Page images
PDF
EPUB

The disciples at sea

CHAPTER XVI.

eaven, he blessed and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20 And they did all eat, and were filled; band they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

221 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart, to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

CB 36-Ch. 16. 7. Isa. 50 1. Lk. 9.17.- Ch 8. 18-d Mk. 6. 45-e John 6. M-f Jab 9. 8- Or, strong-h Ps 27. Mk 1. 1. Ch. 16. 16. & 25, 53, Luke 4. 41.

in a storm.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thɔu, bid
me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out
of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;
and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and
fore didst thou doubt ?
caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, where-

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped
him, saying, Öf a truth h thou art the Son of God.

34 And when they were gone over, they came into th
land of Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him,
they sent out into all that country round about, and brought
unto him all that were discased;

36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem
of his garment: and as many as touched were made per-
fectly whole.

John 1. 49. & 6. 69. & 11. 27. Acts 8. 37. Rom. 1. 4.-i Mark 6. 53-k Mark 6. 56.Mark 3. 12. Luke 6. 19. Acts 19. 12. 1 Numb. 15. 38, 39. Ch. 9. 20-m Ch. 9. 20.

Unto the other side] Towards Capernaum, ver. 34. John parture of his disciples, which he did not wish them to hear. vi. 16, 17. or Bethsaida, see on Mark vi. 45.

serted here than the word them, because it does not appear that it was the loaves which Christ blessed, but that God who 23, He went up into a mountain apart, to pray] He whom had provided them and this indeed was the Jewish custom, not to bless the food, but the God who gave it. However, there are others who believe the loaves are meant, and that he God has employed in a work of mercy, had need to return, by blessed them in order to multiply them. The Jewish form prayer, as speedily, to his Maker, as he can, lest he should be of blessing, or what we term grace, before and after meat, tempted to value himself on account of that in which he has was as follows: BEFORE MEAT-bin 750 wypno merit-for the good that is done upon earth, the Lord doth ANTON NON Baruc attah Elohinoo melec haslam, ha- it alone. Some make this part of our Lord's conduct emblemotse lechem min haarets: Blessed art thou, our God, king matic of the spirit and practice of prayer: and observe, that of the universe, who bringest, bread out of the earth! AFTER the proper dispositions and circumstances for praying well, HEAT: : 102 e no chin the Baruc Elohinoo are: 1. Retirement from the world. 2. Elevation of the heart melec haslam bore peri hagephen; Blessed be our God, the to God. 3. Solitude. 4. The silence and quiet of the night. It is certain that in this also Christ has left us an example, that king of the universe, the creator of the fruit of the vine! And brake] We read often in the Scripture of breaking we should follow his steps. Retirement from the world is bread, never of cutting it: because the Jews made their often a means of animating, supporting, and spiritualizing bread broad and thin like cakes, and to divide such, being very prayer. Other society should be shut out, when a soul comes to converse with God. brittle, there was no need of a knife.

20. They did all eat, and were filled] Little or much is the same in the hands of Jesus Christ. Here was an incontestable miracle-five thousand men, besides women and children, fed with fire cakes and two fishes! here must have been a manifest creation of substance-the parts of the bread were not dilated to make them appear large, nor was there any delusion in the eating-for they all ate and were all filled. Here then is one miracle of our Lord attested by at least fire thou sand persons! But did not this creation of bread prove the unlimited power of Jesus? Undoubtedly; and nothing less than eternal power and Godhead could have effected it.

They took up twelve baskets] It was customary for many of the Jews to carry a basket with them at all times: and Mr. Wakefield's conjecture here is very reasonable :-"By the number here particularized, it should seem, that each apostle Some think that the Jews car. Alled his own bread basket." ried baskets in commemoration of their Egyptian bondage, when they were accustomed to carry the clay and stubble to make the bricks, in a basket that was hung about their necks. This seems to be what Sidonius Apollinaris refers to in the following words, Epist. vii. 6. Ordinis res est, ut, (dum in allegorica versamur Egypta) Pharao incedat cum diademate, Israelita cum COPHINO. These words of Alcimus Avitus, v. ver. 30 are to the same effect:

Servitii longo lassatam pondere plebem,
Oppressos cophinis humeros, attritaque collo.
It appears that a basket about the neck, and a bunch of hay,
were the general characteristics of this long cnslaved and op-
pressed people, in the different countries where they so-
journed.

Javenal also mentions the basket and the hay:
Cm dedit ille locum, cophino fanoque relicto,
Arcenam Judæa tremens mendicat in aurem.
A gypsy Jewess whispers in your ear-
Her goods a basket, and old hay her bed,
She strolls, and telling fortunes, gains her bread.
And again, Sat. iii. 13.

24. Tossed with waves] Grievously agitated. This is the proper meaning of the word Baravigoμevov: but one MS. reads Bantiopevov, plunged under the waves, frequently covered with them: the waves often breaking over the vessel.

