liiiiiijiiiiiii^ .mm m iiiiiilii*, "''*iiiiiiiin!!ii! m mm r) c, I K>\JL LIBKA^R Y OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case Division .'i^-V, .~.^i^^ f^'o, V, 2. SheJf, Booh, «-A%aAM t 2 v'*^- ii««o. AN EXPOSITION OF THE FOUR GOSPELS. VOL. II. ^»' AN EXPOSITION THE FOUR GOSPELS, OF WHICH THOSK BY ST. MARK, ST. LUKE, AND ST. JOHN, HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN PUBLISHED. BY ^ THE REV. THOMAS ADAM, B.A. HECTOR OP WINTRINGHAM ; AUTHOR OF "private THOUGHTS ON RELIGION," &:C. EDITED BY THE REV. A. WESTOBY, M.A. CURATE OF STAGSDEN, BEDS, AND CHAPLAIN TO THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF GLASGOW. WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, BY THE EDITOR. ' hiroQaviiiv «ti KaXurai. — Heh. xi. 4. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON : J. HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY 1837. LONDON: IBOTSON AND PAI.JIER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. EXPOSITION, &c. ST. MARK. SECTION I. Chap. i. ver. 1 — 8. THE OFFICE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. ] . The beginning of the gospel In Judea, seventeen, or eighteen hundred years ago ; and at all times, and in all places to the end of the world. To every one of us now, when we are laid low enough in our own eyes to seek after Jesus Christ, know our own want of him, and that we must be undone without him. Let us ask ourselves what progress we have made in the knowledge, love, and power of it ? " Of the gospel," viz. : — peace with God, forgiveness of sins, release from condemnation, acceptance to a state of sonship, and inheritance by Jesus Christ. What says the heart to all this ? 1. Of .Jesus Christ, Let us not separate Jesus from Christ. He is Jesus^ a Saviour, as the name imports ; but then he is only so to those who receive him as the Christ, the Anointed of God, to be tlieir king, priest, and propliet. 1. The Son of God; VOL. 11. - ^ 2 ST. MARK. [chap. I. Himself God, as the Son of man is a man ; perfectly acquainted witii the will of God, sent from him to declare it, and able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. — Lord, help the writer to speak concerning this blessed gospel of glad tidings, and you to receive it in love I Alas ! what are we when we stand off from it in un- belief; think coldly of it, prefer our own lost state in the world to it, or do not receive it into our hearts ! 2. As it is written in the prophets. Behold, I send my messen- ger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The messenger and preacher of repentance. The way to Christ is through the doctrine of John the Baptist. 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Aloud to every man in the wilderness of sin, and the world. 3. Prepare }'e the way of the Lord, All the impediments to his coming, and presence in your souls, must be removed. — Do thou, O Lord, enable us to discover and remove them. 3. Make his paths straight. The ways of all flesh are crooked before his com- ing. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the bajitism of repentance for the remission of sins. Viz. — By Christ, for whom John prepared the way by his baptism of repentance. Repentance therefore is the way, and only the way, to Christ ; as there is no coming to him without it, so it has no efficacy of itself for the remis- sion of sins, without bringing us to Christ. How plain is this! Without repentance there is no remission. When did we see our sin, so as to be pricked in our hearts for it ? When did we repent ? When did we come to Christ for remission .'' 5. And there went out unto him all the land of .fiidcea, and they VER. 1 — 8.] ST. MARK. 3 of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. It is to be feared they did these things more in hypocrisy than from the heart. Outward baptism, and the confession of the lips, are easy things, but tlic truth of repentance, and inward cleansing, are painful work. 6. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins ; and he did eat locusts and wild honey ; His habit and manner of living were suitable to his preaching. 7. And preached, saying. There cometli one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. Without whom John's baptism, preaching, and exhorta- tions, would be of no effect ; repentance not being available to pardon, but through him. He works, that which both he and I preach, viz. repentance ; and also faith, and new- ness of life, by baptizing with the Spirit. Let him come in his might to us, let us expect it, pray for it, and assure ourselves that nothing less than the grace and power of his Godhead can be our remedy. 8. I indeed have baptized you with water : but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. The meaning is, he must, it is his prerogative, the pecu- liar glory of his dispensation, and our great happiness under him. If we stop short of this baptism, we lose all faith, love, and obedience, and do not know him in the very thing which makes him greater than John the Baptist, or all that went before him. B 2 4 ST, MARK. [chap. [. SECTION II. Chap. i. ver. 9 — 15. THE BAPTISM, TEMPTi^TION, AND I'REACHIXG OF CHRIST. 9. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. Jesus needed not baptism unto repentance for himself ; but being in the place of sinners, to show what was neces- sary to them. 10. And straightway coming np out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him : The same happens to all who are rightly baptized, though they do not see it. But our infant baptism will be lost, if we do not take it upon ourselves, and answer the end of it in ourselves.* 11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou a^t my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And for his sake, with all who are in him by faith. 12. