romans were wont to express the first part of the night, the close of the evening, by prima facie, "candle-lighting." A later part other nations expressed by shutting up the doors, called in Greek κλασσίθυρον, which time was wont, by a kind of bellman, And the same effect, let me tell you, will your constancy and earnestness in prayer to God have upon him. For no child or friend of God's ever misseth to receive from him what he thus asketh. 11—13. There is no fear that God should deny such petitions, or give his children any hurtful thing, when they ask that which is good for them; and though many things which men ask be not such, yet his Spirit, and the assistances of that, are so certainly so, that they will never be denied to them that ask them of the Father. But some persuaded themselves, ver. 17, that all his power was from Beelzebub, Matt. ix. 34, and xii. 24, and that he having power of all inferior devils enabled him to cast them out. Others, to make trial of his power, desired him to shew them some miracles or tokens of God's sending him, some voice from heaven, or the like. To the former of them, those that thought he used the devil's power to cast out devils, he used these arguments of conviction, (and to the latter his answer is set down, Matt. xii. 39, and here ver. 29, &c.,) Every kingdom— If there be a division among the evil spirits, and one devil set himself against another, their kingdom cannot long endure: for though it is possible for the advancing of the devil's kingdom one instrument of his may undo that which another hath done, which is not a division, but a politic union and conjunction in the same project, yet for one to oppose, and violently to eject the other, (see Mark i. 25,) and do his utmost to cast him and his kingdom out of the world, this is a division which cannot be imagined among those that are of a conspiracy, but only betwixt enemies bent to ruin one another: (see note [y] on Matt xii. 27:) because ye— that which is done by them before your eyes will be an argument of conviction against you. But if by the power (and Spirit, Matt. xii. 28.) of God it be that I cast out devils, then, as the miracles of Moses, confessed by the magicians to be done by the finger of God, Exod. viii. 19, were a certain testimony that he was sent by God to redeem the people out of their bondage, so is this a certain argument that I am now sent by God to redeem you if you will believe on me. The devil will not be cast out of his possessions unless some person armed by the power of God, superior to what the devil is possessed with, come and conquer him. And therefore my casting out devils is an argument that I come with that power, greater than any the devil hath, and conquer and disarm him, and give his complete armour, the warunhian abtou. It is proverbially said, He that is &c., and therefore he that doth not assist, but cast out Satan, must be resolved to be an enemy of his, and not to operate by power from him: see Matt. xii. 30, and Mark ix. 40. But to you that have received such miracles of mercy, (particularly that of casting out devils,) and made no use of them, I shall add this parable, When the unclean spirit &c.: see Matt. xii. 43. And about this time his mother and brethren came to speak with him, and one came and told him so, Matt. xii. 47; and upon mention of his mother, a woman there present said aloud, Blessed is the womb— But he said, Whosoever shall hear and obey the word of God is to me as dear as mother or brethren, Matt. xii. 49, 50, and indeed that blessedness of being an obedient faithful servant of God is far greater than this other of having been the person of whose womb Christ is born, abstracted or separated from this other of having undertaken the obedience of God. As for the second question proposed, ver. 16, he now in the presence of a great multitude gave answer also to that, (see Matt. xii. 39,) This is an evil— For as Jonas preaching in the streets of Nineve, being accompanied with the miracle of having been three days in the whale's belly, and then being cast up on the shore alive, was an assurance to them that without repentance they should speedily be destroyed; so shall the preaching of Christ to the men To that purpose of ver 28. that they only are blessed which not only hear but observe God's commands, belongs that known speech of Christ, delivered at another time also, Matt. v. 15, and Luke viii. 16, No man, &c. And to the same purpose may be applied that