25. The fourth watch] Anciently the Jews divided the night into three watches, consisting of four hours each. The first watch is mentioned, Lam. ii. 19. the second, Judges vii. 19. and the third, Exod. xiv. 24. but a fourth watch is not men. tioned in any part of the OLD Testament. This division the Romans had introduced into Judea, as also the custom of dividing the day into twelve hours; see John xi. 9. The first watch began at six o'clock in the evening, and continued till nine; the second began at nine, and continued till twelve. The third began at twelve, and continued till three next morn was therefore between the hours of three and six in the morn ing, and the fourth began at three, and continued till sir. k ing, that Jesus made this appearance to his disciples.

Walking on the sea] Thus suspending the laws of gravi tation, was a proper manifestation of unlimited power. Jesus did this by his own power; therefore Jesus showed forth his godhead. In this one miracle we may discover three: 1. Though at a distance from his disciples, he knew their distress. 2. He found them out on the lake, and probably in the midst of darkness. 3. He walked upon the water. Job, speak. ing of those things whereby the Omnipotence of God was demonstrated, says particularly, chap. ix. 8. He walketh upon the waves of the sea; intimating that this was impossible to any thing but Omnipotence.

26. It is a spirit] That the spirits of the dead might, and did appear, was a doctrine held by the greatest and holiest men that ever existed: and a doctrine which the cavillers, free. thinkers, and bound-thinkers, of different ages, have never Sat. vi. 542. been able to disprove.

27. It is I; be not afraid.] Nothing but this voice of Christ could, in such circumstances, have given courage and comDryden. fort to his disciples: those who are grievously tossed with dif ficulties and teinptations, require a similar manifestation of his power and goodness. When he proclaims himself in the soul, all sorrow, and fear, and sin, are at an end.

Nunc sacri fontis nemus, et delubra locantur Judais, quorum, cophinus, fanumque supeller. Now the once hallowed fountain, grove, and fane, Are let to Jews, a wretched wandering train, Whose wealth is but a basket stuffed with hay. Gifford. The simple reason why the Jews carried baskets with them pears to be this: When they went into Gentile countries, They carried their own provision with them, as they were afraid of being polluted, by partaking of the meat of heathens. This also obliged them probably to carry hay with them: to sleep on: and it is to this, in all likelihood, that Juvenal alludes. After fire thousand were fed, twelve times as much, at least, remained, as the whole multitude at first sat down to! See the note on Luke ix. 16.24

22. Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship.] Either they were afraid to return into the jurisdiction of Herod, or, they were unwilling to embark without their Lord and Protector; and would not enter their boat till Christ had Commanded them to embark. From this verse it appears that Carist gave some advices to the multitudes after the deK

28. Bid me come unto thee on the water] A weak faith is always wishing for signs and miracles. To take Christ at his word, argues not only the perfection of faith, but also the highest exercise of sound reason; He is to be credited on his own word, because he is the TRUTH, and therefore can neither lie nor deceive.

29. Peter-walked on the water] However impossible the thing commanded by Christ may appear, it is certain he will give power to accomplish it, to those who receive his word by faith; but we must take care never to put Christ's power to the strengthening of our faith, when the ordinary means for the proof for the gratification of a vain curiosity; or even for doing that are within our reach.

30. When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid] It was by faith in the power of Christ he was upheld; when that faith failed, by which the laws of gravitation were suspended, no wonder that those laws returned to their 73 wonted action, and that he began to sink. It was not the vio8

Tradition concerning

ST. MATTHEW. lence of the winds, nor the raging of the waves, which endan gered his life; but his littleness of faith.

washing of hands.

that the sen or lake of Gennesaret had its name. In this dis trict were the cities of Capernaum and Tiberius.

31. Jesus stretched forth his hand] Every moment we stand 35. The men of that place had knowledge of him] i, e. they in need of Christ-while we stand, we are upheld by his knew him again. They had already seen his miracles; and power only; and when we are falling or have fallen, we can now they collect all the diseased people they can find, that he be saved only by his mercy. Let us always take care that may have the saine opportunity of showing forth his marvelwe do not consider so much the danger to which we are ex-lous power, and they of being the instruments of relieving posed, as the power of Christ by which we are to be upheld; their friends and neighbours. and then our mountain is likely to stand strong.

32. The wind ceased] Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and all is peace and calm where he condescends to enter and abide.

They brought unto him all that were diseased] And Jesus received and healed every man and wonian of them. And is not the soul, in the sight of God, of more value than the body! and will he withhold his healing power from the former, and grant it so freely to the latter? this cannot be. Let a man come himself to Jesus, and he shall be saved; and afterward let him recommend this Christ to the whole circle of his acquaintance, and they, if they come, shall also find mercy. 36. That they might only touch the hem of his garment] What mighty influence must the grace and spirit of Christ have in the soul, when even the border or hem of his garment produced such wonders in the bodies of those who touched it! Here is a man who has turned from sin to God through Christ, and the healing hand of Jesus is laid upon him.-Then, no wonder that he knows and feels his sins forgiven, his soul purified, and his heart filled with the fulness of his Maker. Lord, increase our faith! and we shall see greater manifes tations of thy power and glory! Amen. CHAPTER XV.

