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 NOTES, 
 
 EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, 
 ON f: 
 
 THE GOSPELS: 
 
 DESIGNED FOR 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND 
 BIBLE CLASSES. 
 
 BY ALBERT BARNES. 
 
 IN TWO V O L U M E S. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 25th edilioii — each edition contains 2000. 
 
 REVISED AND CORRECTED, 
 
 WITH AN INDEX, CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE, 
 TABLES OF WEIGHTS, &c. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 HARPER cfe BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 
 
 329& 331 PEARL STREET, 
 
 FRANKLIN SQUARE. 
 
 1858.
 
 "Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year one thousand 
 eight hundred and forty, by 
 
 ALBERT BARNES, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and 
 for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
 
 PREFACE. f^^^':P' 
 
 In the preparation of the following Notes, free use has been made 
 of all the helps within the reach of the author. The works from 
 which most assistance has been derived are, Walton's Polyglott; 
 the Critici Sacri, particularly the notes of Grotius ; LightfootV: 
 Works ; Macknight and Newcome's Harmony of the Gospels ; 
 Jahn's Archceoiogv ; Home's Introduction ; Doddridge's Family Ex- 
 positor; Calmet's Dictionary; Campbell on the Gospels; the Com 
 mentaries of Kuinoel, RosenmuIIer, Clarke, and Henry ; Tittman's 
 Meletemata Sacra on John ; the Sacred Geography of Wells, ana 
 that prepared for the American Sunday-School Union, by Messrs. 
 J. & J. W. Alexander. The object has been to express, in as few 
 words as possible, the real meaning of the gospels — the results of 
 their critical study, rather than the process by which these results 
 were reached. 
 
 This work is designed to occupy a place, which is supposed to be 
 unappropriated, in attempts to explain the New Testament. It was 
 my wish to present to Sunday-school teachers a plain and simple 
 explanation of the more common difficulties of the book which it is 
 their province to teach. This wish has given character to the work. 
 If it should occur to any one that more minute explanations of 
 words, phrases, and customs, have been attempted than might seem 
 to them desirable, it will be recollected that many Sunday-school 
 teachers have little access to means of information, and that nn small 
 part of their success is dependent on the minuteness and correctness 
 of the explanation which is given to children. 
 
 This work is designed also to be a Harmony of the Gospels. 
 Particuler attention has been bestowed, especially in the Notes on 
 Matthew, to bring the different narratives of the evangelists together, 
 and to show that, in their narration of the same events, ther?" is no 
 real contradiction. It will be recollected that the sacred narrative 
 of an event is what it is reported to be by all the evangelists. It 
 will also be recollected that the most plausible objections to the New 
 Testament have been dravvn from the apparent contradictions in the 
 gospels. The importance of meeting these difficulties, in the educa- 
 tion of the young, and of showing that these objections are not well 
 founded, will be apparent to all. 
 
 1F.1H2C0
 
 Particii ar attention has been paid to the references to parallel 
 passages of sc;ipture. In all instances, in these Notes, they are 
 an essential part of the explanation of the text. The authority of 
 the Bible has been deemed the only authority that was necessary in 
 such cases ; and it is hoped that no one will condemn any explana- 
 tion offered, without a candid examination of the real meaning of the 
 passages referred to. 
 
 The main design of these Notes will be accomplished, if they fur- 
 nish a just explanation of the text. Practical remarks could not 
 have been more full without materially increasing the size of the 
 book, and, as was supposed, without essentially limiting its circu- 
 lation and its usefulness. All that has been attempted, therefore, 
 in this part of the work, has been to furnish leading thoughts, 
 or heads of practical remark, to be enlarged on at the discretion of 
 the teacher. 
 
 These Notes have been prepared amidst the pressmg and anxious 
 cares of a responsible pastoral charge. Of their imperfections no 
 one can be more sensible than the author. Of the time and patience 
 Indispensable in preparing even such brief Notes on the FJible, under 
 the conviction that the opinions expressed 7nay form the sentiments 
 of .the young on the subject of the Book of God, and determine their 
 eternal destiny, no one can be sensible who has not made the experi- 
 ment. The great truth is becoming more and more impressed on 
 the minds of this generation, that the Bible is the only authoritative 
 source of religious belief; and if there is any institution pre-eminently 
 calculated to deepen this impression, and fix it permanently in the 
 minds of the coming age, it is the Sunday-school. Every minister 
 of the gospel, every parent, every Christian, must therefore feel it 
 important that jvst views of interpretation should be imbibed in 
 these schools. I have felt more deeply than I have any other senti- 
 ment, the importance of inculcating on the young, proper modes of 
 explaining the sacred scriptures. If I can be one of the instruments, 
 however humble, in extending such views through the community, 
 my wish in this work will be accomplished. I commit it, therefore, 
 to the blessing of the God of the Bible, with the prayer that it may 
 be one among many instruments of forming correct religious views 
 «nd promoting the practical love of God and man, among the youth 
 f this country. 
 
 ALBERT BARNES. 
 
 Friladclfhia, August 25th, 1832.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO 
 
 THE SEVENTEENTH EDITION. 
 
 The first edition of these Notes on the Gospels was published is3 
 the yoar 1832. Since that time sixteen editions, of two thousand 
 each, have been sold, making thirty-two thousand copies, or sixty- 
 four thousand volumes. I need not say that so extensive a sale hag 
 greatly surpassed any expectations which I had formed, and that the 
 favor of the public thus shown has laid me under the strongest obli- 
 gations of gratitude. It has demonstrated what I deeply felt when 
 the work was composed, that such a plain exposition of the Gospels 
 was needed by the public, and particularly that the cause of Sabbath- 
 school instruction required it. 
 
 The stereotype plates of the Gospels, by a neglect of careful usage, 
 and by the number of impressions taken, having become greatly 
 worn, and it being found necessary to re-cast them, I have taken 
 this opportunity to give to the work a careful revision. I have long 
 felt that this was necessary, and have been prevented from doing it 
 only by the difficulty of correcting a work which is stereotyped. 
 Many points and letters had become broken ofT; many words were 
 dimly printed; and many sentences had become obscure. I have 
 found, also, in revising it, that in many places there were redundant 
 words ; that some were obscure in their meaning ; that some had been 
 printed erroneously at first ; that in some instances there was need 
 of additional explanations ; and that there were some parts contra- 
 dicting others. These errors I have endeavored to correct. Some 
 places have been considerably enlarged. Numerous illustrations and 
 wood-cuts have been introduced ; and a valuable map of Jerusalem, 
 by Catherwood, has been added. As the work on the Gospels is 
 complete in itself, I have added at the close of the second volume 
 such tables as I supposed would be useful to the teachers in Sabbath- 
 schools. In particular, the chronological table, and the index, have 
 cost me much labour, and I trust will be found to be useful. In the 
 revision of the work, valuable assistance has been derived from the 
 Union Bible Dictionary of the American Sunday-School Union, which 
 has been freely used, and the benefit derived from which is hereby 
 gratefully acknowledged. 
 
 The essential character and form of the work have not been 
 changed. I could easily have jnade it larger, and could have fur- 
 1 * ^)
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 nished many additional illustrations; but 1 supposed that the Chris 
 tian public had expressed its approbation of the general form and 
 style of the work in such a manner as to make a materia! deviation 
 from either improper. In revising the work, I have made some 
 references to other parts of my writings on the New Testament, 
 whore a subject is more fully discussed. In a few places I have 
 also made a reference to my Notes on Isaiah. Some who may pos- 
 sess the Notes on the Gospels, may also possess that work. To 
 euch these references will be valuable, though not absolutely ncces- 
 s^ary to an understanding of these Notes on the Gospels. 
 
 It is not probable that I shall live to see the present set of plates 
 worn out, or to make another revision of these volumes necessary. 
 I dismiss them, therefore, finally, with deep feeling; feeling more 
 deep by far than when I first submitted them to the press. I can- 
 not be insensible to the fact that I have been, by my expositions of 
 the New Testament, doing something — and it may be much — to 
 mould the hearts and intellects of thousands of the rising generation 
 in regard to the great doctrines and duties of religion — thousands 
 who are to act their parts, and develop these principles, when I am 
 dead. Nor can I be insensible to the fact that in the form in which 
 these volumes now go forth to the public, I may continue, though 
 dead, to speak to the living; and that the work may be exerting an 
 mfluence on immortal minds when I am in the eternal world. 1 need 
 not say, that while I am sensitive to this consideration, I earnestly 
 desire it. There are no sentiments in these volumes which 1 wish 
 to alter; none that I do not believe to be truth that will abide the 
 investigations of the great day ; none of which I am ashamed. That 
 I may be in error, I know; that a better work than this might be 
 prepared by a more gii'ted mind and a better heart, I know. But 
 the truths here set forth are, I am persuaded, those which are des- 
 tined to abide, and to be the means of saving nuillions of souls, una 
 of ultimately converting this whole world to God, That thesn 
 volumes may have a part in this great work, is my earnest prayei 
 — and with many thanks to the public for their favors, and to Got^ 
 tlie Great Source of all blessings, 1 send them fi)rth again — con. 
 mending them to his care, and asking in a s[iecial manner the coi 
 iinued favor of Sabbath-school teachers and of the young. 
 
 ALBERT BARNES 
 
 Washington Square, 
 Philadelphia, Sept. 11, 1840
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The writings which are regarded by Christians as the sole staiidai^ 
 ol faith and practice, have been designated at various periods by differenS 
 names. They are frequently called The Scriptures, to denote that they 
 are the most important of all ivriiings ; — T/te Holy Scripttires. because 
 composed by persons divinely inspired, and containing sacred truth ; — and 
 The Canonical Scriptwes, The word canon means a rule, and it was 
 applied by the Christian fathers to the books of the Bible because they 
 were regarded as an aulhoritaiive rule of faith and practice ; and also tc 
 distinguish them from certain spurious or apocryphal books, which, 
 although some of them might be true as matter of history, or correct in 
 doctrine, were not regarded as a rule of faith, and were therefore consi- 
 dered as not canonical. 
 
 But the most common appellation given now to these writings is The 
 Bible. This is a Greek word signifying book. It is given to the scrip- 
 tures by way of eminence, to denote that this is the Book of books, as 
 being infinitely superior to every unassisted production of the human 
 mind. In the same way, the name Koran or reading is given to the writ- 
 ings of Mohammed, denoting that they are the chief writings to be read, 
 or eminently the reading. 
 
 The most common and general division of the Bible is into the OIg 
 and New Testaments. The word testament, with us, means a will,- an 
 instrument in writing, by which a person declares his will in relation to 
 his projierty after his death. This is not, however, its meaning when 
 applied to the scriptures. It is taken from the Greek translation of the 
 Hebrew word meaning covenant, compact, or agreement. The word is 
 applied to the covenant or compact which God made with the .Tews to be 
 their God, and thus primarily denotes the atrreement, the compact, the 
 promises, the institutions, of the old dispensation, and then the record of 
 that compact in the writings of Moses and the Prophets. The name 
 " Old Testament," or " Old Covenant," therefore, denotes the books con 
 taining the records of God's compact with his people, or his dispensa 
 tions under the Mosaic or Jewish state. The phrase New Covenant, ot 
 Testament, denotes the books which contain the record of his neiu cove- 
 nant or compact with his people under the Messiah, or since Christ came 
 We find mention made of the Book of the Covenant in Ex. xxiv. 7, and in 
 ilie New Testament the word is once used (2 Cor. iii. 14) with an un- 
 doubted reference to the sacred books of the Jews. By whom, or at what 
 time, these terms were first used to designate the two divisions of the 
 Sacred Scriptures, is not certainly known. There can be no doubt, how- 
 ever, of the great antiquity of the application. 
 
 The Jews divided the Old Testament into three parts, called The Law, 
 Tub Prophets, and The Hagiographa. or the h:ly writings. This divi- 
 
 (7)
 
 VIU INTRODUCTION. 
 
 sion is ncticed by our Saviour in Luke xxiv. 44,* "All things must bo 
 fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets, 
 and in the Psalms, concerning me." Josephus, the Jewish historian, also 
 makes mention of the same division. f " We have," says he, " only 
 twenty-two Sooks wiiich are to be believed to be of divine authority; of 
 which five are the books of Moses. From the death of Moses to the 
 reign of Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes, king of Persia, the prophets who 
 were the successors of Moses have written in thirteen books. The re- 
 maining four books contain hymns to God and documents of life for the 
 use of men." It is probable that ])Tecisely the same books were not 
 always included in the same division ; but there can be^no doubt that the 
 division itself was always retained. The division into twenty-two books 
 was made partly, no doubt, for the convenience of the memory. This 
 was the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The English Uible 
 contains thirty-nine instead of twenty-two books in the Old Testament. 
 The numbe-r which Josephus reckons may be accurately made out as fol- 
 lows : Tlie first division, comprehending the five books of Moses, or the 
 Law. The second, including, 1st, Joshua; 2d, Judges, with Ruth; 3d 
 Samuel; 4th, Kings; 5th, Lsaiah ; 6th, Jeremiah, witli Lamentations; 
 7th, Ezekie!; 8th, Daniel; 9th, the twelve minor prophets ; 10th, Job ; 
 ilth, Ezra, including Nehemiah ; 12th, Esther; 13th, Chronicles; these 
 thirteen books were called The Prophets. The four remaining will be 
 Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. In regard to 
 the second division, it is a fact well known, that the twelve smaller pro- 
 phets, from Hosea to Malachi, were for convenience uniformly united in 
 one volume; and that the small books of Ruth and Lamentations were 
 attached to the larger works mentioned, and Ezra and Nehemiah were 
 long reckoned as one book. 
 
 The arrangement of the books of the Bible has not always been tha 
 same. The order followed in the English Bible is taken from the Greek 
 translation called the Septuagint. Probably the best way to read the 
 Bible is to read the books as nearly as possible in the order in which 
 they were written. Thus Isaiah informs us (Isa. i. 1) that his prophe- 
 cies were delivered in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Heze- 
 kiah ; and to be correctly understood, should be read in connexion with 
 the record of those reigns in Kings and Chronicles. 
 
 The names of most of the books in the Bible are taken from the Greet 
 translation above mentioned. 
 
 The books of the Bible were anciently written without any breaks, oi 
 divisions into chapters and verses. For convenience, the Jews early 
 divided the Old Testament into greater and smaller sections. These 
 sections in the law and prophets were read in the worship of the syna- 
 gogues. The New Testament was also early divided in a similar man- 
 cicr. 
 
 The division into chapters and verses is of recent origin. It was firs! 
 adopted in the 13th century by Cardinal Hugo, who wrote a celebrated 
 commentary on the scriptures. He divided the Latin Vulgate, the ver- 
 sion used in the church of Rome, into chapters nearly the same as those 
 which now exist in our English translation. These chapters he divided 
 
 * See Note on that place. t Against Apion.
 
 INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 rnto smallpf spctinns hj placing ihe letters A, B, C, fcc, at equal dis- 
 tances frnni each other in the niHrsjin. 
 
 The divisiidi into verst^s was not made until a still later period. The 
 division of Cardinal Huiro into chapters hecanie knfivvn to Rahhi Nathan, 
 a distiiiouished Jew, who adopted it for the Hehrew Bihle, and phiced 
 the Hehrew letters, used also as numerals, in the marfjin. This waf 
 used hy Rahhi Nathan in puhlishinij a coneordance, and adopted b] 
 \thias in a printed edition of the Hehrew Bible in Uitil. 
 
 The verses into wiiich the New Testament is divided are still mor 
 modern, arid are an imitation of those used hy Rahhi Nathan in the Cil 
 teenth eentury. This division was invented and first used by Stephenr 
 in an edition of the New Testament printed in 1551. The division wa- 
 made as an amusement while he was on a journey from Lyons to Pari? 
 during the intervals in which he rested in travelling. It has been adopte** 
 in all the subsequent editions of liie Bible. 
 
 In reg-ard to this division into cha[)ters and verses, it is clear that thej 
 are of no authority, whatever. It has been doulUed whether the sacrec^ 
 writers used ant/ points or divisions of any kind. It is certain that thej 
 were wholly unacquainted with those now in use. It is further eviden* 
 that in all cases these divisions have not been judiciously made. The 
 sense is often interrupted by the close of a chapter, and still oftener by 
 the break in the verses. In reading the scriptures, little regard should 
 .be had to this division. It is of use now only for reference; and inaceu- 
 rate as it is, it must evidently be substantially retained. All the books 
 that have been printed for three hundred years, which refer to the Bible, 
 have made their reference to these chapters and verses ; and to attempt 
 any change now, would be to render almost useless a great part of the 
 religious books in our language, and to introduce inextricable confusion 
 in all attempts to quote the Bil)le. 
 
 The first translation of the Old Testament was made about the yea? 
 270 before the Christian era. It was made at Alexandria in Kgypt into 
 the Greek language, and probably for the use of the Jews who were scat- 
 tered among Pagan nations. Ancient writers inform us, indeed, that it 
 was made at the command of Ptolemy Philadelphus, to he deposited in 
 the Library at Alexandria. It bears internal marks of having been made 
 by difTerent individuals, and no doubt at different times. It came to be 
 extensively used in Judea, and no small part of the quotations in the 
 New Testament were taken from it. There is no doubt that the apostles 
 were familiar with it; and as it had obtained general currency, they chose 
 to quote it rather than translate the Hebrew for themselves. It is called 
 the Septuagint, or the version by the seventy, from a tradition that seventy 
 elders of Israel, deputed for that purpose, were employed in making the 
 translation. 
 
 The language spoken by our Saviour and his apostles was a corruptjor 
 of the Hebrew, a mixture of that and the language spoken in Chaldee, 
 called Syro-Chaldaic, or more commonly the Syriac. The reason why 
 the New Testament was not written in this language was, that the Greek 
 had become the common language used throughout the (^astern nations 
 subject to the Romans. This genera! use of the Greek language was 
 produced by the invasion and conquest of those nations hy Alexander thi 
 Great, about .330 vears before Christ. — The Nev^ Testament was, how-
 
 % INTRODUCTION. 
 
 uvpr, early tra.islated into the Syriac languaore. A translation is now 
 extnin in that language, held in great veneration by Syrian Christians, 
 said to have been made in the first century, or in the age of the apostles, 
 and acknowledged by all to have been made before the close of the second 
 century. 
 
 About the beginning of the fourth century, the Bible was translated 
 into Latin by Jerome. This translation was made in consequence, as he 
 savs, of the incorrectness of a version then in use, called the Ifalic. The 
 translation made by Jerome, now called the Latin Vulgate, is the author- 
 ized version of the church of Rome. 
 
 The Bible was translated by Luther in the beginning of the Reforma- 
 tion. This translation has done much to fix the German language, and 
 is now the received version among the Lutheran churches. 
 
 Ti^ere have been many other translations of the Bible, and there are 
 many more still in progress. More than one hundred and fifty transla- 
 iions of the whole Bible, or parts of it, have been made during the last 
 half century. Those which have been mentioned, together with the 
 English, have been, however, the principal, and are most relied on as 
 faithful exhibitions of the meaning of the Sacred Scriptures. 
 
 The English translation of the Bible now in use, was made in the 
 reign of James L This translation was intended only as an improve 
 ment of those previously in existence. A short account of the transla- 
 tion of the Bible into our own language cannot fail to be interestino-. 
 
 It is not easy to ascertain the precise time when the gospel was intro- 
 duced into Britain, or when the inhabitants were first in possession of 
 t..e Bible. The earliest version of which we have any account, is a trans- 
 lation of the Psalms into the Saxon language about the year 706. But 
 the principal translation at that early period, was made by the "venera- 
 ble Bede," about the year 730. He translated the whole Bible into the 
 Saxon language. 
 
 The first English translation of the Bible was executed about the year 
 1290, by some unknown individual. About the year 1380, John Wick- 
 liffe; the morning star of the Reformation, translated the entire Bible into 
 English from the Latin. The great labor and expense of transcribing 
 books before the invention of priiitiiig, probably prevented a very exten- 
 sive circulation of the scriptures among the people.* Yet the translation 
 of Wickliffe is known to have produced a vast effect on the minds of the 
 people. Knowledge was beginning to be sought for with avidity. The 
 eyes of the people were beginning to open to the abominations of the 
 church of Rome; and the national mind was preparing for the great 
 ciiange which followed in the days of Luther. So deep was the impres- 
 sion made by Wickliffe's translation, and so dangerous was it thought to 
 be to the interest of the Romish religion, that a bill was brought into the 
 house of lords for the purpose of suppressing it. The bill was rejected 
 
 * So great was the expense of transcribing the Bible at that time, that the 
 price of one of WicklifFe's New Testaments was not lers than forty pounds 
 sterling, or one Iiundred and seventy-seven dollars seveiity-cight cents of our 
 money. And it should be matte? of devout gratitude to God, that, by the art 
 of printing, tlie New Testament can now be obtained for the trifling sum of 
 ten cents '
 
 INTRODUCTION. SCI 
 
 f* . ..ugli the influence of the Duke of Lancaster ; and this grave encoiirage- 
 niOiJt to ihe frie..ds of WicUlilTe to publisii a more correct translation of 
 the Bible. At iv convocation, however, held at Oxford, in 1408, it was 
 decreed that no c.ie should translate any text of the Holy Scripture into 
 English by way of a book, or little book, or tract, and tha» no book of 
 this kind *hould be read that was composed in the time cf John VV ick- 
 litfe, or since liis daath. This decree led the way to a great persecution; 
 and many persons were punished severely, and some even with death, 
 for reading the Cil.le in English. The Bible translated by WicklilTe 
 was never printed. Some years since the New Testament was printed 
 ill England.* 
 
 For the first printed English translation of the scriptures we are in- 
 debted to William Tindal. He printed this translation at Antwerp in 
 Flanders; and the copies were brought thence into England. So great 
 was the opposition to ibis by the Roman Catholic clergy, that the bishop 
 of London endeavored to buy up whole editions as fast as they were 
 printed, to burn them. This effort, however, produced little etTect. Co- 
 pies of the New Testament were multiplied, it is said, that on one 
 occasion Sir Thomas More, then chancellor of England, asked how Tin- 
 dal contrived to maintain himself abroad. To which it was replied that 
 the bishop of London supported him, by purchasing the scriptures as 
 fast as ihey could be printed. 
 
 Ill 1635 the whole Bible, translated into English, was printed in folio, 
 and deoicated to. the king, by Miles Coverdale. This was the first Eng- 
 lish irauslation of the Bible allowed by royal authority. 
 
 * The following' is a specimen of this translation : 
 
 Mattbrw, cliiip. v. — And Jhosus seynge the people, went up into an hil ; and 
 whanne he was sett, his disciplis camen to him. And he openyde bis mouthe, 
 and tau^tite them; and seide, Blessid be pore men in spirit; for the kyngdom 
 of he.enes is hereun.t Blessid ben mylde men: for thei schulen weelde the 
 erthe. Blessid ben thei that mournen : for thei schal be comfbrtid. Blessid 
 be thei that hungren and thirsten rigtvvisnesse :t fijr thei schal be fulfilled. 
 Blessid ben merciful men : lor thei schul gete mercy. Blessid ben thei that 
 ben of clene herte: for thei schulen se god. Blessid ben pesible men: for thei 
 sehulen be clepid goddis children. Blessid ben tiiei that sulFren persecucioun 
 for rightwisnesse : tor the kyngdom of bevenes is liern. Ye schul be blessid 
 wiianne men schul curse you, and schul pursue you: and schul seye al yvel 
 agens you liynge for me. Joie ye and be ye glade : for your meede is plente- 
 ous in hevenes : for so thei han pursued al.^o prophets that vveren bifore you. 
 Ye ben salt of the erthe, that if the saJt vaiiisiie awey wherynne schal it be 
 salted? to nothing it is worth over, no but it be cast out, and be defoulid of 
 men. Ye ben light of the world, a citee sett on an hill may not be hid. Ne 
 me teendith not a lanterne and puttith it under a bushel ; but on a candlcstik 
 that it give light to alle that ben in the hous. So, scliyne your light bifore 
 men, that thei see youre gode vvorkis, and glorifie your fadir that is in hevenes. 
 Nyle glie dome that I cam to undo the Lawe or the prophetis, I cam not to 
 undo the lawe but to fulfille. Forsothe I sey to you till lieveiie and erthe pisse, 
 oon lettre, or oon title, schal not passe fro the Lauc till alle thingis be don. 
 Therefore he that brckilii oon of these Iceste maundeuientis, and tecliitli thus 
 men, schal be clepid the Leest in the lewme of hevenes; but be thai doth and 
 techith, schui be clepid greet in the kyngdom of hevenes. — Babcfs Edit 
 t Theirs ) Rishtfiilnesso, IMS plvj-e.-i.
 
 Jill INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Various editions and translations of the scriptures, with various degrrees 
 of correctness, were printed in successive years, till, in ISB-*, the edition 
 appeared uiiich was called " the Bishop's Bible," or " the great Entrlish 
 Bible." This vvas jirepared by royal authority. It was the work of 
 much care and learniiij. Different learned men undertook to translate 
 different parts of the Bible, and after beino; carefully performed and com- 
 pared, it was printed, and directed to he used as an authorized F^ng-'ish 
 translation of the scriptures. This, after beinff reprinted many times, 
 and after beinir in use for half a century, was succeeded by the transla- 
 tion at present in use. 
 
 As this is, in many respects, the most important of all Eng'lish trans- 
 lations of the Sacred Scriptures, it is proper to dwell more fully on the 
 circumstances under which it was made. 
 
 It was undertaken by the authority of king James I. of England. He 
 came to the throne in 1603. Several objections having been made to the 
 " Bishop's Bible," then in general use, he ordered a new translation to 
 be made. This work he committed to fifty-four men; but before the 
 translation was commenced, seven of them had either died, or had de- 
 clined the task, so that it was actually accomplished by forty-seven 
 All of them were eminently distinguished for their piety, and fortheif 
 profound acquaintance with the original languages. Tliis company ol 
 eminent men was divided into six classes, and to each class was allotted 
 a distinct part of the Bible to be translated. "Ten were to meet at 
 Westminster, and to translate from Genesis to the end of the second 
 book of Kings. Eight assembled at Cambridge, and were to translate 
 the remaining historical books, the Psalms, Job, Canticles, and Ecclesi- 
 astes. At Oxford seven were to translate the four greater Prophets, the 
 Lamentations of Jeremiah, and the twelve minor Prophets. The four 
 Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation, were assigned to 
 another company of eight at Oxford; and the Epistles were allotted to 
 a company of seven at Westminster. Lastly, another company at Cam- 
 bridge were to translate the Apocrypha." 
 
 To these companies the king gave instructions to guide them in their 
 work, of which the following is the substance: 
 
 The Bishop's Bible, then used, to be followed, and to be altered as 
 little as the original would permit. 
 
 The names of the sacred writers to be retained as they were commonly 
 used. 
 
 When a word had different significations, that to be kept which hath 
 been most commonly used by the fathers, and most eminent writers. 
 
 No alteration to be made in the chapters and verses. No marginal 
 notes to be affixed, except to explain the Greek and Hebrew words that 
 couM not be briefly and fitly explained in the text. Reference to paral- 
 lel places to be set down in the margin. 
 
 Kach man of a company to take the same chapters, and translate them 
 according to the best of his abilities; and when this was done, all were 
 to meet together, and compare their translations, and agree which should 
 be regarded as correct. 
 
 Each book, when thus translated and approved, to be sent to every 
 other company for their approbation. 
 
 Besides this, the translators were authorized, in cases of great diffi-
 
 INTRODtrCTION. XUI 
 
 ciilty, to send letters to any learned men in the kingdom to obtain thcii 
 ojiinions. 
 
 In this manner the Bible was translated into Eno-lish. In the first 
 instance earh individual translated each bonk allotted to his csinpany. 
 Secondly, the readincfs to be adopted were agreed upon by thai company 
 assemhied toacther. The bonk thus finished was sent to each of the 
 other companies to he examined. At these meeting^s one read the Enor- 
 lish, and t!ie rest held in their hands some Bible, of Hebrew, Greek, 
 Latin, French, Spanish, &c. If they found any fault, says Selden, they 
 spoke; if not, he read on. 
 
 The translation was commenced in 1607, and completed in about three 
 years. At the end of that lime, three copies of it were sent to London. 
 Here a committee of six reviewed the work, which was afterwards re- 
 viewed by Dr. Smith, who wrote the preface, and by Dr. Bilson. It 
 was first printed in 1611 at London, by Robert Barker. 
 
 From this account it is clear that no ordinary care was taken to furnish 
 '0 English readers a correct translation of the Sacred Scriptures. No 
 translation of the Bible was ever made under more iiappy auspices ; and 
 it would now be impossible to furnish another translation in our ianguao-e 
 under circumstances so propitious. Whether we contemplate the num 
 ber, the learning, or the piety of the men employed in it; the cool delibe 
 ration with which it was executed ; the care taken that it should secure 
 the approbation of the most learned men, in a country that embosomed a 
 vast amount of literature; the harmony with which they conducted their 
 work; or the comparative perfeciion of the translation, we see equal 
 cause of gratitude to the great Author of the Bible that we have so pure 
 a translation of his word. 
 
 From this time the English language became fixed. More than two 
 hundred years have elapsed, and yet the simple and majestic purity and 
 power of the English tongue is expressed in the English translation of 
 the Bible, as clearly as when it was given to the world. It has become 
 the standard of our language; and nowhere can the purity and expressive 
 dignity of this language be so fully found as in the Sacred Scriptures. 
 
 The friends of this translation have never claimed for it inspiration or 
 infallibility. Yet it is the concurrent testimony of all who are competent 
 to express an opinion, that no translation of the Bible into any language 
 has preserved so faithfully the sense of the original as the English. 
 Phrases there may be, and it is confessed there are, which modern criti- 
 cism has shown not to exjiress all the meaning of the original; but as 
 a whole, it indubitibly stands unrivalled. Nor is it probable tliat any 
 translation can now supply its place, or improve upon its substantial cor- 
 rectness. The fact that it has for two hundred years poured light into 
 the minds of millioLs, and guided the steps of generation after generation 
 in the way to heav ^n, has given to it somewhat of the venerableness 
 which appropriately belongs to a book of God. Successive ages may 
 correct some of its few unimportant errors; may throw light on some of 
 its obscure passages ; but to the consummation of all things, it must stand, 
 wherever the English language is spoken, as the purest specimen of itg 
 power to give utterance to the meaning of ancient tongues, and of tl"^ 
 timple and pure majesty of the language which we speak. 
 2
 
 XIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 These remarks are made, because it is easy for men who clisVike the 
 plain doctrines of the Bible, and for those iornorant of the true history of 
 its translation, to throw oul insinuations of its unfaithfnlness. Froip 
 various quarters, from men opposed lo ti.e clear doctrines of the scrip- 
 tures, are often heard demands for a new translation. We by no means 
 assert the entire infallibility, much less the inspiration, of the English 
 translation of the Bible. Yet of its general faitiifnlness to the original, 
 there can be no doubt. It would be easy to multiply testimonies of the 
 highest authority to this fact. But the general testimony of the world; 
 tl 3 profound regard paid to it by men of the purest character and most 
 extensive learning; the fact that it has warmed the hearts of the pious, 
 ministered to the comforts of the wretched and the dying, and guided the 
 steps of millions to glory, for two hundred years, and now commands the 
 high regard of Christians of so many different denominations, evinces 
 *hat it is, to no ordinary extent, faithful to the original, and has a claim 
 on the continued regard of couiing generations. 
 
 It is perfectly clear, also, that it would be impossible now to translate 
 the scriptures into the English language, under so favorable circum- 
 stances as attended the translation in the time of James I. No single 
 set of men could so command the confidence of the Christian world ; no 
 convention who claim the Christian name could be formed, competent to 
 the tasli, or if formed, could prosecute the work with harmony ; no single 
 denomination could make a translation that would secure the undisputed 
 respect of others. The probability is, therefore, that while the English 
 language is spoken, and as far as it is used, the English Bible will con- 
 tinue to form their faith, and direct their lives; and that the words which 
 now pour light irto our minds will continue to illuminate the understand- 
 ings, and mould the fselings, of unnumbered millions, in their }<4th tc 
 iffliBonal life.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 
 
 The word Gospel means good news, or a joyful message. It commotily 
 signifies the message itself. But it is here used to denote the book con- 
 taining the record of the message. The title " snint," given to the sacred 
 writers cf the New Testament, is of Roman Catholic origin, and is of no 
 authority. 
 
 It is now conceded pretty generally that Matthew wrote his gospel in 
 his native tongue; that is, the language of Palestine. That language 
 was not pure Hebrew, but a mixture of the Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Sy- 
 riac, commonly called Syro-Chaldaic, or Jramecm. This language our 
 Saviour undoubtedly used in his conversation;* and his disciples would 
 naturally use this language also, unless there were good reasons why 
 they should write in a foreijn tongue. It is agreed that the remainder 
 Df the New Testament was written in Greek. The reason for this, in 
 ^reference to the native language of the writers, was, that Greek was the 
 language then generally spoken and understood throughout the eastern 
 countries conquered by Alexander the Great, and particularly in Judea, 
 and in the regions where the apostles first labored. 
 
 The Christian Fathers, without any exception, assert that Matthew 
 wrote his gospel for the use of the Christians in Palestine; and say that 
 it was written in the Hebrew dialect. It should be remarked, however, 
 that many modern critics of much eminence do not suppose the evidence 
 that Matthew wrote in Hebrew to be decisive; and believe that there is 
 sufficient proof that, like the other writers of the New Testament, Mat- 
 thew wrote in Greek. See Lardner's works, vol. v., p. 308 — 318, Lon- 
 don edition, 1829. 
 
 The Gospel of Matthew exists now, however, only in Greek. The 
 original Hebrew, or Syro-Chaldaic, if it was written in that language, 
 has been designedly laid aside, or undesignedly lost. The question, 
 then, naturally arises, who is the author of the Greek translation which 
 we possess? and is it to be regarded as of divine authority ? 
 
 It has been conjectured by some that Matthew himself furnished a 
 Greek translation of the Hebrew. This conjecture, in itself probable 
 enough, wants human testimony to support it. Alhanasius, one of the 
 parly Fathers, says that it was translated by ".lames, the brother of oui 
 Lord-according to the flesh." Papias, another cf the early Fathers, savs, 
 
 * See iuBtances in Mark vii. 34, and Matthew xxvii. 46. 
 
 (!3)
 
 SVl PREFACE. 
 
 that "each one transia'.ed it as he was ahle.' If James translated it, 
 there can he no qnestinn ahnnt its inspiration and canonical anihority. 
 Nor does it affect the qnestion of its inspiration, even if we are iornorant 
 of tiie name of the translator. The proper inquiry is, whether it had 
 such evidence of ins])iration as to he satisfactory to the church in the 
 times when they were under the direction of the apostles. That it had 
 such evidence, none acquainted with ancient history will doubt. 
 
 Epiphanius says that the Gospel hy Matthew was written while Petei 
 and Paul were preachinof at Rome. I'his was about the year of our Lord 
 63, about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. It is now oenerally 
 supposed that this ocjspel was written about this time. There is very 
 clear evidence in the gospel that it was written before the destruciion of 
 Jerusalem, The destruction of the holy city is clearly and miruitt^ly told; 
 but there is not the slightest intimation in it that these predictions had 
 been accomplished; a thintr which we should naturally expect if the 
 gospel was not written until after these calamities came upon the Jews. 
 Compare Acts xi. 28. It has been till lately uniformly regarded as hav- 
 ing been written before either of the other evangelists. Some of late 
 nave, however, endeavored to show that Luke was written first. AD 
 testimony, and all ancient arrangements of the books, are against the 
 opinion ; and when such is the fact, it is of little consequence to attend 
 to other arguments. 
 
 In all copies of the New Testament, and in all translations, this gospel 
 has been placed first. This, it is probable, would not have been done, 
 had not Matthew published his gospel before any other was written. 
 
 Matthew, the writer of this gospel, called also Levi, son of Alpheus, 
 was a publican, or tax-gatherer, under the Romans. See Notes on Matt, 
 ix. 9, Luke v. 27. Of his life and death little is certainly known. Soc- 
 rates, a writer of the fifth century, says that he went to Ethiopia after 
 the apostles were scattered abroad from Judea, and died a aiartyr in 
 city called Nadebbar; but by what kind of death is altogether uncertain. 
 However, others speak of his preaching and dying in Parthia or Persia, 
 and the diversity of their accounts seems to show that they are all with- 
 out good foundation. See Lardner's works, vol. v., p 296, 297.
 
 2* ~""r"'<'"'" luiiauc 1 rt.uaiu lo Aoranam L,uiic only has
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE book of the generation" of 
 Jesus Christ, the son of* Da- 
 vid, 'the son of Abraham. 
 
 a Lu.:{.23,&:c. b Ps. 132.11. c.22.45. Ac.2. 
 30. c Ge.2i.l8. Ga.3.16. 
 
 1. The hook of the (generation. This 
 is the proper title of the chapter. It is 
 the same as to say, ' the account of the 
 ancestrv or family, or the ijenealogical 
 table ot Jesus Christ.' The phrase is 
 common in Jewish writings. Compare 
 Gen. V. 1. "This is the book of the 
 generations of Adam," i. e. the genea- 
 logical table of the family or descend- 
 ants of Adain. See also Gen. vi. 9. 
 The Jews, moreover, as we do, kept 
 such tables of their own families, and it 
 is probable that this was copied from the 
 record of the family of Joseph. 1i Jesus. 
 See ver. 21. ^ Christ. The word Christ 
 is a Greek word, signifying miointed. 
 The Hebrew word signifying the same 
 is Messiah. Hence, Jesus is called 
 either the Messiah, or the Christ, mean- 
 ing the same thing. The Jews speak 
 of the Messiah; Christians speak of him 
 as the Christ. Anciently, when kings 
 and priests were set apart to their office, 
 they were anointed with oil. Lev. iv. 
 3; vi. 20. E.K. x.wiii. 41; x.xLx. 7. 1 
 Sam. ix. 16 ; xv. 1. 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. To 
 anoint, therefore, means often the same 
 as to consecrate, or set apart to any 
 office. Thence those thus set apart 
 are said to be anointed, or the anointed 
 of God. It is for this reason that the 
 name is given to the Lord Jesus. Dan. 
 ix. 24. He was set apart by God to be 
 the King, and High-priest, and Prophet 
 of his people. Anointing with oil, was, 
 moreover, supposed to be emblematic 
 of the influences of the Holy Spirit ; 
 and as God gave him the Spirit without 
 measure, (John iii. 34,) so he is called 
 pecuharlv the Anointed of God. IT The 
 Son of David. The word son among 
 the Jews had a great variety of signifi- 
 cations. It means literally a son ; then 
 a grandson ; a descendant ; an adopted 
 son ; a disciple, or one who is an object 
 )f tender affection — one who is to us as 
 t .icn. In this place it means a descend- 
 ivt of David ; or one who was of the fa- 
 nilxf of David. It was important to trace 
 
 ■ 2* 
 
 2 Abraham ^ begat Isaac ; and 
 Isaac begat Jacob; and Jaeob^^be* 
 gat Judas and his brethren ; 
 
 3 And Judas begat ^Phares and 
 
 rfGe.21.2-5. eGe.25.2G. /Ge.2'J.35,&,c.. 
 5-Ge.38.2J,30,&c. 
 
 tlie genealogy of Jesus up to David, be- 
 catise the promise had been made that 
 the Messiah should be of his family, and 
 all the Jews expected it would be so. It 
 would be impossible, therefore, to con- 
 vince a Jew that Jesus was the iMessiah, 
 unless it could be shown that he was 
 descended from David. See Jer. xxiii. 
 5. Ps. cxxxii. 10, 11; compared with 
 Acts xiii. 23, and John vii. 42. If The 
 Son of Abraham. The descendant of 
 Abraham. Tlie promise was made to 
 Abraham also. See Gen. xii. 3; xxi. 
 12; compare Heb. xi. 13. Gal. iii. IC. 
 The Jews expected that the IMessiah 
 would be descended from him ; and it 
 was important, therefore, to trace the 
 genealogy up to him also. Though Je- 
 sus was of humble birth, yet he was de- 
 scended from most illustrious ancestors. 
 Abrahain, the father of the faithful — 
 "the beauteous model of an eastern 
 prince," and David, the sweet psalmist 
 of Israel, the conqueror, the magnificent 
 and victorious leader of the people of 
 God, were both among his ancestors. 
 From these two persons, the most emi 
 nent for piety, and the most renowned 
 for their excellencies of all the men of 
 antiquity, sacred or profane, the Lord 
 Jesus was descended ; and though his 
 birth and life were humble, yet they 
 who regard an illustrious descent as of 
 value, may find here all that is to be 
 admired in i^iety, purity, patriotism 
 splendor, dignity, and re<iown. 
 
 2 — 16. These verses contain the ge- 
 nealogy of Jesus. Luke also (ch. iii.) 
 gives a genealogy of the Messiah. No 
 two passages of scripture have caused 
 more difficulty than these, and various 
 attempts have been made to explain 
 them. There are two sources of difTi 
 culty in these catalogues. 1st. Many 
 names that are found in the Old Tes- 
 tament are here omitted; and 2d, the 
 tables of Matthew and Luke appear in 
 many points to be different. From 
 Adam to Abraham Luke only baa 
 5"
 
 18 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. M. 4000 
 
 Zara of Thamar ; and Pha.es begat" 
 Esrom ; and Esrom begat* Aram ; 
 
 4 And Aram beorat Aminadab; 
 and Aminadab begat ' Naasson ; and 
 Naasson begat Salmon ;•* 
 
 5 And Salmon begat Booz of' 
 Rachab ; and Booz begat Obed-'^ of 
 Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 
 
 6 And Jesse begat ^ David the 
 
 king; and David the king begat'' 
 
 Solomon of her that had been the 
 
 ivife of Urias ; 
 
 a Ge.46.12. b Ru.4.19. c 1 CIi.2.10. Nii.l. 
 7. d Ru.4.20. «Jos.G.25. Ru.4.i21. /Ilu.4.13. 
 
 given the record. From Abraham to 
 David the two tables are alike. Of 
 course there is no difficulty in recon- 
 ciling thei^e two parts of the tables. 
 The difficulty lies in that part of the 
 genealogy from David to Christ. There 
 they are entirely different. They are 
 manifestly different lives. Not only are 
 the names diiferent, but Luke has men- 
 tioned, in this part of ihe genealogy, no 
 less than 42 names, while Matthew has 
 recorded but 27. 
 
 Various ways have been proposed to 
 explain this difficulty; and it must be 
 admitted that none of them are perfectly 
 satisfactory. It does not comport with 
 the design of these Notes to enter mi- 
 nutely into an explanation of the per- 
 plexities of these passages. All that 
 can be done is to sugg(^st the various 
 ways in which attempts have been 
 made to explain them. 1. It is remark- 
 ed that in nothing are mistakes nujre 
 likely to occur than in such tables. 
 From the similarity of names, and the 
 various names by which the same per- 
 son is often called, and from many 
 other causes, errors would be more 
 likely to creep into the text in genealo- 
 gical tables, than in other writings. 
 Some of the difficulties may have pos- 
 sibly occurred from this cause. 2. Most 
 imerpreiersliave supposed that Matthew 
 gives the genealogy of Joseph, and Luke 
 that o{ Mary. They were both descend- 
 ed from David, but in dift'crent lines. 
 This .solution derives some plausibility 
 from the fact that the promise was made 
 to Uavirl, and as Jesus was not the son 
 of Ji)S(^ph, it was important to show that 
 Mari/ was also descended from him. 
 Though this solution is plausible, and 
 may be true, yet it wants evidence. It 
 
 7 And Solomon begat' Roboam ; 
 and Roboam begat Abia ; and Abia 
 begat Asa ; 
 
 8 And Asa begat Josaphat ; and 
 Josaphat begat Joram ; and Joram 
 begat Ozias ; 
 
 9 And Ozias begat Joatham ; and 
 Joatham begat Achaz ; and Achas 
 begat Ezekias ; 
 
 10 And Ezekias J begat Manas- 
 ses ; and Manasses begat Amon ; 
 and Amon begat Josias ; 
 
 ff 1 Sa. 17.12. A 2 Sa. 12.24. i 1 Ch.3.10,&c 
 72X1.20.21. lCti.3.13. 
 
 cannot, however, be proved that this wai 
 7!CiMhe design of Luke. 3. It has beep 
 said also that Joseph was the legal sor 
 and heir o( Hell, though the real son of 
 Jacob, and thus the two lines terminated 
 in him. This was the ancient explana- 
 tion of most of the fathers, and on the 
 whole is the most satisfactory. It was 
 a law of the Jews, 'hat if a man died 
 without children, his brother should 
 marry his widow. Thus the tv.'o lines 
 might have been intermingled. Ac 
 cording to this solution, which was firs' 
 proposed by Africanus, Matllian, de- 
 scended from Solomon, married Estha^ 
 of whom was born Jaoob. After Mat- 
 than's death, !\Iutthat being of the same 
 tribe, but of another family, married hij 
 widow, and of this marriage Heli was 
 born. Jacob and Heli were therefore 
 children of the same mother. Heli dy 
 ing without children, his brother Jacok 
 married his widow, and begat Joseph 
 who was thus the legal son of Ileli 
 This is agreeable to the account in the 
 two evangehsts. Matthew says that 
 Jacob begat Joseph ; Luke says thai 
 Joseph was the son of Heli, i. e. was 
 his legal heir, or reckoned in law to be 
 his son. This can be seen by the plan 
 on the next page, showing the nature 
 of the connexion. 
 
 Though these solutions may not seem 
 to be entirely satisfactory, yet there are 
 two additional considerations which 
 should set the matter at rest, and lead 
 to the conclusion that the narratives are 
 not really inconsistent. L No difficulty 
 was ever found, or alleged, in regard 
 to them, by any of the early enemies 
 of Christianity. There is no evidence 
 that they ever adduced them as con- 
 taining a contradiction. Many of those
 
 A. M. 4000.] 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 10 
 
 11 And ' Josias begat Jechonias lathiel ; and Salathiel begat Zoro- 
 and his brethren, about the time babel;'' 
 
 the} were carried away to Baby-| 13 And Zorobabel beijat Abiud ; 
 Ion; jand Abiud begat Eliakim ; and 
 
 12 And after they were brought , Eliakim begat Azor; 
 
 to Babylon, Jechonias begat " Sa- 14 And Azor begat Sadoc ; and 
 
 ■ Some n'.ad, Josias begat Jakim, andJakim a lCh.3.n,&c. b Ne,13.1. 
 
 btirat Jechonias. \ 
 
 aneinies were acute, learned, and able ; it was not necessary, nor would it have 
 
 and they show by their writings that conduced to their argument, to have 
 
 they were not inrlisponed to detect all formed a 7iew table of genealogy. All 
 
 the errors that could possibly be found that could be done was, to go to the 
 
 in the sacred narra ivc. Now it is to family records — to the paW/'c <aA/es, and 
 
 be remembered that the Jei«,« were fully copy them as they were actually kept, 
 
 competent to show that these tables and ghow that, according to the records 
 
 were incorrect, if they were really so; of the nation, Jesus was descended from 
 
 and it is clear that they were fully dis- David. This, among the Jews, was 
 
 posed, if possible, to do it. The fact, full and decided testimony in the case, 
 
 therefore, that it is not done is clear And this was doubtless done. In the 
 
 evidence that they thought it to be cor- same way, the records of a family among 
 
 rect. The same may be said of the us, as they are kept by the family, are 
 
 acute pagans who wrote against Christ- proof in courts of justice now. of the 
 
 ianity. None of them have called in bu-th, names, &c., of individuals. Nor 
 
 question the correctness of these tables, is it necessary or proper for a court to 
 
 This is full proof that, in a time when call them in question, or to attempt to 
 
 it was easy to understand these tables, correct them. So the tables here are 
 
 they were believed to bj correct. 2. good evidence to the only point that the 
 
 The evangelists are not responsible for writers wished to establish : that is, 
 
 the correct iies.t of these tables. They to show to the Jeira that Jesu." of JSaza- 
 
 are responsible only for what was their reth was descended from David. All 
 
 real and professed o! ject to do. What that can be asked noiu is, whether they 
 
 was (hat object? It was to prove to copied the tables of those families cor- 
 
 the saiisi'action of the Jrws. that Jesus rectly. It is clear that no man can 
 
 was descended from David, and there- prove that they did not so copy them, 
 
 fore that there was no argument from and, therefore, that no one can adduce 
 
 his ancestry thai he was not the pro- them as an argument against the cor- 
 
 mised Messiah. Now to make this out rectness of the New Testament,
 
 20 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. M, 4000 
 
 Sadoc i'Pffat Achim ; and Achim 
 begHt Eiiiid ; 
 
 15 And Eliiid begat Eleazar; 
 and Eleaznr begat Matihaii ; and 
 Mattlian begat Jacob ; 
 
 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the 
 husband of Mary, of whom was 
 born Jesus, who is called Christ. 
 
 17 So all the generations from 
 
 17. All the gcneraiions, &c. Tliis 
 division of tiie names in iheir genealogy 
 was doubtless adopted for the purpose 
 of aiding the memory. It was common 
 among the Jews ; and other similar in- 
 stances are presrrved. They were des- 
 titute of other books beside the Old 
 Testament, anJ had but few copies of 
 that among th^^m, and those chiefly in 
 their synago-^ucs. They would, there- 
 fore, naturally devise plans to keep up 
 the remembrance of the principal facts 
 in their history. One method of doing 
 this was, to divide the tables of genea- 
 logy into portions of equal length, to be 
 committed to memory. This greatly 
 facihtated the remembrance of the 
 names. A man who wished to commit 
 to memory the names of a regiment of 
 soldiers, would naturally divide it into 
 companies, and platoons, and this would 
 greatly facilitate his work. This was 
 doubtless the reason in the case before 
 us. And, though it is not strictly ac- 
 curate, yet it was the Jewish way of 
 keeping their records, and answered 
 their purpose. There were three lead- 
 ing persons and events that nearly, or 
 quite, divided their history into equal 
 poitions: Abraham, David, and the 
 Babylonish captivity. From one to the 
 other was ahout fourteen generations, 
 and, by omitting a few names, it was 
 sufficiently accurate to be made a gene- 
 ral guide or directory in remembering 
 their history. 
 
 In counting these divisions, however, 
 it will be seen that there is some diffi- 
 culty in making out the number four- 
 ttcn in each division. This may be ex- 
 plained in the following manner. In 
 the first di\nsion, Abroham is the first, 
 nnd David the last, making together 
 fourteen. In the secend series, David 
 would naturally be placed first, and the 
 fourteen was completed in Josiak, about 
 the time of the cap'ivitv , as sufficiently 
 
 Abraham to David are fourteen 
 generations ; and from David until 
 the carrying away into Babylon 
 are fourteen generations ; and from 
 the carrying away into Babylon 
 unto Christ are fourteen genera- 
 tions. 
 
 18 Now the birth " of Jesus 
 Christ was on this wise : When aa 
 
 a Lu.l.27,&c. 
 
 near for the purpose of convenient com- 
 putation. 2 Chron. xx.xv. In the third 
 division, Josiah would naturally be 
 placed first, and the number was com- 
 pleted in Joseph. So that David and 
 Josiah would be reckoned twice. This 
 may be shown by the following table 
 of the names : 
 
 First division. 
 
 Second division. 
 
 Third dinslon. 
 
 Abraham, 
 
 David, 
 
 Josias, 
 
 Isaac, 
 
 Solomon, 
 
 Jechonias 
 
 Jacob, 
 
 Roboam, 
 
 Salathiel, 
 
 Judas, 
 
 Abia, 
 
 Zorobabel 
 
 Phares, 
 
 Asa, 
 
 Abiud, 
 
 Esrom, 
 
 Josaphat, 
 
 Eliakim, 
 
 Aram, 
 
 Joram, 
 
 Azor, 
 
 Aminadab, 
 
 Ozias, 
 
 Sadoc, 
 
 Naasson, 
 
 Joatham, 
 
 Achim, 
 
 Salmon, 
 
 Achaz, 
 
 Ehud, 
 
 Booz, 
 
 Ezekias, 
 
 Eleazar, 
 
 Obed, 
 
 Manasses, 
 
 Matihan, 
 
 Jesse, 
 
 Amon, 
 
 Jacob, 
 
 David. 
 
 Josias. 
 
 Joseph. 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 ^ Carrying away mto Babylon. This 
 refers to the captivity of Jerusalem, 
 and the removal of the Jews to Baby- 
 lon by Nebuchadnezzar, 588 years be- 
 fore Christ. See 2 Chron. xxxvi. Josiah 
 was king when these calamities began 
 to come upon the Jews, but the e.xact 
 time of the seventy years of captivity 
 did not commence until the eleventh 
 year of Zedekiah's reign, or 32 years 
 after the death of Josiah. Babylon wai 
 situated on the Euphrates, and was en- 
 compassed with walls which were about 
 60 miles in circuit, 87 feet broad, ai d 
 350 feet high, and the city ^'as entered 
 by a hundred brazen gates, 25 on each 
 side. It was the capital of a vas. em- 
 pire, and the Jews remained the/'e fo? 
 seventy years. See my Notes Oii Isaiali 
 ch. xiii. 
 
 18. On this wise. Thus, in this 
 manner. ^ Espoused. Betroihed, or 
 engaged to be married. Th.;re was
 
 A. M. 4000.] CHAPTER I. 21 
 
 his mother Mary was espoused to ; to make her a pub.ic example, 
 Joseph,* before they came totrether, j was minded " to put her away 
 she was found with child of the privily. 
 
 Holy Ghost. 20 But while he thought on these 
 
 19 Then Joseph her husband, ! things, behold,- the angel of the 
 
 being a just man, and not willing * Lord appeared unto him in 
 
 ' 5th year before the account called Ji. D. 
 
 commonly an interval of ten or twelve 
 months among the Jews between the 
 contract oi marriage and the celebration 
 of the nupiials. (See Gen. xxiv. 55. 
 Judges xiv. 8) ; yet such was the nature 
 of this engagement, that unfaithfulness 
 to each other was deemed adultery. See 
 Deut. xxii. 25, 28. ^ With child by the 
 Holy Ghost. See Note, Luke i. 35. 
 
 10. Her husband. The word in the 
 original does not imply that they were 
 married. It means here the man to 
 whom she was espoused. 1i A just 
 man. Justice consists in rendering to 
 every man his own. Yet this is evi- 
 dently not the character intended to be 
 given here of Joseph. It means that 
 he was kind, tender, merciful; so at- 
 tached to Mary, that he was not wil- 
 ling that she should be exposed to 
 public shame. He sought, therefore, 
 secretly to dissolve the connexion, and 
 to restore her to her friends without tiie 
 punishment commonly inflicted on adul- 
 tery. The word jiisJ. has not unfre- 
 quentlv this meanii.g ot mildness, or 
 mercy. See 1 John i. 9. Coinp. O ccro, 
 Dc Fin. 5, 23. IT A public example. Tc 
 expose her to piiblfc shame or infamy. 
 Adultery has always been considered a 
 crime of a very heinous nature. In 
 Egypt it was punished by cutting off 
 the nose of the adulteress ; in Persia 
 the nose and ears were cut off; in Ju- 
 dea the punishment was death bv ston- 
 ing. Lev. .XX. 10. Eze. xvi. 38, 40. 
 John viii. 5. This punishment was also 
 inHicted where the person was not mar- 
 ried, but betrothed. Dent. .xxii. 23, 24. 
 In this case, therefore, the regidar pun- 
 ishment would have been death in this 
 painful and ignominious manner. Yet 
 Joseph was a religious man — mild and 
 tender; — and he was not willing to 
 eamplam of her to the magistrate, and 
 expose her to death, but sought to 
 avoid the shame, and to put her away 
 privately. H Put her awny privnte.bi. 
 The law of Moses gave the husband 
 the power of divorce. Deut. .xxiv. 1. 
 It was customary in a bill of divorce to 
 
 a De.24.]. iver.lC. 
 
 specify the causes for which the divorce 
 was made, and witnesses were also 
 present to testii'y to the divorce. But 
 in this case it seems, Joseph repolved 
 to put her away without spLcifying the 
 cause: for he was not willing to .nakc 
 her a pubhc example. This is the mean- 
 ing here of privately. Both to Joseph 
 and Mary this must have been a great 
 trial. Joseph was ardeiuly attached to 
 her, but her character was likely to be 
 ruined, and he deemed it proper to se- 
 parate her from him. Mary was iimo- 
 cent, but Joseph was not yet satisfied 
 of her innocence. Yet we may learn 
 how to put our trust in God. lie will 
 defend the innocent. Mary was in 
 danger of being exposed to shame. 
 Had she been connected with a cruel, 
 passionate, and violent man, she would 
 have died in disgrace. But God had so 
 ordered it that she was connected with 
 a man mild, amiable, and tender; and, 
 in due time, Joseph was apprized of the 
 truth in tiie case, and took his fliithful 
 and beloved wife to his bosom. Thus 
 our only aim should be to preserve a 
 conscience void of offence, and God 
 will guard our reputation. We may 
 be assailed, or circumstances may be 
 against us ; but in due time God will 
 take care to vindicate our cha/acter, 
 and save us from ruin. 
 
 20. }[c thought on these things. He 
 did not act hastily. He did not take 
 the course which the law would have 
 permitted him to do. if he had been 
 hasty, violent, or uniiist. It was a case 
 deeply affecting his happiness, his cha- 
 racter, and the reputation and character 
 of his chosen companion. — God will 
 guide the thoughtful and the anxious. 
 And when v>e have looked patiently at . 
 a perplexed subject, and know not what 
 to do, then God, as in the case of Jo- 
 seph, will interpose to lead us, and 
 direct our way. Ps. xxv. 9. IT The 
 onixel of the Lord. The \K0Td ans;el 
 literally means a messenger. It is applied 
 chiefly in the scriptures to those invisi- 
 ble holy being!' \» ho ha-'c toA fallen into
 
 22 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. M. 4000 
 
 dream, saying;, Joseph, thou son of | 21 And she shall bring forth a 
 David, fear not to take unto thee ' son, and thou shall call liis name 
 Mary thy wife; for that which is' = JESUS: for he shall save" hia 
 conceived in her is of the Holy people from their sins. 
 
 Ghost. 
 
 begotten. 
 
 sin ; who live in heaven (1 Tim. v. 21 , 
 compare Jude 6); and who are sent 
 forth to minister to those who shall be 
 heirs of salvation. Heb. i. 13, 14. Dan. 
 ix. 21. I'he v.'ord is sometimes applied 
 to men, as messengers (Luke vii. 24 ; 
 ix. 52. James ii. 25.) ; to the winds 
 (Ps. civ. 4) ; to the pestilence (Ps. l.xxviii. 
 49) ; or to whatever is appointed to make 
 hnovm, or to execute the will of God. It 
 is commonly applied, however, to the , 
 unfallen. happy spirits that are in heaven, ' 
 whose only dignity and pleasure it is to ' 
 do the will of God. Various ways were I 
 employed by them in making known I 
 the will of God. by dreams, visions, 
 assuming a human appearance, &c. 
 ^ In a dream. This was a common 
 way of making known the will of God 
 to the ancient prophets and people of 
 God. Gen. xx. 3; xxx. 1, 11, 24; 
 xxxvii. 5; xh. 1. 1 Kings iii. 5. Dan. 
 vii. 1. Job iv. 13 — 15. In what way 
 it was ascersained that these dreams 
 were from God, cannot now be told, i 
 It is sufficient for us to know that in ' 
 this way many of the prophecies were j 
 communicated; and to remark that 
 now there is no evidence that we are to 
 put reliance on our dreams. Dreams 
 are wild, irregular movements of the 
 mind, when it is unshackled by reason, 
 and it is mere superstition to suppose 
 that God now makes known his will in 
 this way. See my Introduction to 
 Isaiaii 37. '^ Son of David. Descend- 
 ant of David. See ver. 1. The angel 
 put hiin in mind of his relation to David 
 perhaps to prepare him for the intelli- 
 gence that Mary was to be the mother 
 cf the Messiah — the promised heir of 
 David. H Fear not. Do not hesitate, 
 or have fears about her virtue and pu- 
 •rity. Do not fear that she will be un- 
 worthy of you, or will disgrace you. 
 
 21. His name JESUS. The name 
 Jtgu.i is the same as Saviour. It is de- 
 rived from the vero signifying to nave. 
 In Hebrew it is the same as Joshua. 
 In two places in the New Testament it 
 i? used where it means Joshua, the 
 l<s.4der of the Jews into Canaan, and in 
 
 92 Now all this was done, that it 
 "^ i.e. Saviour, o Ac.5.31. 13.23.33. 
 
 our translation the name Joshua should 
 have been retained. Acts vii. 45. Heb. 
 iv. 8. It was a very common name 
 among the Jews. If He shall save. 
 This expresses the same as the name 
 and on this account the name was given 
 to him. He saves men by having dieo 
 to redeem thent ; by giving tht Spirit to 
 renew them (John xvi. 7, 8) ; by his 
 power in enabling them to overcome 
 their .spiritual enemies, in defending 
 them from danger, in guiding them in 
 the path of duly, in sustaining them ir 
 trials and in death; and he will raise 
 'hem up at the last day, and exalt them 
 \o a world of purity and love. ^ Hi$ 
 people. Tho.se whom the Father has 
 given to him. The Jews were called 
 the people of God, because he had cho- 
 sen them to himself, and regarded them 
 as his peculiar and beloved pc'oijlc, se- 
 parate from all the nations ol the earth. 
 Christians are called the people oi 
 Christ, because it was the purpo.=:e oi 
 the Father to give them to him (Isa. 
 liii. 11. John vi. 37); and because in 
 due time he came to redeem them lO 
 himself Titus ii. 14. 1 Peter i. 2. 
 ^ From their sins. This is tlie great 
 business of Jesus in coming and dying. 
 It is not to save nwn in their sins, but 
 FKOM their sins. Sinners could not be 
 happy in heaven. It would be a place 
 of wretchedness to the guilty. The de- 
 sign of Jesus was, therefore, to sa'<'e 
 from sin ; 1st, by dying to make f,n 
 atonement, (Titus ii. 14) ; and 2d, by 
 renev\ing the heart, and purifying the 
 soul, and preparing his people lor a 
 pure and holy heaven. And from ihia 
 we may learn: 1st, That Jesus had a 
 design in coming into the world ; he 
 came to save his people — and that de- 
 sign will surely be accom'ilished. Ii is 
 impossible that in any part of it ho 
 should fail. 2d. We have no evidence 
 that we are his people, unless we ure 
 saved from the power and dominion 01 
 sin. A mere profession of being hia 
 people will not ansvver. Unless we 
 give up our sins : unless we renounce 
 the pride, pomp, and pleasure ot the
 
 A. M. 4oeo.] 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 23 
 
 might be fulfilled ■which was spo- 
 ken of the Lord by tho prophet," 
 sayinor, 
 
 23 Behold, a virffiii shall be with 
 a Is. 7. 14. 
 
 world, and all our lusts, and crimes, 
 we have no evidence that we are the 
 children of God. It is impossible that 
 we should be Christians if we indulge 
 in sin, and live in the practice of any 
 known iniquity. 3d. That all profess- 
 ing Christians should feel that there is 
 no salvation unless it is from sin, and 
 that they can never be admitted to a 
 holy heaven hereafter, unless they are 
 made pure, by the blood of Jesus, here. 
 22, 23. The prophecy here quoted is 
 recorded in Isa. vii. 14. It was deliver- 
 ed about 740 years before Christ, in the 
 reign of Ahaz, king of Judah. The land 
 of Judea was threatened with an inva- 
 sion by the united armies of Syria and 
 Israel, under the command of Rezin 
 and Pekah. Ahaz was alarmed, and 
 seems to have contemplated calling in 
 aid from Assyria to defend him. Isaiah 
 was directed in his consternation to go 
 to Ahaz, and tell him to ask a sign 
 from God (vs. 10, 11); that is, to look 
 to God rather than to Assvria for aid. 
 This he refused to do. He had not 
 confidence in God ; but feared that the 
 land would be overrun by the armies of 
 Syria (v. 12,) and rehed only on the 
 aid which he hoped to receive from 
 Assyria. Isaiah answered that, in these 
 circumstances, the Lord would himself 
 give a sign, or a pledge, that the land 
 should be delivered. The sign was, that 
 a virgin should have a son, and before 
 that son would arrive to years of discre- 
 tion, the land would be forsaken by these 
 hostile kings. The prophecy was, there- 
 fore, designed oritrinaUi/ to denote to 
 Ahaz that the land would certainhj be 
 dehvered from its calamiUes and dan- 
 gers, and that the deliverance would 
 not be long delayed. The united land 
 of Syria and Israel vnitcd now in con- 
 federation, would be deprived of both 
 their kings, and thus the land of Judah 
 be freed from the threatening dangers. 
 This appears to be the literal fulfilment 
 of the passage in Isaiah. IT Might he 
 fuljilled. It is more difficult to know 
 in what sense this could be said to be 
 fulfittid in the birth of Christ. To un- 
 derstand this it may be remarked that 
 
 child, and shall bring forth a son, 
 and ' they shall call his name Em- 
 manuel ; which being interpreted, 
 is, God* with us. 
 ■ ^ or, his name shall be called. A Jno.1.14. 
 
 the word fulfilled is used in the scrip- 
 tures, and in other writings, in many 
 senses, of which the following are some : 
 1st. When a thing is clearly predicted, 
 and comes to pass: as the desiructioa 
 of Babylon, foretold in Isa. xiii. 19 — 22; 
 and of Jerusalem, in Matt, x.xiv.- 2d. 
 When one thing is testified, or shade w- 
 ed forth by another, the type is said to 
 be fulfilled. This was the case in re- 
 gard to the types and sacrifices in the 
 Old Testament, which were fulfilled 
 by the coming of Christ. See Hebrews 
 ix. — 3d. When prophecies of future 
 events are expressed in language more 
 elevated and full than the particular 
 thing, at first denoted, demands. Or, 
 when the language, though it may ex- 
 press one event, is also so full and rich 
 as appropriately to express oiher events 
 in similar circutnslances, and oi similar 
 import. Thus, e. g.. the last chapters 
 of tsaiah, from the xlth chapter, foretell 
 the return of the Jews from Babylon; 
 and every circumstance mentioned oc- 
 curred in their return. But the language 
 is more expanded and subUme than was 
 necessary to express their return. It 
 will also express appropriately a much 
 more important and magnificent deh- 
 verance — that of the redeemed under 
 the Messiah, and tlie return of the peo- 
 ple of God to him, and the universal 
 spread of the gospel; and therefore it 
 may be said to be fulfilled in the coinitig 
 of Jesus, and the spread of tl e gospel. 
 .So if there were any other niagnilicent 
 and glorious events, siill, i?i similar 
 circumstances, and of like character, il 
 might be said also that these proi.ihecies 
 were fulfilled iti all of them. The lan- 
 guage is so full and rich, and the pro- 
 mises so grand, that ihey appropriately 
 express all these dehverances. This 
 may be the sense in which the pro- 
 phecy now under consideration may bo 
 said to have been fulfilled. 4ih. Lan- 
 guage is said to be fulfilled when tnougb 
 it was used to express one event, yet il 
 may be used also to express another. 
 Thus Vi fable may be said to be fulfilled 
 when an event ocLurs similar to the one 
 concerning which it was first spokcjj.
 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 4000 
 
 24 Thpn Joseph, beinor raised 
 from sleep, did ;im the angel of the 
 Lord had liidden him, and took unio 
 him his wife : 
 
 A parable has its fulfilment in all the 
 cases to which it is applicable ; and so 
 of a proverb, or a declaration respect- 
 mg human nature. The declaration 
 " there is none that doeth good," (Ps. 
 xiv. 3), was at first spoken of a par- 
 ticular race of wicked men. Yet it is 
 applicable to others, and in this sense 
 may be said to have been fulfilled. See 
 Rom. iii. 10. In this use of the word 
 fulfilled, it means, not that the passage 
 was at first inttnded to apply to this 
 particular tliirig, but that the words 
 aptly or appropriately express the thing 
 spoken ot, and may be applied to it. 
 We may say of this, as was said of 
 another thing, and thus the words ex- 
 press both, or are fulfilled. The writers 
 of the New Testament seem occasion- 
 ally to have used the word in this sense. 
 IT A virgin shall he with child. Matthew 
 clearly understands this as applying h- 
 terally to a virgin. Compare Luke i. 
 34. It thus implies that the conception 
 of Christ was entirely miraculous, or 
 that the body of the Messiah was cre- 
 ated directly by the power of God, 
 agreeably to the declaration in Heb. 
 X. 5. " Wherefore, when he corneth 
 into the world, he saiih. Sacrifice and 
 offering thou wouldest not. but a body 
 hast thou prepared me." ^ Immanuel. 
 This is a Hebrew word, and means h- 
 terally, God with us. Matthew doubt- 
 less understand's this word as denoting 
 that the iMessiah was really ' God with 
 ds," or that the divine nature was united 
 to the human. He does not aflirm that 
 this was its meaning when used in re- 
 .'erence to the child to whom it was first 
 applied ; but this was its meaning as 
 applicable to the Messiah. It mas fitly 
 expressive of his character; and in this 
 sense it was fulfilled. When/r,<;< used 
 by Isaiah, it denoted simply that the 
 oirth of the child was a sign that God 
 was with the Jews to deli'ver them. 
 The Hebrews often used the name of 
 Jehovah, or God. in their proper names. 
 Thus, Isaiah means " the salvation of 
 Jehovah;" Eleazer, "help of God;" 
 EH, "my God," Sec. But Matthew 
 evidently intends more than was de- i 
 
 25 And knew her net till she 
 had brought forth her first-b jni " 
 son ; and he called his natne JE- 
 SUS.* 
 
 a Ex.13.2. b Lii.2.21. 
 
 noted by the simple use of such namea. 
 He had jsst given an account ol his 
 miraculous conception ; ol his bt-ing be- 
 gotten by the Holy Ghost. God was 
 therefore his Father. Jle was divuie 
 as well as human. His appropriate 
 name was " God with us." And though 
 the mere use ol such a name would not 
 prove ihat he had a divine nature, yet 
 as Matthevj uses it, and meant evi- 
 dently to apply it, it does prove that 
 Jesus was more than a man ; that he was 
 God as well as man. And it is this 
 which gives glory to the plan of re- 
 demption. It is this which is the won- 
 der of angels. It is this which makes 
 the plan so vast, so grand, so full of 
 instruction and comlort to Christians. 
 See Phil. ii. 6 — 8. It is this which 
 sheds such peace and joy hito the sin- 
 ner's heart ; which gives him such se- 
 curity of salvaiion ; and renders the 
 condescension of God in redein|)iion so 
 great, and his character so lovely 
 
 " Till God in human flesh I see. 
 My thoughts no comfort find; 
 The holy, just, and saciea 'I iiree. 
 Are terror to my mind. 
 
 "But if Lm-manuel's face appears, 
 My hope, my joy, beghis; 
 His grace removes my slavish feara. 
 His blood removes my sins." 
 
 For a full examination of the passage. 
 See my Notes on Isa. vii. 14. 
 
 25. Knew her 7iot. The doctrine of 
 the virginity of Mary before the birth of 
 Jesus is a doctrine of the scriptures, and 
 very important to be believed. But the 
 scriptures do not affirm that she had no 
 children afterwards. Indeed all the ac- 
 counts in the New Testament lead us 
 to suppose that she had. See Notes on 
 Matt. xiii. 55. 56. The language here 
 evidently imphes that she fived as the 
 wife of Joseph after the birth of Jesu» 
 ^ Her first-born so7i. Her eldest son. 
 or he that by the lav,' had the privilege 
 of birth-right. This does not ofnec:*- 
 s'fy imply that she had other children. 
 T-.ough i* seems probable. It was lh«
 
 A. D. 1. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 25 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 NOW when Jesus was born* in 
 Betlilehem of Judca, in the 
 * -Jtli year before the account calleil A. D. 
 
 name given to the son which was first 
 born, whether there were others or not. 
 IT His name JESUS. Tlais was given 
 by divine appointment, ver. 21. It was 
 conferred on him on the eighth day, at 
 the time of his circumcision. Luke ii. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 1. When Jesus was born. See the full 
 account of his birth in Luke ii. 1 — 20. 
 ^ In Bethlehem of Judea. Bethlehem, 
 the birth-place of Christ, was a small 
 town about six miles south of Jeru- 
 salem. The word Bethlehem denotes 
 ' ' house of bread' ' — perhaps given to the 
 place on account of its great fertility. It 
 was also called Ephrata, a word sup- 
 posed hkewise to signify fertility. Gen. 
 XXXV. 19. Ruth iv. 11. Psalm c.xxxii. 
 6. It was called the city of David 
 (Luke ii. 4.) , because it was the city of 
 his nativity. 1 Sam. xvi. 1. 18. It was 
 called Bethlehem of Judea, to distin- 
 guish it from a town of the same name 
 in Galilee. Josh. xix. 15. — The soil of 
 Bethlehem was noted for its fertility. 
 Ancient travellers frequently spoke of 
 its productions. The town is situated 
 on an eminence, in the midst of hills 
 and vales. — At present it contains about 
 200 houses, inhabited chiefly by Chris- 
 tians and Mohammedans, who live to- 
 gether in peace. — About 200 paces east 
 of Bethlehem, the place is still shown 
 where our Saviour is supposed to have 
 been born. There is a church and a 
 convent there ; and beneath the church, 
 a subterranean chapel, which is lighted 
 by thirty-two lamps, which is said to be 
 the place where was the stable in which 
 Jesus was born. — No reliance is, how- 
 ever, to be placed on this tradition. 
 H Herod the king. Judea, where our 
 Saviour was born, was a province of the 
 Roman Empire. It was taken about 63 
 years before, by Pompey, and placed 
 under tribute. Herod received his ap- 
 pointment from the Romans, and had 
 reigned at the time of the birth of Jesus 
 3-1 years. Though he was permitted to 
 be called king, yet he was in all respects 
 dependent on the Roman Emperor. — 
 He was commonly called Herod the 
 Great, because he had distinguished 
 
 days of Herod the king, behold, 
 there came wise men from the east 
 to Jerusalem, 
 
 himself in the wars whh Antigonus, 
 and his other enemies, and because he 
 had evinced great talents, as well as 
 great cruelties and crimes, in governing 
 and defending his country ; in repairing 
 the temple ; and in building and orna- 
 menting the cities of his kingdom. — At 
 this time Augustus was Emperor of 
 Rome. The world was at peace. All 
 the known nations of the earth were 
 united under the Roman Emperor. In- 
 tercourse between difi'ercnt nations was 
 easy, and safe. Similar laws prevailed. 
 The use of the Greek language was 
 general throughout the world. — 'All 
 these circumstances combined to ren- 
 der this a favorable time to introduce 
 the gospel, and to spread it through the 
 earth ; and the Providence of God was 
 remarkable in fitting the nations, in this 
 manner, for the easy and rapid spread 
 of the christian rehgion among all na- 
 tions. "T Wise men. The original word 
 here is magoi, from which comes our 
 word magician, now used in a bad sense, 
 but not so in the original. The persons 
 here denoted were philosophers, priests, 
 or astronomers. They dwelt chiefly in 
 Persia and Arabia. They were the 
 learned men of t'lie eastern natioirs, de- 
 voted to astronomy, to religion, and to 
 medicine. They were held in high 
 esteem by the Persian court, were ad- 
 mitted as counsellors, and followed the 
 camps in war to give advice. ^ From 
 the east. It is unlvnown whether they 
 came from Persia or Arabia. Both 
 countries might be denoted by the word 
 east — that is, east from Judea. If Jeru- 
 salem. The capital of Judca. As there 
 is frequent reference in the New Tes- 
 tament to Jerusalem ; as it was the 
 place of the pubUe worship of God ; as 
 it was the place where many important 
 transactions in the life of the Saviour 
 occurred, and the place where he died; 
 and as no Sabbath school teacher can 
 intelligently explain the New Testa- 
 ment without some knowledge of that 
 city, it seems desirable to present a 
 brief description of it. A more full 
 description may be seen in Calmet's 
 Dictionary, and in the common works 
 on Jewish AntiquTties. — Jerusalem was
 
 26 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 1. 
 
 2 Saying, Vv'here is ho that is born " King of the Jews ? for we 
 
 a Ze.9.9. 
 
 the capital of the kingdom of Judah, 
 and was built on the line dividing this 
 tribe from the tribe of Benjamin. It 
 was once called Salem (Gen. xiv. 18, 
 Ps Ixxvi. 2.) , and in the days of Abra- 
 ham was the abode of Melchizedek. 
 When the Israelites took possession of 
 the promised land they found this strong- 
 hold in the possession of the Jebusites, 
 by whom it v/as called Jehus or Jehusi. 
 Josh, xviii. 28. The name Jerusalem 
 was compounded probably of the two, 
 by changing a single letter, and calling 
 it, for the sake of the sound, Jerusalem 
 instead of Jehusalem. Tlie ancient Sa- 
 lem was probably built on Mount Mo- 
 riah or Acra — the eastern and western 
 mountains on which Jerusalem was 
 subsequently built. When the Jebu- 
 sites became masters of the place, they 
 erected a fortress in the southern quar- 
 ter of the city, which was subsequently 
 called Mount Zion, but which they 
 called Jeius ; and although the Israel- 
 ites took possession of the adjacent ter- 
 ritory (Josh, xviii. 28) , the Jebusites 
 still held this fortress or upper town 
 until the time of David, who wrested 
 it from them (2 Sam. v. 7 — 9) , and then 
 removed his court from Hebron to Je- 
 rusalem, which was thenceforward 
 known as the city of David. 2 Sam. 
 vi. 10. 12. 1 Kings viii. 1. Jerusalem was 
 built on several hills — Mount Zion on 
 the south. Mount Moriah on the east — 
 on which the temple was subsequently 
 built (see Notes on ch. xxi. 12) , Mount 
 Acra on the west, and Mount Bezetha 
 on the north. Mount Moriah and Mount 
 ^ion were separated by a valley called 
 y Josephus the Valley of Cheese- 
 mongers, over which there was a bridge 
 or raised way leading from the one to 
 the other. On the south-east of Mount 
 Moriah, and between that and Mount 
 Zion, there was a bluff or high rock 
 capable of strong fortification, called 
 Ophel. The city was encompassed by 
 hills. On the west there were hills 
 which overlooked the city ; on the south 
 was the valley of Jehoshaphat, or the 
 valley of Hinnom, (see Notes on Matt. 
 V. 22.) separating it from what is called 
 the Mount of Corruption ; on the east 
 was the valley or the brook Kedron, di- 
 vidijig the city from the Mount of 
 Olives : and on the north the country 
 
 was more level — though it was a broken 
 or rolling country. ^I'o the south-east 
 the valleys of the Kedron and Jehosha- 
 phat united, and the waters flowed 
 through the broken mountains in a 
 south-east direction to the Dead Sea- 
 some fifteen miles distant. Tiie city of 
 Jerusalem stands in 31° 50' north lati- 
 tude, and 35° 2(/ east longitude from 
 Greenwich. It is thirty-four miles 
 south-easterly from Jaffa — the ancient 
 Joppa — which is its sea-port, and one 
 hundred and twenty miles south-west- 
 erly from Damascus. The best view 
 of the city of Jerusalem is from Mount 
 Olivet on the east, (see Notes on Matt, 
 xxi. 1) ; the mountains in the east being 
 somewnat higher than those on the west. 
 The city was anciently enclosed within 
 walls — a part of which are still standing. 
 The position of the walls has been at 
 various times changed — as the city has 
 been larger or smaller, or as it has ex- 
 tended in different directions. The wall 
 on the south formerly included the 
 whole of Mount Zion, though the mod- 
 ern wall runs over the summit, includ- 
 ing about half of the mountain. In the 
 time of the Saviour, the northern wall 
 enclosed only Rlounts Acra and Moriah 
 north — though after his death Agrippa 
 extended the wall so as to include 
 Mount Bezetha on the north. About 
 half of that is included in the present wall. 
 The limits of the city on the east and 
 the west being more determined by the 
 nature of the place, have been more 
 fixed and permanent. The city was 
 watered in part by the fountain of Si- 
 loam on the east (for a description oi 
 which, see Notes on Luke xiii. 4, and 
 on Isa. vii. 3); and in part by the foun- 
 tain of Gihon, on the west of the city, 
 which flowed into the vale of Jehosha- 
 phat ; and in the time of Solomon by 
 an aqueduct, part of which is still re- 
 maining, by which water was brought 
 from the vicinity of Bethlehem. The 
 " pools of Solomon," three in numbei 
 — one rising above another — and adapt- 
 ed to hold a large quantity of water — 
 are still remaining in the vicinity oi 
 Bethlehem. The fountain of Siloam 
 still flows freely (see Note on Isa. 
 vii. 3.) , though the fountain of Gihon 
 is commonly dry. A reservoir or tank ., 
 liowever, remains a< GiJion. Jcnisalerc
 
 A. D. 1.] CHAPTER li. 
 
 have seen his • star in the east, and 
 are come to ^ worship him. 
 
 3 When Herod the king had 
 a Nu.24.17. Is.60.3. ft Jno.5.23. 
 
 27 
 
 riad, perhaps, its highest splendor in the 
 lime of Solomon. About four hundred 
 years after, it was wholly destroyed by 
 Nebuchadnezzar. It lay utterly deso- 
 late during the seventy years of the 
 Jewish captivity. Then it was rebuilt, 
 and restored to some degree of its for- 
 mer maijnificence, and remained about 
 six hundred years, when it was utterly 
 destroyed by Titus, A. D. 70. In the 
 reign of Adrian, the city was partly re- 
 built under the name of ..Elia. The 
 monuments of Pagan idolatry were 
 erected in it, and it remained under 
 Pagan jurisdiction until Helena, the 
 mother of Constantino, overthrew the 
 memorials of idolatry, and erected a 
 magnificent church over the spot which 
 was supposed to be the place of the Re- 
 deemer's sufferings and burial. Juhan, 
 the apostate, attempting to destroy 
 the credit of the prophecy of the Sa- 
 viour that the temple should remain in 
 ruins (Matt, xxiv.) , endeavored to re- 
 Duild the temple. His own historian, 
 Ammianus Marcellinus (see Warbur- 
 ton's Divine Legation of Moses) , says 
 that the workmen were impeded by 
 balls of fire coming from the earth, and 
 that he was compelled to abandon the 
 undertaking. Jerusalem continued in 
 the power ofthe eastern emperors till the 
 reign of the caliph Omar, the third in 
 succession from Mohammed, who re- 
 duced it under his control about the year 
 (j40. The Saracens continued masters 
 of Jerusalem until the year 1099, when 
 it was taken by the crusaders under 
 Godfrey of BoiuUon. They founded a 
 new kingdom of which Jerusalem was 
 the capital, which lasted eighty-eight 
 years under nine kings. At last this 
 kingdom was utterly ruined by Sala- 
 din ; and though the Christians once 
 more obtained possession of the city, 
 yet they were obliged again to relin- 
 quish it. In 1217 the Saracens were 
 expelled by the Turks, who have ever 
 since continued in possession of it. Je- 
 rusalem has been taken and pillaged 
 seventeen times, and millions of men 
 have been slaughtered within its walls. 
 At present there is a»splcndid mosque — • 
 the mosaue of Omar— on the site of the 
 
 heard ihese things, he was troubled, 
 and all Jerusalem with him. 
 
 4 And when he had gathered ' 
 c Ps.2.2. 
 
 temple. It is a city containing a popu- 
 lation variously estimated at from 15,000 
 to 50,000 — though probably not far 
 from l.'0,000 — comprising Jews, Turks, 
 Arabs, Armenians, Greeks, and Pa- 
 pists. The Jews have a number of sy- 
 nagogues. The catholics have a con- 
 vent, and have the control ofthe church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre. The Greeks 
 have twelve convents ; the Armenians 
 have three convents on Mount Zion, 
 and one in the city ; the Copts, Syri- 
 ans, and Abyssinians have each of them 
 one convent. The streets are narrow, 
 and the houses are of stone, most of 
 them low and irregular with flat roofs 
 or terraces, and with small windows 
 only towards the street, usually pro- 
 tected by iron grates. The above de- 
 scription has been obtained from a great 
 variety of sources, and it would be use- 
 less to refer to the works where the 
 facts have been obtained' As a refer 
 ence to Jerusalem often occurs in the 
 New Testament, and as it is very im- 
 portant to possess a correct view ofthe 
 site of the ancient and modern city, a 
 view is annexed here. It is by Cather- 
 wood, and is probably the most exact 
 view of the city that has been pub- 
 lished. 
 
 2. Where is he, &c. There was, at 
 this time, a prevalent expectation that 
 some remarkable personage was about 
 to appear in Judea. The Jews were 
 an.xiously looking for the coming of the 
 Messiah. By computing the time men- 
 tioned by Daniel (ch. ix. 2.') — 27,) they 
 knew that the period was approaching 
 when the Messiah should appear. This 
 personage, they supposed, would be a 
 temporal prince, and they were expect- 
 ing that he would deliver them frorr 
 Roman bondage. It was natural that 
 this expectation should spread into othei 
 countries. Many Jews, at that time, 
 dwelt in Egypt, in Rome, and in Greece 
 many, also, had gone to eastern coun- 
 tries, and in every place they carried 
 their scriptures, and diffused the ex- 
 pectation that some remarkable persor 
 was about to appear. Suetonius, a Ro 
 man historian, speaking of this rumor 
 says : ' An ancient and settled fisr
 
 28 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 1 
 
 all the chief priests and scribes of i of them where Christ should be 
 the people together, he demanded born. 
 
 ■suasion prevailed throughout tlie East, 
 that the Fates had decreed some one to 
 proceed from Judea, who should attain 
 universal empire."* Tacitus, another 
 Roman historian, says: " Many were 
 persuaded that it was contained in the 
 ancient books of their priests, that at 
 that very time the East should prevail, 
 and that some one should proceed from 
 Judea, and possess the dominion, "t 
 Josephus, also, and Philo, two Jewish 
 historians, make mention of the same 
 expectation.! The fact that such a per- 
 son was expected is clearly attested. 
 Under this expectation these wise men 
 came to do him liomage, and inquired 
 anxiously where he U'as horn ? ^ His 
 star. Among the ancients, the appear- 
 ance of a star or comet was regarded 
 as an omen of some remarkable event. 
 Many such appearances are recorded 
 by the Roman historians at the birth or 
 death of distinguished men. Thus, 
 they say, that at the death of Julius 
 Csesara comeVappeared in tlie heavens, 
 and shone seven days. These wise men 
 also considered this as an evidence that 
 the long-expected Prince was born. It 
 is possible that they had been led to this 
 Dclief hj. the prophecy of Balaam. 
 Num. xxiv. 17. " There shall come a 
 Har out of Jacob," &c. What this 
 star was, is not known. There have 
 been many conjectures respecting it, 
 but nothing is revealed concerning it. 
 We are not to suppose that it was what 
 we commonly mean by a star. The 
 stars are vast bodies fixed in the liea- 
 cens, and it is absurd to suppose that 
 one of them was sent to guide the wise 
 meii. It is most probable that it was a 
 luminous appearance, or meteor, such 
 as we now see sometimes shoot from 
 the sky, or such as appear stationary, 
 which the wise men saw, and which 
 directed them to Jerusalem. It is pos- 
 sible that the same thing is meant which 
 is mentioned by Luke, ii. 9 : " The glory 
 of the Lord shone roiitid about theni:" 
 i. e. (see Note on this place,) a great 
 light appeared shining around them. 
 That light might have been visible from 
 afar, and have been seen bv the wise 
 men in the East. H In the East. This 
 
 * Vespasian, ch. 4. f .'Vnnals. 5. 13. 
 
 t Joseplms, b. 1. 5. 5.7.31. 
 
 does not mean that they had seen the 
 star to the east of themselves, but that, 
 when they were in the East, they had 
 seen this star. As this star was in the 
 direction of Jerusalem, it must have 
 been west of them. It might be trans- 
 lated, ' We, being in the East, have 
 seen his star.' It is called his star, be- 
 cause they supposed it to be intended 
 to indicate the time and place of his 
 birth. If To worship him. This does 
 not mean that they had come to pay 
 him religious homage, or to adore him. 
 They regarded liim as the king of the 
 Jews. There is no evidence that they 
 supposed he would be divine. They 
 came to honor him as a Prince, or a 
 king, not as God. The original word 
 implies no more than this. It meant to 
 prostrate one's self before another; 1o 
 fall down and pay homage to another. 
 This was the mode in which homage 
 was paid to earthly kings, and this they 
 wished to pay to the new-born king of 
 the Jews. See the same meaning oi 
 the word in Matt. xx. 20, xviii. 26 ; 
 Acts X. 25 ; Luke .xiv. 10. The Eng- 
 lish word worship also meant formerly, 
 " to respect, to honor, to treat with civil 
 reverence." (Webster.) 
 
 3. Had heard these things. Had 
 heard of their coming, and ot the star, 
 and of the design of their coming. IT Ht 
 ivas troubled. Herod had obtained the 
 kingdom by great crimes, and by shed- 
 ding much blood. He was, therefore, 
 easily alarmed by any remarkable ap- 
 pearances ; and the fact that this star 
 appeared, and that it was regarded as 
 proof that the King of the Jews was 
 born, alarmed him. Besides, it was a 
 common expectation that the Messiah 
 was about to appear, and he feared that 
 his reign was about to come to an end. 
 He, therefore, began to inquire in what 
 way he might secure his own safety, 
 and the permanency of his government 
 ^ All Jerusalem. The people of Jeru- 
 salem, and particularly the friends of 
 Herod. There were many waiting foi 
 the consolation of Israel, to whom the 
 coming of the Messiah would be a 
 matter of joy ; but all of Herod's friends 
 would doubtless be alarmed at his com- 
 ing. 
 
 4. The chief priests. By the chiel 
 priests here are meant not only the hign
 
 A.D. 1.] CHAPTER II. 29 
 
 5 And they said unto him, In > privily called the wise men, inquir 
 i3ethlehem of Judea : for thus it is | ed of them diligently what time the 
 written ° by the prophet; i star appeared. 
 
 fi And thou Bethlehem, in the i 8 And he sent them to Bethle- 
 land of Juda, art not the least among i hem ; and said, Go and search dili- 
 the princes of Juda : for out of thee gently for the young child; and 
 shall come a governor, that shall ' when ye have found him, bring me 
 rule * my people Israel. word again, that I may come ' and 
 
 7 Then Herod, when he had worship him also. 
 
 a Mi.5.2. Jno.7.42. > or,/ea/. Is.40.11. c Pro .26.24. 
 
 b Re.2.27. 
 
 priest and his deputy, but also the heads 
 or chiefs of the twenty-four classes into 
 which David had divided the sacerdotal 
 families. 1 Chron. xxiii. 6, xxiv. ; 2 
 Chron. viii. 14, xx.xvi. 14 ; Ezra viii. 24. 
 '^Scribes. By the scribes, in the New 
 Testament, are meant learned men, 
 men skilled in the law, and members 
 of the great council. They were pro- 
 bably the learned men, or the lawyers 
 of the nation. They kept the records 
 of the court of justice, the registers of 
 the synagogues, wrote their articles of 
 contract and sale, their bills of divorce, 
 tc. They were also called lawyers, 
 Matt. xxii. 35, and doctors of the law, 
 Liuke V. 17. They were called scribes 
 from the fact of their writins the public 
 records. They were not, however, a 
 •eligious sect, but might be either 
 Pharisees or Sadducees. — By the chief 
 priests and scribes here mentioned, is 
 ie noted the tanhedrim or great council 
 of the nation. This was composed of 
 seventy-two men, w'ho had the charge 
 of the civil and religious affairs of the 
 Jews. On this occasion, Herod, in 
 alarm, called them together, professedly 
 to make inquiry respecting the birth of 
 the Messiah. If Demanded of them. In- 
 quired, or asked of them. As they 
 were the learned men of the nation, 
 and as it was their btisiness to study 
 and explain the Old Testament, they 
 were presumed to know what the pro- 
 phecies had declared on that point. 
 His object was to ascertain from pro- 
 phecy where he was born, that he might 
 strike an effectual blow. He seems 
 not to have had any doubt about the 
 time ii-hen he should be born. He was 
 satisfied that the time had come. 
 
 5, 6. Bi/ the prophet. The sanhe- 
 drim answered without hesitation. It 
 Wf>8 settled by prophecy. This pro- 
 phecy is found in Micah, v. 2. In that 
 3* 
 
 prophecy, both the place of his birth 
 and the character of the Messiah are 
 so clearly set forth, that there was no 
 room to doubt. It will be observed 
 that there is a considerable difference 
 between the passage as quoted by the 
 sanhedrim, and as it stands in Micah. 
 The main point, however, is retained — 
 the place of his birth. We are not con- 
 cerned, therefore, in showing how these 
 passages can be reconciled. Matthew 
 is not responsible for the correctness of 
 the quotation. He affirms only that 
 they gave this answer to Herod and that 
 Herod was satisfied. Admitting that 
 they did not quote the passage correctly 
 it does not prove that Matthew has not 
 reported their ansiver as they gave it 
 and this is all that he pretends to givf 
 IT Art not the least. In Micah, " though 
 thou be little." Though a small place 
 so far as population is concerned, yet it 
 shall not be small, or least, in honor ; 
 for the Messiah shall be born there. 
 His birth gave the place an honor which 
 could not be conferred on the larger 
 cities by all their numbers, their splen- 
 dor, and their wealth. The birth of a 
 distinguished personage was always sup- 
 posed to give honor and importance to 
 a city or country. Thus seven cities 
 contended for the honor of giving birth 
 to Homer; Stratford-upon-Avon is dis- 
 tinguished as the birth-place of Shak- 
 speare ; and Corsica as the birth-place 
 of Napoleon. '^ A Governor. A Ruler. 
 This is one of the characters of ths 
 Messiah, who is the King of his people, 
 John xviii. 37. The word rule hers 
 means to rule as a shepherd does his 
 flock, in faithfulness and tenderness. 
 Compare John x. 11, Isa. xl. 10, 11. 
 ix. 7. 
 
 7. Privily. Secretly, privately. He 
 did this to ascertain the time when Jesus 
 was born. H Diligently. Accurately,
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 1 
 
 9 When they had heard the king, 
 they departed : and, lo, the star, 
 which they saw " in the east, went 
 before them, till it came and stood 
 over where the young child was. 
 
 a ver.2. 
 
 fexactly. He took pains to learn the 
 precise time that the star appeared. He 
 did this because he naturally concluded 
 that the star appeared just at the time 
 of his birth, and he wished to know 
 precisely how old the child was. 
 
 8. Go, and search diligently, &c. 
 Herod took all possible means to ob- 
 tain accurate information respecting the 
 child, that he might be sure of destroy- 
 ing him. He not only ascertained the 
 probable time of his birth, and the place 
 where he would be born, but he sent 
 the wise men that they might actually 
 see him, and bring him word. Ail this 
 might have looked suspicious if he had 
 not clothed it with the appearance of 
 religion. He said to them, therefore, 
 that lie did it that he might go and wor- 
 ship him also. From this we may learn, 
 1. That wicked men often cloak their 
 evil designs under the appearance of 
 religion. They attempt to deceive those 
 who are really good, and to make them 
 suppose that they have the same design. 
 But God cannot be deceived, and he 
 will bring them to punishment. 2. 
 Wicked men often attempt to make 
 use of the pious to advance their evil 
 purposes. Men hke Herod will stop at 
 nothing if they can carry their ends. 
 They endeavor to deceive the simple, 
 allure the unsuspecting, and to beguile 
 the weak, to answer their purposes of 
 wickedness. 3. The plans of wicked 
 men are often well laid. They occupy 
 a long time. They make diHgent in- 
 quiry. And all of it has the appearance 
 of religion. But God sees the design ; 
 and though men are deceived, yet God 
 cannot be. Prov. xv. 3. 
 
 9, 10. The star — ive?it h&fore them. 
 From this it appears that the star was 
 a luminous meteor, perhaps at no great 
 distance from the ground. It is not un- 
 likely that they lost sight of the star after 
 they had commenced their journey from 
 the East. It is probable that it appear- 
 ed to them first in the direction of Jeru- 
 ealcm. They concluded that the e.x- 
 
 Sected King had been born, and inime- 
 iately commenced their journey to 
 
 10 When they saw the star, they 
 ' rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 
 
 11 And when they were come 
 into the house, they saw the young 
 child with Mary his mother, and 
 
 b Ps.67.4. 
 
 Jerusalem. When they arrived there, 
 it was important that they should be 
 directed to the very place where he 
 was, and the star again appeared. It 
 was for this reason that they rejoiced. 
 They felt assured that they were under 
 a heavenly guidance, and would be 
 conducted to the new-born King of the 
 Jews. And this shows, 1. That the 
 birth of Jesus was an affair of great 
 moment, worthy of the divine direction 
 of these men to find the place of his 
 nativity. 2. God will guide those who 
 are disposed to find the Saviour. Even 
 if for a time the fight should be with- 
 drawn, yet it will again appear, and 
 direct us in the way to the Redeemer. 
 3. Direction to Christ should fill us with 
 joy. He is the way, the truth, and the 
 life ; the Saviour, the friend, the all in 
 all ; there is no other way of life, and 
 there is no peace to the soul till he is 
 found. When we are guided to him, 
 therefore, our hearts should overflow 
 with joy and praise ; and we should 
 humbly and thankfully follow every di- 
 rection that leads to the Son of God. 
 John xii. 35, 36. 
 
 11. The house. The place where he 
 was born, or the place where they lived 
 at that time. If Fell down. This was 
 the usual way of showing respect or 
 homage among the Jews. Esther viii. 
 3; Job i. 20; Dan. iii. 7; Fs. Ixxii. 11 : 
 Is. xlvi. 6. ^ Worshipped him. Did 
 him homage as King of the Jews. See 
 on ver. 2. IF Had opened their trea 
 sures. The treasures which they had 
 brought, or the boxes, &.C., in which 
 they had brought their gold, &'c. H They 
 presented unto him gifts. These were 
 presented to him as King of the Jews, 
 because they supposed he was to he a 
 distinguished prince and conqueror. Il 
 was customary in the East to show res- 
 pect for persons of distinction by making 
 them presents or offerings of this kind. 
 See Gen. xxxii. 14, xliii. 1 1 ; 1 Sam. x. 
 27; 1 Kings x. 2; Ps. I.xxii. 10 — 15. 
 This custom is still common in the 
 East ; and it is everywhere there un- 
 usual to approach a person of distic-
 
 \. D. L] CHAPTER II. 
 
 fell down, and worshipped him : 
 and when they had opened their 
 treasures, they ' presented unto him 
 "gifts; gold, and frankincense, and 
 myrrh. 
 
 12 And being warned of God* 
 in a dream that they should not re- 
 turn to Herod, they departed into 
 
 heir own country another way. 
 
 > or, oStred. a Ps.72.10. Is.GO.O. b c.1.20. 
 
 81 
 
 guished rank without a valuable present. 
 tI FranTiinccnse. This was a production 
 of Arabia. It was a white resin or 
 gum. It was obtained from a tree by 
 making incisions in the bark, and suffer- 
 ing the gum to flow out. It was highly 
 odoriferous or fragrant when burned, 
 and was, therefore, used in worship, 
 where it was burned as a pleasant of- 
 fering to God. See Ex. xxx. 8. Lev. 
 xvi. 12. It is produced, also, in the 
 East Indies, but chiefly in Arabia; and 
 hence it has been supposed probable 
 that the wise men came from Arabia. 
 If Myrrh. This was also a production 
 of Arabia, and was obtained from a 
 tree in the same manner as frankin- 
 cense. The name denotes bitterness, 
 and was given to it on account of its 
 great bitterness. It was used chiefly 
 in embalming the dead, because it had 
 the property of preserving them from 
 putrefaction. Compare John xix. 39. 
 It was much used in Egypt and in Ju- 
 dca. It was obtained from a thorny 
 tree, which grows eight or nine feet 
 high. It was at an early period an ar- 
 ticle of commerce, (Gen. xxxvii. 25) ; 
 and was an ingredient of the holy oint- 
 ment. Ex. xxx. 23. It was also used 
 as an agreeable perfume. Esth. ii. 12. 
 Ps. xlv. 8. Prov. vii. 17. It was, also, 
 sometimes mingled with wine to form 
 an article of drink. Such a drink was 
 given to our Saviour, when about to be 
 crucified, as a stupefying potion. Mark 
 XV. 23. Coinpare Matth. .xxvii. 34. 
 These offerings were made because 
 they were the most valuable which 
 their country produced. They were 
 tokens of respect and homage which 
 they paid to the new-born King of the 
 Jews. They evinced their high regard 
 for him, and their belief that he was to 
 be an illustrious prince : and the fact 
 that their deed is recorded with appro- 
 bation, shows us that we should otier 
 
 13 And when they were depart- 
 ed, heboid, the angel of the Lord 
 appeareth to Joseph in a dream, 
 saying. Arise, and take the young 
 child and his mother, and flee into 
 Egypt, and be thou there until I 
 bring thee word : for Herod ' will 
 seek the young child, to destroy 
 him. 
 
 c Job33.]5,]7. 
 
 our most valuable possessions, our all, 
 to the Lord Jesus Christ. Wise men 
 came from far to do him homage, and 
 bowed down, and presented their best 
 gifts and offerings. It is right that we 
 give to him, also, our hearts, our pro- 
 perty, our all. 
 
 12. Warned of God, &c. This was 
 done, doubtless, because, if they had 
 given Herod precise information where 
 he was, it would have been easy for 
 him to send forth and slay him. And 
 from it we learn that God will watch 
 over those whom he loves ; that he 
 knows how to foil the purposes of the 
 wicked, and to deliver his own out of 
 the hands of those who would destroy 
 them. IT/ti a dream. See Note on ch. 
 i. 20. 
 
 13. The angel. See ch. i. 20. ^ Flee 
 into Egypt. Egypt is situated to the 
 souih-w"est of Judea, and is distant from 
 Bethlehem perhaps about sixty miles. 
 It was at this time a Roman province. 
 The Greek language was spoken there. 
 There were many Jews there, who had 
 a temple and synagogues ; and Joseph, 
 therefore, would be among his own 
 countrymen, and yet beyond the reach 
 
 I of Herod. The jurisdiction of Herod 
 
 I extended only to the river Sihon, or 
 
 I river of Egypt, and of course, beyond 
 
 I that, Joseph was safe from his designs. 
 
 For a description of Egypt, see my 
 
 I Notes on Isa. xix. It is remarkable 
 
 that this is the only time in which our 
 
 Saviour was out of Palestine, and that 
 
 this was in the land where the children of 
 
 Israel had suffered so much and so long 
 
 under the oppression of the Egyptian 
 
 kings. The very land which was ih« 
 
 land of bondage and groaning for the 
 
 Jews, became now the land of refuge 
 
 and safety for the new-born King of 
 
 Judea. God can cverturn nations and 
 
 kingdoms, so that those whom he love» 
 
 shall be safe anywhere.
 
 32 
 
 MATTHEW; 
 
 [A. £). L 
 
 14 When he arose, he took the' the prophet, saying" Uut of Egypt 
 young child and his mother by have I called my son 
 night, and departed into Egypt 
 
 15 And was there until the death 
 of Herod, that it might be fulfilled 
 which was spoken of the Lord by 
 
 15, The death of Herod. Herod died 
 in the thirty-seventh year of his reign. 
 It is not certainly known in what year 
 be began his reign, and hence it is im- 
 possible to determine the time that Jo- 
 seph remained in Egypt. The best 
 clironologers have supposed that lie 
 died somewhere between two and four 
 years after the birth of Christ ; but at 
 what particular time cannot now be de- 
 termined. Nor can it be determined 
 at what age Jesus was taken into Egypt. 
 It seems probable that he was supposed 
 to be a year old (see ver. 16) , and of 
 course the time that he remained in 
 Egypt was not long. Herod died of a 
 most painful and loathsome disease in 
 Jericho. See Note on ver. 16 ; also 
 Josephus, Ant. 17. 10. ^ That it might 
 be fulfilled, &c. Thi:- language is re- 
 corded in Hosea xi. 1. It there evi- 
 dently speaks of God's calling his peo- 
 ple out of Egypt under Moses. See 
 E.x. iv. 22, 23. It might be said to be 
 fulfilled in his calling Jesus from 
 Egypt, because the words in Hosea 
 aptly expressed this also. The same 
 love which led him to deliver his peo- 
 ple Israel from the land of Egypt, now 
 led him also to deliver his Son from 
 that place. The words used by Hosea 
 would express both events. See Note 
 on ch. i. 22. Perhaps, also, the place 
 in Hosea became a proverb, to express 
 any great deliverance from danger ; and 
 thus it could be said to be fulfilled in 
 Christ, as other proverbs are in cases 
 to which they are applicable. It can- 
 not be supposed that the passage in 
 Hosea was a prophecy of the Messiah, 
 biU was only used by Matthew appro- 
 priately to express the event. 
 
 16. Mocked of the icisemen. When 
 he saw that he had been deceived by 
 them ; — that is, that they did not return 
 as he had expected. It does not mean 
 that they did it /or the purpose of mock- 
 ing or deriding him ; but that he was 
 disappointed in their not returning. 
 If Exceeding xuroth. Very angry. He 
 had been disappointed and deceived. 
 
 16 Then Herod, when he saw 
 
 that he was mocked of the wise 
 
 men, was exceeding wroth, and 
 
 sent forth, and slew all the children 
 
 allos.ll.l. 
 
 He expected to send an exectitionei 
 and kill Jesus alone. But since he wa.« 
 disappointed in this, he thought he 
 would accomplish the same thing, and 
 be sure to destroy him, if he sent forth 
 and ptit all the children in the place to 
 death. This is an illustration of the 
 power of anger. It stops at nothing. 
 If it cannot accomplish just what it 
 wishes, it does not hesitate to go much 
 farther, and accom])lish much more evil 
 than it at first designed. He that has 
 a wicked heart, and indulges in anger, 
 knows not where it will end, and will 
 commonly commit far more evil than 
 he at first intended. IT Sleiv all the chil- 
 dren. That is, all the male children. 
 This is implied in the original. The 
 design of Herod was to cut off him 
 that had been born hin^ of the Jews. 
 His purpose, therefore, did not require 
 that he should slay all the female chil 
 dren ; and though he was cruel, yet Wv 
 have no right to think that he attempt- 
 ed here any thing except what he 
 thought to be for his own safety, and to 
 secure himself from a rival. IT hi all 
 the coast thereof. The word coast is 
 commonly apphed now to the regions 
 around the sea, as the sea coast. Here 
 it means the adjacent places, the settle- 
 ments or hamlets around Bethlehem — 
 all that were in that neighborhood. 
 We do not know how large a place 
 Bethlehem was ; nor, of course, how 
 many were slain. But it was not a 
 large place, and the number could not 
 be very great. It is not probable that 
 it contained more than one or two thou- 
 sand inhabitants ; and in this case the 
 number of children slain was not pro- 
 bably over twenty or thirty, 'i! From 
 tv;o years old and under. Some writers 
 have said that this does not mean, in 
 the original, that they had cmnpletcd 
 two years ; but that they had entered on 
 the second year, or had completed about 
 one year, and entered on the second. 
 But the meaning of the word is doubt- 
 ful. It is quite probable that they 
 would not be particular about the etart
 
 A. D. 1.] 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 33 
 
 that were in Bethlehem, and in all [ was spoken by Jeremy *thb prophet, 
 the coasts thereof, from two years saying:, 
 
 old and under, according to the time 
 which he had diligently inquired* 
 of the wise men. 
 
 17 Then was fulfilled that which 
 a ver.7. 
 
 age, but slew all that were about that 
 age. "^^ According to the time, &c. 
 He had endeavoured to ascertain of the 
 wise men the exact time of his birth. 
 He supposed he knew the age of Jesus. 
 He slew, therefore, all that were of his 
 age ; that is, all that were born ahout 
 the time when the star appeared, per- 
 haps from six months old to two years. 
 There is no reason to think that he 
 would command those to be slain who 
 had been born after the star appeared. 
 
 This destruction of the infants is not 
 mentioned by Josephus, but for this 
 omission three reasons may be given. 
 1. Josephus, a Jewish historian, and a 
 Jew, would not be likely to record any 
 thing that would appear to confirm the 
 truth of Christianity. 2. This act of 
 Herod was really so small compared 
 with his other crimes, that the historian 
 might not think it worthy of record. 
 Belhlehem was a small and obscure vil- 
 lage, and the other crimes of Herod 
 were so great and so public, that it is 
 not to be wondered at that the Jewish 
 historian has passed over this. 3. The 
 order was probably given in secret, and 
 might not have been known to Jose- 
 phus. It pertained to the Christian his- 
 tory ; and if the evangelists had not 
 written, it might have been unknown 
 or forgotten. Besides, no argument can 
 be drawn from tiie silence of the Jewish 
 historian. No reason can be given why 
 Matthew should not be considered to 
 be as fully entitled to credit as Jose- 
 phus. Yet there is no improbability in 
 the account given by Matthew. Herod 
 was an odious and bloody tyrant, and 
 the facts of his reign prove that he was 
 abundantly capable of this wickedness. 
 The following bloody deeds will show 
 that the slaying of the infants was in 
 perfect accordance with his character. 
 The account is taken from Josephus, 
 as arranged by Dr. Lardner. Aristo- 
 l)ulus, brother of his wife Mariamne, 
 was murdered by his direction at eigh 
 t^en years of age, because the people 
 ijf Jerusalem had shown some affection 
 
 18 In Rama was there a voice 
 heard, lamentation, and weepinjf, 
 and great mourning, Rachel weep- 
 ing for her children, and would 
 6 Je.31.15. 
 
 for his person. In the seventh year ot 
 his reign he put to death Hyrcanus, 
 grandfatlier of Mariamne, then eighty 
 years of age, and who had formerly 
 saved Herod's hfe ; a man who had, in 
 every revolution of fortune, shown a 
 mild and peaceable disposition. His 
 beloved and beautiful wife, Mariamne, 
 had a public execution, and her mothei 
 Alexandra followed soon after. Alex- 
 ander and Aristobulus, his two sons by 
 Mariamne, were strangled in prison by 
 his orders upon groundless suspicions, 
 as it seems, when they were at man's 
 estate, were married and had children. 
 In his last sickness, a little before he 
 died, he sent orders throughout Judea, 
 requiring the presence of all the chief 
 men of the nation at Jericho. His or- 
 ders were obeyed, for they were en- 
 forced with no less penalty than that ot 
 death. When they were come to Je- 
 richo, he had them all shut up in the cir 
 cus ; and calling for his sister Salome, 
 and her husband Alexis, he told them : 
 " My life is now short. I know the 
 Jewish people, and nothing will please 
 them better than my death. You hav 
 them now in your custody. As sooi 
 as the breath is out of my body, and 
 before my death can bo known, do yon 
 let in the soldiers upon them, and kill 
 them. All Judea, then, and every fa- 
 mily, will, though unwiUingly, mourn 
 at my death." Nay, Josephus says 
 that with tears in his eyes he conjured 
 them, by their love to him and their 
 fidelity to God, not to fail of doing hira 
 this honor. — What objection, after this 
 account, can there be to the account of 
 his murdering the infants at Bethlehem ? 
 Surely there could be no cruelty, bar- 
 barity, and horrid crime, which such a 
 man was not capable of perpetrating. 
 