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilder- ness. He drove him into the wilderness that he might undergo all trials, to perfect his obedience as our pattern. This was a state of great humiliation Let the children of God look for trials. Christ was their pattern herein. Let them not fear ; for they too have angels ministering to them. 13. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tem])ted of Satan ; * A pen is run over this sentence, and the words, " Never to depart till they force him from them," inserted after baptised : the ink is not the same, I think the hand is. — Ed. VER. 9 — 15.] ST. MARK. 5 As sure as ever we enter into Christ's process, we have the same enemy to encounter with. 13. And was wiih the wild beasts; This was a state of great humiliation for the Son of God. His servants in the lowest condition of poverty, distress, and desertion, may derive support and comfort from hence. 13. And the angels ministered unto him. At the end of the temptation, and when he had passed happily through it. If thou art an heir of salvation, bravely enduring thy trials, they likewise minister to thee, in God's time ; and thou wilt one day know what service thou hast received from them. 14. Now after that John was put in prison, As John was to be the forerunner of Christ, and is so prophesied of, his ministry must of necessity end, before that of Christ began. 14. Jesus came into Galilee, This too was according to prophecy ; and if Christ had not confined his ministry and teaching to Galilee, he would have wanted one mark or proof of his being the Messiah. 14. Prcacliing the gospel of the kingdom of God, In which God receives us to grace and favour by the remission of sins, rules over us by .lesus Clirist, and pre- pares us by the Spirit for his everlasting kingdom of glory. Do you understand this, and is it glad tidings, and sweet preaching to you, in your undone state ? Have you entered or are you willing to enter into the kingdom of God for this end '^ Do you know, and believe that it must be set up in your souls, and come to you with power and blessings now, whilst you live, and that if you die out of it you perish eternally ? Tiiink of these things before you again go to slcej) ; and beseech God to awaken vou to a sense of 6 ST. MARK. [chap. I. your condition, in the want of the gospel, and the great mercy of deliverance, therein offered you. 1 5. And saying, The time is fulfilled. That of life with you, if it pleases God. Be no longer hardened and unbelieving. Think what it is to die before this time comes. 15. And the kingdom of God is at hand : To you, if you will hear your call, and see your day. God's kingdom of grace, as preparatory to his kingdom of glory. And no one comes to the latter, but by the former. 1 5. Repent ye, and believe the gospel. Repent first, and then believe. We are saved by faith ; but repentance must pave the way for it ; and faith, when we have it, carries on and perfects our repentance. SECTION III. Chap. i. ver. 16— '28. CHRIST CALLETH PETEK, ANDREW, JAMES, ANB JOHN, AND HEALETH ONE THAT HAD A DEVIL. 16. Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simoji and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea : for they were fishers. 17. And Jesus said unto them. Come ye after me. To be employed under him for the good of their fellow creatures, laying themselves out wholly upon the office of saving souls after his example, and receiving his instruc- tions for that purpose. Has he any other method of call- ing and qualifying his ministers ? No, his rule is always VER. 16 — 28.] ST. MARK. 7 the same ; renounce all other pursuits, know your business in the world, study your pattern, behold, Jesus saith, " Come ye after me !" 17. And I will make you to become fishers of men. At all times, and in all places ; to catch you in the net of the gospel, if you will hear Christ speaking by them. 18. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. His call was accompanied with a divine power: and no doubt this first miraculous touch of it upon their hearts would be remembered by tliem ever after, and be a means of keeping them steady to him. We too are called to follow him, though not as Apostles, and to forsake all as they did, yet to receive salvation from him, and to know Avhat we must do for liim. Take notice that Simon and Andrew, James and John, did not desire a moment's delay ; if they had, ])erhaps he would never liave called them more. Think then whether you are following Christ, and what is your condition at this time. 19. And when he liad gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedce, and John his hiullirr, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20. And straightway he called them : and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 21. And they went into Capernaum ; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue^ and taught. How hard would have been our condition, if nothinsr of wiiat he taught had been left upon record ! And yet how many who call themselves his disciples, live and die in great ignorance of it ! 22. And they were astonished at his doctrine : for he taught lluni as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. It seems as if this was chiefly to be understood of some- thing extraordinary in his appearance, and niamier of 8 ST. MARK. [chap. 1. speijking: for Capernaum still continued a hardened place, and though his doctrine caused astonishment, we do not read that it was effectual to the conversion of many of his hearers. Let the teaching of Christ be authoritative to our iiearts, and we shall experience the power of his doctrine in our conversion. 23. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit : and he cried out, 24. Saying, Let us alone ; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. He asks our Lord, saying. Art thou come to put an end to our power over mankind, or to punish us out of hand ? 