33. Thou art the son of God.] It is probable that these words were spoken either by the sailors or passengers, and not by the disciples. Critics have remarked, that when this phrase is used to denominate the MESSIAH, both the articles are used, o vios rov Oɛsv, and that the words without the articles mean, in the common Jewish phrase, a divine person. It would have been a strange thing indeed, if the disciples, after all the miracles they had seen Jesus work-after their having left all to follow him, &c. were only now persuaded that he was the promised Messiah. That they had not as yet | clear conceptions concerning his kingdom, is evident enough: but that they had any doubts concerning his being the promised Messiah, is far from being clear.

34. The land of Gennesaret) It was from this country

The Pharisees accuse the disciples of eating with unwashed hands, 1, 2. Our Lord answers, and
hypocrisy, 3-9. Teaches the people and the disciples what it is that renders men unclean, 10-20.
a Canaanitish woman, 21-28. Heals many diseased people on a mountain in Galilee, 29-31.
a few little fishes, he feeds 4,000 men, besides women and children, 32-33. Haring dismissed the
the coast of Magdala, 39. [A. M. 4032. A. D. 28. An. Olymp. CCI. 4.]

T

[ocr errors]

HEN came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were
of Jerusalem, saying,

2b Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the el.
ders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye alsof
transgress the commandinent of God by your tradition}

a Mk. 7.1.-b Mk 7. 5- Col. 2. 8.-d Ex. 20.12. Lev. 19.3. Deu. 5. 16. Prov. 2) 22. Eph. 6. 2.

NOTES.-Verse 1. The scribes and Pharisees of Jerusa lem] Our Lord was now in Galilee, chap. xiv. 34.

2. Elders] Rulers and magistrates among the Jews. For they wash not their hands] What frivolous nonsense! These Pharisees had nothing which their malice could fasten on in the conduct or doctrine of our blessed Lord and his dis. ciples, and therefore they must dispute about washing of hands! All sorts of Pharisees are troublesome people in reli- | gious society; and the reason is, they take more pleasure in blaining others, than in amending themselves.

convicts them of gross Heals the daughter of With seven loaves, and multitudes he comes to

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; € And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.

e Exod. 21. 17. Lev. 20. 9. Deu. 27. 16. Prov, 91, 20, & 30. 17.- Mark 7. 11, 12 Peay 20-25 Ch. 2. 15, 15.

and the Babylonish Talmud about the beginning of the sixth century This Talmud was printed at Amsterdam in 12 vols. folio. These contain the whole of the traditions of the Elders, and have so explained, or rather frittered away the words of God, that our Lord might well say, ye have made the word of God of no effect by your traditions. In what estimation these are held by the Jews, the following examples will prove: "The words of the scribes are lovely beyond the words of the law for the words of the law are weighty and light, but the words of the scribes are all weighty," Hierus Berac. fol. 3.

"He that shall say, there are no Phylacteries, though he thus transgress the words of the law, he is not guilty; but he that shall say, There are five Totaphot, thus adding to the words of the scribes, he is guilty."

They wash not their hands] On washing of hands before and after meat, the Jews laid great stress-they considered eating with unwashed hands to be no ordinary crime; and, therefore, to induce men to do it, they feigned that an evi spirit, called Shibta snow, who sits on the hands by night. has a right to sit on the food of him who eats without washing his hands, and inake it hurtful to him! They consider the person who undervalues this rite to be no better than a hea then, and consequently excommunicate him. See many exainples of this doctrine in Schoettgen and Lightfoot. 3. Why do ye-transgress the commandment] Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the traditions of the eldersaccuse you of transgressing the commands of God, and that too in favour of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts of God. Pretenders to zeal often prefer superstitious usages to the Divine law, and human inventions to the positive duties of Christianity,