 17, 18. Jeremy. Jeremiah. This quo- 
 tation is taken from Jeremiah x.vxi. l.'S. 
 The word " fulfilled," here, is take; 
 evidently in the sense that the words ir 
 Jeremiah aptly express the event which 
 Matthew was recording. The original 
 design of this prophecy was to describe
 
 M 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 [A. D. 1 
 
 not be coir.forted because they are 19 But when Herod was dead, 
 not. behold, an angel of the Lord ap- 
 
 the Boriowful departure of the people 
 'nto captivity, after the conquest of Je- 
 msalem by Nebuzaradan. The cap- 
 tives were assembled at Rama, Jere- 
 miah himself being in chains, and there 
 the fate of those who had escaped in 
 the destruction of the city, was decided 
 at the will of the conqueror. Jer. xl. 1. 
 The nobles had been slain, and the 
 eyes of their king put out after the 
 murder of his sons before liis sight, 
 and the people were then gathered at 
 Rama in chains, whence they were to 
 start on their mournful journey, slaves 
 to a cruel monarch, leaving behind them 
 all that was dear in life. The sadness 
 of such a scene is well expressed in the 
 language of the prophet, and no less 
 beautifully and fitly applies to the me- 
 lancholy event which the evangehst re- 
 cords, and tliere could be no impropriety 
 in his using it as a quotation. 
 
 Rama was a small town in the tribe 
 of Benjamin, not far from Bethlehem. 
 Rachel was the mother of Benjamin, 
 and was buried near to Bethlehem. Gen. 
 XTxv. 16 — 19. Rama was about six 
 miles north-west of Jerusalem, near 
 Bethel. The name Kama signifies an 
 eminence, and was given to the town 
 because it was situated on a hill. Rama 
 is commonly supposed to be the same 
 as the Arimathea of the New Testa- 
 ment — the place where Joseph lived 
 who begged the body of Jesus. See 
 Matt, xxvii. 57. This is also the same 
 place in which Samuel was born, where 
 he resided, died and was buried, and 
 where he anointed Saul as king. 1 Sam. 
 i. 1. 19; ii. 11 ; viii. 4; xix. 18; xxv. 1. 
 Mr. King, an American Missionary, was 
 at Rama — now called Rermha — in 1824 ; 
 and Mr. Whiting, another American 
 Missionary, was there in 1835. He 
 Bays, "the situation is exceedingly 
 beautiful. It is about two hours dis- 
 tant from Jerusalem to the north-west, 
 an an eminence commanding a view 
 of a wide extent of beautiful diversified 
 country. Hills, plains, and valleys, 
 highly cultivated fields of wheat and 
 barley, vineyards and oliveyards, are 
 spread out before you as on a map ; and 
 numerous villages are scattered here 
 and there over the whole view. To the 
 west and north-west, beyond the hill- 
 country, appears the vast plain of Sha- 
 
 ron, and farther still you look out upon 
 
 j the great and wide sea. It occurred to 
 
 me as not improbable that in the days 
 
 I of David and Solomon, this place may 
 
 have been a favorite retreat during 
 
 the heat of summer ; and that here the 
 
 former may have often struck his sa- 
 
 \ cred lyre. Some of the psalms, or a, 
 
 : least one of them, (see Ps. civ. 25,) 
 
 seem to have been composed in some 
 
 place which commanded a view of the 
 
 Mediterranean ; and this is the only 
 
 place, I beheve, in the vicinity of Jeru 
 
 salem, that affords such a view." 
 
 Rama was once a strongly fortified 
 city, but there is no city here at pre- 
 sent. A half-ruined Mohammedan 
 mosque, which was originally a Chris 
 tian church, stands over the tomb of 
 the prophet ; besides which, a few mi- 
 serable dwellings are the only build- 
 ings that remain on this once celebrated 
 spot. 
 
 There is a town about thirty miles 
 north-west of Jerusalem, on the road 
 to Joppa, now called Ramla, or Eamle, 
 which is described by many geogra- 
 phers, and some of the best maps, as 
 the Rama of Samuel, and the Arima- 
 tliea of Joseph. It commands a view 
 of the whole valley of Sharon, from the 
 mountains of Jerusalem to the sea, and 
 from the foot of Carmel to the hills of 
 Gaza. — Un. Bib. Die. 
 
 By a beautiful figure of speech, the 
 prophet introduces the mother weeping 
 over the tribe, her children, and with 
 them weeping over the fallen destiny 
 of Israel, and over the calamities about 
 to come upon the land. Few images 
 could be more striking than thus to in- 
 troduce a mother, long dead, whose 
 sepulchre was near, weeping bitterly 
 over the terrible calamities that befell 
 her descendants. The language and the 
 image aptly and beautifully expressed 
 the sorrows of the mothers in Bethle- 
 hem, when Herod slew their infant 
 children. Under the cruelty of the ty- 
 rant, almost every family was a family 
 of tears ; and well might there be la- 
 mentation, and weeping, and great 
 mourning. 
 
 We may remark here, that the sacred 
 writers were cautious of speaking of the 
 characters of wicked men. Here was 
 one of the wor 3t men in the world, com-
 
 A.I>. l.j 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 3b 
 
 peareth in a dream to Joseph in I 20 Sayings, Arise, and take the 
 Egypt, young child and his mother, and go 
 
 mitting one of the most awful crimes, 
 and yet there is not a single mark of ex- 
 clamation ; not a single reference to any 
 other part of his conduct; nothing that 
 could lead to the knowledge that his 
 other conduct was not upright. There 
 is no wanton and malignant dragging 
 him into the narrative, that they might 
 gratify malice, in making free with a 
 very bad character. What was to their 
 purpose, they record ; what was not, 
 they left to others. This is the nature 
 of religion. It does not speak evil of 
 others, except when necessary, nor then 
 does it take pleasure in it. 
 
 19. Herod was dead. See Note on 
 V. 15. Herod left three sons, and the 
 kingdom was at his death divided be- 
 tween them. To Archelaus vvas given 
 Judea, Idumca, and Samaria; to Philip, 
 Batanea, Trachonitis, &-c. ; to Antipas, 
 Galilea and Perea. Each of these waa 
 also called Herod, and these are the in- 
 dividuals who are so frequently referred 
 to in the New Testament during the 
 ministry of the Saviour and the labors 
 of the Apostles. The following table 
 will show at a glance the chief con- 
 nexions of this family, as far as they 
 are mentioned in the Sacred history. 
 
 20. They are dead who sought, &.C. 
 This either refers to Plerod alone, as is 
 ,jot uncommon, using the plural num- 
 Der for the singular ; or it may refer to 
 flerod and his son Antipater. He was 
 of the same cruel disposition as his fa- 
 ther, and was put to death by his fa- 
 ther about five days before Iiis own 
 deatii. 
 
 22. He heard that Archelaus did 
 reign. Archelaus possessed a cruel and 
 tyrannical disposition similar to his fa- 
 ther. At one of the Passovers he caused 
 three thousand of the people to be put 
 to death in the temple and city. Foi 
 his crimes, after he had reigned nine 
 years, he was banished by Augustus 
 the Roman emperor, '.o Gaul where
 
 36 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 lA. I). 1. 
 
 into the land of Israel : for they are 
 dead " which sought the young 
 child's life. 
 
 21 And he arose, and took the 
 young child and his mother, and 
 came into the land of Israel. 
 
 22 But when he heard that Ar- 
 
 a Ex.4. 19. 
 
 lie died. Knowing his character, and 
 fearing that he would not be safe there, 
 Joseph hesitated about going there, and 
 was directed by God to go to Galilee, 
 a place of safety. IT The parts of Ga- 
 lilee. The country of Galilee. At this 
 time the land of Palestine was divided 
 into three parts : Galilee, on the north ; 
 Samaria, in the middle; and Judea, 
 on the south. Galilee was under the 
 government of Herod Antipas, who 
 was comparatively a mild prince ; and 
 in his dominions Joseph might find 
 safety. 
 
 23. Nazareth. This was a small town, 
 sittiated in Galilee, west of Capernaum, 
 and not far from Cana. It was built 
 partly in a valley, and partly on the de- 
 clivity of a hill. Luke iv. 29. A hill 
 is yet pointed out, to the south of Naza- 
 reth, as the one from which the people 
 of the place attempted to precipitate the 
 Saviour. It was a place, at that time, 
 proverbial for wickedness. John iv. 46. 
 It is now a large village, with a convent 
 and two churches. One of the churches, 
 called tJie church of the Annu7iciation, is 
 the finest in the lloly Land, except that 
 of the holy sepulchre in Jerusalem. 
 
 A modern traveller describes Naza- 
 reth as situated upon the declivity of a 
 hill, the vale which spreads out before it 
 resembling a circular basin, encom- 
 passed by mountains. Fifteen moun- 
 tains appear to meet to form an enclo- 
 sure for this beautiful spot, around which 
 they rise hke the edge of a shell, to 
 guard it against intrusion. It is a rich 
 and beautiful field in the midst of barren 
 mountains. 
 
 Another traveller speaks of the streets 
 us narrow and steep, the houses, which 
 are Mat-roofed, are about two hundred 
 and fifty in number, and the inhabi- 
 tants he estimates at 2000. The popu- 
 lation of the place is variously stated, 
 though the average estimate is 3000; 
 of whom about five hundred arc Turks, 
 and the residue nominal Christians. 
 
 A a all testimony to the truth and 
 
 chelaus did reign in Judea in the 
 room of his father Herod, he was 
 afraid to go thither : notwithstand- 
 ing, being warned of God in a 
 dream, he turned aside into the 
 parts of' Galilee : 
 
 23 And he came and dwelt in a 
 
 ■ b c.3.13. Lu.2.39. 
 
 fidelity of the sacred narrative is im- 
 portant, we have thought ourselves jus- 
 tified in connecting with this article a 
 passage from the journal of Mr. Jowett, 
 an intelligent modern traveller ; espe- 
 cially as it is so full an illustration of the 
 passage of Luke already cited. 
 
 " Nazareth is situated on the side, 
 and extends nearly to the foot, of a hill, 
 which, though not very high, is rather 
 steep and overhanging. The eye na- 
 turally wanders over its summit, in 
 quest of some point from whicli it 
 might probably be that the men of this 
 place endeavoured to cast our Saviour 
 down, (Luke iv. 29,) but in vain : no 
 rock adapted to such an object appears 
 here. At the foot of the hill is a mo- 
 dest, simple plain, surrounded by low 
 hills, reaching in length nearly a mile ; 
 in breadth, near the city, a hundred 
 and fifty yards ; but farther south, about 
 four hundred yards. On this plain there 
 are a few olive and fig trees, sufficient, 
 or rather scarcely sufficient, to make 
 the spot picturesque. Then follows a 
 ravine, vrhich gradually grows deeper 
 and narrower towards the south ; till, 
 after walking about another mile, you 
 find yourself in an immense chasm, 
 with steep rocks on either side, from 
 whence you behold, as it were beneath 
 your feet, and before you, the noble 
 plain of Esdraelon. Nothing can be 
 finer than the apparently immeasurable 
 prospect of this plain, bounded on the 
 south by the mountains of Samaria. 
 The elevation of the hills on which the 
 spectator stands in tliis ravine is very 
 great ; and the whole scene, when we 
 saw it, was clothed in the most rich 
 mountain-blue color that can be con- 
 ceived. At this spot, on the right hand 
 of the ravine, is shown the rock to 
 which the men of Nazareth are sup- 
 posed to have conducted our Lord, foi 
 the purpose of throwing him down 
 With the Testament in our hands, \\ o 
 endeavored to examine the probabili 
 ties of the sp"* : and I confess there ia
 
 \. D. 1. 
 
 CHAPTP^R III, 
 
 37 
 
 city called " Nazareth : that it might ' 
 be fulfilled which was spoken by | 
 the prophets, He siiall be called a I 
 Nazareiie.'' | 
 
 oJno.1.45. 6 Nu.C.13. Ju.13.5. 1 Sa.l.H. ! 
 Am.2.10-12. Ac.24.5. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 IN those days came "= John the 
 Baptist, preaching in the wil« 
 derness of Judea, 
 
 . c Lu.3.2. Jno.1.18. 
 
 nothing ni it which excites a scruple of 
 increduHty in my mind. The rock here 
 is perpendicular for about fifty feet, 
 down which space it would be easy to 
 hurl a person wiio siiould be unawares 
 brought to the summit ; and his perish- 
 uig would be a very certain conse- 
 quence. That the spot might be at a 
 considerable distance from the city is 
 an idea not inconsistent with St. Luke's 
 account ; for the expression, thrusting 
 Jesus out of the cittj, and leading him 
 to the hroio of the hill on ichich their city 
 was built, gives fair scope for imagining, 
 that in their rage and debate, the Naza- 
 renes might, witiiout originally intend- 
 ing his murder, press upon him for a 
 considerable distance after they had 
 quitted the synagogue. The distance, 
 as already noticed, from modern Naza- 
 reth to the spot, is scarcely two miles ; 
 a space which, in the fury of persecu- 
 tion, might soon be passed over. Or, 
 should this appear too considerable, it 
 is by no means certain but that Naza- 
 reth may at that time have extended 
 through the principal part of the plain, 
 which I have described as lying before 
 the modern town. In this case, the dis- 
 tance passed over might not exceed a 
 mile. I can sec, therefore, no reason 
 for thinking otherwise, than that this 
 may be the real scene where our divine 
 prophet Jesus received so great a dis- 
 honor from the men of his own coun- 
 try and of his own kindred." 
 
 Mr. Fisk, an American Missionary, 
 was at Nazareth in the autumn of 1823. 
 His description corresponds generally 
 with that of Mr. Jowett. He estimates 
 the population to be from 3000 to 5000, 
 viz. Greeks, three hundred or four hun- 
 dred families ; Turks, two hundred ; 
 (.atholics, one hundred; Greek Ca- 
 thoHcs, forty or fifty ; Maronites, twen- 
 ty or thirty ; say in all seven hundred 
 houses. % That It mti;ht he Jmjilled which 
 VMS spoken, &c. Tiie words here are 
 *i"iot Idund m any of the books of the 
 Old Testament ; and there has been 
 much difficulty in ascertaining the 
 meaning of this passage. Sotne have 
 
 4 
 
 supposed that Matthew meant to refer 
 to Judges xiii. 5, to Samson as a type 
 of Christ ; others that he refers to Isa- 
 iah xi. 1, where the descendant of Jesse 
 is called " a Branch ;" in the Hebrew 
 Netzer. Some have supposed that Mat- 
 thew refers to some prophecy which 
 was not recorded, but handed down by 
 tradition. But these suppositions are 
 not satisfactory. It is a great deal more 
 probable that Matthew refers not to 
 any particular place, but to the leading 
 characteristics of the prophecies respect- 
 ing him. The following remarks may 
 make this clear. 1st. He does not say, 
 " by the prophet," as in ch. i. 22 ; ii. 5, 
 15, but " bi/ the prophets," meanmg no 
 one particularly, but the general cha- 
 racter of the prophecies. 2d. The lead- 
 ing and most i)rominent prophecies re • 
 specting him were, that he was to be 
 of humble life ; to be despised, and re- 
 jected. See Isa. liii. 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12. 
 Ps. xxii. 3d. The phrase " he shall be 
 called," means the same as he shall be. 
 4th. The character of the people of Na- 
 zareth was such that they were prover- 
 bially despised and contemned. John i. 
 46 ; vii. 53. To come from Nazareth, 
 therefore, or to be a Nazarene, was the 
 same as to be despised, and esteemed 
 of low birth ; to be a root out of dry 
 ground, having no form or comeliness. 
 And this was the same as had been 
 predicted by the prophets. When Mat- 
 thew says, therefore, that the prophe- 
 cies were fulfilled, it means that the 
 predictions of the prophets that he should 
 be of humble life, and rejected, were 
 fully accomplished in his being an inha- 
 bitant of Nazareth, and despised as 
 such. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 1. In those days. The days here re- 
 ferred to, cannot be those mentioned in 
 the preceding chapter, for John was bu! 
 SLx months older than Christ. Perhaps 
 Matthew intended to extend his narra- 
 tive to the whole time that Jesus dwelt 
 at Nazareth ; and the meaning is, ' i:x 
 those days while Jesus still dwelt at 
 Nagareth,^ John began to preach. It
 
 38 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 26, 
 
 2 And saying, Repent ye : for the 3 For this is he that was spoken 
 (lingdom of heaven is at hand. ; of" by the prophet Esaias, saying, 
 
 a Is.40.3. 
 
 is not probable that John began to bap- 
 tize or preach long before the Saviour 
 entered on his ministry; and, conse- 
 quently, from the time that is mention- 
 ed at the close of the second chapter, 
 to that mentioned m the beginning of 
 the third, an interval of twenty-five or 
 more years elapsed. 1i John the Baptist. 
 Or John the ba/ptizer — ^so called from 
 his principal office, that of baptizing. 
 Baptism, or the application of water, 
 was a rite well known to the Jews, and 
 practised when they admitted proselytes 
 to their religion from heathenism. — 
 Lightfoot. IT Preaching. The word 
 tendered to preach, means, to proclaim 
 in the manner of a public crier ; to make 
 proclamation. The discourses recorded 
 m the New Testament are mostly brief 
 sometimes a single sentence. They 
 were public proclainations of some great 
 truth. Such appear to have been the 
 discourses of John, calling men to re- 
 pentanee. IT In the wilderness of Ju- 
 dea. This country was situated along 
 the Jordan, and the Dead Sea, to the 
 east of Jerusalem. The word trans- 
 lated wilderness, does not denote, as 
 with tis, a place of boundless forests, 
 entirely destitute of inhabitants ; but a 
 mountainous, rough, and thinly settled 
 country, covered, to some considerable 
 extent, with forests and rocks, and bet- 
 ter fitted for pasture than for tilling. 
 There were inhabitants in those places, 
 and even villages, btit they were the 
 comparatively unsettled portions of the 
 country. 1 Sain. x.w. 1, 2. In the 
 time of Joshua there were six cities in 
 what was then called a wilderness. 
 Joshua XV. 61, 62. 
 
 2. Eepent ye. Repentance implies 
 sorrow for past offences (2 Cor. vii. 
 10.) ; a deep sense of the evil of sin as 
 committed against God (Ps. li. 4.) ; 
 and a full purpose to turn from trans- 
 gression and to lead a holy life. A true 
 penitent has sorrow for sin, not only 
 because it is ruinous to his soul, but 
 chieffy because it is an offence against 
 God, and is that abominable thing which 
 he hates. Jcr. xliv. 4. It is produced 
 by seeing the great danger and misery 
 10 which it exposes us ; by seeing the 
 justness and holiness of God (Job xlii. 
 
 6.); and by seeing that our sins have 
 been committed against Christ, and 
 were the cause of his death. Zech. xii. 
 10. Luke xxii. 61, 62. There are 
 two words in the New Testament 
 translated repentance ; one of which 
 denotes a change of mind, or a refor- 
 mation of life ; and the other sorroio or. 
 regret that sin has been committed. 
 The word used here is the former : 
 caUing the Jews to a change of life, or 
 a reformation of conduct. In the time 
 of John, the nation had become ex- 
 tremely wicked and corrupt, perhaps 
 more so than at any preceding period. 
 Hence both he and Christ began their 
 ministry by calling to repentance, li 
 The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
 The phrases, kingdom of heaven 
 kingdom of Christ ; and kingdom o 
 God ; are of frequent occurrence in 
 the Bible. They all refer to the same 
 thing. The expectation of such a king 
 dom was taken from the Old Testa- 
 ment, and especially from Daniel, ch. 
 vii. 13, 14.- The prophets had told Oi 
 a successor to David that should sit on 
 his throne. 1 Kings ii. 4 ; viii. 25 ; 
 Jer. xxxiii. 17. The Jews expected a 
 great national deliverer. They sup- 
 posed that when the Messiah should 
 appear, all the dead would be raised ; 
 that the judgment would take place ; 
 and that the enemies of the Jews 
 would be destroyed, and themselves 
 advanced to great national dignity and 
 honor. 
 
 The language in which they were 
 accustomed to describe this event was 
 retained by our Saviour and his apos- 
 tles. Yet they early attempted to cor- 
 rect the oommon notions respecting his 
 reign. This was one design, doubtless, 
 of John in preaching repentance. In- 
 stead of summoning them to military 
 exercises, and collecting an army, which 
 would have been in accordance with 
 their expectations, he called them to a 
 change of life ; to the doctrine of re- 
 pentance — a state of things far more 
 accordant with the approach of a king- 
 dom of purity. 
 
 The phrases kingdom of God and 
 kingdom of heaven, have Ireen «up- 
 posed to have a con.siderable vjiriety ol
 
 A. D. 26. 
 
 CHAPTER 111. 
 
 39 
 
 The voice of one crying in the wil- 
 derness, Prepare ye the way of the 
 Lord, make his paths straight. 
 4 And the same John had his • 
 
 a2Ki.].8. Mat. U.S. 
 
 meaning. Some have thought that 
 they refer to the state of things in hea- 
 ven ; others, to the personal reign of 
 Clirist on earth ; others, that they 
 mean the church, or the reign of 
 Christ in the hearts of his people. 
 There can be no doubt that there is 
 reference in the words to the condition 
 of things in heaven, after this life. But 
 the church of God is a preparatory 
 state to that beyond the grave ; a state 
 in whicli Christ pre-eminently rules and 
 reigns ; and there is no doubt that it 
 sometimes refers to the state of things 
 in the church; and it means, therefore, 
 the state of ihintrs which the Messiah 
 was to set up — his sjjiritual reisin be- 
 gun, ill the church on earth, and com- 
 pleted in heaven. 
 
 The phrase would be best translated, 
 ' the reig7i of God draws near.' We 
 do not say commonly of a kingdom 
 that it is moveable, or that it approaches. 
 A reign may be said to be at hand ; or 
 the time when Christ would reign was 
 at hand. In this sense it is meant that 
 the time when Christ should reign, or 
 set up his kingdom, or begin his do- 
 minion on earth, under the Christian 
 economy, was about to commence. 
 The phrase, then, should not be con- 
 fined to any period of that reign, but 
 includes his whole dominion over his 
 people on earth and in heaven. 
 
 In the passage here it clearly means 
 that the coming of the Messiah was 
 near ; or that the time of the reign of 
 God which the Jews had expected was 
 coming. 
 
 The word heaven, or heavens, as it is 
 in the original, means sometimes the 
 place, so called ; and sometimes is, by 
 a figure of speech, put for the Great 
 Being whose residence is there ; as in 
 Daniel iv. 26 ; " the Heavens do rule." 
 .See also Mark xi. 30. Luke .w. 18. 
 As thit kingdom was one of purity, it 
 was proper that the people should pre- 
 pare themselves for it by turnint; from 
 their sins, and directing their minds to 
 a suitable fitness for his reign. 
 
 3. Tht prophet Esaias. The pro- 
 Diiet Isaiah, Esaias is the Greek mode 
 
 raiment of camel's hair, and a lea- 
 thern girdle about his loins : and 
 his meat was locusts * and wild 
 honey. 
 
 6 Le. 11.22. 
 
 of wrhing the name. This passage is 
 taken from Isaiah .\1. 3. It is here said 
 to have been spoken in reference to 
 John, the forerunner of Christ. The 
 language is such as was familiar to the 
 Jews, and such as thej' would under- 
 stand. It was spoken at first with 
 reference to the return from the cap- 
 tivity at Babylon. Anciently it was 
 customary in the march of armies ro 
 send messengers, or pioneers, before 
 them, to proclaim their approach ; to 
 provide for them ; to remove obstruc- 
 tions ; to make roads, level hills, fill 
 up valleys, &lc. Isaiah, describing the 
 return from Babylon, uses language 
 taken from that custom. A crier, or 
 herald, is introduced. In the vast de- 
 serts that lay between Babylon and 
 Judea, he is represented as lifting up 
 his voice, and, with authority, com- 
 manding a public road to be made for 
 the return of the captive Jews, with 
 the Lord as their deliverer. ' Prepare 
 his ways, make them straight, says 
 he ;' or, as Isaiah adds, ' Let the val- 
 leys be e.xalted, or filled up, and the 
 hills be levelled, and a straight, level 
 highway be prepared, that they may 
 march with ease and safety.' See my 
 Notes on Isa. .\1. 
 
 As applied to John, it means, that h(. 
 was sent to remove obstructions, and 
 to prepare the people for the coming of 
 the IVIessiah ; hke a herald going be- 
 fore an army on the march, to make 
 preparations for their coming. 
 
 4. His raiment, of camefs hair. His 
 clothing. This is not the fine hair of 
 the camel from which our elegant cloth 
 is made, called camlet; nor the mort 
 elegant stuff, brought from the Eas\ 
 Indies, under the name of camel's hair: 
 but the long, shaggy hair of the camel, 
 from which a coarse, cheap cloth is 
 made, still worn by the poorer classci 
 in the East, and by monks. This dross 
 of the camel's hair, and a leathern gir- 
 dle, it seems, was the common dress 
 of the prophets. 2 Kings, i. 8. Zech. 
 .xiii. 4. IT Hh meat was locusts. His 
 food. These constituted the food of the 
 common people. Among the Greeks.
 
 5 Then went out to him Jerusa- 
 lem, and all Judea, and all the re- 
 gion round about Jordan, 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D.26 
 
 6 And were baptized of him in 
 Jordan, confessing* their sins. 
 
 7 But when he saw many of the 
 a Ac.1.5. 2.38. 19.4,5,18. 
 
 the vilest of the people used to eat them ; 
 and the fact that John made his food of 
 them is significant of his great poverty 
 and humble life. The Jews were al- 
 lowed to eat them. Lev. xi. 22. Lo- 
 custs are fl)'ing insects, and are of va- 
 rious kinds. The green locusts are 
 about two inches in length, and about 
 the thickness of a man's finger. The 
 common brown locust is about three 
 inches long. The general form and 
 appearance of the locust is not unlike 
 the grasshopper. They were one of 
 the plagues of Egypt (Ex. x.) . In east- 
 ern countries they are very numerous. 
 They appear in such quantities as to 
 darken the sky, and devour in a short 
 time every green thing. The whole earth 
 is sometimes covered with them for 
 many leagues. Joel i. 4. Isa. xxxiii. 4, 5. 
 " Some species of the locust are eaten 
 at this day in eastern countries, and 
 are even esteemed a delicacy when 
 properly cooked. After tearing off the 
 legs and wings, and taking out the en- 
 trails, they stick them in long rows 
 upon wooden spits, roast them at the 
 fire, and then proceed to devour them 
 with great zest. There are also other 
 ways of preparing them. For exam- 
 ple : they cook them and dress them in 
 oil ; or, having dried them, they pul- 
 verize them, and when other food is 
 scarce, make bread of the meal. The 
 Bedouins pack tliem with salt, in close 
 masses, which they carry in their lea- 
 thern sacks. From these they cut 
 slices as they may need them. It is 
 singular that even learned men have 
 suffered themselves to hesitate about 
 understanding these passages of the lit- 
 eral locust, when the fact that these are 
 eaten by the orientals is so abundantly 
 proved by the concurrent testimony of 
 travellers. One of them says, they are 
 brought to market on strings in all the 
 cities of Arabia, and that he saw an 
 Arab on mount Sumara, who had col- 
 lected a sack full of them. They are 
 prepared in different ways. An Arab 
 m Egypt, of whom he requested that 
 he \\ould immediately cat locusts in his 
 presence, threw them upon the glowing 
 eoals ; and after bs supposed they were 
 
 roasted enough, he took them by the 
 legs and head, and devoured the re- 
 mainder at one mouthful. When the 
 Arabs have them in quantities, they 
 roast or dry them in an oven, or boil 
 them and eat them with salt. The 
 Arabs in the kingdom of Morocco boil 
 the locusts ; and the Bedouins eat lo- 
 custs, which are collected in great quan- 
 tities in the beginning of April, when 
 they are easily caught. After having 
 been roasted a little upon the iron plate 
 on which bread is baked, they are dried 
 in the sun, and then put into large sacks, 
 with the mixture of a little salt. They 
 are never served up as a dish, but every 
 one takes a handful of them when hun- 
 gry." — Un. Bib. Die. T JVild honey. 
 This was probably the honey that he 
 found in the rocks of the wilderness. 
 Palestine was often called the land 
 flowing with milk and honey. Ex. iii. 
 8, 17 ; xiii. 5. Bees were kept with 
 great care ; and great numbers of therr 
 abounded in the fissures of trees and 
 the clefts of rocks. There is also e 
 species of honey called wild-honey, or 
 wood-honey (1 Sam. xiv. 27, margin), 
 or honey-dew, produced by certain lit- 
 tle insects, and deposited on the leaves 
 of trees, and flowing from them in great 
 quantities to the ground. See 1 Sam, 
 xiv. 24 — 27. This is said to be produc- 
 ed still in Arabia ; and perhaps it was 
 this which John lived upon. 
 
 5. Jerusalem. The people of Jeru- 
 salem, 'i All Judea. Many peopk' 
 from Judea. It does not mean that ht 
 erally all the people went, but that greai 
 multitudes went. It was general. Je 
 nisalem was in the part of the country 
 called Judea. Judea was situated on 
 the west side of the Jordan. See Note 
 Matt. ii. 22. H Eegion nhotit Jordan 
 On the east and west side of the river 
 Near to Jordan. 
 
 G. Were baptized. Thp word hap 
 tize signifies originally to tms^e. to dye 
 to stairi, as those who dye c.'othes. Ii 
 here means to cleanse or wash any thing 
 by the application of water. S«e Note 
 Mark vii. 4. Washing, or ablution, W3> 
 much in use among the Jews, as on*" 
 of the rites of their leligion. Nunt
 
 A. D. 26.T 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 U 
 
 Pharisees and Sadduceescome to his baptism, he said untotheni,0 genera 
 
 XLX. 7. Heb. ix. 10. It was not cus- 
 tomary, however, among them to bap- 
 lize those who were converted to the 
 Jewish religion until after the Babylon- 
 ish captivity. At the time of John, and 
 for some time previous, they had been 
 accustomed to administer a rite of bap- 
 tism, or washma:, to those who became 
 proselytes to tlieir religion; that is, 
 who were converted from being Gen- 
 tiles. This was done to signify that 
 they renounced the errors andworship 
 of the Pagans, and as significant of 
 their becoming pure by embracing a 
 new religion. It was a solemn rite of 
 washing, significant of cleansing from 
 their former sins, and purifying them 
 for the pecuUar service of Jehovah. 
 John found this custom in use ; and as 
 he was calling the Jews to a new dis- 
 pensation, to a change in their form of 
 religion, he administered this rite of 
 baptism, or washing, to signify the 
 cleansing from their sins, and adopting 
 the new dispensation, or the fitness for 
 the pure reign of the Messiah. They 
 applied an old ordinance to a new 
 purpose. As it was used by John it 
 was a significant rite, or ceremony, in- 
 tended to denote the putting away 
 of impurity, and a purpose to be pure 
 in heart and fife. The Hebrew word 
 [Tabal) which is rendered by the word 
 baptize, occurs in the Old Testament 
 in the following places, viz : Lev. iv. 6 ; 
 xiv. 6, 51. Num. xLx. 18. Ruth ii. 14. 
 Ex. xii. 22. Deut. xxxiii. 24. Eze. xxiii. 
 15. Job ix. 31. Lev. Lx. 9. 1 Sam. 
 xiv. 27. 2 Kings v. 14 ; viii. 15. Gen. 
 xxxvii. 31. Joshua iii. 15. It occurs 
 in no other places ; and from a careful 
 examination of these passages, its mean- 
 ing among the Jews is to be derived. 
 From these passages it will be seen (hat 
 its radical meaning is not to sprinkle, or 
 to immerse. It is to dip, commonly 
 for the purpose of sprinkling, or for 
 some other purpose. Thus, to dip the 
 finger, i. e. a part of the finger, in blood 
 — enough to sprinkle with. Lev. iv. 6. 
 To dip a hving bird, and cedar wood, 
 and scarlet, and hyssop, in the blood of 
 the bird that was killed, for the purpose 
 of sprinkling ; where it could not be 
 that all these should be immersed in the 
 61ood of a single bird. To dip hyssop 
 in the water, to sprinkle with. Num. 
 six. 18. To dip a portion of bread in 
 
 vinegar. Ruth ii. 14. To dip the feet 
 in oil — an emblem of plenty. Deut. 
 xxxiii. 24. To dye, or stain. Eze. .xxiii 
 15. To plunge irUo a ditch, so as tc 
 defile the clothes. Job Lx. 31. To dip 
 the end of a staff in honey. 1 Sam. xiv, 
 27. To dip in Jordan — a declaration 
 respecting Naaman the Syrian. 2 Kings 
 v. 14. Ihe direction of the prophet 
 was to wash himself, ver. 10. This 
 shows that he understood washi7ig and 
 baptizi7ig to mean the same thing. To 
 dip a towel, or quili, so as to spread it 
 on the face of a rnan to smother him. 
 2 Kings viii. 15. In none of these 
 cases can it be shown that the meaning 
 of the word is to immerse entirely. But 
 in nearly all the cases, the notion of ap- 
 plying the water to a part only of the 
 person or object, though it was by dip- 
 ping, is necessarily to be supposed. 
 
 In the New Testament the word, in 
 various forins, occurs eighty times ; fif- 
 ty-seven with reference to persons. Of 
 these fifty-seven times, it is followed 
 by "in" (tv) 18 times, as in water, ?« 
 the desert, i7i Jordan ; 9 times by 
 "into" (tij) , as into the name, &c., 
 into Christ ; once it is followed by tirt 
 (Actsii. 38.) and twice by "for" (urt?). 
 1 Cor. XV. 29. 
 
 The following remarks may be made 
 in view of the investigation of the mean- 
 ing of this word. 1st. That in baptism 
 it IS possible, perhaps probable, that the 
 notion of dipping would be the one that 
 would occur to a Jew. 2d. It would 
 Tiot occur to him that the word meant 
 of necessity to dip entirely, or complete- 
 ly to immerse. 3d. The notion of wash- 
 ing would be the one which would most 
 readily occur, as connected whh a re- 
 ligious rite. See the cases of Naa- 
 nmn, and Mark vii. 4. (Greek.) 4th. It 
 cannot be proved from an examination 
 of the passages in the Old and New 
 Testaments, that the idea of a complete 
 immersion ever was connected with the 
 word, or that it ever in any case occur- 
 red. If they went into the water, still 
 it is not proved by that, that the only 
 mode of baptism was by immersion, as 
 it might have been by pouring, though 
 they were in the water. 5th. It is not 
 positively enjoined anywhere in the 
 New Testament that the only mode oi 
 baptism shall be by an entu-e subn^pr- 
 sion of the body under water. Without
 
 42 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 26 
 
 'ioh* of vipers, who hath warned you ' 8 Bring forth therefore fruits 
 to ' llee from the wrath, to come ■? ! meet for repentance : 
 
 « Is 59..5. c. 12.34. 23.33. Lu.3.7. b Je.51.6. ' or, cmswcrable to amendment of life. 
 
 Ro.l.]8. 
 
 such a precept, it cannot be made obli- 
 gatory on people of all ages, nations, 
 and climes, even if it were probable 
 that in the mild cUmate of Judea it was 
 the us lal mode. 
 
 The river Jordan is the eastern boun- 
 dary of Palestine or Judea. It rises in 
 mount Lebanon, on the north of Pales- 
 tine, and runs in a southerly direction, 
 under ground, for thirteen miles, and 
 then bursts forth with a great noise at 
 Cesarea Philippi. It then unites with 
 two small streams, and runs some miles 
 farther, and empties into the lake i)/e- 
 rom. From this small lake it flows 13 
 miles, and then falls into the lake Gen- 
 nesarcth, otherwise called the sea of 
 Tiberias, or the sea of Galilee. Through 
 the middle of this lake, which is 15 
 miles long and from 6 to 9 broad, it 
 flows undisturbed, and preserves a 
 southerly direction for about 70 miles, 
 and then falls into the Dead Sea. 
 
 The Jordan, at its entrance into the 
 Dead Sea, is about ninety feet wide. It 
 flows in many places whh great rapidi- 
 ty, and when swollen by rains pours 
 like an impet\ious torrent. It formerly 
 regularly overflowed its banks in time 
 of harvest, that is, in March, in some 
 places six hundred paces. Josh. iii. 15. 
 1 Chron. xii. 15. These banks are 
 covered with small trees and shrubs, 
 and afford a convenient dwelling for 
 wild beasts. Allusion is often made to 
 these thickets in the sacred scriptures. 
 Jer. .xli.x. 19; 1.44. 
 
 7. Pharisees and Saddticees. The 
 Jews were divided into three great 
 sects, the Pharisees; the Sadducees; 
 and the Essenes. In addition to these, 
 some smaller sects are mentioned in 
 the New Testament, and by Josephus: 
 the Herodians, probably pohtical friends 
 of Herod ; the Galileans, a branch of 
 the Pharisees ; and the Therapeuta?, a 
 branch of the Essenes, but converts 
 from the Greeks. The principal of 
 these sects are supposed to have ongi- 
 natcd about 150 years before Christ, as 
 tiiey are mentioned by Josephus at 
 about that time in his history. Of 
 course nothing is said of them in the 
 Old Testainer:, as that was finished 
 
 about 400 years before the Christian 
 era. 
 
 I. The Pharisees were the most 
 numerous and wealthy sect of the Jews. 
 They derived their name from the He- 
 brew word Pharash, which signifies to 
 set apart, or to separate, because they 
 separated themselves from the rest ot 
 their countrymen, and professedly de- 
 voted themselves to peculiar strictness 
 in religion. Their leading tenets were 
 the following : — that the world was gov- 
 erned by fate, or by a fixed decree of 
 God ; that the souls of men were im 
 mortal, and were either eternally happy 
 or miserable beyond the grave ; that 
 the dead would be raised ; that there 
 were angels, good and bad ; that God 
 was under obligation to bestow peculiar 
 favor on the Jews ; and that they were 
 justified by the merits of Abraham or 
 by their own conformity to the law. 
 They were proud, haughty, self-right- 
 eous, and held the common people in 
 great disrespect. John vii. 49. They 
 sought the offices of the state, and ai 
 fected great dignity. They were os 
 tentatious in their religious worship- 
 praying in the corners of the streets, 
 and seeking publicity in the bestow- 
 ment of alms. They sought principally 
 external cleanliness ; and dealt much 
 in ceremonial ablutions and washing. 
 
 Some of the laws of Moses they 
 maintained very strictly. In addition 
 to the written laws, they held to a mul- 
 titude which they maintained had come 
 down from Moses by tradition. These 
 they felt themselves as much bound to 
 observe as the written law. Under the 
 influence of these laws, they washed 
 themselves before meals whh great 
 scrupulousness ; they fasted twice a 
 week — on Thursday, when they sup- 
 posed Moses ascended mount Sinai. 
 and on Monday, when he descended; 
 they wore broad phylacteries, and en 
 larged the fringe or borders of their 
 garments ; they loved the chief rooms 
 at feasts, and the chief seats in the 
 synagogues. They were in general a 
 corrupt, hypocritical, office-seeking, 
 haughty class of men. There are, 
 however, some honorable exception?
 
 A.. D. -^tJ.] CHAPTER III. 43 
 
 9 And th nk not to say within j yourselves, We have Abraham to 
 
 rficorded. Acts v. 34. Perhaps also, 
 Mark xv. 43. Luke ii. 25 ; xxiii. 51. 
 .Tohn xix. 38.39-42, iii. 1. vii. 50. 
 
 II. The Sadducees r'u supposed to 
 nave taken their name from Sadok, 
 who flourished about 260 years before 
 the Christian era. He was a pupil of 
 Antigonus Sochouus, president of the 
 sanhedrim, or great council of the na- 
 tion. He had taught the duty of serv- 
 ing God disinter estedlij, without the 
 hope of reward, or the fear of punish- 
 ment. Sadok, not properly understand- 
 ing the doctrine of his master, drew the 
 inierence that there was no future state 
 of rewards or punishments ; and on this 
 belief he founded the sect. The other 
 notions which they held, all to be traced 
 to this leading doctrine, were : 1st. 
 That there is no resurrection, neither 
 angel nor spirit (?ilatt. xxii. 23. Acts 
 xxiii. 8) ; and that the soul of man 
 perishes with the body. 2d. They re- 
 jected the doctrine of fate. 3d. They 
 rejected all traditions, and professed to 
 receive only the books of the Old Tes- 
 tament. 
 
 They were far less numerous than 
 the Pharisees, but their want of num- 
 bers was compensated, in some degree, 
 by their wealth and standing in society. 
 Though they did not generally seeA: 
 office, yet several of them were ad- 
 vanced to the high-priesthood. 
 
 III. The Esse.nes, a third sect of the 
 Jews, are not mentioned in the New 
 Testament. Tlicy differed from both 
 the Pharisees and Sadducees. They 
 were Jewish monks or hermits, pass- 
 ing their time httle in society, but 
 mostly in places of obscurity and re- 
 tirement. It is not probable, therefore, 
 that our Saviour often, if ever en- 
 countered them ; and this, it is sup- 
 posed, is the reason why they are not 
 mentioned in the New Testament. 
 
 They were a contemplative sect, 
 having little to do with the common bu- 
 siness of life. The property which they 
 possessed they held in common. They 
 denied themselves generally of the 
 usual comforts of lite, and were ex- 
 ceedingly strict in the observance of tie 
 duties of religion. They were ge \e- 
 rally more pure than the rest of the 
 Jews, and appear to have been ai an- 
 nmbitions, a modest, and retirir; xon 
 .if people. The two sexes wer it in 
 
 company, except on the Sabbath, when 
 they partook of their coarse fare, bread 
 and salt only, together. They prac- 
 tised dancing in their worship. Few ol 
 them were married ; they were opposed 
 to oaths ; and asserted that slavery was 
 repugnant to nature. In regard to doc 
 trine, they did not differ materially from 
 the Pharisees, except that they objected 
 to the sacrifices of slain animals, and of 
 course did not visit the temple, and 
 were not, therefore, likely to come into 
 public contact with the Saviour. Thoy 
 perpetuated their sect by proselytes, 
 and by takmg orphan children to train 
 up. 
 
 The other sects of the Jews were 
 too insignificant to demand any particu- 
 lar notice here. It may be said of the 
 Jews generally that they possessed lit- 
 tle of the spirit of religion ; that they 
 had corrupted some of the most impor- 
 tant doctrines of the Bible ; and that 
 they were an ignorant, proud, ambi- 
 tious, and sensual people. There was 
 great propriety, therefore, ui John's 
 proclaiming the necessity of repentance. 
 
 Generation of vipers. Vipers are a 
 species of serpents. They are from 
 two to five feet in length, and about an 
 inch thick, with a flat head. They are 
 of an ash or yellowish color, speckled 
 with long brown spots. There is no 
 serpent that is more poisonous than 
 their bite. The person bitten swells up 
 almost immediately, and falls down 
 dead. See Acts .xxviii. 6. — 'The word 
 serpent, or viper, is used to denote both 
 cunning and malignancy. In the phrase, 
 be ye wise as serpents, it means be pru- 
 dent, or wise, referring to the account 
 in Genesis iii. 1 — 6. Among the Jews 
 the serpent was regarded as the symbol 
 of cunning, circumspection, and pru- 
 dence. He was so regarded in the 
 Egyptian hieroglyphics. In the phrase 
 " generation of vipers," Matt. xii. 34 
 the viper is the symbol of wickedness, 
 of envenomed malice — a symbol drawn 
 from the venom of the serpent. It is 
 not quite certain in which of these senses 
 the phrase is used in this place ; proba- 
 bly to denote their malignancy and 
 wickedness. See Matt. xii. 34 ; xxiii 
 33. IT Wrath to come. John expresses 
 his astonishment that sinners so hard- 
 ened and so hypocritical as they were 
 should have been induced to flee from
 
 u 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.26 
 
 our father : for I say unto yju, that 10 And now also the axe is laid 
 God is able of these stones to raise unto the root of the trees : therefore 
 np children unto Abraham. j every tree which bringeth not forth 
 
 coming wrath. The wrath to come 
 means the divine indignation, or the 
 punishment that will come on the guilty. 
 See 1 Thess. i. 10, 2; i. 8, 9. 
 
 8. Bring forth, therefore, fruit.i, &c. 
 That is, the proper fruits of reforma- 
 tion, the proper evidence that you are 
 sincere. Do not bring your cunning 
 and dissimulation to this work ; carry 
 not your hypocrisy inte your professed 
 repentance ; but evince your sincerity 
 by forsaking sins, and thus gii'j evi- 
 dence that this crowding to Jordan is 
 not some act of dissimulation. No dis- 
 course could have been more appropri- 
 ate or more cutting, "if Fruits. Con- 
 duct. See Matt. vii. 16—19. IT 3Ieet 
 for repentance. Fit for repentance ; 
 appropriate to it — the proper expression 
 of repentance. 
 
 9. And think not to say, &c. They 
 regarded it as sufficient righteousness 
 that they were descended from so holy 
 a man as Abraham. They deemed it 
 as such an honor that it would go far to 
 justify all his descendants. John viii. 
 33 — 37, 53. John assured them that 
 tills was a matter of small consequence 
 in the sight of God. Of the very stones 
 of the Jordan he could raise up children 
 to Abraham. The meaning seems to 
 be this : God, from these stones, could 
 more easily raise up those who should 
 be worthy children of Abraham, or be 
 like him, than simply, because you are 
 descendants of Abraham, make you, 
 who are proud and hypocritical, sub- 
 jects of the Messiah's kingdom. Or, 
 mere nativity, or the privileges of birth, 
 avail nothing where there is not right- 
 eousness of hfe. Some have supposed, 
 however, that bj' these stones he meant 
 the Roman soldiers, or the heathen, 
 who might also have attended on his 
 ministry ; and that God could of than 
 raise r.p children to Abraham. 
 
 10. The axe is laid at the root of the 
 tree. Laying the axe at the root of a 
 tree is intended to denote that the tree 
 is to be cut down. It was not merely to 
 be trimmed, to be cut about the liinhs, 
 out the very tree itself was to be struck. 
 That is, a searching, trying kind of 
 preaching has been c(jmmenced. A 
 kingdom of justice is to be set up. 
 
 Principles and conduct are to be inves- 
 tigated. No art, no dissimulations, are 
 to be successful. Men are to be tried 
 by their Hves, not by birth, or profes- 
 sion. They who are not found to bear 
 this test, are to be rejected. The very 
 root shall feel the hlow, and the fruitless 
 tree shall fall. This is a beautiful and 
 very striking figure of speech, and a 
 very direct threatening of future wrath. 
 John regarded them as making a fair 
 and promising profession, as trees do in 
 hlossom. But he told them, also, that 
 they should hess fruit as well as flowers. 
 Their professions of repentance were 
 not enough. They should show, by a 
 holy hfe, that their profession was 
 genuine. 
 
 11. Whose shoes I am, not worthy to 
 hear. The word here translated shoes, 
 has a signification different from what it 
 has in our language. At first, in order 
 to keep the feet from the shaip stones, 
 or the burning sand, small pieces of 
 wood were fastened to the soles of the 
 feet, called sandals. Leather, or skina 
 of beasts dressed, afterwards were used. 
 The foot was not covered at all ; but 
 the sandal, or piece of leather, or wood, 
 was bound by thongs. 
 
 The following cuts will give an idea 
 of the early form of the shoe, or sandal, 
 and of the thongs or latchets by which 
 they were bound; and will serve to 
 explain this and other passages of the 
 New Testament, when reference is 
 made to them. The first is taken from 
 ancient Egyptian monuments. 
 
 We subjoin other forms of leathai 
 sandals, and such as are still in com- 
 mon use in many countries of the east
 
 /L D. 26.] 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 «) 
 
 good fruit, is" hewn down, and cast 1 cometh after Tne is mightier than I, 
 into the fire. | whose shoes I am not worthy to 
 
 11 I indeed baptize you with bear : he shall baptize you' with 
 
 water* unto repentance : but he that 
 aJno.l5.G. 6 Lu.3.10. Ac.19.4. 
 
 The wooden sandal is much worn in 
 Arabia, Judea, and Egypt. It has a 
 raised heel and toe, as represented in 
 the following cuts ; and, though often 
 
 ftrpcnsive and neat, it was usually a 
 cheap, coarse, and very clumsy article. 
 The people put off these when they 
 entered a house, and put them on when 
 they left it. To loose and bind on san- 
 dals, on such occasions, was the busi- 
 ness of the lowest servants ; and their 
 office was, to loose and carry about their 
 masters' sandals. The expression here, 
 then, was an expression of great humi- 
 lity ; and John says that he was not wor- 
 thy to be the servant of him who should 
 come after him. ^ Shall baptize you. 
 Shall send upon you the Holy Spirit. 
 The Spirit of God is frequently repre- 
 Bented as being poured out upon his peo- 
 ple. Prov. i. 23 ; Isa. xliv. 3 ; Joel ii. 28, 
 29: Acts ii 17 18. The baptism of 
 
 the Holy Ghost, and with fire : 
 
 c Ac.l.'i. 
 
 the Holy Spirit is the same, therefore 
 as the sending of his influences to con- 
 vert, purify, and guide the soul. ^ The 
 Holy Ghost. The third person of the 
 adorable Trinity, whose office it is to 
 enlighten, renew, sanctify, and com- 
 fort the soul. He was promised by tlie 
 Saviour to convince of sin. John .xvi. 8. 
 To enlighten or teach the disciples. 
 John xiv. 26 ; xvi. 13. To comfort them 
 in the absence of the Saviour. John 
 xiv. 18 ; xvi. 7. To change the heart. 
 Titus iii. 5. To be baptized with the 
 Holy Ghost means that the Messiah 
 would send upon the world a far more 
 powerful and mighty influence than had 
 attended the preaching of John. Many 
 more would be converted. A mighty 
 change would take place. His minis 
 try would not aftect the external life 
 only, but the heart, the motives, the 
 soul ; and produce rapid and perinanent 
 changes in the lives of men. See Acts 
 ii. 17, 18. ^ With fire. This expres- 
 sion has been very variously understood. 
 Some have supposed that he refers to 
 the afflictions and persecutions with 
 which men would be tried under the 
 gospel ; others, that the word fire 
 means judgment or wrath. A part of 
 his hearers he would baptize with the 
 Holy Ghost, but the wicked with fire 
 and vengeance. Fire is a symbol of 
 vengeance. See Isa. v. 24, Ixi. 2, l.xvi. 
 24. If this be the meaning, as seems 
 to be probable, then John says that the 
 ministry of the Messiah would be far 
 more powerful than his was. It would 
 be more searching and trying ; and 
 they who were not fitted to abide the 
 test, would be cast into eternal fire. 
 Some have supposed, however, that by 
 fire, here, he intends to denote that hia 
 ministry would be refining, powerful, 
 purifying, as fire is sometimes an em- 
 blem of purity. Mai. iii. 2. It is dif- 
 ficult to ascertain the precise meaning 
 further than that his ministry would be 
 very trying, purifying, searching. Mul- 
 titudes would be converted ; and those 
 who were not true penite/its should not 
 be able to abide the trial, and should 
 be driven awav.
 
 m 
 
 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. 30 
 
 he will thoroughly purge ° his floor. 
 a Mal.3.2,3. 
 
 12. His fan. It seems probable that 
 
 this was some portable instrument,
 
 A. D. 30.] CHAPTER 111. 
 
 and gather his wheat into the 
 garner; but he will burn up the 
 chaff" with unquenchable fire. 
 
 13 Then cometh Jesus from 
 Galilee to Jordan, unto John, to be 
 baptized '' of him. 
 
 14 But John forbad him, saying, 
 1 have need to be baptized of thee, 
 and comest thou to me 1 
 
 47 
 
 unto him. Suffer it to be so now : 
 for thus it becometh us to fulfil all 
 righteousness. Then he suffered 
 him. 
 
 16 And Jesus, when he was bap- 
 tized, went up straightway out of 
 the water : and, lo, the heavens were 
 opened unto him, and he saw the 
 Spirit of God "^ descendinor like a 
 
 15 And Jesus answering, said dove, and lighting upon him : 
 
 <s Ps.1.4. 
 
 l.u.3.21. 
 
 Mal.4.1. Mar.9.41. b Mar.1.9. 
 
 made light, so that it might be easily 
 i,arried about. The fan is a well-known 
 agricultural instrument wliich was used 
 by the Jews, as it is at the present day, 
 to separate grain from the chaff. The 
 usual custom was to throw the grain 
 in the air by means of a large shovel, 
 and suffer the wind to drive the chaff 
 away, but it is probable that the fan was 
 often employed. See my Note on Isa. 
 XXX. 24. If His jloor. The threshing 
 floor was an open space, or area, in the 
 field, usually on an elevated part of the 
 land. Gen. 1. 10. It had no covering 
 or walls. It was a space of ground 
 thirty or forty paces in diameter, and 
 made smooth by rolling it, or treading 
 it hard. A high place was selected for 
 the purpose of keeping it dry, and for 
 the convenience of wnnowing the grain 
 by the wind. The grain was usually 
 trodden out by oxen. Sometimes it 
 was beaten with flails, as with us ; and 
 Bometimes with a sharp threshing in- 
 strument, made to roll over the grain, 
 and to cut the straw at the same time. 
 Isa. xli. 15. After being threshed it 
 was winnowed. The grain was then 
 separated froin the dirt and coarse chaff 
 by a sieve, and then still further cleans- 
 ed by a fan, an instrument to produce 
 an artificial wind. This method is still 
 practised in eastern nations. "IT Shall 
 purge. Shall cleanse, or purify. Shall 
 remove the chaff, &lc. IT The garner. 
 The granary, or place to deposit the 
 wheat. ^ TJnquenchahle fire. Fire that 
 shall not be extinguished, that will ut- 
 terly consume it. By the floor, here, 
 is represented the Jewish people. By 
 the wheat, the righteous, or the people 
 of God. By the chaff, the wicked. 
 They are often represented as being 
 driven away like chaff before the wind. 
 lob xxi. 18; Ps. i. 4; Isa. xvii. 13; 
 
 c Is.11.2. 42.1. 63.1. Jno.3.34. 
 
 Hos. xiii. 13. They are also repiesent- 
 ed as chaft' which the fire conaumes 
 Isa. V. 24. This image is often used te 
 expressjudgments. Isa.xli. 15. "Thou 
 shalt thresh the mountains anrl beat 
 them small, and shalt make the hills as 
 chaft'." By the unquenchable fire is 
 meant the eternal suffering of the wick- 
 ed m hell. 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. Mark ix. 
 48. Matt. XXV. 41. 
 
 14. John forbad him. Refused him. 
 T/ have need. It is more fit that J 
 should be baptized with thy baptism, 
 the Holy Ghost, than that thou should- 
 est be baptized in water by me. I am 
 a sinner, and unworthy to administer 
 tliis to the Messiah. 
 
 15. Thus it becometh us. It is fit and 
 proper. And though you may feel 
 yourself unworthy, yet it is proper it 
 should be done. H All righteousness. 
 There was no particular precept in the 
 Old Testament requiring this, but he 
 chose to give the sanction of his exam- 
 ple to the baptism of John, as to a 
 divine ordinance. The phrase ."all 
 righteousness," here, is the same as a 
 righteous iiistitution or appointment. 
 Jesus had no sin. But he was about to 
 enter on his great work. It was proper 
 that he should be set apart by his fore- 
 runner, and show his connexion with 
 him, and give his approbation to what 
 John had done. Also, he was baptized 
 that occasion might be taken, at the 
 commencement of his work, for God 
 publicly to declare his approbation of 
 him, and his solemn appointment to the 
 office of the Messiah. 
 
 16. Out of the water. This shows 
 that he had descended to the river. It 
 fiterally means, ' he went up directly 
 FROM the water.' The original does 
 not imply that they had descended into 
 the river. ^ The. heavens were opened
 
 48 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 30. 
 
 17 And, lo, a voice from hea- 
 ven, saying, This is my belov- 
 
 V,nto him. This was done while he 
 was praying. Luke iii. 21. The sa- 
 sred ordinance of baptism he attended 
 with prayer. The ordinances of reh- 
 gion will be commonly ineffectual with- 
 out prayer. If in those ordinances we 
 look to God, we may expect he will 
 bless us ; the heavens will be opened ; 
 hght will shine upon our path ; and we 
 shall meet with the approbation of God. 
 The expression, "the heavens were 
 opened," is one that commonly denotes 
 the appearance of the clouds when it 
 lightens. The heavens appear to open, 
 or give way. Something of this kind 
 probably appeared to John at this time. 
 The same appearance took place at 
 Stephen's death. Acts vii. 56. The 
 expression means, he was permitted to 
 see far into the heavens beyond what 
 the natural vision would allow. IT To 
 him. Some have referred this to Jesus, 
 others to John. It probably refers to 
 Jolm. See John i. 33. It was a testi- 
 mony given to John that this was the 
 Messiah. IT He saw. John saw. H The 
 fpirit of God. See v. 11. This was 
 ihe third person of the Trinity, descend- 
 ing upon him in the form of a dove. 
 Luke iii. 22. The dove, among the 
 Jews, was the symbol of purity or 
 harmlessness (Matt. x. 16) , and of 
 softness (Ps. Iv. 7) . The form chosen 
 iiere was doubtless an emblem of the 
 innocence, meekness, and tenderness 
 of the Saviour. The gift of the Holy 
 Spirit, in this manner, was the public 
 approbation of Jesus (John i. 33) , and 
 a sign of his being set apart to the office 
 of the Messiah. We are not to sup- 
 pose that there was any change wrought 
 in the moral character of Jesus, but 
 only that he was publicly set apart to 
 his work, and solemnly approved by 
 God in the office to which he was ap- 
 pointed. 
 
 17. A voice from heaven. A voice 
 from God. Probably this was heard 
 by all who were present. This voice, 
 or sound, was repeated on the mount 
 of transfiguration. Matt. xvii. 5. Luke 
 ix. 35, 36. 2 Peter i. 17. It was also 
 heard just before his death, and was 
 tiien supposed by many to be thunder. 
 John xii. 28 — 30. It was i public de- 
 
 ed" Son, in whom I am well pleas- 
 ed. 
 
 a rs.2.7. Lu.9.35. Ep.1.6. 2 Pe.1.17. 
 
 claraton that Jesus was the Messiah. 
 ^ BIy beloved Son. This is the title 
 which God himself gave to Jesus. It 
 denotes the nearness of his relation to 
 God, and the love of God for him. 
 Heb. i. 2. It implies that he was equal 
 whh God. Heb. i. 5, 6, 7, 8. John x. 
 
 29, 30 — 33 ; xLx. 7. The term Son is 
 expressive of love ; of the nearness of 
 his relation to God, and of his dignity 
 and equaUty with God. IT Am well 
 pleased. Am ever delighted. It im- 
 plies that he was constantly or uniform- 
 ly well pleased with him ; and in this 
 solemn and pubhc manner he expressed 
 his approbation of him as the Redeemer 
 of the world. 
 
 The baptism of Jestis has usually been 
 considered a striking manifestation of 
 the doctrine of the 1 rinity, or the doc- 
 trine that there are three persons in the 
 divine nature. (1) . There is the per- 
 son of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 
 baptized in the Jordan, elsewhere de- 
 clared to be equal with God. John x. 
 
 30. C2) . The Holy Spirit descending 
 in a bodily form upon the Saviour. The 
 Holy Spirit is also equal with the Fa- 
 ther, or is also God. Acts v. 3, 4. 
 (3). The Father, addressing the Son 
 and declaring that he was well please J 
 with him. It is impossible to explai.i 
 this transaction consistently in any ofhtr 
 way than by supposing that there ara 
 three equal persons in the divine natma 
 or essence, and that each of these sus- 
 tains important parts in the work of re- 
 deeming men. 
 
 In the preaching of John the Baptist 
 we are presented with an example of a 
 faithful minister of God. Neither the 
 wealth, dignity, nor power of his audi- 
 tors, deterred him from fearlessly de- 
 claring the truth respecting their cha 
 racter. He called things by their right 
 names. He did not apologise for their 
 sin. He set it fairly before them, and 
 denounced the appropriate curse. So 
 sliould all ministers of the gospel. 
 Rank, riches, and power, should have 
 nothing to do in shaping and gauging 
 their ministry. In respectful terms, but 
 without shrinking, all the truths of the 
 gospel must be spoken, or wo -will foU 
 lov.' the ambassador of Chria
 
 A.. D. 30.] 
 
 cJHAPTER IV. 
 
 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THEN was Jesus led up of" the 
 Spirit into the wilderness, to 
 Se* tempted of the devil. 
 
 2 And when he had fasted forty 
 days and forty nights, he was after- 
 ward an hungered. 
 
 alKi.iaia. Ez.lJ.1,24. Ac.8.39. iMar.l. 
 •2. Lu.4.1. 
 
 In John we have also an example of 
 humility. Blessed with great success ; 
 uttcnded by the great and noble, and 
 wiih nothing but principle to keep him 
 from turning it to his advantage ; he 
 still Ivcpt himself out of view, and point- 
 ad to a far greater personage at hand. 
 So should every minister of Jesus, how- 
 ever successful, keep the Lamb of God 
 in his eye, and be willing — nay, rejoice 
 — to lay all his success and honors at 
 his feet. 
 
 Every thing abovit the work of Jesus 
 was wonderful. No person had before 
 come into the world under such circum- 
 stances. God would not have attended 
 the commencement of his Ufe with such 
 wonderful events if it had not been of 
 the greatest moment to our race, and 
 if he had not possessed a dignity above 
 all prophets, kings, and priests. He 
 ivas the Redeemer of men, the mighty 
 God, the Father of eternity, the Prince 
 of peace (Isa. Lx. 8) , and it was proper 
 diat a voice from heaven should declare 
 it, that the angels should attend him, 
 and the Holy Spirit signahze his bap- 
 tism by his personal presence. And it 
 is proper that we, for whom he came, 
 should give to him our undivided affec- 
 tions, our time, our influence, our hearts 
 and our lives. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 1 , 2. The wilderness. See Note Matt. 
 iii. 1. IT The Spirit. Luke says (ch. 
 iv. 1) that Jesus was full of the Holy 
 Spirit. It was by hi? influence, there- 
 fore, that Christ went into the desert. 
 IT To be tempted. The word <o tempt, in 
 the original, means to try, to endeavor, 
 to attempt to do a thing ; then, to try 
 the nature of a thing, as metals by fire ; 
 then, to test moral qualifies by trying 
 them, to see how they will endure ; 
 then, to endeavor to draw men away 
 from virtue by suggesting motives to 
 svil. This is the meaning here, and 
 ^his is now the established meaning of 
 <he word in the Enghsh language. 
 
 3 And when the tempter came 
 
 to him, he said. If thou be the Son 
 of God, command that these stones 
 be made bread. 
 
 4 But he answered and said. It 
 is written, ' Man shall not live by 
 bread alone, but by every word that 
 
 c De.8.3. 
 
 IT The devil. This word origmally 
 means an adversary, or an accuser ; 
 thence any one opposed ; thence an 
 enemy of any kind. It is given in the 
 scriptures, by way of eminence, to the 
 leader of evil angels — a being charac- 
 terized as full of subtlety, envy, art, 
 and hatred of mankind. He is known, 
 also, by the name Satan, Job i. 6 — 12. 
 Matt. xii. 26 ; Beehehub, Matt. xii. 24 ; 
 The old Serpent, Rev. xii. 9 ; and the 
 Prince of the power of the air, Eph. ii. 
 2. The name is sometimes given to 
 men and women. Tim. iii. 3. Truce- 
 breakers, slanderers — in the original, 
 devils. 1 Tim. iii. 2. So must their 
 wives be grave, not slanderers. In the 
 original, devils. 
 
 2. Had fasted. Abstained from food. 
 IT Forty days and nights. It has been 
 questioned by some whether Christ ab- 
 stained wholly from food, or only from 
 bread and the food to which he was ac- 
 customed. Luke says (ch. iv. 2) that 
 he ate nothing. This settles the ques- 
 tion. Mark says (cli. i. 13) that angels 
 came and ministered unto him. At first 
 view this would seem to imply that he 
 did eat during that time. But Mark 
 does not mention the time when the an- 
 gels performed the office of kindness, 
 and we are at liberty to suppose that he 
 meant to say that it was done at the 
 close of the forty days ; and the rather 
 as Matthew, after giving an account ot 
 the temptation, says the same thing 
 (ch. iv. 2) . There are other instances 
 of persons fas'ing forty days, recorded 
 in the scriptures. Thus Moses fasted 
 forty days. Ex. xxxiv. 28. Elijah, 
 also, fasted the same length of time. 
 1 Kings xix. 8. In these cases they 
 were no doubt miraculously supported. 
 
 3. The tempter. The devil, or Satan. 
 See ver. 1 . ^ If thou be the Son of God. 
 If thou art the Messiah — if God's own 
 Son — then thou hast power to work a 
 miracle, and here is a fit opportunity to 
 try thy power, and show that thou a»'
 
 50 
 
 proceedeth out of the 
 God. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D.30 
 
 mouth of 5 Then the devil taketh him 
 up into the hcly city, » and set- 
 
 a Ne.11.1. c.27.53. 
 
 truly his Son. "S Command that these 
 stones, &c. The stones that were ly- 
 ing around him in the wilderness. No 
 temptation could have been more plau- 
 sible, or more likely to succeed, than 
 this. He had just been declared to be 
 the Son of God (ch. iii. 17) , and here 
 was an opportunity to show that he was 
 really so. The circumstances were 
 Buch as to make it appear plausible and 
 proper to work this miracle. ' Here 
 you are,' was the language of Satan, 
 ' hungry, cast out, alone, needy, poor, 
 and yet the Son of God ! If you have 
 this power, how easy could you satisfy 
 your wants ! How foolish is it, then, 
 for the Son of God, having all power, 
 to be starving in this manner, when by 
 a word he could show his power, and re- 
 lieve his wants, and when in the thing 
 itself there could be nothing wrong !' 
 
 4. But he ansicered and said, &c. 
 In reply to this artful temptation, Christ 
 answered by a quotation from the Old 
 Testament. The place is found in Deut. 
 viii. 3. In that place the discourse is 
 respecting manna. Moses says that the 
 Lord humbled the people, and fed them 
 with manna, an unusual kind of food, 
 that they might learn that man did not 
 live by bread only, but that there were 
 other things to support life, and that 
 every thing which God had commanded 
 was proper for this. The term " word," 
 used in this place, means very often, in 
 Hebrew, thirty, and clearly in this place 
 has that meaning. Neither Moses nor 
 our Saviour had any reference to spirit- 
 ual food, or to the doctrines necessary 
 to support the faith of believers ; but 
 they simply meant that God could sup- 
 port Ufe by other things than bread ; that 
 man was to live, not by that only, but 
 by every other thing which proceeded 
 out of his mouth ; that is, which he 
 chose to command men to eat. The 
 substance of his answer, then, is : 'It 
 is not so imperiously necessary that I 
 should have bread, as to make a miracle 
 proper to procure it. Life depends on 
 the will of God. He can support it in 
 other ways, as well as by bread. He 
 has created other things to be eaten, 
 and man may live by every thing that 
 his Maker has commanded.' Andfrom 
 
 this temptation we may learn, 1. ThaJ 
 Satan often takes advantage of our cir- 
 cumstances and wants to tempt us. 
 The poor, and hungry, and naked, hs 
 often tempts to repine and complain, 
 and to be dishonest in order to supply 
 their necessities. 2. Satan's tempta- 
 tions are often the strongest immediately 
 after we have been remarkably favored. 
 Jesus had just been called the Son of 
 God, and Satan took this opportunity 
 to try him. He often attempts to fill us 
 with pride and vain self-conceit, when 
 we have been favored with any peace 
 of mind, or any new view of God, and 
 endeavors to urge us to do something 
 which may bring us low, and lead us to 
 sin. 3. His temptations are plausible. 
 They often seem to be only urging us 
 to do what is good and proper. They 
 seem even to urge us to promote the 
 glory of God, and to honor him. We 
 are not to think, therefore, that because 
 a thing may seem to be good in itself, that 
 therefore it is to be done. Some of his 
 most powerful temptations are when he 
 seems to be urging us to do what shall 
 be for the glory of God. 4. We are to 
 meet the temptations of Satan, as the 
 Saviour did, with the plain and positive 
 declarations of scripture. We are to 
 inquire whether the thing is commanded, 
 and whether, therefore, it is right to do 
 it, and not trust to our own feelings, or 
 even our wishes, in the matter. 
 
 5. Taketh him up. This does not 
 mean that he bore nim through the air, 
 or that he compelled him to go against 
 his will, or that he wrought a miracle, 
 in any way, to place him there. There 
 is no evidence that Satan had power to 
 do any of these things ; and the word 
 translated taketh him up does not imply 
 any such thing. It means to conduct 
 one ; to lead one ; to attend or accom- 
 pany one ; or to induce one to go. It 
 is used in the following places in the 
 same sense. Numb, xxiii. 14: "And 
 he (Balak) brought him (Balaam) into 
 the field of Zopliim," &:.c. That is, he 
 led him, or induced him to go there. 
 Matt. xvii. 1 : " And after sLx daysJe- 
 sus taketh Peter, James," &c. ; i. e. 
 led, or conducted them — not by any 
 means implying that he bore them bv
 
 CHAPTEli IV. 
 
 a pinnacle of the 
 
 A.D. 30.:i 
 
 teth him 
 temple, 
 
 6 And saith unto him, If thou be 
 the Son of God, cast thyself down : 
 for it is written," He shall give his 
 angels charge concerning thee : and 
 in their hands they shall bear thee 
 flPs.9].n,12. 
 
 51 
 
 force. Matt. xx. 17: " Jesus, going to 
 Jenisfilem, took the twelve disciples 
 apart," «St.c. See also Matt. xxvi. 37; 
 xxvii. 27 ; Mark. v. 40. From these 
 passages, and many more, it appears 
 that all that is meant here is, that Satan 
 conducted Jesus, or accompanied him ; 
 but not that this was done against the 
 will of Jesus. IT The holy cittj. Jeru- 
 salem, called holy because the temple 
 was there, and it was the place of re- 
 ligious solemnities. ^ Setteth him on a 
 pinnacle of the temple. It is not per- 
 fectly certain to what part of the temple 
 the sacred writer here refers. It has 
 been supposed by some that he means 
 the roof. But Josephus says that the 
 roof was covered by spikes of gold, to 
 prevent its being polluted by birds ; and 
 such a place would have been very in- 
 convenient to stand upon. Others sup- 
 pose that it was the top of the porch or 
 entrance to the temple. But it is more 
 than probable that the porch leading to 
 the temple was not as high as the main 
 building. It is more probable that he 
 refers to a part of the sacred edifice 
 sometimes called Solomon's porch. The 
 temple was built on the top of mount 
 Moriah. The temple itself, together 
 with the courts and porches, occupied 
 a large space of ground. See Note, 
 Matt. xxi. 12. To secure a level spot 
 sufficiently large, it was necessary to 
 put up a high wall on the east. The 
 temple was surrounded with porch- 
 es or piazzas fifty-five feet broad, and 
 seventy-five high. The porch on the 
 south side was, however, sixty-seven 
 feet broad, and one hundred and fifty 
 high. From the top of this to the bot- 
 tom of the valley below was more than 
 seven hundred feet, and Josephus says 
 that one could scarcely look down tviia"- 
 out dizziness. The ■wori. pinnacle does 
 not quite express the force of the ori- 
 ghial. It is a word given usually to 
 hirds, and denotes wings, or any thing 
 in the form of win^s, and w is given to 
 
 up, lest at any time thou dash thy 
 foot against a stone. 
 
 7 Jesus said unto him. It is writ, 
 ten again, Thou ' shalt not tempi 
 the Lord thy God. 
 
 8 Again, the devil taketh him up 
 into an exceeding high mountain, 
 
 b De.6.16. 
 
 the roof of this porch because it re- 
 sembled a bird dropping its wings. It 
 was on this place, doubtless, that Christ 
 was placed. 
 
 Satan proposed that he should cast 
 himself down thence ; and if he was the 
 Son of God, he said it could do no 
 harm. There was a promise that he 
 should be protected. This promise 
 was taken from Ps. xci. 11, 12. 
 
 To this passage of scripture Christ 
 replied with another, which forbade the 
 act. This is taken from Deut. vi. 16; 
 " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy 
 God." That is, thou shalt not try 
 him ; or, thou shalt not, by throwing 
 thyself into voluntary and uncommand- 
 ed dangers, appeal to God for protec- 
 tion, or trifle with the promises made 
 to those who are thrown into danger by 
 his providence. It is true, indeed, that 
 God aids those of his people who are 
 placed by him in trial or danger ; but it 
 is not true that the promise was meant 
 to extend to those who wantonly pro- 
 voke him, and trifle with the promised 
 help. Thus Satan, artfully using and 
 perverting scripture, was met and re 
 pelled by scripture rightly applied. 
 
 8. A71 exceeding high mountain. It 
 is not known what mountain this was. 
 It was probably some elevated o.are in 
 the vicinity of Jerusalem, on the lop of 
 which could be seen no small part of 
 the land of Palestine. The Aot.e 
 Mariti speaks of a mountain on which 
 he was, which answers to the descrip- 
 tion here. " This part of the moun- 
 tain," says he, "overlooks the moun- 
 tains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, 
 the country of the Amorites, the plains 
 of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the river 
 Jordan, and the whole extent of the 
 Dead Sea." So Moses, before he died, 
 went up into mount Nebo, and from it 
 G od showed him ' ' all the land of 
 Gilead unto Dan, and all Naphtl ali, and 
 the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, 
 and all the land of Judah, unto the ut
 
 ne 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.30. 
 
 Bnd sheweth him all the kingdoms 
 of the world, and the glory of them ; 
 
 9 And saith unto him, All these 
 things will I give thee, if thou wilt 
 fall down and worship me. 
 
 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, 
 Get thee hence, Satan : for it is 
 
 most sea, and the south, and the plain 
 of the valley of Jericho, and the city of 
 palm trees, unto Zoar." Deut. xxxiv. 
 1 — 3. This shovi's that there were 
 mountains from which no small part of 
 the land of Canaan could be seen ; and 
 we must not suppose that there was 
 any miracle when they were shown to 
 the Saviour. IT All the kingdoms of the 
 world. It is not probable that any thing 
 more here is intended than the king- 
 doms of Palestine, or the land of Ca- 
 naan, and those in the immediate vicin- 
 ity. Judea was divided into three pails, 
 and those parts were called kingdoms; 
 and the sons of Herod, who presided 
 over them, were called kings. The 
 term world is often used in this limited 
 scale to denote a part, or a large part 
 of the world, particularly the land of 
 Canaan. See Rom. iv. 13, where it 
 means the land of Judah ; also Luke ii. 
 1, and the Note on the place, "ii The 
 glory of them. The riches, splendor, 
 towns, cities, mountains, &c. of this 
 beautiful land. 
 
 9. All these things, &c. All these 
 kingdoms. All these dominions Satan 
 claimed a right to bestow on whom he 
 pleased, and with considerable justice. 
 They were e.xcessively wicked; and 
 with no small degree of plausibility, 
 therefore, he asserted his claim to give 
 them away. This temptation had much 
 plausibility. Satan regarded Jesus as 
 the king of the Jews. As the Messiah, 
 he supposed he had come to take pos- 
 session of all that country. He was 
 floor, and unarmed, and wuhout fol- 
 owers or armies. Satan proposed to 
 put him in possession of it at once, with- 
 out any difficulty, if he would acknow- 
 ledge Mm as the proper lord and dis- 
 poser of that country ; if he would trust 
 to him rather than to God. Ii Worship 
 me. See Note on Matt. ii. 2. The 
 word here seems to mean, to acknow- 
 ledge Satan as having a right to give 
 Iheae kingdoms to him ; to acknow- 
 
 written, Thou • shalt worship the 
 Lord thy God, and him only shalt 
 thou serve. 
 
 11 Then the devil leaveth him, 
 and behold, angels * came and min- 
 istered unto him. 
 
 12 Now when Jesus had heard 
 dDe.e.tS. lSa.7.3. 6 He.l.C,U. 
 
 ledge his dependence on him rather 
 than God ; that is, really to render re- 
 ligious homage. We may be surprised 
 at his boldness. But he had been twice 
 foiled. He supposed it was an object 
 dear to the heart of the Messiah to ob- 
 tain these kingdoms. He claimed a 
 right over them ; and he seemed not to 
 be asking too much, if he gave them 
 to Jesus, that Jesus should be willing to 
 acknowledge the gift, and express grati- 
 tude for it. So plausible are Satan's 
 temptations, even when they are blas- 
 phemous ; and so artfully does he pre- 
 sent his allurements to the mind. 
 
 10. Get thee hence. These tempta- 
 tions, and this one especially, our Sa- 
 viour met with a decided rebuke. This 
 was a bolder attack than any which had 
 been oflered. Others had Ijeen but an 
 address to his necessities, and an offer 
 of the protection of God in great dan- 
 ger ; in both rases plausible, and in 
 neither a direct violation of the law of 
 God. Here was a higher attempt, a 
 more decided and deadly thrust at the 
 piety of the Saviour. It was a proposi- 
 tion that the Son of God should worshi-^ 
 the Devil, instead of honoring and ador- 
 ing Him who made heaven and earth ; 
 that he should bow down before the 
 Prince of wickedness and give him 
 homage. If It is wrilteii. In Deut. vi. 
 13. Satan asked him to worship him. 
 This was expressly forbidden. And 
 Jesus therefore drove him from his 
 presence. 
 
 11. The Devil leaveth him. The De- 
 vil left him for a time. Luke iv, 13. 
 He intended to return again to the temp- 
 tation, and if possible to seduce him yet 
 from God. If Tlie angels came and min- 
 istered. See ch. i. 20. They came 
 and supphed his wants, and comforted 
 him. From the whole of this we may 
 learn, 
 
 1. That no one is so holy as to be 
 free from temptation ; for the pure Son 
 of God waB sorely tempted by the Devil
 
 A. D. 30.J 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 53 
 
 that John was' cast into prison, he 
 departed into Galilee : 
 
 13 And leaving Nazareth, he 
 came and dwelt in Capernaum, 
 I or, delivered up. 
 
 2. That wRen God permits a temp- 
 tation or trial to come upon us, he will, 
 if we look to him, give us grace to re- 
 sist and overcome it. 1 Cor. x. 13. 
 
 3. We see the art of the tempter. 
 His temptations are adapted to times 
 and circumstances. They are plausible. 
 What could have been more plausible 
 than his suggestions to Christ ? They 
 were applicable to his circumstances. 
 They had the appearance of much piety. 
 They were backed by passages of scrip- 
 ture — misapplied, but still most artfully 
 presented. He never comes boldl)' and 
 tempts men to sin, telling them that 
 they are committing sin. JSuch a mode 
 would defeat his design. It would put 
 people on their guard. He commences, 
 therefore, artfully, plau.sibly, and the 
 real purpose does not appear till he has 
 prepared the mind for it. This is the 
 way with all temptation. No wicked 
 man would at once tempt another to be 
 profane, to be drunk, to be an infidel, or 
 to commit adultery. The principles are 
 first corrupted. The confidence is se- 
 cured. The affections are won. And 
 then the allurement is by little and ht- 
 tle presented, till the victim falls. How 
 should every one be on his guard at the 
 very first appearance of evil, at the first 
 su;^gestion that may possibly lead to 
 evil ! 
 
 4. One of the best ways of meeting 
 temptation is by applying scripture. So 
 our Saviour did, and they will always 
 best succeed who best wield the sword 
 of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 
 Eph. vi. 17. 
 
 12. John V)as cast into prison. For 
 an account of the imprisonment of John, 
 see Matt. xiv. 1 — 13. ^ He departed into 
 Galilee. See Mat. ii. 22. The reasons 
 why Jesus went then into Galilee were, 
 probably, not that he might avoid danger 
 — for he went directly into the domin- 
 ons of Herod, and Jesus had nothing 
 in particular to fear from Herod, as he 
 had given him no cause of offence — 
 but, 1st. Because the attention of the 
 people had been much excited by John's 
 preaching, and it was more favorable 
 for his own ministry. 2d. It seemed 
 5* 
 
 which is upon the sea coast, in the 
 borders of Zabulon and Nephtha- 
 lim : 
 
 14 That it miaht be fulfilled 
 
 desirable to have some one to second 
 John in the work of reformation. 3d. 
 It was less dangerous for him to com- 
 mence his labors there than near Jeru- 
 salem. Judea was under the dominion 
 of the scribes, and Pharisees, and priests. 
 They would naturally look with envy 
 on any one who set up for a public 
 teacher, and who should attract much 
 attention there. It was important, there- 
 fore, that the work of Jesus should be- 
 gin in Galilee, and become somewhat 
 established and known before he went 
 to Jerusalem. 
 
 13. Leaving Nazareth. Because his 
 townsmen cast him out, and rejected 
 him. See Luke iv. 14 — 30. IT Came 
 and dwelt in Capernaum. This was a 
 city on the north-west corner of the 
 sea of Tiberias. It is not mentioned in 
 the Old Testament, but is repeatedly 
 in the gospels. Though it was once a 
 city of renown, and the metropolis of 
 all GaUlee, the site it occupied is now 
 uncertain. When Mr. Fisk, an Ame- 
 rican missionary, travelled in Syria in 
 1823, he found twenty or thirty unin- 
 habited Arab huts, occupying what are 
 supposed to be the ruins of the once 
 e.xalted city of Capernaum. 
 
 In this place, and its neighbourhood, 
 Jesus spent no small part of the three 
 years of his public ministry. It is 
 hence called his own city. Matt. ix. 1. 
 Here he healed the nobleman's son 
 (John iv. 47) ; Peter's wife's mother 
 (Matt. viii. 14) ; the centurion's servant 
 (Matt. viii. 5 — 13) ; and the ruler's daugh- 
 ter (Matt. ix. 23 — 25) . IT Upon the .tea- 
 coast. The sea of Tiberias. ^ In the 
 borders of Zebulon and Nephthalim. 
 These were two tribes of the children 
 of Israel which were located in this 
 part of the land of Canaan, and consti- 
 tuted in the time of Christ a part of 
 Galilee. Compare Gen. xlLx. 13. Jo- 
 shua xix. 10, 32. The word larders 
 here means hmmdaries. Jesus came 
 and dwelt in the houtidaries or regioiis 
 of Zebulon and NaphthaU. 
 
 14—16. That it might he fulfilled, 
 &.C. This place is recorded in Isa. ix. 
 1, 2. Matthew has given the sense, but
 
 54 
 
 MATTHP]W. 
 
 [A. D. 30 
 
 which was spoKen by Esaias the 
 prophet, " saying, 
 
 15 The land of Zabulon, and the 
 land of Nephthalim, hy the way of 
 the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of 
 the Gentiles : 
 
 16 The people which sat in dark- 
 ness * saw great light : and to them 
 
 ols.9.1.2. 6Is.42.6,7. Lu.2.32. 
 
 not the very words of the prophet. IT By 
 the way of the sea. Which is near to 
 the Sea, or in the vicinity of the sea. 
 If Beyond Jordan. This does not mean 
 to the east of Jordan, as the phrase 
 sometimes denotes, but rather in the 
 vicinity of the Jordan, or perhaps in the 
 vicinity of the sources of the Jordan. 
 See Deut. i. 1 ; iv. 49. IT Galilee of 
 the Gentiles. Galilee was divided into 
 upper and lower Galilee. Upper Gali- 
 lee was called Galilee of the Gentiles, 
 because it was occupied chiefly by Gen- 
 tiles. It was in the neighborhood of 
 Tyre, Sidon, &c. The word Gentiles 
 mcludes in the scriptures all who are not 
 Jews. It means the same as natio7is, or 
 as we should say, the heathen nations. 
 
 16. The people which sat in darkness. 
 This is an expression denoting great 
 ignorance. As in darkness or night we 
 can see nothing, and know not where 
 to go, so those who are ignorant of 
 God, and their duty, are said to be in 
 darkness. The instruction which re- 
 moves this ignorance is called lisrht. 
 See John iii. 19. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 1 John 
 i. 5 ; ii. 8. As ignorance is often con- 
 nected with crime and vice, so darkness 
 is sometimes used to denote sin. 1 
 Thess. V. 5. Eph. v. 11. Luke xxii. 
 53. IT The rep;ion and shadow of death. 
 This is a forcible and beautiful image, 
 designed al.so to denote ignorance and 
 sin. It is often used in the Bible, and 
 is very expressive. A shadow is caused 
 by an object coming between us and 
 the sun. So the Hebrews imaged death 
 as standing between us and the sun, 
 and casting a long, dark, and baleful 
 shadow abroad on the face of the na- 
 tions, denoting their great ignorance, 
 ein, and wo. It denotes a dismal, 
 gloomy, and dreadful shade, where 
 aeath and sin reign, like the chills, 
 damps, and horrors of the dwelling- 
 place of the dead. See Job x. 21 ; xvi. 
 16 ; xxxiv. 22. P3. xxiii- 4. Jer. iL C. 
 
 which sat in the region and shadow 
 of death, light is sprung up. 
 
 17 From that time Jesus began 
 to preach, and to say, Repent: 
 for the kingdom of heaven is at 
 hand. 
 
 18 And Jesus, walking by the 
 sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, 
 
 cc.3.2. 10.7. 
 
 These expressions denote that the coun- 
 try of Galilee was peculiarly ignorant 
 and blind. We know that the people 
 were proverbially so. They were dis- 
 tinguished for a coarse, outlandish man- 
 ner of speech (Mark xiv. 70) ; and are 
 represented as having been distinguish- 
 ed by a general profligacy of morals 
 and manners. It shows the great com- 
 passion of the Saviour, that he went to 
 preach to such poor and despised sin- 
 ners. Instead of seeking the rich and 
 the learned, he chose to minister to the 
 needy, the ignorant, and the contemn- 
 ed. His ofiice is to enlighten the igno- 
 rant ; his delight to guide the wander- 
 ing, and to raise up those that are in 
 the shadow of death. In doin^ this, 
 Jesus set an example for all his follow- 
 ers. It is their duty to seek out those 
 who are sitting in the shadow of death, 
 and to send the gospel to them. No 
 small part of the world is still lying in 
 wickedness, as wicked and wretched 
 as was the land of Zabulon and Neph- 
 thali in the time of Jesus. The Lord 
 Jesus is able to enlighten them also. 
 And every Christian should conceive it 
 a privilege, as well as a duty, to imitate 
 his Saviour in this, and to be permitted 
 to send to them the light of hfe. See 
 Matt, xxviii. 19. 
 
 17. See Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 18. Sea of Galilee. This was also 
 called the sea of Tiberias, and the lake 
 of Gennesareth, and also the sea of 
 Chinnereth. Num. xxxiv. 11. Deut. 
 iii. 17. Josh. xii. 3. It is about fifteen 
 miles in length, and from six to nine in 
 width. There is no pari of Palestine, 
 it is said, which can be compared in 
 beauty with the environs of this lake. 
 Many populous cities once stood on its 
 shores, such as Tiberias, Bethsaida, 
 Capernaum, Chorazin, Hippo, &c. 
 The shores are described by Josephus 
 as a perfect paradise, producing every 
 luxury under heaven, at all seasons of
 
 n D. 30.] CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Sii-on » called Peter, and Andrew 
 his brother, casting a net into the 
 sea : for they were fishers. 
 
 19 And he saith unto them. Fol- 
 low me, and I will make you' fish- 
 ers of men. 
 
 20 And they straightway left'' 
 Uidr nets, and followed him. 
 
 21 And going on from thence, 
 he saw other two brethren,'' James 
 
 aJuo.1.42. &LU.5. 10. 100.9.20-22. 2 Co. 
 12. 16. e Mar. 10. 28 - 31 . d Mar. 1 . 19,20. 
 
 the year. The river Jordan flows di- 
 rectly through the lake, it is said, with- 
 out mingUng with its waters, so that 
 the course of the Jordan can be dis- 
 tinctly seen. The waters of the lake 
 are sweet and pleasant to the taste, and 
 clear. The lake still abounds with fish, 
 and gives employment, as it did in the 
 time of our Saviour, to those who live 
 on its shores. It is, however, stormy, 
 owing probably to the high hills by 
 which it is surrounded. IT Simon calle. 
 Peter. The name Peter means a rock ; 
 and is the same as Cephas. See Note, 
 Matt. xvi. 18; also John 1. 42. 1 Cor. 
 XV. 5. 
 
 ' ). Fishers of men. Ministers or 
 preachers of the gospel, whose busi- 
 ness it shall be to win souls lo Christ. 
 
 20. Straightway. Immediately — as 
 all should do when the Lord Jesus calls 
 them. Tf Left their nets. Their nets 
 were the means of their living, perhaps 
 all their property. By leaving them 
 immediately, and following him, they 
 gave every evidence of sincerity. They 
 showed, what we should, that they 
 were walling to forsake all for the sake 
 of Jesus, and to follow him wherever 
 he should lead them. They went forth 
 to persecution and death, for the sake 
 of Jesus ; but also to the honor of 
 saving souls from death, and establish- 
 ing a church that shall continue to the 
 end of time. Little did they know what 
 awaited them, when they left their un- 
 mended nets to rot on the beach, and 
 followed the unknown and unhonored 
 lesus of Nazareth. So we know not 
 what awaits us, when we become his 
 followers ; but we should cheerfully go, 
 svhen our Saviour calls, willing to com- 
 ;ni( all into his hands — come honor 
 ir dishonor, sickness or health, riches 
 sr poverty, life or death. Be i* ours tc 
 
 55 
 
 the son of Zebedee, and John his 
 brother, in a ship with Zebedee 
 their tather, mending their nets : 
 and he called them. 
 
 22 And they immediately left 
 the ship and their father, and follow- 
 ed him. 
 
 23 And Jesus went about all 
 Galilee, teaching ' in their syna- 
 gogues, and preaching the gospel.' 
 
 ec.9.35. Lu.4.15,44. /c.24.14. Mar.1.14. 
 
 do our duty at once, and to commit 
 the result to the great Redeemer who 
 has called us. Compare Matt. vi. 33, viii. 
 21, 22 ; John xxi. 21, 22. If Follow him. 
 This is an expression denoting that they 
 became his disciples. 2 Kings, vi. 19. 
 
 22. Left their father. This showed 
 how willing they were to follow Jesus. 
 They left their father. They showed 
 us what we ought to do. If necessary, 
 we should leave father, and mother, 
 and every friend. Luke xiv. 26. Ii 
 they will go with us, and be Christians, 
 it is well ; if not, yet they should not 
 hinder us. We should be the follow- 
 ers of Jesus. And, while in doing it, 
 we should treat our friends tenderly 
 and kindly, yet we ought at all hazards 
 to obey God, and do our duty to him. 
 We may add, that many, very many 
 children, since Sabbath schools have 
 commenced, have been the means of 
 their parents' conversion. Many child- 
 ren have spoken to their parents, or 
 read the Bible to them, or other books, 
 and prayed for them, and God has 
 blessed them and converted them. 
 Every child in a Sunday school ought 
 to be a Christian; and then should 
 strive and pray that God would con- 
 vert his parents, and make them Chris- 
 tians too. 
 
 We see here, too, what humble in- 
 struments God makes use of to convert 
 men. He chose fishermen to convert 
 the world. He chooses the foolish to 
 confound the wise. And it shows that 
 religion is true, and is the power of 
 God, when he makes use of such in- 
 struments to change the hearts of men, 
 and save their souls. See Notes on 1 
 Cor. i. 26—28. 
 
 23; All Galilee. See ch. ii_. 22. 
 IT Synagogues. Places of worship, oi 
 places where the people ossemhled to-
 
 56 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. dO. 
 
 of the kingdom, and healing all j unto him all sick people that were 
 manner of sickness, and all man- taken with divers diseases and toi- 
 ner of disease " among the peo- ' ments, and those which were pos- 
 ple. sessed with devils, and those which 
 
 24 And his fame went throuffh- were lunatic, and those that had the 
 
 out all Syria : and they brought 
 a Ps.103.3. c.8.16,17. 
 
 gather to worship God. The origin of 
 synagogues is involved in much obscu- 
 rity. The sacrifices of the Jews were 
 appointed to be held in one place, at 
 Jerusalem. But there was nothing to 
 forbid the other services of religion to 
 be performed at any place. According- 
 ly the praises of God were sung in the 
 schools of the prophets; and those who 
 chose were assembled by the seers on 
 the Sabbath, and the new-moons, for 
 religious worship. 2 Kings iv. 23. 1 
 Sam. X. 5 — 11. The people would 
 soon see the necessity of providing con- 
 venient places for their services, to 
 shelter them fi-om storms and heat ; 
 and this was probably the origin of 
 synagogues. At v hat time they were 
 commenced is unknown. They are 
 mentioned by Joseph .^ a considerable 
 time before the coming of Christ ; and 
 in his time they were multipUed, not 
 only in Judea, but wherever there were 
 Jews. There were no less than 480 in 
 Jerusalem alone, before it was taken 
 by the Romans. 
 
 The synagogues were built in ele- 
 vated places — in any place where ten 
 men were found who were wilUng to 
 associate for the purpose ; and were 
 the regular customary places of wor- 
 ship. In them the law, i. e. the Old 
 Testament, divided into suitable por- 
 tions, was read, prayers were offered, 
 and the scriptures were expounded. 
 The law was so divided, that the five 
 books of Moses, and portions of the 
 prophets, could be read through each 
 year. The scriptures after being read 
 were expounded. This was done, either 
 by the officers of the synagogues, or by 
 any person who might be invited to it 
 by the officiating minister. Our Sa- 
 riour and the apostles were in the habit 
 of attending at those places constantly, 
 and of speaking to the people. Luke 
 iv. 15—22. Acts xiii. 14, 15. 
 
 The synagogues were built in imita- 
 tion of the temple, with a centre build- 
 ing, supported by pillars, and a court 
 
 palsy ; and he healed them. 
 
 surrounding it. See Note Matt, xxi, 
 12. In the centre building, or chapel, 
 was a place prepared for the reading of 
 the law. The law was kept in a chest, 
 or ark, near to the pulpit. The upper- 
 most seats (Matt, xxiii. 6.) were those 
 nearest to the pulpit. The people sat 
 round, facing the pulpit. When the 
 law was read, the officiating person 
 rose ; when it was expounded, he was 
 seated. Our Saviour imitated their ex- 
 ample, and was commonly seated in 
 addressing the people. Matt. v. 1; xiii. 
 1. IT Teaching. Instructing the peo- 
 ple, or explaining the gospel. ^ The 
 gospel of the kingdom.. The good news 
 respecting the kingdom which he was 
 about to set up ; or the good news 
 respecting the coming of the Mes- 
 siah and the nature of his kingdom. 
 If Preaching. See ch. iii. 1. If All 
 manner of sickness. All kinds of sick- 
 ness. 
 
 24. And his fame xoent throughout all 
 Syria. It is not easy to fix the exact 
 bounds of Syria in the time of our Sa- 
 viour. It was, perhaps, the general 
 name for the country lying between 
 the Euphrates on the east, and the 
 Mediterranean on the west ; and be- 
 tween mount Taurus on the north, and 
 Arabia on the south. Through all this 
 region his celebrity was spread by his 
 power of working miracles ; and, as 
 might be expected, the sick from every 
 quarter were brought to him, in the 
 hope that he would give relief ^ Those 
 possessed with devils. Much difficulty 
 exists, and much has been written, 
 respectinfir those in the New Testa 
 ment said to be possessed with the 
 devil. It has been maintained by many, 
 that the sacred writers meant only by 
 this expression to denote those who 
 were melancholy or epileptic, or afflicted 
 with some other grievous disease. This 
 opinion has been supported by argu- 
 ments too long to be repeated here. 
 On the other hand, it has been sup 
 posed that t"ie persons so described
 
 A. D. 30.] CHAPTER IV 
 
 25 And there followed him great 
 
 5? 
 
 were under the influence of evil spirits, 
 who had complete possession of the 
 faculties, ani who produced many 
 symptoms of disease not unlike me- 
 lancholy, and madness, and epilepsy. 
 That such was the fact, will appear 
 from ;he following considerations: 1st. 
 That Christ and the apostles spoke to 
 them, and of them as such ; that the}' 
 addressed them, and managed them, 
 precisely as if they were so possessed, 
 (caving their "hearers to infer beyond a 
 doubi that such was tlieir real opinion. 
 2d. They spake, conversed, asked ques- 
 tions, gave answers, and expressed their 
 knowledge of Christ, and their fear of 
 liim-— things that certainly could not be 
 said of diseases. Matt. viii. 23. Luke 
 viii. 27. 3d. They are represented as 
 going out of the persons possessed, and 
 entering the bodies of others. Matt, 
 viii. 32. 4th. Jesus spoke to them, and 
 asked their name, and they answered 
 him. He threatened them, command- 
 ed them to be silent, to depart, and not 
 to return. Mark i. 25 ; v. 8; ix. 25. 
 5th. Those possessed are said to know 
 Christ; to be acquainted with the Son 
 of God. Luke iv. 34. Mark i. 24. 
 This could not be said of diseases. 
 Cth. The early fathers of the church 
 interpreted these passages in the same 
 way. They derived their opinions 
 probably from the apostles themselves, 
 and their opinions are a fair interpreta- 
 tion of the apostles' sentiments. 7th. If 
 it may be denied that Christ believed 
 in such possessions, it does not appear 
 why any other clear sentiment of his 
 may not in the same way be disputed. 
 There is, perhaps, no subject on which 
 he expressed himself more clearly, or 
 acted more uniformly, or which he left 
 more clearly impressed on the minds 
 of his disciples. 
 
 Nor is there any absurdity in the 
 opinion that those persons were really 
 under the influence of devils. For: 
 1st. It is no more absurd to suppose 
 that an angel, or many angels, should 
 have fallen and become wicked, than 
 !hat so many men should. 2d. It i.s no 
 more absurd that Satan should have 
 possession of the human I'aculties, or 
 inflict diseases, than that vien should 
 do it — a thing which is done every day. 
 
 multitudes • of people from Galilee, 
 
 a Lu.f .17,19. 
 
 What more frequent than for a wicked 
 man to corrupt the morals of others, or 
 by inducing them to become intempe- 
 rate, to produce a state of body and 
 mind quite as bad as to be possessed 
 with the devil ? 3d. We still see a 
 multitude of cases that no man can 
 prove 7iot to be produced by the pre- 
 sence of an evil spirit. Who would 
 attempt to say that some evil being 
 may not have much to do in the case 
 of madmen ? 4th. It afl'orded an op- 
 portunity for Christ to show his power 
 over the enemies of himseU and of man. 
 and thus to evince himself qualifled to 
 meet every enemy of the race, and 
 triumphantly to redeem his people. He 
 came to destroy the power of Satan. 
 Acts x.xvi. 18. Rom. xvi. 20, 21. Those 
 that were lunatic. This name is given 
 to the disease from the Latin name of 
 the moon (Luna.) It has the same 
 origin in Greek. It was given, because 
 it was formerly imagined that it was af 
 fected by the increase or the decrease of 
 the moon. The name is still retained; 
 although it is not certain that the moor 
 has any effect on the disease. On thif 
 point physicians are not determined, 
 but no harm arises from the use of thf 
 name. It is mentioned only in this place 
 and in Matt. xvii. 15. It was probabl) 
 the falling sickness, or the epilepsy, th< 
 same as the disease mentioned Marli 
 ix. 18 — 20. Luke Lx. 39 — 10. ^ Am 
 those that had the palsy. Many infirmi- 
 ties were included under this genera, 
 name oi palsy, in the New Testament 
 1st. The paralytic shock, affecting tli£ 
 whole body. 2d. The hemiplegy, af- 
 fecting only one side of the body ; the 
 most frequent form of the disease. 3d. 
 The paraplegy, afiecting all the system 
 below the neck. 4th. The catalepsy. 
 This is caused by a contraction of the 
 muscles in the whole or a part of the 
 body, and is very dangerous. The ef- 
 fects are very violent and fatal. For 
 instance, if, when a person is struck, 
 he happens to have his hand extended, 
 he is unable to draw it back ; if not ex- 
 tended, he is unable to stretch it out. 
 It appears dinunishcd in size, and dried 
 up in appearance. Hence it was called 
 the withered hand. Matt. xii. 10 — 13. 
 5ih. The cramp. Tins, in eastern
 
 58 
 
 and fro7n Decapolis, and from Jeru- 
 salem, and from Judea, and fro)n 
 beyond Jordan. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AND seeing the multitudes, he 
 went up into a mountain : and 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 31. 
 
 when he was set, his disciples came 
 unto him : 
 
 2 And he opened his mouth, and 
 taught them, saying," 
 
 3 Blessed are the poor* in spirit : • 
 for their's is the kingdom of heaven 
 
 a Lu.6.20Ac. b Is.57.15. 66.2. c Ja.2.5. 
 
 countries, is a fearful malady, and by 
 no means unfrequent. It originates 
 from chills in the night. The limbs, 
 when seized with it, remain immovable, 
 and the person afflicted with it resem- 
 bles one undergoing a torture. This 
 was probably the disease of the ser^'ant 
 of the centurion. Matt. viii. 6. Luke 
 vii. 2. Death follows from this disease 
 in a few days. If And he healed them. 
 This was done evidently by a miracu- 
 lous power. A miracle is an effect 
 produced by divine power above, or op- 
 posed to, what are regular effects of the 
 laws of nature. It is not a violation of 
 the laws of nature, but is a suspension 
 of their usual operation, for some im- 
 portant purpose. For instance, the 
 regular effect of death is that the body 
 returns to corruption. This efl'ect is 
 produced by the appointed laws of na- 
 lure ; or, in other words. God usually 
 produces this effect. When he sus- 
 pends that regular effect, and gives life 
 10 a dead body for some important pur- 
 pose, it is a miracle. Such an effect is 
 clearly the result of divine power. No 
 other being but God can do it. When, 
 therefore, Christ and the apostles ex- 
 erted this power, it was clear evidence 
 that God approved of their doctrines ; 
 that he had commissioned them ; and 
 that they were authorized to declare his 
 will. He would not give this attestation 
 to a false doctrine. Most or all of these 
 diseases were incurable. When Christ 
 cured them by a word, it was the clear- 
 est of all proofs that he was sent from 
 heaven. This is one of the strong ar- 
 guments for Christianity. 
 
 25. From Decapolis. Decapolis was 
 the name of a region of country in the 
 bounds of the half tribe of Manasseh, 
 mainly on the east of Jordan. It was 
 so called because it included ten cities 
 ■ — the meaning of the word Decapolis 
 in Greek. Geographers generally agree 
 that ScythopoUs was the chief of these 
 cities, and was the only one of them 
 west of the Jordan ; that Hippo, (Hip- 
 008, > Gadara, Dion, (or Dios,; Pelea, 
 
 (or Pella,) Gerasa, (or Gergesa,) Phi- 
 iadelpliia and Raphana, (or Raphanse, 
 were seven of the remaining nine, and 
 the other two were either Kanatha and 
 Capitolias, or Damascus and Otopos. 
 These cities were inhabited chiefly by 
 foreigners (Greeks) in the days of our 
 Saviour, and not by Jews. Hence the 
 keeping of swine by the Gergesenes, 
 (Matt. viii. 30—33,) which was forbid- 
 den by the Jewish law. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1. Seeing the multitudes. The great 
 numbers that came to attend on his 
 ministry. The substance of this dis- 
 course is recorded in the sixth chapter 
 of Luke. It is commonly called the 
 sermon on the mount. It is not im- 
 probable that it was repeated, in sub- 
 stance, on different occasions, and to 
 different people. At those times, parts 
 of it might have been omitted, and 
 Luke may have recorded it as it was 
 pronounced on one of those occasions. 
 See Notes Luke vi. 17 — 20. ^ Went 
 up into a mountain. This mountain, 
 or hill, was somewhere in the vicinity 
 of Capernaum, but where precisely is 
 not mentioned. He ascended the hill, 
 doubtless, because it was more conve- 
 nient to address the multitude from an 
 eminence, than on the same level with 
 them. A hill or mountain is siill shown 
 a short distance to the north-west of 
 the ancient site of Capernaum, which 
 tradition reports to have been the place 
 where this sermon was delivered, and 
 which is called on the maps the Mount 
 of Beatitudes. But there is no positive 
 evidence that this is the place where 
 this discourse was uttered. IT Ana 
 when he was set. This was the com 
 mon mode of teaching among the Jews. 
 Luke iv. 20 ; v. 3. John viii. 2. Acts 
 xiii. 14 ; xvi. 13. If His disciples came. 
 The word di.':clplcs means learner.^. 
 those who are taught. Here it is put 
 for those who attended on the ministry 
 of Jesus, and docs not imply that they 
 were all Christians. See John vi. 66. 
 
 3. Blessed arc the poor in spirit. Tho
 
 ^ D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 59 
 
 4 Blessed an they that mourn : 
 » for they shall he comforted.'' 
 aIs.Gl.3. E7;e.7.1G J Jno.16.20. 2 Cor.1.7. 
 
 word blessed means happy, referring to 
 '.hat which produces feUcity, from what- 
 ever quarter it may come, 'i Poor in 
 spirit. Luke says simply, blessed are 
 THE POOR. It has been disputed whe- 
 ther Christ meant the poor in reference 
 to the things of this hfe, or the humble. 
 The gospel is said to be preached to 
 the poor. Luke iv. 18. Matt. xi. 5. It 
 was predicted that the Messiah should 
 preach to the poor. Isa. Lxi. L It is 
 said that they have peculiar facilities for 
 being saved. Matt. xix. 23. Luke xviii. 
 24. The state of such persons is there- 
 fore comparatively blessed, or happy. 
 Riches produce care aixxiety, and dan- 
 gers, and not the least is the danger of 
 losing heaven by them. To be poor in 
 spirit is to have a humble opinion of 
 ourselves ; to be sensible that we are 
 sinners, and have no righteousness of 
 our own ; to be willing to be saved 
 only by the rich grace and mercy of 
 God ; to be willing to be where God 
 places us, to bear what he lays on us, 
 to go where he bids us, and to die when 
 he commands; to be willing to be in 
 liis hands, and to feel that we deserve 
 no favor from him. It is opposed to 
 pride, and vanity, and ambition. Such 
 arc happy : 1st. Because there is more 
 real enjoyment, in thinking of ourselves 
 as we are, than in being hlled with pride 
 and vanity. 2d. Because such Jesus 
 chooses to bless, and on them he con- 
 fers his favors here. 3d. Because theirs 
 will be the kingdom of heaven hereaf- 
 ter. It is remarkable that Jesus began 
 his ministry in this manner, so unhke 
 all others. Other teachers had taught 
 (hat happiness was to be found in honor, 
 or riches, or splendor, or sensual plea- 
 sure. Jesus overlooked all those things, 
 and fixed his eye on the poor, and the 
 humble, and said that happiness was to 
 be found in the lowly vale of poverty 
 more than in the pomp and splendors 
 of life. ^ Theirs is the kingdom of 
 keaven ' That is, either they have pe- 
 culiar facilities for entering the king- 
 dom of heaven, and of becoming Chris- 
 tians here, or they shall enter heaven 
 hereafter. Both these ideas are proba- 
 bly included. A state of poverty — a 
 state vhere we are despised or unhonor- 
 
 5 Blessed are the meek : for they 
 * shall inherit the earth. 
 
 ed by men — is a state where men are 
 most ready to seek the comforts of re- 
 ligion here, or a home in the heavens 
 hereafter. See Note, ch. ii. 2. 
 
 4. Blessed are they that mourn. This 
 is capable of two meanings : either 
 that those are blessed who are aftUcted 
 with the loss of friends or possessions : 
 or that they who mourn over sin are 
 blessed. As Christ came to preach 
 repentance, to induce men to mourn 
 over their sins, and to forsake them, it 
 is probable that he had the latter parti- 
 cularly in view. 2 Cor. vii. 10. At the 
 same time, it is true that the gospel only 
 can give true comfort to those m afflic- 
 tion. Isa. Lxi. 1 — 3. Luke iv. 18. 
 Other sources of consolation do not 
 reach the deep sorrows \)f the soul. 
 They may blunt the sensibilities of the 
 mind ; they may produce a sullen ana 
 reluctant submission to what we can 
 not help ; but they do not point to the 
 true source of comfort. In the God of 
 mercy only ; in the Saviour ; in the 
 peace that flows from the hope of a bet- 
 ter world, and there only, is there com- 
 fort. 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18; v. 1. Those 
 that mourn thus shall be comforted 
 So those that grieve over sin ; that sor- 
 row that they have comm.itted it, and 
 are afflicted and wounded that they 
 have ofleiided God, shall find comfort 
 in the gospel. Through the merciful 
 Saviour those sins may be forgiven. 
 In him the weary and heavy-laden soul 
 shall find peace ^Matt. xi. 28—30) ; and 
 the presence of the Comforter, the 
 Holy Ghost, shall sustain us here (John 
 xiv. 26, 27), and in heaven all tears 
 shall be wiped away^ Rev. xxi. 4. 
 