other, used also by Christ in the same sermon on the mount, (see note [I] on Matt. vi. 22,) that the heart being once truly warmed with Christian virtues will fill the whole body with charitable and Christian actions. Take care therefore that the Christian precepts and graces afforded thee be not accompanied with an unchristian life. If therefore the Christian doctrine have taken full possession of thee, and no faculty or affection be left out from being wrought upon by it, then sure the actions will be most illustriously so, and the whole life of such an one will be as a room with a blazing torch or candle in it, enlightened in every corner, without any intermissions or mixture of unchristian actions. [a] [b] on Mark vii. 3. Ye hypocritical Pharisees wash yourselves, as if a man should wash his vessels, the outside of them only, leaving the insides of them full of all filthiness; for thus do ye wash your bodies, leaving your souls full of all uncleanness. This is an extreme folly; for if your outward washings were in obedience to God, you would cleanse the insides, your hearts and souls also, as well as your bodies. [b] help] The word ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, especially with a genitive of the person joined with it, signifies to succour or relieve any in distress. So Luke i. 54, ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραήλ, he hath relieved Israel, a work of ἔλεος, mercy, as it follows, and a filling them with good things when they were hungry, ver. 43. So ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι ἀσθενούντων, Acts xx. 35, to relieve the poor, and, as it there follows, to give to them. So ἀντιλήψεις, 1 Cor. xii. 28, the office of relieving the poor: see note [e] on that chapter. From hence it is discernible what is the full importance of ἵνα συναντιλάβηταί μοι here; Christ was received and entertained in the house of Martha and Mary: Martha made provision for him, and all that were with him; this is called πολλὴ διακονία, a great deal of work in providing for them all, at the beginning of the verse; hereupon she complains to Christ, that Mary, by hearkening to him, left her διακονεῖν μόνην, to minister to them, or provide for them alone, without any body else, and thereupon desires him to bid her bear her company in making provision for them, the ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, as διακονεῖν, noting the making this provision, and the σὺν added to it, the joining with her, or bearing her company, contrary to the μόνην, her doing it alone, precedent. Thus Rom. viii. 26, συναντιλαμβάνεσθαι ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν, is, to join in relieving our necessities. We have no means but prayer to God to relieve ourselves in any distress. But then again, we know not what is absolutely best for us, nor consequently to pray as we ought; therefore when we want and pray for aught, the spirit of Christ joineth with us in relieving us, that is, in interceding for us, that what is absolutely best may be granted us, joins with us in prayer, and so in relieving us by praying silently for us, and asking those things which Christ knows us to stand most in need of when we do not. The best way of purifying yourselves, estates, meats, and drinks, &c., from all pollution cleaving to them, is (instead of that which you Pharisees attempt by washing your hands, your vessels, &c.) by works of mercy, and liberal almsgiving; as far as you are able, restoring to the injured, or, if there be not place for that, giving to those that want. anise and cummin, Matt. xxiii. 23, and so also of rue, and every the meanest herb that grows in your garden, and omit the principal duties both to God and man. These are the main things which God requires of you, though those other lower performances ought not to be omitted, of paying tithes exactly, according to the law and custom among you. consistories, Matt. xxiii. 6. grown over with grass, and they which see the specious outsides of them, Matt. xxiii. 