The tradition of the elders] The word napadnets, tradition, has occupied a most distinguished place, both in the Jewish and Christian church. Man is ever fond of mending the work of his Maker; and hence he has been led to put his finishing hand even to Divine revelation! This supplernen. "A prophet and an elder, to what are they likened ? To 3 tary matter has been called rapadoris, from ṇapadidopa, to deking sending two of his servants into a province; of one he liver from hand to hand; to transmit-and hence the Latin writes thus: unless he show you my seal believe hin, not: term tradition from trado, to deliver, especially from one to for thus it is written of the prophet, He shall show thee a sign: another :-to hand down. Among the Jews, TRADITION Sig. but of the elders thus: According to the law which they shall nifles what is also called the oral law, which they distinguish teach thee, for I will confirm their words."-See Prideaux. from the written law; this last contains the Mosaic precepts Con. vol. 2. p. 465, and Lightfoot's Hor. Talmud. as found in the Pentateuch; the former the traditions of the elders, i. e. traditions or doctrines, that had been successively handed down from Moses through every generation, but not committed to writing. The Jews feign that when God gave Moses the written law, he gave him also the oral low, which is the interpretation of the former. This law, Moses at first delivered to Aaron; then to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar-and after these to the seventy-two Elders, who were six of the most eminent men chosen out of each of the twelve tribes. These seventy-two, with Moses and Aaron, delivered it again to all the heads of the people; and afterward to the congregation at large. They say also that before Moses died, he delivered this oral law, or system of traditions, to JOSHUA, and Joshua to the ELDERS, which succeeded him THEY to the Prophets, and the PROPHETS to each other, till it came to JEREMIAH, who delivered it to BARUCH his scribe, who repeated it to EZRA, who delivered it to the men of the great synagogue, the last of whom was SIMON the just. By Simon 4. Honour thy father and mother] This word was taken in the just it was delivered to ANTIGONUS of Socho; by him to great latitude of meaning among the Jews: it not only meau" Jose', the son of Jochanan; by him to Joss', the son of Joezer; respect and submission, but also to take care of a person, to by him to NATHAN the Arbelite, and Joshua the son of Pera-nourish and support him, to enrich. See Num. xxi. 17. chiah, and by them to JUDAH the son of Tabbai, and Simeon | Judg. xiii. 17. 1 Tim. v. 17. And that this was the sense of the the son of Shatab; and by them to SHEMAIAH and ABTALION; law, as it respected parents, see Deut. xxvii. 16. and see the and by them to HILLEL; and by Hillel to SIMEON his son, the note on Exod. xx. 12. same who tosk Christ in his arms when brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord: by SIMEON it was delivered to GAMALIEL his son, the preceptor of St. Paul, who delivered it to SIMEON his son, and he to Rab, JUDAH HAKHODESH, his son, who compiled and digested it into the book which is called the MISHNA; to explain which the two Talmuds, called the Jerusalem and Bebylonish Talmuds, were compiled, which are also called the demara or complement, because by these the oral law, or Mishneh, is fully explained.

The Jerusalem Talmud was completed about A. D. 300;

5. It is a gift) 27pkorban, Mark vii. 11. an offering of op prouch; something consecrated to the service of God in the temple, by which a man had the privilege of approaching his Maker. This conduct was similar to the custom of certain persons who bequeath the inheritance of their children to churches or religions uses; either through terror of conscience, thus striving to purchase the kingdom of glory; or through the persuasions of interested hireling priests. It was in this way that, in the days of popish influence, the principal lands in the nation had fallen into the hands of the church. In these

God's commandments

CHAPTER XV. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and hanonreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching, for doctrines, the commandments of men.

101d And he called the multitude, and said unto them,
Ilear and understand:

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but
that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou
that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Mark 7.6-b 1, 29, 13 Ezek. 33. 31.- 1sa. 29, 13. Col. 2. 19-22. Tit, 1. 14-
Mark 14-e Acts 19., 15. Rom. 14. 14, 17, 20. 1 Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15.-f John 15. 2.

[ocr errors]

carters, multitudes of which have passed through iny hands, a common form was pro salute mea, et pro salute antecessorum meorum, et pro salute successorum meorum, et pro sa Inte uxoris meæ, &c. &c. do, et concedo Deo et Ecclesiæ, &c. "For my salvation, and for the salvation of my predecessors, and for the salvation of my successors, and for the salvation of my wife, &c. &c. I give and bequeath to God and his church," &c.

Though a world of literature was destroyed, and fine buildings ruined, by the suppression of the monasteries in England, yet this step, with the Stat. 23 Hen. VIII. c. 10. together with the Stat. 9 Geo. II. c. 36. were the means of checking an evil that had arrived at a pitch of unparalleled magnitude; an evil that was supplanting the atonement made by the blood of the Covenant, and putting death-bed grants of land, &c. in the place of Jesus Christ, and throwing the whole secular power of the kingdom into the hands of the pope and the priests. No wonder then that they cried out when the monasteries were suppressed! It is sacrilege to dedicate that to God, which is taken away from the necessities of our parents and children; and the good that this pretends to, will doubtless be found in the catalogne of that unnatural man's crimes in the judgment of the great day, who has thus deprived his own family of its due. To assist our poor relatives, is our first duty; and this is a work infinitely preferable to all pious legacies and endowments. 7. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you] In every place where the proper names of the Old Testament occur, in the New the same mode of orthography should be followed: I therefore write Isaiah, with the Hebrew, not Esaias, with the Greek. This prophecy is found chap. xxix. 13. Our blessed Lord unmasks these hypocrites; and we may observe, that when a hypocrite is found out, he should be exposed to all; this may lead to his salvation; if he be permitted to retain his falsely acquired character, how can he escape perdition? & Their heart is far from me.] The true worship of God consists in the union of the heart to him-where this exists not, a particle of the spirit of devotion cannot be found.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth] This clause, which is taken from Isa. chap. xxix. 13. is omitted by several excellent MSS, and by several Versions and Fathers. Erasmus, Mill, Drusius, and Bengel, approve of the omission, and Griesbach has left it out of the text: but as I fnd it in the prophet, the place from which it is quoted, I dare not omit it, howsoever respectable the above authorities may appear.