 5. The meek. Meekness is patience 
 in the reception of injuries. It is nei- 
 ther meanness, nor a surrender of our 
 rights, nor cowardice ; but it is the op- 
 posite of sudden anger, of malice, of 
 long-harbored vengeance. Christ in 
 sisted on his right, when he said, " If I 
 have done evil, bear witness of the evil ; 
 but if well, why smitest thou me?" 
 John xviii. 23. Paul asserted his right, 
 when he said, " They have beaten us 
 openly uncondemned, being Romans, 
 and have cast us into prison ; and now 
 do they thrust us out privily ? na^
 
 60 
 
 MATTHLW. 
 
 6 Blessed are they which do ! ousness : for 
 hunger and thirst after righte- ed. 
 
 8Ps.145.19. Is.65.13, 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 they shall be fill- 
 
 verily ; but let them come themselves, 
 and letch us out." Acts xvi. 37. And 
 yet Christ was the very model of meek- 
 ness. It was one of his characteristics, 
 " I am meek." Matt. xi. 29. So of 
 Paul. No man endured more, and 
 more patiently than he. Yet they were 
 not passionate. They bore it patiently. 
 They did not harbor malice. They did 
 not press their rights through thick and 
 thin, and trample down the rights of 
 others to secure their own. 
 
 Meekness is the reception of injuries 
 with a belief that God will vindicate us. 
 "Vengeance is his; he will repay." 
 Rom. xii. 19. It little becomes us to 
 take his place, and to do what he has a 
 right to do, and what he has promised 
 to do. 
 
 Meekness produces peace. It is proof 
 of true greatness of soul. It comes from 
 a heart too great to be moved by little 
 Insults. It looks upon those who offer 
 them with pity. He that is constantly 
 ruffled, that suffers every little insult or 
 injury to throw him off his guard, and 
 to raise a storm of passion within, is at 
 the mercy of every mortal that chooses 
 to disturb him. He is like the troubled 
 sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast 
 up mire and dirt. IT They shall inherit 
 the earth. This might have been trans- 
 lated the land. It is probable that here 
 is a reference to the manner in which 
 the Jews commonly expressed them- 
 selves to denote any great blessing. It 
 was promised to them that they should 
 inherit the land of Canaan. For a long 
 time the patriarchs looked forward to 
 this. Gen. xv. 7, 8. Ex. xxxii. 13. 
 They regarded it as a great blessing. 
 It was so spoken of in the journey in 
 the wilderness ; and their hopes were 
 crowned when they took possession of 
 the promised land. Deut. i. 38 ; xvi. 
 20. In the time of our Saviour they 
 were in the constant habit of using the 
 Old Testament where this promise per- 
 petually occurs, and they used it as a 
 proverbial expression, to deriote any 
 areat blessin/r, perhaps as the sum of all 
 blessings. Ps. xxxvii. 20. Isa. Ix. 21. 
 Cur Saviour used it in this sense ; and 
 meant to say, not that the meek should 
 »WTi great praperty, or have many lands, 
 
 but that they should possess peculiai 
 blessings. The Jews also considered 
 the land of Canaan as a type of heaven, 
 and of the blessings under the Messiah. 
 To inherit the land, became, therefore, 
 an expresoion denoting those blessings. 
 When our Savioiu- promises it here, he 
 means that the meek shall be received 
 into his kingdom, and partake of its 
 blessings here, and of the glories of the 
 heavenly Canaan hereafter. The value 
 of meekness, even in regard to worldly 
 property and success in hfe, is often ex 
 hibited in the scriptures. Prov. xxii. 
 24, 25; XV. 1 ; xxv. 8, 15. It is also 
 seen in common life that a meek, pa- 
 tient, mild man is the most prospered. 
 An impatient and quarrelsome man 
 raises up enemies ; often loses property 
 in lawsuits ; spends his time in disputes 
 and broils, rather than in sober, honest 
 industry ; and is harassed, vexed, and 
 unsuccessful in all that he does. God- 
 liness is profitable for all things, having 
 promise of the life that is, and of that 
 which is to come. 1 Tim. iv. 8 ; vi. 
 3—6. 
 
 6. Blessed are they that hunger, &c. 
 Hunger and thirst, here, are expressive 
 of strong desire. Nothing would bet- 
 ter express the strong desire which we 
 ought to feel to obtain righteousness, 
 than hunger and thirst. No wants are 
 so keen, none so imperiously demand 
 supply, as these. They occur daily ; 
 and when long continued, as in case of 
 those shipwrecked, ari-i doomed to 
 wander months or j'ears over burning 
 sands, with scarcely any drink or food, 
 nothing is more distressing. An ardent 
 desire for any thing is often represented 
 in the scriptures by hunger and thirst. 
 Ps. xhi. 1, 2; Ixiii. 1, 2. A desire fo- 
 the blessings of pardon and peace ; a 
 deep sense of sin, and want, and 
 wretchedness, is olso represented by 
 thirsting. Isa. Iv. 1, 2. Those that 
 are perishing for want of righteousness ; 
 that feel that they are lost sinners, and 
 strongly desire '.o be holy, shall be 
 filled. Never was there a desire to be 
 holy, which God was not willing to 
 gratify. And the gospel of Christ has 
 made provision to satisfy all who truly 
 desire to be holy. See Isa. Iv. and
 
 A. D. 31.] , CHAPTER V 61 
 
 7 Blessed are the merciful : for | 9 Blessed are the ' peacemakers : 
 • they shall obtain mercy. for they shall be called the children 
 
 8 Blessed are the pure in ^ heart : j of God. 
 for they shall see God. 
 
 <iPs.4M,2. 
 3.i!,3. 
 
 APs.24.3,4. He.12.14. 1 Jno. 
 
 .XV. 13. John iv. 14 ; vi. 35 ; vii. 37, 
 38. Ps. xvii. 15. 
 
 7. Blessed are the merciful. That is, 
 '.hose who are so affected by the sttf- 
 ferings of others, as to be disposed to 
 alleviate them. This is given as an 
 evidence of piety, and it is said that 
 they who show mercy to others, shall 
 obtain it. The same sentiment is found 
 in Matt. x. 42. Whosoever shall give 
 a cup of cold water only unto one of 
 these little ones, in the name of a disci- 
 ple, shall not lose his reward. See also 
 Matt. XXV. 34 — 40. It should be done 
 to glorify God ; that is, in obedience to 
 his coinmandnients and with a desire 
 that he should be honored ; and feeling 
 that we are benefiting one of his crea- 
 tures. Then he will regard it as done 
 to him, and will reward us. See the 
 sentiment of this verse, that the mer- 
 ciful shall obtain mercy, more fully ex- 
 pressed in 2 Sain. xxii. 26, 27 ; and in 
 Ps. xviii. 25, 26. 
 
 Nowhere do we imitate God more 
 than in showing mercy. Iii nothing 
 does God more delight than in the ex- 
 ercise of mercv. Ex. xxxiv. 6. Ezek. 
 xxxiii. 11. iTim. ii. 4. 2 Pet. iii. 9. 
 To us, guilty sinners ; to us, wretched, 
 dying, and exposed to eternal wo, he 
 has shown his mercy by giving his Son 
 to die for us ; by expressing his willing- 
 ness to pardon and save us ; and by 
 sending his Spirit to renew and sanctify 
 the heart. Each day of our hfe, each 
 hour, and each moment, we partake of 
 his undeserved mercy. All the bless- 
 ings we enjoy are proofs of his mercy, 
 if loe, also, show mercy to the poor, 
 the wretched, the guilty, it shows that 
 we are lilie God. We have his spirit, 
 nnd shall not lose our reward. And we 
 have abundant opportunity to do it. 
 Our world is full of guilt and wo, which 
 we may help to relieve ; and every day 
 of our lives we have opportunity, by 
 heiping the pool and wretched, and by 
 forgiving those who injure us, to show 
 that we are hke God. See Note on ch. 
 v\. 14, 15. 
 
 8. Blessed are the pure in heart. 
 
 That is, whose minds, motives, and 
 principles are pure. Who seek not 
 only to have the external aciio?is cor- 
 rect, but who desire to be holy in heart, 
 and who are so. Man looks on the 
 outward appearance, but God looketb 
 on the heart. If They shall see God. 
 There is a sense in which all shall see 
 God. Rev. i. 7. That is, they shall 
 behold him as a Judge, not as a Friend. 
 In this place, it is spoken of as a pecu- 
 liar favor. So also in Rev. .xxii. 4. 
 And they shall see his face. To see 
 the face of one, or to be in his presence, 
 were, among the Jews, terms expres- 
 sive of great favor. It was regarded as 
 a high honor to be in the presence ol 
 kings and princes, and to be permitted 
 to see them. Prov. xxii. 29. He shall 
 stand before kings, &lc. See als(j 2 
 Kings XXV. 19. " Those that stood in 
 the king's presence ;" in the Hebrew, 
 those that saw the face of the king ; 
 that is, who were his favorites and 
 friends. So here, to see God, means 
 to be his friends and favorites, and to 
 dwell with him in his kingdom. 
 
 9. Blessed are the peace-makers. 
 Those who strive to prevent conten- 
 tion, and strife, and war. Who use 
 their influence to reconcile opposing 
 parties, and to prevent lawsuits, and 
 hostilities, in families and neighbour- 
 hoods. Every man may do something 
 of this ; and no man is more Uke God, 
 than he who does it. There ouglit not 
 to be unlawful and officious interference 
 in that which is none of our business ; 
 but without any danger of acquiring 
 this character, every man has many op- 
 portunities of reconciling opposing par- 
 ties. Friends, neighbors, men of in- 
 fluence, lawyers, physicians, may do 
 much to promote peace- And it should 
 be taken in hand in the beginning 
 " The beginning of strife," says Solo- 
 mon, " is like the letting out of water." 
 " An ounce of prevention," says the 
 EngUsh proverb, " is worth a pound oi 
 cure." Long and most deadly quarrels 
 might be prevented by a little kind in- 
 terference in the beginning. ^ Child
 
 62 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31. 
 
 10 Blessed are they which are 
 persecuted for righteousness' " sake : 
 For their's is the kingdom of hea- 
 ven. 
 
 11 Blessed are ye, when men 
 
 alPe.3.13,l4. 
 
 ren of God. See Matt. i. 1. Those who 
 resemble God, or who manifest a spirit 
 like his. He is the Author of peace (1 
 Cor. .\iv. 33) ; and all those who endea- 
 vor to promote peace are lihe him, and 
 are worthy to be called his children. 
 
 10. Persecuted. To persecute, means 
 literally to pursue, follow after, as one 
 does a flying enemy. Here it means to 
 \'e.x, or oppress one, on account of his 
 religion. They persecute others who 
 injure their names, reputation, proper- 
 ty, or endanger or take their life, on ac- 
 count of their religious opinions. ^ For 
 righteousness^ sake. Because they are 
 righteous, or are the friends of God. 
 We are not to seek persecution. We 
 are not to provoke it by strange senti- 
 ments or conduct, or by violating the 
 laws qf civil society, or by modes of 
 speech that are unnecessarily ofTeiisive 
 to others. But if, in the honest cilhrt 
 to be Christians, and to live the life 
 of Christians, others persecute and 
 revile us, we are to consider this as a 
 blessing. It is an evidence that we are 
 the children of God, and that he will 
 defend us. All that live godly in Christ 
 .Tesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 
 iii. 12. If Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
 They have evidence that they are Chris- 
 tians, and shall be brought to heaven. 
 
 11. Revile you. Reproach you; call 
 you by evil and contemptuous names ; 
 ridicule you because you are Christians. 
 Thus they said of Jesus, that he was a 
 Samaritan and had a devil ; that he was 
 mad ; and thus they reviled and mock- 
 ed him on the cross. But being reviled, 
 lie reviled not again (1 Pet. ii. 23.) ; and 
 thus being reviled, we should bless 
 (1 Cor. iv. 12.); and thus, though the 
 contempt of the world is not in itself 
 desirable, yet it is blessed to tread in 
 the footsteps of Jesus, to imitate his ex- 
 ample, and even to suffer for his sake. 
 Phil. i. 29. ^ All manner of evil — falsely. 
 An emphasis should be laid on the word 
 falsely in this passage. It is not bless- 
 ed to have evil spoken of us if we de- 
 serve it; but if we deserve it not, then 
 we should not consider it a.s a calamity. 
 
 shall revile you, and persecute you, 
 and shall say all manner of evil 
 against you ' falsely for my sake. 
 
 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding 
 glad : for great is your reward * ii 
 
 flying. 6 2C0.4.17. 
 
 We should take it patiently, and show 
 how much the Christian, under the 
 consciousness of innocence, can bear 
 1 Pet. iii. 13—18. "^ For my sake. Be- 
 cause you are attached to me ; because 
 you arc Christians. We are not to seek 
 such things. We are not to do things 
 to offend others ; to treat them harshly 
 or unkindly, and court revilings. We 
 are not to say or do things, though they 
 may be on the subject of religion, de- 
 signed to disgust or offend. But if, in 
 the faithful endeavor to be Christians, 
 we are reviled, as our Master was, then 
 we are to take it with patience, and to 
 remember that thousands before us have 
 been treated in like manner. When 
 thus reviled, or persecuted, we are to 
 be meek, patient, humble ; not angry ; 
 not reviling again ; but endeavoring to 
 do good to our persecutors and slan- 
 derers. 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. In this way 
 many have been convinced of the powej 
 and excellence of that religion which 
 they were persecuting and revihng 
 They have seen that nothing else but 
 Christianity could impart such patience 
 and meekness to the persecuted ; and 
 have, by this means, been constrained 
 to submit themselves to the gospel of 
 Jesus. Long since, it became a pro 
 verb, " that the blood of the martyrs is 
 the seed of the church." 
 
 12. Eejoice, &L.C. The leward of such 
 suffering is great. To those who suffe: 
 most, God imparts the highest rewards. 
 Hence the crown of martyrdom has 
 been thought to be the brightest thai 
 any of the redeemed shall wear ; anc 
 hence many of the early Christiane 
 sought to become martyrs, and threv 
 themselves in the way of their persecu 
 tors, that they might be put to death. 
 They literally rejoiced, and leaped fo' 
 joy, at the prospect of death for the 
 sake of Jesus. Though God does )ic>. 
 require us to seek persecution, yet ah 
 this shows that there is something in 
 religion to sustain the soul, which the 
 world does not possess. Nothing bir 
 the consciousness of innocence, and iho 
 presence of God, could have borne
 
 A. D. 31.1 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 63 
 
 heaven : for so persecuted they the 
 prophets which were before you. 
 
 13 Ye are the salt " of the earth : 
 
 but if the salt have lost his savour, 
 
 wherewith shall it be salted 1 it is 
 
 thenceforth good for nothing, but 
 
 a Mar.9.50. 
 
 rfiem up in the midst of these trials ; 
 md the flame, therefore, kindled to 
 consume the martyr, has also been a 
 bright light, showing the truth and 
 power of the gospel of Jesus. IT T/ie 
 prophets, &LC. The holy men who 
 i:ame to predict future events, and who 
 were the reUgious teachers of the Jews. 
 For an account of their persecutions. 
 Bee the 11th chapter of the Epistle to 
 the Hebrews. 
 
 13. Ye are the salt of the earth. Salt 
 renders food pleasant and palatable, and 
 preserves from putrefaction. So Chris- 
 tians, by their lives and instructions, are 
 to keep the world from entire moral 
 corruption. By bringing down, by their 
 prayers, the blessing of God, and by 
 their influence and example, they save 
 the world from universal vice and crime. 
 If Salt have lost its savotir. That is, if 
 it has become insipid, tasteless, or have 
 lost its preserving properties. The salt 
 used in this country is a chemical com- 
 pound — muriate of soda — and if the 
 •allness were lost, or it were to lose its 
 favour, there would be nothing remain- 
 ing. It enters into the very nature of 
 the substance. In eastern countries, 
 however, the salt used was impure, 
 mingled with vegetable and earthy sub- 
 stances ; so that it might lose the whole 
 of its saitness, and a considerable quan- 
 tity of earthy matter remain. This was 
 good for nothing e.xcept that it was 
 used, as it is said, to place in paths, or 
 walks, as we use gravel. This kind of 
 salt is common still in that country. It 
 is found in the earth in veins or layers, 
 and when exposed to the sun and rain, 
 loses its saitness entirely. Maundrell 
 3ays, 'I* I broke a piece of it, of which 
 that part that was exposed to the rain, 
 sun, and air, though it had the sparks 
 and particles of salt, yet it had perfect- 
 ly lost its savour. The inner part, 
 which was connected to the rock, 
 retained its savour, as I found by 
 proof " 
 
 U. The light of the world. The light 
 
 to be cast out, and to be troddet 
 under foot of men. 
 
 14 Ye are the light ^ of the world. 
 A city that is set on an hill cannot 
 be hid. 
 
 15 Neither do men light a can 
 
 b Ph.2.15. 
 
 of the world often denotes the sun. John 
 xi. 9. The sun renders objects visible, 
 shows their form, their nature, their 
 beauties, and deformities. The term 
 light is often applied to religious teach- 
 ers. See Matt. iv. 16 ; Luke ii. 32 ; 
 John i. 4, viii. 12 ; Isa. xlLs. 6. It is 
 pre-eminently applied to Jesus in these 
 places, because he is, in the moral 
 world, what the sun is in the natural 
 world. The apostles, and Christian 
 ministers, and all Christians, are lights 
 of the world, because they, by their in- 
 structions and examples, show what 
 God requires, what is the condition of 
 man, what is the way of duty, peace, 
 and happiness — the way that leads to 
 heaven. ^ A city that is set on a hill, 
 &c. Many of the cities of Judea were 
 placed on the summits or sides of 
 mountains, and could be seen from afar. 
 This was the case with Jerusalem ; and 
 it is said by Maundrell, that near the 
 place where our Saviour is supposed to 
 have delivered his sermon, there is still 
 such a town, called Saphat, anciently 
 Bethesda. This can be seen far and 
 near. Perhaps Jesus pointed to such a 
 city, and told his disciples that they 
 were like it. They were seen from far. 
 Their actions could not be hid. The 
 eyes of the world were upon them. 
 They must be seen ; and as this was the 
 case, they ought to be holy, harmless, 
 and undefiled. 
 
 15. Neither do men light a candle, &,c. 
 Jesus proceeded here to show them 
 that the very reason why they were en- 
 lightened was, that others might also 
 see the light, and be benefited by it. 
 When men light a candle, they do not 
 conceal the light, but place it where il 
 may be of use. So it is with religion. 
 It is given that we may benefit others 
 It is not to be concealed, but sufiered 
 to show itself and to shed light on r 
 surrounding wicked world. If A hishel 
 Greek, a measure containing nearly a 
 peck. It denotes any thing, here, tha' 
 might conceal the light.
 
 64 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 7i 
 
 die, and put it under ^ a bushel, 
 but on a candlestick ; and it giveth 
 light unto all that are in the 
 house. 
 
 16 Let your light so shine before 
 men, that they may see your good 
 works, and glorify" your Father 
 which is in heaven. 
 
 1 The word, in the original, sigiiifieth a 
 measure containing about a pint less than a 
 peck. a 1 Pe.2.12. 
 
 16. Let your Ifghl so shine, iSoc. Let 
 your holy life, your pure conversation, 
 and your faithful instruction, be every- 
 where seen and known. Always, in 
 all societies, in all business, at home 
 and abroad, in prosperity and adver- 
 sity, let it be seen that you are real 
 Christians. ^ That they may see your 
 ^ood works. This is not the motive to 
 influence us, simply that we may he seen 
 (comp. ch. vi. 1) ; but that our heavenly 
 Father may be glorified. It is not right 
 to do a thing merely to be seen by 
 others, for this is pride and ostentation ; 
 but we are to do it, that, being seen, 
 God may be honored. The Phanscss 
 acted to be seen of men; true Christians 
 act to glorify God, and care httle what 
 men may tliink of them, except as by 
 their conduct others may be brought to 
 honor God. If Glorify your Father. 
 Praise, or honor God, or be led to wor- 
 ship him. Seeing in your hves the ex- 
 cellency of rehgion, the power and 
 purity of the gospel, they may be won 
 to be Christians also, and give praise and 
 glory to God for his mercy to a lost world. 
 
 We learn here, 1. That rehgion, if 
 It e.xist, cannot be concealed. 2. That 
 where it is not manifest in the life, it 
 does not exist. 3. That professors of 
 religion, who live hke other men, give 
 evidence that they have never been re- 
 newed. 4. That to attempt to conceal 
 or hide our Christian knowledge or ex- 
 perience is to betray our trust, and 
 injure the cause of piety, and render 
 our lives useless. And 5. That good 
 actions will be seen, and will lead men 
 to honor God. If we have no other 
 way of doing good — if we are poor, and 
 unlearned, and unknown — yet we may 
 do good by our lives. No sincere and 
 liunihh; Christian hves in vain. The 
 feeblest hght at midnight is of use. 
 • How far thislittle candle throws his beams! 
 
 So shines a good dec' in a naughty world 1" 
 
 17 Think not that I am come i> 
 destroy * the law or the •= prophete: 
 I am not come to destroy, but to " 
 fulfil. 
 
 18 For verily \ say unto you, 
 Till heaven and earth pass, one jot 
 or one tittle ' shall in no wise pass 
 from the law, till all be fulfilled. 
 
 h Matt.3.15. c Is.42.21. d Ps.40.6,8 
 cLu. 16.17. 
 
 17. Think not that I am come, &c. 
 Our Saviour was just entering on his 
 work. It was important for him to state 
 what he came to do. By his setting up 
 to be a teacher in opposition to the 
 Scnbes and Pharisees, some might 
 charge him with an intention to de- 
 stroy their law, and abolish the cus- 
 toms of the nation. He therefore told 
 them that he did not come for that 
 end, but really to fulfil or accomphsh 
 what was in the law and the prophets. 
 TT To destroy. To abrogate; to deny 
 their divine authority ; to set men free 
 from the obligation to obey them. 
 IT The law. The five books of Moses, 
 called the law. See Note on Luke 
 xxiv. 44. "ii The prophets. The books 
 which the prophets wrote. These two 
 divisions here seem to comprehend the 
 Old Testament, and Jesus says that he 
 came not to do away or destroy the 
 authority of the Old Testament. If But 
 to fulfil. To complete the design ; to 
 fill up what was predicted ; to accomn!;sn 
 what was intended in them. The word 
 fulfil, also, means sometimes to teach or 
 inculcate. Col. i. 25. The law of Moses 
 contained many sacrifices and rites 
 which were designed to shadow forth 
 the Messiah. Hob. ix. These were 
 fulfilled when he came and oifered 
 himself a sacrifice to God, 
 
 " A sacrifice of nobler name, 
 And richer blood than they." 
 
 The prophets contained many predic 
 tions respecting his coming and death. 
 These were all to be fulfilled and fully 
 accomplished by his hfe and his suffer 
 ings. 
 
 18. Verily. Truly, certainly. A 
 word of strong affirmati(m. Tf Till hea- 
 ven and earih pass. This expression 
 denotes that the law never should ht 
 destroyed till it should be all fulfilled
 
 A. D.31. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 6? 
 
 19 Whosoever therefore shall 
 break one of these least command- 
 
 It is the same as saying, every thin^ 
 else may change, the very earth and 
 heaven may pass away, but the law of 
 God shall not be destroyed till its whole 
 design shall be accomplished. IT Owe 
 iot. The word jot, or yod — ■• — is the 
 name of the Hebrew letter /, the 
 smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. 
 IT One tittle. The Hebrew letters 
 were wntten with small points or 
 apices as in the letter Sckin — 'J/ or Shi 
 — Bf — which serve to distinguish one 
 letter from another. To change a small 
 point of one letter, therefore, might 
 vary the meaning of a word, and de- 
 stroy the sense. Hence the Jews were 
 exceedingly cautious in writmg these 
 letters, and considered the smallest 
 change or omission a reason for de- 
 stroying the whole manuscript w'hen 
 they were transcribing the Old Testa- 
 ment. The expression, "one jot or 
 tittle," became proverbial, and means 
 that the smallest part of the law should 
 not be destroyed. 
 
 The laws of the Jews are commonly 
 divided into moral, ceremonial, and 
 judicial. The moral laws are such as 
 grow out of the nature of things, which 
 cannot, therefore, be changed — such as 
 the duty of loving God and his crea- 
 tures. These cannot be abolished, as 
 it can never be made right to hate God, 
 or to hate our fellow men. Of this 
 kind are the ten commandments ; and 
 these our Saviour has neither abolished 
 nor superseded. The ceremonial laws 
 are such as are appointed to meet cer- 
 tain states of society, or to regulate the 
 religious rites and ceremonies of a peo- 
 ple. These can be changed when cir- 
 cumstances are changed, and yet the 
 moral law be untouched. A general 
 may command his soldiers to appear 
 sometimes in a red coat, and sometimes 
 in blue, or in yellow. This would be 
 a ceremonial law, and might be changed 
 as he pleased. The duty of obeying 
 him, and of being faithful to his coun- 
 try, could not be changed. This is a 
 moral law. A parent might suffer his 
 children to have fifty different dresses 
 at different times, and love them equal- 
 ly in all. The dress is a mere matter 
 oi ceremony, and may be changed. The 
 child, in all these garments, is bound 
 to love and obey his father. This is a 
 
 ments, and shall teach men so, he 
 shall be called the least in the kinrr- 
 
 moral law, and cannot be changed. So 
 the laws of the Jews. Those to regu- 
 late mere matters of ceremony, and 
 rites of worship, might be changed. 
 Those requiring love and obedience to 
 God, and love to men, could not be 
 changed, and Christ did not attempt 
 it. Matt. XLX. 19, xxii. 37 — 39 ; Luke 
 X. 27; Rom. xiii. 9. 
 
 A third species of law was the judi- 
 cial, or those regulating courts of jus- 
 tice, contained in the Old Testament 
 These were of the nature of the ceremo- 
 nial law, and might also be changed at 
 pleasure. The judicial law regulated 
 the courts of justice of the Jews. It 
 was adapted to their own civil society. 
 When the form of the Jewish pohty 
 was changed, this was of course no 
 longer binding. The ceremonial law 
 was fulfilled by the coming of Christ : 
 the shadow was lost in the substance, 
 and ceased to be binding. The moral 
 law was confirmed and unchanged. 
 
 19. Shall break. Shall violate, or 
 disobey. "iT These least commandments. 
 The Pharisees, it is probable, divided 
 the precepts of the law into lesser and 
 greater, teaching that they who violated 
 the former were guilty of a trivial 
 offence only. See Matt, xxiii. 23. 
 Christ teaches that in his kingdom 
 they who make this distinction, or 
 who taught that any laws of God might 
 be violated with impunity, should be 
 called least ; while they should be held 
 in high regard who observed all the 
 laws of God without distinction. If Shall 
 be called least. That is, shall be least. 
 See V. 9. The meaning of this passage 
 seems to be this: in the kingdom of 
 heaven, i. e. in the kingdom of the 
 Messiah, or in the church which he is 
 about to establish (See Note, Matt. iii. 
 2), he that breaks the least of these 
 commandments shall be in no esteem, 
 or shall not be regarded as a proper 
 religious teacher. The Pharisees di- 
 vided the law into greater and lesser 
 precepts. They made no small part 
 of it void by their traditions and divi- 
 sions. Matt, xxiii. 23, xv. 3 — 6. Jestis 
 says that in his kingdom all this vain 
 division and tradition should cease. 
 Such divisions and distinctions should 
 be a small matter. He that attempted 
 it should 1)0 the h.ast of all. Men
 
 16 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D.31. 
 
 iom of heaven : but whosoever I and Pharisees, ye shall in no case 
 shall do and teach them, the same 
 shall be called great " in the king- 
 dom of heaven. 
 
 20 For I say unto you, That 
 except your righteousness shall ex- 
 ceed * the righteousness of the scribes 
 a 1 Sa.2.30. b c.23.23-28. Ph.3.9. 
 
 would be engaged in yielding obedi- 
 ence to all the law of God, without 
 any such vain distinctions. IT Shall he 
 called great. He that teaches that all 
 the law of God is binding, and that all 
 of it should be obeyed, %Nithout at-* 
 tempting to specify what is most im- 
 portant, shall be a teacher worthy of 
 ■lis office, shall teach the truth, and 
 shall be called great. We learn hence, 
 
 1. That all the law of God is binding 
 on Christians. Comp. James ii. 10. 
 
 2. That all the commands of God 
 should be preached, in their proper 
 place, by Christian ministers. 3. That 
 they who pretend that there are any 
 laws of God so small that tliey need not 
 obey ihem, are unworthy of his king- 
 dom. And 4. That true piety has re- 
 spect to all the commandments of God, 
 and keeps them. Ps. cxLx. 6. 
 
 20. Your righteousness. Your holi- 
 ness, your views of the nature of right- 
 eousness, and your conduct and lives. 
 Unless you are more holy than they 
 are, you cannot be saved, "if Shall ex- 
 ceed. Shall excel, or abound more. 
 This righteousness was exteriial, and 
 was not real holiness. The righteous- 
 ness of true Christians is seated in the 
 heart, and is therefore genuine. Jesus 
 means, that unless they had more real 
 holiness of character than the scribes, 
 they could not be saved. If The right- 
 eousness of the scribes and Pharisees. 
 See Notes on ch. iii. 7. Their righte- 
 ousness consisted in outward observan- 
 ces of the ceremonial and traditional 
 law. They offered sacrifices, fasted 
 often, prayed much, were very puncti- 
 lious about ablutions and tithes and the 
 ceremonies of religion, but neglected 
 justice, truth, purity, holiness of heart, 
 md did not strive to be pure in their 
 Tiotivcs before Gt)d. See Matt, xxiii. 
 13 — 33. The righteousness that Jesus 
 required in his kingdom was purity, 
 chastity, honesty, temperance, the fear 
 of God, and the love of man. It is 
 pure, eternal, reaching the motives, 
 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 21 Ye have heard that it was 
 said ' by them of old time, ' Thou 
 shajt not kill ; and vi'hosoever shall 
 kill shall be in danger of the judg- 
 ment : 
 
 1 or, to them, c Ex.20. 13. De.5 17. 
 
 and making the hfe holy. 11" The king- 
 dom of heaven. See ch. iii. 2. Shall 
 not be a fit subject of his king- 
 dom here, or saved in the world to 
 come. 
 
 21. Ye have heard. Or, this is the 
 common interpretation among the Jews. 
 Jesus proceeds here to comment on 
 some prevaihng opinions among the 
 Jews ; to show that the righteousness 
 of the scribes and Pharisees was de- 
 fective ; and that men needed a better 
 righteousness, or they could not be 
 saved. He shows what he meant by 
 that better righteousness, by showing 
 that the common opinions of the scribes 
 were erroneous. 11 By them of old time. 
 Tills might be translated, to the an 
 cients, referring to Moses and the pro 
 phets. But it is more probable that he 
 here refers to the interpreters of the law 
 and the prophets. Jesus did not set 
 himself against the lav\' of Moses, but 
 against the false and pernicious inter 
 pretations of the law prevalent in his 
 time. 1i Thou shah not hill. See Ex. 
 XX. 13. This literally denotes taking 
 the life of another, with malice, or with 
 intention to murder him. The Jesvs 
 understood it as meaning no more. 
 The comment of our Saviour shows 
 that it was spiritual, and was designed 
 to extend to the thoughts and feelings , 
 as well as the external act. If Shall be 
 in danger of. Shall be held guilty, and 
 be punished by. The law of Moses 
 declared that the murderer should be 
 put to death. Lev. xxiv. 21. Num. 
 .xxxv. 16. It did not say, however, by 
 whom this should be done, and it weia 
 left to the Jews to organize courts to 
 have cognizance of such crimes. Deut 
 xvi. 18. If The judgment. This was 
 the tribunal that had cognizance of 
 cases of murder, &c. It was a court 
 that sat in each city or town, and con 
 sisted commonly of seven members. 
 It was the lowest court among the 
 Jews, and from it an appeal might b« 
 taken to the Sanhedrim.
 
 A..D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 6? 
 
 22 But I saj unto you, That 
 whosoever is angry with his bro- 
 
 23. But I say unto you. Jesus being 
 God as well as man (John i. 1.), and, 
 therefore, being the original giver of 
 the law, had a right to expound it, or 
 change it as he pleased. Comp. Jlatt. 
 sii. 6. 8. He therefore spoke here and 
 elsewhere as having authoriti/, and not 
 as the snribcs. It may be added here, 
 that no mere man ever spake as Jesus 
 did, when e.xplaining or enforcing the 
 law. He did it as having a right to do 
 it ; and he that has a right to ordain 
 and change laws in the government of 
 God must be himself divine. ^ Is an- 
 sry — without a cause. Anger, or that 
 feeling which we have when we are 
 injured, and which prompts us to de- 
 fend ourselves w-hen in danger, is a 
 natural feehng, given to us: 1st. Asa 
 natural expression of our disapproba- 
 tion of a course of evil conduct ; and, 
 2d. That we may defend ourselves 
 when suddenly attacked. When ex- 
 cited against sin, it is lawful. God is 
 angry with the wicked. Jesus looked 
 on the hypocritical Pharisees with an- 
 ger. Mark iii. 5. So it is said, Be ye 
 angry, and sin not. Eph. iv. 26. Tliis 
 anger, or indignation against sin, is not 
 what our Saviour speaks of here. That 
 is anger without a cause; that is, un- 
 justly, rashly, hastily, where no offence 
 had been given or intended. In that 
 case it is evil ; and it is a violation of 
 the sixth commandment, because he 
 that hateth his brother is a murderer. 
 1 John iii. 15. He has a feeling which 
 would lead him to commit murder, if it 
 were fully acted out. IT His brother. 
 By a brother here seems to be meant 
 a neighbor, or perhaps any one with 
 whom we may be associated. As all 
 men are descended from one Father, 
 and are all the creatures of the same 
 God, scf they are all brethren ; and so 
 every man should be regarded and 
 treated as a brother. Heb. xi. 16. 
 IT Raca. This is a Syriac w-ord, expres- 
 sive of great contempt. It comes from 
 a verb signifying to be empty, vain; 
 and hence, as a word of contempt, de- 
 notes senseless, stupid, shaUoic -brains. 
 Jesus teaches here that to use such 
 words is a violation of the sixth com- 
 mandment. It is a violation of the 
 tpirit of that commandment, and if in- 
 
 ther without a cause, * shall be in 
 
 danger of the judgment: and who- 
 
 a 1 Jno.3.15. 
 
 dulged, may lead to a more open and 
 dreadful inlraction of that law. Child- 
 ren should learn that to use such words 
 is highly offensive to God, for we must 
 give an account of every idle word 
 which we speak in the day of judg- 
 ment, 'a In danger of the council. The 
 word translated council, is in the ori- 
 ginal Sanhedrim, and there can be no 
 doubt that he refers to the Jewish tri- 
 bunal of that name. This was insti- 
 tuted in the time of the Maccabees, 
 probably about 200 years before Christ. 
 It was composed of seventy-two jud- 
 ges ; the high-priest was the presi- 
 dent of this tribunal. The seventy-two 
 members were made up of the chief 
 priests and elders of the people, and 
 the scribes. The chief priests were 
 such as had discharged the office of the 
 high-priest, and those who were the 
 heads of the twenty-four classes of 
 priests, who were called in an liono- 
 rary way high or chief priests. See 
 Matt. ii. 4. The elders were the princes 
 of the tribes, or heads of the family as- 
 sociations.* It is not to be supposed 
 that all the elders had a right to a seat 
 here, but such only as were elected to 
 the office. The scribes were learned 
 men of the r>ation, elected to this tri- 
 bunal, being neither of the rank of 
 priests or elders. This tribunal had 
 cognizance of the great affairs of the 
 nation. Till the time when Judea was 
 subjected to the Romans, it had the 
 power of life and death. It still re- 
 tained the power of passing sentence, 
 though the Roman magistrate held the 
 right of execution. It usually sat in 
 Jerusalem, in a room near the temple. 
 It was before this tribunal tliat our Sa- 
 viour was tried. It was then assem 
 bled in the palace of the high-priest. 
 Matt. xxvi. 3 — 57. John xviii. 24. 
 ■T Thou fool. This term expressed 
 more than want of wisdom. It was 
 expressive of the highest guilt. It had 
 been commonly used to denote those 
 who were idolaters (Deut. xxii^ 21.) ; 
 and also one who is guilty of great 
 crimes. Josh. vii. 15. Ps. xiv. 1. 
 ^ Hell fire. The original of this is 
 " the GEHENXAH of fire.'' The word 
 GEHENNA, commonly translated hell, is 
 made up of two Hebrew words, and
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 l^A 0.31 
 
 soever shall "say to his brother, ^ 
 
 Raca, shall be in danger of the coun- 
 
 1 i.e. vainfelloiB. 2 Sa.6.20. 
 
 signifies the valley of Hiu.nom. This 
 was formerly a pleasant valley, near to 
 Jerusalem, on the south. A small 
 brook or torrent usually ran through 
 this valley, and partly encompassed 
 the chy. This valley the idolatrous 
 Israehtes devoted formerly to the horrid 
 worship of Moloch. 2 Kings xvi. 3. 2 
 Chron. xxviii. 3. In that worship, the 
 ancient Jewish writers inform us, that 
 the idol of Moloch was of brass, adorn- 
 ■ ed with a royal crown, having the head 
 of a calf, and his arms extended, as if 
 fo embrace any one. When they of- 
 
 cil : but w hosoever shall say, Tho'i 
 fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 
 
 fcred children to him, they heated the 
 statue within by a great fire, and when 
 it was burning hot, they put the mise- 
 rable child into his arms, where it was 
 soon consumed by the heat ; and, in 
 order that the cries of the child might 
 not be heard, they made a great noise 
 with drums and other instruments about 
 the idol. These drums were called 
 Torn ; and hence a common name of 
 the place was Tophet. Jer. v\i. 31, 
 32. 
 
 The following cut may furnish a 
 useful illustration of this idol. 
 
 After the return of the Jews from 
 captivity, this place was held in such 
 abhorrence, that, by the example of 
 Josiah, (2 Kings xxiii. 10.), it was 
 made the place where to throw all the 
 dead carcasses and filth of the city; 
 and was not xmfrequently the place of 
 executions. It became, therefore, ex- 
 tremely offensive ; the sight was ter- 
 rific ; the air was polluted and pestilen- 
 tial ; and to preserve it in any manner 
 pure, it was necessary to keep fires 
 continually burmng there. The ex- 
 
 treme loathsomeness of the place ; the 
 filth and putrefaction ; the corruption 
 of the atmosphere, and the lurid fires 
 blazing by day and by night, made it 
 one of the most appalling and terrific 
 objects with which a Jew was ac- 
 quainted. It was callfd the gehenn.a 
 of fire; and was the image which oui 
 Saviour often employed to denote the 
 future punishment of the wicked. 
 
 In this verse it denotes a degree ot 
 suffering higher than the panishmeni 
 inflicted hv the \ourt qfst-oenty, or th(
 
 A.. D.31.J 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 69 
 
 23 Thcrelore, if thou bring thy I 2 1 Leave there thy gift beforo 
 
 gift " to the altar, and there reniem- j the altar, and ^o thy way : first be 
 
 berest that thy brother hath aught ' reconciled to thy brother, and then 
 
 against thee, come and offer thy gift. 
 
 a De.16.16,17. 
 
 tanhedrim, and the whole verse may 
 therefore mean, ' He that hates his 
 brother without a cause is guilty of a 
 violation of the sixth commandment, 
 and sliall be punished with a severity 
 similar to that inflicted by the court of 
 judgment. He that shall suffer his 
 passions to transport him to still greater 
 extravagances, and shall make him an 
 object of derision and contempt, shall 
 be exposed to still severer punishment, 
 corresponding to that which the sanhe- 
 drim, or cou7icil, inliicts. But he who 
 shall load his brother with odious ap- 
 pellations and abusive language, shall 
 incur the severest degree of punish- 
 ment, represented by being burnt alive 
 in the horrid and awful valley of Hm- 
 nom.' 
 
 The amount then of this difficult and 
 important verse is this. The Jews 
 considered but one crime a violation of 
 the sixth commandment, viz., actual 
 murder, (jr wilful, unlawful, taking Zi/e. 
 Jesus says that the commandment is 
 much broader. It relates not only to 
 the external act, but to the feelings and 
 words. He specifies three forms of 
 such violation. 1st. Unjust a«c-cr. 2d. 
 Anger accompanied with an expression 
 of contem-pl. 3d. Anger, with an ex- 
 pression not only of contempt, but 
 wickedness. Among the Jews there 
 were three degrees of condemnation : 
 that by the "judgment," the "coun- 
 cil," and the "fire of Hinnom." Jesus 
 says likewise there shall be grades of 
 condemnation for the different ways of 
 violating the sixth commandment. Not 
 only murder shall be punished by God ; 
 but an"er, and contempt, shall be re- 
 garded by him as a violation of the law, 
 and punished according to the offence. 
 As these offences were not actually 
 cognizable before the Jewish tribunals, 
 he must mean that they will be punish- 
 «d hereafter. And all these expressions 
 relate to degrees of ■punishment propor- 
 tionate to crime in the future world — 
 the world of justice and of wo. 
 
 23, 21. Therefore, if thou hring the 
 gift to the nltar. &.c. The Pharisees 
 were inUnil only on the exterital act in 
 
 worship. They looked not at all to 
 the internal acts of the mind. If a man 
 conformed to the external rites of reh- 
 gion, however much envy, and malice, 
 and secret hatred, he might have, they 
 thought he was doing well. Our Sa- 
 viour taught a different doctrine. It 
 was of more consequence to have the 
 lieari right, than to perform the out- 
 ward act. If therefore, says he, a man 
 has gone so far as to bring his gift to the 
 very altar, and should remember that 
 any one had any tiling against him, it 
 was his duty there to leave his offering, 
 and go and be reconciled. While a 
 difference of this nature existed, his 
 offering could not be acceptable. He 
 was not to wait till the offended brother 
 should come to him ; he was to go and 
 seek him out, and be reconciled. So 
 now, the worship of God will not be 
 acceptible, however well performed ex- 
 teriially, until we are at peace with 
 those that we have injured. " To 
 obey is better than sacrifice." He that 
 comes to worship his Maker filled with 
 malice, and hatred, and envy, and at 
 war with his brethren, is a hypocritical 
 worshipper, and must meet with God's 
 displeasure. God is not deceived ; and 
 he will not be mocked. If Thy gift. 
 Thy sacrifice. What thou art about to 
 devote to God as an offering. IT To the 
 altar. The altar was situated in front 
 of the temple, (see the representation in 
 following page,) and was the place on 
 which sacrifices were made. See Note 
 on Matt. xxi. 12. To bring a gift to 
 the altar, was expressive of worship- 
 ping God, for this was the way in 
 which he was formerly worshipped. 
 IT Thy brother. Any man, especially 
 any fellow worshipper. Any one of 
 the same religious society. IT Hath 
 aught. Is offended, or thinks he has 
 been injured by you in any manner. 
 If First be reconciled. This means to 
 settle the difficulty; to make proper 
 acknowledgment, or satisfaction, for the 
 injury. If you have wronged him, 
 make restitution. If you owe him a 
 debt which ought to be paid, pay it. 
 If you have injured his character, coH'
 
 70 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 25 Agree with thine adversary 
 quickly, whiles thou art in the way 
 with him ; lest at any time the ad- 
 versary deliver thee " to the judge, 
 aPr.25.8. Lu.12.58,59. 
 
 and the judge deliver thee to tho 
 
 officer, and thou be east into prison. 
 
 26 Verily 1 say unto thee, Thou 
 
 shall by no means come out thence 
 
 ■^^))sr^ 
 
 mm 
 
 fess it, and seek pardon. If he is un- 
 der an erroneous impression; if your 
 conduct has been such as to lead him 
 to suspect that you have injured him, 
 make an explanation. Do all in your 
 ■power, and all you ought to do, to have 
 the matter settled. From this we 
 learn : 1st. That in order to worship 
 God acceptably, we must do justice to 
 our fellow-men. 2d. Our worship will 
 not be acceptable, unless we do all we 
 can to hvc peaceably with others. ,Sd. 
 It is our duty to seek reconciliation with 
 others when we have injured them. 
 4th. This should be done before we 
 attempt to worship God. 5th. This is 
 often the reason why God does not 
 accept our offerings, and we go empty 
 away from our devotions. We do not 
 do what we ought to others ; we cherish 
 improper feeUngs, or refuse to make 
 proper acknowledgments, and God will 
 not accept such attempts to worship him. 
 25, 26. Agree with thine adversary 
 quickly. This is still an illustration of 
 the .sixth commandment. To be in 
 hostihty, to go to law, to be htigious, 
 is a violation always, on one side or 
 the other, of the law requiring us to 
 love our neighbor ; and our Saviour 
 regards it as a violation of the sixth 
 commandment. While you are in the 
 way with him, says he, that is, while 
 vou are going to the court, before the 
 
 trial has taken place, it is your duty, if 
 possible, to come to an aigreement. It 
 is wron£j to carry the contention to a 
 court oilaw. See 1 Cor. vi. 6, 7. The 
 consequence of not being reconciled, 
 he expresses in the language of courts. 
 The adversary shall deliver to the 
 judge, and he to the executioner, and 
 he shall throw you into prison. He 
 did not mean to say, that this would be 
 literally the way with God; but that 
 His dealings with those that harbored 
 these feelings, and would not be re- 
 conciled with their brethren, were re 
 presented by the punishment inflicted 
 by human tribunals. That is, he would 
 hold all such as violators of the sixth 
 commandment, and would punish them 
 accordingly. 
 
 There is no propriety in the use 
 sometimes made of this verse, in re 
 garding God as the " adversary" oi 
 the sinner, and urging him to be re- 
 conciled to God while in the way to 
 judgment. Nor does the phrase " thou 
 shall by no means come out thence till 
 thou nast paid the uttermost farthing," 
 refer to the eternity of future punish- 
 ment. It is language taken from courts 
 of justice, to illustrate the truth that 
 God will punish men according to jus- 
 tice, for not being reconciled. It will 
 be eternal indeed, but this passage does 
 not prove it. ^ Thine adversary. A
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 71 
 
 till thou hast paid the uttermost 
 farthingf. 
 
 27 Ye have heard that it was said 
 by them of old time, Thou shalt not 
 commit adultery : 
 
 23 But I say unto you, That 
 whosoever looketh * on a woman 
 a Job 31.1. Pr.6.25. 
 
 man that is opposed to us in law. It 
 here means a creditor; a man who has 
 a just claim on us. If In the way 
 with him. While you are going before 
 '.he court. Before the trial comes on. 
 IT The officer. The executioner ; or as 
 we should say, the sheriff. T The ut- 
 termost farthing. The last farthing. 
 All that is due. The farthing was a 
 small coin used in Judea, equal to two 
 mites. It was equal to about seven 
 mills of our money. 
 
 27, 28. Ye have heard thou shalt not 
 commit adultery. Our Saviour in these 
 verses explains the seventh command- 
 ment. It is probable that the Phari- 
 sees had explained this commandment 
 as they had the sixth, as extending only 
 to the external act ; and that they re- 
 garded evil thoughts and a wanton ima- 
 gination as of Uttle consequence, or as 
 not forbidden by the law. Our Sa- 
 viour assures them that the command- 
 ment did not regard the external act 
 merely, but the secrets of the heart, and 
 the movements of the eye. That they 
 who indulged awanton desire ; that they 
 who looked on a woman to increase their 
 lust, have already, in the sight of God, 
 riolated the commandment, and com- 
 initted a'.'ultery in the heart. Such was 
 the guilt of David, whose deep and 
 awful crime fully shows the danger of 
 indulging in evil desires, and in the rov- 
 ings of a wanton eye. See 2 Sam. xi. 
 Ps. li. See also 2 Pet. ii. 14. So ex- 
 ceeding strict and broad is the law of 
 God ! And so heinous in his sight are 
 thoughts and feelings, which may be 
 for ever concealed from the world ! 
 
 29. Thy right eye. The Hebrews, 
 like others, were accustomed to repre- 
 sent the affections of the mind by the 
 members or parts of the body. Rom. 
 vii. 23; vi. 13. Thus the bowels, de- 
 noted compassion ; the Iteart, affection 
 or feehng ; the reins, understanding, 
 secret purpose. An evil eye denotes 
 sometimes envy fMatt. xx. 15.) ; some- 
 
 to lust after her, hatii committed 
 adultery with her already in his 
 heart. 
 
 29 And if thy right eye ' ofTend 
 
 thee, pluck it out, and cast it from 
 
 tiiee : for it is profitable /or thee 
 
 that one of thy members should 
 
 1 or, do cause thee to offend. 
 
 times an evil passion, or sin in general. 
 Mark vu. 21, 22.—" Out of the heart 
 proceedeth an evil eye." In this place, 
 as in 2 Peter ii. 14, it is used to denote 
 strong adulterous passion, unlawful de- 
 sire, and incHnation. The right eye and 
 hand are mentioned, because they are 
 of most use to us, and denote that, how- 
 ever strong the passion may be, or diffi- 
 cult to part with, yet that we should do 
 it. IT Shall offend thee. The noun from 
 which the verb " offend," in the origin 
 al, is derived, commonly meansas/Mwi- 
 bling-block, or a sto?ie placed in the way, 
 over which one might fall. It also 
 means a net, or a certain part of a ne" 
 against which, if a bird strikes, it springs 
 the net, and is taken. It comes to sig- 
 nify, therefore, any thing by which we 
 fall, or are ensnared; and applied to 
 morals, means any thing by which we 
 fall into sin, or by which we are e7i- 
 snared. The Enghsh word offend means 
 now, commonly, to displease ; to make 
 angry ; to affront. This is by no means 
 the sense of the word in scripture. It 
 means to cause to fall, or to allure, into 
 sin. The eye does this, when it wan- 
 tonly looks on a woman to lust after her. 
 If Pluck it out, &,c. It cannot be sup- 
 posed that Christ intended this to be 
 taken literally. His design was to teach 
 that the dearest objects, if they caused 
 us to sin, were to be abandoned ; that 
 by all sacrifices and self-denials, we 
 nutst overcome the evil propensities ol 
 our natures, and resist our wanton ima- 
 ginations. Some of the Fathers, how- 
 ever, took this commandiuent literally 
 Our Saviour several times repeated thif 
 sentiment. See Matt, xviii. 9. Mark 
 ix. 43 — i7. See also Col. iii. 5. IT It 
 is profitable for thee. It is better for thee. 
 You will be a gainer by it. H One of 
 thy members perish. It is better to deny 
 yourself the gratification of an evil pas 
 sion here, however much it may cos! 
 you, than to go down to hell for ever 
 If Thy whole body be east into hell. Thy
 
 T2 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 perish, and not that thy whole body- 
 should be east into hell." 
 
 30 And if thy right hand offend 
 thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee : 
 for it is profitable for thee that one 
 of thy members should perish, and 
 not that thy whole body should be 
 cast into hell. 
 
 31 It hath been said, Whosoever 
 shall put away his wife, let him give 
 her a writing of divorcement ; * 
 
 aRo.8.13. lCor.9.27. 6 De.24.1. Je.3.1. 
 Mar.IO.2-9. 
 
 body with all its unsubdued and vicious 
 propensities. This wall constitute no 
 small part of the misery of hell. The 
 sinner ^\'ill be sent there as he is, with 
 every evil desii^e ; every unsubdued pro- 
 pensity ; every wicked and troublesome 
 passion ; and j'et with no possibility of 
 gratification. It constitutes our highest 
 notions of misery, when we think of a 
 man filled with anger, pride, maUce, 
 avaiice, envy, and lust, and no oppor- 
 tunity of gratifying them for ever. This 
 is all that is necessary to make an eter- 
 nal hell. 
 
 31, 32. It hath been said, &:,c. That 
 is, by Moses. Deut. xxiv. 1, 2. The 
 husband was directed, if he put his wife 
 away, to give her a bill of divorce, that 
 is, a certificate of the fact, that she had 
 been his wife, and that he had dissolved 
 the marriage. There was considerable 
 difference of opinion among the Jews 
 for what causes the husband was per- 
 mitted to do this. One of their famous 
 schools maintained that it might be done 
 for any cause, however trivial. The 
 other, that adultery only could justify 
 it. The truth was, however, that the 
 husband exercised this right at pleasure ; 
 that he was judge in the case, and dis- 
 missed his wife when, and for what 
 cause, he chose. And this seems to be 
 agreeable to the law in Deuteronomy. 
 Our Saviour, in Mark x. 1 — 12, says 
 that this was permitted on account of 
 the hardness of their hearts ; but in the 
 beginning it was not so. God made a 
 single pair, and ordained marriage for 
 life. But Moses found the people so 
 much hardened, so long accustomed to 
 the practice, and so rebelhous, that, as a 
 matter of civil appointment, he thought 
 >t best not to attempt any change. Our 
 "Saviour brought marriage back to its 
 
 32 But I say unto you, that who- 
 soever shall put away his wife, ' 
 saving for the cause of fornication, 
 causeth her to commit adultery : 
 and whosoever shall marry her that 
 is divorced, committeth adultery. 
 
 33 Again, ye have heard that it 
 hath been said by them of old time, 
 Thou shalt not forswear thyself, * 
 but shalt perform unto the Lord 
 thine oaths : 
 
 c c.19.9. 1 Co.7.10,11. d Le.19.12. Nu.30 
 2. De.23.23. 
 
 original institution, and declared that 
 whosoever put away his wife hence- 
 forward should be guilty of adultery. 
 But one offence, he declared, could 
 justify divorce. This is now the law 
 of God. This was the original institu- 
 tion. This is the only law that is pro- 
 ductive of peace and good morals, and 
 the due respect of a wife, and the good 
 of children. Nor has any man, or se' 
 of men, a right to interfere, and declare 
 that divorces may be granted for any 
 other cause. Whosoever, therefore, 
 are divorced for any cause except the 
 single one of adultery, if they marrj 
 again, are, according to the scriptures, 
 living in adultery. No earthly laws can 
 trample down the laws of God, or make 
 that right which he has solemnly pro- 
 notmced wrong. 
 
 33. Thov, shalt not forswear thyself. 
 Christ here proceeds to correct anothe. 
 false interpretation of the law. Thf 
 laiD respecting oaths is found in Lev. 
 xix. 12, and Deut. sxiii. 23. By those 
 laws, men were forbid to perjure them- 
 selves, or to forswear, that is, swear 
 falsely. V Perform ufito the Lord. Per- 
 form literally," really, and rehgiously, 
 what is promised in an oath. ^ Thint 
 oaths. An oath is a solemn aflirmation 
 or declaration, made with an appeal to 
 God for the truth of what is affirmed, 
 and imprecating his vengeance, and re- 
 nouncing his favor, if what is affirmed 
 is false. A false oath is called perjury ; 
 or, as in this ^XblCB, forswearing. 
 
 It appears, however, from this pas- 
 sage, as well as from the ancient writ- 
 ings of the Jewish Rabbins, that while 
 they professedly adliered to the law, 
 they had introduced a number of oatns 
 inr.ommon conversation, and oaths which 
 they by no means considered as binding.
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 73 
 
 34 But I say unto you, Swear 
 not at all : » neither by heaven ; for 
 It is God's throne: 
 
 35 Nor by the earth ; for it is his 
 footstool : neither by Jerusalem ; 
 for it is * the city of the great 
 King. 
 
 a c.23.16-22. Ja.5.12. b Re.21.2,10. 
 
 For example, they would swear by the 
 temple, by the head, by heaven, by the 
 eai'th. So long as they kept from swear- 
 ing by the name Jehovah, and so long as 
 they observed the oaths publicly taken, 
 they seemed to consider all others as 
 allowable, and allowedly broken. This 
 IS the abuse which Christ wished to cor- 
 rect. It was the practice of swearing in 
 common conversation, and especially 
 swearing by created things. To do this, 
 he said that they were mistaken in their 
 views of the sacredness of such oaths. 
 Tliey were very closely coiinected with 
 God; and to trijle with them, was a 
 species of trifling with God. Heaven 
 is his throne ; the earth his footstool ; 
 Jerusalem Ai's peculiar abode ; the head 
 was made by him, and was so much 
 under his control, that we could not 
 make one hair white or black. To 
 stoear by these things, therefore, was to 
 treat irreverently objects created by 
 God ; and could not be without guilt. 
 
 Our Saviour here evidently had no re- 
 ference to judicial oaths, or oaths taken 
 in a court of justice. It vi^as merely the 
 foolish and wicked habit of swearing in 
 private conversation ; of swearing on 
 every occasion, and by every thing, that 
 he condemned. This he does condemn 
 m a most unqualified manner. He him- 
 self, however, did not refuse to talie an 
 oath in a court of law. Matt. xxvi. 63, 
 64. So Paul often called God Co wit- 
 ness his sincerity, which is all that is 
 meant by an oath. SeeRom. i. 9 ; ix. 1. 
 Gal.' i. 20. Heb. vi. )6. Oaths were, 
 moreover, prescribed in the law of Mo- 
 ses, and Christ did not come to repeal 
 those laws. See E.xod. xxii. 11. Lev. 
 V. 1. Num. V. 10. Deut. xxLx. 12. 14. 
 
 34, 35. Swear not at all. That is, 
 in the manner which he proceeds to 
 specify. Swear not in any of the com- 
 mon and profane v/ays customary at 
 that time. If By heaven ; for it is God's 
 throne. To swear by that was, if it 
 meant any thing, to swear by Him that 
 litletk thereon. Matt, xxiii. 22. IT The 
 I 
 
 36 Neither shalt thou swear by 
 thy head, because thou canst not 
 make one hair white or black : 
 
 37 But let your communication 
 be. Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for what- 
 soever is more than these, cometh 
 of evil. " 
 
 e Ja.5.]2. 
 
 earth; it is his footstool. Swearing by 
 that, therefore, is really swearing by. 
 God. Or, perhaps, it means: 1st. We 
 have no right to pledge, or swear by, 
 what belongs to God; and, 2d. That 
 oaths by inanimate objects are unmean- 
 ing, and wicked. If they are real oaths, 
 they are by a living Being, who has 
 power to take vengeance. A footstool 
 is that on which the feet rest when sit- 
 ting. The term is applied to the earth, 
 to denote how lowly and humble an ob- 
 ject it is when compared with God. 
 '^\ Jerusalem. Ch. ii. 1. ^ City of the 
 Great King. That is of God ; called 
 the Great King, because he was tlie 
 King of the Israelites, and Jerusalem 
 was the capital of the nation, and the 
 place where he was peculiarly honored 
 as King. 
 
 36. Thy head. This was a common 
 oath. The Gentiles also many of them 
 used this oath. To swear by the head 
 was the same as to swear by the life ; 
 or to say, I will forfeit my life if what I 
 say is not true'. God is the author of 
 the hfe, and to swear by that, therefore, 
 is the same as to swear by him. If One 
 hair, &c. You have no control or right 
 over your own life. You cannot even 
 change one single hair. God has all 
 that control ; and it is therefore impro- 
 per and profane to pledge what is God's 
 gift and God's property ; and it is the 
 same as swearing by God himself. 
 
 37. Your communication. Yonr word; 
 what you say. If Be, yea. Yes. This 
 does not mean that we should always 
 use the word yea, for it might as well 
 have been translated yes. But it means 
 that we should simply affirm, or declare 
 that a thing is so. If More than these. 
 More than these affirmations. Profane 
 oaths come of evil. If Cometh of evil. 
 Is evil. Proceeds from some evil dis- 
 position or purpose. And from this we 
 may learn : 1st. 1 hat profane swear- 
 ing is always the evidence of a depraved 
 heart. To trifle with the name of God, 
 or with any oi his works, is itself most
 
 74 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 I A. D. 31. 
 
 38 Yc have heard that it hath 
 been said, An " eye for an eye, and 
 a tooth for a tooth : 
 
 39 But I say unto you, * that ye 
 resist not evil : but whosoever shall 
 smite thee ' on the right cheek, turn 
 to him the other also. 
 
 «Ex.2].24. 6 Pr.20.22 ; 24.29. Ro.l2.n-19. 
 
 decided proof of depravity. 2d. That 
 no man is believed any sooner in com- 
 mon conversation because he swears to 
 a thing. When we hear a man swear 
 to a thing, it is pretty good evidence that 
 he knows what he is saying to be false, 
 and we should be on our guard. He 
 that will break the third conmiandment, 
 will not hesitate to break the ninth also. 
 And this explains the fact that profane 
 swearers are seldom beheved. The 
 man who is always believed, is he whose 
 character is beyond suspicion in all 
 things ; who obeys all the laws of God ; 
 and whose simple declaration therefore 
 is enough. A man that is truly a Chris- 
 tian, and leads a Christian life, does not 
 need oaths and profaneness to make 
 him believed. 3d. It is no mark of a 
 gentleman to swear. The most worth- 
 less and vile; the refuse of mankind ; 
 the drunkard and the prostitute, swear 
 as well as the best dressed and educated 
 gentleman. No particular endowments 
 ire requis' e to give a finish to the art 
 of cursing The basest and meanest of 
 mankind swear with as much tact and 
 skill as the most refined ; and he that 
 wishes to degrade himself to the very 
 lowest level of pollution and shame, 
 should learn to be a common swearer. 
 Any man has talents enough to learn to 
 curse God, and his fellow men, and 
 to pnyy — for every man who swears, 
 prays — that God wQuld sink him and 
 others into hell. No profane man knows 
 but that God will hear his prayer, and 
 send him to the regions of wo. 4th. 
 Profaneness does no man any good. 
 No man is the richer, or wiser, or hap- 
 pier for it. It helps no one's education, 
 or manners. It commends no one to 
 any society. The profane man must be, 
 of course, shut out from female society ; 
 and no refined intercourse can consist 
 with it. It is disgusting to the refined ; 
 abominable to the good ; insulting to 
 those with whom we associate ; degrad- 
 ing to the mind; unprofitable, needless, 
 and injurious, in society ; and awful in 
 
 40 And if any man will sue thee 
 at the law, and take away thy coat, 
 let him have thy cloak also. 
 
 41 And whosoever shall compel 
 thee to go a mile, go wilh him 
 twain. 
 
 c Is.50.0. 
 
 the sight of God. 5th. God will not 
 hold the proi'ane swearer guiltless.— 
 Wantonly to profane his name ; to call 
 his vengeance down ; to curse him on 
 his throne ; to invoke damnation, ie 
 perhaps of all offences the most awful. 
 And there is not in the universe more 
 cause of amazement at his forbearance, 
 than that God does not rise in venge 
 ance, and smite the profane swearer at 
 once to hell. Verily, in a world hke 
 this, where his name is profaned every 
 day, and hour, and moment, by thou- 
 sands, God shows that he is slow to 
 anger ; and that his mercy is •without 
 bounds ! 
 
 38 — 4 1 . An eye for an eye, &c. This 
 command is found in Ex. xxi. 24. Lev. 
 xxiv. 20, and Deut. xix. 21. In these 
 places it was given as a rule to regulaUi 
 the decisions of judges. They were to 
 take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, 
 and to inflict burning for burning. As 
 Vl judicial rule, it is not unjust. Christ 
 finds no fault with the rule as appUed to 
 magistrates, and does not take upon 
 himself to repeal it. But, instead of 
 confining it to magistrates, the Jews 
 had extended it to priDote conduct, and 
 made it the rule by which to take re- 
 venge. They considered themselves 
 justified by this rule to inflict the same 
 injury on others that they had received 
 Against this our Saviour remonstrates. 
 He declares that the law had no refer 
 ence to private revenge ; that it was 
 given only to regulate the magistrate ; 
 and that their private conduct was to be 
 regulated by diflferent principles. 
 
 The general principle which he laid 
 down was, that we are not to resist evil; 
 that is, as it is in the Greek, not to sci 
 ourselves against an evil person who ia 
 injuring us. But even this general di- 
 rection is not to be pressed too strictly 
 Christ did not intend to teach that we 
 are to see our families murdered, or be 
 murdered ourselves, rather than to 
 make resistance. The law of nature, 
 and all laws, humaa and divine, have
 
 A. 1). 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 75 
 
 justified self-defence, when life \s in 
 danger. It cannot surely be the inten- 
 tion to teach that a father should sit by 
 coolly, and see his family butchered by 
 savages, and not be allowed to defend 
 them. Neither natural nor revealed 
 religion ever did, or ever can, teach this 
 doctrine. Cur Saviour immediately ex- 
 plains whac he means by it. Had he 
 intended to refer it to a case where life 
 is in danger, he would most surely have 
 mentioned it. Such a case was far 
 more worthy of statement than those 
 which he did mention. A doctrine so 
 unusual, so unlike all that the world 
 had believed, and that the best men had 
 acted on, deserved to be formally stated. 
 Instead ef doing this, however, he con- 
 fines himself to smaller matters, to 
 things of comparatively trivial interest, 
 and says, that in these we had better 
 take wrong than to enter into strife and 
 lawsuits. The first case is where we 
 are smitten on the cheek. Rather than 
 contend and fight, we should take it 
 patiently, and turn the other cheek. 
 This does not, however, prevent our 
 remonstrating firmly, yet mildly, on the 
 mjustice of the thing, and insisting that 
 justice should be done us, as is evident 
 from the example of the Saviour him- 
 self. See John xviii. 23. The second 
 evil mentioned is where a man is liti- 
 gious, and determined to take all the 
 advantage the law can give him ; fol- 
 lowing us wth vexatious and expensive 
 lawsmt.s. Our Saviour directs us, rather 
 than to imitate him — rather than to con- 
 tend with a revengeful spirit in courts 
 of justice, and to perpetual broils — to 
 take a trifling injury, and yield to him. 
 This is merely a question about pro- 
 perty, and not about conscience and 
 life. 
 
 '■ CoatV The Jews wore two prin- 
 cipal garments, an interior and an ex- 
 terior. The interior, here called the 
 " coat," or the tunic, was made com- 
 monly of linen, and encircled the whole 
 body, extending down to the knees. 
 Sometimes beneath this garment, as in 
 the case of the priests, there was ano- 
 ther garment corresponding to panta- 
 loons. The coat, or tunic, was extend- 
 ed to the neck, and had long or short 
 sleeves. Ouer this was commonly 
 worn an upper garment, here called 
 "cloak," or mantle. It was made 
 commonly nearly square, of different 
 sizes, five or six cubits lone:, and as 
 
 many broad, and wrapped around the 
 body, and thrown off when labor was 
 pertormed. This was the garment 
 which is said to have been without xeam 
 woven throughout. John xLx. 23. If, 
 said Christ, an adversary wished to ob- 
 tain, at law, one of these garments, 
 rather than contend with him, let him 
 have the other also. A reference to 
 various articles of apparel occurs fre- 
 quently in the New Testament, and it 
 is desirable to have a correct view of 
 the ancient mode of dress, in order to 
 a correct understanding of the Bible. 
 The Asiatic modes of dress are nearly 
 the same from age to age, and hence it 
 is not difficult to illustrate the pass^ea 
 where such a reference occurs. The 
 ordinary dress consisted of the inner 
 garment, the outer garment, the girdle, 
 and the sandals. In regard to the 
 sandals. See Note on ch. iii. 11. The 
 following cuts will give a sufficiently 
 accurate representation of the more 
 simple and usual modes in which the 
 garments were worn. 
 
 The following cuts will also show 
 the usual form and use of the girdle. 
 In the girdle was the place of the purse 
 (Matt. x. 9), and to it the sword and 
 dirk were commonly attached. Com- 
 pare 2 Sam. XX. 8. In modern times, 
 the pistols are also fastened to the gir- 
 dle. It is the common place for the 
 handkerchief, smoking materials, ink- 
 horn, and in general the implements of 
 one's profession. The girdle served to 
 confine the loose flowing robe, or outer 
 garment, to the body. It held the 
 gjirment when it was tucked uo, a;? ii
 
 76 
 
 42 Give to liim that asketh 
 thee, and from him that would 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D.31. 
 
 borrow of thee turn not thou " 
 away. 
 
 m De.15.7,11- 
 
 was usually in walking, or in labor. 
 Thence to ^ird up the loins became a 
 significant hgurative expression, denot- 
 ng readiness for service, activity, labor. 
 
 and watchfulness ; and to loose the loins, 
 denoted the giving way to repose and 
 indolence. 2 Kings iv. 29. Job xx.xviii 
 3. Isa. V. 27. Luke xii. 35. John xxi. 7 
 
 Whosoever shall compel thee to go a 
 mile. The word translated shall compel, 
 's of Persian origin. Post-offices were 
 then unknown. In order that the royal 
 commands might be delivered with 
 safety and despatch in different parts of 
 the empire, Cyrus stationed horsemen 
 at proper intervals on all the great pub- 
 lic highways. One of those delivered 
 the message to another, and intelligence 
 was thus rapidly and safely communi- 
 cated. These heralds were permitted to 
 yrnipel any person, or to press any horse, 
 boat, ship, or other vehicle that they 
 might need, for the quick transmission 
 of the king's commandments. It was 
 to this custom that our Saviour refers. 
 Rather, says he, than resist a public 
 authority, requiring your attendance and 
 aid for a certain distance, go peaceably 
 twice the distance. ^ A mile. A 
 Roman mile was a thousand paces. 
 ^ Twain. Two. 
 
 42. Give to him that aslceth thee. This 
 is the general rule. It is better to give 
 sometimes to an undeserving person, 
 than to turn away one really necessitous. 
 U is good to be in the hahit of giving. 
 At the same time, the rule must be in- 
 terpreted so as to be consistent with oi'r 
 duty to our families (1 Tim. v. 8). and 
 
 with other objects of justice and charity. 
 It is seldom, perhaps never, good to 
 give to a man that is able to work. 2 
 Thes. iii. 10. To give to such is to en 
 courage laziness, and to support the 
 idle at the expense of the industrious. 
 If such a man is indeed hungry, feed 
 him ; if he wants any thing farther, 
 give him employment. If a widow, 
 an orphan, a man of misfortune, or a 
 man infirm, lame, or sick, is at your 
 door, never send them away eniptv. 
 See Heb. xiii. 2. Matt. xxv. 35 — 45. 
 So of a poor and needy friend that 
 wishes to borrow. We are not to turn 
 away, or deny him. This deserves, 
 however, some limitation. It must be 
 done in consistency with other duties. 
 To lend to every worthless man^ would 
 be to throw away oi£r property, encou- 
 rage laziness and crime, and ruin our 
 families. It should be done consistent- 
 ly, and of this every man is to be the 
 judge. Perhaps our Saviour meant to 
 teach that where there was a deserving 
 friend or brother in want, we should 
 lend to him, without usury, and without 
 standin<T much about the security. 
 
 43. Ye have heard that it hath hern 
 .•said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and 
 hate thine enemy. The conimand to
 
 A.D. 31.J 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 7? 
 
 43 Ye have heard that it hath 
 been said, " Thou shalt love thy 
 neighbour, and hate thine enemy : 
 
 44 But I say unto you. Love* 
 your enemies, bless them that curse 
 you, do good to them that hate you, 
 and pray' for them which despite- 
 fuUy use you ^nd persecute you ; 
 
 o De.23.6. 6 Ro.12.14,20. c Lu.23.34. Ac. 
 -.GO. 
 
 love our neighbor was a law of God. 
 Lev. xix. 18. That we must, therefore, 
 hate our enemy, was an inference 
 drawn from it, by the Jews. They 
 supposed that if we loved the one, we 
 must, of course, hate the other. They 
 were total strangers to that great, pe- 
 culiar law of religion which requires us 
 to love both. A neighbor is literally 
 one that lives near to us ; then, one 
 that is near to us by acts of kindness 
 and friendship. This is its meaning 
 here. See also Luke x. 36. 
 
 44. Love your enemies. There are 
 two kinds of love, involving the same 
 general feeling, or springing from the 
 same fountain of good-will to all man- 
 kind, but differing still so far as to ad- 
 mit of separation in idea. The one is 
 that feeling by which we approve of the 
 conduct of another, commonly called the 
 love of complacejicy ; the other, by which 
 we wish well to the person of another, 
 though we cannot approve his conduct. 
 This is the love of benevolence ; and this 
 love we are to bear towards our ene- 
 mies. It is impossible to love the con- 
 duct of a man that curses and reviles 
 us, and injures our person or property, 
 or that violates all the laws of God ; 
 but though we may hate his conduct, 
 and feel deeply that we are affected by 
 it, yet we may still wish well to the 
 person ; we may pity his madness and 
 folly ; we may speak kindly of him, 
 and to him ; we may not return evil for 
 evil ; we may aid him in the time of 
 trial ; and seek to do him good here, 
 and to promote his eternal welfare here- 
 nitcr. Rom. xii. 17 — 20. This seems to 
 be what is meant by loving our ene- 
 mies ; and this is a peculiar law of 
 Chiistianity, and the highest possible 
 test of piety, and probably the most 
 difficult of all duties to be performed. 
 If Bless them that curse you. The word 
 bless here means to speak well of or to. 
 
 45 That ye may be the children 
 of your Father which is in heaven: 
 for he maketh his sun to rise " on 
 the evil and on the good, and send- 
 eth rain on the juist and on the 
 unjust. • 
 
 46 For if ye love them which 
 love you, what reward have ye 
 
 i Job 25. J. 
 
 Not to curse again, or to slander, but 
 to speak of those things which we can 
 commend in an enemy ; or if there is 
 nothing that we can commend, to say 
 nothing about him. The word bless, 
 spoken of God, means to regard with 
 favor, or to confer benefits, as when 
 God is said to bless his people. When 
 we speak of our blessi7ig God, it means 
 to praise him, or give thanks to him. 
 When we speak of blessing men, it 
 unites the two meanings, and signifies 
 to confer favor, to thank, or to speak 
 well of IT Despitefully use you. The 
 word thus translated, means, first, to 
 injure by prosecution in law ; then, 
 wantonly and unjustly to accuse, and 
 to injure in any way. This seems to 
 be its meaning here, ^i Fersecute. See 
 ch. V. 10. 
 
 45. That ye may be the children of 
 your Father. In Greek, the sons of 
 your Father. The word son has a va- 
 riety of significations. See Note on 
 Matt. i. 1. Christians were called the 
 S071S or children of God in several of 
 these senses : as his offspring ; as adopt- 
 ed ; as his disciples ; as imitators of 
 him. In this passage, the word is used 
 because, in doing good to enemies, they 
 resemble God. He makes his sun to 
 rise on the evil and good, and sends 
 rain, without distinction, on the just 
 and unjust. So his people should show 
 that they imitate or resemble him, oi 
 possess his spirit, by doing good in a 
 similar way. 
 
 46. What reward have ye. The word 
 reward seems to be used in ihe sense 
 of deserving of praise, or reward. If 
 you only love those that love you, you 
 are selfish, you are not disinterested; it 
 is not genuine love for the character, 
 but love for the benefit ; and you de- 
 serve no commendation. The very 
 publicans would do the same. IT Thf 
 publicans. The publicans were tax
 
 78 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.3L 
 
 do HOC even the publicans the 
 same? 
 47 And if ye salute your bre- 
 
 gatherers. Judea was a provinjce of 
 the Roman empire. The Jews bore 
 this foreign yoke with great impatience, 
 and paid their taxes with great reluc- 
 tance. It happened, therefore, that 
 those who were appointed to collect 
 taxes were objects of great detestation. 
 They were beside, men who would be 
 supposed to execute their office at all 
 hazards ; men who were wilhng to en- 
 gage in an odious and hated employ- 
 ment ; men often of abandoned cha- 
 racters, oppressive in their exactions, 
 and dissolute in their lives. By the 
 Jews they were associated in character 
 with thieves, and adulterers, and those 
 who were profane, and dissolute. Christ 
 says that even these wretched men 
 would love their benefactors. 
 
 47. And if ye salute yotir brethren, 
 &c. The word salute here means to 
 show the customary tokens of civility, 
 or to treat with the common marks of 
 friendship. See Note, Luke x. 4. He 
 says that the worst men, the very pub- 
 licans, would do this. Christians sliould 
 do more ; they should show that they 
 had a different spirit ; they should treat 
 their enemies as well as wicked men 
 did \\\e\r friends. This should be done : 
 1st. Because it is right; it is the only 
 really amiable spirit ; and, 2d. We 
 should show that religion is not selfish, 
 and is superior to all other principles of 
 action. 
 
 48. Be ye therefore perfect. He con- 
 cludes this part of the discourse by 
 commanding his disciples to be ■perfect. 
 This word commonly means finished, 
 complete, pure, holy. Originally it is 
 applied to a piece of mechanism, as a 
 machine that is complete in its parts. 
 Applied to men, it refers to complete- 
 ness of parts, or ■perfection, where no 
 part is defective or wanting. Thus, 
 Job (i. 1.) is said to be perfect; that is, 
 not holy as God, or sinless — for fault is 
 afterwards found with him (Job ix. 20 ; 
 xlii. 6) ; but his piety was proportionate 
 — had a completeness of parts — was 
 consistent and regular. He exhibited 
 his religion as a prince, a fatlier, an m- 
 dividual, a benefactor of the poor. He 
 was not merely a pious man in one 
 
 thren only, what do ye more than 
 others? do not even the publicans so ? 
 48 Be ye therefore perfect, " 
 aGe.17.1. De.18.t3. Lu.6.36,40. Col.1.28. 
 
 place, but uniformly. He was consist- 
 ent everywhere. This is the meaning 
 in Matthew. Be not religious merely 
 in loving your friends and neighbors, 
 but let your piety be shown m loving 
 your enemies ; be perfect ; imitate 
 God ; let the piety be complete, and 
 proportionate, and regular. This every 
 Christian may he ; this every Christian 
 m.ust he. 
 
 REMAKES ON CHAPTER V. 
 
 1st. The gospel pronounces blessings 
 on things far different from what the 
 world has thought to be a source o* 
 happiness. Men suppose that happi- 
 ness is to be found in mirth, in wealth, 
 in honor, in esteem, in freedom from 
 persecution. Christ says that it is to 
 be sought in the reverse. Often men 
 are most happy in poverty, in sickness, 
 in perseciUion, when supported by the 
 presence and promises of a merciful 
 God. And if God appoints our station 
 there, we should submit to it, and learn 
 therewith to be content. 
 
 2d. We may see the evil of anger. 
 It is a species of murder. If secretly 
 cherished, or exhibited by contempt 
 and injury, it must bring down the dis- 
 pleasure of God. It is a source of mis- 
 ery. True enjoyment is found in 
 meekness, peace, calmness, and benev- 
 olence. In such a firmness, and stea- 
 diness, and dependence on God, as to 
 keep the soul unruffled in the midst of 
 provocation, is happiness. Such was 
 Christ. 
 
 3d. We see the evil of indelicacy ot 
 feeling and sentiment, and the extreme 
 strictness and severity of the law re- 
 specting the intercourse of the sexes 
 (v. 28). And yet what law is more fre- 
 quently violated ? By obscene anec- 
 dotes and tales; by songs and jibes* 
 by double meanings and innuendoes ; 
 by looks and gestures; by conversa- 
 tion, and obscene books and pictures, 
 this law of our Saviour is perpetually 
 violated. If there is any one sentiment 
 of most value for the comfort, the cha- 
 racter, the virtuous sociability, of the 
 young —one that will shed the greatest 
 charm over society, and make it the
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 79 
 
 even as your Father which is in 
 heaven is perfect. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 TAKE heed that ye do not your 
 ' alms before men, to be seen 
 ' or, rig/ueousncss, Ps.11-2.9. 
 
 most pure — it is that wliich incukates 
 perfect delicacy and puritij in the inter- 
 course of the sexes. Virtue of any 
 Kind never blooms when this is not 
 cherished. Modesty and purity once 
 gone, every flower that would difluse 
 .ts fragrance over life, withers and dies 
 with it. There is no one sin that so 
 withers and blights every virtu-T ; none 
 that so enfeebles and prostrates every 
 ennobhng feeling of the soul, as to in- 
 dulge in a life of impu'rity. How should 
 purity dwell in the heart ; breathe from 
 the lips ; kindle in the eye ; live in the 
 imagination ; and dwell in the inter- 
 course of alt the young ! An eternal, 
 avenging God is near to every wanton 
 thought ; marks every eye that kindles 
 with impure desire ; rolls the thun- 
 der of justice over every polluted soul ; 
 and is preparing wo for every violator 
 of the laws of puritv and chastity. Prov. 
 vii. 22, 23 ; v. 5 : ii. 18. 
 
 4th. Revenge is equally forbidden. 
 Persecution, slander, wilful prosecu- 
 tion, anger, personal abuse, duelling, 
 suicide, murder, are all violations of the 
 law of God, and all must call down his 
 vengeance. 
 
 5th. We are bound to love our ene- 
 mies. Tliis is a law of Christianity, 
 original and peculiar. No system but 
 this has required it. and no act of Chris- 
 tian piety is more ditHcult. None shows 
 more the power (jf the grace of God ; 
 none is more ornamental to the charac- 
 ter ; none more like God ; and none 
 furnishes better e\'idence of piety. He 
 that can meet a man kindly who is 
 seeking his hurt ; who can speak well 
 of one that is perpetually slandering and 
 cursing him ; that can pray for a man 
 that abuses, injures, and wounds him ; 
 and that can seek heaven for him that 
 wishes his damnation ; is in the way to 
 life. This is religion, beautiful as its 
 lative skies ; pure like its Source ; kind 
 Hke its Author ; fresh like the dews of 
 the morning ; clear and diffusive like 
 the beams of the rising sun ; and holy 
 like the feelings and words that come 
 "rom the bosom of the Son of God. He 
 
 of them : otherwise ye have no re- 
 ward ' of your Father which is in 
 heaven. 
 
 2 Therefore when thou doest 
 thine alms, ^ do not sound a trum 
 ^ or, with. 3 or, cause a trumpet to he sounded. 
 
 that can do this need not doubt that he 
 is a Christian. He has caught the very 
 spirit of the Saviour, and he must inherit 
 eternal life. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1. Alms. Liberality to the poor and 
 needy. Any thing given to them to 
 supply their wants. Our Saviour, here, 
 does not positively command his disci- 
 ples to aid the poor, but supposes that 
 they would do it of course, and gives 
 them direction how to do it. It is the 
 nature of religion to help those who are 
 really poor and needy ; and a real 
 Christian does not wait to be command- 
 ed to do it, but only asks the opportu- 
 nity. See Gal. ii. 10 ; James i. 27 ; 
 Luke .\ix. 8. If Before men, (Slc. Our 
 Lord does not forbid us to give alms 
 before men always, but only forbids 
 our doing it to he seen of them, for the 
 purposes of ostentation, and to seek 
 their praise. To a person who is dis- 
 posed to do good from a right motive, 
 it matters little whether it be in public 
 or in private. The only thing that ren- 
 ders it even desirable that our good 
 deeds should be seen is, that God may 
 be glorified. See ch. v. 16. It Other- 
 wise. If your only motive for doing it 
 is to be seen of men, God will not re- 
 ward you. Take heed not to do it to 
 be seen, otherwise God will not reward 
 you. 
 
 2. Do not sound a trum-pet hefore thee 
 as the hypocrites do. The word hypo- 
 crite is taken from stage-players, who 
 act the part of others, or speak not their 
 own sentiments, but the sentiments ol 
 others. It means here, and in the New 
 Testament generally, those who dis- 
 semble or hide their real sentiments, and 
 assume or express other feelings than 
 their own — -those who, for purposes o! 
 ostentation, or gain, or applause, put on 
 the appearance of religion. It is proba 
 ble that such persons, when they were 
 about to bestow alms, caused a trumpet 
 to be sounded, professedly to call the 
 poor together to receive it, but really to 
 call the people to attend to it ; or per- 
 laps it may mean that they should not
 
 80 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 pet before thee, as the hypocrites do 
 in the synagogues and in the streets, 
 that they may have glory of men. 
 Verily 1 say unto you, They have 
 their reward. 
 
 3 But when thou doest alms, let 
 not thy left hand know what thy 
 light hand doeth : 
 
 4 That thine alms may be in se- 
 stet : and thy Father, which seeth 
 
 make a great noise about it, like sound- 
 mg a trumpet. IT In the synagogues. 
 The word synagogue commonly means 
 the place of assembling for religious 
 worship known by that name. Note, 
 Matt. iv. 23. It might mean, however, 
 any collection of people for any purpose. 
 And it is not improbable that it has that 
 meaning here. It does not appear that 
 they made a noise in bestowing charity 
 in the synagogues, or that it was com- 
 monly bestowed there ; but it v/as pro- 
 bably done on occasion of any great 
 assemblage, in any place of concourse, 
 and at the corners of the streets, where 
 it could be seen by 'nany. IT They 
 have their reward. That is, they obtain 
 the applause they seek, the reputation 
 of being charitable ; and as this ap- 
 plause was all they wished, there is of 
 course no further reward to be looked 
 for or obtained. 
 
 3, 4. I^et not thy left hand know, &c. 
 This is a proverbial expression, signify- 
 ing that the action should be done as 
 secretly as possible. The Hebrews 
 often attribute actions to members which 
 properly belong to persons. The en- 
 couragement for doing this is, that it 
 will be pleasing to God ; that he will 
 see the act, however secret it may be, 
 and will openly reward it. If the re- 
 ward is not greater in this life, it will be 
 in the life to come. In multitudes of 
 cases, however, alms given to the poor 
 are "lent to the Lord" (Prov. .xix. 17), 
 and will be repaid in this life. Rarely, 
 perhaps never, has it been found that 
 the man who is liberal to the poor, has 
 ever suffered by it in his worldly cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 5. And when thou pray est, &LC. Hypo- 
 crites manifested the same spirit about 
 prayer as alms-giving ; it was done in 
 public places. The word synagogues, 
 here, clearly means, not the place of 
 
 in secret, himself shall reward * 
 
 thee openly. 
 
 5 And when thou prayest, thoi. 
 shalt not be as the hypocritt^ are; 
 for they love to pray standing in 
 the synagogues and in the corners 
 of the streets, that they may be seen 
 of men. Verily I say unto you, 
 they have their reward. * 
 
 G But thou, when thou prayest 
 
 a Lu.8.17 ; 14.14. b Pr.16.5. Ja.4.6. 
 
 worship of thai name, but places where 
 many were accustomed to assemble — 
 near the markets, or courts, where they 
 could be seen of many. Our Lord evi- 
 dently could not mean to condemn 
 prayers in the synagogues. It might 
 be said that he condemned ostentatious 
 prayer there, while they neglected secret 
 prayer ; but this does not appear to be 
 his 0''sign. The Jews were much in 
 the habit of praying in public places. 
 At certain times of the day they always 
 offered their prayers. Wherever they 
 were, they suspended their employ- 
 ment, and paid their devotions. This 
 is also practised now everywhere by 
 the Mohammedans, and in many places 
 by the Roman Catholics. It seems, 
 also, that they sought publicity, and re 
 garded it as proof of great piety. 
 
 6. Enter into thy closet. Every Jew- 
 ish house had a place for secret devo- 
 tion. The roofs of their houses were 
 flat places for walking, conversation, 
 and meditation, in the cool of the even- 
 ing. See Note, Matt. ix. 2. Over the 
 porch, or entrance of the house, was, 
 however, a small room of the size of 
 the porch, raised a story above the rest 
 of the house, expressly appropriated for 
 the place of retirement. Here, in se- 
 crecy and solitude, the pious Jew might 
 offer his prayers, unseen by any but the 
 Searcher of hearts. To this place, or 
 to some similar place, our Saviour di- 
 rected his disciples to repair when they 
 wished to hold communion with God. 
 This is the place commonly mentioned 
 in the New Testament as the zipper 
 room, or the place for secret prayer. 
 The meaning of the Saviour is, that 
 there should be some place where we 
 may be in secret — where we may bo 
 alone with God. There should be some 
 place to which we may resort where no 
 ear will hear tia hut His ear, and no ev*
 
 AD. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 enter into thy closet, and, when thou 
 hast shut thy door, pray to thy 
 Father which is in secret ; and thy 
 
 can see us but His eye. Unless there is 
 Buch a place, secret prayer will not be 
 long or strictly maintained. It is often 
 Baid that we have no such place, and 
 can secure none. We are away from 
 home ; we are travelling ; we are among 
 strangers ; we are in stages and steam- 
 boats, and how can we hnd such places 
 of retirement ? I answer, the desire to 
 pray, and the love of prayer, will create 
 such places in abundance. The Saviour 
 had all the difficulties which we can 
 have, but yet he lived in the practice of 
 secret prayer. To be alone he rose up 
 "a great while before day," and went 
 into a solitary place and prayed. With 
 liim a grove, a mountain, a garden, fur- 
 iiished such a place, and though a tra- 
 veller, and among strangers, and with- 
 out a house, he lived in the habit of se- 
 cret prayer. What excuse have they 
 who have a home, and who spend the 
 precious hours of the morning in sleep, 
 and who will practise no self-denial that 
 they may be alone with God ? O Chris- 
 tian, thy Saviour would have broken in 
 upon these hours, and would have trod 
 his solitary way to the mountain or the 
 grove that he might pray. He did do 
 it. He did it to pray for thee, too indo- 
 lent and too unconcerned about thy 
 own salvation and that of the world, to 
 practise the least self-denial in order to 
 commune with God ! How can reli- 
 gion hve thus ? How can such a soul 
 be .saved ? 
 
 The Saviour does not specify the 
 times when we should pray in secret. 
 He does not say how ofte?i it should be 
 done. The reasons rnay have been 
 (1.; That he designed that his religion 
 should be voluntary — and there is not a 
 better test of true piety than a disposi- 
 tion to engage often in secret prayer. 
 He designed to leave it to his people to 
 ehow attachment to him by coming to 
 God often — and as often as they chose. 
 2) An attempt to specify the times 
 when this should be done would tend to 
 make religion formal and heartless. 
 Mohammed undertook to regulate this, 
 and the consequence is a cold and for- 
 mal prostration at the appointed he urs 
 of prayer all over the land where his 
 
 Father, which seeth in 
 shall reward thee openly. 
 
 aPs.34.15. Is.65.24. 
 
 6) 
 
 secret, ' 
 
 religion has spread. (3.) The period* 
 are so numerous, and the seasons foi 
 secret prayer vary so much, that it 
 would not be easy to fix rules when this 
 should be done. Yet without giving 
 rules — where the Saviour has given 
 none — we may suggest the following Eia 
 times when secret prayer is proper. 
 1. In the morning. Nothing can be 
 more appropriate when we have been 
 preserved through the night, and when 
 we are about to enter upon the duties 
 and dangers of another day, than to 
 render him thanks, and to commit our- 
 selves to his fatherly care. 2. In the 
 evening. When the day has closed — 
 what more natural than to render thanks 
 and to implore forgiveness for what we 
 have said or done amiss, and to pray foi 
 a blessing on the labors of the day ; and 
 when about to lie down again to sleep, 
 not knowing but it may be our lasi 
 sleep, and that we may awake in eter- 
 nity, what more proper than to com 
 mend ourselves to the care of him 
 " Vv-ho never slumbers nor sleeps." 
 3. We should pray in times of embar- 
 rassment and perplexity. Such times 
 occur in every man's life, and it is then 
 a privilege and a duty to go to God and 
 seek his direction. In the most difficult 
 and embarrassed time of the American 
 revolution, Washington was seen to re- 
 tire daily to a grove in the vicinity ol 
 the camp at Valley Forge. Curiosity 
 led a man to observe him on one occa- 
 sion, and the father of his country was 
 seen on his knees supplicating the God 
 of hosts in prayer. Who can tell how 
 much the liberty of this nation is owing 
 to the answer to the secret prayer ot 
 Washington ? 4. We should pray when 
 we are beset with strong temptations 
 So the Saviour prayed in the garden of 
 Gethsemane (comp. Heb. v. 7, 8), and 
 so we should pray when we are tempted 
 5. We should pray when the Spirit 
 prompts us to pray ; when we feel just 
 likeprai/iHg ; when nothing can satisfy 
 the soul but prayer. Such times occur 
 in the life of every Christian — 'and they 
 arc " spring-times" of piety — favorable 
 gales to waft us on to heaven. Prajer 
 to the Christian, at such times, is just aa
 
 82 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.31 
 
 7 Uut when ye pray, use not 
 vain repetitions, " as the heathen 
 do.- for they think that they shall 
 be heard for * their much speaking. 
 
 8 Be not ye therefore like unto 
 
 aEc.5.2. 6 1K.18.26,&:c. 
 
 congenial as conversation with a friend 
 when the bosom is filled with love ; as 
 the society of father, mother, sister, 
 child, is, when the heart glows with at- 
 tachment ; as the strains of sweet mu- 
 sic are to the ear best attuned to the love 
 of harmony ; as the most exquisite poet- 
 ry is to the heart enamoured with the 
 muses, and as the most deUcious ban- 
 quet is to the hungry. Prayer, then, 
 is the element of being ; the breath ; the 
 vital air ; and then tlie Christian must 
 and should pray. He is the most emi- 
 nent Christian who is most favored with 
 such strong emotions urging him to 
 prayer. The heart is then lull. The 
 Bonl is tender. The sun of glory shines 
 with unusual splendor. No cloud in- 
 tervenes. The Christian rises from the 
 eartii, and pants for glory. Then we 
 may go alone with God. We may enter 
 tlie closet, and breathe forth our warm 
 desires into the ever-open car of God, 
 and he who sees in secret will reward 
 us openly. IT In secret. Who is un- 
 seen. IT IVho seeth in secret. Who 
 sees what the human eye cannot see ; 
 who sees the secret real designs and de- 
 sires of the heart. Prayer should al- 
 ways be oflered, remembering that God 
 is acquainted with our real desires ; and 
 that it is those real desires, and not the 
 words of prayer, that he will answer. 
 
 7. Use not vaifi repet it io7is . The 
 original word here is supposed to be de- 
 rived from the name of a Greek poet, 
 who made long and weary verses, de- 
 claring, by many forms and endless re- 
 petitions, the same sentiment. Hence 
 it means to repeat a thing often, to say 
 the same thing in different words, or to 
 repeat the same words, as though God 
 did not hear at first. An example of 
 this \Te have in 1 Kings xviii. 26 : " They 
 called on Baal from morning until noon, 
 Baying , O Baal, hear us ! " * ^ The hea- 
 
 them : for your Father knoweth • 
 what things ye have need of, before 
 ye ask him. 
 
 9 After this manner therefore 
 pray ye : Our "* Father * which art 
 c Lu.12.30. Jno.16.23-37 d Lu.l].2,4U! 
 e Ro.8.15. 
 
 ♦The following is a specimen nf the vain rc- 
 petitiotis of thn Romans: "Pious Antonine, 
 the Goris preserve thee. Gentle Anlonine, the 
 gods preserve thee. Gentle Antonirje, the gods 
 p-eserve thee." 
 
 then do. The original word is one com 
 monly translated Gentile. The world 
 was divided into two parts, the Jews 
 and the Gentiles ; that is, in the origi- 
 nal, the "nations,'" the nations desti- 
 tute cf the true religion. 
 
 Christ does not fix the lens^th of our 
 prayers. He says that they should not 
 repeat the same thing, as though God 
 did not hear. And it is not improbable 
 that he intended to condemn the prac- 
 tice of long prayers. His own supplica- 
 tions were remarkably short. 
 
 9 — 13. This passage contains the 
 Lord's prayer, a composition unequalled 
 for comprehensiveness and for beauty. 
 It is supposed that some of these peti- 
 tions were taken from those in common 
 use among the Jews. Indeed, some of 
 them are still to be found in Jewish 
 writings, but they did not exist in this 
 beautiful combination. This prayer is 
 given as a model. It is designed to ex- 
 press the manner in which we are to 
 pray, evidently not the precise words 
 or petitions which we are to use. The 
 substance of the prayer is recorded by 
 Luke, ch. xi. 2, 3, 4. It, however, va- 
 ries from the form given in IMatthew, 
 showing that he intended not to prescribe 
 this as a form of prayer to be used al- 
 ways, but to express the substance of 
 our petitions, to specify to his disciples 
 what petitions it would be proper to pre- 
 sent to God. That he did not intend to 
 prescribe this as a form to be invariably 
 used is farther evident from the fact that 
 there is no proof that either he or his 
 disciples ever used exactly this form of 
 prayer, but clear evidence that they 
 prayed often in other language. See 
 Matt. xxvi. 39 — 42, 44 ; Luke xxii. 42 ; 
 John xvii. ; Acts i. 24. 
 
 9. Our Father. God is called a Fa 
 ther, 1st, as he is the Creator and the 
 Great Parent of all ; 2d. the Preserver 
 of the human family and the Provider 
 for their wants, ch. v. 45, vi. 32; 3d. in 
 a peculiar sense the Father of those 
 who are adopted into his family, who 
 put corfidencc in him who are true fol-
 
 A.D 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 8D 
 
 in * heaven, hallowed be * thy 
 name : 
 
 10 Thy kingdom ' come : thy 
 will be done, in earth ■* as it is in 
 heaven : 
 
 a Ps.115.3. 6 Ps.ni.O ; 139.20. c c.ie.28. 
 Re.11.15. (fPs. 103.20,21. 
 
 lowers of Christ, and made heirs of 
 life. Rom. viii. 14, 15, 16, 17. IT Hal- 
 lowed he thy name. The word hallowed 
 means to render or pronounce holy. 
 God's name is essentially holy ; and the 
 meaning of this petition is, ' Let thy 
 name be celebrated, and venerated, and 
 esteemed as holy, every where, and re- 
 ceive of all men proper honors.' It is 
 thus the expression oi a v)ish or desire, 
 on the part of the worshipper, that the 
 ■lame of God, or God himself, should be 
 field every where in proper veneration. 
 10. Thy kingdom, come. The word 
 kvigdom here means reig7i. Note, Matt, 
 iii. 2. The petition is the expression of 
 a wish that God may reign every where ; 
 that his laws may be obeyed ; and espe- 
 cially that the gospel of (Jhrist may be 
 advanced every where, till the world 
 shall he filled with his glory. IT Thy 
 will he done. The will of God is, that 
 men should obey his law, and be holy. 
 The word will, here, has reference to 
 his law, and to what would be accept- 
 able to him ; that is, righteousness. To 
 pray, then, that his will may be done on 
 earth as in heaven, is to pray that his 
 law, his revealed will, may be obeyed 
 and loved. His law is perfectly obeyed 
 in heaven, and his true children most 
 ai'dently desire and pray that it may 
 also be done on the earth. 
 
 The object of these three first peti- 
 tions is, that God's name should be glo- 
 rified, and his kingdom established ; and 
 by being placed first, we learn that his 
 gloi-y and kn.gdom are of more conse- 
 quence thar our wants, and that these 
 should be f.-st in our hearts and peti- 
 tions befoie a throne of grace.* 
 
 11 Give us this day our daily 
 bread : 
 
 12 And forgive us our debts, 
 as we forgive our debtors : 
 
 ePr.30.8. Is.33.J6. /c.l8.21-3a. Lu.7.40- 
 
 48. 
 
 •The follnwin? clauses respecting this prayer 
 are found in the writlnps of the Jews, ancl were 
 doubtlc.'ss familiar in the lime of Christ: "That 
 prayer." eay the Kalibins, "in which there is 
 no inciiiion m.ule of the kinsdom of heaven, is 
 tiBt a prayer." " What," say Ihey, " is a short 
 prayer ? Ans. Do thy will in heaven, and give 
 rest to the spirits fearing thee below." Give us 
 tji^ day, &c. The Jevvs had a iirayer like this- 
 
 The nect'ssjties of lliy people nre many, and 
 jhcir knowleiU'e small ; so thai ihey do not know 
 ■low to make known their wanU; let it be thy 
 rood pleasure lo gi\ i to each one what is ne- 
 
 11. Give us this day. Sec. The word 
 bread, here, denotes, doubtless, every 
 thing necessary to sustain life. Matt, 
 iv. 4 ; Deut. viii. 3. This petition im- 
 plies our dependence on God for the 
 supply of our wants. As we are de- 
 pendent on lum one day as much as an- 
 other, it was evidently the intention of 
 our Saviour that prayer should be offered 
 every day. This is, moreover, ex- 
 pressed in the plural number — give us. 
 It is evidently, therefore, intended to be 
 used by more than one, or by some 
 community of people. No community 
 or congregation can meet every day for 
 worship but families. It is therefore 
 evident that this prayer is a strong im- 
 plied command for daily family prayer. 
 It can no where else be used so as fiilly 
 to come up to the meaning of the ori- 
 ginal intention ; and no where else can 
 it be breathed forth with so much pro- 
 priety and beauty as from the lips of a 
 father, the venerable priest of his house- 
 hold, and the pleader with God for those 
 rich blessings which a parental bosom 
 desires on his beloved offspring. 
 
 12. A7id forgive us our debts, &c. 
 The word debts is here used figura- 
 tively. It does not mean literally that 
 we are debtors lo God, but that our sins 
 have a resemblance to debts. Debtors 
 are those who are bound to others for 
 some claim in commercial transactions; 
 for something which we have had, and 
 for which we are bound to pay accord- 
 ing to contract. Literally there can be 
 no such transaction between God and 
 us. It must be used figuratively. We 
 have not met the claims of law. We 
 have violated its obligations. We are 
 exposed to its penalty. We are guilty. 
 And God only can forgive, in the same 
 
 cessary for his susteii.ince," &c. Deliver us 
 from evil. The Jews prayed, " Be il thy pood 
 pleasure lo free us from an evil man, and an 
 evil event ; from evil affections, from an evil 
 companion and neizhbor, from Satan," &.c. 
 Th(! prayers of the Jews were fenerally closed 
 Willi a doxoliiey. or ascriplion of prtiise, not iin- 
 likn 1 113 in the Lord's prayer. The pi.-ople. at 
 the close of the prayer, generally responded 
 Amen !
 
 84 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 31 
 
 13 And lead us not into » tempt- ; thine 'is the kingdom, and the power 
 ation, but deliver us* from evil : for and the glory, for ever. Amen. 
 (ic.26.4l. Lu.22.40,46. 6 Jno.17.15. | c Re.5.12.13. 
 
 way, as none but a creditor can forgive 
 a debtor. Debts, here, therefore, means 
 gins, or offences against God — offences 
 which none but God can forgive. The 
 measure by which we may expect for- 
 giveness is that which we wse in refer- 
 ence to otliers. See Ps. .xviii. 25, 26 ; 
 Matt, xviii. 23 ; Mark xi. 25 ; Luke xi. 
 4. This is the invariable rule by which 
 God dispenses pardon. He that comes 
 before him unwilling to forgive, har- 
 boring dark and revengeful thoughts, 
 how can he expect that God will show 
 him that mercy which he is unwilling 
 to shew to others? It is not, however, 
 required that we should forgive debts in 
 a pecuniary sense. To them we have 
 a right, though they should not be push- 
 ed with an overbearujg and oppressive 
 spirit ; not so as to sacrifice the feelings 
 of mercy, in order to secure the claims 
 of right. No man has a right to op- 
 press ; and when a debt cannot be paid, 
 or when it would greatly distress a wife 
 and children, a widow and an orphan ; 
 or when calamity has put it out of the 
 power of an honest man to pay the 
 debt, the spirit of Christianity requires 
 that it should be forgiven. To such 
 cases this petition in the Lord's prayer 
 doubtless extends. But it was probably 
 intended to refer principally to injuries 
 of character or person, which we have 
 received from others. If we cannot 
 from the heart forgive them, we have 
 the assurance that God will never for- 
 give us. 
 
 13. And lead us not into temptation. 
 A petition similar to this is offered by 
 David, Ps. cxH. 4 ; " Inchne not my 
 heart to any evil thing, to practise 
 wicked works, with the workers of ini- 
 quity." God tempts no man. See 
 .tames i. 13. This phrase, then, must 
 be used in the sense of permitting. 
 Do not suffer us, or permit us, to be 
 tempted to sin. In this it is implied 
 that God has such control over us and 
 the tempter, as to save us from it if we 
 call upon him. The word temptation, 
 iiowever, (see Note, ch. iv. 1). means 
 sometimes iriaZ, affliction, anything that 
 tests our virtue. If this be the meaning 
 here, as it may be, then the import of 
 the prayer is, " Do not afflict or fry 
 
 us." ^Deliver us from evil. The ori- 
 ginal, in this place, has the article--de- 
 liver us from the evil — that is, as has 
 been supposed, the Evil One, or Satan 
 He is elsewhere called, by way of emi- 
 nence, the Evil One. Matt. xiii. 19 ; 1 
 John ii. 13, 14, iii. 12. Deliver us from 
 his power, his snares, his arts, his temp- 
 tations. He is supposed to be the great 
 parent of evil, and to be dehvered from 
 him is to be safe. Or it may mean, 
 dehver us from the various evils and 
 trials which beset us, the heavy and op- 
 pressive calamities into which we are 
 continually liable to fall. If Thine is the 
 kingdom. That is, thine is the reign or 
 dominion. Thou hast control over all 
 these things, and canst so order them 
 as ti» answer these petitions. ^ Thint 
 is the power. Thou hast power to ac 
 complish what we ask. We are weak, 
 and cannot do it ; but thou art Al- 
 mighty, and all things are possible with 
 thee. ^ Thine is the glory. That is, 
 thine is the honor or praise. Not out 
 honor; but thy glory, thy goodness, 
 will be displayed in providing for our 
 wants; thy power, in defending us ; thy 
 praise, in causing thy kingdom to spread 
 through the earth. 
 
 'Y\\\sdoxology, or ascription of praise, 
 is connected with the prayer by the 
 word ''for,'' to signify that all these 
 things — the reign, power, and glory of 
 God — will be manifested by granting 
 these petitions. It is not because we 
 are to be benefited, but that God's 
 name and perfections may be manifest- 
 ed. His glory is, then, the first and 
 principal thing which we are to seek 
 when we approach him. We are to 
 suffer our concerns to be sunk and lost 
 sight of in the superior glory and ho- 
 nor of his name and dominion. We 
 are to seek temporal and eternal hfc, 
 chiefly because the honor of our Maker 
 will be promoted, and his name be more 
 illustriously displayed to his creatures. 
 He is to be "first, last, supremest, 
 best," in our view ; and all selfish and 
 worldly view.s are to be absorbea in 
 that one great desire of the soul that 
 God may be "all in all." Approach- 
 ing him with these feelings, our prayer.^ 
 win be aaswered, our devotionfl will
 
 A. D. 31.J CHAPTER VI. 85 
 
 14 For if ye forgive men their 1 their trespasses, neither will your 
 trespasses, your heavenly Father i Father forgive your trespasses." 
 will also forgive you. IG Moreover, when ye fast, be 
 
 15 But if ye forgive not men not, as the hypocrites, of a sad coun- 
 
 o£p.4.31. Ja.2.13. 
 
 rise Bke incense, and the lifting up our 
 hands %\''ll be like the evening sacrifice. 
 
 Amen. This is a word of Hebrew 
 origin, from a verb signifying to be firm, 
 secure, to be true and faithful. It is a 
 word expressing consent or strong ap- 
 probation, a word of strong assevera- 
 tion. It means verily, certainly, so be 
 it. It is probable that this word was 
 used by the people in the synagogue to 
 signify their assent to the prayer that 
 was uttered by the minister. And to 
 some e.xtent, it was probably so used in 
 the Christian church. See 1 Cor. .xiv. 16. 
 
 It may be proper to remark that this 
 do.xology, " for thine is the kingdom," 
 &c., is wanting in many manuscripts, 
 and that its authenticity is doubtful. 
 
 14. If ye fortrive. If ye pardon. 
 ^ Trespasses. Offences, faults. If ye 
 forgive others when they offend or in- 
 jure you. This is constantly required 
 in the Bible. Our Saviour says we 
 should forgive even if the offence be 
 committed seventy times seven times. 
 Matt. .wiii. 22. By this is meant that 
 when a man asks forgiveness, we are 
 cordially and for ever to pardon the of- 
 fence ; we are to declare our wilhngness 
 to forgive him. If he does not ask for- 
 giveness, yet we are still to treat him 
 kindly ; not to harbor malice ; not to 
 speali ill of him ; to be ready to do him 
 good ; and be always prepared to declare 
 aim forsriven when he asks it. 
 
 IG. Moreover when thou fastest, &c. 
 The word fast literally signifies to ab- 
 stain from food and drink, whether 
 from necessity or as a rehgious observ- 
 ance. It is, however, commonly ap- 
 plied in the Bible, to the latter. It is, 
 then, an expression of grief or sorrow. 
 Such is the constitution of the body, 
 that in a time of grief or sorrow we are 
 not disposed to eat ; or, we have no ap- 
 petite. The grief of the soul is so ab- 
 Borbing as to destroy the natural appe- 
 dtes 01 the body. Men in deep affliction 
 eat httle, and often pine away and fall 
 into sickness, because the body refuses, 
 o.n account of the deep sorrow of the 
 mind, to dischar.ge the fimctions of 
 health Fasting, then, is the natural 
 R 
 
 expression of grief. It is not arbitrary; 
 it IS what every person in sorrow natu- 
 rally does. This is the foundation of 
 its being applied to religion as a sacred 
 rite. It is because the soul, when op- 
 pressed and burdened by a sense of sin. 
 is so filled with grief, that the body re- 
 fuses food. It is, therefore, appropri- 
 ated always to scenes of penitence, of 
 godly sorrow, of suffering, and to those 
 facts connected with religion that are 
 fitted to produce grief, as the preva- 
 lence of iniquity or some dark impend- 
 ing calamity, or storm, or tempest, 
 pestilence, plague, or famine. It is also 
 used to humble us, to bring us to re- 
 flection, to direct the thoughts away 
 from the comforts of this world to the 
 bliss of a better. It is not acceptable 
 except it be the real exprcssio7i oi sor- 
 row, the natural effect of feehng that 
 we are burdened with crime. 
 