27, know not what is within, viz., bones of dead men and putrefaction, and so are polluted by them: (see note [g] on Matt. xxiii.) doctors of the law, members of the sanhedrin, or consistories, and saith unto him, This speech of thine violence and villainy, ἀρπαγῆς καὶ πονηρίας: see note [h] on 1 Cor. v. what you have or are able, give alms, or in alms. pay tithes of, ἀποδεκανοῦτε. U [c] such things as ye have] The phrase τὰ ἑνόντα signifies according to ability. So when Epictetus appoints "to abstain from oaths," ἐκ τῶν ἑνόντων, "as far as we are able;" and in Gemisthus Pletho, περ. ἀρετ. p. 57, σὺν εὐτελείᾳ ἐκ τῶν ἑνόντων φιλοκαλῶν, speaking of him, who "of that which he hath, exercises liberality without any great expense." This is expressed in Tobit by ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων σοὶ ποίει ἐλεημοσύνην, give alms of what thou hast; and so Luke viii. 3, and xii. 33; and so saith Hesychius, Ἐνὸν, ἐνυπάρχον, ἢ δυνατόν ἐστι, "that which a man hath in his power;" and Phavorinus to the same purpose, δυνατόν ἐνδεχόμενον ἐνυπάρχον; and it is answerable to that of Deut. xvi. 10, which we read, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. But because the precept is here given to the hypocritical Pharisees, who may have been guilty of great sins of injustice, and it is not impossible ἀρπαγῇ may signify that, ver. 39, (though, I conceive, it may fitly be taken in another sense, noted 1 Cor. v. note [A];) and because this sin of oppression and rapine and cheating and wronging others is so ordinary in the world, that it may be reasonable for our Saviour's speech to respect that among other sins, and so to propose here the way, on the sinner's part, required for the cleansing of that. Therefore it is not amiss yet further to observe, that the place here τὰ ἑνόντα δότε ἐλεημοσύνην, and not ἐκ τῶν ἑνόντων, or ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, may in construction be so rendered, as that the two accusative cases shall be set by way of apposition, and both follow the verb δότε, and then the meaning will be, give what you have, or as far as you are able, as far as all that you have will reach. This we know the injurious is bound to, in case of rapine, to restore all that he hath taken away, before he can hope for pardon; but in case he be not able to restore all, yet certainly he must go as far as he can, and that is the least that will be accepted; (nay, Zacchaeus's example, when he repented, may be fit in that case to be considered, who made a fourfold restitution to the injured person, and gave half of his goods to the poor, over and above;) and he that either restores to the utmost, or doth it as far as is now in his power, he doth restore τὰ ἑνόντα in this sense. But because many cases there are wherein there is not place for exact restitution to the person injured, he may be gone, and all that have right to what was his, and the like, and in that case giving to the poor, in works of mercy or pity, is the only way left of restitution; and the like holds in other sins, wherein though no other man be wronged, yet there is pollution contracted, and that must be cleansed by some effectual works of repentance, and mercy to the poor is specified as an eminent work of this kind, Dan. iv. 27; therefore in all these and the like respects the precept is here given more generally, to make use of these works of alms, where the case requires, as restitution where the case requires that, and even then, after Zacchaeus's example, alms also; and so the full of the precept is, τὰ ἑνόντα δότε ἐλημοσύνην, give what you have in alms, even all that you have, where all is ill gotten, and the whole lump is by that means unclean; or as much as you have taken by rapine and [d] clean] The Arabic word for alms, zachat, hath a double notion, say they, either of increasing or cleansing; the first, quia erogatio ejus conciliat benedictionem opibus, "because the giving alms obtains a blessing on the wealth," and so increaseth it; the second, quod opes ab inquinamento et animum ab avaritiæ sordibus purgat, "because it purgeth the riches from the pollution and filthiness that adheres to them, and the mind from the sullages of covetousness;" according to that of Matt. vi, If the eye be single, that is, where the virtue of liberality is in the heart, the whole body is full of light, that is, of all Christian virtues, contrary to the vices pointed at by the darkness that follows. In reference to this notion of the word in the Syriac and Arabic, this seems to be here spoken by our Saviour, Give alms, which comes from a word that signifies to cleanse, and all shall be clean to you, your wealth shall be purged and blessed, and your mind cleansed also. But the one only thing which is absolutely necessary, the hearing my word in order to the keeping it, the receiving advantage by my coming to thy house, is much a more acceptable thing to me than the entertaining me with