9. In vain they do worship me, &c.] By the traditions of the Elders, not only the word of God was perverted, but his worship also was greatly corrupted. But the Jews were not the only people who have acted thus: whole Christian churches, as well as sects and parties, have acted in the same way. Men must not mould the worship of God according to their fancy-it is not what they think will do-is proper, innocent, &c. but what God himself has prescribed, that he will acknowledge as his worship. However sincere a man may be in a worship of his own invention, or, of man's commandment, yet it profits him nothing.-Christ himself says it is in rain: to condemn such, may appear to some illiberal; bat whatever may be said in behalf of sincere heathens, and others who have not had the advantages of Divine Revelation, there is no excuse for the man who has the BIBLE before him. 10. Hear, and understand] A most important commandHear-make it a point of conscience to attend to the ministry of the word. Understand-be not satisfied with attending places of public worship merely, see that the teaching be of God, and that you lay it to heart.

IL Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth] This is an answer to the carping question of the Pharisees, mentioned ver. 2. Why do thy disciples eat with unwashed hands? To which our Lord replies, That which goes into the mouth defiles not the men; 1. e. that if, in eating with unwashed bands, any particles of dust, &c. cleaving to the hands, might happen to be taken into the mouth with the food, this did not dele, did not constitute a man a sinner; for it is on this alone the question hinges thy disciples eat with unwashed hands, therefore they are sinners, for they transgress the tradition of the elders, i. e. the oral law, which they considered equal in authority to the written law; and indeed often preferred the former to the latter, so as to make it of none effect, totally to destroy its nature and design, as we have often seen in the preceding notes.

That which cometh out of the mouth] That is, what springs

annulled by Jewish traditions.

13 But he answered and said, f Every plant, which my hea
venly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And
15h Ten answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto
if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch,
us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, i Are ye also yet without understanding
17 Do not ye yet understand, that k whatsoever entereth in
at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the
draugi.t?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
forth from the heart; and they denle the man.
Isn. 9. 16. Mal 2 8 Ch. 23. 16. Luke 6, 30-h Mark 7. 17-1 Chap. 16. 9
9. Mark 7. 21.
Mark 7. 16-k 1 Cor. 6. 13.-1 James 3. 6-m Gen. 65. & 8.21. Prov. 6. 14. Jer. 17

from a corrupt unregenerate heart-a perverse will and in-
12. The Pharisees were offended] None so liable to take
pure passions-these defile, i. e. make him a sinner.
offence as formalists and hypocrites, when you attempt to
take away the false props from the one, and question the sin-
cerity of the other. Besides, a Pharisee must never be sus
die with them!
pected of ignorance, for they are the men, and wisdom must

13. Every plant] Every plantation. So I render purcia. and so it is translated in the Itala version which accompa nies the Greek text in the Coder Beza, omnis plantatio, and so the word is rendered by Suidas. This gives a different turn to the text. The Pharisees, as a religious body, were now a plantation of trees which God did not plant, water, nor own: therefore they should be rooted up, not left to wi ther and die, but the feliers, and those who root up, (the Roman armies) should come against and destroy them, and the Christian church was to be planted in their place. Since the general dispersion of the Jews, this sect, I believe, has ceased to exist as a separate body, among the descendants of Jacob. The first of the apostolical constitutions begins thus; cov φυτεία η καθολική εκκλησία, και αμπελών αυτού εκλεκτος. The Catholic church is the plantation of God, and his chosen vineyard.

[graphic]
[blocks in formation]

adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies :| 20 These are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

21

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the 1st sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

29d And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

a Mark 7. 24-b Chap. 10.5, 6. Acts 3. 25, 26. & 13.46. Rom. 15. 8.- Chap. 7.6. Phil. 3 2-4 Mark 7. 31-e Ch. 4, 18.

17. Cast out into the draught] Εις αφεδρωνα, by 8 on Fordgang arend. Anglo-Saxon, and beeth into the forth going a sent-what is not fit for nourishment is evacuated: is thrown into the sink. This I believe to be the meaning of this difficult and variously translated word, apopor. Diodati translates it properly, nella latring, into the privy. And the Persian translator has given a good paraphrase, and appears to have collected the general meaning of who go dül) wys her tehe der dehen ander ayeed, az nusheeb beeroon rood, we her zemeen aftad; "whatsoever enters into the mouth, goes downward, and falls upon the ground." Michaelis, and his annotator, Dr. Marsh, have been much perplexed with this perplexing passage.-See Michaelis's Introduction, vol. i. note 35. p. 158.