 The Jews fasted often. They had 
 four annual fasts, in commemoration 
 of the capture of Jerusalem (Jer. lii. 7.), 
 of the burning of the temple (Zech. \\\, 
 3), in memory of the death of Gedaliah 
 (Jer. xli. 4), and in memory of the com 
 mencement of the attack on Jerusalem 
 Zech. viii. 19. In addition to these, 
 they had a multitude of occasional fasts. 
 It was customan also, for the Phari- 
 sees to fast twice a week. Luke xviii. 
 12. '^ Of a sad countenance. That is, 
 sour, morose, assumed expressions of 
 unfelt sorrow. IT They disfigure their 
 faces. That is, they do not anoint 
 and wash themselves as usual ; they 
 are uncombed, filthy, squalid, and hag- 
 gard. It is said that they were often 
 in the habit of throwing ashes on their 
 heads and faces ; and this mixing with 
 their tears, seemed still farther to dis- 
 figure their faces. — So much pains will 
 men take, and so much suffering will 
 they undergo, and so nmch that is ridi- 
 culous will thev assume, to impose on 
 God and men. But they deceive neither. 
 God sees throush the flimsy veil. Hu- 
 man eyes can pierce a disguise so thin 
 Hypocrites overact their part. Not hav- 
 ing the genuine principles of piety at 
 heart, they know no*> i .s proper cxpres-
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 tenan^e: for they disfigure their 
 faces, that they may appear unto 
 men " to fast. Verily I say unto 
 you, They have their reward. 
 
 17 But thou, when thou fastest, 
 anoint thine head, and wash thy | 
 face • I 
 
 18 That thou appear not unto ; 
 men to fast, but unto thy Father 
 which is in secret: and thy Father, 
 which seeth in secret, shall reward 
 thee openly. 
 
 19 Lay not up for yourselves 
 
 treasures upon * earth, where moth 
 
 a Is.58.3,5. 6 Pr.23.4. Lu.] 8.24,35. He. 
 13.5. I 
 
 sion, and hence appear supremely 
 contemptible ar.d abominable. Never 
 shoT Id men exhibit outwardly more 
 than they/eeZ; and never should they 
 attempt to exhibit any thing for the mere 
 sake of ostentation. 
 
 17. But thou, when thou fastest, an- 
 oint, &c. That is, appear as you do 
 daily. Do not assume any new appear- 
 ance, or change your visage or dress. 
 The Jews and all neighboring naiiuns 
 were much in the habit of washing and 
 anointing their bodies. This washing 
 was performed at every meal ; and 
 vvhere it could be effected, the head, or 
 )ther parts of the body, was daily anoint- 
 ed with sweet or olive oil. In a warm 
 climate, exposed to the great heat of the 
 sun, this practice conduced much to 
 health, preserved the skin smooth and 
 tender, and afforded a most grateful 
 sensation and odor. See Mark vii. 2, 3 ; 
 James v. 14 ; Mark vi. 13 ; John xii. 3. 
 
 The meaning of this whole command- 
 ment is, when you regard it to be your 
 duly to fast, do it as a tiling expressing 
 deep feeling, or sorrow for sin ; not by 
 assuming unfclt gravity and moroseness, 
 but in your ordinary dress and appear- 
 ance; not to attract attention, but as 
 an expression of feeling towards God, 
 and he will approve and reward it. 
 
 19. Lay not up for yourselves trca- 
 tures, &c. Treasures, or wealth, among 
 the ancients, consisted in clothes, or 
 changes of raiment, as well as in gold, 
 silver, gems, wine, lands, and oil. It 
 meant an abimdance of any thing that 
 ♦%'as held to be conducive to the orna- 
 ment or comfort of life. As the Oricnt- 
 alisig delighted much ill display, in ppk n- 
 
 and rust doth corrupt, and where 
 thiev&s break through and steal : 
 
 20 But lay up for yourselves 
 treasures in ' heaven, where neither 
 moth nor rust doth corrupt, and 
 where thieves do not break through 
 nor steal : 
 
 21 For where your treasure is, 
 there will your heart be also. 
 
 22 The light of the body is the 
 eye : '^ If therefore thine eye be 
 single, thy whole body shall be ful* 
 of light: 
 
 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy 
 c Is.33.6. Lu.12.33,34. 1 Ti.6.19. d Lu 
 
 11.34,36. 
 
 did equipage, and costly garments, their 
 treasures in fact consisted much in beau- 
 tiful and richly ornamented articles of 
 apparel. See Gen. xlv. 22, where Jo- 
 seph gave to his brethren changes of 
 raiment; Josh. vii. 21, where Achan 
 coveted and secreted a goodly Babylon- 
 ish garment. See also Judges xiv. 12 
 This fact will account for the use of the 
 word moth. When we speOikoi' wealth, 
 we think at once of gold, and silver, 
 and lands, and houses. When a He- 
 brew or an Orientalist spoke of wealth, 
 he thought fir.-it of what would make 
 display; and included, as an essential 
 part, splendid articles of dress. The 
 7noth is a small insect that finds its way 
 to clothes and garments, and destroys 
 them. The moth would destroy their 
 apparel, the rust their silver and gold ; 
 thus all their treasure would waste 
 away. 
 
 20. Lay up treasures in heaven. That 
 is, have provision made for your eternal 
 fehcity. Do not e.xhaust your strength, 
 and spend your days, in providing foi 
 the life here, but let your cA?>/ anxiety 
 be to be prepared for eternity. There 
 nothing corrupts, nothing terminates, 
 no enemies plunder or destroy. To 
 have treasure in heaven is to possess 
 evidence that its purity and joys will be 
 ours. It is to be heirs of God, and joint 
 heirs with Christ to an inheritance in- 
 corruptible, undefiled, and that fadclh 
 not away. The heart, or affections, 
 will of course be fixed on the treasure. 
 To regulate the heart, it is therefore 
 important that the treasure, or object 
 of attachment, should be right. 
 
 22, 23. The ^ight of the body, &.c
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 81 
 
 whole body shall be full of dark- 
 ness. If therefore the light that is 
 in thee be darkness, how great is 
 that darkness ! 
 
 24 No man can serve two mas- 
 ters : " for either he will hate the 
 a Lu.lG.13. 
 
 The sentiment stated in the preceding 
 verses — the duty of fixing the affections 
 on heavenly things — Jesus proceeds to 
 ilhistrate by a reference to the eye. 
 When the eye is directed singly and 
 steadily towards an object, and is in 
 health, or is single, every thing is clear 
 and plain. If it vibrates, flies to differ- 
 ent objects, is fi.xed on no one singly, 
 or is diseased, nothing is seen clearly. 
 Every thing is dim and confused. The 
 man, therefore, is unsteady. The e;/e 
 regulates the motion of the body. To 
 have an object distinctly in view, is 
 necessary to correct and regulate ac- 
 tion. Rope-dancers, in order to steady 
 themselves, fbc the eye on some object 
 on the wall, and look steadily at that. 
 If they should look dow7i on the rope 
 or the people, they would become dizzy 
 and fall. A man crossing a stream on 
 a log, if he will look across at some ob- 
 ject steadily, will bo in litilc danger. 
 If he looks down on the dashing and 
 rolling waters, he will become diz:?y, 
 and fall. So Jesus says, in order that 
 the conduct may be right, it is import- 
 ant to Hx the affections on heaven. 
 Having the affections there — having the 
 eye of faith single, steady, unwavering 
 — all the conduct will be correspondent. 
 ^ Single.. Steady, devoted to one ob- 
 ject. Not confused, as persons' eyes 
 are when they see double. IT Thy body 
 shall be full of light. Your conduct will 
 be regular and steady. All that is need- 
 ful to direct the body is that the eye be 
 fixed right. No o\)Acr light is required. 
 So all that is needful to direct the soul 
 and the conduct is, that the eye oi faith 
 be fixed on heaven, that the affections 
 bo there. IT If, therefore, the light that 
 Is in thee, &c. The word light, here, 
 signifies the mind, or principles of the 
 soul. If this be dark, how great is that 
 darl^ness ! The meaning of ibis passage 
 may be thus expressed : The light of 
 the body, the guide and director, is the 
 eye. All know how calamitous it is 
 Khen that light is irregular or extin- 
 
 ono, and love the other; or else hs 
 will hold to the one, and despisf 
 the other. Ye cannot * serve God 
 and Mammon. 
 
 25 Therefore I say unto you, 
 Take no thought * for your life, 
 
 b Ga.l.lO. 2 Ti.4.10. Ja.4.4. c 1 Cor.7.32 
 Ph.4.C. 
 
 guished, as when the eye is diseased or 
 lost. So the light that is in us is the 
 soul. If that soul is deb-ased by attend- 
 ing exclusively to earthly objects — if it 
 is diseased, and not fixed on heaven — 
 how much darker and more dreadful 
 will it be than any darkness of the eye ! 
 Avarice darkens the mind, obscures the 
 view, and brings in a dreadful and 
 gloomy night over all the faculties. 
 
 24. No man can serve tivo masters, 
 &,c. Christ proceeds to illustrate the 
 necessity of laying up treasures in hea- 
 ven from a well-known fact, that a ser- 
 vant cannot serve two masters at the 
 same time. His affections and obedi- 
 ence would be divided, and he would 
 fail altogether in his duty to one or the 
 other. One he would love, and the other 
 hate. To the interests of one he vvould 
 adhere, the other he would neglect. 
 This is a law of human nature. The 
 supreme afl'ections can be fixed on only 
 one object. So, says Jesus, the servant 
 of God cannot at the same time obey 
 him and be avaricious, or seek treasures 
 supremely on earth. One interferes 
 with the other, and one will be, and 
 must be surrendered. ^ Blammon. 
 Mammon is a Syriac word, a name 
 given to an idol worshipped as the god 
 of riches. It has the same meaning as 
 Plutus among the Greeks. It is not 
 known that the Jews ever formally 
 worshipped this idol, but they used the 
 word to denote wealth. The meaning 
 is, ye cannot serve the true God, and at 
 the same time be supremely engaged 
 in obtaining the riches of this world. 
 One must interfere with the other. See 
 Luke xvi. 9—11. 
 
 25 — 34. Therefore I say unto you, 
 take no thought, &c. The general de- 
 sign of this paragraph, which closes the 
 chapter, is to warn his disciples against 
 avarice and anxiety about the supply of 
 their wants. This he docs by four ar 
 gumcnts or considerations, expressing 
 by unequalled beauty and force, the 
 duty of depending for the things which
 
 88 
 
 what ye shall eat, or what ye shall 
 drink ; nor yet for your body, what 
 ye shall put on. Is not the life 
 more than meat, and the body than 
 raiment 1 
 26 Behold the fowls of the air : 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. 31 
 
 for they sow not, neither do they 
 reap, nor gather into barns ; yet 
 your heavenly Father » feedeth 
 them. Are ye not much better than 
 they? 
 
 27 Which of you by taking 
 a Job 38.41. Lu.l2.24,&c. 
 
 wo naed on the providence of God. — 
 Tho first is stated in the 25th verse : 
 "Is not the Ufa more than meat, and 
 die body than raiment?" In the be- 
 g^inning of the verse he charged his 
 disciples to take no thought — that is, not 
 to be anxious — about the supply of their 
 wants. Ciod will take care of these. 
 He has given life, a far greater blessing 
 than meat ; he has created the hody, o? 
 far more consequence than raiment. 
 Shall not he, who has conferred the 
 greater blessing, be willing to confer 
 the less ? Shall not he, who has form- 
 ed the body so curiously, and made 
 such a display of power and goodness, 
 see that it is properly protected and 
 clothed ? He who has displayed so 
 great goodness as to form the body, 
 and breathe into it the breath of life, 
 will surely /oZZoH) up the blessing, and 
 confer the smaller favor of providing 
 that that body should be clothed, and 
 that life preserved. '^ No thought. The 
 word thought, when the Bible was trans- 
 lated, meant anxiety, and is so used 
 frequently in old English authors. — 
 Thus Bacon says, " Hawcis died with 
 tho7tght and anguish before his business 
 came to an end." As such it is here 
 used by our translators, and it answers 
 exactly to the meaning of the original. 
 Like many other words, it has since 
 somewhat changed its signification, and 
 would convey to most readers an im- 
 proper idea. The word anxiety would 
 now exactly express the sense, and is 
 exactly the thing against which the 
 Saviour would guard us. See Luke viii. 
 14 ; xxi. 34. Phil. iv. 6. Thought about 
 the future is right ; anxiety, solicitude, 
 trouble, is wrong. There is a degree 
 o{ thinkivgTmA industry about the things 
 of this life which is proper. See 1 Tim. 
 V. 8; 2 Thess. iii. 10; Rom. xii. IL 
 Hut it should not be our supreme con- 
 cern ; it siiould not lead to solicitude or 
 anxiety ; it should not take time that 
 ought to be devoted to religion. "» For 
 your life. For what will support your 
 life. It Meat. This word here means 
 
 food in general, as it does commonly 
 in the Bible. We confine it now to 
 animal food, or the food of animals. 
 When the Bible was translated, it de- 
 noted all kinds of food, and is so used 
 in the old English writers. It is one of 
 the words which has changed its mean- 
 ing since the translation of the Bible 
 was made. ^ Eaime7it. Clothing. 
 
 26. Behold the fowls of the air. The 
 second argument for confidence in the 
 providence of God is derived from a 
 beautiful reference to the fowls of hea 
 ven. See, said the Saviour, see the 
 fowls of the air : they have no anxiety 
 about the supply of their w^ants ; they 
 do not sow or reap ; in innumerable 
 flocks they fill the air ; they fill the 
 grove with music, and meet the com- 
 ing light of the morning with their 
 songs, and pour their notes on the ze- 
 phyrs of the evening, unanxious about 
 the supply of their wants ; yet how few 
 die with hunger ! how regularly are 
 they fed from the hand of God ! how 
 he ftiinisters to their unnumbered wants! 
 He sees their young " open wide their 
 mouths, and " seek their meat at \\\3 
 hand," and how cheerfully and regu- 
 larly are their necessities supplied ! — 
 You, said the Saviour to his disciples, 
 you are of more consequence than they 
 are ; and shall God feed them in such 
 numbers, and suffer you to want ? It 
 cannot be. Put confidence, then, in 
 that Universal Parent that feeds all the 
 fowls of the air, and fear not that he 
 will also supply your wants. IT Better 
 thanthey. Of more consequence. Your 
 lives are of more importance than theirs, 
 and God will therefore provide for them. 
 
 27. Which of you by taking thought. 
 The third argument is taken from their 
 extronne weakness and helplessness. 
 With all your care you cannot increase 
 your stature a single cubit. God has 
 ordered your height. Beyond his ap- 
 poiiUment your powers ar(! of no avail, 
 and you can do nothing. So of rai- 
 ment. He, by his providence, crdeva 
 and arranges the ;ircumstance3 of voui
 
 A. D 31.] 
 
 thought can add one cubit unto his 
 stature 1 
 
 28 And why take ye thonght for 
 raiment? Consider the lilies of the 
 field, how they grow; they toil not, 
 neither do they spin : 
 
 life. Beyojid that appointment of his 
 providence, beyond his care for you, 
 your efforts avail nothing. Seeing, then, 
 that he alike orders your growth, and 
 (he supply of your wants, how obvious 
 ■s the duty ol depending on him, and 
 of beginning all your efforts, feeling 
 that He only can grant you the means 
 of preserWng life ! If One cuhit. The 
 cubit was originally the length from the 
 elbow to the end of the middle finger. 
 The cubit of the scriptures is not far 
 from twenty-two inches. Terms of 
 length are often applied to life ; and it 
 is thought by many to be so here. — 
 Thus, it is said, " Thou hast made my 
 days as a handbreadth" (Ps. xx.\ix. 5) ; 
 " Teach me the .■«e.\suri; of my days." 
 Ps. x.x.xix. 4. In this place it is used to de- 
 note a smalllength. You cannot increase 
 your stature even a cubit, or in the small- 
 est degree. Compare Luke -xii. 26. 'i Sta- 
 ture. This word means height. The 
 original word, however, means oflener 
 age. John Lx. 21 — 23. In these places 
 .t is translated age. If this be its mean- 
 ing here, it denotes that a man cannot in- 
 crease the length of his life at all. The 
 atmost anxiety will not prolong it one 
 hour beyond the time appointed for death. 
 28, 29. The fourth consideration is 
 taken from the lilies of the valley. 
 Watch the growing of the hly. It toils 
 not, and it spins not. Yet night and 
 day it grows. With a beauty which 
 the most splendid monarch of the East 
 never knew, it expands its blossom and 
 fills the air with fragrance. Yet this 
 beauty is of short continuance. Soon 
 it w'ill fade, and the beautiful flower 
 will be cut down and burned. God so 
 little regards the bestowment of beauty 
 and ornament as to give the highest 
 adorning to this which is soon to perish. 
 When he thus clothes a lily — a fair flow- 
 er, soon to perish — will he be unmindful 
 of his cliildren? Shall thei/ — dear to 
 his heart and imbued with nnmortality 
 -luck that which is proper for hem, and 
 shall they in vain trust the God that 
 iecks the lily of the valley? He will 
 much more clothe you. ^ Even Solomon 
 in all his glory. &,c. The common dress 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 H9 
 
 29 And ye; T say unto you, that 
 even Solomon in all his glory was 
 not arrayed like one of these. 
 
 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe 
 the grass of the field, which to-day 
 is, and to-morrow is cast into the 
 
 of eastern kings was purple. But they 
 sometimes wore white robes. See Es- 
 ther viii. 15 ; Dan. vii. 9. It Ls to lliia 
 that Christ refers. Solomon, says he, 
 the richest and most magnificent king 
 of Israel, was not clothed in a robe of 
 so pure a white as the lily of the valley. 
 30. Is cast into the oven. The Jews 
 had different modes of baking. In early 
 times they frequently baked in the sand, 
 warmed with the heat of the sun. They 
 constructed also movable ovens, made 
 of clay, brick, or plates of iron. But 
 the most common kind, and the one 
 here probably referred to, was made by 
 excavating the earth two and a half feet 
 in diameter, and from five to six feet 
 deep. This kind of oven still exists in 
 Persia. The bottom was paved with 
 stones. It was heated by putting wood 
 or dry grass into the oven ; and"^ when 
 heated, the ashes were removed, and 
 the bread was placed on the heated 
 stones. More commonly, however, the 
 oven was an earthen vessel, without a 
 bottom, about three feet high, smeared 
 outside and inside with clay, and placed 
 upon a frame, or support. Fire was 
 made within it, or below it. When 
 the sides were sufficiently heated, thin 
 patches of dough were spread on the 
 inside, and the top was covered, with- 
 out removing the fire as in the other 
 cases ; and the bread was quickly 
 baked. The following representation 
 of i; is taken from Niebuhr.
 
 90 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 ovsn, shall he not much more clothe 
 you, O ye of little faith ? 
 
 31 Therefore take no thought, " 
 sayinCT, What shall we eat? or, 
 What shall we drink? or, Where- 
 withal shall we be clothed ] 
 
 32 (For after all these things 
 
 a Ps.37.3.55.22. 1 Pe.5.7. 
 
 32, 33. For after all these things do 
 the Gentiles seek. That is, those des- 
 titute of the true doctrines of rehgion, 
 unacquainted with proper dependence 
 on Divine Providence, mal\e it their 
 chief anxiety thus to seeii food and rai- 
 ment. But xjou, who have a Ivnowledge 
 of your Father in heaven, who know 
 that he will, provide for your wants, 
 should not be an.xious. Seek first his 
 kingdom ; seek first to be righteous, 
 and to become interested in his favor, 
 and all necessary things will be added 
 to you. God has control over all things, 
 and he can give you that which you 
 need. He will give you that which he 
 deems best for you. H Take no thought, 
 &-C. That is, no anxiety. Commit 
 your way to God. The evil, the trou- 
 Dle, the anxiety of each day as it comes, 
 •s sufficient without perplexing the mind 
 with restless cares about another day. 
 It is wholly uncertain whether you li\-e 
 to see that day. If you do, it will bring- 
 its own trouble ; and it will also bring 
 the proper supply of your wants. God 
 will be the same Father then as to-day, 
 and will make then, as he does now, 
 proper provision for your wants, "il The 
 morrow shall lake thought. The mor- 
 row shall have anxieties and cares of its 
 own, but it shall also bring the proper 
 provision for those cares. Though you 
 shall have wants, yet God will provide 
 hi them as they occur. Do not, there- 
 fore, increase the cares of this day by 
 borrowing trouble respecting the future. 
 Do your duty faithfully now, and depend 
 on the mercy of God and his divine 
 help for the troubles which are yet to 
 come. 
 
 REMARKS 0.\ CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Ist. Christ has here forcibly taught 
 the necessity of charity, of prayer, and 
 uf all religious duties. 
 
 2d. We see the necessity of sinceri- 
 y and honesty in our religious duties. 
 Vhey are not done to be seen of men. 
 
 do the Gentiles seek:) for your 
 heavenly Father knoweth that ye 
 have need of all these things. 
 
 33 But seek ye first ' the king- 
 dom of God, and his righteousness: 
 and all these things shall be added 
 ' unto you. 
 
 6 1Ti.4.8. e Le.2.5 20,21. 1 Ki.3.13. P 
 37.25. Mar. 10.30. 
 
 If they are, they cannot be performed 
 acceptably. God looks on the heart, 
 nor is it possible to deceive him. And 
 of what avail is it to deceive men ? 
 How poor and pitiable is the reward 
 of a hypocrite ! How contemptible the 
 praise of men when God is displeased ! 
 How awful the condition beyond the 
 grave ! 
 
 3d. Christ has here, in a particular 
 manner, urged the duty of prayer. He 
 has given a model for prayer. Nothing 
 can equal this composition in simplicity, 
 beauty, and comprehensiveness. At 
 the same time that it is so simple that 
 it can be understood by a child, it con- 
 tains the expression of all the wants of 
 man at any age, and in every rank. 
 
 The duty of prayer is urged by every 
 consideration. None but God can pro- 
 vide for us ; none but he can forgive, 
 and guide, and support us ; none but 
 he can bring us into heaven. He is 
 ever ready to hear us. The humble 
 he sends not empty away. Those 
 who ask, receive; and they who seek, 
 find. How natural and proper, then, is 
 prayer ! How strange that any can . 
 live, and not pour out their desires to 
 God ! How strange that any are wil- 
 ling to go to eternity with this sad 
 reflection, ' I have gone through this 
 world, spent my probation, wasted my 
 strength, and am dying, and have ne- 
 ver prayed !' How awful will be the 
 reflection of the soul through all eterni- 
 ty, ' I was offered eternal life, but I 
 never asked for it. I lived from day to 
 day, and from year to year, in God's 
 world ; breathed his air, rioted in his 
 beneficence, forgot his goodness, and 
 never once asked him to save my soul !' 
 Who will be to blame if the prayerless 
 soul is lost ? 
 
 Secret and family prayer should be 
 daily. We daily have the same neces- 
 sities, are exposed to the same danjjers, 
 tread on the borders of il s same hea- 
 ven or hell How should 'he voice of
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 91 
 
 31 Take therefoie no thought for 
 the morrow ; for the morrow shall 
 take thought for the things of it- 
 
 praise and praye; go up as incense in 
 the morninw, and nse as a rich perfume 
 in the shades of each evening! What 
 more lovely object than one, in the 
 bloom of health and the dew of youth, 
 bending with leverence before the King 
 of iieaven, seeking forgiveness, peace, 
 guidance and life! And what a strange, 
 misguided, and piteous object is a soul 
 that never prays ! 
 
 4th. Forgiveness is essential in prayer. 
 If we come to God harboring malice, 
 and unwilling to forgive, we have his 
 solemn assurance that we shall not be 
 ourselves forgiven. 
 
 5th. Avarice is alike foolish, and an 
 insult to God. Vs. 19 — 24. It is the 
 parent of many foolish and hurtful lusts. 
 It alienates the affections from God, 
 produces envy of another's prosperity, 
 leads to fraud, deception, and crime, 
 to obtain wealth, and degrades the soul. 
 Man is formed for nobler pursuits than 
 the mere desire to be rich. He lives 
 for elerniiy, where silver will not be 
 needed, and where gold will be of no 
 value. That eternity is near ; and 
 though we have wealth hke Solomon, 
 and though we be adorned as the lily, 
 yet like Solomon we must soon die, 
 and like the lily our beauty will soon 
 fade. Death will lay us alike low ; 
 ihe rich and the poor will sleep to- 
 gether ; and the worm will feed no 
 more sweetly on the unfed and un- 
 clothed son of poverty, than on the 
 man clothed in fine linen, and the 
 daughter of beauty and pride. As 
 avarice is moreover the parent of dis- 
 content, he only that is contented with 
 the allotments of Providence, and is not 
 restless for a change, is happy. After 
 all, this is the true source of enjoyment. 
 Anxiety and care, perple.xity and dis- 
 appointment, find their way more readi- 
 ly to the mansions of the rich than the 
 cottages of the poor. It is the mind, 
 not mansions, and gold, and adorning, 
 that sfiyes ease. And he that is content 
 with his situation will " smile upon liis 
 etool, while Alexander weeps upon the 
 throne of the world." 
 
 6th. We see how comparatively va- 
 'sieless is hea'.ty. How little it is re • 
 
 self." Sufficient unto the day h 
 the evil thereof. 
 
 o De.33.2o. He. 13.5,6. 
 
 garded by God ! He gives it to the 
 lily, and in a day it fades and is gone. 
 He gives it to the wings of the butterfly, 
 and soon it dies and its beauty is for- 
 gotten. He gives it to the flowers of the 
 spring, soon to fall ; to the leaves of 
 the forest, soon to grow yellow and de- 
 cay in the autumn. How many flow- 
 ers, hlies, and roses, does he cause to 
 blossom in solitude, where no man is, 
 where they '' waste their sweetness on 
 the desert air." How many streams 
 ripple in the wilderness, and how many 
 cataracts, age after age, have poured 
 their thunders on the air, unheard and 
 unseen by mortals ! So little does God 
 think of beauty. So the human form 
 and " face divine." How soon is that 
 beauty marred ; and, like the lily, how 
 soon is its last trace obliterated ! In the 
 cold grave, among the undistinguished 
 multitudes of the dead, who can tell 
 which of all the mouldering host was 
 blessed with a lovely "set of features 
 or complexion ?" Alas ! all has faded 
 like the morning flower. How vain 
 then, to set the afleclions on so frail a 
 treasure ! 
 
 7th. We see the duty and privilege 
 of depending for our daily v.-anis on the 
 bounties of Providence. Satisfied with 
 the troubles of to-day, let us not add to 
 those troubles by anxieties about to- 
 morrow. The heathen, and they who 
 know not God, will be anxious about 
 the future. But they who know him, 
 and have caught the spirit of Jesus, 
 may surely trust him for the supply of 
 their wants. The young lions do roar, 
 and seek their meat at the hand of God. 
 Ps. civ. 21. The fowls of heaven are 
 daily supplied. Shall man only, of all 
 j the creatures, vex himself, and be filled 
 with anxious cares about the future ? 
 Rather, like the rest of the creation, let 
 us depend on the aid of the universal 
 Parent, and feel that He who hears tho 
 young ravens which cry, will also sup- 
 ply our necessities. 
 
 8th. Especially is the remark of va- 
 lue in reference to those in early life. 
 Life is a stormy ocean. Over that 
 ocean no being presides but God. He 
 holds the winds in hia hands, and car
 
 92 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 31. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 JUDGE « not, that ye be not 
 judged. 
 
 2 For with what judgnient ye 
 judge, ye shall be judged ; and with 
 what measure ye mete, * it shall be 
 measured to you again. 
 
 3 And why beholdest thou the 
 ol.u.6.37. Ro.2.1. lCor.4.5. 6 Ju.1.7. 
 
 (ill their bowlings, and calm the heav- 
 ing billows. On that ocean the young 
 have just launched their frail bark. 
 Daily they will need protection ; daily 
 they will need supphes ; daily be in 
 danger, and exposed to the rolling of 
 the billows, that may engulph them 
 for ever. Ignorant, inexperienced, and 
 in danger, how should they look to 
 God to guide and aid them ! Instead 
 of vexing themselves with anxious cares 
 about the future, how should they place 
 humble reliance on God ! Safe in his 
 hand, we shall outride the storm, and 
 come to a haven of peace. He will 
 supply our wants if we trust him, as 
 he does those of the songsters of the 
 grove. He will be the guide of our 
 youth, and the strength of our man- 
 hood. If we seek him, he will be found 
 of us. If we forsake him, he will cast 
 us off for ever. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. 
 
 9th. From all this, how evident is 
 the propriety of seeking first the king- 
 dom of God ! First in our affections, 
 first in the objects of pursuit, first in 
 the feelings and associations of each 
 morning, be the desire and the aim for 
 heaven. Having this, we have assu- 
 rance of all we need. God, our Father, 
 will then befriend us ; and in life and 
 death all will be well. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1. Judge not, &c. This command 
 refers to rash, censorious, and unjust 
 judgment. See Rom. ii. 1. Luke 
 ;vi. 37) explains it in the sense of co7i- 
 demning. Christ does not condemn 
 judging as a magistrate, for that, when 
 according to justice, is lawful and ne- 
 cessary. Nor does he condemn our 
 forming an opinion of the conduct of 
 rjtliers, for it is impossible not to form 
 an opinion of conduct that we know to 
 be evil. But what he refers to, is a 
 habit of forming a judgment hastily, 
 harshly, and without an allowance for 
 every palhating circumstance, and of 
 
 mote that is in thy biother's eye, 
 but considerest not the beam that 
 is in thine own eye"? 
 
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy 
 brother, Let me pull out the mole 
 out of thine eye : and, behold, a 
 beam h in thine own eye % 
 
 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast oul 
 
 expressing such an opinion harshly and 
 unnecessarily when formed. It rather 
 refers to private judgment than judi- 
 cial, and perhaps primarily to the habits 
 of the scribes and Pharisees. 
 
 2. With what judgment, &c. This 
 was a proverb among the Jews. It ex 
 pressed a truth ; and Christ did not 
 hesitate to adopt it as conveying lua 
 own sentiments. It refers no less to 
 the way in which men will judge of us, 
 than to the rule by which God will 
 judge us. See 2 Sam. xxii. 27 ; Mark 
 iv.*24; James ii. 13. ^ Mete. Mea 
 sure. You shall be judged by the 
 same rule which you apply to others. 
 
 3. And why beholdest thou the mote, 
 &c. A mote signifies any light sub- 
 sta7tce, as dry chaff, or fine spires of 
 grass or grain. It probably most usu- 
 ally signified the small spicules or beard 
 on a head of barley or wheat. It ia 
 thus placed in opposition to the word 
 beam. ^ Beam. This word here sig- 
 nifies a large piece of squared timber. 
 The one is an exceedingly small object, 
 the other a large one. The meaning 
 is, that we are much more quick and 
 acute to judge of small ojfences in others, 
 than of much larger ojfnices in ourselves. 
 Even a very small object that should 
 hinder the vision of another, we should 
 discern much more quickly than a much 
 larger one in our own sight. This was 
 also a proverb in frequent use among 
 the Jews, and the same sentiment was 
 common among the Greeks, and de- 
 serves to be expressed in every lan- 
 guage. 
 
 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out, &c. 
 Christ directs us to the proper way of 
 forming an opinion of others, and of re- 
 proving and correcting them. By first 
 amending our own faults, or casting the 
 beam out of our eye, we can co^i.tist 
 enlly advance to correct the faults oi 
 others. There will then be no hypoc- 
 risy in our conduct. We shall also see
 
 A. D. 31.j 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 9Si 
 
 the beam " out of thine own eye ; 
 and then shalt thou see clearly to 
 cast out the mote out of thy bro- 
 ther's eye. 
 
 6 Give not that which is holy 
 unto the doos, neither ' cast ye your 
 pearls before swine, lest they tram- 
 ple them under their feet, and turn 
 again and rend you. 
 
 7 Ask, and it shall be given you, 
 • seek, and ye shall find ; knock, 
 and it shall be opened unto you : 
 
 aGa.G.l. 6 Pr.9.7,8. 23.9. c Is.55.e. Lu. 
 18.1. 
 
 clearly to do it. The beam, the thing 
 that obscured our sight, will be re- 
 moved ; and we shall more clearly dis- 
 cern the small object that obscures the 
 eight of our brother. The sentiment 
 is, that the readiest way to judge of the 
 imperfections of others is to be free 
 from greater ones ourselves. This 
 qualifies us for judging, makes us can- 
 did and consistent, and enables us to 
 see things as they are, and to make 
 proper allowances for frailty and imper- 
 fection. 
 
 6. Give not that which is holy, &c. 
 By some, the word holy has been sup- 
 posed to mean fesh offered in sacrifice, 
 made holy, or separated to a sacred use. 
 But it probably means here any thing 
 connected with religion — admonition, 
 precept, or doctrine. Pearls are pre- 
 cious stones found in shell-fish, chiefly 
 in India, in the waters that surround 
 Ceylon. They are used to denote any 
 thing peculiarly precious. Rev. xvii. 
 4. xviii. 12 — 16 ; Matt. xiii. 45. In this 
 place they are used to denote the doc- 
 trines of the gospel. Dogs signify men 
 who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doc- 
 trine ; men of peculiar sourness and 
 malignity of temper, who meet it hke 
 growling and quarrelsome curs. 2 Peter 
 u. 22 ; Rev. xxii. 15. Sivaie denote 
 those who would trample the precep's 
 under feet ; men of impurity of hfe ; 
 corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and 
 iensial; who would not know the va- 
 lue of the gospel, and who would tread 
 it down as swine would pearls. 2 Pet. 
 ii. 22 ; Prov. xi. 22. The meaning of 
 this proverb, then, is, do not offer your 
 doctrine to those violent and abusive 
 men. who would growl and curse you ; 
 
 8 For every one that asketh "* re- 
 ceiveth ; and he that seeketh ' find- 
 eth ; and to him that knocketh it 
 shall he opened. 
 
 9 Or what man is there of you, 
 whom if his son ask bread, will he 
 give him a stone 1 
 
 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he 
 give him a serpent? 
 
 11 If ye then, being evil, know 
 how to give good gifts unto your 
 children, •'' how much more shall 
 
 d Ps.81.10,lG. Jno.14.13,14. 16.23,24. IJno 
 3.22.5.14,15. ePr.8.17. Je.29.12,13. /Lu 
 ll.ll,&c. 
 
 nor to those peculiarly debased and 
 profligate, who would not perceive its 
 value, would trample it down, and 
 abuse you. This verse furnishes a 
 beautiful instance of the introverted 
 parallelism. The usual mode of poetry 
 among the Hebrews, and a common 
 mode of expression in proverbs and 
 apothegms, was by the parallelism, 
 where one member of a sentence an 
 swered to another, or expressed sub- 
 stantially the same sense with some 
 addition or modification. See my In- 
 troduction to Isaiah. Sometimes tliis 
 was alternate, and sometimes it was in- 
 troverted — where the first and fourth 
 lines would correspond, and the second 
 and third. This is the case here. The 
 dogs would rend, and not the s^\"ine ; 
 the swine would trample the pearls un- 
 der their feet, and not the dogs. It may 
 be thus expressed : 
 
 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs. 
 Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, 
 Lest they trample them under their feet, 
 
 And turn again [that is, the dogs] and rend 
 you. 
 
 7 — 11. Ash and it shall he given you, 
 Sec. There are here three different 
 forms presented of seeking "the things 
 which we need from God, asking, seek 
 ing, and knocking. The latter is taken 
 from the act of knocking at a door for 
 admittance. See Luke xiii. 45 ; Rev. 
 iii. 20. The phrases signify to seek 
 with earnestness, and dihgence. and 
 perseverance. 
 
 The promise is, that what we seek 
 shall be given us. It is of course im 
 plied that we seek with a proper spirit, 
 with humihty, sincerity, and perscro
 
 M 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 your Father which is in heaven give 
 good things to them that ask him ] 
 
 12 Therefore all things whatso- 
 ever ye would that men should do 
 to you, do ye even so to them : 
 for " this is the law and the pro- 
 phets. 
 
 13 Enter ye in * at the strait 
 a Le.19.18. Ro. 13.8-10. Ga.5.14. 6 Lu. 
 
 3.24. 
 
 ranee. It is implied, also, that we ask 
 the things which it may be consistent 
 for God to give — that is, tilings which 
 he has promised to give, and which 
 would be best for us and his Idngdom. 
 I John V. 14. Of that, God is to be the 
 judge. And here there is the utmost 
 latitude which a creature can ask. God 
 is willing to provide for us, to forgive 
 our sins, to save our souls, to befriend 
 as in trial, to comfort us in death, to 
 extend the gospel through the world. 
 Man can ask no higher things of God ; 
 and these he may ask, assured that he 
 b willing to grant them. 
 
 Christ encourages us to do this by 
 the conduct of parents. No parent 
 turns away his child with that which 
 v/ould be unsatisfactory or injurious. 
 He would not give him a stone instead 
 of bread, nor a serpent instead of afis^. 
 God is better and kinder than the mtnst 
 tender earthly parents : and will, what 
 confidence, therefore, may we come as 
 his children, and ask what we need ! 
 Parents, he says, are evil ; that is, are 
 imperfect, often partial, blind, and 
 sometimes passionate ; but God is free 
 from all this, and therefore is ready and 
 willing to aid us. ^ Ever^ one that 
 asketh receiveth. That is, every one 
 that asks aright, that prays in faith, and 
 in submission to the will of God. He 
 does not always give the very thing 
 which we ask, but he gives what would 
 be better. A parent will not always 
 confer thS very thin^ which a child 
 asks, but he will seeli the welfare of 
 the child, and give what he thinks will 
 be most for its good. Paul asked that 
 the thorn from his flesh might be re- 
 moved. God did not literally grant the 
 request, but told him' that his grace 
 should be sujfficient for him. 2 Cor. xii. 
 7, 8, 9. 'i A fish. A fish has some 
 resemblance to a serpent. Yet no pa- 
 rent would attempt to deceive his child 
 in this. So God will not give to us that 
 
 gate : for wide is the gate, and 
 broad is the way, that leadeth to 
 destruction, and many there he 
 which go in thereat: 
 
 14 ' Because strait is the gate 
 and narrow is the way, which lead- 
 eth unto life; and few* there be 
 that find it. 
 1 or, haw. c c.20.16. 25.1-12. Rc.9.27v29. 
 
 which might appear to be of use, bu 
 which would be injurious. 
 
 12. All things whatsoever, &c. This 
 command has been usually called the 
 Savio2ir's golden rule, a name given to 
 it on account of its great value. All 
 that you expect or desire of others in si 
 milar circumstances, do to them. Act 
 not from selfishness or injustice, but put 
 yourself in the place of the other, and 
 ask what you would expect of him then. 
 This would make you impartial, and 
 candid, and just. It would destroy ava- 
 rice, envy, treachery, unkindness, slan- 
 der, theft, adultery, and murder. It 
 has been well said that this law is what 
 the balance-wheel is to machinery. It 
 would prevent all irregularity of move- 
 ment in the moral world, as that does 
 in a steam-engine. It is easily applied, 
 its justice is seen by all men, and all 
 must acknowledge its force and value. 
 IT This is the law and the prophets. 
 That is, this is the sum or substance ol 
 the Old Testament. It is nowhere 
 found in so many words, but it is a 
 summary expression of all that the law 
 required. The sentiment was in use 
 among the Jews. Hillel, an ancient 
 Rabbi, said to a man who wished to 
 become a proselyte, and who asked him 
 to teach him the whole law. "What- 
 ever is hateful to you, do not do to an- 
 other." Something of the same senti- 
 ment was found among the ancient 
 Greeks and Romans. 
 
 13, 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate. 
 Christ here compares the way to hie to 
 an entrance through a gate. The words 
 straight, and strait, have very diflerent 
 meanings. The former means 7iot crook- 
 ed; the latter pent up, narrow, difficult 
 to be entered. This is the word used 
 here, and it means that the way to hea- 
 ven IS per.t up, narrow, close, and noj 
 obviously entered. The way to death 
 is open, broad, and thronged. The 
 Saviour here referred probably 'o an
 
 A. D. 31.1 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 d9 
 
 15 Beware of false prophets, " 
 which come to ycu in sheep's cloth- 
 ing, but inwardly they are ravening 
 * wolves : 
 
 16 Ye shall know them by their 
 ' fruits. Do men gather grapes of 
 thorns, or figs of thistles 1 
 
 17 Even so every good tree ** 
 bringeth forth good fruit; but a 
 corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit, 
 
 a De.13.1-3. Je.23.13-16. 1 Jno.4.1. b Ac. 
 80.i29-31. e c.12.33. d Lu.6.43,45- 
 
 cient cities. They were surrounded 
 with walls, and entered through gates. 
 Some of those, connected with the great 
 avenues to the city, were broad, and 
 admitted a throng. Others, for more 
 private purposes, were narrow, and few 
 would be seen entering iheni. So, says 
 Christ, is the path to heaven. It is 
 narrow. It is not Ike great highway that 
 men tread. Few go there. Here and 
 there one may be seen — traveUing in 
 solitude and singularity. The way to 
 death, on the other hand, is broad. 
 Multitudes are in it. It is the great 
 highway in which men go. They fall 
 into it easily, and without effort, and go 
 without thought. If tiiey wish to leave 
 that, and go by a narrow gate to the 
 city, it would require effort and thought. 
 So, says Christ, diligence is needed to 
 enter into Ufe. See Luke xiii. 24. None 
 go of course. All must strive, to obtain 
 if; and so narrow, unfrequented, and 
 soUtary is it, that few find it. This sen- 
 timent has been beautifully versified by 
 Watts : 
 
 " Broad is the road that leads to death. 
 And thousands walk together there ; 
 But wisdom shows a narrower path, 
 With here and there a traveller." 
 
 15. False prophets. The word pro- 
 phet originally means, one who foretells 
 fjture events. As prophets, however, 
 were commonly regarded as publ'c in- 
 Btructors on the subject of religio.i, the 
 word came to denote all who were re- 
 ligious teachers. In this sense it is pro- 
 bably used here. A false prophet is a 
 teacher of incorrect doctrine, or one 
 falsely and unjustly laying claims to 
 divine inspiration. It probably had re- 
 ference to the false teachers then among 
 the Jews. IT IVho come in sheep's cloth- 
 ms- The sheep is an emblem of inno 
 
 18 A good tree cannot briii^ forth 
 evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree 
 bring forth good fruit. 
 
 I'J Every • tree that brinf^eth 
 not forth good fruit, is hewn down, 
 and cast into the fire. 
 
 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye 
 shall know them. 
 
 21 Not every one that saith unto 
 
 me. Lord, Lord, / shall enter into 
 
 ec.3.10. Jno.15.2,6. /Is.43.],2. c.25.11, 
 12. Lu.6.46. 13.25. Ro.2.13. 
 
 ccnce, sincerity, and harmlessness. To 
 come in sheep's clothing, ia to assume 
 the appearance of sanctity and inno- 
 cence, when the heart is evil. IT Ra- 
 vening wolves. Rapacious ; or disposed 
 to plunder. Applied to the false teach- 
 ers, it means that they assumed the ap- 
 pearance of holiness, in order that they 
 might the more readily get the property 
 of the people. They were full of ex- 
 tortion and excess. See Matt, xxiii. 25. 
 
 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. 
 He gives the proper test of their charac- 
 ter. Men do not judge of a tree by its 
 leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the 
 fruit which it bears. The flowers may 
 be handsome and fragrant ; the foliage 
 thick and green ; but these are merely 
 ornamental. It is the fruit that is of 
 chief service to man ; and he forms his 
 opinion of the nature and value of the 
 tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to 
 religion. The profession may be fair; 
 but the conduct — the fruit in the eye of 
 the world — is to determine the nature 
 of the principles. 
 
 17. A corrupt tree. The word cor- 
 rupt here does not signify, as our trans- 
 lation would seem to indicate, that the 
 tree had been good, but had become 
 vitiated; but that it was a tree of a use- 
 less character, of a nature that produces 
 nothing beneficial. 
 
 21. Not every one that saith, Slc. He 
 goes on to say that many, on the ground 
 of that profession, will claim admittance 
 into his kingdom. Many will plead that 
 they had done miracles, and preached 
 or prophesied much, and will demand 
 an entrance into heaven. The power 
 of working miracles had no necessarv 
 connexion with piety. God may as 
 well, if he chooses, give the power of 
 raising the dead, to a wicked man, as 
 the skill of healinsj to a wicked physician
 
 tK> 
 
 the kingdom ot heaven ; out he 
 that doeth the will of my Father 
 which is in heaven. 
 
 22 Many will say to me in that 
 day, Lord, Lord, have we not pro- 
 phesied " in thy name ■? and in thy 
 name have cast out devils 1 and in 
 thy name done many wonderful 
 works ■? 
 
 23 And then will I profess unto 
 ihern, I never knew you : depart 
 from me, * ye that work iniquity. 
 
 24 Therefore ' whosoever hear- 
 eth these sayings of mine, and do- 
 
 aNu.2-1.4. lKi.2-2.1],&:c. Je.23.13,&c. Ac. 
 )9.ia-J5. 1 Co. 13.2. 6 Ps.5.5. c.23.41. Re.2i. 
 15. c Lu.6.47,&c. 
 
 A miracle is a display of his own power 
 through the medium of another. An 
 act of heahng the sick is also a display 
 of his power through the agency of an- 
 other. In neither of these cases is there 
 any necessary conne.xion with moral 
 character. So of preaching, or prophe- 
 sying. God may use the agency of a 
 man of talents, though not pious, to 
 carry forward his purposes. Saving 
 power on the mind is the work of God ; 
 and he may convey it by any agency 
 which he may choose. Accordingly, 
 many may be found in the day of judg- 
 ment who may have been endowed with 
 powers of prophecy, or miracle, as Ba- 
 laam, or the magicians of Egypt ; in 
 the same way as many men of distin- 
 guished talents may be found, yet des- 
 titute of piety, and shut out of his king- 
 dom. See Matt. vii. 21. 1 Cor. i. 2G, 
 xih. 1 — 3. In this last place, Paul says, 
 ihat though he spoke with the tongue 
 of angels, and had the gift of prophecy, 
 and could remove mountains, and had 
 not charity or love, all would be of no 
 avail. See my Notes on 1 Cor. xiii. 
 1—3. 
 
 22. In that day. That is, in the last 
 day, the day ol judgment; the time 
 when the principles of all pretenders to 
 prophecy and piety shall be tried. 
 
 23. Profess %,nto them. Say unto 
 them ; plainly de^ilare. IT I never knew 
 you. That is, I never approved, loved, 
 ^r regarded you as my friends. See 
 Ps. i. 6 ; 2. Tim. ii. 19. 1 Cor. viii. 3. 
 This proves that, with all their preten- 
 sions, they had never been triie follow- 
 8r.«> of Christ. Jesus will not then say 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D.31 
 
 eth them, I will liken nim unto 'a 
 wise ''■ man, which built his house 
 upon a rock : 
 
 25 And the raia descended, and 
 the floods came, and the winds 
 blew, and beat upon that house; 
 and it fell not: for it was founded 
 upon a rock. ' 
 
 26 And every one that heareth 
 these sayings of mine, and doelb 
 them not, shall be likened unto a 
 foolish / man, which built his house 
 upon the sand : 
 
 27 And the rain descended, and 
 d Ps.m.lO. 119.99.130. e Ps.92.13-lS 
 
 /lSa.2.30. Je.8.9. 
 
 to false prophets and false professors of 
 religion, that he had once known them 
 and then rejected them, that they had 
 been once Christians and then kad fall- 
 en away ; that they had been pardoned, 
 and then had apostatized — but that he 
 had 7iever known them — they had never 
 BEEN TRUE CHRISTIANS. Whatever 
 might have been their pretended joys, 
 their raptures, their hopes, theii self- 
 confidence, their visions, their zeal, 
 they had never been regarded by the 
 Saviour as his true friends. I know 
 not a more decided proof that Christians 
 do not fall away from grace than this 
 text. It settles the question; and 
 proves that whatever else such m^n 
 had, they never had any true rehgion. 
 See 1 John ii. 19. 
 
 24 — 27. Jesus closes the sermon on 
 the mount by a beautiful comparison, 
 illustrating the benefit of attending to his 
 words. It was not sufficient Xohear them; 
 they must be obeyed. He compares the 
 man who should hear, and obey him, to 
 a man who built liis house on a rock. 
 Palestine was to a considerable extent 
 a land of hills and mountains. Like 
 other countries of that description, it 
 was subject to sudden and violent rains. 
 The Jordan, the principal stream, was 
 annually swollen to a great extent, and 
 became rapid and furious in its course. 
 The streams which ran among the hills, 
 whose channels might have been dry 
 during some months of the year, became 
 suddenly svN'oUen with the rain, and 
 would pour down impetuously into the 
 plains below. Every thing in the way 
 of thp.<;p tnrrents would be swept on
 
 A. D.31.1 
 
 CHAPTER Vll. 
 
 97 
 
 the floods came, and the winds 
 blew, " and bent upon that house ; 
 and it fell : and great was * the fall 
 of it. 
 28 And it came to pass, when 
 olCo.3.13. J He.l0.2C,27. 
 
 Even houses erected within the reach 
 of these sudden inundations, and fispe- 
 cially if founded on sand, or any unsolid 
 basis, would not stand before them. 
 The rising, bursting stream would 
 shako it to its foundation; the rapid 
 torrent would gradually wash away its 
 base; it would totter and fall, and be 
 swept away. Rocks in that country 
 were common, and it was easy to se- 
 cure for their houses a solid foundation. 
 
 No comparison could, to a Jew, have 
 been more striking. So, tempests, and 
 storms of affliction and persecution, beat 
 around the soul. Suddenly, when we 
 think we are in safety, the heavens may 
 be overcast ; the storm may lower ; and 
 calamity beat upon us. In a moment, 
 health, friends, comforts, may be gone. 
 How desirable then to be possessed of 
 something that the tempest cannot 
 reach ! Such is an interest in Christ ; 
 attention to his words ; reliance on his 
 promises ; confidence in his protection ; 
 and a hope of heaven through his blood. 
 Earthly calamities do not reach these ; 
 and, possessed oi religion, all the storms 
 and tempests of life may beat harmless- 
 ly around us. 
 
 There is another point in this compa- 
 rison. The house built on the sand is 
 beat upon by the floods and rains ; its 
 foundation gradually is worn away ; it 
 falls, and is borne down the stream, and 
 is destroyed. So falls the sinner. The 
 floods are wearing away his sandy foun- 
 dation ; and soon one tremendous storm 
 shall beat upon him, and he and his 
 hopes shall fall, for ever fall. Out of 
 Christ, perhaps having heard his words 
 from very childhood ; perhaps having 
 taught them to others in the Sunday 
 school ; perhaps having been the means 
 of laying the foundation on which others 
 shall build for heaven, he has laid for 
 himself no foundation ; and soon an eter- 
 nal tempest shall beat around his naked 
 soul. How great will be that fall ! 
 What will be his emotions when sink- 
 ing for ever in the flood, and destined 
 for ever to hve and writhe in the pelt- 
 ings of that ceaseless storm that shaU 
 
 
 Jesus had ended these sayings, the 
 people were astonished ' at his doc- 
 trine : 
 
 29 For he taught them as one ha? • 
 ing authority, and not as the scribes. 
 c Je.23.29. Mar.6.2. 
 
 beat when " God shall rain snares, fire, 
 and a horrible tempest" upon the 
 wicked ! • 
 
 28, 29. His doctrine. His teaching. 
 ^ As one having authority, and 7iot at 
 the scribes. The scribes were the learn- 
 ed men and teachers of the Jewish na- 
 tion, and were principally Pharisees. 
 They taught chiefly the sentiments 
 of their rabbins, and the traditions 
 which had been delivered ; they con- 
 sumed nmch of their time in useless 
 disputes, " vain jangling." Jesus was 
 open, plain, grave, useful ; delivering 
 truth as became the oracles of God ; not 
 spending his time in trifling disputes, and 
 debating questions of no importance ; 
 but contirming his doctrine by miracles 
 and argument; — teaching as having 
 power, as it is in the original, and not 
 in the vain and foolish manner of the 
 Jewish doctors. He showed that he 
 had authority to explain, enforce, and 
 change the ceremonial laws of the Jews. 
 He came with authority such as no 7na7i 
 could have, and it is not remarkable 
 that his explanations astonished them. 
 From this chapter we may learn, 
 
 1st. The evil of censorious judging, 
 vs. 1 — 5. We cannot see the heart. We 
 have ourselves possibly greater faults 
 than the persons that we condemn. 
 They may be of a different kind ; but 
 it is not strange for persons to be very 
 censorious towards faults in others, 
 which they have to much greater ex. 
 tent themselves. 
 
 2d. We see how we are to treat men 
 who are opposers of the gospel, ver. 6. 
 We are not to present it to them when 
 we know they will despise it, and abuse 
 us. We should, however, be cautious 
 in forming that opinion of them. Many 
 men may be far more ready to hear the 
 gospel than we imagine ; and a word 
 seasonably and kindly spoken, may be 
 the means of saving them. Prov. xxv. 
 11. Eccles. xi. 6. We should not mee 
 violent and wicked opposers of the gos 
 pel with a harsh, overbearing, and lord- 
 ly spirit ; a spirit of dogmatizing and 
 anger ; nor should we violate the laws
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 CHAPTER Vm. 
 [/"HEN he was come down from 
 the mountain, great multi- 
 tudes followed him. 
 
 of social intercourse under the idea of 
 faithfuhiess. Religion gains nothing by 
 outraging the established laws of social 
 Jtfe» 1 Pet. iii. 8. If men will not hear 
 as when we speak to them kindly and 
 respectfully, we may be sure they will 
 not when we abuse them, and become 
 angry. We harden them against the 
 truth, and confirm them in the opinion 
 that religion is of no value. Our Sa- 
 viour was always mild and kind ; and 
 in not a single iJistance did he do vio- 
 lence to the laws of social intercourse, or 
 fail in the respect due from otie mail to 
 another. When with harshness men 
 speak to their superiors ; when they 
 abuse them with unkind words, and 
 coarse epithets, and unfeeling denun- 
 ciations ; when children and youth for- 
 get their station, and speak in harsh, 
 authoritative tones to the aged, they are 
 violating the very first principles of the 
 gospel — meekness, respect, and love. 
 Give honor to whom honor is due, and 
 be kind, be courteous. 
 
 3d. Christ gives peculiar encourage- 
 ment to prayer, vcr. 7 — 11. Especially 
 his remarks apply to the young. What 
 child is there that would not go to his 
 parent, and ask him for things which 
 were necessary ? What child doubts 
 the wilhngness of a kind parent to give 
 what he thinks will be best for him? 
 But God is more willing to give than 
 the hest parent. We need of him gifts 
 of far more importance than we ever 
 can of an earthly father. None but 
 God can forgive, enlighten, sanctify, 
 and save us. How strange thai many 
 ask favors of an earthly parent daily and 
 hourly, and never ask of the Great 
 Uiiiversal Father a single blessing, for 
 time or eternity ! 
 
 4tli. The danger of losing the soul, 
 vs. 13, 14. The way to ruin is broad, 
 the road to heaven is narrow. Men 
 naturally and readily go in the former ; 
 they never go in the latter without de- 
 sign. When we enter on the journey 
 of life, we natiually fall into the broad 
 and thronged way to ruin. Our origin- 
 al propensity ; our native depravity ; our 
 lisincUnatioji to God and religion, lead 
 
 2 And, behold, there came a lepei 
 " and worshipped him, saying. Lord, 
 if thou wilt, thou canst make me 
 clean. 
 
 a Mar.l.40Ac. Lu.5.12,&:c. 
 
 us to that. And we never leave it with 
 out eflbrt. How much more natural to 
 tread in a way in which multitudes go 
 than in one where there are lew travel- 
 lers, and which requires an effort to find 
 it ! And how much danger is there 
 that we shall continue to tread in that 
 way until it terminate in our ruin ! No 
 man is saved without effort. No man 
 enters on the narrow way without de- 
 sign ; no one by following his natural 
 incUnation and propensities. And ye( 
 how indisposed we are to effort; hov 
 unwilHng to listen to the exhortationa 
 which would call us from the broad path 
 to a narrower and less frequented 
 course ! How prone are men to fee' 
 that they are safe if they are with the 
 many, and that the multitude that at- 
 tend them constitute a safeguard from 
 danger ! 
 
 " Encompassed by a throng. 
 On numbers they depend ; 
 They say so many can't be wrong, 
 And miss a happy end." 
 
 Yet did God ever spare a guilty city 
 because it was large ? Did he spare 
 the army of Sennacherib from the de- 
 stroying angel because it was mighty ? 
 Does he hesitate to cut men down by 
 the plague, the pestilence, and by fa- 
 mine, because they are numerous ? Is 
 he deterred from consigning men to the 
 grave because they swarm upon the 
 earth, and because a mighty throng is 
 going to death ? So in the way to hell. 
 Not numbers, nor power, nor might, 
 nor talent in the broad way, will deter 
 him or make that way safe ; nor will 
 the path to heaven be a dangerous road 
 because few are seen travelling there. 
 The Saviour knew and felt that men 
 are in danger ; and hence with much 
 solemnity lie warned them when he 
 hved — 'and now warns us — to strive to 
 enter into the strait gate. 
 
 5th. The necessity of sincerity in re- 
 hgion. vs. 15 — 23. Professiun is of no 
 value without it. God sees the heart. 
 And the day is near when he shall cut 
 down and destroy all those who do not 
 bring forth the fruits of righteousness in
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 99 
 
 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will 
 
 their lives. If in any thing we should 
 be honest and sincere, surely it should 
 be in the things of religion. God is 
 never deceived. Gal. vi. 7. And the 
 things of eternity are of too much con- 
 sequence to be lost by deluding our- 
 selves or others. We may deceive our 
 fellow men, but we do not delude our 
 Malier ; and soon he will strip off our 
 thin covering, and show us as we are 
 to the universe. If any thing is of 
 prominent value in religion, it is hones- 
 ty ; — honesty to ourselves, our fellow 
 men, and to God. Be willing to know 
 the worst of your case. Be wilhng to 
 be thought of, by God, and men, as you 
 are. Assume nothing which you do not 
 possess ; and pretend to nothing which 
 you have not. Judge of yourselves as 
 you do of others — not by words and 
 promises, but by the life. Judge of 
 yourselves as you do of trees, — not by 
 leaves and flowers, but by the fruit. 
 
 6th. The importance of building our 
 hopes of heaven on a firm foundation. 
 TS. 24 — 27. No other can any man 
 lay than that which is laid, which is 
 Christ. 1 Cor. iii. 11. He is the tried 
 Corner Stone. 1 Pet. ii. 6. Eph. ii. 20. 
 On an edifice raised on that foundation, 
 the storms of persecution and calamity 
 will beat in vain. Hopes thus reared 
 sustain every adversity ; are mishaken 
 by the terrors of death ; and secure us 
 from the tempests of wrath that shall 
 beat upon the guilty. How awful in the 
 day of judgment, will it be to have been 
 deceived ! How dreadful the shock to 
 find then the house built on the sand ! 
 How dreadful the emotions, to see our 
 hopes totter on the brink of ruin ; to 
 see sand after sand washed away, and 
 the dwelling reel over the heaving deep, 
 and fall into the abyss, to rise no more ! 
 Ruin, awful and eternal ruin, awaits 
 those who thus deceive themselves, and 
 trust to a name to live, while they are 
 dead. 
 
 7th. Under what obligations are we 
 for this sermon on the mount ! In all 
 languages there is not a discourse to be 
 found that can be compared with it for 
 purity, and truth, and beauty, and dig- 
 nity. Were there no other evidence of 
 the divine mission of Christ, this alone 
 would be sufficient to prove that he was 
 sent from God. Were these doctrines 
 obeyed, and loved, how pure and peace- 
 
 ful would be the world ! IIow would 
 hypocrisy be abashed and confnmd'»d 
 How would impurity hang its head 
 How would peace reign in every familj 
 and nation ! How would anger and 
 wrath flee ! And how would the race 
 — the lost, and benighted tribes of raen, 
 the poor, and needy, and sorrowful-— 
 bend themselves before their comnnon 
 Father, and seek peace and eternal life 
 at the hands of a merciful and faithful 
 God! 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 2. There came a leper. No disease 
 with which the human family has been 
 afflicted, has been more dreadful than 
 that which is often mentioned in the Bi- 
 ble as the leprosy. It first exhibits itselt 
 on the surface of the skin. The ap- 
 pearance is not always the same, but it 
 commonly resembles the spot made by 
 the puncture of a pin, or the pustules 
 of a ring- worm. The spots generally 
 make their appearance very suddenly 
 Perhaps its appearance might be has- 
 tened by any sudden passion, as fear 
 Granger. See Num. xii. 10. 2 Chron. 
 xxvi. 19. The spots commonly exhibit 
 themselves, at first, on the face, about 
 the nose and eyes, and increase in size 
 a number of years, till they become aa 
 large as a pea or a bean. 
 
 There are three kinds of leprosy, 
 distinguished by the appearance of the 
 spots: the white, the black, and the 
 red leprosy. These spots though few 
 at first, gradually spread till they cover 
 the whole body. 
 
 But though the appearoTMre of the dis- 
 ease is at first in the skin, yet it is deep- 
 ly seated in the bones, and marrow, 
 and joints of the body. We have rea- 
 son to suppose that in children it is con- 
 cealed in the system for a number of 
 years, till they arrive at the age of pu- 
 berty ; and in adults, for three or four 
 years, till at last it gives fearful indica- 
 tions on the skin of its having gained a 
 well-rooted and permanent existence. 
 A leprous person may live twenty, or 
 thirty, or even fifty years, if he received 
 the disease at his birth, btit they will 
 be years of indescribable misery. The 
 bones and marrow are pervaded with 
 the disease. The malady advances 
 from one stage to another with slow 
 and certain ruin. "Life still lingers 
 amidst the desolation;" the joints, and
 
 100 MATTHEW. [A. D. 31. 
 
 be thou clean : and immediately I 4 And Jesus saith tnto him, See 
 his leprosy was cleansed. | thou tell " no man ; bit go thy way, 
 
 a c.9.30. Mar.5.43. 
 
 hands, and feet, lose their power ; and 
 the body collapses, or falls together, in 
 a form hideous and awful. There is a 
 form of the disease in which it com- 
 me:.'.;es at the extremities : the joints 
 separate ; the fingers, toes, and other 
 members, one by one fall off; and the 
 malady thus gradually approaches the 
 seat of life. The wretched victim is 
 thus doomed to see himself dying piece- 
 meal, assured that no human power can 
 arrest for a moment the silent and steady 
 march of this foe to the seat of life. 
 
 This disease is contagious and here- 
 ditary. It is easily communicated from 
 one to another, and is transmitted to the 
 third and fourth generation. The last 
 generation that is afflicted with it com- 
 monly exhibits the symptoms by de- 
 cayed teeth, and fetid breath, and dis- 
 eased complexion. 
 
 Moses gave particular directions by 
 which the real leprosy was to be distin- 
 guished from other diseases. See Lev. 
 xiii. The leprous [lerson was, in order 
 to avoid contagion, very properly sepa- 
 rated from the congregation. 1'he in- 
 spection of the disease was committed 
 to the priest; and a declaration on his 
 part that the person was healed, was 
 sufficient evidence to restore the afflict- 
 ed man to ihe congregation. It was 
 required also that the leprous person 
 should bring an offering to the priest of 
 two birds, commonly doves, one of 
 which was slain, and the other dismiss- 
 ed. See Lev. xiv. In compliance with 
 the laws of the land, Jesus directed the 
 man that he had healed to make the cus- 
 tomary offering, and to obtain the testi- 
 mony of the priest that he was healed. 
 The leprosy has once, and but once 
 appeared in America. This loathsome 
 and most painful disease has in all other 
 instances been confined to the old world, 
 and chiefly to the eastern nations. It is 
 matter of profound gratitude to a benig- 
 nant God, that this scourge has been 
 permitted but once to visit the new 
 world. That awful calamity was in the 
 island of Guadaloupe, in the West In- 
 lies, about the year 1730; and is thus 
 iescribed by an eyewitness :* " Its 
 
 * M. Peyssanel. 
 
 commencement is imperceptible. Theia 
 appear only some few white spots on 
 the skin. At first thpy are ati ended 
 with no pain or inconvenience ; but no 
 means whatever will remove them. 
 The disease imperceptibly increases for 
 many years. The spots become larger, 
 and spread over the whole body. When 
 the disease advances, the upper part of 
 the nose swells, the nostrils become en- 
 larged, and the nose itself soft. Tu 
 mors appear on the jaws ; the eyebrows 
 swell ; the ears become thick ; the 
 points of the fingers, as also the feet 
 and the toes swell ; the nails becomfc 
 scaly ; the joints of ihe hands and feet 
 separate, and drop off. In the last stage 
 of the disease the patient becomes a 
 hideous spectacle, and falls to pieces. 
 ^ Worship him. Bowed down before 
 him, to show him respect. See Note 
 Matt. ii. 2. 1\ If thou wilt. This was 
 an exhibition of great faith, and also an 
 acknowledgment of his dependence on 
 the will of Jesus, in order to be healed. 
 So every sinner must come. He must 
 feel that Jesus can save him. He must 
 also feel that he has no claim on him ; 
 that it depends on his sovereign will ; 
 and must cast himself at his feet with 
 the feelings of the leper : 
 
 " I can but perish if I go ; 
 I am resolved to try : 
 For If I stay away, I know 
 I shall forever die." 
 
 Happily, no one ever came to Jesus 
 with this feeling, who was not received, 
 and pardoned. % Make me clean. Heal 
 me. The leprosy was regarded as an 
 unclean and disgusting disease. Tc be 
 healed, therefore, was expressed by be 
 ing cleansed from it. 
 
 3. A7id Jesus — touched him. It was 
 an offence to the Jews to touch a leprous 
 person, and was regarded as making 
 him vi'ho did it ceremonially impure. 
 Lev. xiii. 3. The act of putt.'ng forth 
 his hand and touching him, therefore, 
 expressed the intention of Jesus to euro 
 him, and was a pledge that he was^ in 
 fact, already cured. 
 
 4. See thou tell no man. This com- 
 mand is to be understood as extending 
 only to the time 'mtil he had made thp
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 101 
 
 shew thyself to the priest, and offer 
 the gift that Moees commanded " 
 for a testimony unto them. 
 
 5 And when Jesus was entered 
 into Capernaum, there came unto 
 him a centurion, * beseeching him, 
 
 6 And saying, Lord, my servant 
 lieth at home sick of the palsy, 
 grievously tormented. 
 
 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I 
 will come and heal hira. 
 
 8 The centurion answered and 
 
 a. Le.l4.3,&c. 
 
 6 Lu.7.2,&c. 
 
 proper representation to the priest. It 
 was his duty to hasteii to him immedi- 
 ately ; not to delay by talking about it, 
 but as the first thing, to obey the laws 
 of God, ami make proper acknowledg- 
 ments to him by an offering. The 
 place where this cure was wrought was 
 m Galilee, a distance of forty or fifty 
 miles from Jerusalem ; and it was his 
 duty to make haste to the residence of 
 the priest, and obtain his sanction to the 
 reahty of the cure. Perhaps also Christ 
 #as apprehensive that the report would 
 go before the man, if he delayed, and 
 the priest, through opposition to Jesus, 
 might pronounce it an imposition. 
 
 % A testimony unto them. Not to the 
 priest, but to the people. Show thyself 
 to the priest, and get his testimony to 
 the reality of the cure, as a proof to 
 the people that the healing is genuine. 
 It was necessary that he should have 
 that testimony, before he could be re- 
 ceived to the congregation, or allowed 
 to mingle with the people. Having this, 
 he would be, of course, restored to the 
 privileges of social and religious life, 
 and the proof of the miracle, to the peo- 
 ple, would be put beyond a doubt. 
 
 5. Capernaum. See Note, ch. iv. 13. 
 *ir There came unto him a centurion. A 
 centuiion was a commander of a hun- 
 dred men, in the Roman armies. Judea 
 was a Roman province, and garrisons 
 wore kept there to preserve the people 
 in subjection. This man was probably 
 0} birth a Pagan. See verse 10. 
 
 5. Sick of the palsy. See Note, ch. 
 iv. 24. The particular form which the 
 palsy assumed is not mentioned. It 
 seems it was a violent attack. Perhaps 
 i; was the painful form which produced 
 violent cramps, and which immediately 
 endangered his life. 
 9* 
 
 said, Lord, I am not worthy ' that 
 thou shouldest come under my 
 roof: but speak the word only, " 
 and my servant shall be healed. 
 
 9 For I am a man under author- 
 ity, having soldiers under me : and 
 I say to this man, Go, and he go- 
 eth ; and to another, Come, and he 
 cometh ; and to my servant, Dc 
 this, and he doeth it. 
 
 10 When Jesus heard it, he mar- 
 velled, and said to them that fol- 
 
 c Ps.10.17. Lu.15.19.21. d Ps.33.9. 107.20 
 
 8. / am not worthy, &c. This was 
 an expression of great humility. It re 
 fers doubtless to liis view of his perso>ia\ 
 unworthiness, and not merely to the 
 fact that he was a Gentile. It was the 
 expression of a humble spirit ; a con 
 viciion of the great dignity and power 
 of the Saviour, and a belief that he wd'i 
 so unlike him, that he was not tit that 
 the Son of God should come into his 
 dwellmg. So every truly penitent sm 
 ner feels — a feeling which is appropriate 
 when he comes to Christ. 
 
 9. / am a man, &c. He had full con 
 fidence in the ability of Jesus to heal 
 his servant, and requested him simply 
 to give the command. This request 
 he presented in a manner appropriate to 
 a soldier. I am a man, says he, undei 
 authority. That is, I am subject to *he 
 commands of others, and know how to 
 obey. I have also under me soldiers 
 who are accustomed to obedience, i 
 say to one, go, and he goes ; and to 
 another, come, and he comes, i am 
 prepared, therefore, to believe that your 
 commands will be obeyed. As these 
 obey me, so do diseases, storms, and 
 seas obey you. If men obey me, who 
 am an inferior officer, subject to ano- 
 ther, how much more shall diseases 
 obey you — the original source of power 
 — having control over all things ! He 
 asked, therefore, simply that Chris* 
 would give commandment, and he fell 
 assured he would be obeyed. 
 
 10. / have not found so great faith. 
 The word faith, here, means confidetice 
 or belief that Christ had power to hea' 
 his servant. It does not of necessity 
 imply that he had saving fciith ; though 
 from the connexion, and the spirit man 
 ifested, it scleras probable tl'.at he had. 
 If this was so, then be was the iirst
 
 102 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.31. 
 
 lowed, Verily I say unto you, I have 
 not found so grea: faith, " no, not 
 in Israel. 
 
 11 And I say unto you, That'' 
 many shall come rom the east and 
 west, and shall sit down with Abra- 
 
 a c.15.28. b Is.2.2,3. 
 Ep.3.6. Re.7.9. 
 
 Lu.13.29. Ac.11.18. 
 
 Gentile convert to Christianity, and was 
 a very early illustration of what was 
 more clearly revealed afterwards, that 
 the heathen were to be brought to the 
 knowledge of the truth. H Jesus mar- 
 velled. Or wondered at his faith ; or 
 deemed it remarkahle. ^ Not in Israel. 
 Israel was a name given to Jacob (Gen. 
 xxxii. 28, 29.), because, as a prince, he 
 had power with God ; because he per- 
 severed in wrestling with the angel 
 that met him, and obtained the blessing. 
 The name is derived from two Hebrew 
 svords, signifying Prince and God. He 
 was one of the patriarchs ; a progenitor 
 of the Jewish nation ; and the names 
 Israel and Israelites were given to them 
 as the name Romans was in honor of 
 Romulus ; and the name Americans 
 after Americus Vespuccius. It was given 
 to the whole nation till the time of Je- 
 roboam, when only the ten tribes that 
 revolted received the name, probably 
 because they were a majority of the 
 nation. After the captivity of Babylon, 
 it was given to all the Jews indiscrimi- 
 nately. See Matt. x. 6. Acts vii. 42. 
 Heb. viii. 8. Mark xv. 32. It here 
 means, ' I have not found such an in- 
 stance of confidence among the Jews.' 
 11. ISIany shall come from the east, 
 &c. Jesus takes occasion from the 
 faith of a Roman centurion, to state 
 this conversion would not be solitary ; 
 that many Pagans — m.any from the east 
 and west — would be converted to the 
 gospel, and be saved, as Abraham, 
 Isaac, and Jacob were. The phrase 
 " from the east and from the west," in 
 the scripture, is used to denote the v:hole 
 world. Isa. xlv. 6 ; lix. 19. The phrase, 
 shall sit down, in the original, refers to 
 the manner of sitting at meals (see Note 
 Matt, xxiii. 6.) ; and the enjoyments of 
 heaven are described under the simili- 
 tude of a feast or banquet — a very com- 
 mon manner of speaking of it. Matt. 
 xxvi. 29. Luke xiv. 15 ; xxii. 30. It is 
 used here to denote felicity, enjoyment 
 
 ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the 
 kingdom of heaven : 
 
 12 But the children of the king- 
 dom ' shall be cast out into outer 
 darkness : there shall be weeping 
 "* and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 c c.7.22,23. d c.13.42,50. 
 
 or honor. To sit with those distinguish- 
 ed men was an honor, and would be 
 expressive of great fehcity. 
 
 12. The children of the Jcingdom. 
 That is, the children, or the people,, 
 who expected the kingdom; or to" whom 
 it properly belonged ; or, in other words, 
 the Jews. They supposed themselves 
 peculiarly the favorites of heaven. They 
 thought the Messiah would enlarge 
 their nation, and spread the triumphs 
 of their kingdom. They called them- 
 selves, therefore, the children of the 
 members of the kingdom of God, to 
 the exclusion of the Gentiles. Our 
 Saviour used the manner of speech to 
 which they were accustomed, and said 
 that many of the Pagans would he save^, 
 and many Jews lost. If Shall be cast out 
 into outer darkness, &lc^ This is an 
 image of future punishment. It is not 
 improbable that the image was taken 
 from Roman dungeons or prisons. 
 They were commonly constructed un- 
 der-ground. They were shut out from 
 the Ijght of the sun. They were, of 
 course, damp, dark, and unhealthy, and 
 probably most filthy. Masters were in 
 the habit of constructing such prisons for 
 their slaves, where the unhappy prison- 
 er, without light, or company, or com- 
 fort, spent his days and nights in weep- 
 ing from grief, and in vainly gnashing 
 his teeth from indignation. The image 
 expresses the fact, that the wicked who 
 are lost will be shut out from the light 
 of heaven, and from peace, and joy, 
 and hope ; will be confined in gloomy 
 darkness ; will weep in hopeless grief; 
 and gnash their teeth in indignation 
 against God, and murmur against his 
 justice. What a striking image of fu- 
 ture wo ! Go to a damp, dark, soli- 
 tary, and squalid dungeon ; see a mise- 
 rable and enraged victim ; add to his 
 sufferings the idea of eternity, and then 
 remember that this after all is but an 
 image, a faint image, of hell ! See 
 Note on Matt, xxii. 13
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 103 
 
 13 And Jesus said unto the cen- 
 'urion, Go thy way ; and as thou 
 liast believed, so be it done unto 
 thee. And his servant was healed 
 in the self-same hour. 
 
 13. He was healed in that self-same 
 hour. This showed decisively the good- 
 ness and power of Jesus. No miracle 
 could be more complete. There cotild 
 be no imposition, or deception. 
 
 1 his account, or one similar to this, 
 IS found in Luke vii. 1 — 10. There 
 nas been a difierence of opinion whe- 
 ther that was the same account, or 
 whether a second centurion, encourag- 
 ed by the success of the first, applied 
 to our Saviour in a similar case and 
 manner, and obtained the same suc- 
 cess. In support of the supposition 
 that they are different narratives, it is 
 said that they disagree so far that it is 
 impossible to reconcile them, and that 
 it is not improhable that a similar oc- 
 currence might take place, and be at- 
 tended with similar results. 
 
 To a plain reader, however, the nar- 
 ratives appear to be the same. They 
 Ugree hi the character of the person, 
 Oie place, and apparently the time ; in 
 (he same substantial structure of the 
 account, the expression of similar feel- 
 ings, and the same answers, and the 
 same result. It is very difficult to be- 
 lieve that all these circumstances would 
 coincide in two difierent stories. 
 
 They differ, however. Matthew says, 
 that the centurion came himself. Luke 
 says, that he at lirst sent elders of the 
 Jews, and then his particular friends. 
 He also adds, that he was friendly to 
 the Jews, and had built them a syna- 
 gogue. An infidel will ask, whether 
 there is not here a palpable contradic- 
 tion ? In e.xplanation of this, let it be 
 remarked : 1st. That the fact that the 
 centurion came himself is no evidence 
 that others did not come also. It was 
 m the city. The centurion was a great 
 favorite, and had conferred on them 
 many favors ; and they would be anx- 
 ious that the favor which he desired of 
 Jesus should be granted. At his sug- 
 gestion, or of their own accord, they 
 might ap[)ly to Jesus ; and press the 
 Bubjec-f upon him, and be anxious to 
 represent the case as favorably as pos- 
 sible. AW this was probably done, as 
 
 14 And when Jesus was come 
 into Peter's house, he saw his 
 wife's mother laid, " and sick of a 
 fever. 
 
 15 And he touched her hand, 
 
 a Mar.l.30,31. Lu.4.38,39. 
 
 it would be in any other city, in con 
 siderable haste and apparent confusion; 
 and one observer might fLx strongly on 
 one circumstance, and another on an 
 other. It is not at all improbable that 
 the same representation and request 
 might be made both by the centurion 
 and his friends. Matthew might have 
 fixed his eye very strongly on the fact 
 that the centurion came himself, and 
 been particularly struck with his de- 
 portment ; and Luke on the remark- 
 able zeal shown by the friends of a 
 heathen ; the interest they took in his 
 welfare, and the circumstance that he 
 had done much for them. Full of these 
 interesting circumstances, he might 
 comparatively have overlooked the cen- 
 turion himself 2d. It was a maxim 
 among the Jews, as it is now in law, 
 that v:liat a man does hy another, he 
 does himself. So Jesus is said to bap- 
 tize, when he only baptized by his dis- 
 ciples. See John iv. 1 ; xix. 1. Mat- 
 thew was intent on the great leading 
 facts of the cure. He was studious ot 
 brevity. He did not choose to explain 
 the particular circumstances. He says 
 that the centurion made the application, 
 and received the answer. He does not 
 say whether by himself, or by an a<j,enl. 
 Luke explains particularly "/«??« it was 
 done. There is no more contradiction, 
 therefore, than there would be if it 
 should be said of a man in a court of 
 law, that he came and made applica- 
 tion for a new trial, when the applica- 
 tion was really made by his lawyer. 
 Two men, narrating the fact, might 
 exhibit the same variety that IVIatthew 
 and Luke have rione ; and both be true. 
 
 One thing is most clearly shown by 
 this narrative : that this account was 
 not invented by the ev:uigehsts for the 
 sake of imposition. If it had been, 
 they would have agreed Sn all the cir 
 cumstances. 
 
 14, 1.5. This account is contained also 
 in Mark i. 29—31 : and Luke iv. 38— 
 41 . Mark adds that Simon and Andrew 
 hved together, and that James and John 
 went with them 'o the house. He adds,
 
 104 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 and the fever left her : and she 
 arose, and ministered unto them. 
 
 16 When the even was come, 
 they brought unto him many " that 
 were possessed with devils : and he 
 cast out the spirits with his word, 
 and healed all that were sick : 
 
 17 That it might be fulfilled 
 
 a Mar.l.32,&c. 
 
 aisD, that hefore the miracle, they spake 
 to him about the sick person. The 
 miracle was direct and complete. She 
 was so completely restored a.s to attend 
 them, and minister to them. The men- 
 tion of '^Peter's wife's mother,'' proves 
 that Peter either then was or had been 
 married. The fair and obvious inter- 
 pretation is, that his wile was then liv- 
 ing. Comp. 1 Cor. ix. 5 ; and see Note 
 on that place. Peter is claimed by the 
 Roman Catholics to be the head of the 
 church, and the vicegerent of Christ. 
 The Pope, according to their view, is 
 tjo successor of this apostle. On v%'hat 
 pretence do they maintain that it is 
 wrong for priests to marry ? Why did 
 not Christ at once r ;ect Peter from 
 being an apostle for having a wife ? 
 How remarkable that he should be set 
 up as the head of the church, and an 
 example and a model to all who were 
 to succeed him. But all this is human 
 law, and is contrary to the New Tes- 
 tament. That Peter had a wife was 
 no objection to his being an apostle, 
 and marriage has been expressly de- 
 clared to be "honorable in all." — 
 Heb. xiii. 4. 
 
 16. When the even rvas come, &c. — 
 The fame of the miracles of Jesus 
 would probably draw together a crowd, 
 and those who had friends that were 
 afflicted would bring them. All that 
 were brought to him he healed. This 
 was proof of two things : first, his great 
 benevolence ; and, secondly, of his di- 
 vine mission. He might have establish- 
 ed the latter by miracles that would do 
 no good. None of his miracles were 
 performed, however, merely to make a 
 display of pov/er, unless the cursing of 
 the barren fig-tree be an exception. 
 Comp. Mark xi. 11 — 14. This was on 
 the evening of the sabbath. Mark i. 
 21 — 32. The Jews kept the stbbath 
 from evening to evening. Lev xxiii. 
 ^2. On the sabbath tliev would not 
 
 which was spoken by Esaias ' 
 the prophet, saying, Himself took 
 our infirmities, and bare oitr sisii- 
 nesses. 
 
 18 Now when Jesus saw great 
 multitudes about him, he gave com- 
 mandment to depart unto the otht;i 
 side. 
 
 b Is.5.?.4. 1 Pe.2.24. 
 
 even bruig their sick to be healed (Luke 
 xiii. 14.) ; but as soon as it was closed, 
 on the evening of the same day, they 
 came in multitudes to be cured. IT Pos- 
 sessed with devils. See Note, Matt. iv. 
 24. ^ With his word. By his com- 
 mand ; by a word. 
 
 17. That it might be fulfilled, &c. 
 This passage is found in Isaiah liii. 4. 
 Our Enghsh translation of that impor- 
 tant passage is, " Surely he hath borne 
 our griefs, and carried our sorrows." 
 The Greek in Pdatthew is an exact 
 translation of the Hebrew, and the 
 same translation should have been 
 made in both places. In the fifty-third 
 chapter, Isaiah fully states the doctrine 
 of atonement, or that the Messiali was 
 to sufl'er for sin. In the verse quoted 
 here, however, he states the very truth, 
 which Matthew declares. The word 
 translated griefs, in Isaiah, and infirm 
 ities, in Matthew, means properly, in 
 the Hebrew and Greek, diseases of tltd 
 body. In neither does it refer to the 
 disease of the mind, or to sin. To bear 
 those griefs, is clearly to bear them 
 away, or to remove them. This was 
 done by his miraculous power in healing 
 the sick. The word rendered "sor- 
 rows," in Isaiah, and "sicknesses," in 
 Matthew, means pains, griefs, or an- 
 guish of mind. To carry, then, is to 
 sympathize with the sufferers ; to make 
 provision for alleviating those sorrows ; 
 and to take them away. This he did 
 by his precepts, his example ; and the 
 cause of all sorrows — sin — he removed 
 by his atonement. The passage in 
 Isaiah, and Matthew, therefore, mean 
 precisely the same thing. See Magee 
 on Atonement, and my Notes on Isaiah, 
 ch. liii. 
 
 18. Unto the other side. Jesus was 
 now in Capernaum, a city at the north- 
 west corner of the sea of Tiberias, or 
 sea of Galilee See Note, Matt. iv. 18. 
 The countrv to which he purposed to
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII, 
 
 7.0 
 
 19 And a certain scribe came, 
 and said unto him, Master, I " will 
 follow thee whithersoever thou 
 goest. 
 
 20 And Jesus saith unto him, 
 The foxes have holes, and the birds 
 
 a Lu.9.57,58. , 
 
 go was the region on the east of the 
 sea of Tiberias. 
 
 19, 20. ^4 certain scribe came, &c. It 
 is not improbable that this man, who 
 had seen the miracles of Jesus, had 
 formed an expectation that by follow- 
 ing him he would obtain some consid- 
 erable worldly advantage. Christ in 
 reply proclaimed his own poverty, and 
 dashed the hopes of the avaricious 
 scribe. The very fo.xes and birds, says 
 he, have places of repose and shelter, 
 but the Son of man has no home, and 
 no pillow. He is a stranger in his own 
 world ; a wanderer and an outcast from 
 the abodes of men. Comp. John i. 11. 
 ^ Son of man. This means evidently 
 Tesus himself No title is more fre- 
 quently given to the Saviour than this ; 
 and yet there is much ditiiculty in ex- 
 plaining it. The word son is used in 
 a great variety of significations. See 
 Note, Matt. i. 1. I'he name Son of 
 man is given to Jesus only three times 
 in the New Testament (see Acts vii. 
 56. Rev. i. 13 ; xiv. 14.), except by 
 himself. When he speaks of himself, 
 this is the most common appellation by 
 which he is known. The phrase So7i 
 if God, given to Christ, denotes a pecu- 
 liar connexion with God. John x. 36. 
 The name Son of man probably denotes 
 a corresponding pentZi'ar connexion with 
 man. Perhaps he used it to signify the 
 interest he felt in man ; his pecuhar 
 love and friendship for him ; and his 
 wiUingness to devote himself to the best 
 interests of the race. It is sometimes, 
 however, used as synonymous with 
 Messiah. Matt. .xvi. "28. John i. 34. 
 Acts viii. 37. John xii. 34. 
 
 21. A7id another of hii disciples, &c. 
 The word disciple properly signifies 
 learner ; and was given to his foUovv- 
 sirs, because they received him as their 
 Teacher. Note, Matt. v. 1.. It does 
 not of necessity mean that a disciple 
 was a pious man, but only one of the 
 multitude, who, for various causes, 
 might attend on his instructions. See 
 Tohn vi. 66 : ix. 28. 
 
 of the air have nests ; b it the Sod of 
 man hath not where to lay his head. 
 
 21 And another of his disc/pies 
 said unto him, Lord, * suffe/ me 
 first to go and bury my father. 
 
 22 But Jesus said unto him, Fd- 
 
 b 1 Ki. 19.20. 
 
 22. Let the dead bury their deed. Thft 
 word dead is used in this passage in 
 two dilferent senses. It is apparently 
 a paradox, but is fitted to convey his 
 idea very distinctly to the mind. The 
 Jews used the word dead often to ex- 
 press indifference towards a thing; or 
 rather, to show that that thing has no 
 influence over us. Thus, to be dead tc 
 the world ; to be dead to the law (Rom. 
 vii. 4.) ; to be dead to sin (Rom. vi. 11.) ; 
 means that the world, law, and sin, 
 have not influence or control over us ; 
 that we are free from them, and act as 
 though they were not. A body in the 
 grave is unaffected by the pomp and 
 vanity ; by the gayety and revelry ; by 
 the ambition and splendor that may be 
 near the tomb. So, men of the world 
 are dead to religion. They see not its 
 beauty ; hear not its voice ; are not won 
 by its loveliness. This is the class of 
 men to which the Saviour referred here. 
 Let men, says he, who are uninterested 
 in my work, and who are dead in sin 
 (Epli. ii. 1 .), take care of the dead. Your 
 duty is now to follow me. 
 
 There may have been two reasons 
 for this apparently rash direction. One 
 was, to test the character and attach- 
 ment of the man. If he had proper 
 love for Christ, he would be willing to 
 leave his friends even in the most tender 
 and tryinc circumstances. This is re- 
 quired. Matt. X. 27. Luke xiv. 26. A 
 second reason might have been, that if 
 he returned, at that time, his friends 
 might ridicule or oppose him, or pre- 
 sent plausible arguments in the afflic- 
 tions of the family, why he should not 
 return to Christ. The thing to which 
 he was called was moreover of more 
 importance than any earthly considera 
 tion; and for that time, Christ chose to 
 require of the man a very extraordinary 
 sacrifice, to show his sincere attach- 
 ment to him. Or it may have been, 
 that the Saviour sav thnt the effect of 
 visiting his home at that time might 
 have been to drive away all his serious 
 impressions, and that he would return
 
 106 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 !o\v me; and let the dead bury 
 their dead. 
 
 23 And when he was entered into 
 a ship, his disciples followed him. 
 
 24 And behold, " there arose a 
 gxe?/ tempest in the sea, insomuch 
 
 a Mar.4.37Ac. Lu.8.23,&c- 
 
 to him no more. This impressions might 
 not have been deep enough, and his 
 purpose to follow our Saviour may not 
 liave been strong enough to bear the 
 trial to which he would be subjected. 
 Strange as it may seem, there are few 
 scenes better fitted to drive away serious 
 impressions than tliose connected with 
 a funeral. We should have supposed 
 it would be otherwise. But facts show 
 it to be so ; and sliow, that if this was 
 one of the reasons which influenced the 
 Saviour, he had a thorough knowledge 
 of human nature. The arrangements for 
 the funeral ; the preparation of mourn- 
 ing apparel ; and the depth of sorrow 
 in sucii cases, divert the mind from its 
 sins, and its personal need of a Saviour ; 
 and hence few persons are awakened or 
 converted as the result of death in a 
 family. The case here was a strong 
 one. It was as strong as can well 
 be conceived. And the Saviour meant 
 to teach by this that nothing is to be 
 allowed to divert the mind from reli- 
 gion ; notliing to be an excuse for not 
 following him. Not even the death of 
 a fatlier, and the sorrows of an afllicted 
 family, are to be suffered to lead a man 
 to defer religion, or to put off the pur- 
 pose to be a Christian. That is a fixed 
 duty — a duty not to be deferred or ne- 
 glected — whether in sickness or health ; 
 at home or abroad ; whether surrounded 
 by living and happy kindred, or whether 
 a father, a mother, a child, or a sister 
 lies in our house dead. 
 
 It is the regular duty of children to 
 obey their parents, and to show them 
 Kindness in affliction, and to evince pro- 
 per care and respect for them when 
 dead. Nor did our Saviour show him- 
 self insensible to these duties. He 
 taught here, however, as he always 
 taught, that a regard to friends, and 
 ?ase, and comfort, should be snbordi- 
 late to the gospel ; and that we should 
 always be ready to sacrifice these when 
 duty to God requires it. 
 
 St3. Into a skip. This was on the sea 
 'v'' Tiberias. The ship in which they 
 
 that the ship was covered with the 
 waves : but he was asleep. 
 
 25 And his disciples came to 
 him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, 
 save us : we perish. 
 
 26 And he saith unto them, Why 
 
 sailed was probably a small open boat. 
 with sails, such as were commonly used 
 for fishing on the lake. If His disciples. 
 Not merely the apostles, but probably 
 •many others. There were many other 
 ships in company with liim. Mark iv. 
 36. This circumstance v/ould render 
 the miracle much more striking and im- 
 pressive. 
 
 24. A great tempest. A violent storm; 
 ora.tui7id so strong as to endanger their 
 lives. This lake was subject to sudden 
 squalls. If The ship was covered with the 
 waves. The billows dashed against the 
 ship (Mark iv. 37,) so that it was fast 
 filling and i:i danger of sinking. IT He 
 was asleep. On the hinder part of the 
 vessel, on a pillow. Mark iv. 38. It 
 was in the night, and Jesus had retired 
 to rest. He was probably weary, and 
 slept calmly and serenely. He appre- 
 hended no danger, and showed to his 
 disciples how calmly one can sleep with 
 a pure conscience, and who feels safe 
 in the hands of God. 
 
 25. Save us. Save our lives. IT We 
 perish. We are in danger of perishing. 
 This showed great confidence in the 
 Saviour. It shows, also, where sinners 
 and Christians should always go, who 
 feel that they are in danger of perishing. 
 There is none that can save from the 
 storms of divine wrath but the Son of 
 God. 
 
 26. Why are ye fearful. You should 
 have remembered that the Son of God, 
 the Messiah, was on board. You should 
 not have forgotten that he had power 
 to save, and that with him you are safe. 
 So Christians should never fear danger, 
 disease, or death. With Jesus they are 
 safe. No enemy can reach him; and 
 as heis safe, so they shall be also. John 
 xiv. 19. ^ Eebiiked the winds. Re- 
 proved them ; or commanded them to 
 be still. What a power was this! What 
 irresistible proof that he was divine ! 
 His word awed the tempest, and allay- 
 ed the storm ! There is not, any where, 
 a sublimer descriplioit of a display of 
 power. Nor could there be sublimer
 
 A.D.Sl.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 107 
 
 are yo fearful, O ye of little faith 1 
 Then he arose, and rebuked * the 
 winds and the sea; and there was 
 A great calm. 
 
 37 But the men marvelled, sajj^- 
 a Job 33.11. Ps.89.9. 107.29. 
 
 oroof that he was truly the Son of God. 
 ^ Great calm. The winds were still ; 
 and the sea ceased to dash against the 
 vessel, and to endanger their lives. 
 
 27 Jl/e/t marvelled. Wondered; or 
 were amazed. If What manner of man. 
 What personage. How unlike other 
 men. What a vast, minute display of 
 power ; and how far exalted above mor- 
 tals must he be ! 
 
 He spoke to the \\'inds ; rebuked their 
 raging, and the sea was suddenly calm. 
 The storm subsided ; the ship glided 
 siTioothly ; danger fled ; and in amaze- 
 ment they stood in the presence of him 
 who controlled the tempests that God 
 had raised: and they felt that he must 
 be God himself None but God could 
 calm the heaving billows, and scatter 
 the tempest. No scene could have 
 . been more grand than this display of 
 the power of Jesus. The darkness; 
 the dashing waves ; the howling winds ; 
 the heaving and tossing ship ; the fears 
 and cries of the seamen; all by a single 
 word hushed into calm repose ; all pre- 
 sent an image of power and divinity 
 irresistibly grand and awful. So the 
 tempest rolls and thickens over the 
 head of the awakened sinner. So he 
 trembles over immediate and awftil 
 destruction. So while the storm of 
 vvrath howls, and hell threatens to en- 
 oulf him, he comes trembhng to the 
 Saviour. He hears; he rebukes the 
 storm ; and the sinner is safe. An in- 
 describable peace takes possession of 
 the soul ; and he glides on a tranquil 
 sea to the haven of eternal rest. See 
 Isa. Ivii. 20, 21. Rom. v. 1. Phil. iv. 7. 
 
 28 — 34. The same account of the de- 
 moniacs substantially is found in Mark 
 V. 1—20, and Luke viii. 26—38. 
 
 28. T7te other side. The o'her side 
 of the sea of Tiberias. IT Cou7itry of 
 ike Gtrgeseneg. Mark (v. 1,) says that 
 he came into the country of the Ga- 
 darenes. This difference is only appa- 
 rent. Gndara was a city not far from 
 the lake Gennesarcth ; one of the ten 
 rities that were caWadi Decapolin. Note, i 
 Wait. iv. 2.5. Gersesn was ;; citv about 1 
 
 ing, What manner of man is this, 
 that even the winds and the sea 
 obey him ? 
 
 23 And * when he was come to 
 the other side, into the country of 
 b Mar.5.] . Lu.8.2G,&c. 
 
 twelve miles to the south-east of Gadara, 
 and about twenty miles to the east of 
 the Jordan. There is no contradiction, 
 therefore, in the evangehsis. He came 
 into the region in which the two cities 
 were situated, and one mentioned one, 
 and the other another. It shows that 
 the writers had not agreed to impose on 
 the world: for if they had, they would 
 have mentioned the same city; and it 
 shows they were familiar with the coun- 
 try. No man would have written in this 
 manner, but those who were acquainted 
 with the facts. Impostors do not men- 
 tion places, or names, if they can avoid 
 it. If There met him two. Mark and 
 Luke speak of only one that met him. 
 " There met liim out of the tombs a 
 mail." Mark v. 2. " There met him 
 out of the tombs a certain man." Luive 
 viii. 27. Tliis difference of statement 
 has given rise to considerable difficulty. 
 It is to be observed, however, that nei- 
 ther Mark nor Luke say that there was 
 no more than one. For particular rea- 
 sons they might have been led to fix 
 the attention on one of them that was 
 more notorious, and furious, and diffi- 
 cult to be managed. Had they denied 
 plainly that there was more than one, 
 and had Matthew affirmed that there 
 were two, there would have been an 
 irreconcilable contradiction. As it is 
 they relate the affair as other men 
 would. It shows that they were honest 
 witnesses. Had they been impostors; 
 had Matthew and Luke agreed to write 
 books to deceive the world, they would 
 have agreed exactly in a case so easy 
 as this. They would have told the 
 story with the same circumstances. 
 Witnesses in courts of law often differ 
 in unimportant matters; and, provided 
 the maiii narrative coincides, their tes- 
 timony is thought to be more valuabb. 
 Luke has given us a hint why he re- 
 corded only the cure of one of them. He 
 says, there met Mm " out of the city," 
 a man, &,c.; or. as it should be render 
 ed, "a man of the city," a citizeii. Yet 
 the man did not dwell in the city ; for 
 he adds in the same verse, "neither
 
 108 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D 3J 
 
 the Gergesenes, 'here met him two i that no man might pass by thai 
 
 possessed with devils, coming out ' way. 
 
 of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so 29 And, behold, they cried out. 
 
 abode he in any house but in the 
 tombs." The truth of the case was, 
 that he was born and educated in the 
 city ; he had probably been a man of 
 weahh and eminence ; he was well 
 known ; and the people felt a deep in- 
 terest in the case. Luke was, there- 
 fore, particularly struck with his case ; 
 and as his cure fully established the 
 power of Jesus, he recorded it. The 
 other that Matthew mentions was pro- 
 bably a stranger, or a person less no- 
 torious as a maniac, and he felt less 
 interest in the cure. Let two persons 
 go into a lunatic asylum, and meet two 
 msane persons, one of whom should be 
 exceedingly fierce and ungovernable, 
 and well known as having been a man 
 of worth and standing; let them con- 
 verse with them ; and let the more vio- 
 lent one attract the principal attention, 
 and they would very likely give the 
 same account that Matthew and Luke 
 do ; and no one would doubt the state- 
 ment was r-rrect. "^ Ponsessed with 
 devils. See Note, ?«Iatt. iv. 24. IT Com- 
 
 ing out of the to7nbs. Pvlark and Ltike 
 say that they dwelt in the tombs. The 
 sepidchres of the Jews were commonly 
 caves, beyond the walls of the cities in 
 which they dwelt, or excavations made 
 in the sides of hills, or sometimes in 
 solid rocks. These caves, or excava- 
 tions, were sometimes of great extent. 
 They descended to them by flights of 
 steps. These graves were not in the 
 midst of cities, but in groves, and 
 mountains, and solitudes. They af- 
 forded, therefore, to insane persons and 
 demoniacs retreat and shelter. They 
 delighted in these gloomy and melan- 
 choly recesses, as being congenial to 
 the wretched state of their minds. Jo- 
 sephus, also, states that these sepul- 
 chres were the haunts and lurking 
 places of those desperate bands of rob 
 bers that infested Judea. The annex- 
 ed cut will furnish an illustration of the 
 nature of the sepulchres occurring in 
 the east. A more full illuirtration may 
 be seen by referring to n.y Notes on 
 Isa. l.w. 4. 
 
 29. What have we to do u'ith thee ? 
 This might .lave been translated with 
 great propriety. What hast thou to do 
 with us ? The meaning is, ' AVhy dost 
 ihoa trouble, or disturb us ?' See 2 
 Sam. xvi. 10. 2 Kings ix. IS. E'/.ra 
 iv. 3. IT So7i of God. The title. Son 
 of God, is often given to Christ. Men 
 are sometimes called sons, or children 
 of God, to denote their piety and adop- 
 
 tion into his family. 1 John iii. L Bu{ 
 the title given to Christ denotes his su- 
 periority to the prophets (Heb. i. L) ; 
 to Moses, the founder of the Jewish 
 economy (Heb. iii. G) ; it denotes hif 
 peculiar and near relation to the Father, 
 as evinced by his resurrection (Ps. ii. 7. 
 Acts -viii. 33); it denotes his peculiai 
 relation to God from his miraculoiis con 
 cention (Luke i. 35); and is equivalen
 
 A. D. 31.1 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 109 
 
 saying, What have we to do with 
 thue, Jesus, thou Son of God 1 art 
 thou come hither to torment us 
 before the time ■? 
 
 30 And there was a good way 
 off from them, an herd of many 
 swine, feeding. 
 
 31 So the devils besought him, 
 saying. If thou cast us out, suffer " 
 as to go away into the herd of 
 Bwine. * 
 
 a Job 1.10-12. 2.3-6. J De.l4 8. I.s.G5.3,4. 
 
 to a declaration that he is divine, or 
 equal to tlie Father. John .\. 26. 
 ^ Art t/iou come hither to torment us, 
 &c. By the time here mentioned is 
 meant the day of judgment. The Bible 
 reveals the doctrine that evil spirits are 
 not now bound as they will be after that 
 day ; that they are permitted to tempt 
 and afflict men, but that in the day of 
 judgment they also will be condemned 
 to everlasting punishment with all the 
 wicked. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude G. These 
 spirits seemed to be apprized of that, 
 and alarmed lest the day that they feared 
 had come. They besought him, there- 
 fore, not to send them out of that coun- 
 try ; not to consign them then to hell, 
 but to put off the day of their final pun- 
 ishment. 
 
 Mark and Luke say that Jesus in- 
 quired the name of the principal demo- 
 niac, and that he called his name Lc- 
 pon, for they were viami. The name 
 legion was given to a division in the 
 Roman army. It did not always de- 
 note the same number ; but in the time 
 of Christ it consisted of six thousand, 
 ihree thousand foot and three thousand 
 .lorsemen. It came, therefore, to sig- 
 aify a large number, without specifying 
 'he e.xact amount. 
 
 30. A herd of swine. The word herd, 
 here applied to swine, is now commonly 
 given to cattle. Formerly it signified 
 any collection of beasts, or even of men. 
 The number that composed this herd 
 was two thousand. Mark v. 13. 
 
 33. They that kept them fed. These 
 swine were doubtless owned by the in- 
 habitants of Gadara. Whether they 
 were Jews or Gentiles is not certainly 
 known. It was not properly in the ter- 
 ritory of Judea ; but as it was on its 
 borders, it is probable that the inhabi- 
 lants were a mixture of Jews and Gen- 
 10 
 
 32 And he said unto them. Go 
 And when they were .jonie out, 
 they went into the herd of swine : 
 and, behold, the whole herd of 
 swine ran violently down a steep 
 place into the sea, and perished in 
 the waters. 
 
 33 And they that kept them fled, 
 and went their ways into the city, and 
 told every thing, and what was befal- 
 len to the possessed of the devils. 
 
 tiles. Swine were to Jews unclean 
 animals, and it was unlawful for them 
 to cat them. Lev. xi. 7. The Jews 
 were forbidden by their own laws to 
 keep them, even for the purpose oi 
 traffic. Either, therefore, they had ex- 
 pressly violated the law, or these swine 
 were owned by the Gentiles. 
 
 The keepers fled in consternation. 
 They were amazed at his power. Per- 
 haps they feared a further destruction 
 of property ; or, more likely, they were 
 acquainted with the laws of the Jews, 
 and regarded this as a judgment of hea- 
 ven for keeping forbidden animals, and 
 fo-r tempting the Jews to violate the 
 commands of God. They dreaded, 
 perhaps, further punishment, and fool- 
 ishly came and besought Jesus to de- 
 part from their country. 
 
 This is the only one of our Saviour's 
 miracles, except the case of the fig-tree 
 that he cursed (Matt. xxi. 18—20.), in 
 which he caused any destruction of 
 property. It is a striking proof of his 
 benevolence, that his miracles tended 
 directly to the comfort of mankind. It 
 was a 'proof of goodness added to the 
 direct purpose for which his miracles 
 were wrought. That purpose was to 
 confirm his divine mission ; and it might 
 have been as fully done by splitting 
 rocks, or removing mountains, or caus- 
 ing water to rim up steep hills, as by 
 any other display of power. See Acts 
 ii. 22. He chose to exhibit the proof ol 
 his divine power, however, in such a 
 way as to benefit mankind. 
 
 Infidels have objected to this v/hole 
 narrative. They have said that this 
 was a wanton and unauthorized viola- 
 tion of private rights in the destruction 
 of property. They have said that the 
 account of devils going into swine, an'l 
 destroying ihom, was ridiculous. In re
 
 110 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 34 A.nil, oehold, tiie whole city 
 same out to meet Jesus : and 
 "^hen they saw him, they besought 
 
 gard to these objections, the narrative 
 !S easily vindicated. 1st. If Christ, as 
 the Bible declares, be divine as well as 
 human — God as well as man — then he 
 had an original right to that and all 
 other property, and might dispose of it 
 as he pleased. Ps. 1. 10, 11, 12. If 
 God had destroyed them by pestilence, 
 or by lightning, or by an inundation or 
 earthquake, neither the owners, nor 
 any one else, would have had reason 
 to complain. No one now feels that he 
 'aas a right to murmur if God destroys 
 i thousand times the amount of this 
 property, by overturning a city by an 
 earthquake. Why then should com- 
 plaints be brought against him if he 
 should do the same thing in another 
 way ? 2d. If this property was held hj 
 the Jews, it was a violation of their law, 
 and it was right that they should suffer 
 the loss ; if by the Gentiles, it was known 
 also to be a violation of the law of the 
 people among whom they lived ; a 
 temptation and a snare to them ; and 
 an abomination in their sight ; and it 
 was proper that the nuisance should be 
 removed. 3d. The cure of two men. 
 one of whom was probably a man of 
 distinction and property, was of far 
 more consequence than the amount of 
 property destroyed. To restore a de- 
 ranged man now, of family and stand- 
 ing, would be an act for which propertif 
 could not compensate, and which could 
 not be measured in value by any pecu- 
 niary consideration. But, 4th. Jesus 
 was not at all answerable for this de- 
 struction of property. He did not com- 
 nand, he only suffered or permitted the 
 devils to go into the strinc. He com- 
 manded ihem merely to come out of the 
 man. They originated the purpose of 
 destroying the property, doubtless for 
 (he sake of doing as much mischief as 
 possible, and of destroying the effect of 
 the miracle of Christ. In this they 
 eem to have had most disastrous suc- 
 .•ess ; and they only are responsible. 
 rth. If it should be said that Christ per- 
 mitted this, when he might have pre- 
 vented it, we reply, that the difficulty 
 does net stop there. He permits all the 
 •>vi that exists, when he might prevent 
 
 [A. D 31. 
 
 out of 
 
 him that he would depart 
 their coasts. 
 
 a Job 21.14. Lu.5.8. Ac.16.39. 
 
 it. He permits men to do much evil, 
 v.-hen he might prevent it. He permits 
 one bad man to injure the person and 
 property of another bad man. He per- 
 mits the bad to injure the good. He 
 often permits a wicked mun to fire a 
 city, or to plunder a dwelling, or to rob 
 a traveller, destroying property of many 
 times the amount that was lost at Ga- 
 dara. Why is it any more absurd to 
 suffer a wicked spirit to do injury, than 
 a wicked man ; or to suffer a legion oj 
 devils to destroy a herd of swine, than 
 for legions of men to desolate nations, 
 and cover fields and towns with ruin 
 and slaughter ? 
 
 34. The whole city came out. The 
 people of the city probably came with a 
 view of arresting him for the injury done 
 to the property ; but seeing him, and 
 being awed by his presence, they only 
 besought him to leave them. ^ Out of 
 their coasts. Out of their country. This 
 shows : 1st. That the design of Satan 
 is to prejudice men against the Saviour ; 
 and even to make what Christ does, an 
 occasion why they should desire him to 
 leave them. 2d. The power of avarice. 
 ; These men preferred their property to 
 the Saviour. They loved it so much, 
 that they were blind to the evidence of 
 the miracle, and to the good he had 
 done to the miserable men that he had 
 healed. It is no uncommon thing for 
 men to love the world so much ; to love 
 property, even like that owned by the 
 people of Gadara, so much as to see no 
 beauty in religion, and no excellence in 
 the Saviour ; and, rather than part with 
 it, to beseech Jesus to withdraw from 
 them. The most grovelling employ- 
 ment ; the most abandoned sins ; the 
 most loathsome vices, are often loved 
 more than the presence of Jesus, and 
 more than all the blessings of his sal- 
 vation. 
 
 1st. The leprosy, the disease men 
 tioned in this chapter, is an apt repre 
 scntation of the nature of sin. Like 
 that, sin is loathsome; it is deep fixed 
 in the frame ; penetrating every part of 
 the system; working its way to the
 
 A.. D.31.J 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Ill 
 
 surface impercepiibly, but surely ; loos- 
 ing the joints, and consuming the sinews 
 of moral action ; and adhering to the 
 system, till it terminates in eternal 
 death. It goes down from age to age. 
 It shuts out mc!i from the society of 
 ihe pure in heaven, nor can man be ele- 
 vated there, till God has cleansed the 
 soul by his Spirit, and man is made 
 pure and whole. 
 
 2d. The case of the centurion is a 
 etrong instance of the nature and value 
 of humility. Vs. 5 — 10. He sustained 
 a fair character, and had done much for 
 the Jews. Yet he had no exalted con- 
 ception of himself. Compared with the 
 Saviour, he felt that he was unworthy 
 that he should come to his dwelling. 
 So foels every humble soul. Humility 
 is an estimate of ourxdves as we are. It 
 is a wiUingness to be known, and talk- 
 ed of, and treated, just according to 
 truth. It is a view of ourselves as lost, 
 poor, and wandering creatures. Com- 
 pared with other men — with angels, 
 with Jesus, and with God — it is a feel- 
 ing by wliich we regard ourselves as 
 unworthy of notice. It is a readiness 
 to occupy our appropriate station in 
 the universe, and to put on humblene.ss 
 of mind as our proper array. 1 Pet. 
 v. 5. 
 