2-5. And Jesus rebuked him, saying. Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. It is no great matter what we suffer in our healing by Christ, if we are but healed. 27. And they were all amazed. Wonder at Jesus and all his miracles, is not conver- sion. 27. Insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this ? what new doctrine is this ? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. It is a happy thing when we can say this from our own knowledge and experience of the power of Christ in our- selves. Let us look to him for nothing less ; otherwise all scripture will be lost upon us. 28. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. The fame of Jesus, and his miracles, is the ground of our faith in him, and the gospels were written to spread and establish it. VER. 29—45.] ST. MARK. 9 SECTION IV. Chap. i. ver. 29—45. CHRIST HKALETH MANY OF DISEASES, AND CLEANSETH A LEPER. 29. And forlhwilh, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and Jolm. 30. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31. And he came and took her hy the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. The cure which Jesus wrought on Peter's mother- in-law, was miraculous in some of its circumstances; it was instant, and complete, and attended with immediate ability in the patient to minister to Christ, and to his dis- ciples. In these particulars it serves to shadow out the healing of the soul from the guilt of sin : Christ speaks pardon, he heals the soul, and imparts strength to serve him in newness of life.* 32. And at even, when the sun did set, they hrought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. They would not stay till the next day, for the cure of their bodies. We are in no such haste for our souLs. 33. And all the city was gathered together at the door. Happy are those who are drawn to tlie doors of God's house, by the report of his mercy in Christ Jesus to sinners.f • The M.S. is here defective, and the Editor has supplied a note, t Idem. 10 ST. MARK. [chap. I. 34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils ; and suffered not tlie devils to speak, because they knew him. The devils owning him could be no credit to him, nor advantage to the truth, and therefore he would not suffer it. 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Was he so concerned for a blessing on his work, and so dihgent in the use of the best means, and have we not one prayer for our souls ? Hear especially, O minister ! 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37. And when they had found him, they said unto him. All men seek for thee. Nevertheless, he left them . they had as much of his time as he could spare, and might have made a saving use of his presence. He is always present with us, by his word and Spirit, until we provoke him to leave us. O that it could be said of us, all seek for thee ! 38. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also : for therefore came I forth. 39. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. The labours of Christ were incessant : his miracles were intended to conciliate regard to his doctrines ; by these he olorified God his Father, and removed his wrath from those who repented and believed in him, and by those jhe demonstrated his good-will to men. — Ed. 40. And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneel- ing down to him, and saying unlo him. If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. We have all a worse leprosy cleaving to us, and are de- fded and spotted all over with sin, till we receive our cure from Christ. This we shall do whenever we come to VEU. 29 — 45.] ST. MARK. 11 Christ, with tliis saying in our mouths, and with earnest de- sire to be healed by him. 41. And .Jesus, moved with compassion, put fonli liis hand, and touched him, and saitli unlo him, I will ; be thou clean. 42. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy de- l^arted from him, and he was cleansed. Perhaps in no miracle of healing did Christ more clearly point out his will and power to remove the guilt and pollu- tion of sin from those who should come to him by faith, for the healing of their souls. Let us go to him with this prayer, and we shall not be sent empty away. — Ed. 43. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away ; 44. And saith unto him. See thou say nothing to any man : This was to avoid ostentation, and to set us a pat- tern of humility ; as well as for the reason mentioned in verse 45. Not that we are forbidden to speak of Christ at all times, to one another as we are able. 44. But go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them- Tiie cleansed man would thus yield obedience to a divine ordinance ; and he would exhibit a mark of the finger of God in his cure : the leprosy being supposed in- curable by human means. 45. But he wen«; out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places : and they came to him from every quarter. We see here that the most serious inconvenience may arise to the usefulness of the ministers of the gospel of Christ, from the indiscreet zeal of those who have re- ceived mercy, through their means. — Ed. 12 ST. xMAIlK. [chap. II. SECTION V. Chap. ii. ver. 1 — 12, CHRIST HEALS THK SICK OF THE PALSY. 1. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days ; and it was noised that he was in the house. Is he not here now, in this house, by his word, and Spirit? O that we were with him in will and desire for his blessings ! 