19. Out of the heart] In the heart of an unregenerate man, the principles and seeds of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be spoken or acted. Is there any hope that a man can abstain from outward sin, till his heart, that abominable fountain of corruption, be tho roughly cleansed? Itrow not.

Evil thoughts] Andoyropor movпpot, wicked dialoguesfor in all evil surmisings the heart holds a conversation, or dialogue, with itself For povo, murders, two MSS. have plovo, envyings, and three others have both. Envy and | murder are nearly allied; the former has often led to the latter.

Blasphemies] I have already observed, chap. ix. 3. that the verb Baronuɛ, when applied to men, signifles to speak | INJURIOUSLY of their persons, characters, &c. and when applied to God, it means to speak IMPIOUSLY of his nature, works, &c.

20. These defile a man] Our Lord's argument is very plain. What goes into the mouth, descends into the stomach and other intestines; part is retained for the nourishment of the body, and part is ejected, as being improper to afford nourishment. Nothing of this kind defiles the soul, because it does not enter into it; but the evil principles that are in it, producing evil thoughts, murders, &c. these defile the soul, because they have their seat and operation in it.

21. Departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.] Ets ra pepn, towards the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Rom.xv.8. the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God. Tyre and Sidon are usually joined to gether, principally, because they are but a few miles distant from each other.

22. A woman of Canaan] Matthew gives her this name, because of the people from whom she sprung-the descend. ants of Canaan, Judg. i. 31, 32; but Mark calls her a Syrophenician, because of the country where she dwelt. The Canaanites and Phoenicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Gen. xlvi. 10. with Exod. vi. 15. where the same person is called a Phænician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Exod. xvi. 35. Josh. v. 12.

The state of this woman is a proper emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul.

Have mercy on me, &c.] How proper is this prayer for a penitent! There are many excellencies contained in it: 1. It is short; 2. Humble; 3. Full of faith; 4. Fervent; 5. Modest; 6. Respectful; 7. Rational; 8. Relying only on the mercy of God; 9. Persevering. Can he who sees himself a slave of the devil, beg with too much earnestness to be delivered froin his thraldom?

Son of David] An essential character of the true Messiah. 23. He answered her not a word] Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of ezercising her faith, and manifesting her fervour.

men fed, &c.

30f And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have yel And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

gave

36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

33 And they that did eat, were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

f Isa. 3.5.6. Ch. 11. 5. Luke 7 22g Mark 8. 1.-h 2 Kings 4. 43.—i Chap. 14. 19k 1 Sain. 9. 13 Luke 19-1 Mark 9, 10,

Ая

There are certain preachers who should learn a lesson of inportant instruction from this part of our Lord's conduct. soon as they hear of a lost sheep being found by other ministers, they give all diligence to get that one into their fold; but display little earnestness in seeking in the wilderness for those that are lost. This conduct, perhaps, proceeds from a consciousness of their inability to perform the work of an evangelist; and leads them to sit down in the labours of others, rather than submit to the reproach of presiding over empty cha pels. Such persons should either dig or beg immediately, as they are a reproach to the pastoral office; for not being sent of God, they cannot profit the people.

The wilderness of this world is sufficiently wide and uncul tivated. Sinners abound every where; and there is ample room for all truly religious people, who have zeal for God, and love for their perishing fellow-creatures, to put forth all their strength, employ all their time, and exercise all their talents, in proclaiming the Gospel of God; not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to a lost WORLD. Nor can such exertions be unsuccessful; where the pure truth of God is preached, many will be converted. Where that truth is preached, though with a mixture of error, some will be converted, for God will bless his own truth. But where nothing but false doctrine is preached, no soul is converted: for God will never sanction error by a miracle of his mercy.

25. Lord, help me.] Let ine also share in the deliverance af forded to Israel.

26. The children's bread] The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed the children of the kingdom. And cast it to the Kovapinis, little dogs-to the curs; such the Gentiles were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common among his country. men. What terrible repulses! and yet she still perseveres ! 27. Truth, Lord] Nai, Kvpis, Yes, Lord. This appears to be not so much an assent, as a bold reply to our Lord's reason for apparently rejecting her suit. The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. I do not desire what is provided for these highly favoured children, only what they leave-a single exertion of thy Almighty Power in the healing of my afflicted daughter, is all that I wish for; and this the highly favoured Jews can well spare, without lessening the provision inade for themselves. Is not this the sense of this noble wo man's reply?