 3d. We have here an equally beauti- 
 ful txhibition of faith. The centurion 
 had unwavering confidence in the power 
 of Jesus. He did not doubt at all that 
 Jesus was able to do for him just what 
 lie needed, and what he wished him to do. 
 This is faith ; and every man who has 
 this trust or confidence in Christ for 
 salvation, has savin si faith. 
 
 4th. Humility and faith are always 
 connected. The one prepares the mind 
 for the other. Having a deep sense of 
 our weakness and unworthiness, we 
 are prepared to look to Him who has 
 strength. Faith also produces humility, 
 fesus was humble ; and believing on 
 ti;m, we catch his spirit, and learn of 
 him. Maft.xi. 2S — 30. Compared with 
 liim. wc see our unwortliiness. Seeing 
 ins strens^lh, we see our feebleness ; 
 seeing his strength exerted to save crea- 
 tures, impure and ungrateful as we are, 
 we sink away into an increased sense 
 i)f our unfitness for his favor. 
 
 5lh. We sec thecompassion and kind- 
 ness of Jesus. Vs. 16 — 17. He has 
 Dome our heavy griefs. He provides 
 ■•onifort for us in sickness, and .sustains 
 
 us in dying But for his merciful arm, 
 we should sink ; and dying, we should 
 die without hope. But he 
 
 "Can make a dying bed, 
 
 Feel soft as downy pillows are : 
 Whilst on his breast we lean our head. 
 And breathe our life out sweetly there." 
 
 6th. We are foi ibly struck with his 
 condescension. Vs. 19, 20. Men of 
 wickedness and crime dwell in splendid 
 mansions, and stretch themselves on 
 couches of ease ; when afflicted, they 
 recline on beds of down; but Jesus had 
 no home, and no pillow. The birds 
 that fill the air with music, and warble 
 in the groves, nay the very foxes, have 
 homes and a shelter from the storms 
 and elements ; but He that made them, 
 clothed in human flesh, was a wander- 
 er, and had not where to lay his head 
 His sorrows he bore alone ; his dwell- 
 ing was in the mountains. In the pa- 
 laces of the men for whom he toiled, 
 and for whom he was about to bleed on 
 a cross, he found no home, and no sym- 
 pathy. Surely this was compassion 
 worthy of a God. 
 
 7th. It is no disgrace to be poor. The 
 Son of God was poor ; — and it is no dis- 
 honor to be hke him. If our Maker, 
 then, has cast our lot in poverty ; if he 
 takes away by sickness or calamity the 
 fruits of our toils ; if he clothes us in 
 homely and coarse apparel ; if he bids 
 the winds of heaven to howl around our 
 open and lonely dwellings; let us re- 
 member that the Redeemer of mankind 
 trod the same humble path ; and that 
 it can be no dishonor to be likened to 
 him who was the beloved Son of God. 
 
 Sth. We should be willing to em- 
 brace the gospel without hope of earthly 
 reward. Vs. 19 — 23. Rehgion promises 
 no earthly honors or wealth. It bids 
 its disciples to look beyond the grave, 
 for its highest rewards. It requires 
 men to love religion for its oiun sake ; 
 to love the Saviour, even when poor, 
 and cast out, and suffering, because he 
 is worthy of love; and to be willing to 
 forsake all the allurements which the 
 world holds out to us, for the sake of 
 the purity and peace of the gospel. 
 
 9th. We learn the necessity of for- 
 saking all, for the sake of the gospel. 
 Our first duty is to God, our Creator 
 and Saviour; our second to friends, and 
 relations, and country. Ver. 22. When 
 God commands, w^s mufit follow him
 
 112 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D.31 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AND he entered into a ship, and 
 passed over, and came into his 
 own cit}'. 
 2 And, " behold, they brought to 
 a >Iar.2.3,&c. Lu.5.18,(fcc. 
 
 nor should any consideration of ease, 
 or safety, or imaginary duty, deter us. 
 To us it is of no consequence what men 
 say or think of us. Let the will of God 
 be prayerfully ascertained, and then let 
 t be done though it carry us through 
 ridicule, racks, and flames. 
 
 10th. Jesus can preserve us in the 
 cay of danger. Vs. 23 — 27. He hushed 
 the storm, and they were safe. His 
 life was also in danger with theirs. 
 Had the ship sunk, without a miracle, 
 he would have perished with them. So 
 in every storm of trial or persecution ; 
 in every heaving sea of calamity, he is 
 united to his followers. His interest 
 and theirs, is the same. He feels for 
 them ; he is touched with their infirmi- 
 ties ; and he will sustain them. Be- 
 cause / live, says he, ye shall hve also. 
 Never, never, then, shall man or devil 
 pluck one of his faithful followers from 
 his hand. John x. 27, 28. 
 
 11th. All that can disturb or injure 
 us, is under the control of the Christian's 
 Friend. Vs. 28—32. The very inha- 
 bitants of hell are bound ; and beyond 
 nis permission they can never injure us. 
 In spite, then, of all the malice of ma- 
 lignant beings, the friends of Jesus are 
 safe. 
 
 12th. It is no uncommon thing for 
 men to desire Jesus to depart froin 
 them. Ver. 34. Though he is ready 
 to confer on them important favors, yet 
 they hold his favors to be of far less 
 consequence than some unimportant 
 earthly possession. Sinners never love 
 him ; and always wish him away from 
 their dweUings. 
 
 13th. It is no uncommon thing fjr 
 Tesus to take men at their word, and 
 leave them. He gives them over to 
 worldly thoughts and pursuits ; he suf- 
 fers them to sink into crime, and they 
 perish for ever. Alas, how many are 
 there, like the dwellers in Gadara, that 
 ask him to depart ; that see him go 
 wuiiout a sigh ; and that never, never, 
 again behold him coming to bless them 
 ^vith salvation ' 
 
 him a man sick of the palsy, lying 
 on a bed : and Jesus seeing their 
 faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, 
 Son, * be of good cheer; thy sins 
 be forgiven thee. 
 
 * Mar.5.34. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 1. Aiid he entered into a ship, &c. 
 Jesus acceded to the request of the 
 people of Gadara, recrossed the luke of 
 Gennesareth, and returned to hit! own 
 city. By his own city is meant C'aper- 
 naum (Mark ii. 1), the city which was 
 at that time his home, or where he had 
 his dwelling. See ch. iv. 13. This same 
 account, with some additional ciicum- 
 stances, is contained in Mark ii. 3 —12, 
 and Luke v. 18—26. 
 
 2. A man sick of the palsy. See Note, 
 Matt. iv. 24. IT Lying on a bed. This 
 was probably a mattress, or perhaps a 
 mere blanket spread to lie on, so as to 
 be easily borne. Being light, Jesus 
 might with propriety command him to 
 take it up and walk. Ver. 6. 
 
 Mark says, ' they xmcovered the roof.'' 
 Ch. ii. 4. Luke says, ' they went upon 
 the housetop, and let him down through 
 the tiling.' Ch. v. 19. Tons it would 
 appear that much injury must have been 
 done to the house where Jesus was, 
 and that they must be much incom- 
 moded by the removal of tiles and raf- 
 ters, (See. An acquaintance, however, 
 with the mode of building in the East, 
 removes every difficulty of this nature. 
 Houses, in eastern countries, are com- 
 monly square in their form, and of a 
 single story. On approaching them 
 from the street, a single door is seen in 
 the centre, and, usually, directly above 
 it a single latticed window. Tliis des- 
 titution of doors and lights from the 
 streets, though it gives their dwellings 
 a sombre appearance, is yet adapted to 
 the habits of retirement and secrecy 
 among the people of the East, where 
 they are desirous of keeping their fe- 
 males from observation. The annexed 
 representation of an Arabian house 
 shows the external appearance of an 
 Eastern dweUing, and the upper cham- 
 ber, or " closet," rising above the main 
 building. See Note on Matt. vi. 6. 
 On entering the only door in front, the 
 first room is a small square room, sur- 
 rounded with benches, called the porch
 
 A.D.31. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 113 
 
 In this room the master of the lamily 
 commonly transacts business, and, on 
 private occasions, receives visits. Pass- 
 ing through the porch, you enter a large 
 square room directly in the centre of 
 the building, called the court. Liil.. 
 says that the paralytic was let do\> 
 'into the midst;' not in the midst ui 
 the people, but of the building — the 
 middle place of the house. This cotirt 
 IS paved commonly with marble ; and, 
 if possible, o.foimtain of water is formed 
 in the centre, to give it beauty, and to 
 diffuse a grateful coolness. This room 
 is surrounded by a gallery, or covered 
 walk on every side. From that covered 
 walk, doors open into the other apart- 
 ments of the house. 
 
 This centre room, or court, is com- 
 monly uncovered or open above. In 
 wet weather, however, and in times of 
 great heat of the sun, it is covered with 
 an awning or canvass, stretched on cords, 
 and capable of being easily removed or 
 rolled up. This is what ftlark means 
 when he says they uncovered the roof. 
 They rolled up or removed this awning. 
 
 From the court to the roof the ascent 
 IS by flights of stairs, cither in the co- 
 vered walk or gallery, or in the porch. 
 The roof is nearly flat. It is made of 
 sarth ; or in houses of the rich is a firm- 
 ly constructed flooring, made of coals, 
 chalk, gypsum, and ashes, made hard by 
 repeated blows. On those roofs spears 
 of grass, wheat, or barley, sometiines 
 spring up ; but these are soon withered 
 by the sun. Ps. cxxix. 6 — 8. The 
 roof is a favorite place for walking, for 
 10* 
 
 repose in the cool of the day, for con- 
 versation, and for do vol ion. Note, Matt, 
 vi. G. On such a roof Rahab concealed 
 the spies (Jos. ii. 6) ; Samuel talked 
 with Saul (1 Sam. ix. 25) ; David walk 
 <vl at eventide (2 Sam. xi. 2) ; and Peter 
 I'ut up to pray (Acts x. 9.) The fbl 
 iiwing cut represents the roof of a 
 iiouse, with the battlement, and a per- 
 son going down for water. Tliis roof 
 was surrounded with a balustrade, or 
 railing, breast-high, on the sides; but 
 
 i^i ^kW&^>^^ill>^tJ 
 
 vvheie a house was contigunut. to an- 
 other, and of the same height, the rail- 
 ing was lower, so as to walk, from one 
 roof to another. In cities constructed 
 in this manner, it was possible to walk 
 through a considerable part of the city 
 on the roofs of the houses. A breast- 
 work or railing was of course built in 
 the same manner around the opeit space 
 in the centre, to prevent them from 
 falhng into the court below. This rail- 
 ing, or breastwork, is what Luke (v. 
 19,) says they let him down through. 
 They removed it probably so that the 
 couch could be conveniently let down 
 with cords ; and standing on the roof 
 over the Saviour, they let the man 
 down directly before him. The perse- 
 verance they had manifested, was the 
 evide7ice of their faith or confidence in 
 his power to heal the sick man. 
 
 The cut at top of next page exhibits 
 the ground plan of an eastern dwelling, 
 and illustrates the account of the cure 
 of the sick man. 
 
 By looking at this it may be easily 
 seen how the paralytic was presented 
 to Jesus. Suppose the Saviour to be 
 seated in the open court, say at G, 
 The room was thronged. There wak
 
 114 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31 
 
 3 A.nd, behold, certain of the 
 ficribes said within tliemselves, This 
 man blasphemeth. 
 
 D i 
 
 -Aa.h 
 
 o G o '' 
 
 open- Court -r 
 e Q p e ° 
 
 \CL \ f^ 
 
 TiiiMI! 
 
 \a-\ 
 
 a Doors. B. Forch. 
 
 C Harem, or room for women. 
 
 D Other rooms, for the family. 
 
 E Galleries, or walks between the court and rooms. 
 
 F Stairs to the second story, or to the roof. 
 
 but one way of access, through a. It 
 would be easy to ascend the stairs at F, 
 and go round on the gallery till they 
 came over Jesus, and remove a part of 
 the balustrade, or breastwork, and let 
 him down directly before him. 1f5e of 
 good cheer, thy sins be forgiven, thee. It 
 may seem remarkable that since the 
 man came only to be healed, Jesus 
 ehould have first declared his sins for- 
 given. For this the following reasons 
 may be suggested : 1st. The man might 
 have brought on this affection of the 
 palsy by a long course of vicious indul- 
 gence. Conscious of guilt, he may 
 nave feared that he was so great a sin- 
 ner that Christ would not regard him. 
 He therefore assured him that his of- 
 fences were pardoned, and that he 
 might lay aside his fears. 2d Jesus 
 might be willing to show his power to 
 forgive sins. Had he staled it without 
 any miracle, the Jews would not have 
 neiieved it, and even his disciples might 
 nave been staggered. In proof of it, he 
 worked a miracle ; and no one, there- 
 fore, coidd doubt that he had the power. 
 Tht- miracle was wrought in express 
 sftestatwn of the assertion that he had 
 the power to forgive sins. As God 
 would not work a miracle to confirm a 
 falsehood, or to deceive men, the miracle 
 was a solemn confii mation, on the part 
 of (lod, that Jps'.is had the power to 
 forgive sins 3d. The Jews regarded 
 
 4 And Jesus knowing their 
 thoughts, " said, Wherefore thin^ 
 ye evil in your hearts 1 
 oPs.139.2. Jno.2.24,25. He.4.12,13. Re.2.23 
 
 disease as the effect of sin. John ix. 2 , 
 James v. 14, 15. There is a real con- 
 nexion between sin and suffering, as in 
 the case of gluttony, intemperate drink- 
 ing, lewdness, debauchery. Jesus might 
 be wiUing to direct the minds of the 
 spectators tothisfact; and by pointing 
 them to a manifest instance of the ei^ 
 feet of sin, to lead them to hate and for- 
 sake it. Diseases are sometunes the 
 direct judgment of God for sin. 1 Cor. 
 v. 3—5, xi. 30 ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 10—14. 
 This truth, also, Christ might have been 
 desirous of impressing on the people. 
 
 3. This man hlasphemeth. The word 
 blaspheme originally means to speak evil 
 of any one, to injure by words, to 
 blame unjustly. When applied to God, 
 it means to speak of him unjustly, to 
 ascribe to him acts and attributes which 
 he does not possess, or to speak impi- 
 ously or profanely. It also means to 
 say or do any thing by which his name 
 or honor is insulted, or which conveys 
 an impression unfavorable to God. It 
 means, also, to attempt to do or say 
 a thing which belongs to him alone, or 
 which he only can do. This is its 
 meaning here. Christ was charged 
 with saying: a. thing in his oivn name, 
 or attempting to do a thing wliich pro- 
 perly belonged to God ; thus assuming 
 the place of God, and doing him injury, 
 as the scribes supposed, by an invasion 
 of his prerogatives. " None," said 
 they, (See Mark and Luke), " can 
 forgive sins but God only." In this 
 they reasoned correctly. See Isa. xliii. 
 25, xliv. 22. None of the prophets had 
 this power ; and by saying that he for- 
 gave sins, Jesus was understood to 
 affirm that he was divine ; and as he 
 proved this by working a miracle express- 
 ly to confirm the claim, it follows that he 
 is divine, or equal with the Father. 
 
 4. Jesus knowing their thoughts. 
 Mark says, "Jesus perceived in his 
 spirit that they so reasoned." The 
 power of searching the hearts and 
 knowing the thoughts of men. belongs 
 only to God. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9 ; Rom. 
 viii. 27 ; Rev. ii. 23 ; Jer. xvii. 10. In 
 claiming this, as Jesus did here, and 
 often elsewhere, he gave clear proofs 
 of his omniscience. John ii. 24, 25.
 
 A. I). 31 J 
 
 5 For whei.her is easier to say, 
 Thy sins be forgiven thee ; or to 
 say, Arise, and walk ^ 
 
 6 But that ye may know that 
 the Son of man hath power on 
 earth to forgive " sins, (then saith 
 he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, 
 take up thy bed, and go unto thine 
 house. 
 
 7 And he arose, and departed to 
 his house. 
 
 8 But when the multitude saw 
 i7, they marvelled, and glorified * 
 God, which had given such power 
 unto men. 
 
 9 And ' as Jesus passed forth 
 from thence, he saw a man, named 
 
 aMi.7.18. JAc.4.21. Ga.1.24. cMar.2. 
 14. Lu.5.27,&;c. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 115 
 
 8. They glorified God. See Note, 
 Matt. v. 16. To glorify God, here, 
 means to praise him, or to acknowledge 
 his power. The expression, which had 
 given such povier to men, was a part of 
 their praise. It expresses no sentiment 
 of the Evangelist about the nature of 
 Christ, but is a record of their feelings 
 ind their praise. 
 
 9. Sitting at the receipt of custom. 
 That is, at the place where custom, or 
 ttibute, was received ; or in other words 
 he was a publican, or tax-gatherer. 
 See Note, Matt. v. 47. This man was 
 Matthew, the writer of this gospel. 
 The same account is found in Mark ii. 
 14, and Luke v. 27, 28. Both those 
 evangelists call him Levi. That it was 
 the same man is known by the circum- 
 stances in which he was called being 
 the same in all the evangelists, and by- 
 all concurring in the statement that our 
 Saviour was present at a feast soon 
 after he called him, and by the fact that 
 Levi is not memioned in the catalogue 
 of the apostles. The Jews were in the 
 habit of giving several names to the 
 same person. Thus Peter was also 
 called Simon and Cephas. It is worthy 
 of remark that Luke has mentioned a 
 circumstance favorable to Matthew, 
 which Matthew himself has omitted. 
 Luke says, " Ae left all." Had Mat- 
 thew said this, it would have been a 
 commendation of himself, utterly un- 
 'jke the evangelists. No men were 
 
 Matthew, sitting at the receipt of 
 custom : and he saith unto him. 
 Follow me.. And he arose, and fol- 
 lowed him. 
 
 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus 
 sat at meat in the house, behold, 
 many publicans and sinners came 
 and sat down with him and his 
 disciples. 
 
 11 And when the Pharisees saw 
 il, they said unto his disciples, Why 
 eateth your Master with publicans 
 and sinners'? '' 
 
 12 But when Jesus heard that, 
 he said unto them. They that be 
 whole need not a physician, but 
 they that are sick. 
 
 lie.] 1.10. Lu.15.2. IIe.5.2. 
 
 ever farther from p'-aising themselves 
 than they were. 
 
 10. And it came to pass as Jesus sat 
 at meat in the house. This feast was 
 given to him by Levi or Blatthew. 
 Luke V. 29. This is another circum- 
 stance favorable to Matthew, but omit- 
 ted by him, and recorded by Luke; 
 showing, also, that the apostles were 
 averse to praising themselves. To re- 
 ceive Christ hospitably and kindly was 
 a commendable act, and it strongly 
 evinces Matthew's freedom from os- 
 tentation that he has supposed the fact. 
 It thus illustrates the command of the 
 Saviour, as recorded by himself. Matt, 
 vi. 1 — 4. ^ At meat. At the table, at 
 supper. 
 
 11. Why eateth and drinhetk, &c. 
 To eat and drink with others denotes 
 intimacy and familiarity. The Phari- 
 sees, by asking this question, accused 
 him of seeking the society of .^uch men, 
 and of being the companion of the 
 wicked. The inference which they 
 would draw was, that he could not be 
 himself righteous, since he delighted in 
 the company of abandoned men. 
 
 12. They that be whole, &c. Jesus, 
 in reply, said that the whole needed 
 not a physician. Sick persons only 
 needed his aid. A physi(;ian would 
 not commonly be found with those 
 that were in health. His proper place 
 was among the sick. So, says he, ' If 
 you Pharisees are such as you think
 
 116 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 13 But go ye and learn what that I call the righteous, but sinners to 
 meaneth, I " will have mercy, and repentance. * 
 
 not sacrifice: for I am not come to 14 Then came to him the disci.- 
 aPr.21.3. Ho.G.O. Mi.G.8. c.12.7. i Lu.24.47. Ac.5.31. 2 Pe.3.0. 
 
 yourselves, already pure and holy, you 
 do not need my aid. It would be of no 
 use to you, and you would not thank 
 me for it. With those persons who 
 feel that they are sinners I may be use- 
 ful. And there is my proper place.' 
 Or, the expression may mean, ' I came 
 on purpose to save sinners. My busi- 
 ness is with ihem. There are none 
 righteous ; and as a physician is in his 
 proper place v.'ith the sick, so am I with 
 guilty and miserable sinners.' 
 
 13. But go ye and learn, &c. To 
 reprove them, and to vindicate his own 
 conduct, he appealed to a passage of 
 scripture with which they ought to have 
 bec^ acquainted. " I will have mercy, 
 anfi. not sacrifice." Hos. vi. 6. This 
 is not a declaration on the part of God 
 that he was opposed to sacrifices or 
 offerings for sin: for he had appointed 
 and commanded many, and had there- 
 fore expressed his approbation of them. 
 It is a Hebrew mode of speaking, and 
 means, I ■prefer mercy to sacrifice; or, / 
 am more pleased with acts of beJievolence 
 and !xi7idness than with a mere external 
 compliance with the duties of religion. 
 Mercy, here, means benevolence or 
 kindness towards others. Sacrifices 
 were offerings made to God on account 
 of sin, or as an e.xpression of thanks- 
 giving. They were commonly bloody 
 offerings, or animals slain, signifying 
 that the sinner offering them deserved 
 to die himself and pointing to the great 
 sacrifice or offering, which Christ was 
 to make for the sins of the world. Sa- 
 crifices were the principal part of the 
 worship of the Jews, and hence came 
 to signify external worship in general. 
 This is the meaning of the word here. 
 The sense in which our Saviour apphes 
 it is this : You Pharisees are exceed- 
 ingly tenacious of the external duties 
 of religion. But God has declared that 
 he prefers benevolence or mercy to 
 those external duties. It is proper, 
 therefore, that I should associate witli 
 einners for the purpose of doing them 
 good. IT I came not to call the righteous, 
 &c. No human beings are bv nature 
 righteous. Ps. xiv. 3: Rom. I.'l8 — 32, 
 lii. 10 — 18. The Pharisees, however. 
 
 pretended to be righteous. Christ might 
 nave meant by this answer that it was 
 not the design of his coming to call 
 such persons to repentance, knowing 
 that they would spurn his efforts, and 
 that, to a gi-eat extent, they would be 
 vain : or, more probably, he meant to 
 affirm that his proper and only busi- 
 ness was to call to repentance such 
 men as he was now with. He came 
 to seek and save such, and it was his 
 proper business, therefore, to associate 
 with them. "T Eepentance. Note, Matt, 
 iii. 2. 
 
 14 — 17. Then came the disciples of 
 John, &c. See also Mark u. 18—22; 
 Luke V. 33—39. That is, of John the 
 Baptist. It is probable that they had 
 understood that John was the forerun- 
 ner of the Messiah ; and if such was 
 the case, they could not account for 
 the fact that there was such a difference 
 between them and the disciples of Je- 
 sus. The Pharisees fasted often, regu- 
 larly twice a week, besides the great 
 national davs of fasting. Luke x-dii. 12. 
 See Note "Matt. vi. 16—18. Tliis was 
 the estabhshed custom of the land, and 
 John did not feel himself authorized to 
 make so great a change as to dispense 
 with it. They were desirous of know 
 ing, therefore, why Jesus had done it. 
 
 Besides, it is probable that this ques- 
 tion was put to him when John was in 
 prison ; and his disciples, involved in 
 deep grief on account of it, observed 
 days of fasting. Fasting was the natu- 
 ral expression of sorrow, and they 
 wondered that the followers of Jesus 
 did not join with them in lamenting the 
 captivity of him who was the forerun 
 ner and baptizer of their Lord. 
 
 Christ, in reply to them, used three 
 illustrations, all of thciu going to esta- 
 blish the same thing, that we should oh 
 serve a fitness and propriety in thi?igs. 
 The first is taken from a marriage. 
 The children of the bride-chamber— 
 that is, the bridemen, or me?i who had 
 the special care of the hridal chamber, 
 and who tvere therefore his special 
 friends — do not lliink of fasting while 
 he is with them. With tliem it is a 
 time of festivity and rejoicing; ant'
 
 A.. D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 117 
 
 pies of John, saying, Why do we 
 and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy 
 disciples fast not 1 
 
 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can 
 tlie children of the bride-chamber 
 mourn, as long as the bridegroom "is 
 with them ] but the days will come 
 when the bridegroom shall be taken 
 from them, and then shall ' they fast. 
 
 16 No man putteth a piece of 
 a c.2o.l,10. Juo.3.29. rve.21.2. 6 Is.22.12. 
 
 mourning would not be appropriate. 
 When he is removed, or taken away, 
 then their festivity will be ended, and 
 then will be the proper time of sorrow. 
 So, says he, John, your friend and 
 teacher, is in captivity. With you it is 
 a time of deep grief, and it is fu that 
 you should fast. I am with my disci- 
 ples. It is, with them, a time of joy. 
 It is not fit that they should use the 
 tokens of grief, and fast now. When 
 I am taken away, it will then be pro- 
 per that tliey should fast. For an ac- 
 count of the ceremonies of an eastern 
 marriage, see Note, Matt. xxv. 1 — 13. 
 
 16. iVb Tna?i putteth a piece of new 
 chth, &.C. A second illustration was 
 drawn from a well-known fact, show- 
 ing also that there was a propriety or 
 fitness of things. None of you, says 
 he, in mending an old garment, would 
 take a piece ot entire new cloth. There 
 would be a waste in it. An old piece, 
 or a piece like the garment, would be 
 better. The word here translated new, 
 in the original means rude, undressed, 
 or not fulled or cleansed by the cloth- 
 dresser. In this state, if applied to an 
 old garment, and if wet, it would coti- 
 tract and draw ofl'a part of the garment 
 to which it was attached, and thus make 
 the rent worse than it was. So, says 
 he, my 7iew doctrines do not match with 
 the old rites of the Pharisees. There 
 is a fitness of things. Their doctrines 
 required much fasfing. In my system 
 it would be incongruous; and if my new 
 doctrines were to be attached to their 
 old ones, it would only make the matter 
 worse. 
 
 17. Neither do men put new wine, 
 &c. The third illustration was taken 
 froTH wine put into bottles. Bottles, 
 in eastern nations, were made, and are 
 atill, of skins of beasts. Generally the 
 ekin was taken entire from a sheep or 
 
 new cloth unto an old garment; 
 for that which is put in to fill it up 
 taketh from the garment, and the 
 rent is made worse. 
 
 17 Neither do men put new wine 
 into old bottles; else ' the bottles 
 break, and the wine runneth out, 
 and the bottles perish : but they 
 put new wine into new bottles, and 
 both are preserved. 
 
 1 or, rau>, or, unwrought cloth, c Job 32.19. 
 
 a goat, and, properly prepared, was 
 filled with wine or water. They are 
 still used, because, in crossing deserts 
 of sand, they have no other convey- 
 ances but camels, or other beasts of 
 burden. It would be difficult for them 
 to carry glass-bottles or kegs on them. 
 They, therefore, fill two skins, and 
 fasten them together, and lay them 
 across the back of a camel, and thus 
 carry wine or water to a great distance. 
 They were of course of different sizes, 
 as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen 
 might be used. Bruce describes par- 
 ticularly a bottle which he saw in Ara- 
 bia, made in this manner, of an ox-skin, 
 which would hold sLxty mUous, and 
 two of which were a load for a camel. 
 By long usage, however, they of course 
 became tender, and would be easily 
 ruptured. New wine, put into them, 
 would ferment, and swell and burst 
 them open. New skins or bottles 
 would yield to the fermenting wine, 
 and be strong enough to hold it from 
 bursting. So, says Christ, there is a 
 fitness or propriety of things. It is not 
 fit that my doctrine should be attached 
 to, or connected with, the old and cor- 
 rupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New 
 things should be put together, and made 
 to match. 
 
 This account of eastern bottles may 
 illustrate the following passages in the 
 Bible. The Gibeonites took "wine 
 bottles, old, and rent, and bound up." 
 Josh. Lx. 4. "My belly is ready to 
 burst, hke new bottles." Job xx.xii. 19. 
 " I am become like a bottle in the 
 smoke," Ps. cxLx. 83; i. e., hke a bot- 
 tle of skin hung up in a tent filled with 
 smoke. The following cut is copied 
 from a fragment of the Antiquities of 
 Herculaneum, and represents a young 
 woman pouring \vine from a bottle iairo 
 a cup.
 
 118 
 
 MATl'HEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 18 While " he spalce these things I 19 And Jesus arose and follow 
 unto thenn, behold, there came a I ed him, and so did his disciples, 
 lertain ruler and worshipped hini, j 20 And,"^ behold, a woman, which 
 
 saying. My daughter is even now 
 dead : but come and lay thy hand 
 upon her, and she shall live. * 
 fi Mat.5.22. Lu.8.41,&c. J Jno.11.22.25. 
 
 18 — 26. The account contained in 
 these verses is also recorded, with 
 Eome additional circumstances, in Mark 
 V. 22 — 43, and Luke viii. 41 — 56. 
 
 18. There came a certain ruler. 
 Mark and Luke say that his name was 
 Jairus, and that he was a ruler of the 
 synagogue; that is, one of the elders to 
 whom was committed the care of the 
 synagogue. See Note, Matt. iv. 23. 
 ^ AtkI worshipped him. That is, fell 
 down before him, or e.xpressed his re- 
 spect for him by a token of profound 
 regard. See Note, Matt. ii. 2. If My 
 daughter is even now dead. Luke says 
 that this was his only daughter, and 
 that she was twelve years of age. Mark 
 and Luke say that she was at the point 
 if death, and that information of her 
 ictual death was brought to him by 
 ane who was sent by the ruler of the 
 synagogue, while Jesus was going. 
 Matthew combined the two facts, and 
 Btated the representation which was 
 made to Jesus, without stopping parti- 
 cularly to exhibit the manner in which 
 it was done. In a summary way he 
 savs that the ruler communicated the 
 information. Luke and Mark, dwell- 
 ing more particularly on the circum- 
 stances, state at length the way in 
 which it was done ; that is, by himself 
 stating, in a hurry, that she was about 
 
 was diseased with an issue of blood 
 twelve years, came behind him, and 
 touched the hem of his garment : 
 c Mar.5.2o. Lu.8.43. 
 
 to die, or dying, and then in a few mo- 
 ments sending word that she was dead. 
 The Greek word, rendered is even nout 
 dead, does not of necessity mean, as 
 our translation would express, that she 
 had actually expired, but only that she 
 was dying or about to die. Compare 
 Gen. xlviii. 21. It is Ukely that a fa- 
 ther, in these circumstances, would use 
 a word as nearly expressing actual death 
 as would be consistent with the fact 
 that she was alive. The passage may 
 be expressed thus : ' My daughter was 
 so sick that she must be, by this time, 
 dead.' ^ Come and lay thy hand upon 
 her. It was customary for the Jewish 
 prophets in conferring favors, to lav 
 their hand on the person benefited. 
 Jesus had probably done so also, and 
 the ruler had probably witnessed the 
 fact. 
 
 20. And behold a woman, &c. This 
 disease was by the Jews reckoned un- 
 clean (Lev. XV. 25,) and she was un- 
 willing to make personal apphcation to 
 Jesus, or even to touch his person 
 The disease was regarded as incurable 
 She had expendea all her property 
 and grew worse. Mark v. 26. If Touch 
 ed the hem of his garment. This gar- 
 ment was probably the square garment 
 which was thrown over the shoulders 
 Note, Matt. v. 40. This was sur- 
 rounded by a border, or fringe ; and 
 this fringe, or the loose threads hang 
 ing down, is vyhat is meant by the hem. 
 The Jews were commanded to wear 
 this in order to distinguish them from 
 other nations. See Num. xv. 38, 39; 
 Deut. xxii. 12. 
 
 Mark says that the woman, fearine 
 and trembling, came and told him all 
 the truth. Perhaps she feared that, 
 from the impure nature of her disease, 
 he would be offended that she touched 
 him. T Be of good comfort. Jesus 
 silenced her fears, commended her 
 faith, and sent her away in peace. He 
 used an endearing appellation, caUine 
 her daughter, a word of tenderness and 
 affection, and dismissed her who had
 
 A. D. 31.] CHAPTER IX. liy 
 
 21 For she saiil within herself, ! the woman was made whole from 
 If I may but touoii his garment, " I j that hour. <= 
 
 shall be whole. 23 And * when Jesus came into 
 
 22 But Jpsus turned him about ; ; the ruler's house, and saw llie ' 
 and when he saw her, he said, minstrels and the people makino- a 
 Daughter, be of good comfort; thy , noise. 
 
 * faith hath made thee whole. And: 21 He said unto them. Give 
 
 aAc.19.12. frLu.7.50. 17.19. 18.42. Ac! c Jno.4.53. d Mar.5.38. Lu.8.5]. eSCk 
 14.9. 35.25. 
 
 bsen twelve long and tedious years la- 
 boring under a weakening and oflbnsive 
 disease, now in an instant made whole. 
 Her faith, her strong confidence in Je- 
 sus, had been the means of her restora- 
 tion. It was the power of Jesus that 
 cured her ; but that power would not 
 have been e.xerted but in connexion 
 with faith. So in the solvation of a 
 sinner. No one is saved who does not 
 beUeve; but faith is the instrument, dind 
 not the power, that saves. 
 
 23. And when Jesus came in, die. 
 Jesus admitted only three of his dis- 
 ciples, Peter, James, and John the bro- 
 ther of James, and the father and mother 
 of the damsel, to go in with him where 
 the corpse lay. Mark v. 37 — iO. It 
 was important that there should be 
 witnesses of the miracle, and he chose 
 a sufficient number. Five witnesses 
 were enough to establish the fact. The 
 witnesses were impartial. The fact that 
 she was dead was established beyond a 
 doubt. Of tliis the mourners, the pa- 
 rents, the messengers, the people were 
 satisfied. If she was presented to the 
 people alive, the proof of the miracle 
 was complete. The presence of more 
 than the five witnesses would have 
 made the scene tumultuous, and have 
 been less satisfactory evidence of the 
 fact of the restoration of the child. Five 
 sober witnesses are always better than 
 tile confused voices of a rabble. These 
 were the same disciples that were with 
 him in the mount of transfiguration and 
 garden of Gethsemane. Mark ix. 2, 
 and xiv. 33. 2 Pet. i. 17, 18. IT He 
 saw the minstrels and the people making 
 a noise. Minstrels are persons who 
 play on instruments of music. The 
 people of the East used to bewail the 
 dead by cutting the flesh, tearing the 
 hair, and crying bitterly. See Jer. Lx. 
 17, xvi. 6, 7; Ezek. xxiv. 17. The ex- 
 pressions of grief at the death of a 
 friend, in eastern countries, are ex- 
 treme. A.S soon as a person dies, all 
 
 the females in the family set up a loud 
 and doleful cry. They continue it as 
 long as they can without taking breath, 
 and the shriek of wailing dies away hi 
 a low sob. Nor do the relatives satisfy 
 themselves with these expre.ssions of 
 violent grief They hire persons of 
 both sexes, whose employment it is to 
 mourn forthe dead in the like frantic 
 manner. See Amos v. 16 ; Jer. ix. 20. 
 They sing the virtues of the deceased, 
 recount his acts, dwell on his beauty, 
 strength, or learning; on the comforts 
 of his family and home, and in doleful 
 strains ask him why he left his family 
 and friends. To ail tliis they add soft 
 and melancholy music. They employ 
 minstrels to aid their grief, and increase 
 the expression of their sorrow. Thi.» 
 violent grief continues, commonly, cighi 
 days. In the case of a king, or othei 
 very distinguished personage, it is pro- 
 longed through an entire month. This 
 grief docs not cease at the house ; it is 
 exhibited in the procession to the grave ; 
 and the air is rent with the wailmgs of 
 real and of hired mourners. 
 
 The Jews were forbidden to tear their 
 hair and cut their flesh. See Lev. xix. 
 28; Deut. xiv. 1. They showed their 
 grief by howling, by music, by conceal- 
 ing the chin with their garment, by 
 rending the outer garment, by refusing 
 to wash or anoint themselves, or to con- 
 verse with people, by scattering ashes 
 or dust in the air, or by lying down in 
 them. Job i. 20, ii. 12; 2 Sam. i. 2 — 1, 
 xiv. 2, XV. 30; Mark xiv. 63. The ex- 
 pressions of grief, therefore, mentioned 
 on this occasion, though excessive and 
 foolish, were yet strictly in accordance 
 with eastern customs. 
 
 24. The maid is not dead, hut sleepeik. 
 It cannot be supposed that our Lord 
 means literally to say that the child 
 was not dead. Every possible evidence 
 of her death had been given, and he 
 acted on that himself, and conveyed to 
 the people the idea that he raised hor
 
 120 
 
 MA'ITHEW, 
 
 lA. D.31 
 
 place ; for the maid is not dead, » 
 but sleepeth. And they laughed 
 him to scorn. 
 
 25 But when the people were 
 put forth, '' he went in, and took her 
 by the hand, and the maid arose, 
 
 26 And ' the fame hereof went 
 abroad into all that land. 
 
 27 And when Jesus departed 
 thence, two blind men followed 
 him, crying, and saying, Thou 
 Don of David, ' have mercy on us. 
 
 28 And when he was come into 
 the house, the blind men came to 
 him : and Jesus saith unto them, 
 Believe ye that I am able to do this] 
 They said unto him. Yea, Lord. 
 
 29 Then touched he their eyes, 
 saying. According to your faith be 
 it unto you. 
 
 30 And their eyes were opened : 
 and Jesus straitly charged them, 
 saying. See that no man know ^ it. 
 
 31 But they, when they were 
 
 o Ac.20.10. J 2Ki.4.33,&c. ^ or, this 
 fame. c c.15.22. 20.30,31. <ils.42.2. 52.13. 
 C.12.1C. 
 
 from the dead. He meant to speak in 
 opposition to their opinions. It is not 
 unlikely that Jairus and the people fa- 
 vored the opinions of the Sadducees, 
 and that they understood by her being 
 dead that she had ceased to be, and that 
 she would never be raised up again. In 
 oppositioH to this he used the expression 
 she sleepeth ; afhrming mildly both that 
 the body was dead, and implying that 
 her spirit still lived, and that slie would 
 be raised up again. A similar mode of 
 speaking is seen in John xi. 11 : " Our 
 friend Lazaius sleepeth.^' The sacred 
 writers, who hold the doctrine of the 
 resurrection, often spoke of the dead as 
 fleeping. 2 Peter iii. 4 ; Acts vii. 60 ; 
 1 Cor. XV. 6, 18; 1 Thess. iv. 13 — 15. 
 The meaning of this passage, then, is, 
 the maid has not ceased to exist ; but 
 though her body is dead, yet her spirit 
 lives, and she sleeps in the hope of the 
 resurrection, "i Laughed him to scorn. 
 Derided him, ridiculed him. 
 
 25. He went in. With the father, and 
 mother, and three disciples. Mark v. 
 ■^7 — 40. ^ The maid arose. She return- 
 
 departed, spread abroad his famo 
 in all that country. 
 
 32 As they went out, behold, 
 they brought to him a dumb man ' 
 possessed with a devil. 
 
 33 And when the devil was casi 
 out, the dumb spake: i and the 
 multitudes marvelled, saying. It was 
 never so seen in Israel. 
 
 34 But the Pharisees said. He 
 casteth out devils through the prince 
 of the devils. 
 
 35 And * Jesus went about all 
 the cities and villages, teaching in 
 their synagogues, and preaching 
 the gospel of the kingdom, and 
 healing every sickness and every 
 disease among the peojile. 
 
 36 But when he saw the multi- 
 tudes, he was moved with compas- 
 sion on them, because they ^ faint- 
 ed, and were scattered abroad, as 
 sheep • having no shepherd. 
 
 ec. 12.22. Lu.il. 14. /Is.35.6. ^c.12.24 
 Mar.3.22. Lu.11.15. A c.4.23. ^ or, were tired, 
 and lay down. iNu.27.17. 1 Ki.22.17. Ezp 
 34.5. Zec.10.2. 
 
 ed to life. There could be no deception 
 here. Parents could not be imposed 
 on in such a case. Nor could such a 
 multitude be deceived. The power of 
 Jesus was imdoiibtedly shown to be 
 sufficient to raise the dead. If he can 
 restore the body to hfe, he can also the 
 soul. A word from him can restore the 
 soul to immortal life, so that it shall 
 never see death. 
 
 27. Son of David. By the Son of 
 David the Jews meant the Messiali. 
 He was the Son or descendant of Davia 
 by way of eminence. Isa. ix. 7 ; Luke 
 i. 32 ; Matt. i. 1 ; and Rev. xxii. 16. 
 
 28. And when he vias come info the 
 hoiise. He went into a house probably 
 to avoid the tumult and publicity of the 
 street. He sought privacy, and was 
 unwilling to make any commotion. 
 
 34. Prince of the devils. That is, 
 Beel-Zebub. "See Note, Matt. xii. 24. 
 
 35. The gospel of the hingdom. Thai 
 is, the good news of the reig?i of God, or 
 the good news of the advent and reign 
 of the Messiali. Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 36. Because they fainted. The vv»>rtJ
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 121 
 
 37 Then saith he unto his dis- [ 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord 
 ciples, The harvest ° truly is plen- of the harvest, that he will send 
 tbous, but the labourers are few : forth ' labourers into his harvest. 
 aLu.lO.i;. Jno.4.a5. 6 Ps.63.11. 
 
 used here refers to the weariness and 
 fatigue which resuhs from labor and 
 l.eing burdened. He saw the people 
 urdened with the rites of religion and 
 •he doctrines of the Pharisees ; sinking 
 lowii under their ignorance and tradi- 
 tions, and neglected by those who ought 
 to have been enhghtened teachers ; 
 scattered and driven out without care 
 and attention. With great beauty he 
 compares them to sheep, wandering 
 rtdthout a shepherd. Judea was a land 
 •jf flocks and herds. The faithful shep- 
 herd, by day and night, was with his 
 flock. He defended it, led it to green 
 pastures, and beside the still waters. 
 Without his care they would stray 
 away. They were in danger of wild 
 beasts. They panted in the summer 
 sun, and knew not where was the cool- 
 ing shade and stream. So, said he, is 
 it with this people. No wonder that the 
 compassionate Redeemer was moved 
 with pity ! 
 
 37. The harvest truly is •plenteous, 
 &c. Another beautiful nnage. A wav- 
 ing field of golden ^rain invites many 
 rrapers, and demands haste. By the 
 harvest, here, he meant that the multi- 
 tur-e of people that flocked to his min- 
 is'r.y was great. The people expected 
 tlie Messiah. They were prepared to 
 eceive the gospel. But the laborers 
 vere few. Few were engaged in in- 
 structing the multitude. He directed 
 them, therefore, to pray to the Lord of 
 the harvest to send forth reapers. God 
 is the proprietor of the great harvest of 
 the world, and he only can send men 
 to gather it in. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. We are presented with an in- 
 stance of proper perseverance in com- 
 ing to Christ. Vs. 1, 2. Nothing was 
 suffered to prevent the purpose of pre- 
 senting the helpless paralytic to the 
 Saviour. So the poor helpless sinner 
 should come. No obstacle should pre- 
 /ent him. He should lay himself at 
 lis feet, and feel that Jesus holds over 
 lim the power of life and death, and 
 nat no other being can save. 
 
 2d. Jesus has the power to forgive 
 ms. Ver. 6. He claimed it, and work- 
 )1 
 
 ed a miracle to prove it. If he had it 
 then, he has it still. To him, then, the 
 lost sinner may come, with the assu- 
 rance that as he freely then exerted that 
 power, so he is ever the same, and will 
 do it 7WW. 
 
 3d. Jesus Christ is divine. Nothing 
 could prove it more clearly than the 
 power to pardon rebels. God only can 
 pronounce what shall be done with 
 transgressors of his law. Isa. xliii. 25. 
 He that claims this right must be either 
 an impostor or God. But no impostor 
 ever yet worked a miracle. Jesus was 
 therefore divine. He can save to the 
 uttermost all that come to God through 
 him. 
 
 4t!i. We see here the proper rule to 
 be observed in mingling with the wick- 
 ed. Vs. 10 — 13. it should not be of 
 choice, or for pleasure. We should not 
 enter into their follies or vices. We 
 should not seek enjoyment in their so- 
 ciety. We should mingle with them 
 simply to transact necessary business, 
 and to do them good, a7id no further. 
 Ps..i. 1. 
 
 5th. In the case of the ruler and the 
 woman that was diseased we have a 
 strong instance of the nature of faith. 
 They came not doubting his power — 
 fully assured that he was able to heal. 
 So all genuine behevers come to him. 
 They doubt not his power or wiUing- 
 nc"ss to save them. Poor, and lost, and 
 ruined by sin, and in danger of eternal 
 death, they come. His heart is open. 
 He puts forth his power, and the soul 
 is healed, and the sin and danger gone. 
 
 6th. The young must die, and may 
 die in early life. ver. 18. Very short 
 graves are in every burying-ground. 
 Thousands and millions, not more 
 than twelve years of age, have died. 
 Thousands and millions, not more than 
 twelve vears of age, are yet to die. 
 Many of these may be taken from Sun- 
 day schools. Their class, their teacher 
 — their parents, sisters, and brothers — 
 must be left, and the child be carried to 
 -he grave. Many children of that age, 
 that have been in Sunday schools, have 
 died happy. They loved the Saviour, 
 and they were ready to go. Jesus waa
 
 122 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 AND when hs had called unto 
 him his twelve disciples, he " 
 gave them power against ' un- 
 a Mar.3.13,]4. C.7,&c. Lu.9.1,&c. i or, 
 
 near to them when they died, and they 
 are now in heaven. Of every child we 
 may ask, are you ready also to go when 
 God shall call you ? Do you love the 
 Lord Jesus so as to be willing to leave 
 all your friends here, and go to him ? 
 
 7th. Jesus can raise up the dead, and 
 he will raise up all that love him. Ver. 
 23. Many little children will be raised 
 ip to meet him in the last great day. 
 He shall come in the clouds. The an- 
 2el shall sound a trumpet, and all the 
 dead shall hear. All shall be raised up 
 and go to meet him. All that loved 
 him here will go to heaven. All that 
 were wicked, and did not love him here, 
 will go to everlasting suffering. 
 
 8th. We see the duty of praying for 
 the conversion of the world. Ver. 37, 
 38. The harvest is as plenteous as it 
 was in the time of Christ. More than 
 six hundred millions are still without 
 the gospel. And there are not yet many 
 laborers to go into the harvest. The 
 world is full of wickedness, and God 
 only can qualify those who shall go and 
 preach the gospel to the dark nations 
 of the earth. Without ceasing, we 
 ought to entreat of God to pity the na- 
 tions, and to send faithful men, who 
 shall tell them of a dying Saviour. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 1. And whe?i he had called unto him 
 his twelve disciples, &c. This accotmt 
 of sending the apostles forth is recorded 
 also in Mark vi. 7 — 11, and Luke ix. 1 
 -6. Mark says that he sent them out 
 two and two. This was a kind arrange- 
 ment, that each one might have a com- 
 panion ; and that they might visit more 
 places, and accomplish more labor, than 
 if they were all together. These twelve 
 were the original number of apostles. 
 The word apostle means one that is 
 gent, and was given to them because 
 they were sent forth to preach the gos- 
 pel. They were ambassadors of Christ. 
 To this number Matthias was after- 
 wards added, to supply the place of Ju- 
 das. Acts i. 26. And Paul was spe- 
 cially called to bo an apostle to the I 
 
 clean spirits, to cast them out, and 
 to heal all nianner of sickness and 
 all manner of disease. 
 
 2 Now the names ' of the 
 6 Lu.6.13. 
 
 Gentiles, Rom. i. 1 ; 1 Cor. xv. 8, 9 ; 
 Gal. i. 1. So that there were in al] 
 
 fourteen apostles. 
 
 In selecting twelve al first, it is proba- 
 ble that he was somewhat guided by 
 the number of the tribes of Israel. 
 Twelve was, with them, a well-known 
 number, and it was natural that he 
 should select one for every tribe. Their 
 office was clearly made known. They 
 were to heal the sick, raise the dead, 
 preach the gospel, &c. They were to 
 be with him, receive his instructions, 
 learn the nature of his religion, be wit- 
 nesses of his resurrection, and bear his 
 gospel then around the globe. The 
 number twelve was the best for these 
 purposes that could be selected. It was 
 sufficiently large to answer the purpose 
 of testimony ; and it was so small as 
 not to be disorderly, or easily divided 
 into parties or factions. They were not 
 learned men, and could not be supposed 
 to spread their religion by art, or talents. 
 They were not men of wealth, and 
 could not 6r?5e men to follow them. 
 They were not men of rank and office, 
 and could not compel men to believe. 
 They were just such men as are always 
 found the best witnesses in courts ol 
 justice — plain men, of good sense, of 
 fair character, of great honesty, and 
 with favorable opportunities of ascer- 
 taining the facts to which they bore 
 witness. Sucli men every body be- 
 lieves, and especially when they are 
 willing to lay down their hves to prove 
 their sincerity. 
 
 It was important that he should 
 choose them early in his ministry, that 
 they might be fully acquainted with 
 him ; might treasure up his mstruc 
 tions, and observe his manner of life 
 and his person, that by having been 
 long acquainted with him they might 
 be able to testify to his identity, and bo 
 competent witnesses of his resurrection. 
 No witnesses were ever so well quali- 
 fied to give testimony as they ; and none 
 ever gave so much evidence of tliei; 
 sincerity as they did. See Actsi. 21, 22. 
 
 2. The account which follows is more
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 128 
 
 twelve apostles are these : The first, 
 Simon, who is called Peter, and 
 Andrew his hrother : James the son 
 of Zebedee, and John his brother; 
 3 Philip, and Bartholomew ; 
 Thomps, and Matthew the publi- 
 
 fiilly given in Mark iii. 13 — 18, and 
 Lulie vi. 12 — 19. Both of those evan- 
 gelists have recorded the circumstances 
 of their appointment. They agree in 
 saying it was done on a mountain ; and, 
 according to Luke, it was done before 
 the sermon on the mount was deliver- 
 ed, perhaps on the same mountain, near 
 CapernauiH. Luke adds that the night 
 previous had been spent in prayer to 
 God. See Note on Luke vi. 12. H Si- 
 mon, who IS called Peter. Peter means 
 a rock. He was also called Cephas. 
 John i. 42 ; 1 Cor. i. 12, iii. 22, xv. 5 ; 
 Gal. ii. 9. This was a Syro-Chaldaic 
 word, signifying the same as Peter. 
 This name was given probably in re- 
 ference to the resoluteness and firmness 
 which he was to exhibit in preaching 
 the gospel. Before tlie Saviour's death 
 he was rash, impetuous, and unstable. 
 Afterwards, as all history affirms, he 
 was firm, zealous, steadfast, and im- 
 movable. He was crucified at Rome 
 \vith his head downwards, thinking it 
 too great an honor to die as his Master 
 did. See Note, John xxi. 18. '^ James 
 the son of Zebedee, and John his hrother. 
 This James was slain by Herod in a 
 persecution. Acts xii. 2. The other 
 James, the son of Alpheus, was sta- 
 tioned at Jerusalem, and was the au- 
 thor of the epistle that bears his name. 
 See Gal. i. 19 ; ii. 9 ; Acts xv. 13. A 
 James is mentioned (Gal. i. 19) as the 
 Lord^s brother. It has not been easy to 
 ascertain why he was thus called. He 
 is here called the son of Alpheus, that 
 is, of Cleophas. John xix. 25. Al- 
 pheus and Cleophas were but different 
 ways of writing and pronouncing the 
 same name. This Mary, called the 
 mother of James and Joses, is called 
 the wife of Cleophas. John xix. 25. 
 II Lcbbeus, called Thaddeus. These 
 cwo words have the same signification 
 'n Hebrew. Luke calls him Judas, 
 by a slight change from the name Thad- 
 deus. Such changes are common in all 
 writings. 
 
 4. Simon the Canaanite. Luke calls 
 him Simon Zeloies, the zeals us. It is 
 
 can ; James the son of Alpheus ; 
 and Lebbeus, whose surname waa 
 Thaddeus; 
 
 4 Simon the Canaanite ; and Ju- 
 das Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 
 
 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, 
 
 probable that he was one of a small sect 
 of the Jews called Zealots, on account 
 of peculiar zeal in religion. His native 
 place was probably Cana. Afterwards 
 he might with propriety be called by 
 either title. IT Judas Iscariot. It ia 
 probable this name was given to him to 
 designate his native place. Cariolh was 
 a small town in the tribe of Judah. 
 
 5. Into the v>ay of the (rentiles. That 
 is, among the Gentiles, or nowhere but 
 among the Jews. The full time for 
 preaching the gospel to the Gentiles 
 was not come. It was proper that it 
 should be first preached to the Jews, 
 the ancient covenant people of God, and 
 the people among whom the Messiah 
 was born. Pie alterv/ards gave them a 
 charge to go into all the world. Matt, 
 xxviii. 19. IT And into any city of the 
 Samaritans enter ye not. The Sama- 
 ritans occupied the country formerly 
 belonging to the tribe of Epliraim and 
 the half-tribe of Manasseh. This region 
 was situated between Jerusalem and 
 Galilee ; so that in passing from the one 
 to the other, it was a direct course to 
 pass through Samaria. The capital of 
 the country was Samaria, formerly a 
 large and splendid city. It was si- 
 tuated about fifteen miles to the north- 
 west of the city of Shechem or Sychar 
 (See Notes on John iv. 5), and about 
 forty miles to the north of Jerusalem. 
 For a description of this city, see my 
 Notes on Isaiah, xxviii. 1. Sychar or 
 Shechem was also a city in the limits ol 
 Samaria. 
 
 This people was formerly composed 
 of a few of the ten tribes, and a mLx- 
 ture of foreigners. When the ten tribes 
 were carried away into captivity to Ba- 
 bylon, the king of Assyria sent people 
 from Cutha, Ava, Hameth, and Se- 
 pharvaim, to inhabit their country. 2 
 Kings xvii. 24 ; Ezra iv. 2 — 11. These 
 people at first worshipped the idols of 
 their own nations. But being troubled 
 with hons, which had increased greatly 
 while the country remained uninhabited, 
 they supposed it was because they hai) 
 not honored the ^oi of /Ae 'owniry. A
 
 t21 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 and commanded tht^n, saying, Go 
 not into the way of the Gentiles, 
 and into any city of the Samari- 
 tans " enter ye not : 
 
 6 But go * rather to the lost 
 sheep ' of the house of Israel. 
 
 7 And, as ye go, preach, saying, 
 a 2 Ki. 17.24. Jno.4.5,9,20. b Ac.13.46. 
 
 Ps.lJ9.176. Is.53.6-' Je.50.6,17. Eze.34.5,6, 
 R 1 Pe.2.25. 
 
 Jewish priest was therefore sent to them 
 from Babylon, to instruct them in the 
 Jewish rehgion. They were instructed 
 partially from the books of Moses ; but 
 still retained many of their old rites and 
 idolatrous customs, and embraced a re- 
 ligion made up of Judaism and idolatry. 
 2 Kings xvii. 26, 27, 28. 
 
 The grounds of difference between 
 the two nations were the following : 
 
 1st. The Jews, after their return from 
 Babylon, set about rebuilding their tem- 
 ple. The Samaritans offered to aid 
 them. The Jews, however, perceiving 
 that it was not from a love of true re- 
 ligion, but that they might obtain a part 
 of the favors granted to the Jews by 
 Cyrus, rejected their offer. The con- 
 sequence was, that a state of long and 
 bitter animosity arose between them 
 and the Jews. 
 
 2d. While Nehemiah was engaged in 
 building the walls of Jerusalem, the 
 Samaritans used every art to thwart 
 hin in his undertaking. Neh. vi. 1 — 
 14. 
 
 3d. The Samaritans at length obtain- 
 ed leave of the Persian monarch to build 
 a temple for themselves. This was 
 erected on mount Gerizim, and they 
 strenuously contended that that was the 
 place designated by Moses as the place 
 were the nation should worship. San- 
 ballet, the leader of the Samaritans, 
 constituted his son-in-law, Manasses, 
 High Priest. The religion of the Sa- 
 maritans thus became perpetuated, and 
 an irreconcilable hatred arose between 
 (hem and the Jews. See Note on John 
 iv. 20. 
 
 4th. Afterwards Samaria became a 
 place of resort for all the outlaws of Ju- 
 dea. They received v.'illingly all the 
 Jewish criminals, and refugees from jus- 
 tice. The violators of the ^ ewish laws, 
 and those who had been excommunicat- 
 ed, be'ook themselves for safety to Sa- 
 maria and greatly increased their Hum- 
 
 ''The kingdom of heaven is al 
 hand. 
 
 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lep- 
 ers, raise the dead, cast out devils : 
 ' freely ye have received, freely give. 
 
 9 ' Provide ^ neither gold, noi 
 
 silver, nor brass, in your purses : 
 
 <ic.3.2. 4.17. Lu.9.2. 10.9. e Ac.8.18,2a 
 ^ or, get. /Lu.22.35. 1 Cor.9.7,&c. 
 
 bers and the hatred which subsisted 
 between the two nations. 
 
 5th. The Samaritans receiveu only 
 the five books of Moses, and rejected 
 the writings of the prophets, and all 
 the Jewish traditions. From these 
 causes arose an irreconcilable difference 
 between them, so that the Jews regard- 
 ed them as the worst of the human race 
 (John viii. 48), and had no dealings with 
 them. John iv. 9. 
 
 Our Saviour, however, preached the 
 gospel to them afterwards (John iv. 
 6 — 26) and the apostles imitated his ex 
 ample. Acts viii. 25. The gospel was, 
 however, ^rs< preached to the Jews. 
 
 6th. But go rather to the lost sheep, 
 &c. That is, to the Jews. He re- 
 garded them as wandering and lost, 
 like sheep straying without a shepherd. 
 They had been the chosen people of 
 God; they had long looked for the 
 Messiah ; and it was proper that the 
 gospel should be first offered to them. 
 
 7. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
 Or, more literally, the reign of heaven, 
 or of God, draws near. See Note, 
 Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 8. Freelyye have received, freely give. 
 That is, they were not to sell their fa- 
 vors of healing, preaching, &c. They 
 were not to make a money maJdng busi- 
 ness of it, to bargain specifically to heal 
 for so much, and to cast out devils for 
 so much. This, however, neither then 
 nor afterwards, precluded them from 
 receiving a competent support. See 
 Luke X. 7 ; 1 Cor. ix. 8—14 ; 1 Tim 
 V. 18. 
 
 9—15. See also Mark vi. 8—11, and 
 Luke ix. 3 — 5. In both these places 
 the substance of this account is given, 
 though not so particularly as in Mat- 
 thew. The general subject is, the in- 
 structions given to the apostles. 
 
 9. Nor brass. This prohibition of 
 gold, silver, and brass, is designed to 
 prevent their preparing money ior thei?
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 125 
 
 10 Nor sciip for your journey, 
 neither two coats, neither shoes, nor 
 yet ' staves : for " the workman is 
 worthy of his meat. 
 
 11 And into whatsoever city or 
 
 ^astnjf. aLu.l0.7,&c. 
 
 journey. Pieces of money of small 
 value were made of brass. IT In your 
 purses. Literally in your girdles. See 
 Notes, Matt. v. 38 — 41. A girdle or 
 sash was an indispensable part of the 
 dress. This girdle was made hollow, 
 and answered the purpose of a purse. It 
 was convenient, easily borne, and safe. 
 
 10. Neither scrip. That is, liTiapsack. 
 It was made of skin or coarse cloth, to 
 carry provisions in. It was commonly 
 hung around the neck. As they were 
 to be provided for on their way, it was 
 unnecessary to provide a store of pro- 
 visions. ^ Neither tivo coats. See Note, 
 Matt. V. 40. IT Neither shoes. The 
 original is the word commonly rendered 
 sa?idals. See Note, Matt. iii. 11. 
 
 Mark says, in recording this discourse, 
 " but be shod with sandals." Between 
 this and Matthew there is an apparent 
 contradiction. But there is really no 
 diflerence. According to Matthew, Je- 
 sus does not forbid their wearing the 
 sandals, which they probably had on, but 
 only forbids their supplying themselves 
 with more, or with superfluous ones. 
 Instead of malung provision for their 
 feet when their prese^it shoes were worn 
 out, they were to trust to Providence 
 to be supplied, and go as they were. 
 And the meaning of the two evangel- 
 ists may be thus expressed : ' Do not 
 procure any thing more for your journey 
 than you have on. Go as you are, shod 
 with sandals, without making any pre- 
 paration. IT Nor yet staves. In the 
 margin, in all the ancient versions, and 
 in the common Greek text, it is in the 
 singular number, nor yet a staff. But 
 Mark says that they might have a staff : 
 " Jesus commanded them that they 
 should take nothing for their journey. 
 save a staff only." To many this would 
 appear to be a contradiction. Yet the 
 spirit of the instruction, the main thing 
 that the writer aims at, is the same. 
 That was, that they were to go just as 
 they were, to trust to Providence, and 
 not to spend any time in making prepa- 
 ration for their journey. Some of them, 
 probably, when he addressed them had 
 11* 
 
 town ye shall enter, inquire who in 
 it is worthy ; and there abide till ye 
 go thence. 
 
 12 And when ye come into an 
 house, salute it. 
 
 staves, and some had not. To those 
 who had he did not say that they should 
 throw them away, as the instructions ho 
 was giving might seem to require, but 
 suffered them to take them (Mark). To 
 those who had not, he said they should 
 not spend time in procuring them (Mat- 
 thew), but all go just as they were. 
 IT The workman is worthy of his meal. 
 This implies that they were to expect 
 proper supply for their wants from those 
 who were benefited. They were not 
 to make bargain and sale of the power 
 of working miracles, but they were to 
 expect competent support from preach- 
 ing the gospel ; and that not merely as 
 a gift, but because they were worthy of 
 it, and had a right to it. 
 
 11. JVho in it is worthy. That is, 
 who in it sustains a fair character will 
 be able and disposed to show you hos- 
 pitality, and will treat you kindly. This 
 shows that they were not suddenly and 
 needlessly to throw themselves in tha 
 way of insult or want. If And ihert 
 
 .abide. There remain ; as Luke adds, 
 " Go not from house to house." They 
 were to content themselves with one 
 house ; not to wander about in the man- 
 ner of vagrants and mendicants ; not to 
 appear to be men of idleness, and fond 
 of change ; not to seem dissatisfied with 
 the hospitality of the people ; but to 
 show that they had regular, important 
 business ; to show that they valued their 
 time, were disposed to give themselves 
 to labor, prayer, and meditation ; and 
 to be intent only on the business for 
 which he had sent them. If ministers 
 of the gospel are useful, it will be by 
 not spending their time in idle chitchat, 
 and wandering about as if they had no- 
 thing to do ; but in an honest and la- 
 borious improvement of every moment 
 in study, prayer, preaching, and reli- 
 gious visiting their people. 
 
 12. And when you, come into a house, 
 salute it. The word house, here, evi- 
 dently means family, as it does in tira 
 following verse. See also Matt. xii. 25, 
 and John iv. 53: "And himself be- 
 lieved and his whole house." The apos
 
 1S6 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 [A.D. 31 
 
 13 And if the house be worthy, 
 let your peace come upon it : but 
 if it be not worthy, let your peace 
 return " to you. 
 
 14 And whosoever shall not re- 
 ceive you, nor hear your words, 
 when ye depart out of that house or 
 city, shake* cff the dust of your feet. 
 
 oPs.35.13. 6Ne.5.13. Ac.13.51. 18.6. 
 
 ties were directed to saluf.e the family, 
 to show them the customary tokens of 
 respect, and to treat them with civility. 
 Religion never requires ;'• permits its 
 friends to outrage the common rules of 
 social intercourse. It demands of them 
 to exhibit to all, the customary and 
 proper tokens of respect, according to 
 their age and station. 1 Pet. ii. 12 — 25, 
 iii. 8—11; Phil. iv. 8. For the mode of 
 salutation, see Note, Luke x. 4, 5. 
 
 13. If the house be worthy. That is, 
 if the family be worthy, or be ^viUing 
 to receive you as my disciples. IT Let 
 your peace come upon it. That is, let 
 the peace or happiness which you seek, 
 or for which you pray, in saluting it 
 (see Luke x. 5), come upon it ; or seek 
 their peace and happiness by prayer, 
 instruction, by remaining with them, 
 and imparting to them the blessings of 
 the gospel. ^ But if it be not worthy, 
 &c. If the family be unwilling to re- 
 ceive you ; if they show themselves 
 unfriendly to you and your message ; 
 let your peace return to you. This is a 
 Hebrew mode of saying that your peace 
 shall wo< come upon it. Ps. xxxv. 13. 
 It is a mode of speaking derived from 
 bestowing a gift. If people were wil- 
 ling to receive it, they derived the 
 benefit from it ; if not, then of course 
 the present came back, or remained in 
 the hand of the giver. So C\\x\st fgu- 
 ralively speaks of the peace which 
 their labor would confer. If received 
 kindly and hospitably by the people, 
 they would confer on them most valu- 
 able blessings. If rejected and perse- 
 cuted, the blessings which they sought 
 for others would come upon them- 
 eelves. They would reap the benefit 
 of being cast out and persecuted for 
 their Master's sake. Matt. v. 10. 
 
 14. Shake off the dust of your feet. 
 The Jews taught uniformly that the 
 dust of the Gentiles ■•ras impure, and 
 
 15 Verily I say unto you. It 
 shall be more tolerable for the land 
 of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day 
 of judgment, than for that city. 
 
 16 Behold, I send you forth as 
 sheep in the midst of wolves : be 
 ye therefore '' wise as serpents, and 
 ' harmless ' as doves. 
 
 £0.11.22,24. dRo.16.19. Ep.5.15. or, 
 simple. e PJi.2.15. 
 
 was to be shaken off. To shake off 
 the dust from the feet, therefore, was a 
 significant act, denoting that they re- 
 garded them as impure, profane, and 
 heathenish, and unworthy of their in- 
 struction, and that they dechned all 
 further connexion with them. It is re- 
 corded that this was actually done by 
 some of the apostles. See Acts xiii. 51, 
 xviii. 6. 
 
 15. It shall be more tolerable for So- 
 dom, &c. The cities here mentioned, 
 together with Admath and Zeboim, 
 were destroyed by fire and brimstone, 
 or by a volcanic eruption, on account 
 of their great wickedness. They oc- 
 cupied the place afterwards covered by 
 the Dead Sea, bounding Palestine on 
 the south-east. Gen. xix. 24, 25. Christ 
 said that their punishment will be more 
 tolerable — that is, more easily borne — 
 than that of the people who reject his 
 gospel. The reason is, that they were 
 not favored with so much light and 
 instruction. See Matt. xi. 23, 24 ; Luke 
 xii. 47, 48. Sodoiu and Gomorrah are 
 often referred to as signal instances of 
 divine vengeance, and as sure proofs 
 that the wicked shall not go unpunish- 
 ed. See 2 Peter ii. 6 ; Jude 7. 
 
 16. As sheep in the midst of wolves. 
 That is, I send you inoffensive and 
 harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and 
 cruel world. Your innocence will not 
 be a protection. If Be ivise as serpents, 
 &-C. Serpents have always been ar 
 emblem of wisdom and cunning. Gen. 
 iii. 1. The Egyptians used the serpen' 
 in their hieroglyphics as a symbol o 
 wisdom. Probably the thing in whic^ 
 Christ directed his followers here to 
 imitate the serpent was in its caution in 
 avoiding danger. No animal equals 
 them in the rapidity and skill wliich 
 they evince in escaping danger. So 
 said Christ to his disciples, You need 
 caution and wisdom, in the midst of a
 
 A.D. 31. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 127 
 
 17 But beware » of men : for * 
 they will deliver you up to the 
 councils, and they will scourge ' 
 you in their synagogues ; 
 
 18 And '' ye shall be brought be- 
 fore governors and kings for my 
 sake, for a testimony against them 
 and the Gentiles. 
 
 a Pli.3.2. 4 c.24.9. Mar.13.9. e Ac.5.40. 
 2Cor.H.24. dACM&aS. 
 
 world that will seek your lives. He 
 directs them also to be harmless, not 
 to provoke danger, not to do injury, 
 and thus make their fellow-men justly 
 enraged against them. Doves are, and 
 always have been, a striking emblem 
 of innocence. Most men would fool- 
 ishly destroy a serpent, be it ever so 
 harmless ; yet few are so hard-hearted 
 as to kill a dove. 
 
 17. But beware of men. That is, be 
 on your guard against men who are 
 hke wolves. Ver. 16. Do not run 
 unnecessarily into danger. Use suit- 
 able prudence and caution, and do not 
 unnecessarily endanger your hves. IT 
 Councils. The word here used com- 
 m6nly signifies the great council of the 
 nation, the Sanhedrim. See Note, 
 Matt. v. 22. Here it seems to refer 
 to any judicial tribunal, of which there 
 were some in every village. ^ They 
 will scourge you in their synagogues. 
 Scourging, or whipping, is often men- 
 tioned in the New Testament as a part 
 of punishment. The law of Moses 
 directed that the number of stripes 
 should not exceed forty, but might be 
 any number less, at the discretion of the 
 judge. Deut. xxv. 2, 3. The person 
 who was sentenced to scourging was 
 formerly laid upon the ground, and the 
 blows inflicted on his back in the pre- 
 sence of the judge. Afterwards, the 
 criminal was tied to a low post. Scourg- 
 ing is still practised in the East ; but 
 the blows are commonly inflicted on 
 the soles of the feet. It is called the 
 bastinado. 
 
 The instrument formerly used was a 
 rod. Afterwards they employed thongs 
 or lashes attached to the rod. To make 
 the blows severe and more painful, they 
 sometimes lastened sharp points of iron, 
 or pieces of lead, in the thongs. These 
 were called scorpions. 1 Kings, xii. 11. 
 The law was express that the number 
 
 19 But ' when they deliver you 
 up, take no thought how or what 
 ye shall speak ; for it shall be given 
 you in that same hour what ye shall 
 speak. 
 
 20 For it is not ye that speak, 
 but the Spirit of your Father which 
 speaketh in you. 
 
 e Mar.13.11. Lu.l2.n. 21.14,15. 
 
 of stripes should not exceed forty. The 
 Jews, to secure the greater accuracy in 
 counting, used a scourge with three 
 lashes, which inflicted three stripes at 
 once. With this the criminal was 
 struck thirteen times, making the num- 
 ber of blows thu-ty-nine. Paul was five 
 times scourged in this way. See 2 Cor. 
 xi. 24. 
 
 The Romans did not feel themselves 
 bound by the law of the Jews in regard 
 to the number of stripes, but inflicted 
 them at pleasure. Thus our Saviour 
 was scourged till he was so weak as 
 not to be able to bear his cross. This 
 was often done in the synagogue. See 
 Matt, xxiii. 34 ; Acts x.vii. 19, xxvi. 11. 
 
 18. And ye shall be brought, &c. 
 This prediction was completely and 
 abundantly fulfilled. Acts v. 26, .xii. 
 1—4, x.xiii. 33, xxvi. 1, 28, 30. Peter 
 is said to have been brought before 
 Nero, John before Domitian, Roman 
 emperors ; and others before Parthian, 
 Scythian, and Indian kings. They 
 were to stand there to bear a testimony 
 against them ; or, as it might be ren- 
 dered, to them. That is, they were to 
 be VHtnesses to them of the great facts 
 and doctrines of the Christian religion ; 
 and if they rejected Christianity they 
 would be witnesses against them in 
 the day of judgment. The fulfilment 
 of this prophecy is a signal evidence 
 that Christ possessed a knowledge of 
 the future. Few things were more 
 improbable when this was uttered than 
 that the fishermen of Gahlce would 
 stand before the illustrious and mighty 
 monarchs of the East and the West. 
 
 19, 20. Tahe no thought. That is, be 
 not anxious, or unduly solicitous. Se? 
 Note, Matt. vi. 2.5. God would inspire 
 them. This was a full promise thai 
 they should be inspired, and was a most 
 seasonable consolation. Poor, and ig- 
 norant, and obscure fishermen wouK
 
 i28 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31. 
 
 21 And the brother shall deliver 
 lip the brother to death, and the 
 'ather the child : and the children 
 shall rise up against their parents, 
 and cause them to be put to death. 
 
 22 And ye shall be hated of all 
 men for my name's sake ; but ■ he 
 that endureth to the end shall be 
 
 aved. 
 
 23 But when they persecute you 
 
 a De.12.12,13. Re.2.10. 
 
 naturally be solicitous what they should 
 nay before the great men of the earth. 
 Eastern people regarded kings as raised 
 far above common mortals : as ap- 
 proaching to divinity. How consoling, 
 then, the assurance that God would aid 
 them, and speak within them ! 
 
 21. And the brother sJiall deliver up 
 the brother, &.C. Were there no evi- 
 dence tliat this had been done, it could 
 ■*• scarcely be credible. The ties which 
 b'jid brothers and sisters, and parents 
 aid children togetlier, are so strong that 
 It could scarcely be believed that divi- 
 sion of sentiment on ; ligious subjects 
 would cause them to torget these ten- 
 der relations. Yet history assures us 
 that this has been done. If this be so, 
 then how inexpressibly awful must be 
 the mahgnity of the human heart by 
 nature against religion ! Nothing else 
 but this dreadful opposition to God, and 
 Iris gospel, ever has induced, or ever 
 can induce men to violate the most ten- 
 der relations, and consign the best 
 friends to torture, racks, and flames. 
 It adds to the horrors of this, that those 
 who were put to death in persecution 
 were tormented in the most awful 
 modes that human ingenuity could 
 devise. They were crucified ; were 
 thrown into boiling oil ; were burnt at 
 the stake ; were roasted slowly over 
 coals ; were compelled to drink melted 
 lead ; were torn in pieces by beasts of 
 prey ; were covered with pitch, and 
 burnt, to give light in the gardens of 
 Nero. Yet dreadful as this prediction 
 was, it was fulfilled ; and incredible as 
 it seems, parents and children, and 
 husbands and wives, were found wick- 
 ed enough to deliver up each other to 
 these cruel modes of death on account 
 of their attachment to the Gospel. Such 
 >e the opposition of the heart of man to 
 
 in this city, fiee * ye into another : 
 for veri.y I say unto you, Ye s'lall 
 not ^ have gone over the cities of 
 Israel till the Son of man be come. 
 
 24 The ' disciple is not above 
 his master, nor the servant above 
 his lord. 
 
 25 It is enough for the disciple 
 that he be as his master, and th 
 servant as his lord. If •* they hav 
 
 6 Ac.8.1. ^ or, end, OT, finish, c Lu.6.40. 
 Jno.13.16. 15.20. d Jno.8.48. 
 
 the gospel ! That hostility which will 
 overcome the strong ties of natural af- 
 fection, and which will be satisfied with 
 nothing else to show its power, can be 
 no sUght opposition to the gospel of God. 
 
 22. Ye shall be hated of all men. That 
 is, of all kinds of men. The human 
 heart would be opposed to them, be- 
 cause it is opposed to Christ. ^ But he 
 that endureth to the end, &c. That is, to 
 the end of life, be it longer or shorter 
 He that bears all these unspeakable suf- 
 ferings, and who does not shrink and 
 apostatize, will give decisive evidence 
 of attachment to me, and shall eoter 
 into heaven. See Rev. iii. 21, 22. 
 
 23. When they persecute, &LC. The^ 
 were not permitted to throw away their 
 lives. Where they could preserve them 
 without denying their Lord, they were 
 to do it. Yet all the commands of 
 Christ, as well as their conduct, show 
 that they were rather to lay down their 
 lives, than deny their Saviour. We are 
 to preserve our lives by all proper 
 means ; but rather die, than save our- 
 selves by doing any thing wrong. IT F« 
 shall not have gone ovtr the cities of Is- 
 rael, &.C. That is, in fleeing from per- 
 secutors, from one city to another, you 
 shall not have gone to every city in Ju- 
 dea, till the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 and the end of the Jewish economy. 
 See Note on Matt. .\xiv. 28, 29, 30. 
 By the coming oj the Son of man, that 
 is, of Chri.''t, is probably meant the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem, which happened 
 about thirty years after this was spoken. 
 The words are often used in this sense. 
 See Matt. xxiv. 30. Mark .\iii. 26. Luke 
 xxi. 27, 32. 
 
 24. 25. The disciple is not above hi> 
 Master, &,c. That is, you must e.xpect 
 the same treatment which / have re- 
 ceived. They have called me, yo\u
 
 A. D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 129 
 
 called the master of the house ' 
 Beelzebub, how much more shall 
 ihey call them of his household ? 
 
 26 Fear them not therefore: for" 
 there is nothing covered that shall 
 not be revealed ; and hid, that shall 
 not be known. 
 
 27 \V.hat I tell you in darkness, 
 that speak ye in light : and what ye 
 hear in the ear, that preach ye upon 
 the house-tops. 
 
 ^ Beelzebul. a Mar.4.22. Lu.12.2,3. ICor. 
 4.5. JIs.8.12,13. 51.7.12. 1 Pe.3.14. 
 
 Master and Teacher, Beelzebub, the 
 prince of the de\'ils (sec Matt. xii. 24. 
 Luke .\i. 15. John viii. 48) ; and you 
 must expect that they will call all of 
 the family by the same name. Beelze- 
 bub, or Beelzebul, was a god of the Ek- 
 ronites. See 2 Kings i. 2. The word 
 literally means the god of flics, so called 
 because this idol was supposed to pro- 
 tect them from the numerous swarms 
 of flies with which that country is sup- 
 posed to have abounded. The word 
 also signified, among the Jews, the god 
 of filth, and was esteemed as the most 
 low and oflensive of all the idol gods. 
 Hence the name was given to the Lead- 
 er, or Prince, of all the devils. Luke 
 .vi. 15. Mark iii. 22. By giving the name 
 to Christ, they poured upon liim the 
 greatest possible abuse and contempt. 
 
 26. Fear them not, &,c. He encou- 
 raged them by the assurance that God 
 would protect them, and that their truth 
 and innocence should yet be vindicated. 
 It is probable that the declaration, there 
 is nothing covered, &c., was a proverb 
 among the Jews. By it our .Saviour 
 meant, that their innocence, their pri7i- 
 ciples, and their integrity, though then 
 the world might not acknowledge them, 
 in due time, would be revealed ; or 
 God would vindicate them, and the 
 universe would do them justice. They 
 were then to be willing to be unknown, 
 despised, persecuted, for a time, with 
 ;he assurance that their true characters 
 should yet be understood, and their 
 sufferings appreciated. 
 
 27. What I say to you i?t darkness, 
 &c. That is, in secret, in private, in 
 confidence. The private instructions 
 which I give you while with me, do 
 vou proclaim publicly, on the house top. 
 ['he house top, the flat roof, was a pub- 
 
 28 And * fear not them which 
 kill the body, but are not able to 
 kill the soul : but ruther fear him 
 which is able to destroy both soul 
 and body in hell. 
 
 29 Are not two sparrows sold foi 
 a ^ farthing ? and one of them shall 
 not fall on the ground without your 
 Father. 
 
 30 But ' the very hairs of your 
 head are all numbered. 
 
 ' In value, halfpenny farthing, a 10th part 
 of the Roman penny. c.)8.28. c Ac.27.34. 
 
 lie conspicuous place. See 2 Sam. xvi. 
 22. See also Notes, Matt. ix. 1 — 8. 
 
 2.S. Them which kill the body. That 
 is, men, who have no power to injure 
 the soul, the immortal part. The body 
 is a small matter, in comparison with 
 the soul. Temporal death is a sUghl 
 thing, compared with eternal death. He 
 directs them, therefore, not to be alarm- 
 ed at the prospect of temporal death ; 
 but to fear God, who can destroy both 
 soul and body for ever. This passage 
 proves that the bodies of the wicked 
 will be raised up to be punished for 
 ever. IT/w hell. See Note on Matt, 
 v. 22. 
 
 29 — 31. Are not two sparrows, &c. 
 He encourages them not to fear by two 
 striking considerations : first, that God 
 took care of sparrows, the smallest and 
 least valuable birds ; and secondly, by 
 the fact, that God numbered even the 
 very hairs of the head. The argument 
 is, if he takes care of birds of the least 
 value ; if he regards so small a thing as 
 the hair of the head, and numbers it, 
 he will certainly protect and provide for 
 you. You need not, therefore, fear 
 what man can do to you. ^ Sparrows. 
 Birds of very small kind and value, 
 with a black throat, and brown tem- 
 ples. They were used for food among 
 the Jews ; and were an image of sor- 
 row, solitude, and wretchedness. Ps. 
 cii. 7. "I am as a sparrow alone upon 
 the house top." ^Farthing. See NotC; 
 Matt. V. 26. IT Without your Father. 
 That is, God your Father guides and 
 directs its fab. It falls only with his 
 permission, and where he chooses. 
 
 30. The hairs — are numbered. That 
 is, each one has exercised the care and 
 attention of God. He has fixed the 
 number and though of small import
 
 L30 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31. 
 
 31 Fear ye not therefore ; ye are 
 of more value than many sparrows. 
 
 33 Whosoevertherefore shall con- 
 fess me before men, him " will I 
 confess also before my Father which 
 is in heaven. 
 
 33 But * whosoever shall deny 
 me before men, him will I also deny 
 before my Father which is in hea- 
 •?en. 
 
 34 Think not that I am come to 
 send peace on earth : ' I came not 
 to send peace, but a sword. 
 
 35 For I am come to set a man 
 a Re.3.5. b Ti.2.12. c Lu.13.40,53. 
 
 ance, yet he does not think it beneath 
 him to determine how few, or how 
 many, they shall be. He will, there- 
 fore, take care of you. 
 
 32, 33. Whosoever therefore shall con- 
 fess me, &LC. The same word in the 
 original, is translated confess and pro- 
 fess. 1 Tim. vi. 12, 13. 2 John 7. 
 Rom. X. 10. It means to acknowledge 
 ,he Lord Jesus Christ, and our depend- 
 ence on him for salvation, and our at- 
 tachment to him, m every proper man- 
 ner. This profession may be made, in 
 uniting with a church ; at the commu- 
 nion ; in conversation ; and in conduct. 
 The scriptures mean, by a profession 
 of religion, an exhibition of it in every 
 circumstance of the life, and before all 
 men. It is not merely in one act that 
 wc must do it, but in every act. We 
 must be ashamed neither of the person, 
 tlie character, the doctrines, nor the re- 
 quirements of Christ. If we are ; if 
 we deny him in these things before 
 men ; or are unwilling to express our 
 attachment to him in every way possi- 
 ble, then it is right that he should dis- 
 own all connexio7i wilji us, or deny us, 
 before God. And he will do it. 
 
 34, 35, 36. Think not that lam come, 
 &c. This is taken from Micah vii. 6. 
 Christ did not here mean to say that the 
 object of his coming was to produce dis- 
 cord and contention ; for he was the 
 Prince of Peace. Isa. ix. 6 ; xi. 6. 
 Luke ii. 14. But he means to say that 
 such would be one of the effects of ins 
 coming. One part of a family that was 
 opposed to him, would set themselves 
 against those who believed in him. The 
 wickedness of men, and not the reli- 
 
 at variance ** against his father, and 
 the daughter against her mother, 
 and the daughter-in-law against her 
 mother-in-law. 
 
 36 And ' a man's foes shall be 
 they of his own household. 
 
 37 He / that loveth father or 
 mother more than me, is not worthy 
 of me : and he that loveth son or 
 daughter more than me, is not 
 worthy of me. 
 
 38 And he that taketh not his 
 cross, and followeth after me, is not 
 worthy of me. 
 
 dMi.7.5,G. cPs.41.9. /Lu. 14.26 
 
 gion of the gospel, is the cause of this 
 hostility. It is unnecessary to say that 
 no prophecy has been more strikingly 
 fulfilled ; and it will continue to be ful- 
 filled, till all unite in obeying his com 
 mandments. Then his rehgion will 
 produce universal peace. H But a 
 sword. The sword is an instrument of 
 death, and to send a sword, is the same 
 as to produce hostility and war. 
 
 37. He that loveth father or mother, 
 itc. The meaning of this is clear. 
 Christ must be loved supremely, or he 
 is not loved at all. If we are not will- 
 ing to give up all earthly possessions, 
 and forsake all earthly friends ; and if 
 we do not obey him rather than all 
 others, we have no true attachment to 
 him. ^ Is not worthy of me. Isnotfiit 
 to be regarded as a follower of me ; oi 
 is not a Christian. 
 
 38. And he that taketh not his cross, 
 &c. When persons were condemned 
 to be crucified, a part of the sentence 
 was, that they should carry the cross on 
 which they were to die, to the place of 
 execution. Thus Christ carried his, till 
 he fainted from fatigue and exhaustion. 
 See Note on Matt, xxvii. 31. The cross 
 was usually composed of two rough 
 beams of wood, united in the form of 
 this figure, -f". It was an instrument of 
 death. See Notes on ch. xxvii. 31, 32. 
 To carry it was burdensome, was dis- 
 graceful, was trying to the feelings, was 
 an addition to the punishment. So, to 
 carry the cross is a figurative expression, 
 denoting that we must endure whatever 
 is burdensome, or trying, or con.sidered 
 as disgraceful, in following Christ. It 
 consists simply in doing our duty, let
 
 A.. D, 31.J 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 131 
 
 39 He • that findeth his life, shall 
 lose it : and he that loseth his life 
 for my sake, shall find it. 
 
 40 He * that receiveth you, re- 
 ceiveth me; and he that receiveth 
 me, receiveth him that sent me. 
 
 41 He ' that receiveth a prophet 
 In the name of a prophet, shall re- 
 ceive a prophet's reward ; and he 
 
 B c.l6.'25. b c.18.5. 25.40,45. Jno.12.44. 
 
 the \vorld think of it or speak of it as 
 they may. It does not consist in making 
 trouble for ourselves, or doin^ things 
 merely to be opposed ; it is doing just 
 what is required of us in the scriptures, 
 lot it produce whatever shame, disgrace, 
 or pain it may. This every follower of 
 Jesus is required to do. 
 
 39. Hethatf-ndelh his life, &LC. The 
 word life in this passage is used evi- 
 dently in two senses. The meaning 
 may be e.xpressed thus : He that is 
 anxious to save his temporal hfe, or his 
 comfort and security here, shall lose 
 eternal life ; or shall fail of heaven. 
 He that is willing to risk, or lose, his 
 comfort and life here, for my sake, shall 
 find hfe everlasting, or shall be saved. 
 The manner of speaking is similar to 
 that where he said " let the dead bury 
 their dead." 
 
 40, 41, 42. He that receiveth you, &c. 
 In all these three illustrations Christ 
 meant to teach substantially the same 
 thing, that he that would entertain kind- 
 ly, or treat with hospitality himself his 
 aisciples, a prophet, or a righteous man, 
 would show that ho approved their cha- 
 racter, and should not fail of proper re- 
 ward. To receive in the name of a 
 prophet, is to receive as a prophet ; to 
 do proper honor to his character ; and 
 to evince attachment to the cause in 
 v/hich he was engaged. 
 
 42. These Utile ones. By these arc 
 clearly tneant his disciples. They are 
 called little ones, to denote their want 
 of wealth, rank, learning, and whatever 
 the world calls great. I'hey were little 
 in the estimation of the world, and in 
 their own estimation. They were learn- 
 ers, not yet teachers ; and they made 
 no pretensions to what attracts the ad- 
 miration of mankind. IT A cup of cold 
 water only. Few would refuse a cup 
 of cold water to any man, if thirsty and 
 weary ; and yet fe^v would give it to 
 
 that receiveth a righteous man in 
 the name of a righteous man, shall 
 receive a righteous man's reward. 
 
 42 And whosoever shall give to 
 drink unto one of these little ones 
 a cup of cold water only in the 
 name of a disciple, verily I say ^jnto 
 you, he shall in nowise lose his re- 
 ward. 
 
 cKi. 17.10. He.6.10. 
 
 such an one because lie was a. Christian, 
 or to express attachment to the Lord 
 Jesus. In bestowing it on a man be 
 cause he was a Christian, he would 
 show love to the Saviour himself; in 
 the other case, he would give it from 
 mere sympathy, or kindness, evincing 
 no regard for the Christian, the Chris- 
 tian's Master, or his cause. In one 
 case, he would show that he loved tlie 
 cause of religion ; in the other, not. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. From the narrative in this chap- 
 ter, in connexion with that in Luke, we 
 are permitted to see the Saviour's habits 
 in regard to prayer. An important event 
 was before him ; an event on which, hu- 
 manly speaking, depended the whole 
 success of his religion — the choice of 
 those who should be his messengers to 
 mankind. He felt its importance ; and 
 even the Son of God sought the place 
 of prayer, and during the ni^ht watches 
 asked the direction of his Father. His 
 example shows that we, in great and 
 trying circumstances, should seek par- 
 ticularly the direction of God. 
 
 2d. We see the benevolence of the 
 gospel. Vs. 7, S. The apostles were to 
 confer the highest favors on mankind 
 without reward. Like air, and sun- 
 beams, and water— gifts of God — they 
 are without price. The poor arc wel- 
 come ; the rich, unaided by their wealth, 
 are welcome also ; the wide world may 
 freely come, and partake the rich bless- 
 ings of the gospel of peace. 
 
 3d. Ministers of the gospel, and all 
 the followers of Jesus, should depend 
 on the providence of God for support, 
 and the supply of their wants. Vs. 9, 10. 
 He sent his apostles into a cold, un- 
 friendly world, and he took care of 
 them. So all that trust him shall not 
 want. The righteous shall not be for- 
 saken. The God wno has in his hand 
 all the pearls of the ocean, the gold in
 
 132 
 
 MATTHE W 
 
 [A.D. 31 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 AND it came to pass, when Je- 
 sus had made an end of com- 
 manding his twelve disciples, he 
 departed thence, to teach and to 
 preach in their cities. 
 
 the heart of the earth, and the cattle on 
 a thousand hills, and that feeds the ra- 
 ven when it cries, will hear the cries of 
 his children, and supply their wants. 
 
 4th. We see the duly of treating kind- 
 ly the messengers of salvation. Vs. 11 — 
 13. Christ expected that in every city 
 and town they would find some who 
 would welcome them. He promised 
 the reward of a prophet to those who 
 should receive a proph*t ; and assured 
 of his favor those who had nothing bet- 
 ter to bestow than even a cup of cold 
 water. The ministers of religion are 
 sent to benefit the world. It is but 
 right, that in that world they should be 
 kmdly received, and their waats sup- 
 plied. 
 
 5th. The guilt of rejecting the gospel. 
 Vs. 14, 15. It is not a small matter to 
 -eject an offer of heaven. A palace, a 
 throne, a mine of gold, might be reject- 
 ed, and compared with rejecting the 
 gospel, it would be a trifle. But life 
 eternal is not hke thrones, and gold, 
 and temples. This lost, all is lost. 
 The gospel rejected, all is gone. Nor 
 hope, nor happiness, awaits him that 
 hath spurned this offer. God requires 
 every one to believe the gospel ; and 
 wo, wo, a greater wo than befell the 
 guilty cities of the plain, to him who 
 rejects it. 
 
 6th. Judgment will certainly over- 
 fake the guilty. Ver. 15. It fell on So- 
 dom, and it will fall on all transgressors. 
 None shall escape. Damnation may 
 slumber long over the '.vicked ; and 
 Aey may long mock the God of truth, 
 but in due time their feet will slide, 
 and all creation shall not be able to 
 save them from wo. How dangerous, 
 how awful is the condition of an impen- 
 itent sinner ! 
 
 7th. We are to take proper care of 
 our lives. Ver. 23. The apostles were 
 to flee from danger, when they could 
 do it without denying their Lord. So 
 are we. He that throws away his hfe, 
 when it might have been, and ought to 
 have been, preserved, is a self-murderer. 
 
 2 Now " when John nad hearo 
 in the prison the w^orks of Christ, 
 he sent two of his disciples, 
 
 3 And said unto him. Art thou 
 he that should come, or do we look 
 for another ■? 
 
 o Lu.7.18,&;c. 
 
 He that exposes himself when d«<y does 
 not require it, and whose hfe pays thy 
 forfeit, goes before God "rushing un- 
 hid into his Maker's presence," noi 
 can he be held guiltless. 
 
 8th. Wc are to persevere in om 
 duty, through all trials. Ver. 23. Nei- 
 ther the world, nor pain, poverty, per- 
 secution, nor death, is to appal ua. 
 He that endures to the end, shall be 
 saved. We have but one thing to do : 
 to do the will of God ; to he the Chris- 
 tian every where ; and leave the event 
 with him. 
 
 9th. God exercises a particular pro- 
 vidence. Vs. 29, 30. He watches the 
 falling sparrow, numbers the hairs of 
 the head, and for the same reason pre- 
 sides over all other things. The Lord 
 reigneth, says the Psalmist, let the 
 earth rejoice. Ps. xcvii. 1. 
 
 10th. The duty of making a profes- 
 sion of religion. Vs. 32, 33. It must 
 be done in the proper way, or Christ 
 will disown us in the day of judgment. 
 It is impossible to neglect it, and have 
 evidence of piety. If ashamed of him, 
 he will be of us. 
 
 11th. Religion is easy, and easily 
 tested. Vs. 40 — 42. What more easy 
 than to give a cup of water to a stran- 
 ger ; and what more easy than to know 
 Irom what motive we do it ! Yet how 
 many are there who, while they would 
 do the thing, would yet lose eternal life, 
 rather than do it with a view of honor- 
 ing Christ, or showing attachment to 
 him ! How dreadful is the opposition 
 of the human heart to religion ! How 
 amazing that man will not do the slight- 
 est acts, to secure an interest in the 
 kingdoin of God ! 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 1. And it came to pass, &c. The di 
 rections to his apostles were given in 
 the vicinity of Capernaum. He \vcnt 
 from thence to preach in their cities ; 
 that is, in the cities in the vicinity of 
 Capernaum, or in Galilee. He did not 
 yet go into Judea. 
 
 2. The account contained in thi»
 
 A. D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 133 
 
 b Lu. 7.24-30. 
 
 4 Jesus answered and said unto | dead are raised up, and the poor 
 them, Go and shew John again | have the gospel preached to them, 
 those things which ye do hear and j 6 And blessed is he, whosoever 
 see : shall not be offended ° in me. 
 
 5 The blind receive their sight, 7 And, as they departed, Jesus 
 and the lame walk, the lepers are began to say unto the multitudes 
 cleansed, and the deaf hear, the concerning John, What '' went ye 
 
 a Is.8 • 4,15. ] Co.I.22,23. 1 Pe.2.8. 
 
 ihapter of Matthew, to the 19ih verse, 
 s found, with no material variation, in 
 Luke vii. IS — ^35. John was in prison. 
 Herod had thrown him into confine- 
 ment, on account of John's faithfulness 
 in reproving him for marrying his bro- 
 .her Pliilip's wife. See I\Iatt. xiv. 3, 4. 
 
 It is not certainly known why John 
 sent to Jesus. It might have been to 
 satisfy his disciples that Jesus was the 
 Messiah ; or he might have been de- 
 sirous of ascertaining for himself whe- 
 ther this person of whom he heard so 
 viuch, was the same one whom he had 
 oaptized, and whom he knew to be the 
 Messiah. See John i. 29. 
 
 3. Art thou he that should come. That 
 IS, art thou the Messiah, or the Christ. 
 The Jews expected a Saviour. His 
 coming had been long foretold. Gen. 
 xlix. 10. Isa. Ix. 1 — 6 ; xi. 1 — 5 ; xxxv. 
 4 — 6; Uii. Dan. Lx. 24 — 27. See also 
 John vi. 14. Comp. Deut. xviii. 18. 19. 
 In common language, therefore, he 
 was familiarly described as he that was 
 to come. Luke adds here (Luke vii. 21.) 
 that at the time when the messertgers 
 3ame to him, Jesus cured many of their 
 .nfirmities, and plagues, and of evil 
 spirits. An answer was, therefore, 
 ready to the inquiries of John. 
 
 4, 5. Go and show John again, &c. 
 Jesus referred them for an answer to 
 these miracles. They were proof that 
 he was the Messiah. Prophets had in- 
 deed wrought miracles, but no prophet 
 had \vrought so many, or any so im- 
 portant. Jesus, moreover, wrought 
 them In his own name, and by his own 
 power. Prophets had done it by the 
 power of God. Jesus, therefore, per- 
 ormed the works which none but the 
 Messiah could do; and John might 
 jasily infer that he was the Christ. 
 T The poor have the gospel preached to 
 them. It was predicted of the Messiah, 
 that he would preach good tidings to 
 the meek (Isa. Lxi. 1.): or, as it is ren- 
 dered in the New Testament, preach 
 
 12 
 
 the gospel to the poor. Luke iv. 18 
 By this, therefore, also, John might in- 
 fer that he was truly the Messiah. It 
 adds to the force of this testimony, that 
 the poor have always been overlooked 
 by Pharisees and philosophers. No 
 sect of philosophers had condescended 
 to notice them before ChtLst ; and no 
 system of religion had attempted to in- 
 struct them, before the Christian reli- 
 gion. In all other schemes, the poor 
 have been passed by as unworthy of 
 notice. 
 
 6. And blessed is he, &c. The word 
 offence means a stumbling block. Note, 
 ?»latt. V. 29. This verse might be ren- 
 dered, ' happy is he to whom I shall 
 not prove a sumbling block !' That is, 
 happy is he who shall not take offence 
 at my poverty and lowhness of life, so 
 as to reject me and my doctrine. Hap- 
 py is he who can, notwithstanding that 
 poverty and obscurity, see the evidence 
 that I am the Messiah, and follow me. 
 It is not improbable that John wished 
 Jesus publicly to proclaim himself as 
 the Christ, instead of seeking retire- 
 ment. Jesus replied that he gave suf- 
 ficient evidence of that by his works ; 
 that a man might discover it if he 
 chose ; and that he was blessed who 
 would seek that evidence, and embracp 
 him as the Christ, in spite of his hum 
 ble manner of life. 
 
 7. And as they departed, &.c. Jesus 
 took occasion from the inquiries made 
 by John's disciples, to instruct the peo- 
 ple respecting the true character of 
 John. Multitudes had gone out to hear 
 him, when he preached in The desert 
 (Matt, iii.) ; and it is probable that many 
 had been attracted by the novelty of his 
 appearance or doctrines, and many had 
 gone simply to see and hear a man ol 
 singular habits and opinions. Probably 
 many who followed Christ had been of 
 that number. He took occasion, there- 
 fore, by some striking questions to ex- 
 amine the motives by which they had
 
 184 
 
 out into tlie wilderness to see "J a 
 reed shaken fi-ith the" wind ] 
 
 8 But what went ye out for to 
 see 1 a man clothed in soft ra.ment ■? 
 Behold, they that wear soft clothing 
 are in kings' houses. 
 
 9 But what went ye out for to 
 see ■? a prophet 1 yea, I say unto 
 jou, and more than a prophet. 
 
 10 For this is he of whom it is ' 
 
 a Ep.4.14. Ja.1.6. h Is.40.3. Mal.3.]. Lu. 
 1.76. 
 
 been drawn to his ministry, 'i A reed 
 shaken with the wind ? The region of 
 country in which John preached, being 
 overflowed annually by the Jordan, 
 produced great quantities of reeds, or 
 canes, of a hght, fragile nature, easily 
 shaken by the wind. They were, there- 
 fore, an image of a light, changing, in- 
 constant man. John's sending to Christ 
 to inquire his character, might have led 
 some to suppose that he was changing 
 and inconstant, like a reed. He had 
 once acknowledged him to be the Mes- 
 siah, and now, being in prison and send- 
 ing to him to inquire into the fact, they 
 might have supposed he had no firm- 
 ness, or fi.xed principles. Jesus, by 
 asking this question, declared, that not- 
 withstanding this appearance, this was 
 not the character of John. 
 
 8. Clothed in soft raiment. The kind 
 of raiment here denoted was the light, 
 thin clothing worn by efieminate per- 
 sons. It was made commonly of fine 
 linen, and was worn chiefly for orna- 
 ment. Christ asks them whether they 
 were attracted by any thing like that. 
 He says that the desert was not the place 
 to expect it. In the palaces of kings, 
 in the court of Herod, it might be ex- 
 pected. But not in the place where 
 John was. This kind of clothing was 
 an emblem of riches, splendor, eflemi- 
 nacy, feebleness of character. He 
 meant to say that John was a man of 
 fk different stamp : — coarse in his ex- 
 terior ; hardy in his characlcr ; firm in 
 his virtue ; fitted to endure trials and 
 privations, and thus qualified to be the 
 lorerunner o*" the toiling and suffering 
 Messiah. 
 
 9. A prophet ? He next asks whether 
 they went to see a prophet ? They had 
 regarded him as such ; and Jesus tells 
 
 liom that in tliis their apprehensions of 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D.31. 
 
 written, Behold, I send my messen- 
 ger before thy face, which shall pre- 
 pare thy way before thee. 
 
 11 Verily I say unto you, among 
 "^ them that are born of women there 
 hath not risen a greater than John 
 the Baptist : notwithstanding, ^ he 
 that is least in the kingdom of hea-- 
 ven is greater than he. 
 
 12 And from the daya of John 
 
 c Jno.5.35. d Jno.J. 15.27. 3.30. 
 
 him were correct. ^ More than a pro 
 
 phet. Sustaining a character more ele 
 vaied and sacred than the most distin 
 guished of the ancient prophets. Those 
 had been regarded as the most eminent 
 of the prophets who had most clearly 
 predicted the Messiah. Isaiah had 
 been distinguished above all others for 
 the sublimity of his writings, and the 
 clearness with which he had foretold 
 the coming of Christ. Yet John sur- 
 passed even him. He lived in the time 
 of the Christ. He predicted his coming 
 with still more clearness. He was the 
 instrument of introducing him to the 
 nation. He was, therefore, first among 
 the prophets. 
 
 10. For this is he, &c. The passage 
 of scripture here quoted is found in 
 Mai. iii. 1. The substance of it is con- 
 tained also in Isa. xl. 3. ^ Prepare 
 thy way. That is, to prepare the peo- 
 ple ; to make them ready, by proper 
 instructions, to receive the Messiah. 
 
 11. Them that are horn of ivomen. 
 This is an emphatic way of saying that 
 there had never been a greater man 
 than John. See Job. xiv. 1. IT He 
 that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is 
 greater tJian he. The phrase " king 
 dom of heaven" is used in many senses. 
 See Note, Matt. iii. 2. It here proba- 
 bly means, in preaching the kingdom 
 of God, or the gospel. It could hardly 
 bo affinned of the obscurest and most 
 ignorant Christian, that he had clearer 
 views than Isaiah or John. But of the 
 apostles of the Saviour, of the first 
 preachers, who were with him, and 
 v/ho heard his instructions, it might be 
 said, that they had more correct appre- 
 hensions than any of the ancient pro- 
 phets, or John. 
 
 12. And from the days of John, &c. 
 That is. from the days when John be-
 
 \. D.31.J 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 135 
 
 the Baptist until now the kingdom 
 of heaven ' suffereth violence, and 
 the violent take " it by force. 
 
 13 For all the prophets and the 
 law prophesied until John. 
 
 14 And if ye will receive il, this 
 is Elias which ' was for to come. 
 
 15 He ' that hath ears to hear, 
 let him hear. 
 
 16 But "* whereunto shall I liken 
 this generation ] It is like unto 
 
 1 or, is gotten by force, and they that thriLst 
 men. take it, ice. a Lu.16.16. Ep.C.ll-lS. 
 
 gan to preach. It is not known how 
 long this was, but it was not probably 
 more than a year. Our Saviour here 
 simply states a fact. He says there 
 was a OTeat rush, or a crowd pressing to 
 hear John. Multitudes went out to 
 hear him, as if they were about to take 
 the kingdom of heaven by force. See 
 Matt. iii. 5. So, says he, it has con- 
 tinued. Since the kingdom of heaven, 
 or the gospel, has been preached, there 
 has been a rush to it. Men have been 
 earnest about it ; they have come press- 
 ing to obtain the blessing, as if they 
 would take it by violence. There is 
 allusion here to the manner in which 
 cities were taken. Besiegers pressed 
 upon them with violence, and demo- 
 lished the walls. With such earnest- 
 ness and violence, he says, men had 
 pressed around him and John, since 
 'hey began to preach. There is no 
 allusion here to the manner in which 
 individual sinners seek salvation ; but 
 it is a simple record of the fact that 
 multitudes had thronged around him 
 and John to hear the gospel. 
 
 13. All the prophets, &c. It is meant 
 by this verse that John introduced a 
 new dispensation; and that the oZr/ one, 
 where the prophets and the law of 
 Moses were the guide, was closed 
 when he preached that the kingdom of 
 heaven was at hand. By tlie law is 
 meant the five books of Moses ; by the 
 prophets, the remainder of the books of 
 :he Old Testament. 
 
 14. If ye will receive it. This is a 
 way of speaking implying that the doc- 
 tiine which he was about to state was 
 difl'erent from their common views ; 
 that he was about to state something 
 which varied from the common expect- 
 ation, and which, therefore, thev might 
 
 children sitting in the markets, and 
 calling unto their fellows, 
 
 17 And saying. We have piped 
 unto you, and ye have not danced ; 
 we have mourned unto you, and ye 
 have not lamented. 
 
 18 For John came neither eating 
 nor drinking; and they say, ' He 
 hath a devil. 
 
 19 The Son of man came eating 
 f and drinking ; and they say, Be- 
 
 b Mal.4.5. c.17.12. c Re.2.7,&c. d Lu.7. 
 31. ec.10.25. Jno.7.20. /c.9.10. Juo.2.2. 
 
 be disposed to reject. IT This is Elias, 
 &c. That is, Elijah. Elias is the 
 Greek mode of writing the Hebrew 
 word Elijah. An account of him is 
 found in the first and second books of 
 Kings. He was a distinguished pro- 
 phet, and was taken up to heaven in a 
 chariot of fire. 2 Kings ii. 11. The 
 prophet Malachi (ch. iv. 5, 6.) predict- 
 ed that Elijah should be sent before 
 the coming of the Messiah, to prepare 
 the way for him. By this was evidently 
 meant, not that he should appear in 
 person, but that one should appear wdth 
 a striking resemblance to him ; or, as 
 Luke (ch. i. 17.) expresses it, "in the 
 spirit and power of Elijah." But the 
 Jews understood it difierently. They 
 expected that Elijah would appear in 
 person. They also supposed that Je- 
 remiah and some other of the prophets 
 would appear also to usher in the pro- 
 mised Messiah, and to grace his advent. 
 See Matt. xvi. 14; xvii. 10. John i. 21. 
 This expectation was the reason whv 
 he used the words, if ye will receive it, 
 implying that the aft^irmation that John 
 was the promised Elijah, was a doc- 
 trine contrary to their expectation. 
 
 15. He that hath ears, &.C. This ex- 
 pression is frecpiently used by Christ. 
 It is a proverbial expression, implying 
 that the highest attention should be 
 given to what was spoken. The doc 
 trine about John he regarded as of the 
 greatest importance. He among you, 
 says he, that has the faculty of under- 
 standing this, or that will believe tha' 
 this is the Elijah spoken of, let him 
 attend to it, and remember it. 
 
 16 — 19. But whereunto shall J liken, 
 &c. Christ proceeds to reprove the in- 
 consistency and fickleness of that age 
 of men. He says they wcro like chila
 
 136 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 hold a man gluttonous, and a wine- cities wherein most of his mighty 
 
 bibber, a friend of publicans " and works were done, because they re^ 
 
 sinners. But * Wisdom is justified pented not : 
 of har children. 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! 
 
 20 Then " began he to upbraid the woe unto thee, "^ Bethsaida ! for if 
 a Lu.15.2. 19.7. b Ps.92.5,6. Pr.l7.2i d Jno.12.21. 
 
 c Lu.l0.13,&c. 
 
 ren. Nothing pleased them. He refers 
 here to the plays or sports of cliildren. 
 Instrumental music, or piping, and danc- 
 ing, were used in marriages and festi- 
 vals, as a sign of joy. See Matt. xxv. 
 1 — 12. Children imitate their parents 
 and others, and act over in play what 
 they see done by others. Among their 
 childish sports, therefore, was probably 
 an imitation of a wedding, or festal oc- 
 casion. We have seen also (Note, 
 Matt. ix. 23) that funerals were attend- 
 ed witli mournful music, and lamenta- 
 tion, and howling. It is not improbable 
 that children also, in play, imitated a 
 mournful funeral procession. One part 
 are represented as sullen and dissatis- 
 fied. They would not enter into the 
 play. Nothing pleased them. The 
 others complamed of it. We have, 
 said they, taken all pains to please you. 
 We have piped to you, played lively 
 tunes, and engaged in cheerful sports, 
 but you would not join with us ; and 
 then we have played different games, 
 and imitated the mourning at funerals, 
 and you are equally sullen ; you have 
 not lamented ; you have not joined with 
 us. Nothing pleases you. So, said 
 Christ, is this generation of men. John 
 came one waj' ; neither eating nor 
 drinking, abstaining as a Nazarene, 
 and you were not pleased with him. I, 
 the Son of man, have come in a differ- 
 ent manner, eating and drinking: not 
 practising any austerity, but living like 
 other men, and you are equally dissa- 
 tisfied. Nay, you are less pleased. 
 You calumniate him, and abuse me for 
 not doing the very thing which dis- 
 pleased you in John. Nothing pleases 
 you. You are fickle, changeable, in- 
 constant, and abusive. If Markets. 
 Places to sell provisions ; places of 
 concourse where also children flocked 
 together for play. ^ We have piped. 
 We have played on musical instru- 
 ments. A pipe was a wind instrument 
 of music, often used by shepherds, 
 y Neither eating nor d> inking. Tka.t 
 is, abstaining from some kinds of food, 
 
 and wine, as a Nazarene. It does not 
 mean that he did not eat at all, but that 
 he was remarkable for abstinence. 
 IT He hath a devil. He is actuated by 
 a bad spirit. He is irregular, strange, 
 and cannot be a good man. "f The Son 
 of man came eating and drinking. That 
 is, living as others do ; not practising 
 austerity ; and they accuse him of being 
 fond of excess, and seeking the society 
 of the wicked. IT Gluttonous. One 
 given to excessive eating. If Wine- 
 bibber. One wlio drinks much wine. 
 A great drinker. Jesus undoubtedly 
 lived according to the general customs 
 of the people of his time. He did not 
 affect singularity ; he did not separate 
 himself as a Nazarene ; he did not 
 practise severe austeriries. He ate that 
 which was common, and drank that 
 which was common. As wine was a 
 common article of beverage among the 
 people, he drank it. It was the pure 
 juice of the grape, and for any thing 
 that can be proved, it was without fer- 
 mentation. In regard to the kind of 
 wine which was used, see Note on 
 John ii. 10. — No one should plead this 
 example, at any rate, in favour of mak- 
 ing use of the wines that are common- 
 ly used in this country — wines, many 
 of which are manufactured here, and 
 without a particle of the pure juice of 
 the grape, and most of which are mix- 
 ed with brandy, or with noxious drugs, 
 to give them color and flavor. If Wis- 
 dom is justified of her children. The 
 children of wisdom are the iLnse — those 
 who understand. He means that though 
 that generation of Pharisees and fault- 
 finders did not appreciate the conduct 
 of John and himself, yet the wise, the 
 candid — those who understood the rea- 
 son of their conduct — would approve 
 of, and do justice to it. 
 