so much diligence; and the advantage of this will continue to Mary to all eternity. ### CHAP. XI. [e] build the sepulchres] The meaning of this passage being thus rendered, Woe unto you that ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them, will soon appear, if it be observed, first, that the woes here so oft denounced in this and other places against the Pharisees were for several acts of hypocrisy in them. Now hypocrisy or personation, being the outward appearance, the disguise or specious attire of an action, that is here set down by itself, the vice that was disguised, and endeavoured to be concealed under it, being not here named, but by their present actions, (persecuting Christ,) visible and notorious, and withal intimated by St. Matthew, ch. xxiii. 32, as if he had said, Your building and adorning the sepulchres of the old prophets, which your fathers killed, is in you a solemn personation or hypocrisy, acting the parts of very pious men, that bear much reverence to them (and such is your speech, Matt. xxiii. 30, that if ye had lived in your fathers' days, ye would not have had any hand in the killing the prophets). Secondly, by observing the καὶ, and, between the μαρτυρεῖνε, ye bear witness, and the συνενδοκεῖνε, ye have a complacency with the deeds of your fathers; for that and conjoins two different things affirmed of them by our Saviour, which are ordinarily confounded; first, ye bear witness to the works of your fathers, ye testify to all men that your fathers killed the prophets that were sent to them; and, secondly, ye like well, approve of And so clearly you are the people of whom God hath prophesied that they will kill and persecute those whom he sends to them; for this was begun by your fathers, and continued in you, and is like to be perfected by you. And this is likely to be the effect of it; the Jews of this age shall undergo the severest vengeance that all the murdering of God's prophets can bring on a rebellious people. See note [g] Matt. xxiii. have robbed the people of that understanding of scripture which might make them embrace the gospel now preached to them: ye will not receive the faith yourselves, and those which are inclinable to receive it ye hinder as much as you can. ¹¹ Thus ye bear witness, and consent, or are well pleased with the deeds, ¹² that, &c. ¹³ messengers, &c. This is a work of that providence of his that attendeth and watcheth over the smallest things in the world; the vilest sparrow or bird of the air, in every motion of it, is within the reach of God's care. And agreeably to that particular providence of his, which extendeth to every event, you may resolve of yourselves that God hath a most particular providence over all that belongs to his servants. This will fortify you against all fear, whatsoever your dangers are: for sure there is more value set on you, and care taken for your preservation, than there is over all the sparrows that are in the world. And this encouragement you have, that your fearless confession of Christ and his truth shall be rewarded with his owning you in the day of judgment (which sure is more to your advantage than any thing you can acquire by compliance with the world). Whereas the contrary fear, or cowardice, or falling off from your duty, shall cause Christ to disclaim you when you have most need of him. Here are added by St. Luke words spoken by Christ on another occasion, Matt. xii. 32, and seem to be applied by him to the aggravation of the sin of the Pharisees, on occasion of whom this whole passage from ver. 1. was delivered; that they that by the meanness of Christ's human appearance are tempted to deny him to be the Messias, and do accordingly oppose him, may have some place for pardon, and be in some degree excusable; but they that attribute his works of power (his miracles done visibly by the finger of God) to the working of the devil in him, there is no place of excuse and mercy for them, if they do not, upon the resurrection of Christ, and the apostles' preaching it to them, return and repent, and effectually receive Christ. This being said of them as in a parenthesis, he returns to other passages of that speech of Christ's, Matt. x. 9, When they bring you before consistories, (see note [d] Matt. vi., and note [b] James ii.) See Mark xiii. 11. b Sir, there is a controversy between my brother and me about the dividing our patrimony; I desire to avoid the delays of a suit at law, and to do as it is ordinary, refer it