23. O roman, great is thy faith] The hinderances thrown in this woman's way, only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dikes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it. Her daughter was made whole] Persevering faith and prayer are next to omnipotent. No person can thus pray and believe, without receiving all his soul requires. This is one of the finest lessons in the Book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus! As sure as God is in heaven, so surely will he hear and answer thee to the eterna. salvation of thy soul! Be not discouraged at a little delay; when thou art properly prepared to receive the blessing, then thou shalt have it. Look up, thy salvation is at hand.-Jesus admires this faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same fruits and advantages from it. 29. Went up into a mountain] To opus, THE mountain. "Meaning," says Mr. Wakefield, "some particular mountain which he was accustomed to frequent; for whenever it is spoken of at a time when Jesus is in Galilee, it is always discriminated by the article. Compare chap. iv. 18. with chap. v. 1., and chap. xiii. 51. with chap. xiv. 23. and xxviii. 16.” 'I suppose it was mount Tabor.

30. Those that were-maimed] Kudlovs. Wetstein has fully proved, that those who had lost a hand, foot, &c. were terined 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep] By the Divine up-xvot by the Greeks. Kypke has shown from Hippocrates, pointment, I ain come to preach the Gospel to the Jews only. that the word was also used to signify those who had distorted

[ocr errors]

The Pharisees and Sadducees

CHAPTER XVI.

require another sign.
Syriac has Magdu. In Mark, Dalmanutha is read by many
MSS. Melagada, Madegada, Magada, Magidan, and Ma
Magdala, variously pronounced, seems to have
gedam.
been the place or country; Dalmanutha, the chief town or
capital.
fn this chapter a number of interesting and instructive par
ticulars are contained.

or dislocated legs, knees, hands, &c. Mr. Wakefield is fully
of opinion, that it means here those who had lost a limb, and
brings an incontestable proof from Matt. xviii. 8. Mark ix. 43.
If thy hand cause thee to offend, CUT IT OFF: it is better for
thee to enter into life (vAAov) WITHOUT A LIMB, than having
Cy Two hands, to go away into hell." What an astonishing
manifestation of omnific and creative energy, must the re-pro-
1. We see the extreme superstition, envy, and incurable ill-
duction of a hand, foot, &c. be, at the trord or touch of Jesus!
As this was a mere act of creative power, like that of multi-nature of the Jews. While totally lost to a proper sense of the
piring the bread: those who allow that the above is the mean-spirituality of God's law, they are ceremonious in the extreme.
g of the word, will hardly attempt to doubt the proper divi- They will not eat without washing their hands, because this
ty of Christ. Creation, in any sense of the word, i. e. caus- would be a transgression of one of the traditions of their elders;
ing something to exist that had no existence before, can belong but they can harbour the worst tempers and passions, and thus
ly to God; because it is an effect of an unlimited power; to break the law of God! The word of man weighs more with
say that such power could be delegated to a person, is to say, them than the testimony of Jehovah, and yet they pretend
that the person to whom it is delegated, becomes, for the time the highest respect for their God and sacred things, and will
being the omnipotent God; and that God, who has thus clothed let their parents perish for lack of the necessaries of life, that
ature with his Omnipotence, ceases to be Omnipotent they may have goods to vow to the service of the sanctuary!
trself: for there cannot be too Omnipotents, nor can the Pride and envy blind the hearts of men, and cause them often
He who takes the book of God for the rule of his faith and
preme being delegate his Omnipotence to another, and have to act not only the most wicked, but the most ridiculous parts.
at the same time. I confess, then, that this is to me an un-
swerable argument for the Divinity of our blessed Lord. practice, can never go astray: but to the mazes and perplexi.
ties produced by the traditions of elders, human creeds, and
Others may doubt: I can't help believing.
31. The multitude wondered] And well they might, when confessions of faith, there is no end. These evils existed in
They had such proofs of the miraculous power and love of the Christian as well as in the Jewish church; but the
God before their eyes,-Blessed be God; the same miracles Reformation, thank God! has liberated us from this endless
are continued in their spiritual reference. All the disorders system of uncertainty and absurdity, and the Sun of right-
cousness shines now unclouded! The plantation, which
the soul are still cured by the power of Jesus.
32. I have compassion, &c.] See a similar transaction ex- God did not plant, in the course of his judgments, he has
now swept nearly away from the face of the earth. Babylon
plained, chap. xiv. 14-22.
is fallen

33. Whence should we have so much bread in the wilder ness, &c.] Human foresight, even in the followers of Christ, is very short. In a thousand instances, if we supply not its deficiency by faith, we shall be always embarrassed, and often serable. This world is a desert, where nothing can be found to satisfy the soul of man, but the salvation which Christ has procured.

31. They did all eat, and were filled] Exoprao@nav-they were satisfied. The husks of worldly pleasures may fill the raan, but cannot satisfy the soul. A man may eat, and not be sat afled; it is the interest, therefore, of every follower of Christ, to follow Him till he be fed, and to feed on Him till he be satisfied.

38. Four thousand] Let the poor learn from these miracles to trust in God for support. Whatever his ordinary Providence denies, his miraculous power will supply.