 20. Then began he to upbraid, &c 
 That is, to reprove, rebuke, or de 
 nounce heavy judgment. 
 
 21. Chorazin a7id Bethsaida. Tliesc 
 were towns not far from Capernaum, 
 but the precise situation is unknown.
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XI, 
 
 18) 
 
 the mighty works which were done j be more tolerable lor Tyre and Si- 
 in you°had been done in Tyre and don at the day of judgmer.t, than for 
 Sidon, they would have repented you. 
 long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 23 And thou, Capernaum, which 
 
 92 But I say unto you, It " shall * art exalted unto heaven, shalt be 
 ac.10.15. 6IS.H.13-15. La.2.1. 
 
 BethsaiJa means literally a house of 
 hunthiix or of game, and it was prob- 
 ably situated on the banks of the sea of 
 Galilee, and supported itself by hunting 
 or fishing. It was the residence ot 
 Philip, Andrew, and Peter. John i. 
 44. It was enlarged by Philip the 
 Tetrarch, and called Julia, after the 
 emperor's daughter. IT Tyre and Sidon. 
 These were cities of Phoenicia, former- 
 ly very opulent, and distinguished for 
 merchandise. They were sittiated on 
 the shore of the Mediterranean sea, 
 and were on the western part of Juilca. 
 They were, therefore, well known to 
 the Jews. Tyre is frequently men- 
 tioned in the Old Testament as bemg 
 the place through which Solomon de- 
 rived many of the materials for buildmg 
 the temple. 2 Chron. ii. 11 — 16. It 
 was also a place against which one of 
 the most important and pointed prophe- 
 cies of Isaiah was directed. See Notes 
 on Isa. xxiii. Comp. Eze. xxvi. 4 — 14. 
 Both these cities were very ancient. 
 Sidon was situated within the bounds 
 of the tribe of Asher (Josh. xix. 28.) ; 
 but this tribe could never get possession 
 of it. Judges i. 31. It was famous for 
 its great trade and navigation. Its in- 
 habitants were the tirst remarkable 
 merchants in the world, and were 
 much celebrated for their luxury. In 
 the time of our Saviour it was proba- 
 bly a city of much splendor and exten- 
 sive commerce. It is now called Seide, 
 or Saide, and is far less populous and 
 splendid than it was in the time of 
 Christ. It was subdued successively 
 by the Babylonians, Egyptians, and 
 Romans, the latter of whom deprived 
 It of its freedom. 
 
 Messrs. Fisk and King, American 
 missionaries, passed through Sidon in 
 the summer of 1823, and estimated the 
 population, as others have estimated it, 
 at eight or ten thousand ; but Mr. 
 Goodell, another American missionary, 
 tool' up his residence there in June, 
 1824, for the purpose of studying the 
 Armenian language with a bishop of 
 »he Armenian church v/ho lives there, 
 12* 
 
 and of course had far better opportuni- 
 ties to know the statistics of the place. 
 He tells us there are six Mohammedan 
 mosques, a Jewish synagogue, a Ma- 
 ronite, Latin, and Greek church. The 
 number of inhabitants may be estimated 
 at three thousand, of whom one-haV 
 may be Mussulmans. 
 
 Tyre was situated about twenty 
 miles south of Sidon. It was built 
 partly on a small island, about seventy 
 paces from the shore, and partly on the 
 main land. It was a city of great ex- 
 tent and splendor, and extensive com- 
 merce. It abounded in luxury and 
 wickedness. It was often besieged. 
 It held out against Shalmanezer five 
 years, and was taken by Nebuchadnez- 
 zar after a siege of thirteen years. It 
 was afterwards rebuilt, and was at 
 length taken by Alexander the Great, 
 after a most obstinate siege of five 
 months. There are no signs now of 
 the ancient city. It is the residence 
 only of a few miserable fishermen, and 
 contains, amidst the ruins of its former 
 magnificence, only a few huts. Thus 
 was tiulfiUed the prophecy of Eze- 
 kiel : Thou shalt he built no more; 
 though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou 
 never he found again (.xxvi. 21.) For a 
 description of Tyre as it was formerly, 
 and as it is now, see Notes on Isaiah 
 xxiii. IT In sackcloth and ashes. Sack- 
 cloth was a coarse cloth, like canvass, 
 used for the dress of the poor, and for 
 the more common articles of domestic 
 economy. It was worn also as a sign 
 of mourning. The Jews also frequently 
 threw ashes on their heads, as expres- 
 sive of grief. Job i. 21 ; ii. 12. Jer. 
 vi. 26. The meaning is, that they 
 would have repented with expressiom 
 of deep sorrow. Like Nineveh, they 
 would have seen their guilt and danger 
 and would have turned from their~ in 
 iquity. Heathen cities would have ro 
 ceived him better than the cities of the 
 Jews, his native land, 
 
 23. And thou Capernaum. See Note, 
 Matt. iv. 13. H Which art exalted to 
 heaven. Tiiis is an exp" ession usf d to
 
 ;38 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 brougrht down to hell : for if the 
 mighty works which have been 
 done iu thee had been done in 
 Sodom, it would have remained 
 until this day. 
 
 24 But I say unto you, " That it 
 shall be more tolerable for the land 
 of Sodom in the day of judgment, 
 than for thee. 
 
 a ver.24. 
 
 25 At * that time Jesus answered 
 and said, I thank thee, O Father, 
 Lord of heaven and earth, because 
 thou hast hid these things from the 
 wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
 them unto babes. * 
 
 26 Even so, Father: for so it 
 seemed good in thy sight. 
 
 6 Lu. J0.21,&c. 
 1.27. 
 
 c Ps.8.2. Je.1.7,8. 1 Cor. 
 
 denote great privileges. He meant, 
 that they were pecuUarly favored with 
 instruction. The city was prosperous. 
 It was successful in commerce. It was 
 signally favored by its wealth. Most 
 of all, it was signally favored by the 
 presence, the preaching, and the mira- 
 cles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here 
 he spent a large part of his time in the 
 early part of his ministry ; and in Ca- 
 pernaum and its neighborhood he per- 
 formed his chief miracles. ^ Shall be 
 brought doiL-n to hell. This does not 
 mean that all the people should go to 
 hell ; but that the city which had nour- 
 ished so prosperously, should lose its 
 prosperity, and occupy the lowest place 
 among cities. The word hell is used 
 here, not to denote a place of punisii- 
 ment in the future world, but a state 
 oi desolation and destruction as a city. 
 It stands in contrast with the word hea- 
 ven. As their being exalted to heaven, 
 did not mean that the people would all 
 be saved, or dwell in heaven, so their 
 being brought down to hell refers to the 
 desolation of the city. Their privileges, 
 honors, wealth, &.C., should be taken 
 away, and they should sink as low 
 among cities as they had been before 
 exalted. This has been strictly fulfil- 
 led. In the wars between the Jews 
 and the Romans, Chorazin, Bethsaida, 
 Capernaum, &.c., were so completely 
 desolated that it is difficult to deter- 
 mine their former situation. It is not 
 to b3 denied also that he threatened 
 future punishment on those who re- 
 jected him. The truth inculcated is, 
 that those wno are peculiarly favored, 
 must be punished accordingly if they 
 iibuse their privileges. IT If the mighty 
 works — had been done in Sodom. See 
 Note, Matt. X. 15. Sodom was de- 
 stroyed on account of its great wicked- 
 ■ess. Christ says, if his miracles had 
 
 been done there, they would have re- 
 pented, and consequently the city would 
 not have been destroyed. As it was, 
 it would be better for Sodom in the day 
 of judgment than for Capernaum, for 
 its inhabitants would not be called to 
 answer for the abuse of so great privi- 
 leges. 
 
 25, 26. From the wise and prudent. 
 That is, from those who thought them- 
 selves wise — wise, according to the 
 world's estimation of wisdom — the 
 men of philosophy, and self-conceit, 
 and science, falsely so called. 1 Cor. 
 i. 26, 27. If Hast revealed them unto 
 babes. To the poor, ignorant, and ob- 
 scure ; the teachable, simple, and hum- 
 ble. Such as his disciples were. He 
 had reference here probably to the 
 proud and haughty scribes and Phari- 
 sees in Capernaum. They rejected 
 his gospel ; but it was the pleasure of 
 God to reveal it to obscure and more 
 humble men. The reason given, the 
 only satisfactory reason, is, that it so 
 seemed good in the sight of God. In 
 this the Saviour acquiesced, saying — 
 Even so Father: — and in the dealings of 
 God it is fit that all should acquiesce. 
 Such is the will of God, is oiten the only 
 explanation which can be offered in 
 regard to the various events which 
 happen to us on earth. Such is the will 
 of God, is the only account which can 
 be given of the reason of the dispensa- 
 tions of his grace. Our understanding 
 is often confounded. We are stopped 
 in all our efforts at explanation. Our 
 philosophy fails, and all that we can 
 say is, ' Even so Father, for so it seems 
 good to thee.' And this is enough. 
 That God does a thing, is, after all, 
 the best reason wliich we can have,"ihat 
 it is right. It is a security that nothing 
 wrong is done ; and though riow mys- 
 erious, yet hght will hereafter shine
 
 4.1). 31. J CHAPTER XI. 
 
 27 All • things are delivered unto 
 me of my Father : and no man 
 knovveth the Son but the Father; 
 neither * knoweth any man the Fa- 
 ther, save the Son, and he to whom- 
 soever the Son will reveal him. 
 
 oc.28.18. Lu. 10.22. Jno.3.35. 17.2. ICor. 
 15.27. iJno.l.ia. 1 Jno.5.20. 
 
 upon it like the light of noon-day. I 
 would have a better security that a 
 (hing was right if I could say that I 
 knew such was the will of God, than I 
 could to depend on my own reason. 
 Ill the one case I confide in the infalli- 
 ble and most perfect God ; in the other 
 I rely on tlte reason of a frail and err- 
 ing man. God never errs ; but nothing 
 is more common than for men to err. 
 
 27. All tilings are delivered, &c. 
 The same doctrine is clearly taught of- 
 ten in the New Testament. See John 
 iii. 35; VI. 46; X. 15. Col. i. 16, 17. It 
 means that Christ has control over all 
 things, for the good of his church ; that 
 the government of the universe is com- 
 mitted to him as Mediator, that he may 
 redeem his people, and guide them to 
 glory. Eph. i. 20, 21, 22. '^ No man 
 knoweth the Son. That is, such is the 
 nature of the Sou of God ; such the 
 mystery of the imion between \he di- 
 vine and human nature ; such his ex- 
 alted character as divine, that no mor- 
 tal can fully coinprehend him. None 
 but God full)/ knows him. Had he 
 been a mere man, this language surely 
 would not have been used of him. — 
 If Neither hnowetli any man the Father, 
 &c. In the original this is, neither 
 knoweth any one the Father e.xcept the 
 Son. That is, no one man or angel 
 clearly comprehends the character of 
 tiie infinite God, but the Son — the Lord 
 Jesus — and he to whom he makes him 
 known. This he does by revealing the 
 character of God clearly, and more es- 
 pecially by manifesting his character as 
 a sm-forgiving God, to the soul that is 
 weary and heavy-laden. John xvii. 6. 
 
 28. All ye that labor arid are heavy- 
 laden.. He here, perhaps, refers pri- 
 marily to the Jews, who groaned under 
 the weight of their ceremonial laws, and 
 the tradiiions of the elders. Acts .\v. 
 10. He tells them, that by coming to 
 him, and embracing the new system of 
 rehmon, they would be freed from these 
 Surdensome rites and ceremonies. — 
 
 139 
 
 28 Come unto me all ye that la- 
 bour ' and are heavy laden, and I 
 will give you rest. 
 
 29 Take my yoke upon you, and 
 learn "* of me ; for I am meek and 
 
 cls.53.2,3. d Ph.2.5-8. lPe.2.21. 
 
 There can be no doubt, however, that 
 he meant here chiefly to address the 
 poor, lost, ruined sinner ; the man bur- 
 dened with a consciousness of his trans- 
 gressions, trembling at his danger, and 
 seeking deliverance. For such, there 
 is relief. Christ tells them to come to 
 him, to believe in him, and to trust him, 
 and him only, for salvation. Doing 
 tliis he will give them rest — rest from 
 their sins ; trom the alarms of con- 
 science ; from the terrors of the law ; 
 and from the fears of eternal death. 
 
 29. Take my yoke. This is a figure 
 taken from the use of o.xen ; and hence 
 signifying to labor for one, or in the 
 service of any one. The yoke is used 
 in the Bible as an emblem (1.) of bond- 
 age or slavery. Lev. .x.xvi. 13. Deut. 
 xxviii. 38. (2.) Of afflictions or crosses. 
 Lam. iii. 27. (3.) Of the punishment 
 of sin. Lam. i. 14. (4.) Of the com- 
 mandments of God. (5.) Of legal ce- 
 remonies. Acts XV. 10. Gal. v. 1. It 
 refers here to the religion of the Re- 
 deemer ; and meant that they should 
 embrace his system of religion and obey 
 him. All virtue and all religion imply 
 restraint — the restraint of our bad pas- 
 sions and inclinations, — and subjection 
 to laws ; and the Saviour here means 
 to say that 'he restraints and laws of his 
 religion were mild, and gentle, and 
 easy. Let any one compare them with 
 the burdensome and expensive cere- 
 monies of the Jews (see Acts xv. 10.), 
 or with the religious rites of the hea- 
 then every where, or with the require- 
 ments of the Popish system, and ho 
 will see how true it is that his yoke is 
 easy. And let his laws and require 
 ments be compared with the laws which 
 sin imposes on its votaries — the laws 
 of fashion, and honor, and sensuality 
 — and he will feel that reli<xion is " free- 
 dom." John viii. 36. " He is a free- 
 man whom the truth makeih free, and 
 all are slaves besides." It is easier to 
 be a Christian than a sinner ; and of all 
 the yokes ever imposed on men, that
 
 140 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 lA. D.31 
 
 lowly " in heart : and * ye shall find 
 rest unto your souls. 
 
 a Zec.9.9. 6 Je.C 16. 
 
 of the Redeemer is the lightest. IT For 
 I am mceh, &c. See Note, Matt. v. 5. 
 This was eminently Christ's personal 
 character. But this is not its meaning 
 here. He is giving a reason why they 
 should embrace his religion. That was, 
 that he was not harsh, overbearing, 
 and oppressive, like the Pharisees, but 
 meek, mild, and gentle in his govern- 
 ment. His laws were reasonable and 
 tender ; and it would be easy to obey 
 him. 
 
 30. My yoke is easy, &c. That is, 
 the services that I shall require are 
 easily rendered. They are not bur- 
 densome, hke all other systems of re- 
 ligion. So the Christian always finds 
 them. In coming to him, there is a 
 peace which passeth all understanding ; 
 m beheving in \ivm., joy ; in following 
 him through evil and good report, a com- 
 fort which the ivorld giveth not ; in bear- 
 ing trials, and in persecution, the hope 
 of glory ; and in keeping his com- 
 mandments, great reward. 
 
 EEiMAKKS. 
 
 1st. Anxiety about the person and 
 works of Christ, is peculiarly proper. 
 Vs. 2, 3. John was solicitous to ascer- 
 tain his true character ; and nothing is 
 of more importance for all, than to un- 
 derstand his true character and will. 
 On him depends all the hope that man 
 has of happiness beyond the grave. He 
 Baves, or man must perish. He will 
 save, or we must die for ever. With 
 what earnestness, therefore, should the 
 old and the young inquire into his cha- 
 racter and will. Our eternal all demands 
 it ; and while this is delayed, we are 
 endangering our everlasting fehcity. 
 
 2d. Clear proof has been fm-nished 
 that Jesus is the Christ, and can save 
 us. Vs. 4, 5. If his miracles did not 
 prove that he came from God, nothing 
 can prove it. If he could open the 
 eyes of the blind, then he can enlighten 
 the sinner ; if he could unstop the ears 
 of the deaf, then he can cause us to 
 iiear and live ; if he could heal the 
 sick, and make the lame walk, then he 
 can heal our spiritual maladies, and 
 make us walk in the way of hie ; if he 
 could raise the dead, then he can raise 
 those dead in sin, and breathe into us 
 
 30 For my yoke is easy, * ana 
 my burden is light. 
 
 c 1 jDo.a.3. 
 
 the breath of eternal life. If he was 
 willing to do all this for the hody which 
 is soon to die, then he will be much 
 more willing to do it for the soul, that 
 never dies. Then the poor, lost sinner 
 may come and live. 
 
 3d. We see in this chapter Christ's 
 manner of praising or comphmenling 
 men. Vs. 7— 15. He gave, in no mea- 
 sured terms, his exalted opinion of 
 John ; gave him praise which had been 
 bestowed on no other mortal ; ranked 
 him far above the purest and sublimest 
 of the prophets. But this was not done 
 in the presence of John ; nor was it 
 done in the presence of those who would 
 inform John of it. It was when the 
 disciples of John had "departed,^' and 
 his commendation of John was spoken 
 to " the multitude." Ver. 7. He waited 
 till his disciples were gone, apprehend- 
 ing doubtless that thei/ would be likely 
 to^report what he said m praise of their 
 master, and then expressed his high 
 opinion of his character. The practice 
 of the world is to praise others to their 
 faces, or in the presence of those who 
 will be sure to inform them of it, and 
 to speak evil of them when absent. 
 Jesus delivered his unfavorable opin- 
 ions of others to the men themselves , 
 their excellences he took pains to com- 
 mend where they would not be hkely 
 to hear of them. He did good to both ; 
 and in both, prevented the existence of 
 pride. 
 
 4th. The wicked take much pains, 
 and are often fickle and inconsistent, 
 for the sake of abusing and calumniat- 
 ing religious men. Vs. 18, 19. They 
 found much fault whh our Saviour, for 
 doing the very same thing which they 
 blamed John for 7iot doing. So it is 
 commonly with men who slander pro- 
 fessors of religion. They risk their own 
 characters, to pro /e that others are hy- 
 pocrites, or sinners. The object is noi 
 truth, but calumny, and opposuion tc 
 religion ; and hitherto no means havs 
 been too base, or too wicked, to pour 
 contempt on the followers of Christ. 
 
 5th. The purest characters may ex- 
 pect the shaft of calumny and malice ; 
 and often in proportion to their puritv. 
 Ver. 19. Even the Saviour of the woild
 
 A.. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 141 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 
 AT that time" Jesus went on the 
 sabbath-day through the corn ; 
 !ind his disciples were an hungred, 
 a Mar.2.23,&.c. Lu.G.I.&c. 
 
 was accused of being itteinperate, and 
 a glutton. II" the only perfectly pure 
 being that ever trod the earth was thus 
 accused, let not his followers think that 
 Eny strange thing has happened to them, 
 if they arc falsely accused. 
 
 6th. Judginents will overtake guilty 
 men, and cities, and nations. Vs. 21, 
 22. They fell o:i Sodom, Tyre, Sidon, 
 and Capernaum. They may long lin- 
 ger ; but in due time the hand ot God 
 will fall on the wicked, and they will 
 die, for ever die. 
 
 7th. The wicked will suffer in pro- 
 portion to their privileges. Vs. 23, 24. 
 So it was with Capernaum. And if 
 they of ancient days suffered thus ; if 
 more tremendous judgments fell on 
 them than even on guilty Sodom, what 
 shall be the doom of those who go 
 down to hell from this day of light ? 
 The Saviour was indeed there a few 
 days ; he worked a few miracles : but 
 they had not, as we have, all his in- 
 structions ; they had not sabbath schools, 
 and Bible classes, and the stated preach- 
 ing of the gospel, nor was the world 
 blessed then as now with extensive and 
 powerful revivals of religion. How 
 awful must be the doom of those who 
 are educated in the ways of religion ; 
 who are instructed from sabbath to 
 sabbath ; who grow up amidst the 
 means of grace, and then are lost ! 
 
 8ih. The poor and needy ; the weary 
 and heavy-laden ; the soul sick of sin, 
 and the world, conscious of guilt, and 
 afraid to die, may come to Jesus Christ, 
 and live. Vs. 28 — 30. The invitation 
 is wide as the world. The child and 
 the old man may seek and find salva- 
 tion at the feet of the same Saviour. 
 No age is too young : no sinner is too 
 old. Christ is full of mercy, and all 
 who come shall find peace. O how 
 should we, in this sinful and miserable 
 world, borne down with sin, and exposed 
 each moment to death, how should we 
 cnne and find the peace which he has 
 promised to all ! and take the yoke 
 which all have found to be light ! 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 1 — 8. The account contained in tb5se 
 
 and began to pluck * the ears ot ' 
 corn, and to eat. 
 
 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, 
 they said unto him, Behold, thy dis- 
 6 De.23.25. 
 
 verses is also recorded in Mark ii. 23 
 — 28, and Luke vi. 1 — 5. 
 
 I. At that time. Luke (ch. vi. I.) 
 fixes the time more particidarly. He 
 says that it was the second Sabbath after 
 the first. To understand this, it is pro- 
 per to remark, that the passover was 
 observed during the month Abib, or 
 Nisan, answering to the latter part o! 
 March, and the first of April. The 
 feast was held seven days, commencing 
 on the fourteenth day of the month (E.x. 
 xii. 1 — 2S ; xxiii. 15) ; on the second 
 day of the paschal week. The law re- 
 quired that a sheaf of barley should be 
 offered up, as the first fruits of the har- 
 vest. Lev. .xxiii. 10, 11. From this 
 day was reckoned seven weeks to the 
 feast of pentecost (Lev. xxiii. 15, 16.), 
 called also the feast of weeks (Deut. xvi. 
 10), and the feast of the harvest. Ex. 
 xxiii. 16. This second day in the feast 
 of the passover, or of unleavened bread, 
 was the beginning, therefore, from 
 which they reckoned towards the pen- 
 tecost. The Sabbath in the week fol- 
 lowing would be the second Sabbath 
 after this first one in the reckoning ; 
 and this was doubtless the time men- 
 tioned when Christ went through the 
 fields. It should be further mentioned, 
 that in Judea the barley harvest com- 
 mences about the beginning of May, 
 and both that and the wheat harvest are 
 over by the 20th. Barley is in full ear 
 in the beginninc; of April. There is no 
 improbability, therefore, in this narra- 
 tive on account of the season of the 
 year. This feast was always held at 
 Jerusalem. IT Through the corn. 
 Through the barley, or wheat. The 
 word cor7i, as used ni our translation ol 
 the Bible, has no reference to maize, or 
 Indian corn, as it has with us. Indian 
 corn was unknown till the discovery o) 
 America, and it is scarcely probable 
 that the translators knew any thing of 
 it. The word was applied, as it is still 
 in England, to wheat, rye, oats, and 
 barley. This explains the circumstance 
 that they rubbed it in their hands (Luk« 
 vi. 1.), to separate the grain from the 
 chaff.
 
 142 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 ciples do that which is not lawful 
 to do • upon the sabbath-day. 
 
 3 But he said unto them, Have 
 ye not read what David did * when 
 he was an hungred, and they that 
 were with him; 
 
 4 How he entered into the house 
 
 of God, and did eat the shew-bread, 
 
 "which was not lawful for him to 
 
 eat, neither for them which were 
 
 with him, but only ''for the priests ] 
 
 a Ex.31.15. b 1 Sa.21.6. c Ex.25.30. 
 d Ex.29.32,33. 
 
 2. Upon the Sabbath-day. The Pha- 
 risees, doubtless desirous of finding 
 fauh with Christ, said that in plucking 
 the grain on the Sabbath-dai/, they had 
 violated the commandment. Moses 
 had commanded the Hebrews to abstain 
 from all servile work on the Sabbath. 
 Ex. XX. 10; XXXV. 2, 3. Num.xv. 32— 
 36. On any other day this would have 
 been clearly lawful, for it was permit- 
 ted. Deut. xxiii. 25. 
 
 3. But he said unto them, &c. To 
 vindicate his disciples, he referred them 
 to a similar case, recorded in the Old 
 Testament, and, therefore, one with 
 which they ought to have been ac- 
 quainted. This was the case of David. 
 The law commanded that twelve loaves 
 of bread should be laid on the table in 
 the holy place in the tabernacle, to re- 
 main a week, and then to be eaten by 
 the priests only. Their place was sup- 
 plied then by fresh bread. This was 
 called the show-bread. Lev. xxiv. 5 — 9. 
 David, fleeing before Saul, weary, and 
 hungry, had come to Abimelech the 
 priest : had found only this bread ; had 
 asked it of him, and had eaten it, con- 
 trary to the letter of the law. 1 Sam. 
 xxi. 1 — 7. David among the Jews had 
 high authority. This act had passed 
 uncondemned. It proved that in cases 
 of necessity the laws did not bind a man: 
 — a principle which all laws admit. So 
 the necessity of the disciples justified 
 them in doing on the Sabbath what 
 would have been otherwise unlawful. 
 
 4. 5. House of God. That was, the 
 tabernacle, the temple not being then 
 built. If In the law. In the law of 
 Moses. IT Profane the Sabbath. He 
 referred them to the conduct of the 
 priests also On the Sabbath-days 
 they were engaged, as well as on othJer 
 
 5 Or have ye not read in the law, 
 •how that on the sabbath-days the 
 priests in the temple f profane the 
 sabbath, and are blameless 1 
 
 6 But I say unto you, that in this 
 place is ojie greater ^ than the tern- 
 pie. 
 
 7 But if ye had known what ikit 
 meaneth, * I will have mercy, and 
 not sacrifice, ye would not have con- 
 demned the guiltless. 
 
 eNu.28.9. / Jno.7.22,23. g 2Ch.G.lS. 
 Mal.3.1. c.23.17-21. h Hos.6.6. 
 
 days, in killing beasts for sacrifice. 
 Num. xxviii. 9, 10. Two lambs were 
 killed on the Sabbath, in addition to 
 the daily sacrifice. The priests must 
 be engaged in slaying them, and mak- 
 ing fires to burn them in sacrifice ; 
 whereas to kindle a fire was expressly 
 forbidden the Jews on the Sabbath (Ex 
 XXXV. 3.) ; they were obliged to skin 
 them, prepare them for sacrifice, and 
 burn them. They did that which, for 
 other persons to do, would have been 
 profaning the Sabbath. Yet they were 
 blameless. They did what was neces- 
 sary and commanded. This was done 
 in the very temple too, the place of ho- 
 liness, where the law should be most 
 strictly observed. 
 
 6. One greater than the temple. Here 
 he refers to himself, and to his own dig- 
 nity and power. ' I have power ovei 
 the laws : I can grant to my disciples a 
 dispensation from the Jewish laws. An 
 act which I command or permit them 
 to do, is therefore right.' This proves 
 that he was divine. None but God can 
 authorize men to do a thing contrary to 
 the divine laws. He refers them again 
 to a passage he had before quoted (see 
 Note, Matt. ix. 13), showing that God 
 preferred acts of righteousness, rather 
 than a precise observance of a ceremo 
 nial law. 
 
 Mark adds (ii. 27.) " the Sabbath was 
 made for man, and not man for the 
 Sabbath." That is, the Sabbath was 
 intended for the welfare of man ; de- 
 signed to promote his happiness ; and 
 not to produce misery, by harsh, un- 
 feeling requirements. It is not to be so 
 interpreted as to produce sufi'ering, by 
 making the necessary supply of wants 
 unlawful. Man was not made for the 
 Sabbath. Man was created first, and
 
 A..D 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 14% 
 
 8 For the Son of man is Lord 
 even of the sabbath-day. 
 
 9 And " wlien he was departed 
 thence, he went into their syna- 
 gon^ue : 
 
 10 And, behold, there was a man 
 which had his hand withered. And 
 they asked him, saying, Is ' it law- 
 ful to heal on the sabbath-days 1 
 that they might accuse him. 
 
 aM.->r.3.1,&c. Lii.6.6,&c- 6 Lu.14.3. 
 
 then the Sabbath was appointed for his 
 happiness. Gen. ii. 1 — 3. His neces- 
 sities, his real comforts and wants, are 
 not to bend to that which was made 
 for him. The laws are to be interpret- 
 ed favorably to his real wants and com- 
 forts. This authorizes works only of 
 real necessity, not of imaginary wants, 
 or amusement, or common business, and 
 worldly employments. 
 
 To crown all, Christ sa^s that he 
 was Lord of tlie Sabbath. He had a 
 right to direct the manner of its obser- 
 vance — undoubted proof that he is di- 
 vine. 
 
 9 — 13. The account contained in these 
 verses is recorded also in Markiii. 1 — 5, 
 and Luke vi. 6 — 10. 
 
 10. A man which had his hand with- 
 ered. This was probably one form of 
 the palsy. See Note, Matt. iv. 24. 
 
 Mark and Luke have mentioned some 
 circumstances omitted by Matthew. 
 They say that Jesus addressed the man, 
 and told him to stand forth in the midst. 
 He then addressed the people. He ! 
 asked them if it was lawful to do good 
 on the Sabbath-day ? This was admit- 
 ted by all their teachers, and it could 
 not be denied. They were therefore 
 silent. He then appealed to them, and 
 drew an argument from their own con- 
 duct. A man that had a sheep that 
 should fall into a pit on the Sabbath day 
 would e.xercisc the common offices of 
 humanity, and draw it out. If a man 
 would save the life of a sheej), was it 
 not proper to save the hfe of^ a man ? 
 By a reference to their own conduct, 
 he silenced them. 
 
 Mark adds that he looketh on them 
 with anger ; that is, with strong disap- 
 probation of their conduct. Their envy 
 ind malignity excited feelings of holy 
 indifjnation. See Note on Mark iii. 5. 
 
 12. A man better titan a sheep. Of 
 
 II And he said untc them, Whal 
 man shall there be among you thai 
 shall have one sheep, and ' if it fal! 
 into a pit on the sabbath-day, will 
 he not lay hold on it, and lift it out ] 
 
 I'J How much then is a man bet- 
 ter than a sheep 1 Wherefore it ia 
 lawful to do well on the sabbath 
 days. 
 
 13 Then saith he to the man 
 c De.22.4. 
 
 more consequence, or value. If you 
 would show an act of kindness to a 
 brute beast on the Sabbath, how much 
 more important is it to evince similar 
 kindness to one made in the image of 
 God ! one for whom the Saviour came 
 to die, and who may be raised up to 
 everlasting life. ^ /* is lawful to do 
 well. This was universally allowed by 
 the Jews in the abstract ; and Jesus 
 only showed them that the principle on 
 which they acted in other things applied 
 with more force to the case before him, 
 and that the act which he was about to 
 perform was, by their own confession, 
 lawful. 
 
 13. And he said. Stretch forth thine 
 hand. This was a remarkable com- 
 mandment. The man might have said 
 that he had no strength ; tliat it was a 
 thing which he could not do. Yet, be- 
 ing commanded, it was his duty to obey. 
 He did so, and was healed. So the sin- 
 ner. It is his duty to obey whatever 
 God commands. He will give strength 
 to those who attempt to do his will. Iv 
 is not right to plead, when God com- 
 mands us to do a thing, that we have 
 no strength. God will give us strength, 
 if there is a disposition to obey. At the 
 same time, however, this passage should 
 not be applied to the shmer as if it 
 proved that he has no more strength oi 
 ability than the man who had the vrith 
 ered hand. It proves no such thing. I' 
 has no reference to any such case. Aijfl 
 it should not be used as ifil proved any 
 such thing. It may be used to prove 
 that man should instantly obey the com- 
 mands of God without pausing to ex- 
 amine the question about his ability, 
 and especially without saying that h: 
 can do nothing. What would the Sa 
 viour have said to this man, if he bid 
 objected that he could not stretch ual 
 his hand 1 ^ It was restor-A 'rihcU:
 
 144 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D 31. 
 
 Stretch forth thine hand. And he 
 stretched it forth ; and it was re- 
 stored whole, like as the other. 
 
 14 Then the Pharisees went out, 
 and held ' a council against him, 
 how they niight destroy him. 
 
 15 But when Jesus knew 87, he 
 withdrevv himself from thence : and 
 
 ' or, took counsel. 
 
 Christ had before claimed divine authori- 
 ty and power. Vs. G — 9. He now showed 
 that he possessed it. By his own power 
 he healed him ; thus evincintr by a mi- 
 racle that his claim of being Lord of 
 the sabbath was well founded. 
 
 These two cases determine what may 
 be done on the sabbath. The one was 
 a case oi necessity ; the other oi mercy. 
 The example of the Saviour, and his 
 explanations, show that these are a part 
 of the proper duties of that holy day. 
 Beyond an honest and ccnscie7itious dis- 
 charsre of these two duties, men may 
 not devote the sabbath to any secular 
 purpose. If they do, they do it at their 
 peril. They f^o beyond what his au- 
 thority authorizes them to do. They 
 do what he claimed the special right of 
 doing, as being Lord of the sabbath. 
 They usurp his place ; and act and le- 
 gislate where God only has a right to 
 act and legislate. Men may as well 
 trample down any other law of the Bi- 
 ble, as that respecting the sabbath. 
 
 14 — 21. This account is found also 
 in Mark iii. C — 12. 
 
 14. The Pharisees — held a council, 
 &c. Mark adds, that the Herodians 
 also took a part in this plot. They 
 v/ere probably apolitical party, attached 
 firmly to Herod. See Note, Matt. iii. 
 7. The friends of Herod were opposed 
 to Christ, and ever ready to join any 
 plot against his life. They remembered, 
 doubtless, the attempts of Herod the 
 Great against him when he was the babe 
 of Bethlehem ; and they were stung 
 with the memory of the escape of Je- 
 eus from his bloody hands. The at- 
 tempt against him now was the effect 
 of envy. They were enraged also that 
 he had foiled them in the argument ; 
 they hated his popularity ; they were 
 losing their influence ; and they, there- 
 fore, resolved to take him out of the way. 
 
 15. Jestis — withdrew himself, &c. 
 Hj knew the design against his life. 
 
 great ir.ultitudes foUowea him, and 
 he healed them all ; 
 
 16 And charged them that they 
 should not make him known : 
 
 17 That it might be fulfilled 
 which was spoken by Esaias the 
 prophet, " saying, 
 
 o Is.42.1. 
 
 He knew that his hour was not yot 
 come , and he therefore sought security. 
 By remaining, his presence would only 
 have provoked them farther, and en- 
 dangered his own life. He acted, there- 
 fore, the part of Christian prudence, 
 and withdrew. See Note, Matt. x. 23. 
 
 Mark adds, that he withdrew to the 
 sea ; that is, to the sea of Galilee, or 
 Tiberias. He names also the places 
 from which the multitude came : — an 
 important circumstance, as it throws 
 light on the passage quoted by Matthew 
 (v. 21.), " In his name shall the Geji 
 tiles trust. 
 
 Pressed by the crowd (Mark iii. 9.) 
 he went aboard a small vessel, or boat, 
 called by Mark a ship. This ho did for 
 the convenience of being separated from 
 them, and more easily addressing them. 
 We are to suppose the lake still and 
 calm — the multitudes, most of whom 
 were sick and diseased — standing on 
 the shore, and pressing to the water's 
 edge ; and Jesus thus healing their dis- 
 eases, and preaching to them the good 
 news of salvation. No scene could be 
 more sublime than this. 
 
 16. A7id he charged them, &c. He 
 was, at this time, desirous of conceal- 
 ment. He wished to avoid their plots, 
 and to save his life. 
 
 17. That it might be fulfilled, &,c. 
 Mattliew here quotes a passage from 
 Isa. .xlii. 1 — 4, to show the reasoii why 
 he thus retired from his enemies anJd 
 sought co7icealment. The Jews, and 
 the disciples also at first, expected that 
 the Messiah would be a conqueror, and 
 vindicate himself from all his enemies. 
 When they saw him retiring before 
 them, and instead of subduing them by 
 force, seeking a place of concealment 
 it was contrary to all their previous no 
 tions of the Messiah. Matthew, by 
 this quotation, shows that their concep- 
 tions of him had been wrong. Instead 
 of a warrior and an earthly conqueror
 
 A-D.31.J 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 145 
 
 18 BeholJ rjuy servant, whom I 
 have chosen ; my beloved, in whom 
 my soul is well pleased : I will put 
 my spirit upon him, and he shall 
 shew judgment to the Gentiles. 
 
 19 He shall not strive, nor cry ; 
 Neither shall any man hear his voice 
 lA the streets. 
 
 20 A braised reed shall he not 
 '.reak, and smoking flax shall he 
 
 US was predicted under a totally differ- 
 ent character. Instead of shouting for 
 battle, liltint? up his voice in the streets, 
 oppressing the feeble — hrcakhis bruised 
 reeds, and quenchim; smoking flax, as a 
 conqueror — he would be peaceful, retir- 
 ing, and strengthening the feeble, and 
 cherishing the faintest desires of holi- 
 ness. This appears to be the general 
 meaning of this quotation here. Comp. 
 my Note on the passage. 
 
 IS. Ml/ servant. That is, the Mes- 
 siah, the Lord Jesus, called a servant 
 from his taking the form of a servant, 
 or his being born in a humble condition 
 Phil. ii. 7.), and from his obeying or 
 serving God. See Heb. x. 9. If Shall 
 show judgment to the Gentiles. The 
 word judgment means, in the Hebrew, 
 latu, commands, &c. Ps. xix. 9 ; cxix. 
 29, 30. It means the whole system of 
 truth ; the law of God in general ; the 
 purpose, plan, or judgme7it of God, 
 about human duty and conduct. Here 
 it means evidently the system of gospel 
 truth, the Christian scheme. If Gentiles. 
 All who were not Jews. This prophe- 
 cy was fulfilled by tiie multitudes com- 
 ing to him from Idumea and beyond 
 Jordan, and Tyre and Sidon, as record- 
 ed by Mark iii. 7, 8. 
 
 19. He shall not strive, &c. He shall 
 not shout, as a warrior. He shall be 
 meek and retiring, and peaceful. Streets 
 were places of concourse. The mean- 
 ing is, that he should not seek publicity, 
 and popularity. 
 
 20. A bruised reed, &c. The reed 
 is an emblem of feebleness, as well as 
 change. Matt. xi. 7. A bruised, broken 
 reed, is an emblem of the poor and op- 
 pressed. It means that he would not 
 oppress the feeble and poor, as victori 
 ous warriors and conquerors did. It is 
 also an expressive emblem of the soul 
 ^iroken and comrite on account of sin, 
 
 13 
 
 not quench, till he send forth judg- 
 ment unto victory. 
 
 21 And in his name shall the Gen- 
 tiles trust. 
 
 22 Then » was brought unto him 
 one possessed with a devil, blind 
 and dumb : and he healed him, in- 
 somuch that the blind and dumb 
 both spake and saw. 
 
 23 And all the people were 
 
 a Mar.3.11. Lu. 11.14. 
 
 weeping and mourning for transgression. 
 He will not break it. That is, he will 
 not be haughty, unforgiving, and cruel. 
 He will heal it, pardon it, and give it 
 strength. ^ Smoking flax. This re- 
 fers to the rvick of a lamp when the oil 
 is exhausted — the dying, flickering tfame 
 and smoke that hang over it. It is an 
 emblem, also, of feebleness and infirmi- 
 ty. He would not farther oppress it 
 and extinguish it. He would not be 
 like the Jews, proud and overbearing, 
 and trampling down the poor. It is ex- 
 pressive, also, of the languishing graces 
 of the people of God. He will not treat 
 them harshly or unkindly, but will 
 cherish the feeble flame, muiister the 
 oil of grace, and kindle it into a blaze. 
 If Till he send forth judgme7it unto vic- 
 tory. Judgment here means truth — the 
 truth of God, the gospel. It shall be 
 victorious. It shall not be vanquished. 
 Though not such a conqueror as the 
 Jews expected, yet he shall conquer. 
 Though mild and retiring, yet his 
 scheme shall be victorious. 
 
 21. And in his name, &c. The He- 
 brew in Isaiah is, " And the Isles shall 
 wait for his law." The idea is, how- 
 ever, the same. The isles denote the 
 Gentiles, or a part of the Gentiles — 
 those out of Judea. The meaning is, 
 that the gospel should be preached to 
 the Gentiles, and that they should re- 
 ceive it. See my Note on Isa. xli. 1, 
 for an explanation of the word islands, 
 as it is used in the Bible. 
 
 22 — 30. One possessed with a devil. 
 See Note, Matt. iv. 24. The same ac- 
 count, substantially, is found in Mark 
 iii. 22—27, and Luke xi. 34—26. 
 
 23. Is not this the son of David? 
 That is, is not this the promised de- 
 scendant of David, tlie iMcssiali ? They 
 were acquainted with the prophecy in 
 Isaiah xxxv. 5 : " Then the eyes of the
 
 146 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 amazed ; and said, Is not this the 
 son of David 1 
 
 24 But when the Pharisees heard 
 it, they said, This fellow doth not 
 cast out devils, but by ' Beelzebub 
 the prince of the devils. 
 
 25 And Jesus knew their " 
 thoughts, and said unto them, Every 
 kingdom divided against itself is 
 brought to desolation ; and every 
 
 1 Beelzebul. a Ps.]39.2. Jno.2.24,25. 
 
 blind shall be opened, and the ears of 
 the deaf shall be unstopped;" and they 
 inferred that he must be the promised 
 Messiah who should be able to do this. 
 This inference was drawn by the com- 
 mon people, and not by the proud and 
 haughty Pharisees. It is not uncom- 
 mon that men of plain common sense, 
 though unlearned, see the true beauty 
 and meaning of the Bible, while those 
 who are filled with pride and science, 
 falsely so called, are blinded. 
 
 24. But tvheti the Pharisees heard it, 
 &c. It was necessary for the Phari- 
 sees, who had determined to reject 
 Jesus of Nazareth, to account in some 
 way for the miracles he had wrought. 
 Here was a manifest miracle, an exer- 
 tion of power unquestionably superior 
 to what Tne?i could do. The common 
 people were fast drawing the proper 
 inferences from it, and coming into the 
 belief that this was the Messiah. The 
 authority and power of the Pharisees 
 were declining, and about to become 
 extinct. Unless, therefore, some v>'ay 
 should be devised of accounting for 
 these facts, their influence would be at 
 an end. Whatever way of accounting 
 for them was adopted, it was necessary 
 that they should acknowledge that there 
 was superhuntati power. The people 
 were fully persuaded of this ; and no 
 man could deny it. They therefore 
 ascribed it to the Prince of the devils — 
 -o Beelzebub. In this they had two 
 objects: 1st. To concede to the people 
 that here was a miracle, or a work 
 above mere human power. 2d. To 
 throw all possible contempt on Jesus. 
 Beelzebub was an opprobrious name, 
 given to the worst and vilest even of 
 the devils. See Matt. x. 25. It denoted 
 the god of flies, or the god of fillh ; and 
 hence the god of idolatry, as being, in 
 their view, filth aiid abomination. 
 
 city or house divided against itself 
 shall not stand : 
 
 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, 
 he is divided against himself; how' 
 shall then his kingdom stand 1 
 
 27 And if I by Beelzebub * east 
 out devils, by whom do your chil- 
 dren cast ikejn out 7 Therefore they 
 shall be your judges. 
 
 25. And Jesus Ttnew their thoughts, 
 &c. To know the thoughts of the heart 
 belongs only to God. Ps. cxxxix. 2 ; 
 Jer. xvii. 10. IT Every kingdom, &c. 
 Their subtle and cunning device was 
 completely foiled, and Jesus made their 
 argument recoil on their own heads. 
 A kingdom, or a family, can prosper 
 only by living in harmony. The dif- 
 ferent parts and members must unite 
 in promoting the same objects. If di- 
 vided — if one part undoes what the 
 other does — it must fall. So with the 
 kingdom of Satan. It is your doctrine 
 that Sal an has possessed these whom 1 
 have cured. It is, also, your doctrine 
 that he has helped me to cure them. If 
 so, then he has helped me to undo wha( 
 he had done. Jie has aided me to casi 
 himself out — that is, to oppose and dis- 
 comfit himself At this rate, how can 
 there be any stabiUty in his kingdom i 
 It must fall ; and Satan must have less 
 than human prudence. 
 
 27. By whom do your children, &c. 
 Christ was not satisfied by showing 
 them the intrinsic absurdity of their ar- 
 gument. He showed them that it might 
 as well be applied to them a5 to him. 
 Your disciples, taught by you, and en- 
 couraged by you, pretend to cast out 
 devils. If your argument be true that 
 a man who casts out devils must be in 
 league with the devil, then yoxir disci- 
 ples have made a covenant with him 
 also. You must therefore ehher give 
 up this ar^ment, or admit that the 
 working of miracles is proof of the as- 
 sistance of God. 
 
 The words of Christ, here, do not 
 prove that they had actually the power 
 of casting out devils, but only that they 
 claimed it, and practised magic or Jug 
 glery. See Acts xix. 13. If Your chil- 
 dren. Your disciples, or followers 
 I Note, Matt. i. 1. H The shall he youi
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 28 But if I cast out devils by the 
 Spirit of God, then the kingdom " 
 of God is come unto you. 
 
 •29 Or else how can one enter 
 into a strong man's house, and spoil 
 * liis goods, except he first bind the 
 strong man! and then he will spoil 
 his house. 
 
 30 He that is not with me, is 
 
 a Da.2.44. c.0.33. Lu.n.20. 1721. Ro.14. 
 
 17. b Is.49.24. 53.12. Re.12.7-10. 20.2,3. 
 
 judges. They shall condemn you and 
 your argument. They are conclusive 
 witnesses against the force of your rea- 
 soning. 
 
 28. But if I, by the Spirit of God, 
 &c. The Spirit of God, here, means 
 ihe power o. God — in Luke, by tlie_^«- 
 ger of God. Compare Ex. viii. 19 ; Ps. 
 viii. 3. If this work is not by the aid 
 of Satan, then it is by the aid of God. 
 Then his kingdom, or reign, is come. 
 Matt. iii. 2. The reign ot Satan over 
 men, and the reign of God, are in op- 
 position. If God expels Satan from his 
 dominion over men, then his reign has 
 come. 
 
 29. Or else, &c. He takes a new 
 illustration to confute the Pharisees, 
 drawn from breaking into a house. A 
 man could not- break into the house of 
 a stronw man, and take his property, 
 unless ne had rendered the man him- 
 self helpless. If he had taken his 
 goods, it would therefore be sufficient 
 proof that he had bound the man. So 
 I, says he, have taken i\ns property — 
 thin possessed person — from the domin- 
 ion of Satan. It is clear proof that I 
 have subdued Satan himself, the strong 
 bein^ that had him in possession. The 
 words or else, mean or how. How, or in 
 what way, can one, &c. ^ Spoil his goods. 
 The word spoil commonly means now, 
 to corrupt, injure, or destroy. Here it 
 means to plunder, to take with violence, 
 as it commonly does in the Bible. See 
 Col. ii. 8, 15; E.\. iii. 22. 
 
 30. He that is not with me, &c. In 
 addition to his other arguments, he 
 urges this general principle, that there 
 could be but two parties in the universe. 
 If any one did not act ivith him, he was 
 against him. If he sathered not with 
 hnn, he scattered. This is taken from 
 the practice of persons in harvest. He 
 that did not gather with him, or aid 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 147 
 
 against me ; ' and he that gathereth 
 not with me, scattereth abroad. 
 
 31 Wherefore I say unto yon, 
 All ■* manner of sin and blasphemy 
 shall be forgiven unto men ; but the 
 blasphemy against the Uuly Ghost 
 ' shall not be forgiven unto men. 
 
 32 And whosoever speaketh a 
 ■word against the Son of man, i -it 
 
 clJno.2.19. dMar.3.28. Lu. 12.10. e He. 
 10.29. IJno.S.lG. /Lu.7.34. Jno.7.12. 1 Ti. 
 1 . 13^ 
 
 him, scattered abroad, or opposed him. 
 The application of this was, ' as I have 
 not united with Satan, but opposed him. 
 there can be no league between us.' 
 The charge, therefore, is a false one. 
 
 31, 32. In this place, and in Mark iii. 
 28 — 30, Jesus states the awful nature 
 of the sin of which they had been guil- 
 ty. That sin was the sin against the 
 Holy Ghost. It consisted in charging 
 Jesus with being in league with the 
 devil, or accusing him ot working his 
 miracles, not by the spirit or power of 
 God, but by the aid of the Prince of the 
 devils. It was therefore a direct insult 
 abuse, or evil speaking, against the 
 Holy Ghost — the spirit by which Jesus 
 worked his miracles. That this was 
 what he intended by this sin, at that 
 time, is clear from Mark iii. 30 ; " Be 
 CAUSE they said he had an unclean 
 spirit." All other sins — all speaking 
 against the Saviour himself — might be 
 remitted. But this sin was clearly 
 against the Holy One; it was alleging 
 that the highest displays of God's mer- 
 cy and power were the work of the 
 devil ; and it argued, therefore, the 
 highest depravity of mind. The sin oi 
 which he speaks is, then, clearly stated 
 It was accusing him of working mira 
 cles by the aid of the devil — thus dis- 
 honoring the Holy Ghost. H All man- 
 ?ier of sin — shall be forgiven. That is, 
 only on condition that men repent and 
 believe. If they continue in this sin, 
 they cannot be forgiven. Mark xvi. 16. 
 Rom. ii. 6 — 9. IT Blasphemy. Injurious 
 or evil speaking of God. See Note, 
 Matt. i.x. 3. ^ A word against the Sor 
 of man. The Jews were otlended a( 
 the humble life and appearance of the 
 Saviour. They reproached him as be- 
 ing a Nazarene — sprung from Naza 
 reth, a place from which no good was 
 expected to proceed ; with being n Gu
 
 148 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A D.31. 
 
 shall be forgiven him : but who- 
 soever speaketh against the Holy 
 Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, 
 neither in this world, neither in the 
 world to come. 
 
 33 Either make the tree good, 
 and his fruit good ; or else make 
 the tree corrupt, and his fruit cor- 
 
 lilean, from Galilee, a place from which 
 no prophet came. John vii. 52. Jesus 
 says that reproaches of this kind could 
 be pardoned. Reflections on his pover- 
 ty, his humble birth, and the lowliness 
 of his human nature, might be forgiven. 
 But for those which affected his divine 
 nature, accusing him of being in league 
 with the devil, denying his divinity, and 
 attributihg the power which manifestly 
 implied divinity, to the Prince of fallen 
 spirits, there could be no pardon. This 
 sin was a very different thing from 
 what is now often supposed to be the 
 sin against the Holy Ghost. It was a 
 wanton and blasphemous attack on the 
 divine power and nature of Christ. 
 Such a sin God would not forgive. 
 T Speaketh against the Holy Ghost. 
 This probably refers to the divine na- 
 ture of Christ — the power by which he 
 wrought his miracles. There is no evi- 
 dence that it refers to the third person 
 of the Trinity. The word ghost means 
 spirit, and probably means the divine 
 nature or spirit with which the ma7i Je- 
 eus was endowed. And the meaning 
 of the whole passage may be : ' He 
 ihat speaks against me as a man of Na- 
 zareth — that speaks contemptuously of 
 my humble birth, &c. may be pardon- 
 ed. But he that reproaches my divine 
 character, charging it as being in league 
 with Satan, and blaspheming the power 
 of God manifestly displayed by me, can 
 (lever obtain forgiveness.' ^Neither in 
 this world, nor in that which is to come. 
 That is, as Mark expresses it, hath 
 never forgiveness, but is in danger of 
 eternal damnation. This fixes the 
 meaning of the phrase. It means, 
 then, not the future age or dispensation, 
 known among the Jews as the world 
 to come, but it means that the guilt will 
 l)e unpardoned for ever ; that such is 
 ihe purpose of God, that he zvill not for- 
 give a sin so direct, presumptuous, and 
 awful. Tt cannol be infetred from this 
 
 rupt : for " ths tree is known by his 
 fruit. 
 
 34 O generation * of vipers ! how 
 can ye, being evil, speak good 
 things 1 For out ' of the abundance 
 of the heart the mouth speaketh. 
 
 35 A good man out of the good 
 treasure of the heart bringeth forth 
 
 ac.7.16,17. 6C.3.7. c Lu.6.45. 
 
 that any sins will be forgiven in hell. 
 He meant simply to say that there were 
 no possible circumstances in which the 
 offender could find forgiveness. He 
 certainly did 7iot say that any sin un- 
 pardoned here would be pardoned here- 
 after 
 
 33. Either malie, &c. The fact as- 
 serted in this verse is, thut a tree is 
 known, not by its leaves, or bark, or 
 form, but by its fruit. The application 
 to the argument is this : ' You are tc 
 judge of man's being in league with 
 Satan by his works. If my doctrines 
 and works be properly the works of 
 Satan, then / am corrupt : if not, then 
 your charge is blasphemy. So, on the 
 other hand, if notwithstanding you? 
 professions, your works are the works 
 of the devil, and your doctrines be 
 such as he would teach, it would prove 
 respecting you, that which you charge 
 on me.' In this indirect but powerm; 
 manner, he advances to the charge 
 against them, which he urges in the 
 following verses. 
 
 34, 35. generation of vipers! 
 Christ here applies the argument which 
 he had suggested in the previous v rse. 
 They were a wicked race ; like poison- 
 ous reptiles, with a corrupt and evil na- 
 ture. They could not be expected to 
 speak good things — that is, to speak 
 favorably of him and his works. As 
 the bad fruit of a tree was the proper 
 effect of its nature, so were their words 
 about him and his works the proper 
 effect of their nature. The abundance 
 or fulness of the heart produced the 
 words of the hps. IT Vipers. — These 
 are a poisonous kind of serpents, not 
 often a yard long, and about an inch 
 thick, having a flat head. The malea 
 have two large teeth, through which a 
 most deadly poison is thrown into the 
 wound made by the bite. They arc an 
 emblem of mahgnity and inischief — 
 These were strong expressions to be
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 good things ; and an evil man, out 
 of the evil treasure, bringeth forth 
 evil things. 
 
 36 But I say unto you, that every 
 idle word that men shall speak, they 
 shall give account" thereof in the 
 day of judgment : 
 
 37 For by thy words ' thou shalt 
 a Ec.12.14. Ep.5.4.6. Jude 15. 6 Pr.13.3. 
 
 used bv the meek and lowly Jesus; but 
 they were not the effect of anger and 
 malice ; they were a declaration of the 
 true character of the men with whom 
 he was conversing — a declaration most 
 justly deserved. Note, Matt. iii. 7. 
 
 36. But I say unto you, &,c. Christ 
 closes this address to his malignant and 
 wicked hearers by a solemn declaration 
 that for these things God would bring 
 them into judgment. They, therefore, 
 who had spoken so malignantly against 
 him, could not escape. IT Idle word. 
 This literally means a vain, thought- 
 less, useless word, that accomplishes 
 no good. Here it means, evidently, 
 wicked, and injurious, false and mali- 
 cious ; for such were the words which 
 they had spoken. 
 
 37. By thy words thou shalt he justi- 
 fied, &LC. That is, words shall be the 
 indication of the true principles of the 
 heart ; by words the heart shall be 
 known, as the tree is by its fruit. If 
 they are true, proper, chaste, instruc- 
 tive, pious, they will prove that the 
 heart is right. If false, envious, ma- 
 lignant, and impious, they will prove 
 that the heart is wrong, and will there- 
 fore be among the causes of condem- 
 nation. It is not meant that words will 
 be the 07ily thing that will condemn 
 man ; but that they will be an impor- 
 tant part of the things for which he 
 shall be condemned. See James iii. 
 3—12. 
 
 38—42. TVe would see a sign from 
 thee. See Luke .\i. 16, 29—32. A 
 sign commonly signifies a miracle — 
 that is, a sig7i that God was with the 
 person, or had sent him. Comp. Note 
 on Isa. vii. 11. Luki adds that this wag 
 done tempting him -trying him, doubt- 
 ing if he had the power to do it. If 
 these persons had been present with 
 nim for any considerable time, they 
 had already seen sufficient proofs that 
 ne was what he pretended. They 
 13* 
 
 be justified, and by thy words thoa 
 shalt be condemned. 
 
 38 Then certain of the Scribes 
 and of the Pharisees answered, say- 
 ing. Master, we would see a sign 
 ' from thee. 
 
 39 But he answered and said 
 unto them, An evil and adulterous 
 
 cc.ie.l. lCor.1.22. 
 
 might have been, however, those who 
 had recently come ; and then the em- 
 phasis must be laid on ' we.' We, as 
 well as the others, would see a proof 
 that thou art the Christ. In either 
 case it was a temptation. If they had 
 not seen him work a miracle, yet 
 they should have believed it by testi- 
 mony. Comp. John xx. 29. Perhaps 
 the emphasis is to be laid on the words 
 from heaven. They might profess not 
 to doubt that his miracles were real, 
 but they were not quite satisfactory. 
 They were desirous of seeing some- 
 thing, therefore, that should clear up 
 their doubts, where there could be no 
 opportunity for dispute. A comet, 
 or lightning, or thunder, or sudden 
 darkness, or the gift of food raining 
 upon them, they supposed would be 
 decisive. Perhaps they referred in 
 this to Moses. He had been with God 
 amidst thunders and lightnings ; and 
 he had given them manna — bread from 
 heaven — to eat. They wished Jesus to 
 show some miracle equally undoubted. 
 39. An evil and adxdlerous genera- 
 tion. The relation of the Jews to God 
 was often represented as a marriage 
 contract ; — God as the husband, and 
 the Jewish people as the wife. See 
 Isa. Ivii. 3 ; Hos. iii. 1 ; Ezek. xvi. 15. 
 Hence their apostasy and idolatry are 
 often represented as adultery. This is 
 the meaning, probably, here. They 
 were evil, and unfaithful to the covenant 
 or to the commandments of God — an 
 apostate and corrupt people. There is, 
 however, evidence that they were hte- 
 rally an adulterous people. If There 
 shall no sign be given to it, &c. They 
 sought some direct miracle from heaven. 
 He replied that no such miracle should 
 be given. He did not mean lo say that 
 he would work no more miracles, or 
 give no more evidence that he was the 
 Christ ; but he would give no such mi 
 racle as they required. He would give
 
 150 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. SI 
 
 generation seeketh after a sign ; 
 
 Bnd there shall no sign be given to it, 
 
 out the sign of the prophet Jonas : 
 
 40 For' as Jonas was three days 
 
 and three nights in the whale's 
 
 ols.57 3. 6 Jon.1.17. 
 
 one that ought to be as satisfactory evi- 
 dence to them that he was from God, as 
 the miraculous preservation of Jonah 
 was to the Ninevites that he was divi?iely 
 commissioned. As Jonah was preserved 
 three days by miracle, and then re- 
 stored alive, so he would be raised 
 from the dead after three days. As on 
 the ground of this preservation the 
 Ninevites beheved Jonah and repent- 
 ed, so on the ground of his resurrection 
 the men of an adulterous and wicked 
 generation ought to repent, and believe 
 that he was from God. " The sign of 
 the prophet Jonas" means the sign or 
 evidence which was given to the people 
 of Nineveh that he was from God — to 
 wit, that he had been miraculously 
 preserved, and was therefore divinely 
 commissioned. The word Jonas is 
 the Greek way of writing the Hebrew 
 word Jonah, as Elias is for Elijah. 
 
 40. For as Jonas was three days, &.C. 
 See Jonah i. 17. This event took 
 place in the Mediterranean sea, some- 
 where between Joppa and Tarshish, 
 when he was fleeing /rom Nineveh. It 
 is said that the whale seldom passes 
 into that sea, and that its throat is too 
 small to admit a man. It is probable, 
 therefore, that a fish of the shark ki?id 
 is intended. Sharks have been known 
 often to swallow a man entire. The 
 fish in the book of Jonah is described 
 merely as a ^reat fish, without specify- 
 ing the kind. It is well known that 
 the Greek word translated whale, in 
 (he New Testament, does not of ne- 
 cessity mean a whale, but may denote 
 a large fish of any kind. 
 
 40. Three days a?id three nights. It 
 will be seen in the account of the re- 
 surrection of Christ, that he was in the 
 grave but two nights and a part of three 
 days. See Matt, xxviii. 6. This com- 
 putation is, however, strictly in accord- 
 ance with the Jewish mode of reckon- 
 ing. If it hadwo< been, the Jews would 
 have understood it, and would have 
 charged our Saviour as Ijeing a false 
 prophet ; for it was well known to them 
 that he hj.J spoken this prophecy. Matt. 
 
 belly ; so shall the Son of man be 
 three days and three nights in the 
 heart of the earth. 
 
 41 The men of Nineveh shall 
 rise in judgment with this genera- 
 
 xxvii. 63. Such a charge, however, 
 was never made ; and it is plain, there- 
 fore, that what was meant by the pre- 
 diction was accomplished. It was a 
 maxim, also, among the Jews, in com- 
 puting time, that a part of a day was to 
 be received as the whole. Many in- 
 stances of this kind occur in both sa- 
 cred and profane history. See 2 Chron. 
 X. 5, 12; Gen. xUi. 17, IS. Compare 
 Esther iv. 16 with v. 1. 1i /« the heart 
 of the earth. The Jews used the word 
 heart to denote the interior of a thing, 
 or to speak of being in a thing. It 
 means, here, to be in the grave or sep- 
 ulchre. 
 
 41. The men of Nineveh. Nineveh 
 was the capital of the Assyrian empire. 
 It was founded by Ashur. Gen. x. 11. 
 It was situated on the banks of the 
 river Tigris, to the north-east of Baby- 
 lon. It is now so completely destroyed 
 that geographers are unable to ascer- 
 tain whether it was on the eastern or 
 western bank. It was a city of vast 
 extent, and of corresponding wicked- 
 ness. It was forty-eight miles in cir- 
 cuit ; its walls were one hundred feet 
 high, and ten thick, and were defended 
 by fifteen hundred towers, each two 
 hundred feet in height. It contained in 
 the time of Jonah, it is supposed, six 
 hundred thousand inhabitants. The de- 
 struction of Nineveh, threatened by 
 Jonah in forty days, was suspended, 
 by their repentance, two hundred years 
 It was then overthrown by the Babylo- 
 nians, about six hundred years before 
 Christ. During the siege, a mighty in- 
 undation of the river Tigris took place, 
 which threw down a part of the walls, 
 through which the enemy entered, and 
 sacked and destroyed the city. This 
 destruction had been foretold one hun- 
 dred and fifteen years before, by Na- 
 hum (ch. i. 8): "But with an over- 
 whelming flood he will make an utter 
 end of the place thereof" And ii. 6: 
 " The gates of the river shall be opened, 
 and the palace shall be dissolved." 
 The place is completely destroyed. The 
 very situation is unknown. If it seem
 
 1 D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 151 
 
 tion, and sk all condemn * it : be- 
 cause they repented at ' tlie preach- 
 ing of Jonas ; and, behold, a greater 
 than Jonas is here. 
 
 42 The ' queen of the south shall 
 rise up in the judgment with lliis 
 generation, and shall condemn it: 
 for she '' came from the uttermost 
 
 a Ro.2.27. 6 Jon.3.5. c Lu.ll.3I,&,c. 
 rfaCh.'J.l. 
 
 Strange ihat ancient cities are so com- 
 pletely destroyed that no remains of 
 brick or stone are to be found, it should 
 be rcmemberpd that they were built 
 of rl'iy dried only in the sun, and not 
 burned ; that fret|uent rains softened 
 the clay ; and .that the mighty walls 
 and dwellings, in the lapse of ages, 
 would sink down into an undistin- 
 guished heap of ruins. ^ Shall co?i- 
 demn it. That is, their conduct, in 
 repenting at Jonah's prediction, shall 
 condemn this generation. They, igno- 
 rant and wicked heal hen, repented 
 when threatened with temporal judg- 
 ment by a mere man — Jonah; you, 
 Jews, professing to be eniiglitened, 
 though threatened for your great wick- 
 edness with eternal punishment 6?/ the 
 So?i of God — a far greater being than 
 Jonah — repent not, and must therefore 
 meet with a far heavier condemnation. 
 
 42. The queen of the South. That is, 
 the queen of Shcba. 1 Kings x. 1. 
 Sheba was probably a city of Arabia, 
 situated to the south of Judea. Comp. 
 Notes on Isa. 1.x. G. If From the utter- 
 most parts of the earth. This means 
 simply I'rom the most distant parts of 
 the hospitable world then known. See 
 a similar expression in Deut. xxviii. 49. 
 As the knowledge of geography was 
 limited, the place was in fact by no 
 means in the extreme parts of the earth. 
 It means that she came from a remote 
 country ; and she would condemn that 
 generation, for she came a great dis- 
 tance to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; 
 and the Jews of that age would not 
 listen to the wisdom of one much greater 
 than Solomon, though present with them. 
 
 43 — 15. When the unclean spirit, 
 &c. The general sentiment which our 
 Saviour here teaches is much more 
 easily understood than the illustration 
 vhich ha us:cs. The Jews had asked a 
 *ign from heaven that should decisively 
 
 parts of the earth to hear the wis« 
 dom of Solomon ; and, behold, a 
 greater than Solomon is here. 
 
 43 When ' the unclean spirit is 
 gone out of a man, he f walketh 
 through dry places, seeking rest, 
 and findeth none. 
 
 44 Then he saith, I will return 
 «Lu.ll.24. /Job 1.7. lPe.5.a 
 
 prove that he was the Messiah, and satis- 
 fy their unbelief. He replies that though 
 iio should give them such a sign — a 
 proof conclusive and satisfactory ; and 
 though for a time they should profess 
 to believe, and apparently reform ; yet 
 such was the obstinacy of their unbelief 
 and wickedness, that they would soon 
 return to them, and become worse and 
 worse. Infidelity and vvickedness, like 
 an evil spirit in a possessed man, were 
 appropriately at home in them. If driv- 
 en out, they would find no other place 
 so cornfortal)le and undisturbed, as their 
 bosoms. Every where they would be 
 comparatively like an evil spirit going 
 through deserts and lonely places, and 
 finding no place of rest. They would 
 return, therefore, and dwell with them. 
 If He walketh through dry places. That 
 is, through deserts — regions of country 
 unwatered, sandy, barren, desolate. 
 That our Saviour here speaks accord 
 ing to the ancient opinions of the Jews, 
 that evil spirits had their abodes in 
 those desolate uninhabited regions, there 
 can be no doubt. Nor can there be any 
 doubt that the Bible gives countenance 
 to the opinion. Thus Rev. xviii. 2 : 
 " Babylon — is become the habitation of 
 devils, and the hold of every foul spi- 
 rit, •''' that is, has become desolate — a 
 place where evil spirits appropriately 
 dwell. So Isa. xiii. 21 : " And satyrs 
 shall dance there ;" i. e. according to 
 the ancient Greek translation, " Devils 
 or demons, shall dance there." See, 
 also, Jer. 1. 39. Comp. Note on Isa. 
 xxxiv. 14. Deut. xxxii. 17. If Seeking 
 rest, and findeth none. Thus desolate 
 and dry regions are represented as un- 
 comfortable habitations; so much so, 
 that the dissatisfied spirit, better pleased 
 with a dwelling in the bosoms of men. 
 as affording an opportunity of doing evil, 
 seeks a return there. 
 44. Then he saith, I vnll return, into
 
 152 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 into my house, from whence I came 
 out ; and when he is come, he find- 
 eth it empty, swept, and garnished. 
 45 Then goeth he and taketli 
 with himself seven other spirits 
 more wicked than himself, and they 
 enter in and dwell there: and the 
 last state of that man is worse ° than 
 a He.6.4. 10.26. 2 Pe.2.20,22. 
 
 my house, &c. The man is called his 
 house, because he had been the place 
 where the spirit had dwelt. IT Hefind- 
 eth it empty, &c. There is here the 
 continuance of the reference to the 
 dwelling of the spirit in men. He was 
 called his house. By the absence of 
 the evil spirit, the house is represented 
 as unoccupied, or empty, swept and gar- 
 nished; that is, while the evil spirit was 
 away, the man was restored to his right 
 mind, was freed from his wicked influ- 
 ence. If Garnished. Adorned, put in 
 order, furnished. Applied to the ?nan, 
 it means that his mind was sane and 
 n-'gular when the evil spirit was gone ; 
 or, he had a lucid inlrrt-al. 
 
 45. Then he goeth, <^c. Seeing the 
 state of the man, dissatisfied with a 
 lonely dwelling in the desert where he 
 could do no evil, envious of the happi- 
 ness of the individual, and supremely 
 bent on evil, he resolved to increase 
 his power of malignant influences, and 
 return. He is therefore represented as 
 taking seven other spirits still worse, 
 and returning to his former habitation. 
 Seven denotes a large but indefinite 
 jiumber. It was a favorite number with 
 ;he Jews, and was used to denote cam- 
 flete?iess or perfection, or any finished 
 or complete number. See 1 Sam. ii. 5. 
 Comp. Rev. i. 4. Here it means a suf- 
 ficient number completely to occupy 
 and harass his soul. If Even so shall it 
 he with this generation. This shows 
 the scope and design of this illustration. 
 The state of that man was a represen- 
 tation of that generation of men. Much 
 might be done to cure their unbelief; 
 much to reform them externally ; but 
 such was the firm hold which the prin- 
 ciples of infidelity and wickedness had 
 taken of their minds as Iheir proper habi- 
 tation, that they would return, after all 
 the means used to reform them, and the 
 people would be worse and worse. 
 And this was hterally accomplished. 
 
 the first. Even so shall it be also 
 unto this v/icked generation. 
 
 46 "While he yet talked to the 
 people, behold, his * mother and his 
 brethren ' stood without, desiring to 
 speak with him. 
 
 47 Then one said unto him. Be- 
 hold, thy mother and thy brethren 
 
 6Mar.3.3],&c. Lu.8.19,&c. c c. 13.55. 
 
 After all the instructions and miracles 
 of the Saviour and his apostles ; after 
 all that had been done for them by holy 
 men and prophets, and by the judg- 
 ments and mercies of Gcd • and after all 
 their external temporary reformations — 
 like the temporary departure of an evil 
 spirit from a man possessed — yet such 
 was their love of wickedness, that the 
 nation became worse and worse. They 
 increased in crime, like the seven-fold 
 misery and wretchedness ofthe man into 
 whose bosom the seven additional evil 
 spirits came. They rejected God's mes- 
 sengers, abused his mercies, crucified 
 his Son, and God gave their temple, 
 and capital, and nation, into the hands 
 of the Romans, and thousands of the 
 people to destruction. 
 
 It is not proved, by this passage, that 
 evil spirits actually dv)ell in deserts. It 
 is proved only that such was the opinion 
 of the Jews ; that it was drawn from 
 some expressions in the Bible ; and that 
 such expressiotis were suficiently clear 
 to justify our Savio2ir iii drawing an 
 argument froin them to confound those 
 who firmly believed that such was the 
 case. Nor is there any absurdity in 
 the opinion. For, 1st, There are evil 
 spirits. See Notes on ch. viii. 33. 2d. 
 They must exist in some place. 3d. 
 There is as much propriety that they 
 should be located about our earth as 
 any where. 4th. The clear doctrine 
 of the Bible is, that many of them have 
 much to do with our world. 5th. It is 
 as reasonable that they should dwell 
 commonly in desolate and uninhabited 
 legions as any where else. 
 
 46—50. See also Mark iii. 31—35. 
 Luke viii. 19 — 21. Tf His brethren. 
 There has been some difference of 
 opinion about the persons who were 
 meant here ; some supposing that they 
 were children of Mary his mother, 
 others that they were the children oi 
 Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alpheu*
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 153 
 
 stand without, desiring to speak 
 with thee. 
 
 48 But he answered and said 
 
 his cousins, and called brethren accord- 
 ing to the customs of the Jews. The 
 na'vdral and obvious meaning is, how- 
 ever, that they were the children of 
 Mary his mother. Sec also Mark vi. 3. 
 To this opinion, moreover, there can 
 be no valid objection. 
 
 48. Who is my mother ? Sec. There 
 W£is no want of affection or respect in 
 Jesus towards his mother, as is proved 
 by his whole life. See especially Luke 
 ii. 51, and John \ix. 25, 26, 27. This 
 question was asked merely to fix the 
 attention of the hearers, and to prepare 
 them for the answer — that is, to show 
 them who sustained towards him the 
 nearest and most tender relation. To 
 do this he pomied to his disciples. Dear 
 and tender as were the ties which 
 bound him to his mother and brethren, 
 yet those which bound him to his dis- 
 ciples were more tender and sacred. 
 How great was liis love for his disci- 
 ples, when it was more than even that 
 for his mother ! And what a bright 
 illustration of his own doctrine, that wc 
 ought to forsake father, and mother, 
 and friends, and houses, and lands, to 
 be his followers. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. Our Saviour has taught us the 
 ri^ht use of the Sabbath. Vs. 1 — 13. 
 His conduct was an explanation of the 
 meaning of the fourth commandment. 
 By his e.xample we may learn what 
 may be done. He himself performed 
 only those works on the Sabbath which 
 were strictly necessary for hfe, and 
 those which went to benefit the poor, 
 the afflicted, and needy. Whatever 
 work is done on the Sabbath that is 
 not for these ends, must be wrong. 
 All labor that can as well be done on 
 another day ; all which is not for the 
 support of hfe, or to aid the ignorant, 
 poor, and sick, must be wrong. This 
 example justifies teaching the ignorant, 
 supplying the wants of the poor, in- 
 structing children in the precepts of 
 religion, teaching those to read in Sab- 
 bath schools who have no other oppor- 
 tunity for learning, and visiting the 
 sick, when we go not for formality, or 
 to save time on som."- other day, but to 
 do them good. 
 
 unto him that told him, Who is 
 my mothe % and who are my bre- 
 thren ? 
 
 •2d. The Sabbath is of vast service to 
 mankind, ft was made for man, not 
 fo: man to violate or profane, or to bo 
 merely idle, but to improve to his 
 spiritual and eternal good. Where 
 men are employed through six days in 
 worldly occupations, it is kind towards 
 them to give them one day particularly 
 to prepare for eternity. Where thore 
 is no Sabbath there is no rehgijn. 
 There are no schools for instruct mg 
 the poor. There are no means of en- 
 hghtening the ignorant. This trath, 
 from the history of the world, will bear 
 to be recorded in letters of gold that 
 the triis religion will exist among men 
 only whe7i they strictly observe th( Sab- 
 bath. They, therefore, who do most 
 to promote the observance of the Sab- 
 bath, are doing most for religion and 
 the welfare of man. In this respect, 
 Sunday school teachers may do more, 
 perhaps, than all the world besides, for 
 the best interests of the world. 
 
 3d. In the conduct of Christ, (vs. 1%, 
 15) we have an e.xample of Christian 
 prudence. He did not throw himself 
 needlessly into danger. He did not 
 remain to provoke opposition. He felt 
 that his time was not come, and that 
 his life, by a prudent course, should be 
 preserved. He therefore withdrew. 
 Religion requires us to sacrifice our 
 lives rather than deny the Saviour. To 
 throw our lives away, when with good 
 conscience they might be preserved, is 
 self-murder. 
 
 4th. The rejection of the gospel in 
 one place is often the occasion of its 
 being received elsewhere. Ver. 15. Men 
 may reject it to their own destruction ; 
 but somewhere it will he preached, and 
 will be the power of God unto salva- 
 tion. The wicked cannot drive it out 
 of the world. They only secure their 
 own ruin, and, against their will, be- 
 nefit and save others. To reject it is 
 hke turning a beautiful and fertiHzing 
 stream from a man's own land. He 
 does not, he cannot dry it up. It will 
 floiu somewhere else. He injures himself, 
 and perhaps benefits multitudes. ]\Ien 
 never commit so great foolishness and 
 wickedness, and so completely fail in 
 what they aim at, as in rejecting tiit
 
 £54 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31. 
 
 49 And he stretched forth his i 50 For whosoever shall do the 
 hand, toward his disciples, and said, ' will « of my Father which is in hea 
 Behold my mother, and my brc- j ven, the same is my brother, and 
 thren ! sister, and mother. 
 
 oc.7.20. Jno.]5.14. Ga.5.6. He.S.ll. IJno.S.H. 
 
 gospel. A man, hating the light of the 
 sun, might get into a cave or dungeon, 
 and be in total darkness ; but the sun 
 will continue to shine, and millions, in 
 spite of him, will be benefited by it. So 
 it is with the gospel. 
 
 5th. Christ was mild, still, retiring — 
 not clamorous or noisy. Ver. 19. So is 
 all religion. There is no piety in noise ; 
 if there was, then thunder and artillery 
 would be piety. Confusion and discord 
 are not religion. Loud words and 
 shouting are not religion. Religion is 
 love, reverence, fear, hoUness, deep 
 and awfu! regard for the presence of 
 God, profound apprehensions of the 
 solemnities of eternity, imitation of the 
 Saviour. It is still. It is full of awe — 
 an awe too great to strive, or cry, or 
 lift up the voice in the streets. If men 
 ever should be overawed, and filled 
 with emotions repressing noise and 
 clamor, it should be when they ap- 
 proach the great God. This great truth 
 is the essence of religion, that we have 
 most of it when we come nearest in all 
 things io the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 6th. The feeble may trust to Jesus. 
 Ver. 20. A child of any age, an igno- 
 rant person, the poorest man, may 
 come, and he shall in nowise be cast 
 out. It is a sense of our weakness that 
 Jesus seeks. Where that is, he will 
 stnmgthen us, and we shall not fail. 
 
 7th. Grace shall not be extinguished. 
 Ver. 20. Jesus, where he finds it in 
 I he feeblest degree, will not destroy it. 
 lie will cherish it. He will kindle it to 
 a flame. It shall burn brighter and 
 brighter, till it " glows with the pure 
 sp'rits above." 
 
 8. Men are greatly prone to ascribe 
 all religion to the devil Ver. 24. Any 
 thing that is unusual, any thing that 
 flonfounds them, any thing that troubles 
 their consciences, they ascribe to fana- 
 ticism, overheated zeal, and Satan. It 
 has always been so. It is sometimes 
 an easy way to stifle their own convic- 
 tions, and to bring religion into con- 
 tempt. Somehow or other, like the 
 Pharisees, infidels must account for re- 
 ►ivals of rclioion, for striking instances 
 
 of conversion, and for the great and 
 undeniable effects which the gospel pro- 
 duces. How easy to say that it is de- 
 lusion, and that it is the work of the 
 devil ! How easy to show at once the 
 terrible opposition of their own hearts 
 to God, and to boast themselves, in 
 their own wisdom, in having found a 
 cause so simple for all the effects which 
 religion produces in the world ! How 
 much pains, also, men will take, to se- 
 cure their own perdition, rather than to 
 admit it to be possible that Christianity 
 should be true ! 
 
 9th. We see the danger of blasphemy 
 — the danger of trifling with the influ- 
 ences of the Holy Spirit. Vs. 31, 32. 
 Even if we do not commit the unpar- 
 donable sin, yet we see that all trifling 
 with the Holy Ghost is a sin very near 
 to God, and attended with infinite dan- 
 ger. He that laughs avmy the thoughts 
 of death and eternity ; he that seeks the 
 society of the gay and trifling, or of the 
 sensual and profane, for the express pur- 
 pose of driving away these thoughts ; 
 and he that struggles directly against 
 his convictions, and is resolved that he 
 will not submit to God, may be, for 
 aught he knows, making his damnation 
 sure. Why should God ever return, 
 when he has once rejected the gospel ? 
 Who would be to blame if the sinner 
 is then lost? Assuredly not God. None 
 but himself Children sometimes do 
 this. Then is the time, the very time, 
 when they should begin to love God 
 and Jesus Christ. Then the Spirit also 
 strives. Many have theji given their 
 hearts to him, and become Christians 
 Many more might have done so, if they 
 had not grieved away the spirit of God. 
 
 lOlh. We see the danger of rejecting 
 Christ. Vs. 38—42. All past ages, all 
 the wicked and the good, the foolish 
 and the wise, will rise up in the day of 
 judgment, and condemn us, if we do 
 not believe the gospel. No people, 
 heretofore, have seen so much light as 
 we do in this age. And no people can 
 be so awfully condemned as those who, 
 in a land of light, of Sabbaths, and 
 Sabbath schools, reject Christ, and go
 
 \. D.31.J CHAPTER XIII. 15& 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 1 2 And great multitades were ga 
 
 THK same day went Jesus out thered together unto him, so that he 
 of the house, and sat by the went into a ship, " and sat; and the 
 •^ea-side. ] whole multitude stood on the shore. 
 
 ; o Lu.5.3. 
 
 to hell. Among the hundred and twen- 
 ty thousand children of Nineveh (Jonah 
 IV. 11), there was not one single Sun- 
 day school. There was no one to tell 
 them of God and the Saviour. They 
 have died and gone to judgment. Chil- 
 dren, now living, will die also, and go 
 lo meet them in the day of judgment. 
 How will they condemn the children of 
 this age, if they do not love the Lord 
 Jesus Christ ! 
 
 11th. Sinners, when awakened, if 
 they grieve away the spirit of God, be- 
 come worse than before. Vs. 43 — 45. 
 They arc never as they were. Their 
 hearts are hard, their consciences are 
 seared, they hate religious men, and 
 they plunge deeper and deeper into sin. 
 Seven devils often dwell where one did ; 
 and God gives the man over to blind- 
 ness of mind and hardness of heart. 
 This shows, also, the great guilt and 
 danger of grieving the Holy (rliost. 
 
 12th. We see the love of Christ for 
 his followers. Vs. 46 — 50. Much as 
 he loved his mother, yet he loved his 
 disciples more. He still loves them. 
 He will always love them. His heart 
 is full of affection for them. And though 
 poor, and despised, and unknown to the 
 rich and mighty, yet to Jesus they are 
 still dearer than mother, and sisters, and 
 brothers. 
 
 CHAPTER Xm. 
 
 1,2. The sea-side. This was the sea 
 of Tiberias. The multitude stood on 
 the shore near to him, so that he could 
 be eas ly heard. He went into a ship — 
 that is, a boat — and sat down to address 
 them. Few spectacles could be more 
 interesting than a vast crowd, on the 
 banks of a .'"uooth and tranquil sea — an 
 emblem ol his instructions — and the 
 Son of God addressing them on the 
 great interests of eternity. 
 
 3—9. In parables. The word para- 
 ble is derived from a Greek word sig- 
 nifying to compare together, and denotes 
 a similit'ide taken from a natural object, 
 to illusiraie a si)iritual or moral subject. 
 It is a narrative of some iictiiiousorreal 
 event, in order to illustrate more clearly 
 
 some truth that the speaker wished to 
 communicate. In early ages it was 
 much used. Heathen writers, as jEsop, 
 often employed it. In the time of Christ 
 it was in common use. The prophets 
 had used it, and Christ employed it 
 often in teaching his disciples. It is not 
 necessary to suppose that the narratives 
 were strictly true. The main thing— 
 the inculcation of spiritual truth — was 
 gained equally, whether it wa? trne, or 
 was only a supposed case. Nor was 
 there any dishonesty in this. It was 
 well understood. No person was de- 
 ceived. The speaker was not U7ider- 
 stood to affirm the thing literally Jiar- 
 rated, but only to ti.\ the attention more 
 firmly on the moral truth that h'e pre- 
 sented. The design of speaking in pa- 
 rables was the following : 1st. To con- 
 vey truth in a more interesting manner 
 to the mind ; adding to the truth con- 
 veyed the beauty ot a lovely image or 
 narrative. 2d. To teach spiritual truth 
 so as to arrest the attention of ignorant 
 people, making an appeal to them 
 through the senses. 3d. To convey 
 some offensive truth, some pointed per- 
 sonal rebuke, in such a way as to bring 
 it home to the conscience. Of this kind 
 was the parable which Nathan delivered 
 to David (2 Sam. xii. 1 — 7). and many 
 of our Saviour's parables addressed to 
 the Jews. 4th. To conceal from one 
 part of his audience truths which he in- 
 tended others should understand. Thus 
 Christ often, by this means, delivered 
 truths to his disciples in the presence of 
 the Jews, which he well knew the Jews 
 would not understand ; truths pertaining 
 to them particularly, and which he was 
 under no obligations to explain to the 
 Jews. See Mark iv. 33. Man. xiii. 
 13—16. 
 
 Our Saviour's parables are distin- 
 guished above all others for clearness, 
 purity, chastoness, intelligibility, im- 
 portance of instruction, and simplicity. 
 They are taken mostly from the affairs 
 of common life, and mielhgihle, there- 
 fore, to all men. Thty contain much 
 of himself, his doctrine, hfe, design in 
 coming, and claims ; and are thereforp
 
 156 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.31. 
 
 3 And he spake many things 
 unto them in parables, saying-, Be- 
 hold, " a sower went forth to sow : 
 
 4 And when he sowed, some 
 seeds fell by the way-side, and the 
 fowls came and devoured them up. 
 
 5 Some fell upon stony places, 
 where they had not much earth ; and 
 forthwith they sprung up, because 
 they had no deepness of earth : 
 
 6 And when the sun was up, 
 they were scorched : and because 
 they had no root, they withered 
 »way. 
 
 oMar.4.2. Lu.8.5,&c. 
 
 of importance to all men ; and they are 
 told in a style of native simplicity in- 
 telligible to the child, yet instructive to 
 men of every rank and age. In his 
 parables, as in all his instructions, he 
 excelled all men in the purity, import- 
 ance, and sublimity of his doctrine. 
 
 3. A sower went forth to sow. The 
 image here is taken from an employ- 
 ment known to all men, and therefore 
 intelligible to all. Nor can there be a 
 more striking illustration of preaching 
 the gospel than placing the seed in the 
 ground to spring up hereafter, and bear 
 fruit. IT Sower. One who sows or scat- 
 ters seed. A farmer. It is not impro- 
 bable that one was near the Saviour 
 when he spoke this parable. 
 
 4. Some seeds fell by the way-side. 
 That is, the hard path or headland, 
 which the plough had not touched, and 
 where there was no opportunity for it to 
 sink into the earth. 
 
 5. Stony places. Where there was 
 little earth, but where it was hard and 
 rocky ; so that the roots could not strike 
 down into the earth for sufficient mois- 
 ture to support the plant. When the 
 sun became hot, they of course withered 
 away. They sprang up the sooner be- 
 cause there was little earth to cover 
 them. '^Forthwith. Immediately. Not 
 that they sprouted and grew any quicker 
 or faster than the others, but they were 
 not so long in reaching the surface. 
 Having hltle root, they soon withered 
 away. 
 
 7. Among thorns. That is, in a part 
 of the held where the tliorns and shrubs 
 liad been imperfectly cleared away, and 
 not destroyed. 'J'hey grew with the 
 
 7 And some fell among thorns 
 and the thorns sjirung up, and 
 choked them. 
 
 8 But other fell into good ground, 
 and brought forth fruit, some an 
 hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some 
 thirty-fold. 
 
 9 Who * hath ears to hear, let 
 him hear. 
 
 10 And the disciples came, and 
 said unto him, Why speakest thou 
 unto them in parables ? 
 
 11 He answered and said unto 
 them, Because it is given unto you 
 
 b c.11.15. 
 
 grain, crowded it, shaded it, exhausted 
 the earth, and thus choked it. 
 
 8. Into good ground. The fertile and 
 rich soil. In sowing, by far the largest 
 praportion of seed will fail into the good 
 soil ; but Christ did not intend to teach 
 that these proportions would be exactly 
 the same among those who heard the 
 gospel. Parables are designed to teach 
 some general truth ; and the circum- 
 stances should not be pressed too much 
 in explaining them. IT An hundred 
 fold, &c. That is, a hundred, sixty, 
 or thirty grains, for each one that was 
 sowed — an increase by no means un- 
 common. Some grains of wheat will 
 produce twelve or fifteen hundred 
 grains. The usual proportion on a fielc 
 sown, however, is not more than twen 
 ty, fifty, or sixty bushels for one. 
 
 9. Who hath ears, &c. This is a 
 proverbial expression, implying that it 
 was every man's duty to pay attention 
 to what was spoken. Matt. xi. 15. 
 
 10 — 17. Christ, in these verses, gives 
 a reasofi why he used this manner ol 
 instruction. See also Mark iv. 10 — 12 
 Luke viii. 9, 10. 
 
 11. The mysteries of the kingdom. 
 The word mystery, in the Bible, pro- 
 perly means a thing that is concealed, 
 or that has been cottccaled. It does not 
 mean that the thing was incomprehensi- 
 ble, or even difficult to be understood. 
 The thing might be plain enough if re- 
 vealed, but it means simply that it had 
 not been made known. Thus the mys 
 teries of the kingdom do not mean any 
 doctrines incomprehensible in them- 
 selves considered, but simply doctrmea 
 about the preaching of the gospel, ard
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTEK XIII. 
 
 157 
 
 to •know tlie mysteries of the king- 
 dom of heaven, but to them it is not 
 given. 
 
 12 For * whosoever hath, to hin 
 shall be given, and he shall have 
 more abundance : but whosoever 
 hath not, from him shall be taken 
 away, even that he hath. 
 
 13 Therefore speak I to them in 
 
 ac.ll.2.5. Mar.4.11. lCo.2.10,14. Ep.1.9, 
 irf. 3.9. Col.l.2e,27. lJno.2.27. fi c.25.29. 
 Lii.9.2« 
 
 the establishment of the new kingdom 
 of the Messiah which had not been un- 
 derstood, and which were as yet con- 
 coaled from the great body of the Jews. 
 See Rom. .\vi. 25 ; xi. 25. Eph. iii. 3, 
 4, 9. Of this nature was the truth that 
 tlie gospel was to be preached to the 
 Gentiles, tliat the Jewish polity was to 
 cease, that the Messiah was to die, &c. 
 To the disciples it was given to know 
 tliese truths. It was important for 
 tliem, as they were to carry the gospel 
 around the globe. To the others it was 
 not then given. They were too gross, 
 too eartlily : they had too grovelling 
 conceptions of the Messiah's kingdom 
 to understand these truths, even if pre- 
 sented. They were not to preach it, 
 and hence our Saviour was at particu- 
 lar pains to instruct his apostles. The 
 Pharisees, and Jews generally, were 
 not prepared for it, and would not have 
 believed it, and therefore he purposely 
 employed a kind of teaching that they 
 ^ did not understand. 
 
 12. Whosoever hath, &c. This is a 
 proverbial mode of speaking. It means 
 that a man who improves what li^ht, 
 grace, and opportunities, he has, snail 
 nave them increased. . From him that 
 improves them not, it is proper that they 
 should be taken away. The Jews had 
 many opportunities of learning the truth, 
 and some light still Ungered among 
 thein. But they were gross and sen- 
 sual, and misiniprovcd tliem, and it was 
 a just judgment that they should be de- 
 prived of them. Superior knowledge 
 was given to the disciples of Christ ; 
 they improved it, however slowly, and 
 the promise was that it should be 
 greatly increased. 
 
 13. Because they seeinf;, see not 
 Mark (ch. iv. 12) and Luke (viii. 10 
 say, " That seeing, they may not see,' 
 
 U 
 
 parables: because ihey seeing, see 
 not ; and hearing, they hear not, 
 neither do they understand. 
 
 14 And in them is fulfilled the 
 prophecy of Esaias, ' which saith. 
 By ** hearing ye shall hear, and shall 
 not understand ; and seeing ye shall 
 see, and shall not perceive : 
 
 c Is.6.9. d Eze.12.2. Jno.12.40. Ac 28.20 
 27. Eo.11.8. 2Cor.3.14,15. 
 
 &,c. But there is no difference. Mai 
 thew simply states the /ac<, that though 
 they saw the natural meaning of the 
 story — though they literally understood 
 the parable — 'yet they did not under- 
 stand its spiritual signification. Mark 
 and Luke do not state the fact, but 
 affirm that he spoke widi this intenlion 
 — implying that such was the result 
 Nor was there any dishonesty in this, 
 or any unfair disguise. He had truths 
 to state which he wished his disciples 
 particularly to understand. They were 
 of great importance to their ministry. 
 Had he clearly and fully stated them 
 to the Jews, they would have taken 
 his life long before they did. He there- 
 fore chose to state the doctrines so that 
 if their hearts had been right, and if 
 they had not been malignant and blind, 
 they might have understood them. His 
 doctrines he stated in the best possible 
 way ; and it was not his fault if they 
 did not understand him. By little and 
 httle, in this way, he prepared many 
 even of the Jews to receive the truth 
 when it was proposed by the only pos- 
 sible way of ever gaining access to their 
 minds. It was, moreover, entirely pro- 
 per and right to impart instruction to 
 his disciples, wliich he did not intend 
 for others. ^ 
 
 14. And in them is fulfilled, &c 
 This place is quoted substantially from 
 Isa. vi. 9, 10. It was literally fulfilled 
 in the time of Isaiah. In the time of 
 Christ the people had the same charac- 
 ter. Like them, they closed their eyes 
 upon the truth, and rejected the divine 
 teaching. The words of Isaiah were 
 therefore as well fitted to e.xpress the 
 character of the people in the time of 
 Christ, as in that of the prophet. In 
 this sense they were fulfilled, or filled 
 up, or a case occurred that rorrcsponde/i
 
 158 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 15 For this people's heart is wax- 
 ed gross, and their ears are dull " 
 of hearing, and their eyes they have 
 closed ; lest at any time they should 
 see with their eyes, and hear with 
 their ears, and should understand 
 with their heart, and should be con- 
 verted, and I should heal them. 
 
 16 But * blessed are your eyes, 
 for they see ; and your ears, for 
 they hear. 
 
 17 For verily I say unto you, that 
 •many prophets and righteous men 
 
 a He.S.U. ft c.16.17. Lu. 10.23,24. Jno. 
 20.29. 2Cor.4.6. c Ep.3.5,G. He.11.13. IPe. 
 1.10,11. 
 
 to their meaning. See Note on Matt, 
 i. 22. It is not by any means intended 
 that Isaiah, when he spoke these words, 
 iiad any referenf e to the time of Christ. 
 The meaning in both places is, that the 
 people were so gross, sensual, and pre- 
 judiced, that they would not see the 
 U'uth, or understand any thing that was 
 contrary to their grovelHng opinions and 
 sensual desires ; a case by no means 
 uncommon in the world. See the pas- 
 sage more fully explained in my Notes 
 on Isa. vi. If Waxed pross. Literally, 
 has hecome fat. It is coumionly applied 
 to the body, but is also used to denote 
 one who is stupid and foolish in mind. 
 Here it means that the people were so 
 sensual and corrupt, that they did not 
 see or understand the pure spiritual 
 principles of the gospel. V Lest they 
 •should see, &c. Lest they should see 
 their lost condition as sinners, and turn 
 and live. The reason given here why 
 they did not hear and understand the 
 gospel is, that their heart was wrong. 
 They would not attend to the things 
 that make for their peace. If I should 
 heal them. Should pardoil, sanctify, and 
 save them. Sin is often represented as 
 a disease, and the pardon and recovery 
 of the soul from sin as healing. 
 
 16. Blessed are yoi/.r eyes, &LC. That 
 is, you are happy that you are permit- 
 ted to see tnith which they will not 
 Bee. You are permitted to under- 
 stand the spiritual meaning of the para- 
 bles, and in some degree the plan of 
 salvation. 
 
 17. Ma7iy prophets and righteous 
 men, &,c. They wished to sec the 
 times of the Mes.siah. They looked to 
 
 have desired to see those things 
 which ye see, and have not seen 
 them ; and to hear those things which 
 ye hear, and have not heard them. 
 
 18 Hear "^ ye therefore the para- 
 ble of the sower. 
 
 19 When any one heareth the 
 word ' of the kingdom, and under- 
 standeth it not, then cometh the 
 wicked ^ orie, and catcheth away 
 that which was sown in his heart. 
 This is he which received seed by 
 the way-side. 
 
 d Mar.4.14,<tc. Lu.8.11,&:c. e c.4.23. 
 
 /lJo.2.13,14. 3.12. 
 
 it as a time when the hopes of the 
 world would be fulfilled, and the just 
 be happy. See John viii. 5(5. See also 
 1 Pet. i. 10—12. Heb. xi. 13. " Abra- 
 ham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw 
 it, and was glad." So Isaiah and the 
 prophets looked forward to the coming 
 of the Messiah as the consummation of 
 their wishes, and the end of the prophe- 
 cies. Rev. xix. 10. The object always 
 dearest to the hearts of all righteous 
 men is, to witness the coming and ad- 
 vancement of the kingdom of Christ. 
 
 18—23. See also Mark iv. 13—20. 
 Luke viii. 11 — 15. Hear ye. therefore, 
 the parable of the sower. 1'hat is, hear 
 the explanation, or spiritual meaning 
 of the narrative given before. Mark 
 adds (iv. 13), "Know ye not this para- 
 ble ? And how then shall you know 
 all parables ?" By which it seems that 
 he regarded this as one of the simplest 
 and plainest of them, and gave an ex- 
 planation of it that they might under- 
 stand the general principles of inter 
 preting ihem. 
 
 19. When any one heareth, &oC. The 
 seed represents the word of God com- 
 municated in any manner to the minds 
 of men, by the scriptures, by preach- 
 ing, by acts of Providence, or by the 
 direct influence of the Holy Spirit. 
 If Then Cometh the wicked one. That ia, 
 Satan (Mark iv. 15), or the devil (Luke 
 viii. 12) ; — the one eminently wicked, 
 the accuser, the tempter. He is repre- 
 sented by the fowls that came and pick- 
 ed up the seed by the way-side. The 
 gospel is preached to men hardened in 
 sin. It makes no impression. It lies 
 like seed in the hard path ; it is easily
 
 L> 3).] 
 
 CHAPTER XII r. 
 
 159 
 
 tC But he that lecoived the seed 
 luo atoiiv places, the same is he 
 <hat hearrth the word, and anon 
 iVjth joy * rwceiveth it : 
 
 •21 Yet hath he not root in him- 
 self, but dureth for a while ; for 
 when tribulation or persecution 
 ariseth because of the word, by and 
 by he is offended. * 
 
 22 He also that received seed 
 among the thorns, is he that hear- 
 eth the word ; and the care ' of this 
 woiid and the deueitfulness of riches 
 
 a Is.58.2. Eze.33.3k,32. Jno.5.35. Ga.4.15. 
 6c.24.l0. 26.31. 2Ti.i.l6. c Lu.14.16-24. 
 
 taken sway, and never suffered to take 
 root. 
 
 20. In stony plaees. Jesus e.xplains 
 this as denoting those who hear the 
 gospel ; who are caught with it as some- 
 thing new^ or pleasing ; who profess 
 themselves greatly delighted with it, 
 and who are full of zeal for it. Yet 
 they have no root in themselves. They 
 are not true Christians. Their hearts 
 are not changed. They have not seen 
 their guilt and danger, and the true 
 excellency of Christ. They are not 
 really attached to the gospel ; and when 
 they are tried, and persecution comes, 
 ihey fall — as the rootless grain withers 
 before the scorching rays of the noon- 
 day sun. ^ Anon. Quickly, or readily. 
 They do not look at it coolly, and as 
 matter oi principle. ^ Is offended. That 
 is, stumbles and falls. Persecution and 
 trial are placed in his path, and he falls 
 as he would over a stumliling block. 
 He has not strength of principle enough 
 — not confidence in God to carry him 
 through them. If The thorns. These 
 represent cares, an.xieties, and the de- 
 ceitful lure of riches, or the way in 
 which a desire to be rich deceives us. 
 They take the time and attention. They 
 •Jo not le;f.vp opportunity to think and 
 examine (he state of the soul. Besides, 
 riches allure, and promise what they do 
 not yield. They promise to make us 
 happy ; but, when gained, they do not 
 do it. The soul is not satisfied. There 
 is the same desire to possess more 
 wealth. A.nd to this there is no end 
 — hut death. In doing it, there is every 
 tsmpration to be dishonest, to cheat, to 
 lake advantage of others, to oppress 
 others, and to wring their hard earn- 
 
 '' choke the word, and he beooraeth 
 unfruitful. 
 
 23 But he that received seed into 
 the good ground, is he that heareth 
 the wore, and understandeth it; 
 which also heareth fruit, ' and bring 
 eth forth, some an hundred-fold, 
 some sixty, some thirty. 
 
 24 Another / parable put he forth 
 unto them, saying, The kingdom of 
 heaven is likened unto a man which 
 sowed good « seed in his field : 
 
 25 But while men slept, his ene- 
 dMar.10.23. 1 Ti.6.9. 2Ti.4.10. e Jno.15. 
 
 5. /Is.28.10.13. g-lPe.1.23. 
 
 ings from the poor. Every evil pas- 
 sion is therefore cherished by the love 
 of gain ; and it is no wonder that the 
 word is choked, and every good feel- 
 ing destroyed, by this "execrable love 
 of gold." See 1 Tim. vi. 7 — 11. How 
 many, O how many, thus foolishly 
 drown themselves in destruction and 
 perdition ! How many more might reach 
 heaven, if it were not for this deep- 
 seated love of that which fills with care, 
 deceives the soul, and finally leaves it 
 naked, and guilty, and lost! 
 
 23. Into good ground. Those whose 
 hearts are prepared by grace to receive 
 it honestly, and to give it full opportu- 
 nity to grow. In a rich and mellow 
 soil — in a heart that submits itself to 
 the full influence of truth, unchecked 
 by cares and an.xieties ; under the show- 
 ers and suintner suns of divine grace ; 
 with the heart spread open, like a broad 
 luxuriant field, to the rays of the morn- 
 infj and to evening dews — the gospel 
 takes deep root, and grows ; it has fuh 
 room, and then and there only shows 
 what it is. 
 
 24 — 30. The kingdom of heaven is 
 likened, Sec. That is, the gospel re- 
 sembles. The kingdom of heaven (see 
 Note, IVIatt. iii. 2.) means here the ef- 
 fect of the gospel by its being preached. 
 The meaning of this parable is plain. 
 The field represents the world in which 
 the gospel is preached. The good seed, 
 the tru'hs preached by Christ and his 
 apostles. 
 
 25. While men slept, his enemy came, 
 &c. That is, in the night, when it 
 could be done without being seen, an 
 enemy came and scattered bad seed on 
 the new ploughed field, perhaps before
 
 6U 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A D. 31. 
 
 my came and sowed tares among 
 the wheat, and went his way. 
 
 26 But when the blade was 
 sprung up, and brought forth fruit, 
 then appeared the tares also. 
 
 27 So the servants of the house- 
 holder came and said unto him, Sir, 
 didst not thou sow good seed in 
 thy field 1 from whence then hath 
 it tares 1 
 
 the good seed had been harrowed in. 
 Satan thus sows false doctrine in dark- 
 ness. In the very place where the truth 
 is preached, and while the hearts of 
 people are open to receive it, by false 
 but plausible teachers, he takes care to 
 inculcate false sentiments. Often it is 
 one of his arts, in a revival of religion, 
 to spread secretly dangerous notions of 
 piety. Multitudes are persuaded that 
 they are Christians, who are deceived. 
 They are awakened, convicted, and 
 alarmed. They take this for conver- 
 sion. Or they find their burden gone ; 
 they fancy that they hear a voice ; or 
 a text of scripture is brought to them, 
 saying that their sins are forgiven ; or 
 they see Christ hanging on the cross in 
 a vision ; or they dream that their sins 
 are pardoned, and they suppose they 
 are Christians. But they are deceived. 
 None of these things are any conclu- 
 sive evidence of piety. All these may 
 exist, and still there be no true love of 
 God, or Christ, and no real hatred of 
 sin, and change of heart. An enemy 
 may do it to deceive them, and to bring 
 dishonor on religion, "i Sowed tares. By 
 tares is probably meant a degenerate 
 kind of wheat, or the darnel grass 
 growing in Palestine. In its growth 
 and form it has a strong resemblance 
 to genuine wheat. But it either pro- 
 duces no grain, or that of a very inferior 
 and hurtful kind. Probably it comes 
 near to what we mean by chess. It 
 was extremely difiicult to separate it 
 from the genuine wheat, on account of 
 its similarity while growing. Thus it 
 aptly represented hypocrites in the 
 church. Strongly rescmbhng Chris- 
 tians in their experience, and, in some 
 respects, their fives, it is impossible to 
 distinguish them from genuine Chris- 
 tians, nor can they be separated until 
 u is done by the Great Searcher of 
 
 28 He said unto them. An enemy 
 hath done this. The servants said 
 unto him. Wilt thou then that we 
 go and gather them up ] 
 
 29 But he said. Nay ; lest while 
 ye gather up the tares, ye root up 
 also the wheat with them. 
 
 30 Let both grow together until 
 the harvest : and in the tim.e of har- 
 vest " I will say to the reapers, Ga- 
 
 a 1 Ti.5.24. 
 
 hearts at the day of judgment. An 
 enemy — the devil — hath done it. And 
 no where has he shown profounder eun- ] 
 ning, or done more to adulterate the | 
 purity of the gospel. '^ And went his ] 
 way. There is something very expres- '• 
 sive in this. He knew the soil ; he 
 knew how the seed would take root, 
 and grow. He had only to sow the 1 
 seed, and let alone. — So Satan knows 
 the soil in which he sows his doctrine. 
 He knows that in the human heart it 
 will take deep and rapid root. It needs 
 but httle culture. Grace needs con 
 stant attendance and care. Error, and 
 sin, and hypocrisy, are the native pro- 
 ducts of the human heart ; and, when 
 left alone, start up with deadly luxu 
 riancy. 
 
 26. The7i appeared the tares also. 
 That is, then ^vas first discovered the 
 tares. They had grown with the wheat, 
 hut so much like it as not to be noticed, 
 till the wheat began to ripen. So, true 
 piety and false hopes are not known by 
 professions, by " blades," and leaves, 
 and flowers, but by the fruit. 
 
 29. Ye root itp also the wheat. They 
 so much resembled the true wheat, that 
 even then it would be difiicult to sepa- 
 rate them. By gathering them, they 
 would tread down the wheat, loosen 
 an 1 disturb the earth, and greatly injure 
 the crop. In the harvest it could be 
 done without injury. 
 
 30. Let both groto together. They 
 would not spoil the true wheat ; and in 
 time of harvest it would be easy to se- 
 parate them. Our Saviour teaches us 
 here : 1st. That hypocrites and deceiv- 
 ed persons must bo expected in the 
 church. 2d. That this is the work of 
 the enemy of man. They are not the 
 work of Christianity, any more than 
 traitors ap? of patriotism, or counterfeit 
 ers are of the proper effect of legislai-
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 161 
 
 ther ye together first the tares, and 
 bind them in bundles to " burn them : 
 but gather the wheat * into my 
 barn. 
 
 31 Another parable put he forth 
 unto them, saying, The kingdom of 
 heaven is like to a ' grain of mus- 
 tard-seed, which a man took and 
 sowed in his field : 
 
 a Mal.4.1. b Lu.3.17. c Mar.4.30. 
 
 ing about money. They belong to the 
 world ; and hypocrisy is only one form 
 ofsin. The Christian religion never 
 made a hypocrite ; nor is there a hypo- 
 crite on the face of the earth whose 
 principles and practice it does not con- 
 demn. 3d. That all hope of removing 
 them entirely would be vain. 4th. That 
 an attempt to remove them altogether 
 wotild injure real Christianity, by caus- 
 ing excitements, discord, and hard feel- 
 ings even among Christians. 5th. That 
 he will himself separate them at the pro- 
 per time. There is no doubt that it is the 
 duty of the church to attempt to keep 
 itself pure, and to cut off gross and 
 manifest offenders. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. He 
 refers to those who may be suspected 
 of hypocrisy, but against whom it can- 
 not be proved ; to those who so suc- 
 cessfully imitate Christians as to make 
 it difficult or impossible for man to dis- 
 tinguish them. 
 
 31, 32. See also Mark iv. 30 — 32. 
 The kingdom of heaven. See Note, 
 Matt. Lii. 2. It means here either piety 
 in a renewed heart, or the church. In 
 either case the commencement is small. 
 In the heart, it is at first feeble, easily 
 injured, and much exposed. In the 
 church, there were few at first, igno- 
 rant, unknown, and unhonored ; yet 
 soon it was to spread through the world. 
 
 31, 32. Grain of mustard-seed. The 
 plant here described was very different 
 from that which is known among us. 
 It was several years before it bore fruit, 
 and became properly a tree. Mustard, 
 with us, is an annual plant : it is always 
 small, and is properly an herb. The 
 Hebrew writers speak of the mustard 
 tree as one on which they could climb, 
 as on a fig-tree. Its size was much 
 owing to the climate. All plants of 
 that nature grow much larger in a warm 
 climate, like that of Palestine, than in 
 «:older regions. The seeds of this tree 
 
 32 Which indeed is the least of 
 all seeds; but when it is grown, it 
 is the greatest among herbs, and 
 becometh a tree, '' so that the birds 
 of the air come and lodge in the 
 branches thereof. 
 