to arbitration, and who so fit as you our Master to conclude it between us your disciples and followers? But he (knowing what had happened to Moses when he would have made peace among the Jews, Exod. ii. 14, Who made thee a prince or a judge over us?) gave them an answer which the evangelist sets down in the same words wherein the Greek rendered the Hebrew there, that is, I will not be liable to such objections from men as were then ungratefully made against Moses, I will not meddle with your matters of interest, wherein he that is not awarded what he desires will think himself unjustly dealt with. All that I shall say to you is, That the desire of wealth, the labour to increase your own by lessening another man's possessions, the not being content with what you have, is a sin of great danger, diligently to be avoided, and indeed that which doth no man any good. For though possessions are useful to sustain life, yet no man is able to prolong his life, or to make it any thing more happy or comfortable to him, by possessing more than he needs or uses, that is, by any superfluity of wealth. The only way to be the better for the wealth of the world is to dispose and distribute it to the service of God, and benefit and comfort of others, ver. 21. To which purpose Christ spake and applied the parable following, The ground— And he contrived and cast within himself in his thoughts what he should do with all that plenty which was so much greater than his barns could hold. 18, 19. And his resolution was, that he would pull down his barns and build bigger, and lay up all in them, (never thinking of giving others any of that which he knew not what to do with,) and then he should be an happy man, have wealth enough for many years plentiful, voluptuous, festival living, pleasing himself and entertaining others. This is directly the case of any man that makes no use of his increase and plenty, save only to possess it and provide for himself by it, never thinking of employing that which he hath to spare to the relieving the poor, or otherwise to the service of God. To which purpose of trusting God's providence, in opposition to covetousness, is that which Christ said at another time, Matt. vi. 25, Take no thought— Entertain no solicitudes for such things as these; for your Father, which destined you to an everlasting kingdom, will not fail to allow you your portion here of those things that are useful for you. Be ye as servants attending their master's business, ready whensoever he commands them any thing, or hath any business for them. [b] girded about] Beside the general use of girding for putting on clothes, frequent in these books; as John xxi. 7, διεξώσατο ἐπενδύτην, he girt on his upper garment; and ver. 18, thou didst gird thyself, that is, dress or clothe thyself at thine own will; (and from hence, in a sense somewhat varied, in the end of the same verse, another shall gird thee, that is, bind thee as a prisoner or captive; as I conceive it also is, Job xii. 18, where girding is set opposite to loosing of bonds;) three sorts of men there are in these books which are proverbially said to be girt: first, the Jewish priests, Lev. xvi. 4, who had a linen girdle; and the high priest one embroidered with gold, &c., Exod. xxxix 5; after whose example the Son of man is brought in, Rev. i. 13, ἐνδεδυμένος ποδήρη, καὶ περιεζωσμένος πρὸς τοῖς μαστοῖς ζώνην χρυσῆν, clothed in a long garment, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle; and so the seven angels, Rev. xv. 6. Secondly, soldiers, whose military girdle was so special a part of their armour, that in Homer ζώνη signifies the whole military ὁπλισμὸς, armature; and ζώννυσθαι, to be girt, is ὁπλίξεσθαι, to be armed, saith Eustathius in Iliad. β' and λ'; and Suidas in like manner, that ζώννυσθαι, to be girt, is καθοπλίξεσθαι, to be armed. Hence is it that discincti, "ungirt," signifies the unarmed; and 2 Kings iii. 21, where we read, as n P. 806 E. Like the attendants on a bridegroom, (who whensoever he comes from the marriage feast to the chamber comes hastily, and is not patient of any delays,) always ready to answer at the first knock. 