39. He sent away the multitude] But not before he had instructed their souls, and fed and healed their bodies.

2. We wonder at the dulness of the disciples, when we find that they did not fully understand our Lord's meaning, in the very obvious parable about the blind leading the blind. But should we not be equally struck with their prying inquisitive temper? They did not understand, but they could not rest till they did. They knew that their Lord could say nothing that had not the most important meaning in it: this meaning in the preceding parable, they had not apprehended, and therefore they wish to have it further explained by himself. Do we imitate their docility and eagerness to comprehend the truth of God? Christ presses every occurrence into a means of instruction.-The dulness of the disciples in the present case, has been the means of affording us the fullest ínstruction on a point of the utmost importance-the state of a sinful heart, and how the thoughts and passions conceived in it, defile and pollnte it; and how necessary it is to have the fountain purified, that it may cease to send forth those streams 3. The case of the Canaanitish woman is in itself a thouof death. Her faith-her prayers-her perseverancesand sermons. her success-the honour she received from her Lord, &c. &c. How instructively, how powerfully do these speak and plead! What a profusion of light does this single case throw upon and patience of his followers! They that seek shall find, is the great lesson inculcated in this short history; God is ever the same. Reader, follow on after God-cry, pray, plead-all in Him is for thee!-Thou canst not perish, if thou continuest to believe and pray. The Lord will help THEE.

The coasts of Magdala.] In the parallel place, Mark viii. 10. this place is called Dulmanuthu. Either Magdala was formed by a transposition of letters from Dalman, to which The Syriac termination atha had been added, or the one of these names refers to the country, and the other to a town in that neighbourhood. Jesus went into the country, and proceeded till he came to the chief town or village in that district. Whit-the manner in which Christ sometimes exercises the faith by says, "Magdala was a city and territory beyond Jordan, on the banks of Gadara. It reached to the bridge above Jordan, which joined it to the other side of Galilee, and contained within its precincts Dalmanutha." The MSS. and VV. read the name variously-Magada, Mageda, Magdala; and the

CHAPTER XVI.

The Pharisees insidiously require our Lord to give them a sign, 1. They are severely rebuked for their hypocrisy and wickedness, 2-5. The disciples are cautioned to be care of them and their destructive doctrine, 6-12. The different opinion formed by the people of Christ, 13, 14. Peter's confession, and our Lord's discourse on it, 15-20. He foretells his sufferings, and reproces Peter, 21-23. Teaches the necessity of self-denial, and shows the reasons on which it is founded, 24-26. Speaks of a future judgment, 27. And promises the speedy opening of the glory of his own kingdom pon earth, 28. [A. M. 4032. A. D. 28. An. Olymp. CCI. 4.1

HE Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempt. ing, desired him that he would show them ba sign from heaven.

Ch. 1938. Mark 8 11. Luke 11. 16 & 12. 51-56. 1 Cor. 1. 22.

NOTES-Verse 1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees] Though a short account of these has been already given in Lur note on ch. iii. 7. yet as one more detailed may be judged cessary, I think it proper to introduce it in this place. The PHARISEES were the most considerable sect among the Is, for they had not only the scribes and all the learned en of the law of their party, but they also drew after them bulk of the people. When this sect arose is uncertain. Jephus, Antiq. B. V. ch. xiii. s. 9. speaks of them as existing at 144 years before the Christian era. They had their ap: pellation of Pharisees, from parash, to separate, and were probably in their rise, the most holy people among the Jews, having separated themselves from the national corrup: ton, with a design to restore and practise the pure worship of tae Most High. That they were greatly degenerated in our Lord's time, is sufficiently evident; but still we may learn from their external purity and exactness, that their principles in the beginning were holy. Our Lord testifies that they had cleansed the outside of the cup and platter, but within they were full of abomination. They still kept up the outward regulations of the institution, but they had utterly lost its spirit: and hypocrisy was the only substitute now in their 8*

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day : for the b John 6.30. Ch. 12. 38. John 4. 48-e Luke 12. 54, 55.

power, for that spirit of piety, which I suppose, and not unreasonably, characterized the origin of this sect.

As to their religious opinions, they still continued to credit the Being of a God, they received the five books of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the hagiographa. The ho gio grapha, or holy writings, from aytos, holy, and ado, Iurite, included the twelve following books,-Psalins, Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. These, among the Jews, occupied a middle place, between the Law and the Prophets, as divinely inspired. The Pharisees believed, in a co afused way, in the resurrection, though they received the Pythago rean doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls. Those, however, who were notoriously wicke d, they consigned, on their death, immediately to hell, with out the benefit of transmigration, or the hope of future redemption. They held also the predestinarian doctrine of neces sity, and the government of the world by fate; and yet, incor sistently allowed some degree of liberty to the human will. Prideaux.

See

The SADDUCEES had their origin and name from one Sador, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, president of the anhedrin

77

« PreviousContinue »