 33 Another parable spake he unto 
 them : The kingdom of heaven ia 
 like unto leaven, which a woman 
 
 d Eze.17.23. 
 
 were remarkably small ; so that they 
 with the great size of the plant, were 
 an apt illustration of the progress of the 
 church, and of the nature of faith. 
 Matt. xvii. 20. 
 
 Young converts often suppose they 
 have much religion. It is not so. They 
 are, indeed, in a new world. Their 
 hearts glow with new aflI>ctions. They 
 have an elevation, an ecstasy of emo- 
 tion, which they may not have after- 
 wards — like a blind man suddenly re- 
 stored to sight. The sensation is new, 
 and pccuharly vivid. Yet httle is seen 
 distinctly. Hlis impressions are indeed 
 more vivid and cheering, than those of 
 him who has long seen, and to whom 
 objects are familiar. In a little time, 
 too, the young convert will see more 
 distinctly, will judge more intelligently, 
 will love more strongly, though not with 
 so much new emotion, and will be pre- 
 pared to make more sacrifices for the 
 cause of Christ. 
 
 33. The kingdom of heaven. This, 
 here, means the same as in the last pa- 
 rable ; perhaps, however, intending to 
 denote more properly the secret and 
 hidden nature of piety in the soul. The 
 other parable declared the fact that the 
 gospel would greatly spread, and that 
 piety in the heart would greatly .in- 
 crease. This declares the ivay or mode 
 in which it would be done. It is secret, 
 silent, steady ; pervading all the facul- 
 j ties of the soul, and all the kingdoms 
 of the world, as leaven, or yeast, though 
 hidden in the flour, and though deposit- 
 ed only in one place, works silently till 
 all the mass is brought under its influ- 
 ence. If Three measures. These were 
 small mea.sures (see the margin) ; but 
 ' the particular amount is of no conse^ 
 I quence to the story. Nor is any thing 
 i to be drawn from the fact that three are 
 mentioned It is mentioned as a cir- 
 I cumstance giving mterest to the para
 
 i62 
 
 took, and hid in three measures ' of 
 meal, till the whole was leavened. 
 
 34 All these things spake Jesus 
 iinto the multitude in parables ; ° and 
 without a parable spake he not unto 
 them ; 
 
 35 That it might be fulfilled 
 which was spoken by the prophet, 
 * saying, I will open my mouth in 
 parables ; I will utter things which 
 have been kept ' secret from the 
 foundation of the world. 
 
 36 Then Jesus sent the multi- 
 tude away, and went into the house ; 
 and his disciples came unto him, 
 saying. Declare unto us the parable 
 of the tares of the field. 
 
 37 He answered and said unto 
 them. He that sowetli the good seed 
 is the Son of man : 
 
 38 The field is the world : '' the 
 
 1 the Oreek word signifies a measure (about 
 I peck and a half, wanting a little more than 
 I pint.) a Mar.4.33. 6 Ps.78.2. cLu.lO. 
 14. Ro.l6.i;5,26. Col. 1.26. dRo.10.18. Col. 
 1.0. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 31 
 
 good seed are the children of the 
 kingdom ; ' but the tares are the 
 children of the wicked -^ ^ne. 
 
 39 The enemy that sowed them 
 is the devil : the harvest is the end 
 of the world ; ^ and the reapers are 
 the angels. * 
 
 40 As therefore the tares are 
 gathered and burned in the fire ; 
 so shall it be in the end of this 
 world. 
 
 41 The Son of man shall send 
 forth his angels, and they shall ga- 
 ther out of his kingdom all ^ things 
 that offend, and •' them which do 
 iniquity ; 
 
 42 And * shall cast them into a 
 furnace of fire : there ' shall be wail- 
 ing and gnashing of teelh. 
 
 43 Then shall the righteous shine 
 
 "'forth as the sun, in the kingdom 
 
 elPe.1.23. /Jiio.8.44. Ac.13.10. IJno. 
 3.8. 5- Joel 3.13. Re. ]4, 15. A Re. 14.15-19. 
 t ver.30. '^ or, scandals. 7 Lu. 13.27. kc.3 
 12. Re. 19.20. 20.10. lver.50. c.8.12. mDa. 
 12.3. 1 Cor. 15.49. 
 
 ile, but designed to convey no spiritual 
 instruction. The measure mentioned 
 here probably contained about a peck 
 and a half. 
 
 34, 35. That it might be fulfilled. 
 This is taken from Psalm Ixxviii. 2, 3. 
 The sense, and not the very words of 
 the Psalm, are given. Christ taught as 
 did that prophet — Asaph — in parables. 
 The words of Asaph described the 
 manner in which Christ taught, and in 
 this sense it could be said that they 
 were fullilled. See Notes on Matt. i. 
 22, 23. 
 
 3G — 43. Declare unto us. That is, 
 explain the meaning of the parable. 
 This was done in so plain a manner as 
 to render comment unnecessary. The 
 Son of man, the Lord Jesus, sows the 
 good seed ; that is, preaches the gos- 
 pel. This he did personally, and does 
 now by his ministers, his providence, 
 and his Spirit, by all the means of con- 
 veying truth to the mind. This seed 
 was, by various means, to be carried 
 over all the world. It was to be con- 
 fined to no particular nation or people. 
 The good seed was the children of the 
 kingdom ; that is, of the kingdom of 
 God, or Christians. For these the Sa- 
 
 viour toiled and died. They are the 
 fruit of his labors. . Yet amidst them 
 were wicked men ; and all hypocrites 
 and unbelievers in the church are the 
 work of Satan. Yet they must remain 
 together, till the end ; when they shall 
 be separated, and the righteous saved, 
 and the wicked lost. The one shall 
 shine clear as the sun ; the other be cast 
 into a furnace of fire — a most expressive 
 image of sufiering. We have no idea 
 of more acute suffering, than to be 
 thrown into the fire, and to have our 
 bodies made capable of bearing the 
 burning heat, and living on in this burn 
 ing heat for ever and for ever. It is 
 not certain that our Saviour meant to 
 teach here that hell is made up of ma- 
 terial fire ; but it is certain that he 
 meant to teach that this would be a 
 proper representation of those sufi'er 
 ings. We may be further assured that 
 the Redeemer would not deceive, 01 
 use words to torment and tantalize us. 
 He would not talk of hell-fire which 
 had no existence ; nor would the Goa 
 of truth hold out frightful images mere- 
 ly to terrify mankind. If he has spoken 
 of hell, then there is a hell. If Ae meant 
 to say that the wicked shall sutler, then
 
 A..D. 31.J CHAPTER XIII. 163 
 
 af their Father. Who hath ears to I ven is like unto a net, that was cast 
 
 acar, let hi in hoar. 
 
 44 Affain : the kingdom of hea- 
 ven is like unto treasure hid "in a 
 field ; the which when a man hath 
 found, he hideth, and for joy thereof 
 goeth and selleth * all thai he hath, 
 and buyeth ' that field 
 
 into the sea, and gathered ^ of every 
 kind : 
 
 48 Which, when it was full, they 
 drew to shore, and sat down, and 
 gathered the good into vessels, but 
 cast the bad away. 
 
 49 So shall it be at the end of 
 
 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven the world: the angels shall come 
 is like unto a merchantman, seeking I forth, and ■'^ sever the wicked from 
 
 goodly pearls ; 
 
 46 Who, when he had found one 
 ^ pearl of great price, went and sold 
 all that he had, and bought it. 
 
 47 Again : the kingdom of hea- 
 
 a Pr.2.4,5. b Pli.3.7,8. c Ia.55.1. Re.3. 
 J8. iPr.3.14,15. 8.11. 
 
 'they will suffer. If he did not mean to 
 deceive mankind, then there is a hell ; 
 and then the wicked will suffer. The 
 impenitent, therefore, should be alarm- 
 ed. And the righteous, however much 
 wickedness they may see, and however 
 many hypocrites there may be in the 
 church, should be cheered with the 
 prospect that soon the just shall be se- 
 parated from the unjust, and that they 
 shall shine as the sun in the kingdom 
 of their Father. 
 
 44. The kingdom of heaven. The gos- 
 pel. The new dispensation. The ofier 
 of eternal life. See R-Iatt. iii. 2. He 
 compares it to treasure hid in a field. 
 That is, to money concealed ; or more 
 likely, to a mine of silver or gold, that 
 was undiscovered by others, and un- 
 known to the owner of the field. If He 
 hideth. That is, he conceals the fact 
 that he has found it ; he does not tell of 
 it. With a view of obtaining this, he 
 says that a man would go and sell his 
 property, and buy the field. The con- 
 duct of the man would be dishonest. It 
 would be his duty to inform the owner 
 of the field of the discovery. He would 
 be really endeavoring to gain property 
 belonging to another at far less than its 
 real value ; and the principle of real in- 
 tegrity would require him to inform him 
 of the discovery. But Christ does not 
 intend to vindicate his conduct. He 
 merely states the way in wliich men do 
 actually manage to obtain wealth. He 
 ?tates a case, where a man would actu- 
 ally sacrifice his property, and practise 
 diligence and watchlulness, to obtain it. 
 
 among the just; 
 
 50 And ^ shall cast them into the 
 furnace of fire : the're shall be wail 
 ing and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 «c.22.10. /c.25.32. g-ver.42 
 
 The point of the parable lies in his earn 
 estness, his anxiety, his care, and his 
 obtaining it. The gospel is valuable as 
 such a treasure. Ps. xix. 10. Prov. iii. 
 13 — 15. From most men it is hid. 
 When a man sees it, and hears it, it is 
 his duty to sacrifice all in the way to his 
 obtaining it ; and to seek it with the 
 earnestness with which other men seek 
 for gold. The truth often lies buried ; 
 it is hke rich veins of ore in the sacred 
 scriptures; it must be searched out with 
 diligence ; and it will repay him for all 
 his sacrifices. Luke .\iv. 33. Phil. iii. 8. 
 
 45, 46. The kingdom of heaven is like 
 unto a merchantman. The meaning is, 
 that the proper seeking for salvation, or 
 the proper conduct in reference to reli- 
 gion, is like the conduct of a mercharit- 
 man. In his searches he found one pearl 
 of great value, and sold all his posses- 
 sions to obtain it. So, says he, men 
 seeking for happiness and finding the 
 gospel — the pearl of great price — should 
 be willing to lose all other things for 
 this. Pearls are precious stones, found 
 in the shells of oysters, chiefly in the 
 East Indies. Matt. vii. 6. They are 
 valuable on account of their beauty, and 
 because they are rare. The value of 
 them is greatly increased by their size. 
 The meaning of this parable is nearly 
 the same as the other. It is designed 
 to represent the gospel as of more value 
 than all other things, and to impress on 
 us the duty of sacrificing all that we 
 possess in order to obtain it. 
 
 47 — 50. The kingdom of heaven is like 
 unto a net, &-c. I'his parable does not
 
 164 
 
 51 Jesus saith unto them, Have 
 ye understood all these things 1 
 They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 
 
 52 Then said he unto them, 
 Therefore every scribe vthich is in- 
 structed unto the kingdom of hea- 
 ven, is like unto a man that is an 
 householder, v,'hich bringeth forth 
 O'Jt " of his treasure things new and 
 
 53 And it came to pass, that when 
 Jesus had finished these parables, 
 he departed thence. 
 
 a Pi-.10.21. 15.7. 18.4. b Ca.7.13. 
 
 differ in meaning from that of the tares. 
 The gospel is compared to a net, drag- 
 ging along on the bottom of the lake, 
 and collecting all — good and bad. The 
 gospel may be expected to do the same. 
 But in the end of the world, when the 
 net is drawn in, the bad will be sepa- 
 rated from the good: the one will be 
 lost, and the other saved. Our Saviour 
 never fails to keep before our minds the 
 great truth that there is to be a day of 
 judgment, and that there will be a sepa- 
 ration of the good and evil. He came 
 to preach salvation ; and it is a remark- 
 able fact, also, that all the most striking 
 accounts of hell, and of the sufferings 
 of the damned, are from his lips. How 
 does this agree with the representation 
 of those who say that all will be saved ? 
 51 — 53. Jesus kindly asked them whe- 
 ther they had understood these things. 
 If not, he was still willing to teach them. 
 He enjoined on them their duty to make 
 a proper use of this knowledge, by 
 speaking another parable. If Every 
 scribe — instructed unto the kingdom of 
 ieaven. That is, every man that is ac- 
 quainted with the gospel, or with the 
 truth. A scribe was a learned man. 
 As the disciples had said that they had 
 understood the truth, he says that it 
 should not be unemployed. They should 
 bring it forth in due time, like a house- 
 holder bringing out of his treasury, or 
 place of deposit, what had been laid up 
 there at ariy time, as it was needed. 
 ^ Bringethforth. As occasion demands ; 
 as sickness, or calamity, or the wants 
 if his family, or the poor require. 
 If Treasure. The word treasure here 
 means a place of deposit, not for money 
 merely, but for any thing necessary for 
 the comfort of a family. It is the same 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D 31 
 
 54 And when he was come intt. 
 his own ccuntry, he taught them iu 
 their synagogue, insomuch that they 
 were astonished, and said, Whence 
 hath this man this wisdom, and 
 these mighty works ■? 
 
 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? 
 Is not his mother called Mary 1 and 
 his brethren, James, and Joses, and 
 Simon, and Judas 1 
 
 56 And his sisters, are they not 
 all with us ■? Whence then hath 
 this man all these things 1 
 
 c Mar.6.1,&c. Lu.4.]6,&;c. 
 
 as treasury or a place of deposit. ^ IVew 
 a7id old. Things lately acquired, or 
 things, that had been laid up for a long 
 time. So, said Christ, be you. This 
 truth, new or old, which you have gain- 
 ed, keep it not laid up and hid, but biing 
 U forth, in due season, and on proper 
 occasions, to benefit others. Every 
 preacher should be properly instructed. 
 Christ for three years gave instructions 
 to the apostles ; and they who preach 
 should be able to understand the gos- 
 pel ; to defend it ; and to communicate 
 its truth to others. Human learning 
 alone is indeed of no value to a minis- 
 ter ; but all learning that will enable 
 him better to understand the Bible, and 
 to communicate its truths, is valuable, 
 and should, if possible, be gained. A 
 minister should be like the father of a 
 family : — distributing to the church as it 
 needs ; and out of his treasures bringing 
 forth truth to confinu the feeble, en- 
 lighten the ignorant, and guide those in 
 danger of straying away. 
 
 54. hito his own country. That is, 
 into Nazareth. Mark, who has also re 
 corded this 'ch. vi. 1 — 6), says that it 
 took place on the sabbath. It was com- 
 mon for our Saviour to speak in the 
 synagogues. Any Jew had a right to 
 address the people, if called on by the 
 minister ; and our Saviour often availed 
 himself of the right to instruct the peo- 
 ple, and declare his doctrines. See 
 Matt. iv. 23. 
 
 55, 56. Is not this the carpenter's soH.1 
 Mark says, "Is not this the carpenter, 
 the son of Mary ?" Both these expres 
 sions would probably be used in the 
 course of the conversation ; and IMat- 
 thew has recorded one, and Mark th« 
 other. The expression recorded bv
 
 A..D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 105 
 
 57 And (hey were offended » in 
 fiim. But Jesus said unto them, A 
 prophet is not without honour, save 
 a Is.49.7. 53.3. Jno.6.42. 
 
 Mark is a strong, perhaps decisive, 
 proof that he had worked at the busi- 
 ness till he was thirty years of age. 
 The people in the neighborhood would 
 understand well the nature of liis early 
 employments. It is, therefore, almost 
 certain that this had been his manner of 
 life. — A useful employment is always 
 honorable. Idleness is the parent of 
 mischief Our Saviour, therefore, spent 
 the greatest part of his life in honest, 
 useful industry. Till the age of thirty 
 he did not choose to enter on his great 
 work ; and it was proper before that 
 time, that he should set an example to 
 the world of honorable, though humble 
 industry. Life is not wasted in such 
 employments. They are appointed as 
 the lot of man. And in fidelity, in the 
 relations of life though obscure ; in ho- 
 nest industry, however humble ; in pa- 
 tient labor, if connected with a life of 
 religion ; we may be sure that God will 
 approve our conduct. It was, moreover, 
 the custom of the Jews to train all their 
 children — even those of wealth and 
 learning — to some trade, or manual oc- 
 cupation. Thus Paul was a tent-maker. 
 Compare Acts xviii. 3. 
 
 This was an example of great conde- 
 scension and humility. It staggers the 
 faith of many that the Son of God should 
 labor in an occupation so obscure and 
 lowly. The infidel sneers at the idea 
 that He that jnade the worlds should live 
 thirty years in humble life, as a poor and 
 unknown mechanic. Yet the same in- 
 fidel will loudly praise Peter the Great 
 of Russia, because he laid aside his im- 
 perial dignity, and entered the British 
 service as a ship-carpenter, that he 
 might learn the art of building a navy. 
 Was the purpose of Peter of more im- 
 portance than that of the Son of God ? 
 If Peter, the heir to the throne of the 
 Czars, might leave his elevated rank, 
 and descend to a humble employment, 
 and secure by it the applause of the 
 world, why might not the King of kings, 
 for an infinitely higher object ? IT His 
 brethren, James, &c. The fair inter- 
 nretation of this passage is, that these 
 were the sons and daughters of Joseph 
 Btid Mary. The peo];>.e in the neigh- 
 
 in his own country, and in his own 
 house. 
 
 58 And he did not many mighty 
 
 borhood thought so, and spoke of them 
 as such. 
 
 57. They were offended in him. That 
 is, th^ took offence at his humble birth ; 
 and R the indigent circumstances of 
 his family. They were too proud to be 
 taught by one who, in family connexions, 
 they took to be their equal or inferior. 
 Men always look with envy on those of 
 their own rank who advance pretensions 
 to uncommon wisdom or superior pow- 
 er. ^ A prophet is not without honor, 
 &c. This seems to be a proverbial ex- 
 pression. He advances it s.s a. general 
 truth. There might be some exceptions 
 to it, but he was not an exception. 
 Every where else he had been more ho- 
 nored than at home. There they knew 
 his family. They had seen liis humble 
 Ufe. They had been his companions. 
 They were envious of his wisdom, and 
 too proud to be taught by him. A case 
 remarkably similar to this occurs m the 
 history of the discovery of America. 
 Columbus, a native of Genoa, had by 
 patient study, conceived the idea that 
 there was a vast continent which might 
 be reached by sailing to the west. Of 
 this his countrymen had no belief. 
 Learned men had long studied the 
 science of Geography, and they had 
 never imagined that such a continent 
 could exist ; and they were indignant 
 that he, an obscure man, should sup- 
 pose that he " possessed wisdom supe- 
 rior to all the rest of mankind united." 
 It was accordingly a fact, that out of 
 his own country he was obliged to seek 
 for patrons of his undertaking ; that 
 there he received his first honors ; and 
 that to other kingdoms the discoveries 
 of the obscure Genoese gave their chief 
 wealth and highest splendor. 
 
 58. Did not many mighty worlds. Mi- 
 racles. This implies that he performed 
 some miracles. Mark tells us what 
 they were. He laid his hands on a few 
 sick folk, and healed them. ^ Because 
 of their unbelief. That is, it would 
 have been useless to th^ great purposes 
 of his mission to have worked mir.acles 
 there. We are not to suppose that his 
 power was limited by the behef, or un- 
 behef, of men. But they were sapre
 
 166 
 
 works there, because of their vin- 
 belief. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 AT that time " Herod the tetrarch 
 heard of the fame of Jesus; 
 2 And said unto his servants, 
 This is John the Baptist: he is 
 risen from the dead ; and therefore 
 mighty ' works do shew forth*giem- 
 Belves in him. 
 
 a Mar. 6. 14. Lu.9.7,&;c. i or, are wrought 
 by him. 
 
 judiced, so set against him, that they 
 were not in a condition to judge of evi- 
 dence, and to be convinced. They 
 would have charged it to derangement, 
 or sorcery, or the agency of the devil. 
 Compare John x. 20. It would have 
 been of no use, therefore, in proving to 
 them that he was from God, to have 
 worked miracles. He did, therefore, 
 only those things which were the pro- 
 per work of benevolence, and which 
 could not easily be charged on the de- 
 vil. He gave sufficient proof of his mis- 
 sion, and left them in their chosen un- 
 belief, without excuse. It is also true, 
 in spiritual things, that the unbelief of 
 a people prevents the influences of the 
 Holy Spirit from being sent down to 
 bless them. God requires faith. He 
 hears only the prayers of faith. And 
 when there is little true belief, and 
 prayer is cold and formal, there the 
 people sleep in spiritual death, and are 
 unblessed. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 1. Herod the Tetrarch. See also 
 Mark vi. 14—16. Luke ix. 7—9. This 
 was a son of Herod the Great. Herod 
 the Great died probably in the first year 
 after the birth of Christ, and left his 
 kingdom to his three sons, of whom 
 this Herod Antipas was one. He ruled 
 over Galilee and Perea. See Note, 
 Matt. ii. 15. The title tetrarch hterally 
 denotes one who rules over a fourth 
 part of any country. In a remote sig- 
 nification, it means one who rules over 
 a third, or even a half of a nation. 
 11 Heard of the fame of Jesus. Jesus 
 had then been a considerable time en- 
 gaged in the work of the ministry, and 
 It may seem remarkable that he had 
 not before heard of him. Herod might 
 lave, however, been absent on some 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D 31. 
 
 3 For Herod had laid hold on 
 John, and bound him, and jiut kirn 
 in prison for Herodias' sake, his 
 brother Philip's wife. 
 
 4 For John said unto him. It' is 
 not lawful for thee to have her. 
 
 5 And when he would have put 
 him to death, he feared the multi- 
 tude, because they counted him as 
 a " prophet. 
 
 JLe.l8.1C. 20.21. ec.21.26. Lu.20G. 
 
 expedition to a remote part of the coun 
 try. It is to be remembered, also, thai 
 he was a man of much dissoluteness ol 
 morals ; and that he paid httle atten- 
 tion to the affairs of the people. He 
 might have heard of Jesus before, but 
 it had not arrested his attention. He 
 did not think it a matter worthy of 
 much regard. 
 
 2. This IS John the Baptist. Herod 
 feared John. His conscience smote him 
 for his crimes. He remembered that 
 he had wickedly put him to death. He 
 knew him to be a distinguished prophet ; 
 and he concluded that no other one was 
 capable of working such miracles but he 
 who had been distinguished in his life, 
 and who had again risen from the dead, 
 and entered the dominions of his mur- 
 derer. The alarm in his court it seem.s 
 was general. Herod's conscience told 
 him that this was John. Others thought 
 that it might be the expected Elijah, or 
 one of the old prophets. Mark vi. 15. 
 
 3 — 5. For Herod had laid hold on 
 John, &c. See Mark vi. 17 — 20. Luke 
 iii. 19, 20. This Herodias was a grand- 
 daughter of Herod the Great. She was 
 first married to Herod Philip, by whom 
 she had a daughter, Salome, probably 
 the one that danced and pleased Herod. 
 Josephus says that this marriage of He- 
 rod Antipas with Herodias took place 
 while he was on a journey to Rome 
 He stopped at his brother's ; fell in love 
 with his wife ; agreed to put away his 
 own wife, the daughter of Aretas, king 
 of Petraea ; and Herodias agreed to 
 leave her own husband, and live with 
 him. They were living, therefore, in 
 adultery ; and John in faithfulness, 
 though at the risk of his life, had re 
 proved them for their crimes. Herod 
 was guilty of two crimes in this act : 
 ist. Ot adultery, as she was the wife
 
 A.D. 31.J 
 
 CHAPTER :XIV. 
 
 167 
 
 1 in the midst. 
 
 of another man. 2d. 0{ incest, at ehe 
 was a near relaiion, and such marriages 
 were expressly forbidden. Lev. xviii. 
 36. 
 
 6—13. See also Mark vi. 21—29. 
 But when Herod's hirthday was come. 
 Kings were accustomed to observe the 
 day of their birth with much pomp, and 
 commonly also by giving a feust to 
 their principal nobility. See Gen. xl. 
 20. Mark adds, that this birthday was 
 kept by making a supper to his " lords, 
 high captains, and chief estates in Gali- 
 lee." That is, to the chief men in 
 office. High captains means, in the 
 original, commanders of thousands, or 
 of a division of a thousand men. H The 
 daughter of Herodias. That is, Salome, 
 her daughter by her former husband. 
 This was a violation of all the rules of 
 modesty and propriety. One great 
 principle of all eastern nations is to 
 keep their females from public view. 
 For this purpose they are confined in a 
 particular part of the house, called the 
 harem. See Note, Matt. ix. 1 — 8. If 
 they appear in public, it is always with 
 a veil, so closely drawn that their faces 
 cannot be seen. No modest woman 
 would have appeared in this manner 
 before the court ; and it is probable, 
 therefore, that she partook of the dis- 
 solute principles of her mother. It is 
 also probable that the dance was one 
 well known in Greece, the lascivious 
 and wanton dance of the Ionics. 
 
 7. He promised with an oath. This 
 was a foolish and wicked oath. To 
 please a wanton girl, the monarch call- 
 ed the eternal God to witness his will- 
 ingness to give her half his kingdom. 
 It seems a'.so that he was wilhng to 
 Bhed the holiest blood it contained. 
 An oath like this it was not lawful to 
 make, and it should have been broken. 
 See verse 9. 
 
 8. Being before instructed of her mo- 
 
 6 But when Herod's birthday ' ed of her mother, said, Give me 
 was kept, the daughter of Herodias i here John Baptist's " head in a 
 i^arced ' before them, and pleased charger. 
 
 Herod. I 9 And the king was sorry : * ne- 
 
 7 Whereupon he promised with '\ vertheless, for the oath's 'sake, and 
 an oath to give her whatsoever she j them which sat with him at meat, 
 would ask. | he commanded it to be given her. 
 
 8 And she, .jeing before instruot- 
 
 <i^29.10. ft Ju.U.31,35. Da.6.14-ia 
 c Ju!9l.l. lSa.14.23. 25.22. Ec.5.2. 
 
 ther. Not before she danced, but after- 
 wards ; and before she made the re- 
 quest of Herod. See Mark vi. 24. The 
 only appearance of what was right in 
 the whole transaction was her honoring 
 her mother, by consulting her ; and in 
 this she only intended to accomplish the 
 purposes ot wickedness more efl'ectu- 
 ally. ^ In a charger. The -original 
 word means a large platter, on which 
 food is placed. We should have sup- 
 posed that she would have been struck 
 with abhorrence at such a direction. 
 But she seems to have been gratified. 
 John, by his faithfulness, had offended 
 the whole family ; and here was ample 
 opportunity for an adulterous mother 
 and dissolute child to gratify their re 
 sentment. It was customary then foi 
 princes to require the heads of persons 
 ordered for execution to be brought tc 
 them. For this there were two rea- 
 sons : 1st. To gratify their resentmen! 
 — to feast their eyes on the proof that 
 their enemy was dead ; and, 2d. To 
 ascertain the fact that the sentence had 
 been executed. There is a similar in 
 stance in Roman history of a woman 
 requiring the head of an enemy to be 
 brought to her. Agrippina, the mother 
 of Nero, who was afterwards emperor 
 sent an ofKccr to put to death Lollia 
 Paulina, who had been her rival for the 
 imperial dignity. When LoUia's heaJ 
 was brought to her, not knowing it a' 
 first, she examined it with her o\s t 
 hands, till she perceived some particu- 
 lar feature by which the lady was dis- 
 tinguished.* 
 
 9. A7id the ling was sorry. There 
 might have been several reasons for 
 this : 1st. Herod had a high respect for 
 John, and feared him. He knew tha? 
 he was a holy man, and had " observed 
 him," that is, regarded him with re 
 
 Lardner'g Credibility, Part i., book i. ch. i.
 
 168 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. 31, 
 
 10 And he sent, and beheaded 
 Tohn in the prison. 
 
 11 And his head was brought in 
 
 spect and veneration. He had done 
 some things in obedience to John's 
 precepts. Mark vi. 20. 2d. Johr) was 
 in high repute among the people, and 
 Herod might have been afraid that his 
 murder might excite commotioiBfcSd. 
 Herod, though a wicked man, dolPnot 
 appear to have been insensible to some 
 of the common principles of human 
 nature. Here was a great and most 
 manifest crime proposed ; no less than 
 the murder of an acknowledged prophet 
 of the Lord. It was deliberate. It was 
 to gratify the malice of a wicked wo- 
 man. It was the price of a few mo- 
 ments' entertainment. His conscience, 
 though in feeble and dying accents, 
 checked him. He would have prefer- 
 red a request not so manifestly wicked, 
 and that would not have involved him 
 in so much difficulty. If For the oatli s 
 take. Herod felt that he was bound 
 by this oath. But he was not. The 
 oath should not have been taken. But 
 leing taken, he coidd not be bound by 
 it. No oath could justify a man in 
 committing murder. The true princi- 
 ple is, that Herod was bound by a prior 
 obhgation, by the law of God, not to 
 commit murder ; and no act of his, be 
 it an oath, or any thing else, could free 
 him from the obligatiou. IT And them 
 which sat with him at meat. This was 
 the strongest reason why Herod mur- 
 dered John. He had not firmness 
 enough to obey the law of God, and 
 to follow the dictates of conscience, 
 igainst the opinions of wicked men. 
 He was afraid of the charge of cowar- 
 dice, and want of spirit ; afraid of ridi- 
 cule, and the contempt of the wicked. 
 This is the principle of the lavys of 
 honor. Tlfis the {ovinda'.ion of duelling. 
 It is not so much for his oiun sake that 
 one man murders another in a duel, for 
 the offence is often a mere trifle. It is 
 a word, or look, that never would injure 
 him. It is because the men of honor, 
 as they call themselves, his compa- 
 nions, would consider him a covVard, 
 imd laugh at him. Those companions 
 may be unprincipled contemners of the 
 laws of God and man. And yet the 
 duellist, against his own conscience, 
 against the laws of God, against the 
 cood opinion of the vi tuouF part of the 
 
 a charger, and given to the damsel : 
 and she brought it to her mother. 
 12 And his disciples came anr 
 
 world, and against the laws of his 
 country, seeks by deadly aim to mur- 
 der another, merely to gratify his dis- 
 solute companions. And this is the 
 law of honor ! This is the secret of' 
 duelling ! This the source of that re- 
 morse that settles in awful blackness, 
 and that thunders damnation arounc 
 the duellist in his dying hours! L 
 should be added, this is the source of 
 all ymUhful guilt. We are led along 
 by others. We have not firnmess 
 enough to follow the teachings of a 
 father, and of the law of God. Young 
 men are afraid of being called mean and 
 cmoardly, by the wicked ; and they 
 often sink low in vice, never to rise 
 again. °i At meat. That is, at supper. 
 The word meat, at the time the Bible 
 was translated, meant provisions of all 
 kinds. It is now restricted to flesh, 
 and does not convey a full idea of the 
 original. 
 
 10. And he sent and heheaded him. 
 For the sake of these wicked rnen, 
 the bloody offering — the head of the 
 slaughtered prophet — was brought and 
 given as the reward to the daughter 
 and mother. What an offering to a 
 woman ! Josephus says of her that 
 "she was a woman full of ambition 
 and envy, having a mighty influence 
 on Herod, a«d able to persiiade him to 
 things he ivas not at all inclined to." 
 This is one of the many proofs that we 
 have that the evangelists drew charac 
 ters according to truth. 
 
 12. And his disciples, &c. The head 
 was with Herodias. The body, with 
 pious care, they buried. "S And went 
 and told Jesus. This was done proba- 
 bly for the following reasons : 1st. It 
 was an important event, and one par- 
 ticularly connected with the work of 
 Jesus. John was the forerunner ; and 
 it was important that he should be 
 made acquainted with his death. 2d. ]| 
 is not unreasonable to suppose that m 
 their affliction they came to him fur 
 consolation ; nor is it improper In our 
 affliction to follow their example, ayid 
 go and tell Jesus. 3d. Their master 
 had been slain by a cruel king ; Jesus 
 was engaged in the same cause ; and 
 they probably supposed that he was in 
 danger. They therefore came to warn
 
 A.D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 169 
 
 took up the body, and buried " it, 
 and went and told Jesus, 
 
 13 When Jesus heard of it, he* 
 departed chence by ship into a de- 
 sert place apart : and when the peo- 
 ple had heard thereof, they followed 
 him on foot out of the cities. , 
 
 11 And Jesus went forth, and ' 
 saw a great multitude, and was 
 
 a Ac.?.2. frc.)0.23. 12.15. Mar.6.32,&c. 
 Lu.9.10,&.c.Jiio.6.1,2,&c. £0.9.36. 15.32.&C. 
 
 him of it, and he (v. 13.) sought a place 
 of safety. 
 
 13 — 21. A full narrative of the feed- 
 mg the five thousand is given in each 
 of the other evangelists ; in Mark vi. 
 32 — 14; in Luke lx. 10 — 17; in John 
 vi. 1—14. 
 
 13. And when Jesus heard of it, he 
 departed. He went to a place of safety. 
 He never threw himselt unnecessarily 
 into danger. It was proper that he 
 should secure his life, till the time 
 should come when it would be proper 
 for him to die. If By a ship into a desert 
 
 glace. That is, he crossed the sea of 
 alilee. He went to the countr)' east 
 of the sea, into a place little inhabited. 
 Luke says (i.x. 10.) he went to a place 
 called Bethsaida. See Note, Matt. xi. 21. 
 A desert place means a place little culti- 
 vated, where there were few or no in- 
 habitants. On the east of the sea of 
 Galilee there was a large tract of coun- 
 try of this description — rough, unculti- 
 vated, and chiefly used to pasture locks. 
 
 14. Was moved with compassion. 
 That is, pitied them. Mark (vi. 34.) 
 says he was moved with compassion 
 because they were as sheep having no 
 shepherd. A shepherd is one who takes 
 "are of a flock. It was his duty to feed 
 .. , to defend it from wolves and other 
 wild beasts ; to take care of the young 
 and feeble ; to lead it by green pastures 
 and still waters. Ps. xxiii. In eastern 
 countries this was a principal employ- 
 ment of the inhabitants. When Christ 
 says the people were as sheep without 
 a shepherd, he means that they had no 
 teachers and <ruide!i who cared for them, 
 and took pains to instruct them. The 
 scribes and Pharisees were haughty and 
 proud, and cared liMle for the commo.i 
 people ; and when they did attempt to 
 teach them, they led them astray. They 
 therefore came in great multitudes to 
 
 15 
 
 moved with compassion <* toward 
 them, and he healed their sick. 
 
 15 And when it was evening, his 
 disciples came to him, saying, This 
 is a desert place, and the time is 
 now past; send the multitude away, 
 that they may go into tiie villages, 
 and buy themselves victuals. 
 
 16^ut Jesus said unto them. 
 d ne.4.15. 
 
 him who preached the gospel to the 
 poor (Matt. xi. 5.) ; and who was thus 
 the good shepherd. John x. 14. 
 
 15. The time is now past. That is, 
 the day is passing away ; it is near 
 night ; and it is proper to make some 
 provision for the temporal wants of so 
 many. Perhaps it may mean, it was 
 past the usual time for refreshment. 
 
 16. Jesus said — -Thei/ need not depart; 
 give ye (hem to eat. John adds, that 
 previous to this, Jesus had addressed 
 Philip, and asked, Whence shall we 
 buy bread that these may eat ? This 
 he said to prove him; that is, to try his 
 faith ; to test the confidence of Philip 
 in~ himself Philip, it seems, had not 
 the ki7id of confidence which he ought 
 to have had. He immediately began 
 to think of their ability to purchase food 
 for them. Two hundred pennyworth 
 of bread, said he, would not be enough. 
 In the original it is two hundred denarii. 
 These were Roman coins, amounting 
 to about fourteen cents each. The 
 whole two hundred, therefore, would 
 have been equal to about twenty-eight 
 dollars. In the view of Philip, this was 
 a great sum ; a sum which twelve poor 
 fishermen were by no means able to 
 provide. It was this fact, and not any 
 unwillingness to provide for them, 
 which led the disciples to request that 
 they should be sent into the villages 
 around, in order to obtain food. Jesus 
 knew how much they had, and he re- 
 quired of them, as he does of all, im- 
 plicit faith, and told them to give them 
 to eat. He requires us to do what he 
 commands ; and we need not doubt 
 that he will give us strength to accom- 
 phsh it. 
 
 17. IVe have here but Jive loaves, Sec. 
 These loaves were in the possession of 
 a lad, or young man, who was with 
 them, and were made of barley. John
 
 17C 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 They need not depart ; give ye them 
 to eat. 
 
 17 And they say unto him, We 
 have here but five loaves, and two 
 fishes. 
 
 18 He said, Bring them hither to 
 me. 
 
 19 And he commanded the mul- 
 titude to sit down on the gras^and 
 took the five loaves and th^two 
 fishes, and, looking up to heaven, 
 
 vi. 9. It is possible that this lad was 
 one in attendance on the apostles to 
 carry their food ; but it is most proba- 
 ble he was one who had provision to 
 sell among the multitude. Barley was 
 a cheap kind of food, scarcely one-third 
 the value of wheat, and was much used 
 by poor people. A considerable part 
 of the food of the people in that region 
 was probably fish, as they lived on the 
 borders of a lake that abounded in fish. 
 
 19. Arid lie commanded the multitude 
 to sit down. In the original it is to re- 
 cline on the grass, or to lie as they did 
 at their meals. The Jews never sat, 
 as we do at meals, but reclined, or lay 
 at length. See Note, Matt, xxiii. 6. 
 Mark and Luke add, that they recHned 
 in companies, by hundreds and by fifties. 
 '^ Arid looking up to heaven, he blessed. 
 Luke adds, he blessed them; that is, 
 the loaves. The word to bless, means 
 often to give thanks ; sometimes to 
 pray for a blessing ; that is, to pray for 
 the divine favor and friendship ; to pray 
 that what we do may meet his appro- 
 bation. In seeking a blessing on our 
 food it means, to pray that it may be 
 made nourishing to our bodies ; that 
 we may have proper gratitude to God, 
 the giver, for providing for our wants ; 
 and that we may remember the Crea- 
 tor, while we partake the bounties of 
 his providence. Our Saviour always 
 sought a blessing on his food. In this 
 he v/as an example for us. What he 
 did, we should do. It is right thus to 
 seek the blessing of God. He provides 
 for us ; he daily opens his hand, and 
 salisfieth our wants ; and it is proper 
 that we should render suitable acknow- 
 ledgements for his goodness. 
 
 The custom, among the Jews, was 
 universal. The form of prayer which 
 they used in the time of Christ has been 
 
 he blessed, and brake ; and gave 
 the loaves to Mi disciples, and the 
 disciples to the multitude. 
 
 20 And they did all eat, and were 
 filled : and they took up of the frag- 
 ments that remained twelve baskets 
 full. » 
 
 '21 And they that had eaten were 
 about five thousand men, beside wo- 
 men and children. 
 
 a2Ki.4.1-7. 
 
 preserved by their writers, the Talmud- 
 ists. It is this: " Blessed be thou, O 
 Lord, our God, the King of the world, 
 who hast produced this food and this 
 drink, from the earth and the vine." 
 If Atid brake. The loaves of bread, 
 among the Jews, were made thin and 
 brittle, and were therefore broken and 
 not cut. 
 
 20. And they did all eat, and were 
 filled. This was an undoubted miracle. 
 The quantity miist have been greatly 
 increased, to have supplied so many. 
 He that could iricrease that small quan- 
 tity so much, had the power of creation ; 
 and he that could do that, could create 
 the world out of nothing, and had no 
 less than divine power. If Twelve bas- 
 kets full. The size of these baskets ia 
 unknown. They were probably such 
 as travellers carried their provisions in. 
 They were used commonly by the Jews 
 in their journeys. In travelling among 
 the Gentiles, or Samaritans, a Jew 
 could e.\pect little hospitality. There 
 were not, as now, public houses for the 
 entertainment of strangers. At great 
 distances there were caravansaries, but 
 they were intended chiefly for lodging 
 places for the night, and not to provide 
 food for travellers. Hence in journey- 
 ing among strangers, or in deserts, they 
 carried baskets of provisions ; and this 
 is the reason why they were furnished 
 with them here. It is probable that 
 each of the apostles had one, and they 
 were all filled. John (vi. 12.) says that 
 Jesus directed them to gather up these 
 fragments, that nothing be lost: — on 
 e.xample of economy. God creates all 
 food ; it has, therefore, a kind of sacred - 
 ness ; it is all needed by some person 
 or other, and none should be lost. 
 
 21. Five thousand men, besides, &c. 
 Probably the number might have boen
 
 A. D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 17J 
 
 22 And straightway Jesus con- 
 strained his disciples to get into a 
 ship, and to go before him unto the 
 other side, while he sent the multi- 
 tudes away. 
 
 23 And when he had sent the 
 multitudes away, he " went up into 
 a mountain apart to pray : and when 
 
 o Mar.6.46. 
 
 ten thousand. To feed so many was 
 an ant of ereat benevolence, and a stu- 
 pendous miracle. The efl'ect was such 
 as might be expected. John says (vi. 
 14.) that they were convinced by it that 
 hs was that Prophet that should come 
 into tUe world ; that is, the .\Iessiah. 
 
 22, 23. ATid straishtway Jesus con- 
 strained, &c. See Mark vi. 45 — 56. 
 John vi. 15 — 21. The word straight- 
 way means immediately ; that is, as 
 soon as the fragments were gathered 
 up. To constrain, means to compel. It 
 here means to command. There was 
 no need of compulsion. They were at 
 this time on the east side of the lake of 
 Gennesareth. He directed them to get 
 into a ship, and cross over to the other 
 side ; that is, to Capernaum. Mark 
 adds, that he sent them to Bethsaida. 
 vi. 45. Bethsaida was situated at the 
 place where the Jordan empties into 
 the lake, on the east side of the river. 
 It is probable that he directed them to 
 go in a ship or boat to Bethsaida, and 
 remain there till he should dismiss the 
 people, and that he would meet them 
 there, and with them cross the lake. 
 The effect of the miracle on the multi- 
 tudes was so great (John vi. 15.) that 
 they believed him to be th'.t prophet 
 which should come into the world ; 
 that is, the I\[essiah, the kiiig that they 
 nad expected, and they were about to 
 take him by force and make him a king. 
 To avoid this, Jesus got away from 
 them as privately as possible. He went 
 into a solitary mountain alone. In view 
 of the temptation — when human honors 
 were offered to him, and almost /orcejf 
 upon him — he retired for private prayer ; 
 — an example for all who arc pressed 
 with human honors and applause. No- 
 thing is better to keep the mind hum- 
 ble and unambitious, than to seek some 
 lonely place ; to shut out the world, 
 with all its honors ; to reahze that the 
 great God, before whom all creatures i 
 
 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. 
 
 and all honors sink to nothing, is round 
 about us ; and to ask him to keep us 
 from pride and vainglory. 
 
 24. But the ship was noiu in the midst 
 of the sea. John says they had sailed 
 about twenty-five or thirty furlongs. 
 About seven and a half Jewish furlongs 
 made a mile ; so that the distance they 
 had sailed was not more than about four 
 miles. At no place was the sea of Tiberi- 
 as more than ten miles in breadth, so that 
 they were literally in the midst of the sea. 
 
 25. And in the fourth watch of the 
 night. The Jews anciently divided the 
 night into three divisions of four hours 
 each. The frst of these watches is 
 mentioned in Lam. ii. 19; the middle 
 ivatch in Judges vii. 19 ; and the morn- 
 ing watch in Exod. xiv. 24. In the 
 time of our Saviour they divided the 
 night into four watches ; the fourth 
 having been introduced by the Romans. 
 These watches consisted of three hours 
 each. The first commenced at six, and 
 continued till nine ; the second from 
 nine to twelve ; the third from twelve 
 to three ; and the fourth from three to 
 six. The first was called evening ; the 
 second midnight ; ihe third cock-crow- 
 ing ; the fourth morning. Mark xiii. 
 35. It is probable that the term ibatch 
 was given to each of these divisions, 
 from the practice of placiiig sentinels 
 around the camp in time of war, or in 
 cities, to watch or guard the camp or 
 city ; and that they were at first relieved 
 three times in the night, but under the 
 Romans /owr times. It was in the last 
 of these watches, or between three and 
 sLx in the morning, that Jesus appeared 
 to the disciples. So that he had spent 
 most of the night alone on ihe moun 
 tain in prayer. If Walking en the sea. 
 A manifest-and wonderful miracle. It 
 was a boisterous sea. It was in a dark 
 night. The little boat was fi \\r or five 
 miles from the shore, tossed Vt he bil- 
 lows.
 
 172 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. 1). 31 
 
 26 And " when the .lisciples saw 
 him walking on the sea, they were 
 troubled, '' saying, It is a spirit ; and 
 they cried out for fear. 
 
 27 But straightway Jesus spake 
 unto them, saying. Be <" of good 
 cheer ; it is I ; be not afraid. 
 
 28 And Peter answered him and 
 raid, Lord, if it '' be thou, bid me 
 come unto thee on the water. 4 
 
 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 be- 
 ginning to sink, he cried, saying. 
 Lord, save me ! ^ 
 
 21 And immediately ^ Jesus 
 stretched forth his hand, and caught 
 him, and said unto him, thou of 
 
 a Job 9.8. -Jno.G.lO. i Lu.24.37. c Ac. 
 23.11 d Ph.4.]3. 1 or, strong, e Ps.C9.1, 
 2. IJ»«..57. /IS.C3.12. 
 
 26. They were troubled. They were 
 afraid. The sight was remarkable. It 
 was sufficient to awe them. In the 
 dark night, amidst the tumultuous bil- 
 lows, appeared the form of a man. 
 They thought it was a spirit : an appa- 
 rition. It was a common belief among 
 the ancients that the spirits of men after 
 death frequently appeared to the living. 
 
 28 — 31. And Peter answered, &C. 
 Here is an instance of tlae characteristic 
 p.rdor and rashness of Peter. He had 
 iess real faith than he supposed: more 
 ardor than his faith would justify: he 
 was rash, headlong, incaulious, really 
 attached to Jesus, but still easily daunt- 
 ed, and prone to fall. He was afraid, 
 therefore, when in danger, and, sinking, 
 cried again for help. Thus he was suf- 
 fered to learn his own character, and 
 his dependence on Jesus: — a lesson 
 which all Christians are permitted to 
 !'>,arn by dear-bought experience. 
 
 32. And when they were come into the 
 'hip, the wind ceased. Here was a new 
 oroof of the power of Jesus. He that 
 has power over winds and waves has 
 all power. John adds ivi. 21) that the 
 ship was immediately at the land whith- 
 er they went; — another proof, amidst 
 tv>>R coll-'ction of wonoers. thtt the Son 
 
 little faith, wherefore didst thou 
 doubt "! s 
 
 32 And when they were come 
 into the ship, the wind ceased. * 
 
 33 Then they that v/ere in the 
 ship came and worshipped him, 
 saying, Of a truth thou art the Son 
 of God. •■ 
 
 34 And J when they were gone 
 over, they came into the 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 diseased ; 
 
 36 And besought him that they 
 might only touch the hem * of his 
 garment : and as many ' as touched 
 were made perfectly whole. 
 
 g Ja.1.6. h Ps.107.29. i Da.3.25. Lu.4.41 
 J110.1.49.6.C9. 11.27. Ac.8.37. Ro.1.4. jMar 
 6.53. k Nu.15.38. c.9.20. Mar.3.10. Lu.6.19 
 Ac.19.12. I Jno.ti.37. 
 
 of God was with them. They came, 
 therefore, and worshipped him, ac 
 knowledging him to be the Son of God 
 That is, they gave him homage, oi 
 honored him as the Son of God. 
 
 34 — 36. Land of Gennesuret. This 
 region was in Galilee, on the west side 
 of the sea of Tiberias ; and in this land 
 was situated Capernaum, to which he 
 had directed his.disciples to go. IfT/ie 
 hem of his garment. That is, the fringe 
 or border on the outer garment. Note, 
 Matt. ix. 20. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. We learn from this chapter tht 
 power of conscience. Vs. 1 — 4. He- 
 rod's guilt was the only reason why he 
 thought John the Baptist had risen. 
 At another time he would altogether 
 have disbelieved it. Consciousness of 
 guilt will at some period infallibly tor- 
 ment a man. 
 
 2d. The duty of faithfulness. Ver. 
 4. John reproved Herod at the hazard 
 of his life. And he uied for it. But 
 he had the approbation of conscience 
 and of God. So will all who do theii 
 duty. Here was an e.xample of fideli 
 fy to all ministers of religion. They 
 are not to fear the face of man, how- 
 ever rich, or mighty., or wi'-ked.
 
 A. D.31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 173 
 
 3d. The righteous will comtnajid the 
 ;espect of ilie wicked. Herod was a 
 wicked man, but he respected John, 
 and {'eared him. Mark vi. 20. The 
 wicked profess to despise rehgion, and 
 many really do. But their consciences 
 tell them that religion is a good thing. 
 In times of trial they will sooner trust 
 Christians than others. In sickness 
 and' death they are often glad to see 
 them, and hear them pray, and desire 
 the comfort which they have ; and, like 
 Balaam, say, " Let nie die the death 
 of the righteous." Num. xxiii. 10. No 
 person, young or old, is ever the less 
 leally esteemed for being a Christian. 
 
 4th. Men are often restrained from 
 gieat suis, by mere selfish motives — 
 as Herod was — by the love of populari- 
 
 XVer. 5. Herod would have put 
 ihn to death long before, had it not 
 been that he feared the people. His 
 constantly desiring to do it was a kind 
 of ■prolonged murder. God will hold 
 men guilty for desiring to do evil; and 
 will not justify them, if they are re- 
 strained, not by the fear of him, but by 
 the fear of men. 
 
 5th. We see the effect of what is 
 called the principle of honor. Ver. 9. 
 It was in obedience to this, that Herod 
 committed murder. This is the prin- 
 ciple of duelling and war. No princi- 
 ple is so fooUsh and wicked. The great 
 mass of men disapprove it. The wise 
 and good have always disapproved of it. 
 This principle of honor is often the 
 mere love of revenge. It is often the 
 fear of being laughed at. It produces 
 evil. God cannot and will not love it. 
 The way to prevent duels and murders 
 is to restrain the passions, and cultivate 
 a spirit of meekness and forgiveness 
 when young ; that is, to come early 
 under the full influence of the gospel. 
 
 6th. Men should be cautious about 
 promises, ar^d especially about oaths. 
 Herod made a foolish promise, and con- 
 firmed it by a wicked oath. Ver. 9. 
 Promises should not be made without 
 knowing what is promised, and without 
 knowing that it will be right to perform 
 them. Oaths are always wicked, es.- 
 cept when made before a magistrate, 
 and on occasions of real magnitude. 
 The practice of prot'ane and common 
 swearing, like that of Herod, is always 
 foohsh and wicked, and sooner or later 
 will bring men into difficulty. 
 
 7th. Amusements are often attended 
 15* 
 
 with evil consequences Vs. 6 — 11. 
 The dancing of a gay and proflijjate girl 
 was the means oi the death ol one of 
 the holiest of men. Dancing, balls 
 parties, and theatres, are by many 
 thought innocent. But they are a pro- 
 fitless waste of time. They lead to for- 
 getfulness of God. They nourish pas- 
 sion and sensual desires. They often 
 lead to the seduction and ruin of the 
 innocent. They are unfit for dyin" 
 creatures. From the very midst ot 
 such scenes, the gay may go to the bat 
 of God. How poor a preparation to 
 die ! How dreadful the judgment-seat 
 to such ! 
 
 8th. Jesus will take care of the poor. 
 Vs. 14 — 21. He regarded the temporal 
 as well as the spiritual wants of the peo- 
 ple. Rather than see them suffer, ho 
 worked a miracle to feed them. So ra- 
 ther than see us suffer, God is daily 
 doing what man cannot do. He causes 
 the grain to grow ; he fills the land, and 
 seas, and air, with living creatures ; 
 nay, he provides, in desert places, for 
 the support of man. How soon would 
 all men and beasts die, if he did not put 
 forth continued power and goodness for 
 the supply of our wants ! 
 
 9th. It is the duty of Christians to be 
 solicitous about the temporal wants of 
 the poor. Ver. 15. They are with us. 
 By regarding them, and providing for 
 them, we have an opportunity of show- 
 ing our attachment to Christ, and our 
 resemblance to God, who continually 
 does Mod. 
 
 10th. A blessmg should be sought in 
 our enjoyments. Ver. 19. It is aFways 
 right to imitate Christ. It is right to 
 acknowledge our dependence on God, 
 and in the midst of mercies to pray that 
 we may not forget the Giver. 
 
 11th. We see the duty of economy. 
 The Saviour, who had power to create 
 worliis by a word, yet commanded to 
 take up the fragments, that nothing 
 might be lost. John vi. 12. Nothing 
 that God has created, and given to us, 
 should be wasted. 
 
 12th. It is proper to make preparation 
 for private prayer. Jesus sent the peo 
 pie away, that he might be alone. Vs 
 22, 23. So Christians should take pains 
 that they may have time and places foi 
 retirement. A grove, or a mountain, 
 was the place where our Saviour sought 
 to pray : and there too may we find and 
 •vrorshir God.
 
 174 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THEN ° came to Jesus Scribes 
 and Pharisees, which were of 
 Jerusalem, saying, 
 
 a Mar.7.],&;c. 
 
 13th. In time of temptation, of pros- 
 perity, and honour, it is right to devote 
 much time to secret prayer. Jesus, 
 when the people were about to make 
 him a liing, retired to the mountain, 
 and continued there till three o'clock in 
 the morning. John vi. 15. 
 
 14th. when Christ commands us to 
 do a thing, we should do it. Ver. 22. 
 Even if it should expose us to danger, 
 it should be done. 
 
 15th. In times of danger and distress, 
 Jesus will see us, and will come to our 
 relief Vs. 25, 26. Even in the tem- 
 pest that howls, or on the waves of af- 
 fliction that beat around us, he will 
 come, and we shall be safe. 
 
 16th. We should never be afraid of 
 him. We should always have good 
 cheer when we see him. Ver. 27. When 
 he says, " It is I," he also says, " be 
 not afraid." He can still the waves, 
 and conduct us safely to the port which 
 we seek. 
 
 17th. Nothing is too difficult for us, 
 when we act under the command of 
 Christ. Peter at his command leaves 
 the ship, and walks on the billows. 
 Ver. 29. 
 
 18th. Christ sometimes leaves his 
 people to see their weakness and their 
 need of strength. Without his continued 
 aid, they would sink. Peter had no 
 strength of his own to walk on the deep ; 
 and Christ suflTered him to see his de- 
 pendence. Ver. 30. 
 
 19th. The eye, in difficulty, should 
 be fixed on Christ. As soon as Peter 
 began to look at the waves and winds, 
 rather than Christ, he began to sink. 
 Ver. 30. True courage, in difficulties, 
 consists not in confidence in ourselves, 
 but in confidence in Jesus, the Almighty 
 Saviour and Friend. 
 
 20th. Prayer may be instantly an- 
 swered. When we are in immediate 
 danger, and offer a prayer of faith, we 
 may expect immediate aid. Ver. 31. 
 
 21st. Pride comes before a fall. Peter 
 was self-confident and proud, and he 
 fell. His confidence and rashness were 
 the very m(!ans of showing t/ie weak- 
 tess of his faith. Ver. 31. 
 
 2 Why do thy disciples trans- 
 gress the tradition of the elders ? 
 for they wash net their hands when 
 they eat bread. 
 
 22d. It is proper to render homage to 
 Jesus ; and to worship him as the Son 
 of God. Ver. 33. 
 
 23d. We should be desirous that all 
 about us should partake of the benefits 
 that Christ confers. When we kjiow 
 him, and have tested his goodness, we 
 should take pains that all around us 
 may also be brought to him, and be 
 saved. Ver. 35. 
 
 24th. Jesus only can make us per 
 fectly whole. No other being can save 
 us. He that could heal the body, can 
 save the soul. A word can save us. 
 With what earnestness ought we to 
 plead with him that we may obtain his 
 saving grace ! Ver. 36. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1—9. See also Mark vii. 1—9. H Then 
 came to Jesus, &c. Mark says, that they 
 saw the disciples of Jesus eating with 
 hands unwashed. 
 
 2. Transgress the tradition of the 
 elders. The word elders means literally 
 old men. It here means the ancie7its, 
 or their ancestors. Tradition means 
 something handed down from one to 
 another by memory : some precept or 
 custom not commanded in the written 
 law, but which they held themselves 
 bound to observe. The Jews supposed 
 that when Moses was on mount Sinai, 
 two sets of laws were delivered to him : 
 one, they said, was recorded, and is that 
 contained in the Old Testament; the 
 other was handed down from father to 
 son, and kept uncorrupted to their day. 
 They believed that Moses before he 
 died delivered this law to Joshua ; he to 
 the judges; they to the prophets; so 
 that it was kept pure, till it was record- 
 ed in the Talmuds. In these books 
 these pretended laws are now contained. 
 They are exceedingly numerous, and 
 very trifling. They are, however, re- 
 garded by the Jews as more important 
 than either Moses or the prophets. One 
 point in which the Pharisees differed 
 from the Sadducees was, in holding to 
 these traditions. It seems, however, 
 that in the particular traditions here 
 mentioned, all the Jews combined.
 
 A.D 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 175 
 
 3 But he answered and said unto I 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall 
 them. Why do ye also transgress I say to his father or his mother, It is 
 
 the coinmandiuent of God by your 
 tradition ! " 
 
 4 For God commanded, saying, 
 ''Honour thy father and mother: 
 and, He ' that eurseth father or 
 mother, let him die the death. 
 
 c Col 2.8,23. Tit. 1.14. 
 16. c. Ex.ai.n. Le.20.9. 
 
 b Ex.20.13. De.5. 
 
 The Pharisees, and all the Jews, ex- 
 cept they wash their hands oft, eat not. 
 Mark vii. 3. MarU has also added that 
 this custom of washing extended not 
 merely to their liands before eating, but 
 in coming from the market ; and also to 
 pots, and cups, and brazen vessels and 
 tables. Mark vii. 3, 4. They did this 
 professedly for the sake of cleanlhiess. 
 So far it was well. But they made it a 
 matter of superstition. They regarded 
 external purity as of much more import- 
 ance than the purity of the heart. They 
 had many foolish rules about it : as, the 
 quantity of water that was to be used ; 
 the way in which it should be applied ; 
 the number of times it should be 
 changed ; the number of those that 
 might wash at a time, &.e. These fool- 
 ish rules our Saviour did not think it 
 proper to regard ; and this was the rea- 
 son why they found fault with him. 
 
 3. But he answered, &c. They ac- 
 cused him of violating their traditions, 
 as though they were obligatory. In his 
 answer he implied that tiiey were not 
 bound to obey their traditions. They 
 were invented by men. He said also 
 that those traditions could not be bind- 
 ing, as they violated the commandments 
 of God. He proceeds to specify a case 
 where their tradition made void one of 
 the plain laws of God. And if that was 
 their character, then they could not 
 blame him for not regarding them. 
 
 4. For God commanded, &,c. That 
 is, in the fifth commandment (Ex. xx. 
 12) ; and in Ex. xxi. 17. To honor, is 
 to obey, to reverence, to speak kindly 
 to, to speak and think well of. To 
 curse, is to disobey, to treat with irre- 
 verence, to swear at-, to speak ill of, to 
 think evil of in the heart, to meditate 
 jr do any evil to a parent. All this is 
 '"eluded in the original word. V Let 
 i'm die the death. This is a Hebrew 
 
 a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest 
 be profited by me ; 
 
 6 And honour not ^ his father or 
 his mother, he shall be free. Thus 
 have ye made the commandment 
 of God of none effect by your tra- 
 dition. 
 
 <iDe.27.1G. 
 
 phrase, the same as saying, let him sure 
 ly die. The Jewish law punishes this 
 crime with death. This duty of honor- 
 ing and obeying a parent, was what 
 Christ said they had violated by their 
 traditions. He proceeds to state the 
 way in which it was done. 
 
 5. It is a gift. In Mark it is corhan. 
 The word corban'is a Hebrew word, de- 
 noting a gift. It here ineans a thing 
 dedicated to the service of God, and, 
 therefore, not to be appropriated to any 
 other use. The Jews were in the habit 
 of making such dedications. They de 
 voted their property to him, for sacred 
 uses, as they pleased. In doing this, 
 they used the word corhan, or some 
 similar word ; saying this thing is cor- 
 ba7i, i. e., is a gift to God, or is sacred 
 to him. The law required that when a 
 dedication of this kind was made, it 
 should be fulfilled. " Vow and pay 
 unto the Lord, your God." Ps. Ixxvi. 
 11. See Deut.x.\iii.21. The law of God 
 required that a son should honor his pa- 
 rent ; i. e., among other things provide 
 for his wants when he was old, and in 
 distress. Yet the Jewish teachers said 
 that it was more important for a man to 
 dedicate his property to God, than to 
 provide for the wants of his parent. If 
 he had once devoted his property — once 
 said it was corhan, or a gift to God — 
 it could not be appropriated even to the 
 support of a parent. If a parent was 
 needy, and poor, and if he should apply 
 to a son for assistance, and the son 
 should reply, though in anger, ' It ia 
 devoted to God — this property which 
 you need, and by ivhich you might be 
 profitedby me, is corhan, I give to God,' 
 — the Jews said the property could not 
 be recalled, and the son was not under 
 obligation to aid a parent with it. lie 
 had done a more important thing, in 
 givmg it to (iod. The son was free
 
 176 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31, 
 
 7 Pe hypocrites ! welL did Esaias I 9 But in vain they do worship 
 prophesy of you, saying, me, teaching/or doctrines * the com- 
 
 8 This " people draweth nigh I mandments of men. 
 
 unto me with their mouth, and | 10 And he called the multitude, 
 hoi:;iireth me with their lips : but , and said unto them, Hear, and un 
 their heart is far from me. I derstand : 
 
 a Is.29.13. 6 Col.2.22. 
 
 They would not suffer him to do any 
 thing for his father after that. Thus 
 he might in a moment free himself from 
 the obligation to obey his father or 
 mother. In a sense somewhat similar 
 to this the chiefs and priests of the Sand- 
 wich Islands had the power of devoting 
 any thing to the service of the gods, by 
 saying that it was^abu, or tabued. That 
 iS, that it became coiisecrated to the 
 service of religion ; and no matter who 
 had been the owner, it could then be 
 appropriated to no other use. In this 
 way they had complete power over all 
 the possessions of the people, and could 
 appropriate them to their own use under 
 the pretence of devoting them to reli- 
 gion. They thus deprived the people of 
 their property undi r the plea that it was 
 consecrated to the r~"^!s; the Jewish 
 son deprived his parc.Js of a support 
 under the plea that the property was 
 devoted to the service of religion. The 
 principle was the same ; and both sys- 
 tems were equally a violation of the 
 rights of others. 
 
 Besides, the law said that a man should 
 die that cursed his father ; i. e., that re- 
 fused to obc}- him, or to provide for him, 
 or spoke in anger to him. Yet the Jews 
 said, that though in anger, and in real 
 spite and hatred, a son said to his father, 
 ' ail that I have which could profit you, 
 I have given to God,' he should be free 
 trom blame. Thus the whole law was 
 made void, or of no use. by v^'hat ap- 
 peared to have the appearance of piety. 
 Wo man according to their views, was 
 hound to obey the fifth comma7idment , a7>d 
 support an aged and needy parent, if 
 either from superstition or spite he chose 
 to give his property to God, that is, to 
 \3me religious use. 
 
 Our Saviour did not mean to condemn 
 (he practice of giving to God, or to re- 
 Ligions and charitable duties. This the 
 law and the gospel equally required. 
 He commended even a poor \^ idow that 
 gave all her living. Mark xii 44. But 
 lie meant to condemn the p.actice of 
 giving to God, where it interfei^ed with 
 
 our duty to parents and relations ; where 
 it was done to get rid of the duty oi 
 aiding them ; and where it was done 
 out of a malignant and rebellious spirit 
 with the semblance of piety, to get cleai 
 of doing to them what God required. 
 
 7. Ye hypocrites ! See Note, Matt 
 vii. 5. Hypocrisy is the concealmen 
 of some base principle under the pre 
 tence of religion. Never was there i 
 clearer instance of it than this — an at 
 tempt to get rid of the duty of providing 
 for needy parents under an appearance 
 of piety towards God. If Esaias. Thai 
 is, haiah. This prophecy is found in 
 Isa. xxix. 13. ^ Prophesy of you. That 
 is, he spoke of the people of his day — 
 of the Jews, as Jews — in terms that 
 apply to the whole people. He proper 
 ly characterized the nation in caUing 
 them hypocrites. The words are ap- 
 plicable to the nation at all times, and 
 they apply, therefore, to you. He did 
 not mean particularly to speak of the 
 nation in the time of Christ ; but he 
 spoke of them as having a national cha 
 racter of hypocrisy. See also Isa. i. 4. 
 
 8. Draweth nigh unto me with their 
 mouth, &-C. That is, they are regular 
 in the forms of worship. They are 
 strict in ceremonial observances, and 
 keep the law outwardly ; but God re- 
 quires the heart, and that they have not 
 rendered. 
 
 9. In vain do they worship me. Thai 
 is, their attempts to worship are vain, 
 or are not real worship — they are mere 
 forms. IT Teaching for doctrines, &.C. 
 
 The word doctrines, here, means, the 
 requirements of religion — things to be 
 believed and practised in rehgion. God 
 only has a right to declare what shall 
 be done in his service ; but they held 
 their traditions to be superior to the 
 written word of God, and taught them 
 as doctriries binding the conscience. 
 
 10—14. See also Mark vii 15—17 
 And he called the multitude. In oppo- 
 shion to the doctrines of the Pharisees, 
 the Saviour took occasion to sh iw iheni 
 that the great source of polhnion was
 
 A.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1T7 
 
 11 Not "» that which goeth into | Father hath not planted, shall be 
 
 rooted up. 
 
 14 Let them alone : they " be 
 blind leaders of the blind. And if 
 the blind lead the blind, both shall 
 fall into the ditch. 
 
 15 Then answered Peter, ano 
 said unto him, Declare unto us this 
 parable. 
 
 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 1 
 
 1.3 But he answered and said, 
 Eve.y plant '' which my heavenly 
 
 a Ac.10.15. Ro.14.14,20. 1 Tiin.4.4. Tit. 
 M5. iJao.l5.2,G. 
 
 (he heart. They supposed that external 
 things chiefly defiled a man. On this 
 all their doctrines about purification 
 were founded. This opinion of the 
 Jews it was of great importance to cor- 
 rect. He took occasion, therefore, to 
 direct the people to the true source of 
 defilement — their own hearts. He par- 
 ticularly directed them to it as of im- 
 portance : — Hear and under si and .' 
 
 11. Not that which goeth into the 
 mouth, &c. The disciples were charged 
 with being sinners for transgressing the 
 tradition of the elders, in eating with 
 unwashed hands. Christ replies that 
 what they should eat could not render 
 them sinners. The man, the moral 
 agent, the soul, could not be polluted 
 by any thing that was eaten. What 
 proceeds from the man himself, from 
 his heart, would defile him. If Defileth. 
 To pollute, corrupt, to render sinful. 
 
 12. The Pharisees were offended. 
 They were so zealous of their tradi- 
 tions that they could not endure that 
 their absurdities should be exposed. 
 
 13. Every plant, &:,c. Religious rfoc- 
 Crine is not unaptly compared to a plant. 
 See 1 Cor. iii. 6 — S. It is planted in 
 the mind for the purpose of producing 
 fruit in the life, or conduct. Jesus here 
 says that all those doctrines, of which 
 his Father was not the Author, must 
 be rooted up, or corrected. The false 
 doctrines of the Pharisees, therefore, 
 must be attacked ; and it was no won- \ 
 der if they were indignant. It could 
 not be helped. It was his duty to at- 
 tack them. He was not surprised that 
 |.hey were enraged. But notwithstand- 
 ing their opposition, their doctrines 
 should he destroyed. 
 
 14. Let them alone. That is, do not 
 be troubled at their rage. Be not an.v- 
 ous about it. The thing was to be e.\- 
 
 c c.22.ie. Lu.6.39 
 
 pected. They were blind ; they wei«j 
 in some respects sincere. They arj 
 greatly aUached to '.heir traditions, end 
 you are <iot to wonder or interfere when 
 they are '.ndignant. They lead al-.,othe 
 blind. They nave a vast influence ovei 
 the multitude, and it is to be ex^jected 
 that they will be enraged at any doc 
 trines that go to lessen their authority 
 or influence. By commanc'mg them 
 to let them alone, he does not mean to 
 sufier them to remain in error, without 
 any attempt to refute or correct them— 
 for this he was doing then ; but he 
 meant to charge his disciples not to 
 mind them, or to regard their opposition. 
 It was to be expected. IT If the blind 
 lead the blind, &c. This was a plain 
 proposition. A blind man, attempting 
 to conduct blind men, would fall into 
 every ditch that was in the way. So 
 with religious teachers. If these Pha- 
 risees, themselves ignorant and blind 
 should be suffered to lead the ignoran* 
 multitude, both would be destroyed. 
 This was another reason for confuting 
 their errors, or for rooting up the plants 
 which God had not planted. He wish- 
 ed, by doing it, to save the deluded 
 multitude. 
 
 God often suffers one man to lead 
 many to ruin. A rich and profligate 
 man, an nifidel, a man of learning, a 
 politician, or a teacher, is allowed to 
 sweep multitudes to ruin. This is not 
 unjust, for those who are led are not 
 compelled to follow such men. They 
 are free in choosing such leaders, and 
 they are answerable for being led to 
 ruin. 
 
 15—20. See also Mark vii. 17—23. 
 And Peter anstvered — declare this pa- 
 rable. See Note, i\Iatt. xiii. 3. The 
 word parable sometimes means a dark 
 or obscure saying. Fs. Ixxviii. 2. Peiei
 
 178 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also 
 yet without understanding? 
 
 17 Do ye not yet understand, that 
 whatsoever entereth in at the mouth 
 * goeth into the belly, and is cast 
 out into the draught 1 
 
 18 But those things which proceed 
 
 a Lu.6.45. Ja.3.6. 
 
 meant, explain to us more fully this ob- 
 scure and somewhat novel doctrine. 
 To us, now, it is plain : to the disciples, 
 just coming out of Judaism, taught by 
 the Jewish teachers, the doctrine of 
 Jesus was obscure. Mark says that 
 the disciples asked hiin. There is no 
 contradiction. The question was put 
 by Peter in the name of the disciples ; 
 or several of them put the question, 
 though Matthew has mentioned only 
 one. An omission is not a contradic- 
 tion. 
 
 16. Are ye also yet without under- 
 standing ? He appeals, in explaining 
 this, to their common sense ; and he 
 wonders that they had not yet learned 
 >o judge the foolish traditions of the 
 Jews by the decisions of common sense, 
 ind by his own instructions. 
 
 17. Do ye not understand, (Sec. The 
 meaning of this may be thus expressed : 
 The food which is eaten does not affect 
 /he mind, and therefore cannot pollute 
 H. The doctrine of the Pharisees, that 
 neglect of washing and of similar ob- 
 servances defiles a man, cannot be true. 
 Those things pertain to the body as 
 much as food does, and they cannot af- 
 fect the soul. That must be purified 
 by something else than external wash- 
 ing ; and it is polluted by other things 
 than a neglect of mere outward cere- 
 monies. The seat of corruption is 
 within. It is the heart itself, and if men 
 would be made pure this must be 
 ilcansed. If that is corrupt the whole 
 man is corrupt. 
 
 18 — 20. Christ proceeds to state what 
 ioes defile the man, or render him a 
 linnrr : 1st. Evil thoughts. These are 
 he first things. These are the foun- 
 lains of all others. Thought precedes 
 action. Thought, or purpose, or mo- 
 iive, gives its character to conduct. All 
 ivW thougtits are here intended. Though 
 we labor to suppress them, yet they de- 
 file ua. They leave pollution behind 
 them. 2d. IShirders. Taking the life 
 
 out of the mouth come forth from the 
 heart; and they defile the man. 
 
 19 For ^ out of the heart proceed 
 evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, 
 fornications, thefts, false witness, 
 blasphemies : 
 
 20 These are the things which de- 
 ft Ge.6.5. 8.81. Pr.6.14. 24.9. Je.17.9. Ro 
 
 3.10-19. Ga.5.19-21. Ep.2.3. Tit.3.3. 
 
 of others with malice. The malice haa 
 its seat in the heart, and the murder 
 therefore proceeds from the heart. 1 
 John iii. 15. 3d. Adulteries, fornica- 
 tion. See Matt. v. 28. 4tk. Thefts. 
 Theft is the taking and carrying away 
 the goods of others without their know 
 ledge or consent. They are produced 
 by coveting the property of others. 
 They proceed, therefore, from the 
 heart, and violate at the same time two 
 coinmandments — the tenth in thought, 
 and the eighth in act. 5th. False wit- 
 ness. Giving wrong testimony. Con- 
 cealing the truth, or stating what we 
 know to be false, contrary to the ninth 
 commandment. It proceeds from a 
 desire to injure others, to take away 
 their character or property, or to do 
 them injustice. It proceeds thus from 
 the heart. 6th. Blasphemies. See Note. 
 Matt. ix. 3. Blasphemy proceeds from 
 opposition to God, hatred of his charac- 
 ter (Rom. viii. 7), and froin a desire 
 that there should be no God. It pro- 
 ceeds from the heart. See Psalm xiv. 
 1. Mark adds, 7th. Covetousness, al- 
 ways proceeding from the heart — the 
 unlawful desire of what others possess. 
 8th. Wickedness. The original here 
 means malice, or a desire of injuring 
 others. Rom. i. 29. 9th. Deceit ; i. e. 
 fraud, concealment, cheating, in trade. 
 This proceeds from a desire to benefit 
 ourselves by doing injustice to others, 
 and thus proceeds from the heart. 10th. 
 Lastiviousness. Lust, obscenity, un- 
 bridled passion — a strong, evil desire 
 of the heart. 11th. An evil eye. That 
 is, an eye sour, malignant, proud, de- 
 vising or purposing evil. See Matt. v. 
 28; XX. 15. 2 Peter ii. 14. "Having 
 eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease 
 from sin." 12th. Pride. An improper 
 estimate of our own importance — think- 
 ing that we are of much more conse- 
 quence than we really are — always tha 
 work of an evil heart. 13th Foolish- 
 ness. Not want of intellect. Man if
 
 iV.D. 31.] 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 179 
 
 file a man : but to eat with unwash- 
 cn hands defilcth not a man. 
 
 21 Then " Jesus went tlionce, and 
 departed into the coasts of Tyre and 
 Sidon. 
 
 22 And, behold, a woman of Ca- 
 naan 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 
 ve <ed with a devil. 
 
 23 But he answered her not a 
 
 a Ma r.7.24. b Lu . 18.38,39. 
 
 not to blame for that. But moral folly, 
 
 consisting in choosing bad ends, and 
 bad means of gaining them ; or, in 
 other words, sin and wickedness. All 
 sin is folly. It is foolish for a man to 
 disobey God ; and foolish for any one 
 to go to hull. 
 
 " These things defile a man." What 
 an array of crimes to proceed from the 
 lean of man ! What a proof of guilt ! 
 What strictness is there in the law of 
 God ! How universal is depravity ! 
 
 21 — 2S. This narrative is also found 
 m Mark vii. 24— 30._ H The coasts of 
 Tyre and Sidon. These cities were on 
 the sea-coast or shore of the Mediterra- 
 nean. See Note, Matt. xi. 21. He 
 went there for the purpose of conceal- 
 ment (Mark vii. 24), perhaps still to 
 avoid Herod. 
 
 22. A woman of Ca7iaan. This wo- 
 man is called also a Greek, a Syro- 
 Phoenician by birth. Mark vii. 26. 
 Anciently the whole land, including 
 Tyre and Sidon, was in the possession 
 of the Canaanites, and called Canaan. 
 The Phoenicians were descended from 
 the Canaanites. The country, includ- 
 ing Tyre and Sidon, was called Phoe- 
 nicia, or Syro-Phcenicia. That coun- 
 try was taken by the Greeks under 
 Alexander the Great, and those cities, 
 m the time of Christ, were Greek cities. 
 This woman was therefore a Gentile, 
 "living under the Greek government, 
 and probably speaking the Greek lan- 
 guage. She was by birth a Syro-Phoc!- 
 nician, born in that country, and de- 
 Bcendtd, therefore, from the ancient 
 Canaanites. All these names might 
 with prop.nety be given to her. II Coasts. 
 Regions, or countries. ^ Thou Son of 
 Oavid. Descendant of David. See 
 
 word.' And his disciples came, 
 and besought him, saying, Send her 
 away : for she crieth after us. 
 
 24 But he answered and said, "* 1 
 am not sent, but unto the lost sheep 
 of the house of Israel. 
 
 25 Then came she, and worship- 
 ped 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. ' 
 
 ePs.28.1. La.3.8. (/c.10.5.6. Ac.3.2i3. ec. 
 7.6. Re.22.15. 
 
 Note, Matt. i. 1. Meaning the Mes- 
 siah. 11 Is grievouslij vexed with a 
 devil. See Note, Matt. iv. 24. The 
 woman showed great earnestness. She 
 cried unto him, and fell at his feet. 
 Mark vii. 25. 
 
 23. But he answered her not a wora. 
 This was done to test her faith, and 
 that there might be exhibited to the 
 apostles an example of the effect of per- 
 severing supplication. The result shows 
 that it was not unwillingness to aid her, 
 or neglect of her. It was proper that 
 the strength of her faith should be fully 
 tried. 
 
 24. But he answered — / am not sent, 
 &c. This answer was made to the 
 woman, not to the disciples. The lost 
 sheep of the house of Israel were the 
 Jews. He came first to them. He 
 came as their expected Messiah. He 
 came to preach the gospel himself to 
 the Jews only. Afterwards it was 
 preached to the Gentiles ; but the min- 
 istry of Jesus was confined almost en- 
 tirely to the Jews. 
 
 25. Site came and worshipped. That 
 is, bowed down to him, did him reve- 
 rence. See Note, Matt. viii. 2. ^i Lord 
 help mc I A proper cry for a poor sin- 
 ner, who needs the help of the Lord 
 Jesus. 
 
 26. But he answered and said, It is 
 not meet, &c. That is, it is not ft or 
 proper. '!i Children s bread. The Jews 
 considered themselves as the peculiar 
 children of God. To all other nations 
 they were accustomed to apply terms 
 of contempt, of which doits was the 
 most common. The Mohammedans 
 slill apply the term dogs to Christians, 
 and Christians and Jews to each other. 
 It is designed as an expression of the
 
 180 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 3 k. 
 
 27 And she said, Truth, Lord : 
 yet the dogs eat of the crumbs 
 which fall from their masters' tab'e 
 
 28 Then " Jesus answered ano 
 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. 
 
 29 And "^ Jesus departed from 
 thence, and came nigh unto the sea 
 of Galilee; and went up into a 
 mountain, and sat down there. 
 
 30 And great multitudes came 
 unto him, having with them those 
 that were lame, blind, dumb, maim- 
 ed, and many others, and cast them 
 down at Jesus' feet ; and he healed 
 them ; ' 
 
 a Job 13.15. 23.10. La.3.32. b Ps.145.19. 
 c Jno.4.50-53. d Mar.7.31. 
 
 highest contempt The Saviour means 
 to say that he was sent to the Jews. 
 The woman was a Gentile. He meant 
 that it did not comport with the de.sign 
 of his personal ministry, to apply be- 
 nefits intended for the Jews to others. 
 
 Our Saviour did not intend to justify 
 or sanction the use of such terms, or 
 calling names. He meant to try her 
 faith. As if he had said, ' You are a 
 Gentile. I am a Jew. The Jews call 
 themselves children of God. You they 
 vilify, and abuse, calling you a dog. 
 Are you willing to receive of a Jew, 
 then, a favor? Are you willing to sub- 
 mit to these appellations, to receive a 
 favor of one of that nation, and to ac- 
 •■inowledge your dependence on a peo- 
 ple that so despise you.' It was a trial 
 of her faith, and not lending his sanc- 
 tion to the propriety of the abusive term. 
 He regarded her with a different feel- 
 ing. 
 
 27. And she said, Truth, Lord, &c. 
 ' What you say is true. Let it be that 
 the best food should be given to the 
 children. Let the Jews have the chief 
 benefit of thy ministry. But the dogs, 
 lieneatJi the table, eat thccrumbs. So 
 let me be regarded as a dog, a heathen, 
 as unworthy of every thing. Yet gran; 
 we exertion of that almighty power 
 displayed sc signally among the Jews 
 and heal the despised daughter of a de 
 spised heathen mother.' 
 
 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 f Jesus called his dis- 
 ciples tt7ito him, and said, I have 
 compassion on the multitude, be- 
 cause 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 f 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, 
 
 cPs.103.3. Is.35.5,0. /Mar.8.],&c. ffSKi 
 4.43,44. 
 
 28. Great is thy faith. That is, thy 
 trust, confidence. The word here seems 
 to include, also, the humihty and per- 
 severance manifested in pressing her 
 suit. The daughter was healed then. 
 Going home, she found her well and 
 composed. Mark vii. 30. 
 
 29— 3L Sea of Galilee. That is, the 
 lake of Gennesaret. For an account 
 of the principal diseases mentioned here, 
 see Note, Rlatt. iv. 24. "iT Maimed. 
 Those ' to whom a hand or foot was 
 wanting. See Matt, xviii. 8. To cure 
 them — that is, to restore a hand or foot 
 — was a direct act of creative power. 
 It is no wonder, therefore, that the peo- 
 ple wondered. H And they glorified the 
 God of Israel. To glorify, nere means 
 to praise, to acknowledge his power and 
 goodness. The God of Israel was the 
 God that the Israelites or Jews wor- 
 shipped. 
 
 32 — 39. The miracle recorded here, 
 the feeding of the four thousand, took 
 place on a mouniam, near the sea of 
 Galilee. The same account is record- 
 ed in i\Iark viii. 1 — 10. The circum- 
 stances of the m.racle are so similar to 
 the one recorded in Matt. xiv. 14 — 21 
 as to need no particular explanation. 
 
 32. Three days, and have nolhin" tc 
 eat. This is not, perhaps, to be taken 
 literally, but only that during that time 
 they had been deprived of their ordi- 
 nary, regular food. They had had onl\
 
 A.D. 31, 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 181 
 
 How many loaves have ye 1 And 
 they said, Seven, and a few little 
 fishes. 
 
 35 And " he commanded the mul- 
 titude to sit down on the ground. 
 
 36 And he took the seven loaves 
 and the fishes, and * gave thanks, 
 and brake ikem, and gave to his 
 disciples, and the disciples to the 
 rnultitiide. , 
 
 a c.l4.19,&;c t lSa.9.13. Lu.22.19. 24.30. 
 
 a very scanty supply, and on the third 
 day even that began to fail. 
 
 39. Coasts of Mafrdala. Mark says, 
 " The parts of DalmanulJia.'^ These 
 were probably small towns on the east 
 side of the sea of Galilee, and near to 
 each other. The evangelists do not say 
 that he went to either of those towns, 
 but only to the coasts, or parts, where 
 they were situated. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 We learn from this chapter, 
 
 1st. That men are often far more at- 
 tached to traditions, and the command- 
 ments of men, than the law of God. 
 Vs. 1—6. 
 
 2d. That men are strongly disposed 
 to explain away the law of God, if pos- 
 sible. It is too strict for them, and too 
 spiritual. They dare not often attack 
 it directly, but they will explain it and 
 dilute it so as to make it mean nothing. 
 Wicked men do not love God's law. 
 Vs. 4—6. 
 
 3d. Men are prone to introduce fool- 
 ish rites into religion. They do not 
 love what God has commanded, and 
 they attempt to compensate for not lov- 
 ing his doctrines by being great stick- 
 lers for their own. Ver. 2. Mark vii. 
 3,4. 
 
 4th. All addition to the law of God 
 is evil. Ver. 3. All ceremonies in re- 
 ligion, which are not authorized by the 
 New Testament, are wrong. Man has 
 no right to ordain rites to bind the con- 
 science where God has commanded 
 none. Col. ii. 23. Men come the near- 
 est ".o that which is right when they live 
 nearest to just what God has command- 
 ed in the Bible. 
 
 5th. Hypocrites should be unmasked 
 and detected. Ver. 7. He does a great 
 eervice to men who detects their hypo- 
 crisy. That close and faithful preach- 
 ing which lays open the heart, and 
 16 
 
 37 And they did all eat, and were 
 filled : and they took up of the 
 broken vteat that was left seven bas- 
 kets ful'.. 
 
 38 An] they that did eat were 
 four thousand men, beside women 
 and children. 
 
 39 And he sent away the mul- 
 titude, and took ship, and ' cqme 
 into the coasts of Magdala. 
 
 c Mar.8.10. 
 
 shows men what they are, is that which 
 comes nearest to the example of Christ. 
 It may pain them, but the wounds of a 
 friend are faithful (Prov. x.wii. 6) ; and 
 we should honor and love the man that, 
 by the grace of God, can show us our 
 heart. We always honor most the 
 physician of the body that is mast skill- 
 ed in detecting and curing disease ; and 
 so should we the physician of the soul. 
 
 Gth. We should be exceedingly cau- 
 tious oi formality in worship. Vs. 8, 
 9. It is hypocrisy. God requires the 
 heart. To render to hiin only the ser 
 vice of the lips is to mock him. Nothing 
 can be acceptable but true piety, genu- 
 ine love, and hearty obedience. No 
 thing more hateful than an appearance 
 of worshipping God, while the heart is 
 in sin and the world. 
 
 7th. The duty of honoring parents. 
 Vs. 4 — 6. Nothing can explain away 
 this duty. It is bindmg on all. Pa- 
 rents should be obeyed, loved, respect- 
 ed. God requires it, and we cannot bo 
 free from the duty. Under af^e, a child 
 is bound always to obey a parent where 
 the parent docs not command any thing 
 contrary to the Bible. But when the 
 parent commands any thing contrary to 
 the Bible, the child is not bound to obey. 
 Acts V. 29. After the child is of age 
 he is to respect, love, and honor the pa- 
 rent ; and if poor and needy, to provide 
 for his wants till he dies. It is certain- 
 ly proper that we do all we can to com- 
 fort those in old age, who did so much 
 for us in childhood. A child can never 
 repay a parent for his kindness to him. 
 
 Stii. Wo are not at hbcrty to give to 
 any thing else — not even to religious 
 uses — what is necessary to r_endcr our 
 parents comfortable. Vs 4 — (>. The} 
 have ".he first claim on us. And thougii 
 it is our duty to do much in the cause 
 of benevolence, yet our first d\it\
 
 182 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D.31. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 I HE Pharisees also with the 
 Sadducees came, and, tempt- 
 
 should be to see that our parents do 
 not suffer. 
 
 9th. Men easily take offence when 
 they are faithfully reproved, and espc- 
 oiafly when their hypocrisy is exposed ; 
 and especially if this exposure is about 
 some small matter, on which they have 
 greatly set their hearts — some cere- 
 mony in worship, or some foolish rite. 
 Ver. 12. 
 
 lOih. Every false doctrine is to be 
 opposed, and shall be rooted up. Ver. 
 13. It is to be opposed by arguments 
 and candid investigation, and not by 
 abuse and misrepresentation. Christ 
 never misrepresented any man's doc- 
 trine. He always stated it just as it 
 was, just as tliei/ held it ; and then, by 
 argument and the word of God, he 
 showed it was wrong. This is the 
 proper way to manage all controversies. 
 
 11th. It is of great importance to 
 search the heart. Vs. 19, 20. It is a 
 fountain of evil. It is the source of ail 
 crime. External conduct is compara- 
 tively of little importance. In the sight 
 of God the heart is of more importance ; 
 and if that were pure, all would be 
 well. 
 
 12th. The doctrine of man's depra- 
 vity is true. Ver. 19. If the heart pro- 
 duces all these things, it cannot be pure. 
 And yet who is there, from whose 
 heart, at some time, these things have 
 not proceeded ? Alas ! The world is 
 full of instances where the heart pro- 
 duces evil thoughts, &,c. 
 
 13th. In our distress, and the distress 
 of our children and friends, we should 
 go to .Tesus. We should, indeed, use 
 all proper means to restore our friends; 
 but we should feel that God only can 
 grant returning health and life. Ver. 22. 
 
 14th. We should not be discouraged 
 that our prayers are not immediately 
 answered. God knows the proper time 
 to answer them, and it may be of great 
 importance to us that the answer should 
 !)e deferred. Ver. 23. 
 
 l.'jth. We sho lid still persevere. Vs. 
 24 — 27. We should not be discouraged. 
 We should not be disheartened, even 
 by the appearance of neglect or unkind 
 •realmcnt. 
 
 inof, desired bin. that he would 
 shew them a sign * from heaven. 
 
 ac.l2.38,&c. Mar.8.11,&c. Lu.n.16. 12. 
 54-56. 1 Cor. 1. 22. 
 
 16th. Our prayers will be answered 
 if we persevere. Ver. 28. They that 
 seek shall find. In due time — in the 
 best and most proper time — a gracious 
 God will lend an ear to our request, 
 and grant the thing \vB need. 
 
 17th. We should come with humility 
 and faith. Ver. 27. We can never 
 think too little of ourselves, or too 
 much of the mercy and faithfulness of 
 Christ. Prayers of humility and faith 
 only are answered. 
 
 18th. Christ will take care of his poor 
 and needy followers. We may be as- 
 sured that he has power to give us all 
 we need ; and that in times of neces- 
 sity he will supply our wants. Ver. 
 32—38. 
 
 19th. The great number of poor in 
 the world, is no reason why he should 
 not supply them. Ver. 38. He daily 
 supplies the wants of nine hundred 
 millions of human beings, besides 
 couniless numbers of the beasts of the 
 tieid, of the fowls of heaven, and the 
 fishes of the sea. It is a small thing to 
 supply the wants of the few poor on the 
 earth ; and He who feeds the world, 
 will take care of us in the time of want. 
 
 20th. We should be grateful to God 
 for our daily food. We should render 
 no him proper thanksgiving. Ver. 36. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1—4. See also Mark viii. 11, 12. 
 The Pharisees also, and the Sadducees. 
 See Note, Matt. iii. 7. IT Tempting. 
 That is, trying him — feigning a desire to 
 see evidence that he was the Messiah, 
 but with a real desire to see hiin make 
 the attempt to work a miracle and fail, 
 that they might betray and ruin him. 
 ^ A slg7i from heaven. Some miracu- 
 lous appearance in the sky. Such ap- 
 pearances had been given by tJie pro- 
 phets ; and they supposed, if he wa? 
 the Messiah, that his miracles wjuld 
 not all be confined to the earth, but that 
 he was able to give some signal miracle 
 from heaven. Samuel had caused it to 
 thunder (1 Sam. xii. 16 — 18); Isaiah had 
 caused the shadow to go back ten de- 
 grees on the dial of Ahaz (Isa. .xxxviii. 
 8) ; and Moses had sent them manna
 
 A. D. 32 1 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 183 
 
 2 He answered and said unto 
 ihem, When it is evening, ye say, 
 // will be fair weather; for the sky 
 IS red : 
 
 3 And in the morning, It will be 
 foul weather to-day ; for the sky is 
 red and lowering. O ye hypocrites ! 
 ye can discern the face of the sky : 
 but can ye not discern the signs of 
 the times 1 
 
 i A wicked and adulterous gene- 
 ration seeketh after a sign ; and 
 there shall no sign be given unto it, 
 but the sign of the prophet Jonas. " 
 And he left them, and departed. 
 
 a Jon. 1.17. 
 
 from heaven. Ex. xvi. 4. John vi. 31. 
 Tt is proper to say, that though Christ 
 lid not choose the7i to show sucii won- 
 /ers, yet far more stupendous sig?is 
 from heaven than these were exhibited 
 It his death. 
 
 2, 3. He answered, &lc. The mean- 
 ins of this answer is, there are certain 
 indications by which you judge about 
 the Weather. In the evening you think 
 you can predict the weather to-morrow. 
 You have evidence in the redness of 
 the sky by which you judge. So there 
 are sufficient indications on which you 
 should judge concerning me and these 
 times. My miracles, and the state of 
 affairs in Judea. are an indication by 
 which you should judge of these times. 
 IT Is red. Almo.st all nations have ob- 
 served this as an indication of the wea- 
 ther. ^ In the morning — the sJij/ is 
 red and lowering. That is, there are 
 threatening clouds in the sky, which 
 are made red by the rays of the rising 
 sun. This, in Judea, was a sign of a 
 tempest. In other places, however, 
 the .siigns of a storm may be diii'crcnl. 
 li The face of the sky. The appearance 
 of the sky. 
 
 4. A wicked and adulterous genera- 
 lion. &.C. See Note, Matt. xii. 3S — 40. 
 Mark adds (viii. \2), ihat he sighed deep- 
 ly in spirit. He did not say this with- 
 out feeling, he was greatly aflectcd 
 with their perversencss and obstinacy. 
 J — \2. This account is recorded also in 
 Mark viii. 13 — 21. IT And when his 
 disciples had come to the other side. 
 That is, to the oi her side of the sea of i 
 
 5 And when his disciples were 
 come to the other side, they had 
 forgotten to take bread. 
 
 6 Then Jesus said unto them, 
 * Take heed, and beware of the 
 leaven "^ of the Pharisees and of the 
 Sadducees. 
 
 7 And they reasoned among 
 themselves, saying. It is because 
 we have taken no bread. 
 
 8 Which when Jesus perceived, 
 he said unto them, "^ O ye of little 
 faith, why reason ye among your- 
 selves, because ye have brought no 
 bread ? 
 
 6LU.12.1. clCor.5.6-8. Ga.5.9. 2Ti.2. 
 1G,]7. dc.6.30. 8.26. 14.31. 
 
 Galilee. Mark says that he entered 
 into a ship again, and departed to the 
 other side. The conversation with the 
 Pharisees and Sadducees had been on 
 the east of the sea of Galilee.- They 
 crossed from that side again to the west. 
 
 5. Had forgotten to take bread. Thai 
 is, had forgotten to lay in a sufficient 
 supply. They had, it seems, not more 
 than one loaf Mark viii. 14'. 
 
 6—8. Take heed, &c. That is, be 
 cautious, be on your guard. IT The 
 leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 
 Leaven is used in making bread. Its 
 use is to pass through the flour, and 
 cause it to ferment or to swell, and be- 
 come light. It passes secretly, silentlj% 
 but certainly. None can see its pro- 
 gress. So it was with the doctrines of 
 the Pharisees. They were insinuating, 
 artful, plausible. They concealed the 
 real tendency of their doctrines, they in- 
 stilled them secretly into the mind, 
 and they pervaded all the faculties, like 
 leaven. IT They reasoned, 6cc. The 
 disciples did not understand hiiu as re- 
 ferring to their doctrine, because the 
 word leaven was not often used among 
 the Jews to denote doctrines — no other 
 instance of the use of the word occur- 
 ring in the scriptures. Besides, the 
 Jews had many particular rules about 
 the leaven which might be used in 
 making bread. Many held that it was 
 not lawful to eat bread made by the 
 Gentiles ; and the disciples, perhaps, 
 supposed that he was cautioning them 
 not to procure a supply from the Phari- 
 .secs and Sadducees. ^ ye of little
 
 184 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 9 Do ye not yet understand, nei- 
 ther remember the five " loaves of 
 the five thousand, and how many 
 baskets ye took up 1 
 
 10 Neither the seven * loaves of 
 .he four thousand, and how many 
 baskets ye took up 1 
 
 11 How is it that ye do not un- 
 derstand, that I spake it not to you 
 concerninor bread, that ye should 
 beware of the leaven of the Phari- 
 sees and of the Sadducees 1 
 
 12 Then understood they how 
 ihat he bade them not beware of the 
 
 ocl4.19,&c. 6c.l5.34,&c. c c.15.1-9. 
 
 faith ! Jesus, in reply, said that they 
 should not be so anxious about the 
 supply of their wants. They should not 
 have supposed, after the miracles that he 
 had wrought in feeding so many, that 
 HE would caution them to be anxious 
 about procuring bread for their necessi- 
 ties. It was improper, then, for them 
 to reason about a thing like that, but 
 they should have supposed he referred 
 to something more important. The 
 miracles had been full proof that he 
 ;ould supply all their wants without 
 iuch anxiety. 
 
 12. Then understood they, &,c. Af- 
 ter this explanation, tbey immediately 
 saw that he referred to their doctrines. 
 Erroneous doctrines are Hke leaveii in 
 the following respects: 1st. They are 
 at first slight and unimportant in appear- 
 ance. 2d. They are insinuated into the 
 soul unawares and silently, and are dif- 
 ficult of detection. 3d. They act gra- 
 dually. 4th. They act most certainly. 
 5th. They will pervade all the soul, 
 and bring m all the faculties under their 
 control. 
 
 13—20. See also Mark viii. 27—29, 
 and Luke Lx. 18—20. 'i Cesar ea Flu 
 lippi. There were two cities in Judea 
 called Cesarea. One was situated on 
 the borders of the Mediterranean, and 
 tlie other was the one mentioned here. 
 It was also called Paneas, was greatly 
 enlargeil and ornamented by Phihp the 
 tetrarch, son of Herod, and called Cesa- 
 rea, in honor of the Roman emperor, 
 'i"iberi\is Cffisar. To distinguish it from 
 (lie other Cesarea, the name of Phihp 
 was added to it, and called Cesarea 
 Philippi, or Cesarea of Philip. It was 
 
 leaven of bread, but of the doctrin* 
 ' of the Pharisees and of the Sad- 
 ducees. 
 
 13 When Jesus came into the 
 coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked 
 hisdisciples, saying,Whom''domen 
 say that i, the Son of man, am 1 
 
 14 And they said, ' Some say that 
 thou art John the Baptist; some, 
 Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one 
 of the prophets. 
 
 15 He saith unto them, But whom 
 say ye that I am 1 
 
 16 And Simon Peter answered 
 dMar.8.27. Lu.9.18.&;c. ec.14.2. Lu.9.7-9. 
 
 situated in the boundaries ot the tribe 
 of Naphthali, near mount Lebanon, and 
 was in the most northern part of Judea. 
 It now contains about two hundred 
 houses, and is inhabited chiefly by 
 Turks. ^ When Jesus came. The ori- 
 ginal is, when Jesus was coining. Mark 
 says (viii. 27) that this conversation took 
 place when they were m the way, and 
 this idea should have been retained in 
 translating Matthew. While in the 
 way, Jesus took occasion to call their 
 attention to the truth that he ivas the 
 3Iessiah. This truth it was of much 
 consequence that they should fully be 
 lieve and understand; and it was im 
 portant, therefore, that he should often 
 learn their views, and establish them if 
 right, and correct them if wrong. He 
 began, therefore, by inquiring what 
 was the common report respecting him. 
 If Whom do men say, &c. This passage 
 has been variously rendered. Some 
 have translated it, " Whom do men 
 say that I am ? The Son of man?" 
 Others, " Whom do men say that I am 
 — /, who am the Son of man — i. e. the 
 Messiah?" The meaning of all is 
 nearly the same. He wished to obtain 
 the sentiments of the people respectmg 
 himself. 
 
 \A. And they said, &i,c. See Note on 
 Matt. xi. 14. "They supposed he might 
 be John the Baptist, as Herod did, risen 
 from the dead. See Matt. xiv. 2. He 
 performed many miracles, and strongly 
 resembled John in his manner of life, 
 and in the doctrines which he tauglit. 
 
 16. And Simon Peter answered, (kc 
 Peter, expressing the views of the apoa 
 ties, with characteristic forwardness av
 
 K. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 lU 
 
 and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the 
 
 Son of the living God. 
 
 17 And Jesus answered and said 
 
 unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon 
 
 oPs.2.7. c.14.33. Jno.l.49.Ac.9.20. He.l. 
 2,5. 
 
 swered the question proposed to them 
 by Jesus: " Thou art the Christ, the 
 Son of the living God." "if The Christ. 
 The Messiah, the Ariointed of God. 
 Note, Matt i. 1. V The Son. That is, 
 the Son by way of eminence, in a pecu- 
 liar sense. Note, Matt. i. 17. This 
 appellation was understood as implying 
 .divinity. John x. 29—36. H Of the 
 living God. Tiie term livi7ig was given 
 to the true God, to distinguish him from 
 idols, that are dead, or hfeless — blocks 
 and stones. He is also the Source of 
 life, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. 
 The term living is often given to him 
 in the Old Testament. Josh. iii. 10. 
 1 Sam. xvii. 26, 36. Jer. x. 9, 10, &c. 
 In this noble confession, Peter express- 
 ed the full belief of himself and his bre- 
 thren that he was the long expected 
 Rlessiah. Other men had very differ- 
 ent opinions of him, but they were sat- 
 isfied, and were not ashamed to con- 
 fess it. 
 
 17. A7id Jes2is ansivered — blessed art 
 thou, &c. Simon Bar-jona is the same 
 as Simon so7i of iona. Bar is a Syriac 
 word, signifying son. The father of 
 Peter, therefore, was Jona, or Jonas. 
 John i. 42; xxi. 16, 17. If Blessed. 
 That is, happy, honored, evincing a 
 proper spirit, and entitled to the appro- 
 bation of God. If For Jlesh aiid hlood. 
 This phrase commonly signifies man 
 (see Gal. i. 16, Eph. vi. 12), and it has 
 been commonly supposed that he meant 
 to say that ma7i had not revealed it. 
 But Jesus seems rather to have referred 
 to himself. ' This truth you have not 
 learned from my lowly appearance, 
 from my human nature, from my appa- 
 rent rank and standing in the world. 
 You, Jews, were expecting to know 
 the Messiah by his external splendor, 
 his p"mp and power as a man. But 
 you have not learned me in this man- 
 tier. I have shown no such indication 
 Df my Messiahship. Flesh and blood 
 aave not shown it. Ii spite of my ap- 
 pearance — my lowly state — my want 
 of resemblance to what you have ex- 
 pected — you have learned it taught by 
 16- 
 
 Bar-jona: for* flesh ana hlood hath 
 not revealed ii unto thee, but ' my 
 Father which is in heaven. 
 
 18 And I say also unto thee, 
 
 6 1Cor.2.10. Ga.1.16. Ep.2.8. e 1 Jno.4 
 15. 5.20. 
 
 God.' This they had been taught by 
 his miracles, his instructions, and the 
 direct teachings of God on their minds. 
 To reveal is to make known, or com- 
 municate something that was unknown, 
 or secret. 
 
 18. And I say also unto thee, that thou 
 art Peter. The word Peter, in Greek, 
 means a rock. It was given to Simon 
 by Christ when he called him to be a 
 disciple. John i. 42. Cephas is a Sy- 
 riac word, meaning the same as Peter 
 — a rock, or stone. The meaning of 
 this phrase may be thus expressed : 
 ' Thou, in saying that I am the Son of 
 God, hast called me by a name expres- 
 sive of my true character. I, also, have 
 given to thee a name expressive of your 
 character. I have called you Peter, a 
 rock, denoting firmness, solidity ; and 
 your confession has shown that the 
 name is appropriate. I see that you 
 are worthy of the name, and will be a 
 distinguished support of my religion.' 
 IT And upo7i this rock, &c. This pas- 
 sage has given rise to many difl'ereni 
 interpretations. Some have supposed 
 that the word rock refers to Peter's 
 confession; and that he meant to say, 
 upon this rock — this truth that thou hasi 
 confessed, that I am the Messiah — and 
 upon confessions of this from all believ- 
 ers, I will build my church. Confes- 
 sions like this shall be the test of piety, 
 and in such confessions shall my church 
 stand amidst the flames of persecution 
 — the fury of the gales of hell. Others 
 have thouglit that he referred to him- 
 self Christ is called a rocA". Isa. xxviii. 
 16. 1 Peter it. 8. And it has been 
 thought that he turned from Peter to 
 himself, and said: 'Upon this rock, 
 this truth that I am the Messiah — uj)o7i 
 7ni/self aa the Messiah, I will build my 
 church.' Both these inierpretations, 
 though plausible, seem forced upon the 
 passage to avoid the main difficulty in 
 it. Another interpretation is, that the 
 word rock refers to Peter hiimejf. This 
 is the obvious meaning of the passage; 
 and iiad ii not been that t\o church of 
 Rome has abused it, and applied it te
 
 186 MATTHEW. [A. D. 39. 
 
 That thou art Peter; " and * upon j 19 And I will give unto thee the 
 this rock I will build my church ; keys of the kinordom of heaven : 
 and the gates ' of hell shall not pre- and whatsoever thou ' shalt bind on 
 
 vail ** against it. 
 
 a Jno.l.4i b Ep.2.20. Re.21.14. c Ps.9. 
 13. d Is.54.17. 
 
 what was never intended, no other 
 would have been sought for. ' Thou 
 Brt a rock. Thou hast shown thyself 
 firm, and fit for the work of laying the 
 foundation of the church. Upon ihee 
 will I build it. Thou shalt be highly 
 honored ; thou shalt be first in mak- 
 ing known the gospel to both Jews and 
 Gentiles.' This was accomplished. See 
 Acts ii. 14 — 36, where lie ^rs< preached 
 to the Jews, and Acts x., where he 
 
 E reached the gospel to Cornelius and 
 is neighbors, who were Gentiles. Pe- 
 ter had thus the honor of laying the 
 foundation of the church among the 
 Jews and Gentiles. And this is the 
 plain meaning of this passage. See 
 also Gal. ii. 9. But Christ did not 
 mean, as the Roman Catholics say be 
 did, to exalt Peter to supreme authority 
 above all the other apostles, or to say 
 that he was the onlij one on whom he 
 would rear bis church. See Acts xv., 
 where the advice of James, and not of 
 Peter, was followed. See also Gal. ii. 
 11, where Paul withstood Peter to his 
 face, because he was to be blamed — a 
 thing which could not have happened 
 if Christ, as the Roman Catholics say, 
 meant that Peter should be absolute 
 and infallible. More than all, it is not 
 said here or any where else in the 
 Bible, that Peter should have infallible 
 successors who should be the vice- 
 gerents of Christ, and the head of the 
 church. The whole meaning of the 
 passage is this: ' I will make you the 
 lioiiored instrument of making known 
 tuy gospel first to Jews and Gentiles, 
 and will make you a firm and distin- 
 guished preacher in building my 
 church. IT Will build my church. This 
 rclersto the customof building in Judea 
 on a roch or other very firm foundation. 
 Sec Note, Matt. vii. 24. The word 
 church means literally those called out, 
 and often means an assembly or coiif^re- 
 sntion. Sec Acts xix. 32; Gr. ; Acts 
 vii. 38. It is applied to Cbiistians as 
 Ijcing called out from the world. It 
 means, sometimes, the whole body of 
 nolicvers. Eph. i. 22. 1 Cor. x. 32. 
 
 earth, shall be bound in heaven; 
 c c.18.18. 
 
 This is its meaning in this place. It 
 means, also, a particular society of 
 believers, worshipping in one place. 
 Acts viii. 1; ix. 31. 1 Cor. i. 2, «fec. 
 Sometimes, also, a society in a single 
 house, as Rom. xvi. 5. In common 
 language, it means the church visible — 
 i. e. all who profess religion ; or i7ivisi 
 ble, i. c. all who are real Christians,- 
 professors or not. IT And (he gates of 
 hell, &c. Ancient cities were sur- 
 rounded by walls. In the gates, by 
 which they were entered, w^re the 
 principal places for holding courts, 
 transacting business, and deliberating 
 on public matters. See Note, Matt. vii. 
 13. The word gates, therefore, is used 
 for counsels, designs, machinations, evil 
 purposes. If Hell means, here, the place 
 of departed spirits, particularly evil spi- 
 rits. And the meaning of the passage 
 is, that all the plots, stratagems and ma- 
 chinalio7is, of the enemies of the church, 
 should not be able to overcome it- 
 a promise that has been remarkably 
 fulfilled. 
 
 19. And I will give unto thee, &c. 
 A Icey is an instrument for opening a 
 door. He that is in possession of it has 
 the power of access, and has a general 
 care and adiuinistration of a house. 
 Hence, in the Bible, a f:cy is used as a 
 symbol of superiiueiulence, an emblem 
 of power and authority. See Isa. xxii. 
 22; Rev. i. 18, iii. 7. The kingdom of 
 heaven here means, doubtless, the 
 church on earth. See Note, Matt. iii. 
 2. When he sa>s, therefore, he will 
 give him the keys of the kingdom of 
 heaven, he means that he will make 
 him the i7tstrume7it of opejiing the door 
 of faith to the world — \hc first to preach 
 the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. 
 This was done. Acts ii. 14 — 36, and x. 
 The " power of the keys" was given 
 to Peter alone, solely for this reason; 
 the power of "binding and loosing" 
 on earth, was eivcn to the other ayios- 
 t\cR with him. See Matt, xviii. IS. The 
 only pre-eminence, then, that Peter 
 had was the honor of first opening the 
 doors of the gospel to the world.
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 18- 
 
 and whatsoever thou shall loose on 
 earth, shall be loosed in heaven. 
 
 20 Then " charged he his disci- 
 ples, that they should tell no man 
 that he was Jesus the Christ. 
 
 21 From '' that time forth began 
 
 Jesus to shew unto his disciples, 
 
 how that he must go unto Jerusa- 
 
 a Mar.8.:)0. b Lu.9.22. 18.31. 24 6,7. 1 Cor. 
 15.3,4. 
 