37, 38. As in that case it is a great happiness for a servant to be found ready, because by that means he may attend his master, (whereas if at that minute he be out of the way he utterly loses him,) and as a reward of that diligence the bridegroom will entertain his servants, set them down, and wait upon them himself; so is it a blessed thing to be found employed as Christ would have us, whensoever he comes to call on us; and in order to that, to be always ready, not to fall off from him in the least manner. And as Christ's coming will be to the rewarding of all faithful servants, persevering believers, so will it be to destroy all lethargic stupid impenitents, who by their own negligence lie open to all that vengeance that thus lights on them. And therefore to avoid that danger also it concerns all to be perpetually upon their guard, because this coming of Christ to visit and punish is like to be sudden, but the time uncertain. See Matt. xxiv. 43. 'peculiarly to us thy constant attendants, or to all Christians? The parable doth in several degrees belong to every Christian, who hath some trust committed to him by Christ, and must be very careful to discharge it (see Matt. xxiv. 45); to you as stewards here, to all Christians as servants, ver. 43; and no man's trust is so mean that diligence in it shall not be rewardable. But to them again, with some difference, as they have received more or less of divine revelation, immediately or mediately ver. 47. And be he never so meanly employed, God will reward his trustiness and diligence with committing to him the greatest trusts, see Matt. xxiv. 47, the greatest office of dignity in the church. and upon that consideration abuse that trust and power reposed in him as a steward, deal injuriously with those that are under his rule, and spend his master's goods riotously and luxuriously. with the untrusty false stewards, the unbelieving Jews, which have not reformed upon all Christ's preaching unto them. 47, 48. According to the degree of knowledge which God hath afforded, so shall their crimes receive aggravation of guilt and increase of punishment. And the more light and grace he bestows on any, the greater and the more Christian performances will he require of them. It is to be expected, as a consequent of my coming into the world, that persecution should attend, Matt. x. 34, and this will be a means of exploring and trying who are faithful, and who are not: and therefore I am so far from wishing this otherwise, that I rather desire that it were already kindled or begun. [c] what will I] The particle εἰ, which is ordinarily rendered if, is oft an optative, or expression of wish or desire. So ch. xix. 42, εἰ ἔγνως, if thou knewest, for O that thou knewest. So ch. xxii. 42, εἰ βούλει, if thou wilt, for O that thou wouldest. So Num. xxii. 29. Joshua vii. 7. Job xvi. 14; and so in Moses's speech to God, Lord, if thou wilt forgive them. And this most clearly from the various use of the Hebrew ל֔וֹא or ל֖וֹ, which signifies both si and utinam, "if," and "would to God." And thus may it be here, εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη, O that it were already kindled; and then the latter part will be an answer to the question proposed in the former, thus, Τί θέλω, What do I desire? Beyond all things that it were already kindled. Another way of rendering the words will bear, What do I desire if it were already kindled? that is, I desire no more but this; or again, by rendering the τί as if it were πῶς, How do I desire that it were already kindled! But as all these come to the same sense, so the former seems the more easy and natural, unless we prefer that other reading which we find in Marcus Eremita P De Baptis., ° Caten. p. 255. P. 923 D. But I am to bear the first part of it, to be immersed in afflictions, Matt. xx. 22. Till this come to be accomplished upon me I am in some straits, terified, like a woman with child, with the apprehension of the pangs approaching, Matt. xxvi. 39, but very willing to be delivered, to do and suffer that whereunto I was sent. 51—53. Soon after my departing, great divisions and feuds will break out concerning me, the whole land shall be divided into factions and civil broils, Matt. x. 34, and xxiv. 7. ᵇ Many ways you have of presaging what weather it will be, which seldom fail you, as, when ye see a cloud— ᵇ am to be baptized with a baptism. [f] provoke] Ἀποστοματίζειν, in ordinary Greek, is to recite without book, as a scholar doth a lesson, ἀπὸ μνήμης λέγειν, saith Suidas and Phavorinus. And accordingly the place in Hesychius must be corrected, instead of ἀποστομίζειν, ἀποστοματίζειν. But here, by an Hebraism of using the active voice in the sense of the Hebrew k hiphil, it signifies to make recite, and belongs to the master, or him that hears the other say his