2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door : and he preached the word unto them. Whatever they came to him for he knew his own busi- ness, and what they wanted. " Herein he is an example to all ministers to the end of time." — Ed. 3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. But who can bring us to iiim ? Christ himself, in the preaching of his gospel, and by his Spirit within us. But then while he is willing, bring thyself to him, O sinful, and diseased man, who art sick of a deadly distemper. Thou canst not please him better. 4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was : and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. Sense and feeling of sin will put us upon trying every method to come at Jesus. And come at him we shall, if we are in earnest. 5. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy. Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Jesus saw the faith of those who brought the man, and also the faith of the person himself for his bodily cure. Vlill. 1—12.] ST. MARK. 13 But he here reveals himself to them, and to all, in his better capacity of physician to the soul, and in such a manner as to show what he chiefly aimed at in his mira- culous cures, namely, the spiritual recovery of man- kind. The paralytic had faith in Christ's power, and therefore the Saviour graciously extended it to the i-elief of all his wants; and when he healed him of one distemper, would not leave him under a worse. " Son, thy sins are forgiven thee," are sweet words to a fainting soul, and here spoken, once for all, to every believer. When a sense of sin presses hard upon thee, and thou art looking out every way for belp, be not so inuch thy own enemy as to think ihey are not spoken to thee : thou mayest be taught by some to wait for a personal call, grant, or inward testimony, particularly assuring thee of it. But remember " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God;" Rom. x. 17; and it may never come to thee, if thou wilt receive it upon no other evidence than that of thy own feeling. 6. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and rea- soning in their hearts, 7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? who can for- give sins but God only ? 8. And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves. This Jesus could not have done, if he had not been God as well as man. And observe from hence how clearly the hearts of all men lie open to him. 8. He said unto them. Why reason ye these things in your hearts ? 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sick of tlie jmlsv. Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk ? Both were alike im])ossible to men, and both alike easy to Christ. Note from hence, that sin is more at the bottom of all our sicknesses than we tliink of. We cannot be mistaken in scarchinff for it as the cause of them. 14 ST. MARK. [chap. II. 10. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins. This miracle was wrought and recorded, that ye might know and believe this. And take especial notice that your sin must be forgiven you upon earth. As the tree falls, so it lies. When did you think of this ? When did your sins give you any concern ? When did you ever come with them to Christ for pardon ? 10. (He saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11. I say unto thee. Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and v\'ent forth before them all ; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. We now hear this that we may so wonder at Christ, in the power of his miracles, as to glorify God for our own conversion by him. In reading the Scripture, do not let one story, or one miracle pass, without some application to yourselves. For instance, in the case of the paralytic ; had he lost the use of his limbs.'* and am not I in a worse condition, and stand as much in need of healing ? Yes, I am helpless and weak in my soul, my heart is insensible to God, my will is mo- tionless, my affections are dead to heavenly things, till Christ restores them. Have I sins to be forgiven .? Yes, more than the hairs of my head. Will they be forgiven .? Yes, Christ wrought this, and all his miracles, that we might believe in him as the Saviour of sinners. Will he heal me, if I do not see, and confess my sin, and come to him for that purpose.? No, I must desire it of him, with the same earnestness and concern, as if I wanted healing in my body, and knew that he would, and that he alone could, cure me. VEIL 13—22.] ST. MARK. 15 SECTION VI. Chap. ii. ver. 13—22. LEVI IS CALLED, AND (JIVETII A FEAST : WHY CHRISt's DISCIPLES DO NOT FAST. 13. And he went forth again hy the sea side ; and all the mul- titude resorted unto him, and he taught them. Your coming hither to hear his word, is resorting to him. If it is in sincerity, for a blessing. He is wherever his word is, and will make you know the power of his teach- ing. 14. And as he passed hy, he saw Levi the son of Alphajus sit- ting at the receipt of custom. This was Matthew himself, attending upon the profit- able trade of a publican, farmer, or collector of the public taxes. 14. And said unto him. Follow me. And he arose and followed him. Be astonished here. This was a greater miracle than the former. Matthew, who was such a worldling as to prefer gain to credit, (for the employment in which he was engaged was hateful among the Jews, more especially in a Jew,) at the call of Christ, had a new heart given him, and was changed into another man. Nevertheless, the same miracle must be wrought in every one of us. Neither do we want our call, yea many calls, but alas ! the world, and for the most part, a little of it, — a bare livelihood in it, effectually stops our ears, and hardens our hearts against it. 15. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his discijjles : for there were many, and they followed him. Sometimes the more open and notorious sinners come to true repentance, faith in Christ, obedience to the gospel. JG ST- MARK. [chap, JI. and to a godly, righteous, and sober life, when the out- wardly decent, in the pride of their hearts, turn from Christ and his pardoned disciples, with disdain. Beware, lest you dash against this rock, and so make shipwreck of your salvation. — Ed. 16. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat wilhpubh- cans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners ? If he was not thus condescending to sinners, what would become of us all ? Shut him not out of your hearts your- selves, and the foulness of them will not. No way tc do it so effectually as thinking them clean, as tiie Pharisees did. To the question they put, he in effect returns answer, be- cause he came into the world to save sinners, and his busi- ness was, and always is, with sinners. He disdains none as being sinners, if they are not so righteous in their own eyes as to despise him, and reject his help. 17. When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician. Who is there amongst us so whole ? Or who is so srreat a sinner, as that Christ cannot make him whole ? that is, by cleansing him from the guilt of sin, and turning his will against it. No power however, even in God, can make an unrelenting sinner whole, so as to save him from punish- ment. 17. But they that are sick : I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The self-righteous, as such, cannot hear this call ; and therefore it is the same thing to them, as if they had it not. If you are ever so great a sinner, you have it in these words, and you may hear it : but then mark, it is to repentance. Never think of coming to Clirist without a sense of sin, and a purpose to forsake it. Suppose any of you should hear him saying, I came not to call thee, would it strike cold to your hearts ? You do hoar it now from his own VEIL 9— 22. J ST. MARK. 17 mouth, if you will not repent. And oh ! what mercy, what love, that he should come himself from heaven to teach, and require it ; and to make it effectual to our salva- tion ! 18. And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the discijdes ut" John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disci})les fast not P Probably they laid a great stress upon it, and made it a considerable part of their religion, in the room of better things. 19. And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride- chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them ? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. Fasting is good ; and verily there is a time for it. Christ says, When the bridegroom is taken from us. In the time of sickness and calamities ; and especially when sin takes hold of us, we shall not make so light of this way of humbling ourselves before God, as we are wont to do. 21. No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old gar- ment ; else the new piece that filled it up, taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. A piece of new, stiff cloth, if put on a garment old and thin, would tear itself out, and so the rent would be made worse. 22. And no man ])utteth new wine into old bottles : else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred : but new wine must be put into new bottles. Bottles, made of skins, which being old and stiff,would be apt to burst with the fermenting liquor. Christ knows per- fectly how to condescend to our weakness, and here teaches us to suit our instructions to the condition and capacity of our hearers. But then he does not intend we should always continue weak. VOL. II. c 18 ST. MARK. [CIIAP. IT. SECTION VII. Chap. ii. vcr. 23—28. CHRIST TREATS OF THE SABBATH-DAY. 23. And it came to pass, tliat he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day ; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. The act of Christ's disciples was sanctioned by the divine law, and therefore could not be found fault with ; for so it is written, Deut. xxiii. 25, " When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand ; but thou shalt not move a sickle into thy neighbour's standing corn." — Ed. 24. And the Pharisees said unto him. Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful ? This was man"'s law, and one of those traditions which the Jews had invented to help them to a high conceit of themselves. 25. And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him ? 26. How he went into the house of God in the days of Abia- thar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not law- ful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him ? The whole relation is given in 1 Sam. xxi. 1 — 9. " Ahime- lech wa.fi high priest when David took the shew-bread ; but Abiathar his son, was cMe/priest under him, and probably superintended the tabernacle and its stated concerns."" — Scott.— Ed. 27. And he said unto them. The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath : For man's use and benefit, as a day of bodily rest, and of VER. '23—28.] ST. MARK. 10 spiritual labour ; but not intended to bind him up to any such strictness as would be hurtful to health or life. 28. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbatli. Certainly Christ had as good a right as David, or any other man, to dispense with it in cases of necessity. And farther, as God, who first appointed it, he had power to make what alteration he pleased concerning it.* The Pharisees charge the disciples with breach of the sabbath in a small matter, Christ reproves them for it ; and withal establishes this rule in the case, that the sabbath may give way to necessity. But then let the necessity be evident. Christ has not here laid in any excuse for need- less journeys, visiting, or sports, or any other way of idly or unprofitably spending the sabbath. We are not apt to overdo in point of strictness ; but need more to be cau- tioned against breai