lesson. So saith Suidas, the word is used ὅτιν διδάσκαλος κελεύει τὸν παῖδα λέγειν ἄττα ἀπὸ στόματος, "when a master bids a boy say or recite;" and Hesychius, ἀπὸ μνήμης ἀξιοῦν λέγειν, "to require one to say by heart;" as Julius Pollux of the passive, ἀποστοματίζεσθαι, ἐρωτᾶσθαι τὰ μαθήματα, "to be asked or required an account of what he hath learnt." Agreeably to this did they here ask Christ questions, and pose him, to hear what he could or would say, as an angry schoolmaster, that seeks occasion of severity against a scholar. Theophylact expounds it by πυκνῶς ἐρωτάω, and ἄλλα καὶ ἄλλα ἐρωτῶ, and παγιδεύω, "asking often one question after another, insnaring." And he spake a parable to them, of which this is the plain meaning: This people hath long been unprofitable, made no returns to all God's husbandry bestowed upon them, and yet God hath given them space to repent, and sent his Son to dress and manure them; and if this do not work upon them, there is nothing to be expected, but destruction and excision. The parable was this: A certain man— And perhaps it will bear fruit; or, make this experiment, whether it will bear fruit or no: and if— a sore disease inflicted on her by the devil, ver. 16, for the space of eighteen years, and she did so extremely stoop, that she could hardly see the heavens. a thy disease. [a] a great tree] That a mustard seed grows into a tree, is affirmed Matt. xiii. 32; and thereupon it is there said, that it is μεῖζον λαχάνων, not the greatest of herbs, or things that grow of seeds, but (as μεῖζον imports) greater than such; and therefore it follows there, that it becometh a tree; and here, that tree a great one, δένδρον μίγα. This is not to be measured by what we see of this seed among us, but by considering the Hebrew soil and clime, of which this is ordinarily affirmed among their authors. In the Babylonish Talmud, Ketub. fol. 3, there is mention of three boughs of חרד, or mustard, "one of which being broken off from the rest, yielded nine cabs of seed, and the wood thereof was sufficient to cover a little house." So in the Jerusalem Talmud, Peah, c. 7, there is mention of "a bough which yielded three cabs of that seed." And again in the same place, "of a stem or bough of mustard which Simon, the son of Chalaptha, had in his garden, into which he could climb up as into a fig tree." And therefore agreeably to this it is that our Saviour here speaks so great things of it. And whereas it is said, Matt. xiii. 32, that it is the least of all seeds; although among us some other seeds may be found less than that, as rue and poppy; yet it is not necessary it should be so there. However, it is apparent that the smallness of it was proverbial among them; and is therefore mentioned by Maimonides, More Neb. p. 1. c. 56, and set opposite to the firmament, the one as an instance of the smallest, the other of the greatest magnitude. Matt. xiii. 33. h is the doctrine of the gospel likely to be received by the generality of men, or only by a few disciples of us? And the reply that Christ made to this question was to advise him and all others, [b] saved] What is the notion of σώζεσθαι in the New Testament hath already been touched on, note [n] Matt. x. (see Matt. xix. 6.) And That they should not be led away with the example of the many that neglected the present opportunity, and after would not find admission when they should desire it, either into the church here or the kingdom of God at the day of doom; that the gospel should at length be removed from the obstinate Jews, and consequently heaven also. 25—27. That a great deal of timely care and industry and contention was required to get the end of our Christian faith and hope, and that a little formal seeking of him, a desiring the reward upon no farther pretences than that the gospel hath been preached among them, that they have eat and drunk in Christ's presence, nay, that they have by him been enabled to work miracles, Matt. vii. 22, &c., would not serve the turn, without a careful and due performance of all that Christ requires of us. As for others, be their pretences and confidences never so great, they shall at the day of judgment be utterly rejected, and their wicked doings rewarded with everlasting fire. And then, what a restless torment will it be to you to see the fathers of the old world, that never saw or heard Christ preach among them, as you confess you have, received by God into his kingdom, and you rejected! Matt. viii. 11, 12. I escape. And though but few Jews should receive the faith, yet disciples shall come in to Christ from all quarters of the world, and by him in the church be received and entertained as at a feast, (which is some farther answer to the question, vor. 23,) and so consequently bear the patriarchs company in heaven. And they that are now afar off, the Gentiles, shall be admitted to his favour, while the present Jews through their obduration shall be cast out, ver. 28. Upon his instructing the people, and doing miracles in this manner, some of the Pharisees, unwilling that they should thus see his power and hear his doctrine, were very desirous to have him gone, and for a pretence suggested the danger that he was in from Herod if he should stay any longer, saying, Go out of Galilee, Herod's jurisdiction; for if thou stay here, he will put thee to death. And Christ (according to his prophetic office, which gave prophets authority to reprehend all, were they never so great in this world, and their commission to the execution of that office made them superior to all to whom they were sent, Jer. i. 8, 9, 10.) answered them, saying, Go tell that great artificer, or subtile disguised person, Herod, (by the manner also of the expression, left dubious, intimating the subtilty of the Pharisees, disguised by them, but by him discerned, who by the mention of Herod's design to kill him thought to drive him out of their coasts,) that I attend the decree of my Father, and in the mean time perform the office for which I was sent, not fearing what he can do unto me. Behold, I cast out devils, cure diseases for a while at present; and after a while, when my course is finished, I am to suffer death. In the mean time I must do what I do, and then go and suffer at Jerusalem, being designed by my Father first to do these works, and then to die there, that being the place where all people have been wont to be put to death, at the council of the great sanhedrim, and where, though capital judgments are now taken from the Jews, yet the prophets are to be tried. [c] I must walk] That there is in this verse an ellipsis or defect there is little doubt, and what it is will be best judged by comparing it with the former verse, or with John v. 17. In the former verse he tells Herod, that for a time he is about the business of his miracles, curing diseases and casting out devils, and it shall not be in his power to hinder him; though he threaten or design to kill him, ver. 31, he should not be able to do it; but shortly indeed he should have made an end of his business, and then he should be put to death. The time of his doing miracles, &c. he there calls to-day and to-morrow, as the time of his being put to death, the third day; and so in this verse he gives him a reason why he should not fear his threats, nor go out of the way, which he was advised to, ver. 31, because, saith he, δεῖ με σήμερον καὶ αὔριον, there is a necessity, in respect of God's decree, that to-day and to-morrow, that is, for that space before mentioned, I should cure, &c.; or, as it is John v. 17, ἐργάζεσθαι, work; (so Theophylact, Δεῖ με χρόνον τινὰ προσμεῖναι ἐνταῦθα θαυματουργοῦντα, "I must stay here a while and do miracles;") and then indeed it is as necessary, τῇ ἐχομίᾳ, the third day, or the day immediately following, or adjoining, (see note [b] Mark i.); or after my work is done, πορεύεσθαι, to go, either in that sense, wherein that word is taken, ch. xxii. 22, that is, to be put to death, (and so it will be all one with τελειοῦσθαι, which is to be martyred, as we have τελείωσις ἀθλητοῦ, in Nyssen and other Christian writers; or else πορεύεσθαι, to go from thence (as he was advised to do, ver. 31.) up to Jerusalem, that being the place where the judgment of the great sanhedrim was, where (and nowhere else) the cases of prophets, which were accused of any great crime, were to be tried, (see Cunæus de Repub. Heb. l. 1. c. 12); whereupon it follows immediately, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! c P. 58. See Matt. xxiii. 39. ¹ this, ταύτη. ⁴ to day and to morrow it is necessary for me to do what I do, and on the day following to go. ⁵ a bird doth her young ones: ὀρνὶ τὰ ἑαυτῆς νοσσία, the King's MS. reads, and the ancient Greek and Latin. ⁶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἀλώσκει ἑαύτη, ἀλλὰ ταύτη, εἰφυλίσττα μίση τινὶ χρώμενος φωνῇ, καὶ σαφῶς δει-πλαν ἑγγῆς ἕντας τῇ ἀλώσκει τοὺς φαρμαίους, διὰ τὴν ναυαγγείαν. Titus Bostrensis, p. 805, II.