 ^ Whatsoevei thou shalt hind, &c. The 
 phrase to hind and to loose was often 
 u?ed by the Jews. It meant to prohibit 
 and to permit. To bind a thing was to 
 forbid it ; to loose it, to allow it to be 
 done. Tiius tlicy said about gathering 
 wood on the sabbath day, ' The school 
 of Shammei bi?tds it.''' — i. e. forbids it ; 
 " the school of Hillel looses it," — i. e. 
 allows it. When Jesus gave this power 
 to the apostles, he meant that whatso- 
 ever they /or6;Vf in the church should 
 have divine authority ; whatever they 
 permitted, or commanded, should also 
 have divine authority — that is, should 
 be bound or loosed in heaven, or meet 
 the approbation of God. They were to 
 be guided infaUibly in the organization 
 of the church, 1st. by the teaching of 
 Christ, and 2d. by the teaching of the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 This does not refer to persons, but to 
 things — "'whatsoever," not whosoever. 
 It refers to rites and cerem.onies in the 
 church. Such of the Jewish customs 
 as they should forbid were to be forbid- 
 den ; and such as they thought proper 
 to permit were to be allowed. Such 
 rites as they should appoint in the church 
 were to have the force of divine author- 
 ity. Accordingly they forbid circum- 
 cision and the eating of things offered 
 to idols, and strangled, and blood. 
 Acts XV. 20. They founded the church, 
 and ordained its rites, as of divine au- 
 thority. 
 
 20. Then charged, &c. That is, he 
 then commanded them. Mark (viii. 30.) 
 and Luke (ix. 21.) say (Greek) that he 
 strictly or severely charged them. He 
 laid emphasis on it, as a matter of much 
 importance. The reason of this seems 
 to be, that his time had not fully come; 
 he was not willing to rouse the Jewish 
 malice, and to endanger his life, by hav- 
 ing it proclaimed that he was the Mes- 
 siah. The word Jesus is wanting in 
 many jianuscripts, and should probably i 
 
 lem, and suffer many things of the 
 ■elders and chief priests and scribes, 
 and be killed, and be raised again 
 the third day. 
 
 22 Then Peter took him, and be- 
 gan to rebuke him, saying, ' Be it 
 far from thee, Lord : this shall not 
 be unto thee. 
 
 1 pity thyself. 
 
 be omitted. ' Then he charged them 
 strictly to tell no man that he was the 
 Christ or Messiah.' 
 
 21—23. See also Mark vii. 31 — 33 ; 
 Luke i.\. 22. From that time forth. 
 This was the first intimation that he 
 gave that he was to die in this cruel 
 manner. He had taken much pains to 
 convince them that he was the Mes- 
 siah ; he saw by the confession of Peter 
 that they were convinced ; and he then 
 began to prepare their minds for the 
 awful event which was before him. 
 Had he declared this when he first call- 
 ed them, they would never have fol- 
 lowed him. Th^ir minds were not pre- 
 pared for it. They expected a temporal, 
 triumphant prince, as the Messiah. He 
 first, therefore, convinced them that 
 He was the Christ; and then, with 
 great prudence, began to correct their 
 apprehensions of the proper character 
 of the Messiah. If Elders. The men 
 of the great council, or Sanhedrim. 
 See Note, Matt. v. 7. If Chief Priests 
 and scribes. See Note, Matt. lii. 7. 
 
 22. Then Peter took him. This may 
 mean, either to interrupt him, or to 
 take him aside, or to take him by the 
 hand, as a friend. This latter is proba- 
 bly the true meaning. Peter was 
 strongly attached to him. He could 
 not bear to think of his death. He ex- 
 pected, moreover, that he would be the 
 triumphant Messiah. He could not 
 hear, therefore, that his death was so 
 near. In his ardor, and confidence, 
 and strong attachment, he seized him 
 by the hand as a friend, and said, '" Be 
 it /ar from thee." This phrase might 
 have been translated, ' God be merci- 
 ful to thee ; this shall not be unto thee.' 
 It expressed Peter's strong desire that 
 it might not be. The word rebuke here 
 means to admanish or earnestly to en- 
 treat, as in Luke xvii. 3. It does not 
 mean that Peter assumed authority 
 over Christ ; but that he earnestly ex-
 
 188 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 23 But he turned, and said unto 
 Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan ; 
 " thou art an offence'' unto me : for 
 thou savourest not the things that 
 be of God, but those that be of 
 men. 
 
 24 Then said Jesus unto his dis- 
 ciples. If any"^ man will come after 
 me, let him deny himself, and take 
 U) his cross, and follow me. 
 
 25 For ■* v.'hosoever will save his 
 
 life shall lose it : and whosoever 
 
 a 2 Sa. 19.22. J Ro.14.13. ec.10.38. Mar. 
 8.34. Lu.9.23. 14.27. Ac.]4.22. 1 Th.3.3. 
 <iJno.]2.25. Est.4.14. 
 
 pressed his wish that it might not he so. 
 Even this was improper. lie should 
 have been submissive, and not have in- 
 terfered. 
 
 23. Get thee behind me, Satan. The 
 word Satan means hterally an adver- 
 sary, or one that opposes us in the ac- 
 complishment of our designs. It is 
 applied to the devil commonly, as the 
 opposer or adversary of man. But ihere 
 is no evidence that the Lord Jesus 
 meant to apply this term to Peter, as 
 signifying that he was Satan or the 
 devil, or that he used the term in an- 
 ger. He may have used it in the gene- 
 ral sense which the word bore as an 
 adversary or opposer ; and the meaning 
 may be, that such sentiments as Peter 
 expressed then were opjjosed to him and 
 his plans. His interference was im- 
 proper. His views and feehngs stood 
 in the way of the accomplishment of 
 the Saviour's designs. There was un- 
 doubtedly a rebuke in this language — 
 for the conduct of Peter was improper ; 
 btit the idea which is commonly at- 
 tached to it, and which, perhaps, our 
 translation conveys, implies a more se- 
 vere and harsh rebuke than the Saviour 
 intended, and than the language which 
 he used would exp'ress. If Thou art an 
 offence. That is, a stumbling-block. 
 Your advice and wishes are in my way. 
 If followed, they would prevent the 
 very thing for which I came. IT Thou 
 xavorest not. That is, thou thinkest not. 
 You think that those things should not 
 be done, which God wshes to be done. 
 You judge of this matter as men do, 
 who are desirous of honor ; and not as 
 God, who sees it best that I should die, to 
 vromote the groat interests of mankind. 
 
 wi!.. lose his life for my sake, shall 
 find it. 
 
 26 For what is a man profited, 
 if he shall gain the whole world, 
 and lose his own soul 1 or ' what 
 shall a man give in exchange for 
 his soul 1 
 
 27 For ^ the Son of man shall 
 
 come in the glory of his Father, 
 
 with his angels, and ^ then he shall 
 
 reward every man according to his 
 
 works. 
 
 ePs.49.7,8. /Da.7.9,10. Zec.14.5. Jude 
 14. g Re.22.12. 
 
 24 — 28. This discourse is also record 
 ed in Mark viii. 34 — 38, Lx. 1, atid Luke 
 Lx. 23 — 27. IT Let him de.ty himself. 
 That is, let him surrender to God his 
 will, affections, body, and soul. Let 
 him not seek his own htippi*ness as the 
 supreme object, but be willing to re- 
 nounce all, and lay down his life also, 
 if required. If Take up his cross. Se( 
 Note, Matt. x. 38. 
 
 25. IVhosoever Uiill save his life, &c 
 See Note, Matt. x. 39. 
 
 26. For vihat is a man profited, &c. 
 To gain the whole world means to pos- 
 sess it as our own — all its riches, ho- 
 nors, and pleasures. To lose his own 
 sozd means to be cast away, to be shut 
 out from heaven, to be sent to hell. 
 Two things are implied by Christ in 
 these questions : 1st. That they who are 
 striving to gain the world, and are un- 
 willing to give it up for the sake of re- 
 ligion, will lose their souls ; and 2d. 
 That if the soul is lost, nothing can be 
 given in exchange for it. or it can never 
 afterwards be saved. There is no re- 
 demption in hcll.^ 
 
 27. For the Son ■>/ man, &c. That 
 is, the Lord Jesus Christ shall return 
 to judge the world. He will come in 
 glory — the glory of his Father — the 
 majesty with which God is accustomed 
 to appear, and which befits God. He 
 will be attended by angels. He will 
 judge all men. If Reward. The wora 
 reward means recompense, or do justice 
 to. He will deal with them according 
 to their character. The righteous he 
 will reward in heaven, with glory and 
 happiness. The wicked he will send to 
 hell, as a reward or recompense for their 
 evil works. This fai.t, th£{ he will conu.
 
 A. D. 32.] CHAPTER XVI. 189 
 
 28 Verily I say unto you, There not taste * of death, UU they see the 
 "be some standing here which shall , Son of man ccming in his kingdom, 
 a Mar.9.1. b He.2.9. 
 
 to judgment, he gives as a reason why 
 we should be willing to deny ourselves 
 and follow him. Even tiiough now it 
 should be attended with contempt and 
 suffering, yet then he will reward his 
 followers for all their shame and sor 
 rows, and receive them to his kingdom 
 He adds (Mark viii. 38), that if we are 
 ashamed of him here, he will be ashamed 
 of us there. That is, if we reject and 
 disown him here, he will reject and dis- 
 own us there. 
 
 28. Verily I say unto you, &,c. To 
 encouraire them. Tie assured them that 
 though Tiis kingdom was now obscure 
 and despised — though he was cast out 
 and little known — yet the time was near 
 when he should be regarded in a differ- 
 ent manner, and his kingdom be estab- 
 lished wnth great power. This cannot 
 refer to the end of the world, and there 
 is no need of referring it to the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem. ^ Taste of death. 
 That is, die. Before they die they shall 
 see this. ^ Son of man coming in his 
 kingdom. Mark and Luke have e.x- 
 plamed this. Mark ix. 1. " Until they 
 have seen the kingdom of God come 
 with power." Lukei.x. 27: " Till they 
 see the kingdom of God." The mean- 
 ing evidently is, till they should see my 
 kingdom, i. e. my church, now small, 
 feeble, and despised, greatly enlarged, 
 established, and spreading with great 
 rapidity and e.xtent. All this was ac- 
 complished. All these apostles, e.vcept 
 Judas, lived to see the wonders of the 
 day of Pentecost ; some of them, John 
 particularly, saw the Jewish nation scat- 
 tered, the temple destroyed, the gospel 
 established in Asia, Rome, Greece, and 
 in a large part of the known world. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. Men will often judge far more 
 correctly about natural than spiritual 
 things. Vs. 1 — 3. About natural ob- 
 jects they are watchful. In them they 
 feel a deep interest. And they svatch for 
 every sign that may affect their interest. 
 They are too much concerned to judge 
 falsely. But they feel no such interest 
 in religious things. Hence it happens 
 that men who nave good sense, and 
 much wisdom in regard to wordly con- 
 i"«ni3. are exceed'mgly 'oolish in regan: 
 
 to rehgion. They often beUeve reports 
 j respecting rehgion, revivals, and mis- 
 1 sions, which they would despise on any 
 other subject. They read and beheve 
 newspapers and other pubhcations, 
 which they would hold in contempt on 
 any other topic but rehgion. 
 
 2d. It is of importance to watch the 
 sIots of the times. Ver. 3. In the days 
 of Christ, h was the duty of the people 
 to look at the evidence that he was the 
 Messiah. It was plain. It 'is also im- 
 portant to look at the signs of the times 
 in which we live. They are clear also. 
 Much is doing ; and the spread of the 
 Bible, the labors among the heathen, 
 the distribution of tracts, and perhaps 
 above all, the institution of sabbath- 
 schools — all betoken an eventful age, and 
 are an indication that brighter days are 
 about to dawn on the world. We should 
 watch these signs that we may rejoice, 
 that we may pray with more fervor, and 
 that we may do our part to advance the 
 kingdom of God. Little cliildren should 
 grow up beUeving that they hve in an 
 important age, that they enjoy many 
 pecuhar privileges, and that they may 
 and must do much to spread the gospel 
 through the earth. Even when children, 
 they should pray, and they should give 
 to benefit others; and, most of all, they 
 should give thejnselves to Christ, that 
 they may benefit others with a right 
 spirit. 
 
 3d. Sinners should be addressed with 
 deep feeling and faithfulness. Mark viii. 
 12. Jesus sighed deeply. So should we. 
 We should not be harsh, or sour, or 
 without feeling. We should weep over 
 them, and pray for them, and speak to 
 them, not as if we were better than they, 
 but with an earnest desire for their sal- 
 vation. Comp. Acts XX. 31. Phil, iii 
 18. 
 
 4th. Men easily mistake plain in- 
 struction. Ver. 7. And especially is 
 this the case where there is any chance 
 of giving a worldly turn to the instruc- 
 tion. If men's thoughts — even those 
 of Christians — were more off from the 
 world, and they thought less of the sup- 
 ply of their wants, they would under- 
 stand the truths of rehgion much better 
 than they do. No man can imderstand
 
 190 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 the doctrines of religion aright, whose 
 principal concern is what he shall eat, 
 and drink, and wear. Hence even 
 * Christians are often strangely ignorant 
 of the plainest truths of religion. And 
 hence the importance of teaching those 
 truths to children before their thoughts 
 become engrossed by the world. And 
 hence, too, the importance of sabbath- 
 schools. 
 - 5th. We should not have undue anx- 
 iety about the supply of our wants. 
 Christ supplied many thousands by a 
 word, and he can easily supply us. 
 Vs. 9—12. 
 
 6th. We should learn, from his past 
 goodness, to trust him for the future. 
 Vs. 9—12. 
 
 7th. We should be on our guard 
 against error. Ver. 11. It is sly, art- 
 ful, plausible, working secretly, but ef- 
 fectually. We should always be cau- 
 tious of what we believe, and examine 
 it by the word of God. False doctrines 
 are often made as much like the truth 
 as possible, for the very purpose of de- 
 ceiving. Satan is transformed into an 
 angel of light. 
 
 8th. It is important to ascertain our 
 views of Christ. Vs. 13 — 15. It is our 
 all. If we do not think and feel right 
 respecting hiin, we cannot be safe. We 
 should often, then, ask ourselves — we 
 should ask one another — what we think 
 of Christ. 
 
 9th. It is our duty to profess our at- 
 tachment to Christ. It should be done 
 boldly, and always. Ver. 16. We 
 should never be ashamed of him. And 
 to do this we should always, in our own 
 hearts, believe that he is the Christ, the 
 Son of the living God. 
 
 10th. We should esteem it a great 
 happiness and honor to be enabled thus 
 to show our attachment to him. The 
 world may not honor us, but God will, 
 and will pronounce us blessed. Ver. 17. 
 
 11th. God only reveals this to us. 
 Ver. 17. This he does by his word and 
 spirit. We should, then, search the 
 Bible ; and we should pray much that 
 God would reveal his Son in 7is, and 
 enable us boldly to confess him before 
 men. 
 
 12th. The church is safe. Ver. 18. 
 It may be small — it may be feeble — it 
 may weep much — it may be much op- 
 posed and ridiculed — it may have mighty 
 enemies — the rich and the great may 
 Bet themselves against it — ^but it is safe. 
 
 It is founded on a rock. All its ene 
 mies shall not overcome it. Jesus has 
 promised it ; and in all ages he has 
 shown that he has remembered his pro- 
 mise. It has not been extinct. It has 
 been persecuted, opposed, ridiculed, and 
 almost driven from the world; but a 
 few have been found who have lovet. 
 the Lord ; and soon the flame has kin- 
 died, and the church has shone forth 
 " fair as the sun, clear as the moon, and 
 terrible as an army with banners." So 
 it is still. Feeble churches may mourn 
 much — anxiety may abound — and the 
 few pious people may weep in secret 
 places — but Jesus hears their groans, 
 and counts their tears, and they and 
 their church are safe. He is their friend, 
 and all the powers of hell shall not pre- 
 vail against them. 
 
 13th. The importance of prudence 
 in delivering truth. Ver. 21. It should 
 be well-timed. It should be when peo- 
 ple are prepared to receive it. Especi- 
 ally is this true of young converts. 
 They have need of milk, and not of 
 strong meat. They should not be sur- 
 prised that many doctrines of the Bible 
 are mysterious now. But they may 
 fully comprehend them hereafter. Pe- 
 ter, a young convert, did not under- 
 stand the plain doctrine that Jesus must 
 die for sin. Yet it was afterwards clear 
 to him, and most cordially he loved it. 
 
 14th. It is highly wicked and impro- 
 per to attempt to counsel God, or to 
 think that we understand things better 
 than he does. Vs. 22, 23. His plan is 
 the best plan. And though it does not 
 fall in with our views oi wisdom, yet 
 we should be still. It is all wise. And 
 though what he does we know not now, 
 yet we shall know hereafter. 
 
 15ih. We see what religion requires. 
 Ver. 24. We must deny ourselves. 
 We must submit to trials. We must 
 do our duty. We must often suffer 
 persecution. We must be, in all places, 
 among all men, and in every employ- 
 ment. Christians. No matter what 
 may happen. Come poverty, disease, 
 persecution, death, it is ours to take up 
 the cross and do our duty. So Apos- 
 tles, and Martyrs, and the Saviour him 
 self, have gone before us. And ut 
 must follow in their steps. 
 
 " Shall I be rarried to the skies 
 On fiowery beds of ease. 
 While otheri fought to win the prise, 
 And sailed through bloody seaai
 
 A.D. 32.J CHAPTER XVII. 19» 
 
 CHAPTER XVH. I brother, and bringeth them up into 
 
 AND •= after six days Jesus taketh i a high mountain apart, 
 Peter, James, ;ind John his ; 2 And was transfigured before 
 a Mar.9.-2,&;c. Lu.9.38,&c 
 
 Sure I must fight, if I would reign ; 
 
 Incre-ise my courage, Lord, 
 To bear the cross, endure the shame, 
 
 Supported by thy word." 
 
 16tli. How foolish are the men of this 
 world ! V'er. 26. In a little time how 
 worthless will be all their wcahh ! It 
 is gaiiicd by anxiety, and toil, and tears. 
 It never satisfies. It harasses ihem 
 with constant care. It smooths no 
 wrinkles on their brow, alleviates no 
 pain when they are sick, saves no friend 
 from death, gives no consolation in re- 
 gard to the future, and may be left at 
 any moment. Others will soon pos- 
 sess, and perhaps scatter in dissipation, 
 what they have obtained by so much 
 toil. See Ps. x.vxix. 6. And while they 
 scatter or enjoy it, where shall the soul 
 of him be, who spent all his probation 
 to obtain it* Alas! lost, lost, lost! 
 — for ever lost ! And no wealth, no 
 man, no devil, no angel, can redeem 
 nim, or be given for his soul. The 
 harvest will be past, the summer end- 
 ed, and he not saved. In gaining the 
 world, he gained two things — disap- 
 pointment and trouble here, and an 
 eternity of wo hereafter. How foolish 
 and wicked is man ! 
 
 17th. The righteous should rejoice 
 that Jesus will come again to our world. 
 He will reward them. Ver. 27. He 
 will coine as their friend, and they shall 
 ascend with him to heaven. 
 
 18th. The wicked should weep and 
 wail that Jesus will come again to our 
 world. He will punish them for their 
 crimes. Ver. 27. They cannot escape. 
 See Rev. i. 7. 
 
 19th. It will not be long before he 
 will come. Ver. 28. At any rate, it 
 will not be long before we shall meet 
 him. Death is near. And then we 
 must stand before him, and give an 
 account of the deeds done in the body. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 1—9. See also Mark Lx. 2— 10. Luke 
 it. 28—36. 
 
 1. And after six days. That is, six 
 days from the conversation recorded in 
 tile last chapter. Luke (ix. 28) says, 
 dboot an eight days after. Matthew 
 
 mentions the six days that intervened 
 between the day ot the conversation 
 and the transfiguration. Luke includes 
 both those days, and thus reckons eight. 
 Besides, Luke does not pretend to fix 
 the precise time. In the Greek it is 
 ^' ahout eight days after." '^ Taketh 
 Peter, and James, and John. These 
 three disciples were with him also in 
 the garden of Gethsemane. Mark xiv. 
 33. He designed to fit them, in an 
 eminent degree, for the work of thp 
 gospel ministry, by the previous man' 
 testations of his glory, and of his ps 
 tience in suffering. ^ Into a high moim 
 tain apart. That is, apart from the othei 
 disciples. It is commonly supposed 
 that this was mount Tabor, a higii 
 mountain in Galilee. The name of the 
 mountain is not, however, mentioned 
 in the New Testament. Luke adds 
 (ix. 28) that he ascended there to pray. 
 Our Saviour prayed much. When he 
 did it, he chose to be alone. F'or this 
 purpose he often ascended inountains, 
 or went into the deserts. There is 
 something in the solitude and deep and 
 awful stillness of a lofty mountain, fa- 
 vorable to devotion. 
 
 2. And ivas transf gured before them. 
 The word transfigure means to change 
 the , appearance, or form. It does not 
 denote the change of tli-j substance of a 
 thing, but simply of ils appearance, h 
 puts on a new aspect. What this chano-e 
 was, we are expressly told. 1st. His 
 face shone as the sun ; that is, with a 
 peculiar brightness. A similar appear- 
 ance is described respecting Moses 
 when he came down from the mount. 
 Ex. xxxiv. 29, 30. See also Heb. i. 3, 
 where Christ is called the brightness of 
 the glory of God ; — in the original tli" 
 splendor, or shining, like the brightness 
 of the sun. 2d. The second change 
 was that of his garments. They were, 
 white as the light. Mark says, white 
 as snow, so as no fuller on earth coulu 
 whiten them. The word "fuller" 
 means commonly one who dresses 
 cloth, or fulls it, so as to make it more 
 thick and strong. Here it means one 
 who bleaches cloth, or makes it white ; 
 one who cleanses garmen's, when hi
 
 192 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 them : and his face did shine as the 
 Bun, " and his raiment was white as 
 the light. 
 
 3 And, behold, there appeared 
 unto them Moses and Elias, talking 
 with him. 
 
 a Re.1.16. 
 
 we?~ing they become soiled. Among 
 the Greeks that was a distinct trade. 
 Luke says white and glistering ; that is, 
 resplendent, shining, or a very bright 
 white. There is no evidence here that 
 what ij commonly said of him is true, 
 that hi? 'body was so changed as to show 
 what his glorified body is. His body, 
 so far a,', the sacred writers inform us, 
 underwei't no change. All this splen- 
 dor and ^IfTV was a change in appear- 
 ajice only The scriptures should be 
 taken Jm,»! as they are, without any at- 
 tempt to affix a meaning to them which 
 the sacred writers did not intend. IT Rai- 
 ment. Clothing. John may refer to this 
 transfiguration in ch. i. 14, as Peter does 
 in his Second Epistle, i. 16, 17. 
 
 3. And behold, there appeared -unto 
 them 3Ioses and Elias. Moses, a dis- 
 tinguished servant of God, by whom 
 the law was given, and whose institu- 
 tions typified the Messiah. It was par- 
 ticularly proper that he should appear, 
 when his prophecies and types were 
 about to be fulfilled, and his rites to be 
 done away. Efias, or Elijah, a dis- 
 tinguished prophet, taken to heaven 
 without seeing death. See 2 Kings ii. 
 11. Elijah had been honored eminent- 
 ly by being thus translated, and still 
 more by being made the model of the 
 forerunner of the Messiah. Matt. iv. 
 5. Luke i. 17. Matt. xi. 14. They 
 appeared "in glory ;" (Lukeix. 31) i. e., 
 as they are in heaven — with the glory 
 which the redeemed have there. ^Talk- 
 ing with him. Luke (ix. 31) informs us 
 that they conversed about his decease 
 which he should accomplish at Jerusa- 
 lem. To redeemed spirits, that death 
 was an object of intense interest. By 
 faith in that death, they had been saved ; 
 and now that the Redeemer of man- 
 kind was about to die, it is no wonder 
 that this was the burden of his and their 
 tnoughts. 
 
 Luke adds (ix. 32) that Peter and 
 they who were with him were heavy 
 «ith sleep. It is not improbable that 
 th.is was in the night • that Jcs '^ was 
 
 4 Then answered Peter, and said 
 unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us 
 to be here: if thou wilt, let us make 
 here three tabernacles ; one for thee, 
 and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 
 
 5 While he yet spake, behold, a 
 
 engaged in prayer ; and that he had 
 permitted his weary followers to com- 
 pose themselves to rest. It was after 
 they were awaked that they saw this 
 vision. Probably the sudden splendor, 
 the bright shining, aroused them from 
 sleep. 
 
 4. Let us make — three tabernacles. A 
 tabernacle is a te7it. It was made com- 
 monly by fixing posts into the ground, 
 and stretching on them cloth, fastened 
 by cords. See Notes on Isa. xxxiii. 20. 
 In some instances, they were made of 
 branches of trees : — a temporary shel- 
 ter from the sun and rain, not a perma- 
 nent dwelhng. Peter was rejoiced at 
 the vision, and desirous of continuing 
 it. He proposed, therefore, that they 
 should prolong this interview, and dwell 
 there. Mark adds, that they knew not 
 what they said, in proposing this. They 
 were frightened, amazed, and rejoiced; 
 and, in the ecstasy of the moment, they 
 proposed to remain there. 
 
 5. ^4 bright cloud overshadowed them. 
 The word overshzdow here means, ra 
 ther to be diff^tsed or spread over them. 
 It does not mean that it made a shade. 
 A cloud was a symbol of the divine 
 presence. Thus God went before the 
 Israelites in a cloudy pillar — dark by 
 day, and bright by night (Ex. xiv. 19, 
 20.) he appeared on Mount Sinai in a 
 cloud bright by fire (Ex. xsiv. 15 — 17) , 
 and a cloud, the symbol of the divine 
 presence — called the SJtechinah — dwelt 
 continually in the Most Holy place in 
 the temple. 1 Kings viii. 10, 11. Ezek. 
 i. 4 ; X. 4. When, therefore, the disci- 
 ples saw this cloud, they were prepared 
 to hear the word of the Lord. If This 
 is my beloved Son- This v.-as the voicf! 
 of God. This was the second time 
 that, in a remarkable manner, he had 
 declared this. See Matt. iii. 17. This 
 was spoken to confirm the disciples ; to 
 declare their duty to hear Christ, rather 
 than any other, and to honor him more 
 than Moses and Elijah ; and to strength- 
 en their faith in him when they should go 
 forth to preach the gospel, after he wa?
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 bright cloud overshadowed them : 
 and, behold, a voice • out of the 
 cloud, which said. This is my be- 
 loved Son, in * whom I am well 
 pleased : hear • ye him. 
 
 6 And when the disciples heard 
 it, they fell oa their face, and were 
 sore afraid, 
 
 7 And Jesus came and touched 
 
 '' them, and said, Arise, and be not 
 
 afraid. 
 
 a c.3.17. Mar.l.ll. Lu.3.22. 2 PeJ.17. 
 6rs.42.1.21. c De. 18.15,19. Ac.3.22,23. Heb. 
 1.1,2; 11.1—3. d Da.10.10,18. Re.1.17. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 193 
 
 shamefully put to death. After this, it 
 was impossible for them to doubt that 
 ne was truly the Son of God. See 2 
 Pet. i. 17. 18. 
 
 6. They fell on their face. They en- 
 tered into the cloud ; or the cloud en- 
 veloped them. Luke Lx. 34. They 
 were therefore afraid. They were 
 awed at the presence of God ; and their 
 fears were removed only by the voice 
 of their beloved Master. No man car. 
 see God, and live. And it is only the 
 glory of God, as it shines in the face of 
 Christ (see 2 Cor. iv. 6), that mortals 
 can bear. 
 
 9. Tell the vision to no mati. This 
 vision was designed particularly to con- 
 firm them in the truth that he was the 
 Messiah. While he was with them, it 
 was unnecessary that they should re- 
 late what they had seen. When he 
 was crucified, they would need this evi- 
 dence that he was the Christ. Then 
 they were to use it. There were three 
 witnesses of it — as many as the law re- 
 quired ; and the proof that he was the 
 Messiah was clear. Be.-ides, if they 
 had told it then, it would have provoked 
 the Jews, and endangered his life. His 
 time was not yet come. IT Visio7i. 
 Sight ; appearance. What they had 
 seen on the mount. IT Charged them. 
 Gave them a commandment. 
 
 The sole design of this transfigura- 
 tion was to convmce them that he was 
 the Christ ; that he was greater than 
 tne greatest of the prophets; that he 
 was the Son of God. 
 
 Mark adds (i.\. 10), they kept this 
 saying, questioning what the rising of 
 the dead should mean. The Pharisees 
 believed that the dead would rise ; and 
 there is no dottbt that the disciples be • 
 17 
 
 8 And when they had lift up 
 their eyes, they saw no man, save 
 Jesus only. 
 
 9 And as they came down from 
 the mountain, Jesus charged them, 
 sayino^. Tell the vision to no man, 
 until the Son of man be risen again 
 from the dead. 
 
 10 And his disciples asked him, 
 saying. Why ' then say the scribes 
 that Elias must fiist come? 
 
 11 And Jesus answered and said 
 
 e Mal.4.5,G. c.11.14. 
 
 lieved it. But their views were not 
 clear. And in particular, they did not 
 understand what he meant by his rising 
 from the dead. They do not appear to 
 have understood, though he had told 
 them (xii. 40), that he would rise after 
 three davs. 
 
 10 — 13. See also Mark Lx. 11 — 13. 
 JVhi/ then say the scribes, &c. The 
 disciples appear to have been satisfied 
 now, that he was the Messiah. The 
 transfiguration had taken away all their 
 doubts. But they recollected that it 
 was a common doctrine among the 
 Jews that Elijah should appear betore 
 the Messiah came ; and they did not 
 then recollect that he had appeared. 
 To this difficulty the word then refers. 
 ' We are satisfied that thou art the 
 Christ. But Elijah has not yet come 
 as was expected. What ' then,' if the 
 meaning of the common opinions oi our 
 learned men, the scribes ? Were they 
 right or wrong in their expectation of 
 Elijah ?' See Note, Matt. xi. 14. 
 
 11. Elias truly shall first come, ana 
 restore all lhi7igs. He did not mean by 
 this that Elijah u^as yet to come, for he 
 directly tells them that he had come ; 
 but he meant to aftirm that it was a 
 true doctrine which the scribes taught, 
 that Elijah would appear before the 
 coming of the Messiah. To restore, 
 means to put into the former situation. 
 See Matt. xii. 13. Hence it means, to 
 heal, to correct, to put m proper order. 
 Here it means that Elijah would put 
 things in a proper state ; be tlic instru- 
 ment of reforming the people ; of re- 
 storing them, in some measure, to pro- 
 per notions about the Messiah, and pre- 
 paring them for his coming. Before the 
 coming of John, their views were er-
 
 194 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33, 
 
 unto them, Elias truly shall first 
 come, and restore all things. 
 
 12 But I say unto you, that Elias 
 3 come already, and they knew 
 him not, but have done unto him 
 whatsoever they listed. Likewise 
 shall also the Son of man suffer " 
 of them. 
 
 a c.16.21. 
 
 roneous, their expectations worldly, and 
 their conduct exceedingly depraved. 
 He corrected many of (heir notions 
 about the Messiah (see Matt, iii.), and 
 was the instrument of an extensive re- 
 formation ; and thus restored them, in 
 some degree, to correct notions of their 
 own economy and of the Messiah, and 
 to a preparation for his advent. 
 
 12. Elias is come. That is, John the 
 Baptist has come, in the spirit and 
 power of Elias. See Luke i. 17. 'iThey 
 have done whatsoever they listed. The 
 word list is an old English word, signi- 
 fying to choose, to desire, to be inclined. 
 See John iii. 8. It means, here, that 
 they had done to John as they pleased ; 
 i. e., they had put him to death. Matt. 
 xiv. 10. 
 
 Mark adds (ix. 12), that Jesus told 
 them that it was written of the Son of 
 man ihat he must sutler many things, 
 and be set at nought. This was writ- 
 ten of him particularly in the liii. chap- 
 ter of Isaiah. To be set at nought, is 
 to be esteemed as worthless, or as no- 
 thing ; to be cast out and despised. No 
 prophecy was ever more strikingly ful- 
 filled. See Luke xxiii. 11. 
 
 14 — 21. This narrative, with some 
 additions, is found in Mark L\. 14 — 29, 
 and Luke ix. 37 — 43. 
 
 14. And when they were come to the 
 multitude. This took place on the day 
 following the transfiguration. Luke Lx. 
 37. This multitude was probably com- 
 posed of persons who had attended on 
 his ministry, and many- of whom were 
 his real disciples. With them, as Mark 
 (Lx. 15) informs us, were scribes ques- 
 tionmg with them. That is, they were 
 probably -professedly making inquiries 
 about the Saviour, but really attempt- 
 ing to introduce their own sentinents, 
 and to draw them off from him. They 
 probaWy artfully asked them many 
 qucsiions about his birth, his family, 
 nis appearance, his maimer of life, and 
 
 13 Then the disciples understood 
 that he spake unto them of John 
 the Baptist. 
 
 14 And * when they were come 
 to the multitude, there came to him 
 a certain man kneeling down to 
 him, and saying, 
 
 15 Lord, have mercy on my son ; 
 
 h Mar.9.14,&c. Lu.9.37,&c. 
 
 his instructions — all which were con- 
 trary to the general expectation respect- 
 ing the Messiah ; and they intended, 
 therefore, to msinuate that such a per- 
 son could not be the Christ. The peo- 
 ple were persuaded of it, and it would 
 not have done Xa have attacked their 
 opinions openly, but they attempted to 
 gain the same point by sly insinuations. 
 Error is always subtle, and often puts 
 on the appearance of calm and honest 
 inquiry. Well had he compared them 
 to leaven. Matt. xvi. 11, 12. The mul- 
 titude, seeing Jesus coming down, left 
 the scribes, and ran to meet him. 
 (Mark.) They were amazed, probably 
 because they had not expected to see 
 him there. In their joy at meeting 
 him in this unexpected manner, they 
 saluted him (Mark) ; i. e. they probably 
 prostrated themselves before him, after 
 the manner of salutation in eastern 
 countries. See Note, Luke x. 4. Je- 
 sus, seeing the scribes and their artfu. 
 design, reproved them by asking them 
 tohy they questioned thus with his disci- 
 ples. Mark ix. 16. Conscious of their 
 guilt, and their base purpose, they re- 
 turned . no answer. ^ A certain man 
 kneeling to him. That is, saluting him, 
 or showing high regard for him. Note, 
 Luke X. 4. It did not imply religious 
 homage, but merely high respect and 
 earnest entreaty. 
 
 15. Lord, have mercy. The word 
 Lord here means. Sir, a title of civility, 
 not implying divinity. ^ My son. This 
 was an only son. (Luke). He was 
 possessed with a devil. This calamity 
 was attended with the following symp- 
 toms: he was lunatic (see Note, Matt, 
 iv. 24) ; he was sore vexed, i. e., ho 
 suffered greatly, or was greatly afflict 
 ed ; he fell often suddenly, in the man- 
 ner of persons having epileptic fits ; he 
 was dumb, that is, he was dumb except 
 when the fit was coming on him -foi 
 Luke says, that when tne spirit took
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 195 
 
 for he is lunatic, and sore Taxed ; 
 for oft-times he falleth into the fire, 
 and oft into the water. 
 
 16 And I brought him to thy 
 disciples, and they could not cure 
 him. 
 
 17 Then Jesus answered and 
 said, O faithless and perverse gene- 
 
 him, he cried suddenly out ; he foamed 
 and gnashed with his teeth, and wasted 
 away, or became poor and emaciated. 
 It lore him (Luke), and scarcely de- 
 parted from him, or he had only short 
 intervals of reason ; for so the passage 
 in Luke, "bruising him, hardly de- 
 parteth from him," should be trans- 
 lated. 
 
 16. And I brought Mm to thy disci- 
 ples, &c. That is, not to the apostles, 
 for they had power over unclean spirits 
 (Matt. X. 8), but to others of his fol- 
 lowers, who attempted to work mira- 
 cles. It is probable that many of his 
 disciples attempted this, who were not 
 personal attendants on his ministry. 
 Mark ix. 38. 
 
 17. Then Jesus answered and said, 
 faithless and perverse generation ! 
 Perverse means that which is twisted 
 or turned from the proper direction ; 
 and is often used of the eyes, when one 
 or both are turned from the natural po- 
 sition. Applied to a generation, or race 
 of men, it means that they hold opinions 
 turned or perverted from the truth, and 
 that they were wicked in their conduct. 
 He applied this probably to the Jews, 
 and not to his real disciples. ^ How 
 long shall I suffer you ? That is, how 
 long shall I bear with you. How long 
 is it necessary to show such patience 
 and forbearance with your unbelief and 
 perversity. This was not an expres- 
 sion of impatience or complaint, so much 
 as a reproof that Uiey were so slow to 
 believe that he was the Messiah, not- 
 withstanding his miracles, and that even 
 his disciples so slowly learned to put 
 the proper trust in him. 
 
 Mark adds (ix. 20 — 22) that when he 
 that was possessed was brought, the 
 spirit, by a last desperate struggle, 
 threw him down, and tore him, and left 
 him apparently dead. He adds farther, 
 that the case had existed during the 
 whole Ufe of his son, from a child. This 
 was a case of uncommon obstinacy. 
 The affliction was fixed and lasting. 
 
 ration ! how long shall I be with 
 you ! how long shall I suffer you '' 
 Bring him hither to me. 
 
 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil, 
 and he departed out of him : and 
 the child was cured from that very 
 hour. 
 
 19 Then came the disciples to 
 
 The disciples, seeing the obstinacy of 
 the case; seeing him dumb, wasted 
 away, torn, and foaming ; despaired of 
 being able to cure him. They lacked 
 the/ai7A which was necessary ; doubled 
 whether they could cure him, and 
 therefore could not. 
 
 Jesus said to the father (Mark ix. 23), 
 "if thou canst believe, all things are 
 possible to him that believeth." That 
 is, this cure shall be effected, if you 
 have faith. Not that his faith would 
 give Jesus the power to heal him, but 
 it would render it proper that he should 
 exert that power in his favor. In this 
 way, and in this only, are all things 
 possible to believers. 
 
 The m'an had faith. Mark ix. 24. 
 The father came, as a father should do, 
 weeping, and praying that his faith 
 might be increased, so as to make it 
 proper that Jesus should interpose in his 
 behalf, and save his child. 
 
 Help my unbelief (Mark ix. 24). This 
 was an expression of humility. If my 
 faith is defective, supply what is lack- 
 ing. Help me to overcome my unbe- 
 lief Let not the defect of my faith be 
 in the way of this blessing. 
 
 18. And Jesus rebuked the devil. 
 The word rebuke has the combined 
 force of reproving and commanding. 
 He reproved him for having afflicted the 
 child, and he commanded him to come 
 out of him. Mark (Lx. 25) has recorded 
 the words which he used — words im- 
 plying reproof and command : " Thou 
 dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee 
 come out of him, and enter no more 
 into him." And the spirit cried, and 
 with a mighty convulsion came out, 
 leaving him apparently dead. Jesus 
 lifted him up by the hand (Mark), ar.d 
 gave him to his father (Luke.) 
 
 19. Then came the disciples, &c. 
 This inquiry was made in some house 
 to which they retired near the place 
 where the miracle was performed. 
 (Mark) Jesus told them, in reply 
 that i was because of their unbelief
 
 196 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 35J 
 
 Jesus apart, and said, Why could 
 not we cast him out ■? 
 
 20 And Jesus said unto them, 
 Because of your unbelief: " for 
 verily I say unto you, if ' je have 
 faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye 
 shall say unto this mountain, Re- 
 move hence to yonder place, and it 
 shall remove ; and nothing shall be 
 impossible unto you. 
 
 « He.3.19. b c.21.21. Mar.11.23. Lu.17.6. 
 1 Cor. 13.2. 
 
 that they had not been able to cast him 
 out. They were appalled by the diffi- 
 culty of the case, and the obstinacy of 
 tbe disease. Their faith would not 
 have made it more easy for God to 
 work this miracle, but such was his 
 will ; such the way in which he work- 
 ed miracles, that he required faith in 
 those '^'ho were the instruments. 
 
 20. As a grain of mustard seed. See 
 Note, Matt xiii. 31, 32. The mustard 
 seed was the smallest of all seeds. It 
 has been supposed by some, therefore, 
 that he meant to say, if ye have the 
 smallest or feeblest faith that is genu- 
 ine, ye can do all things. The mustard 
 seed produced the largest of all herbs. 
 It has been supposed by others, there- 
 fore, to mean, if you have increasing, 
 expanding, enlarged faith, growing and 
 strengthening from small beginnings, 
 you can perform the most difficult un- 
 dertaking. There is a principle of vi- 
 tality in the grain of seed stretching for- 
 ward to great results, which illustrates 
 the nature of faith. Your faith should 
 be like that. This is probably the true 
 meaning. IT Ye shall say unto this 
 mounlaiji, &c. Probably he pointed to 
 a mountain near, to assure them if they 
 had such faith, they might accomplish 
 the most difficult undertakings — things 
 ihat at first would appear impossible. 
 
 21. Hovjbeit, this kind, &.C. This 
 iind means this kind of devils ; this 
 species of possession. Where they 
 nave had long possession ; where they 
 produce such painful, and fixed, and 
 alarming eflfects, they can be expelled 
 only in connexion with prayer and fast- 
 ing. IT Goeth Jtot out, but ht/ prayer 
 t7id fasting. That is, in order to work 
 miracles of this kind, to cast out devils 
 in cases so obstinate and dreadful as 
 this, faith of the highest kind is neces- 
 
 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not 
 out, hut by prayer and fasting. 
 
 22 And "^ while they abode in 
 Galilee, Jesus'said unto them, The 
 Son of man shall be betrayed into 
 the hands of men ; 
 
 23 And they shall kill him, and 
 the third day he shall be raised 
 again. And they were exceeding 
 sorry. 
 
 cc.16.21. 20.17. Mar.8.31. 9.30,31. 10.33 
 Lu.9.22,44. 18.31. 24.6,26,46. 
 
 sary. That faith is produced and kept 
 vigorous only by much prayer, and by 
 such abstinence from food as fits the 
 mind for the highest exercises of reh- 
 gioa, and leaves it free to hold commu- 
 nion with God. 
 
 22, 23. See also Mark ix. 30—33. 
 Luke L\. 43 — 45. And while they abode 
 in Galilee. Gahlee, the northern part 
 of Palestine. See Note, Matt. ii. 22. 
 ■f The Son of man shall be betrayed, 
 &c. To betray, means to deliver up 
 in a treacherous manner. This was 
 done by Judas Iscariot, called for that 
 the traitor. Matt. xxvi. 14—16, 47— 
 50. A traitor, or betrayer, is one who 
 makes use of confidence reposed in him 
 for the purpose of delivering him up who 
 puts that confidence in him to the hands 
 of enemies. 
 
 23. And they shall kill him — and he 
 shall be raised agai7i. See Matt. xii. 
 40. Mark and Luke add, that they 
 understood not that saying, and it was 
 hid from them, and they were afraid to 
 ask him. The reasons of tiiis may 
 have been, 1st. They were strongly at- 
 tached to him, and were exceedingly 
 sorry (Matthew) at any intimation that 
 he was soon to leave them. They 
 learned with great slowness and reluc- 
 tance, therefore, that he was to be 
 treated in this manner. 2d. They were 
 not v>illing to believe it. They knew 
 he was the Messiah. But they sup 
 posed that he was to be a distinguished 
 prince, and was to restore the kingdom 
 to Israel. Acts i. 6. But to be be 
 trayed into the hands of his enemies, 
 and be put to death, appeared to them 
 to be frustrating all these expectations. 
 3d. Though what he said was plain 
 enough, yet they did not understand it 
 — they could not see how he could be 
 the Messiah, and yec be put to death in
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 197 
 
 1114 And when they were come 
 fo Capernaum, they that received * 
 tribute-mone?/ came to Peter, and 
 said, Doth not your master pay 
 tribute 1 
 
 25 Hesaith, Yes. And when he 
 was come .into the house, Jesus pre- 
 vented him, saying, What thinkest 
 thou, Simon 1 of whom do the 
 kings of the earth take custom or 
 tribute 1 of their own children, or 
 of strangers? 
 
 1 didrackma, in value lad. Ex.38.26. 
 
 this manner. Nor did they understand 
 !t fully till after the resurrection. 
 
 24 — 27. And when they were come to 
 Capernaum. See Note, Matt. iv. 13. 
 IT They that received tribute. In tne 
 original this is, they who received the 
 tteo drachma. The drachm was a Gre- 
 cian coin, worth about twelve and a 
 half cents of our money. This tribxUe, 
 consisting of those two drachms, was 
 not paid to the Roman government, but 
 to the Jewish collectors for the use of 
 the temple service. It was permitted in 
 the law of Moses (see Ex. xxx. 11 — 16), 
 that in numbering the people, half a 
 shekel should be received of each man 
 for the services of religion. This was 
 in addition to the tithes paid by the 
 whole nation, and seems to have been 
 considered as a voluntary offering. It 
 was devoted to the purchase of animals 
 for the daily sacrifice ; wood, flour, 
 salt, incense, &c., for the use of the 
 temple. Two drachms were about 
 equal to half a shekel. IT Doth not your 
 master pay tribute ? This tribute was 
 voluntary ; and they therefore asked 
 him whether he was in the habit of 
 paying taxes for the support of the tem- 
 ple. Peter replied, that it was his 
 custom to pay all the usual taxes of the 
 nation. 
 
 25. Jesus prevented him. That is, 
 Jesus commenced speaking before Peter, 
 or spoke before reter Uad told him 
 what lie had said. This implies that 
 '.hough not present with Peter when he 
 gave tlie answer, yet Jesus was ac- 
 quainted with what he had said. ^ Pre- 
 vent. To go before, or precede. It 
 did not mean, as it now does with us, 
 'o hinder, or obstruct. See the same 
 use of the word in Ps. lix. 10 ; Ixxix. 8 ; 
 17* 
 
 26 Peter saith unto him. Of 
 strangers. Jesus saith unto him, 
 Then are the children free. 
 
 27 Notwithstanding, lest we 
 should offend " them, go thou to 
 the sea, and cast a hook, and take 
 up the fish that first cometh up ; 
 and when thou hast opened his 
 mouth, thou shalt find " a piece of 
 money ; that take, and give unto 
 them, for me and thee. 
 
 aRo.14.21. 15.1-3. 2Cor.6.3. ■^ a stater, 
 which was half an ounce of silver. 
 
 Ixxxviii. 13 ; 1 Thess. iv. 15 ; Ps. cxix. 
 148. IT Of whom do the kings of the 
 earth, &-C. That is, earthly kings. 
 IT Their own children. Their sons ; 
 the members of the family. If Or of 
 strangers? The word strangers does 
 not mean foreigners, but those who 
 were not their own sons, or members 
 of their family. Peter replied that tri- 
 bute was collected of those out of their 
 own family. Jesus answered, then are 
 the children, or sons of the kings free; 
 i. e. taxes are not required of them. 
 The meaning of this may be thus ex- 
 pressed : ' Kings do not tax their own 
 sons. This tribute money is taken up 
 for the temple service ; i. e., the service 
 of 7/17/ Father. I, therefore, being the 
 So7iof God, for whom this is taken up, 
 cannot be lawfully required to pay this 
 tribute.' 
 
 27. Notwithstanding, lest lue should 
 offend them. That is, lest they should 
 think that we despise the temple and 
 its service, and thus provoke needless 
 opposition, though we are not under 
 obligation to pay it, yet it is best to pay 
 it to them. If Go to the sea. This 
 was at Capernaum, on the shore ot the 
 sea of Tiberias. If Thou shalt find a 
 piece of money. In the original, thou 
 shalt find a slater, a Roman silver coin 
 of the value of four drachms, or one 
 shekel, and of course sufficient to pay 
 the tribute for two, himself and Peter. 
 In whatever way this is regarded, it is 
 proof that Jesus was possessed of di- 
 vine attributes. If he knew that the 
 first fish that came up would have such 
 a coin in his mouth, it was proof of om- 
 niscieTice. If he created the com tor the 
 occasion, and placed it there, then il 
 was proof of divino power. The for
 
 fJ8 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32. 
 
 mer is the most probable supposition. It 
 IS by no means absurd that ajisk should 
 have swallowed a silver coin. Many of 
 them bite eagerly at any thing bright, 
 and would not hesitate, therefore, at 
 swallowing a piece of money. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. Secret prayer should be practised 
 alone, or apart from others. Ver. 1. 
 Christ often went into deserts, and on 
 mountains, that he might be by him- 
 self This should be done: 1. To 
 avoid the appearance of ostentation. 
 8. Pride is easily excited, when we 
 know that others hear us pray. Every 
 one should have some place — some 
 closet — to which he may retire daily, 
 with the assurance that none sees him 
 but God. See Notes on ch. vi. 6. 
 
 2d. In such seasons, we shall meet 
 God. Ver. 2. It was in such a sea- 
 son that the divine favor was peculiarly 
 shown to Christ. Then the transfigura- 
 'ion took place — the brightest manifes- 
 tation of his glory that ever occurred on 
 earth. So the clearest and most pre- 
 cious manifestations of the love and 
 glory of God will be made to us in 
 prayer. 
 
 3d. We see the great glory of Christ. 
 Ver. 2. No such favor had been grant- 
 ed to any prophet before him. We see 
 the regard in which he was held by 
 Moses and Elias — among the greatest 
 of the prophets. We see the honor 
 vyhich God put on him, exalting him 
 far above them both. Ver. 5. The 
 glory of heaven encompasses the Lord 
 Jesus, and all its redeemed pay him 
 reverence. In him the divine nature 
 shines illustriously ; and of him and to 
 him the divinity speaks in glory, as the 
 only begotten Son of God. 
 
 4th. It is right to have particular af- 
 fection for some Christians more than 
 others, at the same time that we should 
 love them all. Christ loved all his 
 disciples ; but he admitted some to pe- 
 culiar friendship and favors. Ver. 1. 
 Some Christians may be more conge- 
 nial to us in feeling, age, and education, 
 than others ; and it is proper, and may 
 be greatly to our advantage, to admit 
 them among our peculiar friends. 
 
 5th. The death of Jesus is an ob- 
 ject of great interest to the redeemed. 
 Moses and Elias talked of it. Luke 
 jc. 31. Angels also desire to look into 
 .his great subject. 1 Pet. i. 12. By 
 that death, all the redeemed are saved ; 
 
 and in that death the angels see the 
 most signal display of the justice and 
 love of God. 
 
 6th. Christians should delight to be 
 where God has manifested his glory. 
 The feeling of Peter was natural. Ver. 
 4. His love of the glorious presence of 
 Christ and the redeemed was right. 
 He erred only in the manner of mani- 
 festing that love. We should always 
 love the house of prayer — the sanctu- 
 ary — and the place where Christ has 
 manifested himself as peculiarly glo- 
 rious and precious to our souls, or as 
 peculiarly our Friend and Deliverer. 
 
 7th. We need not be afraid of the 
 most awful displays of deity, if Christ 
 be with us. Ver. 7. Were we alone, 
 we should fear. None could see God 
 and live ; for he is a consuming fire, 
 ligb. xii. 29. But with Jesus for oui 
 friend we may go confidently down to 
 death ; we may meet him at his awful 
 bar; we may dwell in the full splen 
 dors of his presence to all eternity. 
 
 8th. Saints at death are taken to 
 happiness, and live now in glory. Ver. 
 3. Moses and Elias were not created 
 anew, but came as they were. They 
 came from heaven and returned thither. 
 The spirits of all men live, therefore 
 in happiness or wo after the body i? 
 dead. 
 
 9th. It is not unreasonable to sup 
 pose that saints may have some know 
 ledge of what is done here on earth. 
 Moses and Elias appear to have beer, 
 acquainted with the fact that Jesus wa? 
 about to die at Jerusalem. 
 
 10th. The scriptures will be fulfilled. 
 The fulfilment may take place when 
 we little know it ; or in events that we 
 should not suppose were intended for a 
 fulfilment. Ver. 12. 
 
 11th. Erroneous teachers will endea- 
 vor to draw us away from the truth. 
 Mark ix. 14. They will do it by art, 
 and caution, and the appearance of 
 calm inquiry. We should always be 
 on our guard against any teachers ap- 
 pearing io call in question what Chnst 
 has plainly taught us. 
 
 12th. Mark ix. 15. Christ, in his 
 word, and by his spirit, is a safe teacher. 
 When men are suggesting jilausible 
 doubts about doctrine, or attempting 
 to unsettle our minds by cavils and in- 
 quiry, we should Isave them, and ap' 
 ply by prayer, ana "by searching the 
 Bible, to Christ, ths great Prophet,
 
 4.D.32.J CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 CHAPTER X^ III. 
 
 199 
 
 4 
 
 T ° the same time came the 
 disciples unto Jesus, saying, 
 
 who is the way, the truth, and the 
 life. 
 
 13th. Parents should be earnest for 
 ti.e welfare of their children. Ver. 15. 
 [t is right for them to pray to God in 
 times ot sickness, lliat he would heal 
 (hem. Miracles are not to be expected ; 
 but God only can bless the ineans 
 which parents use for their sick and 
 afflicted children. 
 
 14th. Parents may do much by faith 
 and prayer for their children. Here the 
 iaith of the parent was the means of 
 saving the life of the cliild. Ver. 14 — 
 18. So the faith of parents — a faith 
 producing diligent instruction; a holy 
 example, and much prayer, may be the 
 means of saving their souls. God will 
 not indeed save them o?i account of the 
 faith of the parent ; but the holy life of 
 a father and mother may be the means 
 of training up their children for heaven. 
 
 15th. It is proper to pray to Jesus to 
 increase our faith. Mark ix. 24. We 
 may be sensible of our unbelief; may 
 feel that we deserve condemnation, and 
 that we deserve no favor that is usually 
 bestowed on faith ; but we may come 
 to him, and implore of him an increase 
 of faith, and thus obtain the object of 
 our desires. 
 
 16ih. Our unbelief hinders our doing 
 much that we might do. Ver. 20. We 
 shrink from great ditficulties, we fail in 
 great duties, because we do not p\it con- 
 fidence in God, who is able to help us. 
 The proper way to live a life of religion 
 and peace, is to do just what God re- 
 quires of us, depending on his grace to 
 aid us. 
 
 17th. We see the proper way of in- 
 creasing our faith. Ver. 21. It is by 
 much prayer and self-denial, and fast- 
 ing. Faith is a plant that never grows 
 in an uncultivated soil, and is never 
 luxuriant, unless it is often exposed 
 to the beams of the Sun of righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 ISih. It is right to weep and mourn 
 over the death of Jesus. Ver. 23. It 
 was a cruel death. And we should 
 mourn that our best Friend passed 
 through such suHerings. Yet we should 
 rather mourn that our sins were the 
 ■jause ot such bitter sorrows ; and that 
 
 Who is the greatest in the kingdom 
 of heaven ] 
 
 a JVIar.9.33,&c. Lu.9.46,&;c. 22.24,ic 
 
 but for our sins, and the sins of the 
 rest of mankind, he might have been 
 always happy. 
 
 " 'Twas you, my sins, my cruel sins, 
 His chief Idiinentois were. 
 Each of uiy Climes became a nail, 
 And unbelief the spear. 
 
 'Twas you that pulled the vengeance down 
 
 Upon his guiUless head. 
 Breakfl)reak, my heart! O burst, mine eyes. 
 
 And let my sorrows bleed," 
 
 19th. At the same time, we should 
 rejoice that God made his death the 
 source of the richest blessings that ever 
 descended on mankind. He rose and 
 brought life and immortaUly to light. 
 Ver. 23. 
 
 20th. We should comply with all the 
 requirements of the laws of the land, if 
 not contrary to the law of God. It is 
 important that governments should be 
 supported. Ver. 25. See also Rom. 
 xiii. 1 — 7. 
 
 21st. We should also be willing to 
 contribute our just proportion to the 
 support of the institutions of religion. 
 The tribute which Jesus paid here by a 
 miracle was for the support of religion 
 in the temple. Ver. 24 — 27. Jesus 
 understood of how much value are the 
 institutions of religion to the welfare of 
 man. He worked a miracle, therefore, 
 to make a. voluntary offering to support 
 religion. Religion promotes the purity, 
 peace, intelligence, and order of the 
 community, and every man is therefore 
 under obligation to do his part towards 
 its support. If any man doubts this, 
 he has only to go to the places where 
 there is no religion — among scoffers, 
 and thieves, and adulterers, and pros- 
 titutes, and pickpockets, and drunkards. 
 No money is ever lost that goes in any 
 way to suppress these vices. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 1—6. See also Mark ix. 33—41, 
 Luke ix. 46 — 50. Who is the greatest 
 ill the kingdom of heaven ? By the king- 
 dom of heaven they meant the kingdom 
 which they supposed he was about to 
 set up — his kingdom as the Messiah. 
 They asked the question because they 
 supposed, in accordance with the com
 
 200 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 32 
 
 2 And Jesus called a little child 
 unto him, and set him in the midst 
 of them, 
 
 3 And said. Verily I say unto 
 you, except ye be converted," and be- 
 come as little children, * ye shall not 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 a Ps.51.10-13. Jno.3.3. b 1 Cor.14.20. 1 Pe. 
 2.2. 
 
 mon expectation of the Jews, that he 
 was about to set up a temporal kingdom 
 of great splendor ; and they wished to 
 know who should have the principal 
 offices and posts of honor and profit. 
 -This was among them a frequent sub- 
 ject of inquiry and controversy. Mark 
 (ix. 34) informs us that they had had a 
 dispute on this subject in the way. Je- 
 sus, he says, inquired of them what 
 tliey had been disputing about. Luke 
 lix. 47) says that Jesus perceived the 
 thought of their heart : — an act imply- 
 ing omniscience, for none can search 
 the heart but God. Jer. xvii. 10. The 
 disciples, conscious that the subject of 
 their dispute was known, requested 
 Jesus to decide it. Pvlatt. xviii. 1. They 
 were at first silen' through shame 
 (Mark), but perceiving that the subject 
 oi their dispute was known, they came, 
 as Matthew states, and referred the 
 matter to him for his opinion. 
 
 2, 3. Except ye he converted. The 
 word "converted," means changed, or 
 turned. It means to change or turn 
 from one habit of life, or set of opinions, 
 to another. James v. 19. Luke xxii. 
 32. See also Matt. vii. 6 ; xvi. 23, 
 Luke vii. 9, &c., where the same word 
 is used in the original. It is sometimes 
 referred to that great change called the 
 new birth, or regeneration (Ps. li. 13. 
 Isa. Ix. 5. Acts iii. 19), but not always. 
 It is a general word, meaning any 
 change. The vforA regeneration Aenoles 
 a particular change — the passing from 
 death to life. The phrase, " except ye 
 be converted," does not imply of ne- 
 cessity that they were not Christians 
 before, or had not been born again. It 
 means that their opinions and feelings 
 about the kingdom of the Messiah must 
 be changed. They had supposed that 
 he was to be a temporal prince. They 
 expected he would reign as other kings 
 did. They supposed he would have his 
 great officers of state, as other mon- 
 ftrchs liad. And they were ambitiously 
 
 4 Whosoever therefore shall hum 
 ble himself* as this little child, the 
 same is greatest in the kingdom of 
 heaven. 
 
 5 And whoso shall receive one 
 such little '' child in my name, re- 
 ceiveth me. 
 
 cLu.l4.]l. Ja.4.10. d Matt. 10.42. 
 
 inquiring who should hold the highesi 
 offices. Jesus told them they were 
 wrong in their views and expectations. 
 No such things would take place. From 
 these notions they must be turned, 
 changed, or converted, or they could have 
 no part in his kingdom. These ideas 
 did not fit at all the natitre of his king- 
 dom. IT And become as little children. 
 Children are, to a great extent, desti- 
 tute of ambition, pride, and haughti- 
 ness. They are characteristically hum- 
 ble and teachable. By requiring his 
 disciples to be like them, he did not in 
 tend to express any opinion about the 
 native moral character of children, but 
 simply that iVj these respects they should 
 become like them. They should lay 
 aside their ambitious views, and pride, 
 and be willing to occupy their proper sta- 
 tion — a very lowly one. Mark says (ix 
 35) that Jesus, before he placed the httle 
 child in the midst of them, told them thai 
 " if any man desire to be first, the same 
 shall be last of all, and servant of all." 
 That is, he shall be the most distinguish- 
 ed Christian who is the most humble, 
 and who is willing to be esteemed hast, 
 and last of all. To esteem ourseh js as 
 God esteems us, is humility. And it 
 cannot be degrading to think c f our 
 selves as we are. But pride, or an at 
 tempt to be thought of more import- 
 ance than we are, is foohsh, wicked, 
 and degrading. 
 
 4. The greatest, «&c. Thai is, shall 
 be the most eminent Christ ',un : shalf 
 have most of the true spirit of religion. 
 
 5. And whoso shall receive one such 
 little child. That is, whoso shall re- 
 ceive and love one with a spirit hke 
 this child — one who is humbie, meek, 
 unambitious, or a real Christian. ^ In 
 my name. As a ibllower of me ; or be 
 cause he is attached to me. Whoso 
 receives one possessed of my spirit, and 
 who, because he lias that spirit, love* 
 him, loves me also. The word " re- 
 ceive" means to approve, love, orlreal
 
 A. D.32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 201 
 
 6 But whoso shall offend " one 
 of these little ones which believe in 
 me, it were better for him that a 
 millstone were hanged about his 
 neck, and that he were drowned in 
 the depth of the sea. 
 
 7 VVoe unto the world because 
 of offences ! for * it must needs be 
 that offences come; but ' woo to 
 that man by whom the offence 
 Cometh ! 
 
 aMar.9.42. Lu. 17.1,2. 6 lCor.11.19. Jude 
 4. c Jude 11. 
 
 with kindness; to aid in the time of 
 need. See Matt. xxv. 35 — 40. 
 
 Mark (Lx. 38) and Luke (Lx. 49) add 
 a conversation that took place on this 
 occasion, that has been omitted by Mat- 
 thew. John told iiim that they had 
 seen one castins; out devils in his name, 
 and they forbade Iiim, because he fol- 
 lowed not with them. Jesus rephed 
 that he should not have been forbidden, 
 for there was no one who could work a 
 miracle in his name that could lightly 
 speak evil of him. That is, though he 
 did not attend them, though he had not 
 joined himself to their society, yet he 
 could not really be opposed to him. 
 Indeed they should have remembered, 
 that the power to work a miracle must 
 always come from the same source, 
 that is, God ; and that he that had the 
 ability given him to work a miracle, 
 and that did it in the name of Christ, 
 must be a real friend to him. It is pro- 
 bable from this, that the power of 
 working miracles in the name of Christ 
 was given to many who did not attend 
 on his ministry. 
 
 6. Whoso shall offend. That is, cause 
 to fall, or to sin ; or who should place 
 any thing in their way to hinder their 
 piety or happiness. Note. Matt. v. 29. 
 IT These liltle ones. That is, Christians, 
 manifesting the spirit of little children. 
 1 John ii. 1, 12, 18, 28. IT It were better 
 for him that a millstone, &c. Mills 
 anciently were either turned by hand 
 (Note, Matt. xxiv. 41), or by beasts, 
 cliiefly by mules. These were of the 
 larger kind ; and the orirrinal words de- 
 note that it was this kind that was in- 
 tended This was one mode of capital 
 punishment praiUised by the Greeks, 
 Syriaiis, Romans, and by some other 
 '■urrouT-ling na^jons. The meaning is, 
 
 8 Wherefore, ^ if thy hand or thy 
 foot offend thee, cut them oft, ana 
 cast them from thee : it is better for 
 thee to enter into life halt or maim- 
 ed, rather than, having two hands 
 or two feet, to be cast into everlast- 
 ing fire. 
 
 9 And if thine eye offend thee, 
 pluck it out, and cast it from thee: 
 it is better for thee to enter ' into 
 life with one eye, rather than, hav 
 
 (Zc.5.29,30. Mar.9.43,45. «He.4.11 
 
 it would be better for him to die, before 
 he had committed the sin. To injure, 
 or to cause to sin, the feeblest Christian, 
 will be regarded as a most serious of- 
 fence, and will be punibhed accord 
 ingly. 
 
 7. TVo unto the world because of of- 
 fences. That is, offences will be the 
 cause of wo, or of suffering. Offences, 
 here, mean things that will produce sin: 
 that will cause tis to sin, or temptations 
 to induce others to sin. Note, Matt. v. 
 29. If It must needs be, &c. That is, 
 such is the depravity of man, that there 
 will be always some attempting to make 
 others sin ; some men of wickedness 
 endeavoring to lead Christians astray, 
 and rejoicing when they have succeedeO 
 in causing them to fall. Such, also, is 
 the strength of our native corruption, 
 and the force of passion, that our beset- 
 ting si?is will lead us astray. ^ Wo to 
 that man by whom the offence cometh. He 
 who draws others into sin is awfully 
 guilty. No man can be more guilty. 
 No wickedness can be more deeply 
 seated in the heart, than that which at- 
 tempts to mar the peace, defile the pu- 
 rity, and destroy the souls of others. And 
 yet, in all ages there have been multi- 
 tudes, who, by persecution, threats, 
 arts, allurements, and persuasion, have 
 endeavored to seduce Christians from 
 the faith, and to lead them into sin. 
 
 8, 9. If thy hand, &c. See Notes 
 ]\Iatt. v. 29, 30. The meaning of all 
 these instances is the same. I'empta- 
 tions to sin, attachments, and employ 
 ments of any kind that cannot be pur- 
 sued without leading us into sin, be 
 they ever so (/ear to us, must be aban- 
 doned, or the soul must be lost. H It is 
 better — to ent ir into life luxlt or maimed 
 — or having a le eye, &c- It is not meant
 
 i02 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 ing two ejes, " to be cast into hell- 
 fire. 
 
 10 Take heed that ye despise not 
 one of these little ones ; for I say 
 unto you, that in heaven their an- 
 gels * do always behold ' the face 
 of my Father which is in heaven. 
 
 11 For the Son of man is come 
 so save "* that which was lost. 
 
 12 How think ye] If * a man 
 have a hundred sheep, and one of 
 them be gone astray, doth he not 
 
 aLu.9.25. 6Ac.12.15. cPs.17.15. dMalt. 
 
 by this, that when the body shall be 
 raised, it will be maimed and disfigured 
 til this manner. It will be perfect. See 
 1 Cor. XV. 42 — 44. But these things are 
 said for the purpose of carrying out or 
 making complete the figure, or the rep- 
 resentation of cutting on the hands, &c. 
 The meaning is, it is better to go to 
 heaven, without enjoying the things that 
 caused us to sin, than to enjoy them 
 here, and then be lost. ^ Halt. Lame. 
 Claimed. With a loss of limbs. IT hilo 
 hell fire. It is implied in all this, that 
 if their beloved sins are not abandoned, 
 the soul must go into everlasting fire. 
 This is conclusive proof that the suffer- 
 ings of the wicked will be eternal. See 
 Notes on Mark ix. 44, 46, 48. 
 
 10. Take heed that ye despise not one 
 of these little ones, &c. That is, one 
 who has become like little children — or, 
 a Christian. Jesus then proceeds to 
 state the reason why we should not de- 
 spise his feeblest and obscurest follower. 
 I'hat reason is drawn from the care 
 which God exercises over them. The 
 first instance of that care is, that m hea- 
 ve7i their angels do always behold his face. 
 He does not mean, I suppose, to state 
 that every good man has his guardian 
 angel, as many of the Jews believed ; 
 but that the angels were, in general, the 
 guards of bis followers, and aided them, 
 and .vatched over them. Heb. i. 14. 
 ^ Do always behold the face of God. 
 This is taken from the practice of earth- 
 ly courts. To be admitted to the pre- 
 sence of a king ; to be permitted to see 
 his face continually ; to have free access 
 at all times, was deemed a mark of pe- 
 culrir favor (1 Kings x. 8, Esther i. 14), 
 and was esteemed a security for his pro- 
 tection. So, says our Saviour, we should 
 wot despise the obscurest Christians, for 
 
 leave the ninety and nine, and go- 
 eth into the mountains, and seeketh 
 that which is gone astray ? 
 
 13 And if so be that he find it, 
 verily I say unto you. He rejoiceth 
 more of thnt sheep, than of the ninety 
 and nine which went not astray. 
 
 14 Even so, it is not the will of 
 
 your Father which is in heaven 
 
 that one ^ of these little ones should 
 
 perish. 
 
 1.21. Lu.9.56. 19.10. Jno.3.17. 10.10. 12.47. 
 lTi.1.15. eLu.l5.4,&c. /2Pe.3.9. 
 
 they are ministered to by the highest 
 and noblest of beings ; beings who are 
 always enjoying the favor and friend- 
 ship of God. 
 
 11. For the Son of man, &c. This 
 is a second reason why we should not 
 despise Christians, for the Son of man 
 came to seek and save them. He came 
 in search of them when lost ; he found 
 them ; he saved them. It was the great 
 object of his life ; and though obscure 
 and httle in the eye of the world, yet 
 that cannot be worthy of contempt 
 which the Son of God sought by his 
 toils and his death. IT Son of man. See 
 Note, Matt. viii. 19, 20. H Th*t which 
 was lost. Property is lost when it ia 
 consumed, mislaid, &c. — when we have 
 no longer the use of it. Friends are, 
 lost when they die — we enjoy their so- 
 ciety no longer. A v/icked and profli- 
 gate man is said to be lost to virtue and 
 happiness. He is useless to society. 
 So all men are lost. They are wicked, 
 miserable wanderers from God. They 
 are lost to piety, to happiness, and hea- 
 ven. These Jesus came to save by 
 giving his own life a ransom, and shed- 
 ding his own blood that they might be 
 recovered and saved. 
 
 12—14. To show still farther the 
 reason why we should not despise them, 
 he introduced a parable showing the joy 
 felt when a thing lost is found. Man 
 rejoices over the recovery of one of his 
 flock that had wandered, more than 
 over all that remained. So God rejoices 
 that man is restored, seeks his salva- 
 tion, and wills ihat not one thus found 
 should perish. If God thus loves and 
 preserves the redeemed, then surely 
 man should not despise them. See this 
 passage farther explained in Luke xv 
 4—10. •
 
 A. D. 32.J 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 203 
 
 15 Moreover, i<» thy brother shall 
 trespass against thee, go and tell 
 him his fault between thee and him 
 alone : if '' he shall hear thee, thou 
 hast gained thy brother. 
 
 10 But if he will not hear thcc, 
 then take with tliee one or two more, 
 that in the mouth of two or three <= 
 a Le.l9.1T. Lu.17.3. & Ja.5.20. c De.19.15. 
 
 15 — -0. ^[orcorcr, if thy brother. The 
 word brother, here, evide;nlly means a 
 fellow-professor of religion. Christians 
 are called brethren because they belong 
 to the same redeemed family — having a 
 common Faliicr, God. and because they 
 are united iu the same feelings, objects, 
 and destiny. If Trespn<is as^ain^l thee. 
 That i.s, injure thee in any \vaj% by 
 words or conduct. The original word 
 means sin against thee. Tiiis may be 
 done by injuring the character, person, 
 or property. H Go and tell him his fault. 
 This was required under the lair. Lev. 
 xix. 17. In the original it is, " go and 
 reprove him." Seek an explanation of 
 his conduct; and if he has done wrong, 
 administer a friendly and brotherly re- 
 proof. This is required to be done 
 alone: 1st. That he may have an op- 
 portunity of explaining it. In nine cases 
 out of ten, where one supposes lie has 
 been injured, a little friendly conversa- 
 tion would set the matter right, and pre- 
 vent difficulty. 2d. That he may have 
 opportunity of acknowledging his of- 
 fence, or making reparation, if he has 
 done wrong. Many would be glad of 
 such an opportunity, and it is our duty 
 to furnish it by calling on them. ."^d. 
 That we may admonish them of their 
 error, if they have done an injury to the 
 cau.se of religion. This should not be 
 blazoned abroad. It can do no good. 
 It docs injury. It is what the enemies 
 of relicrion wish. Christ is often wound- 
 ed in the bouse of his friends ; and reli- 
 gion, as well as an injured brother, often 
 suffers by spreading such faults before 
 the world. H Thou liast gained thy bro- 
 ther. To gain means, sometimes, to 
 ■preserve, or to save. 1 Cor. ix. 19. 
 Here it means, thou hast pre'^eived bini, 
 or restored iiira, to be a consistent Chris- 
 tian. Perhaps it may include the idea 
 al.-JO, thou hast reconciled him — thou 
 hast gained him as a Christian brother. 
 
 15. If^-e will not liear thee, &c. That 
 
 witnesse.s every word may be es- 
 tablished. 
 
 17 And if he shall neglect to hear 
 them, tell it unto the chureli : but 
 if he neglect to hear the church, let 
 •^ him be unto thee as an heathen 
 man and a publican. 
 
 d Ro.lG.lT. 1 Cor.5.3-5. 2 Th.3.6.14 
 
 is, if he spurns or abuses you, or \vili 
 not be entreated by j"ou, and will not 
 reform. H Take one or ttvo more. The 
 de.«ign of taking them seems to be, 1st. 
 That he might be induced to listen to 
 them. Ver. 17. They sbould be per- 
 sons of influence or authority ; his per- 
 sonal friend.", or those in whom he could 
 put confidence. 2d. That they might 
 be witnesses of his conduct before the 
 church. Ver. 17. The law of Moses 
 required two or three witnesses. Deut. 
 xi.x. 15. 2 Cor. xiii. 1. John viii. 17. 
 
 17. Tell it to the church. See Note, 
 Matt. xvi. 18. The church may here 
 mean the whole assembly of believers; 
 or it may mean those who are author- 
 ized to try such case.s — the representa- 
 bives of the church, or those who act 
 for them. In the Jewi.sh synagosrue 
 there was a bench of elders, before 
 whom trials of this kind were brought. 
 It was to be brought to the church, in 
 order that he might be admonished, 
 entreated, and, if possible, reformed. 
 This was, and is always to be, the first 
 business in disciplining an offending 
 brother. ^ If he neglect to hear the 
 church, let him be, <5cc. The Jews gave 
 the name heathen or gentile to all other 
 nations but themselves. With them 
 they had no relisions intercourse or 
 communion. IT Publican. See Note, 
 Matt. V 47. Publicans were men of 
 abandoned character, and the Jews 
 would have no intercoitrsc with them. 
 The meaning of this is, cease to have 
 religious intercourse with him. to ac- 
 knowledge him as a brother. Regard 
 him as obstinate, self willed, and guilty. 
 It does not mean that we should cease 
 to show kindness to him. and aid him 
 iaaiSiclion or trial; for this is required 
 towards all men. But it means that we 
 .should disown him as a Christian bro- 
 ther, and treat him as we do other men 
 not connected with the church. This 
 sbould not be done till all these steps
 
 204 
 
 18 Verily I say unto you, " What- 
 soever ye shall bind on earth, shall 
 be bound in heaven ; and whatso- 
 ever ye shall loose on earth, shall 
 be loosed in heaven. 
 
 19 Again I say unto you. That if 
 
 two of you shall agree on earth as 
 
 touching any thing that they shall 
 
 ssk, it*" shall be done for them of 
 
 my Father which is in heaven. 
 
 ac.lG.19. Jno.20.23. Ac.15.23-31. 2 Cor. 
 2.10. 6Mar.ll.^. Jno.16.24. lJno.5.14. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. 32. 
 
 20 For where two or three are 
 gathered together ' in my name, 
 there am I in the midst of them. 
 
 21 Then came Peter to him, and 
 said, Lord, how oft shall my brother 
 sin against me, and 1 forgive "* him 1 
 till seven times ] 
 
 22 .lesus saith unto him, I say 
 
 not unto thee, Until seven times; 
 
 but. Until seventy times seven. 
 
 eJno.20.19. 1 Cor.5.4. <i Mar. 11.25. Lu 
 17.4. Col.3.13. 
 
 are taken. This is the only way of 
 kindness. This is the only way to pre- 
 serve peace and purity in the cluirch. 
 
 18. Whatsoever ye shall bind, &-C. 
 See Note, Matt. xvi. 19. These words 
 were spoken to the apostles. He had 
 used the same words to Peter. Ch. xvi. 
 19. He used them here to signify that 
 they all had the same power ; that in 
 ordering the affairs of the churcli he 
 did not intend to give Peter any supre- 
 macy, or any exclusive right to regulate 
 it. The meaning of this verse is, what- 
 ever you shall do in the discipline of the 
 church shall be approved by God, or 
 bound in heaven. This promise, there- 
 fore, cannot be understood as extend- 
 ing to all Christians or ministers ; ibr 
 all others but the apostles may err. 
 
 19. Again I say unto you, if two of 
 yoti, &c. This is connected with the 
 previous verses. The connexion is this : 
 The obstinate man is to be excluded 
 from the church. Ver. 17. The care of 
 the church — the power of admitting or 
 excluding members — of organizing and 
 estaltlishing it — is committed to you, 
 the apostles. Ver. 18. Yet there is 
 not need of the whole to give validity to 
 the transaction. When two of you 
 agree — or have the same mind, feelings, 
 and opinion, about the arrangement of 
 affairs in the church, or about things 
 desired for its welfare, and shall ask of 
 God, it shall be done for them. See 
 Acts i. 14 — 26, XV. 1—29. The pro- 
 raise here has respect to the apostles in 
 organizing the church. It cannot, with 
 any propriety, be applied to the ordinary 
 prayers of believers. Other promises 
 arc made to them, and it is true that the 
 prayer of faith will be answered ; but 
 that is not the truth taught here. 
 
 20. For where two or three, «fec. This 
 is a general assertion, made to support 
 
 the particular promise made (ver. 19j 
 to his apostles. He affirms that wher- 
 ever two or three are assembled to- 
 gether in his name, he is in the midst 
 of them, "i In my name. That is, 1st. 
 By 7711/ authority, acting for me in my 
 church. See John x. 25, xvi. 23. 2d. 
 It may mean, for my service, in the 
 place of prayer and praise, assembled 
 in obedience to my command, and with 
 a desire to promote my glory. IT There 
 am I in the lyiidst of them. Nothing 
 could more clearly prove that Jesus 
 must be everywhere present, and of 
 course be God. Every day, perhaps 
 every hour, two or three, or many 
 more, may be assembled in every city 
 or village in the United States, in Eng- 
 land, in Greenland, in Africa, in Cey- 
 lon, in the Sandwich Islands, in Russia, 
 and in Judea — in almost every part of 
 the world — and in the midst of them all 
 is Jesus the Saviour. Millions thus at 
 the same lime, in every quarter of the 
 globe, worship in his name, and expe- 
 rience the truth of the promise that he 
 i(3 present with them. It is impossible 
 that he should be in all these places, and 
 not be God. 
 
 21. Then came Peter, &c. The men- 
 tion of the duty (ver. 15) oi seeing a bro- 
 ther when he had offended us, implying 
 that it was a duty to forgive him, led 
 Peter to ask how often this was to be 
 done, 'i Forgive hirn? To forgive is 
 to treat as though the offence was not 
 committed — to declare that we will not 
 harbor malice, or treat unkindly, but 
 that the matter shall be buried and for- 
 gotten. H Till seven times ? The Jews 
 taught that a man was to forgive an- 
 other three times, but not the fourth 
 Peter more than doubled this, and ask- 
 ed whether forgiveness was to be exer- 
 cisea to so great an extent. ^ TiU
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 ii05 
 
 23 Therefore is the kingdom of 
 neaven likened unto a certain king, 
 which would take " account of his 
 servants. 
 
 24 And when he had begun to 
 reckon, one was brought unto him 
 which owed him ten thousand ' ta- 
 lents : 
 
 25 But forasmuch as he had not 
 
 a Ro.14.12. ' a talent is 750 ounces of sil- 
 ver, ichtch, at 5s. the ounce, is 1871. 10s. 
 
 seventy times seven. The meaning is, 
 that we are not to limit our forgiveness 
 to any fixed number of tunes. See Gen. 
 iv. 24. As often as a brother injures 
 us, ar 1 asks forgiveness, we are to for- 
 give him. It is his duty to ask forgive- 
 ness. Luke xvii. 4. If he does this. 
 It is our duty to declare that we forgive 
 him, and to treat him accordingly. If 
 he does not ask us to forgive him, yet 
 we are not at liberty to follow him with 
 revenge and malice, but are still to treat 
 him Idndly, and to do him good. Luke 
 K. 30—37. 
 
 23. Therefore is the kingdom of hea- 
 ven likened, &c. This phrase has re- 
 ference to the church, or to the way in 
 which God will deal with his people. 
 It shall be in my church as it was with 
 a certain king ; or God will deal with 
 the members of his church as a certain 
 king did with his servants. See Note, 
 Matt. iii. 2. This parable (see Matt, 
 xiii. 3) is related to show the duty of 
 forgiving others. It is not necessary to 
 suppose that it was a true narrative, but 
 only that it illustrated the truth which 
 he was teaching. At the same time it 
 may be true that such an occurrence 
 really took place. IT Would take ac- 
 count of his servants. To take account 
 means to reckon, to settle up the affairs. 
 Servants here means, probably, petty 
 princes, or, more likely, collectors of the 
 revenue, or taxes. Among the ancients, 
 kings often farmed out, or sold for a 
 certain sum, the taxes of a particular 
 province. Thus, when Judea was sub- 
 ject to Egypt, or Roine, the kings fre- 
 quently sold to the High Priest the 
 taxes to be raised from Judea, on con- 
 dition of a much smaller sum being 
 naid to them. This secured to them a 
 tertain sum, but it gave occasion to 
 much oppression in the collection of the 
 taxes. It is probable that some such 
 IS 
 
 to pay, his lord commanded hiin to 
 be '' sold, and his wife and children, 
 and all that he had, and payment to 
 be made. 
 
 26 The servant therefore fell 
 down, and worshipped ^ him, say- 
 ing. Lord, have patience with me, 
 and I will pay thee all. 
 
 27 Then the lord of that servant 
 
 b 2 Ki.4.1. Is.50.1. ^ or, besought him. 
 
 persons are intended by the word ser 
 vants. 
 
 24. Ten thousand talents. A talent 
 was a sum of money, or iveigkt of sil- 
 ver or gold, amounting to three thou- 
 sand shekels. A silver shekel was 
 worth, after the captivity, not far from 
 half a dollar of our money. A talent 
 of silver was worth $1519 23 cts ; of 
 gold, $243,098 88 cts. If these were 
 silver talents, as is probable, then the 
 sum owed by the servant was fifteen 
 millions, one hundred and eighty thou- 
 sand dollars ; a sum which proves that 
 he was not a domestic, but some tribu- 
 tary prince. The sum is. used to show 
 that the debt was immensely large, and 
 that our sins are so great that they can- 
 not be estimated or numbered. Com- 
 pare Job xxii. 5. 
 
 2.5. His lord commanded him to be 
 sold, &c. By the laws of the Hebrews, 
 they were permitted to sell debtors, 
 with their wives and children, into ser- 
 vitude for a time sufficient to pay the 
 debt. See 2 Kings iv. 1 ; Lev. xxv. 
 39 — 46 ; Amos viii. 6. 
 
 26. The servant fell down and vor- 
 shipped him. This does not mean that 
 he paid him religious homage, but that 
 in a humble, and reverent, and earnest 
 manner, he entreated him to have pa- 
 tience with him. He prostrated hina- 
 self before his lord, as is customary in 
 all eastern nations, when subjects are 
 in the presence of theu: king. See Note, 
 Matt. ii. 2. 
 
 27. The lord of that servant tms moved 
 tvith compassion, &c. He had pity on 
 him. He saw his distressed condition. 
 He pitied his family. He forgave him 
 the whole debt. This represents the 
 mercy of God to men. They had sin- 
 ned. They owed to God more than 
 could be paid. They were about to 
 be cast off. But God has mercy ot
 
 206 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 was moved with compassion, " and 
 loosed him, and forgave him the 
 debt. 
 
 28 But the same servant went 
 out, and fDund one of his fellow- 
 eervants which owed him an hun- 
 dred 'pence; and he laid hands on 
 him, and took him by the throat, 
 saying. Pay me that thou owest. 
 
 29 And his fellow-servant fell 
 down at his feet, and besought him, 
 saying, * Have patience with me, 
 and I will pay thee all. 
 
 30 And he would not ; but went 
 and cast him into prison, till he 
 should pay the debt. 
 
 31 So when his fellow-servants 
 saw what was done, they were very 
 
 a Ps.78.38. ' the Roman pentnj is the Sth 
 part of an ounce, which, at 5s. the ounce, is Id. 
 
 them, and in connexion with their 
 prayers forgives them. We are not to 
 mterpret the circumstances of a parable 
 too strictly. The verse about selling 
 the wife and children is not to be talcen 
 literally, as if God was about to punisli 
 them for the sins of the father ; but it 
 is a circumstance thrown in to keep up 
 the story ; to make it consistent ; to 
 explain why the servant was so anxious 
 to obtain arfe/ai/ of the time of payment. 
 
 28, 29. He found a fellow- servant who 
 owed him a« hundred pence. The pen- 
 ny was a Roman coin, worth about 
 fourteen cents of our money. Conse- 
 quently, this debt v>'as about fourteen 
 dollars — a very small sum compared 
 witlrwhat had been forgiven to the first 
 servant. Perhaps our Saviour, by this, 
 meant to leach that the ofl'encbs which 
 our fellow-men commit against us are 
 very small and insignificant, compared 
 with our ofiianccs against God. Since 
 God has forgiven us so much, we ought 
 to forgive each other the small oflences 
 which are committed. 1i Took him hy 
 the th-oat. Took him in a violent and 
 rough manner — half choked or throttled 
 Slim. This was the more criminal and 
 base, an he had himself been so kindly 
 treated, and dealt so mildly with, by his 
 toxA. 1i Besought. Entreated, plead 
 with him. 
 
 31. So whefi his fellow- servants, &c. 
 This is a mere circumstance thrown in- 
 'o t)»e story for the sake of keepijig, or 
 
 sorry, and came and told unto theii 
 lord all that was done. 
 
 32 Then his lord, after that he 
 had called him, said unto him, O 
 thou wicked servant, ' I forgave 
 thee all that debt, because thou de- 
 sired st me : 
 
 33 Shouldest not thou also have 
 had compassion on thy fellow-ser- 
 vant, even as I had pity on thee? 
 
 34 And his lord was wroth, and 
 delivered him to the tormentors, till 
 he should pay all that was due unto 
 him, 
 
 35 So'' likewise shall my heaven- 
 ly Father do also unto you, if ye 
 from your hearts forgive not every 
 one his brother their trespasses. 
 halfpenny, c.20.2. 6 ver.26. c Lu. 10.02. 
 d Pr.21.13. c.6.12. Ja.2.13. 
 
 making a consistent narrative. It can- 
 not be intended to teach that other 
 Christians should go and tell God what 
 a brother had done ; for God well knows 
 all the actions of his children, and does 
 not need us, surely, to inform him of 
 what is done. It is abusing the Bible, 
 and departing from the design of para- 
 bles, to press every circumstance, and 
 to endeavor to extract from it some 
 spiritual meaning. Our Saviour, in 
 this parable, designed most clearly to 
 exhibit only one great truth — the duty 
 of forgiving our brethren, and the great 
 evil of not forgiving a brother when he 
 offends us. The circimistances of the 
 parable are intended only to make the 
 story consistent with itself and thus to 
 impress the general truth more fidly on 
 the mind. 
 
 34. Delivered hun to the tormentors. 
 The word tormentors, here, probably 
 means keepers of the prison. Torments 
 were inflicted on criminals, not on debt- 
 ors. They were inflicted by stretching 
 the limbs, or pinching the flesh, or tak 
 ing out the eyes, or taking off the skin 
 while alive, &c. It is not probable 
 that any thing of this kind is intended, 
 but only thai the servant was punished 
 by imprisonment till the debt should 
 be paid. 
 
 35. So likeu-ise, &c. This verse coii 
 ta ns the sum or moral of the parable. 
 When Christ has explained one of his 
 own parables, wc are to receive }^,jv,gi
 
 A. D. 3i>.J 
 
 Bs he has explained il, and not attempt 
 to draw spiriiual instruction from any 
 pans or circumstances which he has 
 not explained. The following seems 
 to be the particulars c^f the general truth 
 which he meant to teach: 1st. That 
 our sins are great. 2d. That God freely 
 forgives them. 3d. That the offences 
 committed against us by our brethren 
 are comparatively small. 4th. That 
 we should, therefore, most freely for- 
 give them. 5th. That if we do not, 
 God will be ju«;tly angry with us, and 
 punisii us. ^ From your hearts. That 
 is, not merely in words, but really and 
 truly to feel and act towards him as if 
 he had not offended us. IT Trespasses. 
 Offences, injuries. Remarks and ac- 
 tions designed to do us wrong. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. We see that it is possible to make 
 1 profession of religion an occasion of 
 imbition. Ver. 1. The apostles at 
 first sought honor, and expected oftice 
 in consequence of following Christ. So 
 thousands have done since. Religion, 
 notwithstanding all the opposition it has 
 met with, redlli/ commands the confi- 
 lence of mankind. To make a pro- 
 ession of it may be a way of access to 
 'hat confidence. And thousands, it is 
 .0 be feared, even yet enter the church 
 merely to obtain some worldly benefit. 
 Especially does this danger beset min- 
 isters of the gospel. There are few 
 paths to the confidence of mankind so 
 easily trod, as to enter the ministry. 
 Every minister, of course, if at all wor- 
 thy of his office, has access to the con- 
 fidence of multhudes, and is never 
 despised but by the worst and lowest 
 of mankind. No way is so easy to step 
 at once to public confidence. Other 
 men toil long to establish influence by 
 personal character. The minister has 
 it by virtue of his office. Those who 
 now enter the ministry are tempted far 
 more in this respect than were the apos- 
 tles ; and how should they search their 
 own hearts, to see that no such abomi- 
 nable motive has induced them to seek 
 that office ! 
 
 2d. It is consummate wickedness 
 thus to prostrate the most sacred of all 
 offices to the worst of purposes. The 
 apostles, at this time, were ignorant. 
 They expected a kingdom where it 
 would be right to seek distinction. But 
 vve labor under no such ignorance. 
 VVs Ifnoiu that his kingdom is not of 
 
 CHAPTER XVm. 
 
 ao7 
 
 this world, and wo to the man that acta 
 as though it were. Deep and awful 
 must be the lot of him who thus seeks 
 the honors of the world, while he is 
 professedly following the meek and 
 lowly Jesus. 
 
 3d. Humility is indispensable to re- 
 ligion. Ver. 3. No man, who is not 
 humble, can possibly be a Christian. 
 He must be wiUing to esteem himself 
 as he is, and to have others esteem him 
 so also. This is humility. And hu- 
 mility is lovely. It is not meanness. 
 It is not cowardice. It is not want of 
 just self-esteem. It is a view of our- 
 selves just as we are, and a willingness 
 that God and all creatures should so 
 esteem us. What can be more lovely 
 than such an estimation of oitrselves ? 
 And how foolish and wicked is it to be 
 proud ; that is, to think more of our- 
 selves, and wish others to think so, 
 than we really deserve ! To put on 
 appearances, and to magnify our own 
 importance, and think that the affairs 
 of the universe could not goon without 
 us, and to be indignant when all the 
 world does not bow down to do us 
 homage — this ia hypocrisy, as well as 
 wickedness; and there may be, there 
 fore, hypocrites out of the church, as 
 well as in it. 
 
 4tli. Humility is the best evidence of 
 piety. Ver. 4. The most humble man 
 is the most eminent Christian. He is 
 greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 
 The effect of sin is to produce pride. 
 Religion overcomes it by producing a 
 just sense of ourselves, of other men, 
 of angels, and of God. We may there- 
 fore measure the advance of piety in 
 our own souls by the increase of hu- 
 mility. 
 
 5ih. We see the danger of despising 
 and doing injury to real Christians, and 
 more especially the guilt of attempting 
 to draw them into sin. Ver. 6. God 
 watches over them. He loves them. 
 In the eye of the world they may be 
 of little importance, but not so with 
 God. The most obscure follower of 
 Christ is dear, infinitely dear, to him ; 
 and he will take care of him. He that 
 attempts to injure a Christian attempts 
 to injure God ; for God has redeemed 
 him, and loves him. 
 
 6th. Men will do much to draw 
 others into sin. Ver. 7. In all com- 
 munities there arc some who seem to 
 live for this. They have often much
 
 208 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 wealth, or learning, or accomplishment, 
 or address, or professional influence ; 
 and they employ it for the sake of se- 
 ducing tlie unwary, and leading them 
 into ruin. Hence offences come, and 
 many of the young and thoughtless are 
 led astray. But He who has all power 
 has pronounced wo upon them, and 
 judgment will not always linger. No 
 cla:>s of men have a more fearful ac- 
 r-ou.'it to render to God than they wh o 
 thus lead others into vice and infidehty. 
 
 7th. We must forsake our dearest 
 bins. Vs. 8, 9. We must do this, or 
 go to hell-fire. There is no way of 
 avoiding it. We cannot love and che- 
 rish those sins, and be saved. 
 
 8th. The wicked — they who will 7iot 
 forsake their sins — must certainly go to 
 eternal punishment. Vs. 8, 9. So said 
 the compassionate Saviour. The fair 
 and obvious meaning of his words is, 
 that the sufferings of hell are eternal. 
 And Christ did not use words without 
 meaning. He did not mean to frighten 
 us by bug-bears, or to hold up imagi- 
 nary fears. If Christ .?peaks of hell, 
 then there is a hell. If he says it is 
 eternal, then it is so. Of this we may 
 be sure, that every wokd which the 
 God of mercy has spoJcen about the ■pun- 
 ishment of the wicked is full of mean- 
 ing. 
 
 9th. Christians are protected. Ver. 10. 
 Angels are appointed as their friends 
 and guardians. Those friends are very 
 near to God. They enjoy his favor, 
 and his children shall be safe. 
 
 10th. Christians are safe. Vs. 11 — 14. 
 Jesus came to save them. He left the 
 heavens for this end. God rejoices in 
 their salvation. He secures it at great 
 sacrifices, and none can pluck them out 
 of his hand. After the coming of Jesus 
 to save them — after all that he has done 
 for that, and that only — after the joy of 
 God and angels at their recovery — it is 
 impossible that they should be wrested 
 from him and destroyed. Sec John x. 
 27, 28. 
 
 11th. It is our duty to admonish our 
 brethren when they injure us. Ver. 15. 
 We have no right to speak of the of- 
 'ence to any one else, not even to our 
 best friends, until we have given an 
 opportunity to explain. 
 
 12th. The way to treat offending 
 brethren is clearly pointed out. Vs. 15, 
 16, 17. Nor have we a right to take 
 uny other course. Infinite Wisdom — 
 
 the Prince of peace — has declared thai 
 this is the way to treat our brethren. 
 No other can be right; and no other, 
 therefore, can be so well adapted to 
 promote the peace. of the church. And 
 vet how different from this is the course 
 commonly pursued ! How few go ho- 
 nestly to an offending brother, and tell 
 him his fault ! Instead of this, every 
 breeze bears the report — it is magnified 
 — mole-hills swell to mountains, and a 
 quarrel of years often succeeds what 
 might have been settled at once. No 
 robber is so cruel as he who steals 
 away the character of another. Nothing 
 can compensate for the loss of this. 
 Wealth, health, mansions, and equip- 
 age, all are trifles compared with this. 
 Especially is this true of a Christian. 
 His reputation gone, he has lost his 
 power of doing good ; he has brought 
 dishonor on the cause he most loved ; 
 he has lost his peace, and worlds can- 
 not repay him. 
 
 " Who steals my purse, steals trash : 'lis 
 
 something, nothing: 
 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and ha^ been slave to 
 
 thousands. 
 But he that filches from me my good name 
 Robs me of that which not enriches him, 
 And makes me poor indeed." 
 
 13th. We have every encouragement 
 to pray. Ver. 20. Vv'^e are poor, and 
 sinful, and dying, and none can com- 
 fort us but God. At his throne we 
 may find all that we want. We know 
 not which is most wonderful, that God 
 deigns to hear our prayers, or that men 
 are so unwilling to use so sim.ple and 
 easy a way of obtaining what they so 
 much need. 
 
 14th. We should never be weary of 
 forgiving our brethren. Ver. 22. We 
 should do it cheerfully. We should do 
 it always. V/e are never better em- 
 ployed than when we are doing good 
 to those who have injured us. Thus 
 dointr, we are most like God. 
 
 15th. There will be a day in which 
 we must give up our account. Ver. 23. 
 It may wait long ; but God will reckon 
 with us, and every thing shall be 
 brought into judgment. 
 
 16th. We are greatly indebted to 
 God — far, far beyond what we are able 
 to pay. Ver. 24. We have sinned, 
 and in no way can we make atonemen* 
 for past sins. But Jesus the Saviour 
 has made attonement, and paid ou; 
 debt, and we miy be free.
 
 A.. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 306 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 AND it came to pass, that when 
 Jesus had finished these say- 
 ings, he" departed from Galilee, and 
 came into the coasts of Judea be- 
 yond Jordan : 
 
 2 And great multitudes followed 
 him ; and he healed them there. 
 
 3 The Pharisees also came unto 
 him, tempting him, and saying unto 
 him. Is it lawful for a man to put 
 away his vv ife for every cause 1 
 
 a Mar.lO.l. Jno.10.40. 
 
 17th. It is right to pray to God when 
 we feel that we have sinned, and arc 
 unable to pay the debt. Ver. 26. We 
 have no other way. Poor, and needy, 
 and wretched, we must cast ourselves 
 upon his merc}^ or die — die for ever. 
 
 18th. God will have compassion on 
 those who do it. Ver. 27. At h.is feet, 
 in the Ojititude of prayer, the burdened 
 sinner hnds peace. We have nowhere 
 else to go but to the very Being that we 
 have oifended. No being but He can 
 save us from death. 
 
 19th. From the kindness of God to 
 us we should learn not to oppress 
 others. Ver. 23. 
 
 20th. It is our true iiiterest, as well 
 as duty, to forgive those that offend us. 
 Ver. 34. God will take vengeance ; 
 and in due time we must sutler, if we 
 do not forgive others. 
 
 21st. Christians are often great suf- 
 ferers for harboring malice. As a 
 punishment, God withdraws the light 
 of his countenance ; they walk in dark- 
 ness ; they cannot enjoy religion ; their 
 conscience smites them ; and they are 
 wretched. No man ever did, or ever 
 can, enjoy religion, who did not from 
 his heart forgive his brother his tres- 
 passes. 
 
 22d. One reason why Christians ever 
 walk in darkness is, that there is some 
 such duty neglected. They think they 
 have been injured, and very possibly 
 they may have been. They think they 
 are in the right, and possibly they are 
 so. But mingled with a consciousness 
 of this is an unforgiving spirit ; and they 
 cannot enjoy rehgion till that is sub- 
 dued. 
 
 23d. Forgiveness must not be in word 
 merely, but from the heart. Ver. 35. 
 18* 
 
 4 And he answered and said unto 
 them. Have ye not read, that * he 
 which made thpyn at the beginning, 
 made them male and female ! 
 
 5 And said, For' this cause shall 
 a man leave father and mother, and 
 shall cleave to his wife ; and they 
 twain shall be one flesh. 
 
 6 Wherefore they are no more 
 twain, but one flesh. What** there- 
 fore God hath joined together, let 
 not man put asunder. 
 
 6 Ge.1.27. 5.2. Mal.2.15. c Ge.2.24. Ep. 
 5.31. d 1 Cor.7.10. 
 
 No other can be genuine. No other 
 is like God. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 1—12. See also Mark x. 1—12. 
 
 1. Coasts of Judea beyond Jordan. 
 Probably our Saviour was then going 
 from Galilee up to Jerusalem, to one of 
 the great feasts of the Jews. Samaria 
 was between Galilee and Jerusalem ; 
 and, choosing not to go through it, he 
 crossed the Jordan, and passed down 
 on the east side of it, through Pema, 
 a region of country belonging to Judea, 
 formerly a part of the tribes Reuben, 
 Gad, and Manasseh. See the map 
 IT Coasts of Judea. Regions or parts 
 of Judea. See Note on Matt. ii. 16. 
 
 3. The Pharisees came. See Note, 
 Matt. iii. 7. If Tempting him. This 
 means, to get him, if possible, to ex- 
 press an opinion that should involve 
 him in difficulty. There was the more 
 art in this captious question which they 
 proposed, as at that time the people 
 were very much divided on the subject. 
 A part, following the opinions of Hillel, 
 said that a man might divorce his wife 
 for any offence, or any dislike he might 
 have of her. Note, Matt. v. 31. Others, 
 of the school of Shammai, maintained 
 that divorce was unlawful, except in 
 case of adultery. Whatever opinion, 
 therefore, Christ expressed, they e.\- 
 pected that he would involve himself in 
 difficulty with one of their parties. 
 
 4, 5, 6. And he answered and said, 
 &c. Instead of referring to the opi- 
 nions of either party Jesus called theii 
 attention to the origmal design of mar 
 riage, to the authority of Moses — an 
 authority acknov^lcdged by them both. 
 If Have ye not rend. Gen. i. 27 : ii
 
 210 
 
 MATl^HEW, 
 
 \A. D. 3S. 
 
 7 Thtv -eay unto him, Why" did 
 Moses t) en command to give a 
 writing or" divorcement, and to put 
 her away J 
 
 8 He &aith unto them, Moses, be- 
 
 a De.24.1. Is.50.1. 
 
 21, 22. ^ A7id saTd, For this cause, 
 &c. Geii. ii. 24. That is, God at the 
 Deginning made but ofie man and one 
 woman; their posterity should learn 
 that the "riginal intention of marriage 
 was that a man should have but one 
 wife. "iT Shall leave his father aiid 
 mother. This means, shall bind him- 
 self more strongly to his wife than he 
 was to his father or mother. The mar- 
 riage connexion is the most tender and 
 endearing of all human relations ; more 
 tender than even that bond which unites 
 us to a parent. IT A7id shall cleave U7ito 
 his wife. The word cleave denotes a 
 union of the firmest kind. It is in the 
 original taketi from gluing, and means 
 so firmly to adhere together that no- 
 thing can separate ihcm. ^ Tlieytivain 
 shall be o?ie flesh. That is, they two, or 
 that were two, shall be united as one- 
 one in law, in feeling, in interest, and 
 in affection. They shall no longer have 
 separate interests, but shall act in all 
 things as if they were one — animated 
 by one soul and one wish. The argu- 
 ment of Jesus here is, that since they 
 are so intimately united as to be one, 
 and since in the beginning God made 
 but one woman for one man, it follows 
 that they cannot be separated but by 
 the authority of God. Man may not 
 put away his wife for every cause. 
 What God has joined together man may 
 not put asunder. In this decision he 
 really decided in favor of one of the 
 parties ; and it shows that when it was 
 proper, Jesus answered questions, from 
 whatever cause they might have been 
 proposed, and however much difliculiy 
 it might involve him in. Our Lord, in 
 this, also showed consummate wisdom. 
 He answered the question, not frotn 
 Ilillel or Shammai, their teachers, bui 
 from Moses ; and thus defeated iln:/i 
 malice. 
 
 ". Why did Mosrs, &o. To this 
 (hey objected that Moses had allowed 
 such clivorces (Deut. x.xiv. 1); and if 
 he had allowed them, thev inferred that 
 they could not be unlawful . See Note, 
 Matt. V. 31. 
 
 cause of the hardness of your hearts 
 suffered you to put away your wives: 
 but from the beginning it was not 
 so. 
 
 9 And I say unto you, whoso- 
 
 8. He saith unto them, &c. Jesus 
 admits that this was allowed ; but still 
 he contends that this was not the origi- 
 nal desig7i of marriage. It was only a 
 temporary expedient, growing out of a 
 peculiar state of things, and not de- 
 signed to be perpetual. It was on ac- 
 count of the hardness of their hearts. 
 Moses found the custom in use. He 
 found a hard-hearted and rebelhous 
 people. In this state of things he did 
 not deem it prudent to forbid a practice 
 so universal : but it might be regulated ; 
 and, instead of suffering the husband to 
 divorce his wife ?Vt a passio7i, he re- 
 quired him, in order that he might take 
 time to consider the matter, and thus 
 make it probable that divorces would 
 be less frequent, to give her a writing; 
 to sit down deliberately, to look at the 
 matter, and probably also to bring the 
 case before some scribe or learned man, 
 to wriie a divorce in the legal form. 
 Thus doing, there might be an oppor- 
 tunity for the matter to be reconciled, 
 and the man to be persuaded 7iot to di 
 vorce his wife. This, says our Saviour, 
 was a permission growing out of a par- 
 ticular state of things, and designed to 
 remedy a prevailing evil. But at first 
 it was not so. God intended that mar- 
 riage should be between one man and one 
 woman, and that they were only to be se- 
 parated by appointment of him who had 
 formed the union. H Hardness of yotir 
 hearts. He speaks here of his hearer; 
 as a part of the nation. The hardness 
 of you Jeivs ; as wb-n we say, we 
 fought with England md gained our 
 independence. Thai (< we the Ame- 
 rican people, thougli ii. was done by 
 our fathers. He doe;, not mean to say, 
 therefore, that this wa'< done on account 
 of the people that he addressed, but of 
 the national hardness of heart — the 
 cruelty of the Jewish people as a people. 
 
 9. A7id I say unto you. Emphasis 
 should h" laid here on the word /. 
 This was the opinion of Jesus— tliis he 
 proclaimed to be the law of his king 
 dom — this the command of God ever 
 afterwards. Indulgence had been given
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 211 
 
 ever " shall put away his wife, ex- 
 cept it he for fornication, and shall 
 marry another, committeth adultery : 
 and whoso marrieth her which is 
 put away doth commit adultery. 
 
 10 His disciples say unto him, 
 If the case of the man he so with 
 hia wife, it is not good to marry.* 
 
 11 But he said unto them. All 
 men cannot receive this saying, save 
 ihey to whom it is given. 
 
 ac.5.32. Lii. 16.18. 6 Pr.19.13. 21.9,19. 
 
 by the laws of Moses ; but that indul- 
 gence was to cease, and the marriage 
 relation to he brought hack to its original 
 intention. Only one offence was to 
 make divorce lawful. This is the law 
 of God. And by the same law, all 
 marriages which take place after di- 
 vorce Nvthere adultery is not the cause 
 of divorce, are adulterous. Legisla- 
 tures have no right to say that men 
 may put away their wives for any other 
 cause ; and ivhere they do, and where 
 (here is marriage afterwards, by the law 
 of God such marriages are adulterous. 
 
 10. His disciples say, &c. The dis- 
 ciples were full of Jewish notions. 
 They thought that the privilege of di- 
 vorcing a wife when there was a quar- 
 relsome disposition, or any thing else 
 that rendered the marriage unhappy, 
 was a great privilege ; and that in such 
 cases to be always hound to live with a 
 wife was a great calamity. They said, 
 therefore, thai if such tuas the case — 
 such the condition on which men mar- 
 ried — it was belter not to marry. 
 
 11. All men cannot receive this say- 
 ing. The minds of men are not pre- 
 pared for this. This saying evidently 
 means what the disciples had just said, 
 that it was good for a man not to marry. 
 It might be good in certain circumstan- 
 ces, in times of persecution and trial, 
 or for the sake of laboring in the cause 
 of religion, without the care and burden 
 of a family. It might be good for many 
 to live as some of the apostles did, 
 without marriage, but it was not given 
 to all men. 1 Cor. vii. 1, 7, 9. To be 
 Tiarried, or unmarried, might be law- 
 ful according to circumstances. 1 Cor. 
 vii. 26. 
 
 12. Jesus proceeds to state that there 
 were some who were able to receive that 
 saymg, and to rf oiam in an unmarried 
 
 12 For there are some eunuchq, 
 which were so born from their mo- 
 thers' womb : and there are some 
 eunuchs, which were made eunuchs 
 of men : and there be eunuchs, 
 which have made themselves eu- 
 nuchs for the kingdom of heaven's 
 'sake. He that is able to receive 
 it, let him receive it. 
 
 13 Then were there brought unto 
 him little children, that he should 
 
 c 1 Cor.7.32. 
 
 state. Some were so born ; some made 
 such by the cruelty of men ; and some 
 who voluntarily abstained from mar- 
 ringe for the kingdom of heaven' s sake-~ 
 that is, that they might devote them- 
 selves entirely to the proper business 
 of religion. Perhaps he refers here to 
 the EssENES, a sect of the Jews (see 
 Note, Matt. iii. 7) who held that mar- 
 riage was unsuitable to their condition, 
 who had no children of their own, but 
 perpetuated their sect by adopting the 
 poor children of others. Eunuchs were 
 employed chiefly in attending on the 
 females, or in the harem. They rose 
 often to distinction, and held important 
 offices in the state. Hence the word 
 sometimes denotes such an officer of 
 state. Acts viii. 27. 
 
 13. Then V)ere hroHght little children. 
 See also Mark x. 13 — 16 ; Luke xviii. 15 
 — 17. Probably these were brought by 
 some of his followers, who desired not 
 only to devote themselves to Jesus, but 
 all that they had — their children as well 
 as themselves. All the Jews were ac- 
 customed to devote their children to 
 God by circumcision. It was natural, 
 therefore, under the new dispensation, 
 that it should be done. Luke says they 
 were infants. They were undoubtedly 
 those who were not old enough to come 
 by choice, but their coming was an act of 
 the parents. If Put his hands on them 
 and pray. It was customary among the 
 Jews, when blessings were sought for 
 others in prayer, to lay the hands on 
 the head of the person prayed for, im- 
 plying a kind of consecration to God. 
 See Gen. xlviii. 14 ; Matt. be. 18. They 
 had also much confidence in the pray- 
 ers of pious men ; believing that those 
 blessed by a saint or a prophet would 
 be happy. See Num. xxii. 6; Luke n 
 28. IT The disciples rebuked them That
 
 212 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32 
 
 put his hands on them, and pray : 
 and the disciples rebuked them. 
 
 14 But Jesus said, Suffer " little 
 children, and forbid them not, to 
 come unto me ; for of such * is the 
 kingdom of heaven. 
 
 a Mar.10.14. Lu.]8.16,&c. 6 c.18.3. 
 
 Is, reproved them, or told them it was 
 improper. This they did probably, 
 either, 1st. because they thought they 
 were too young; or, 2d. because they 
 thought they would be troublesome to 
 their Master. 
 
 14. Jesus said, Suffer little children, 
 &c. Mark adds, he was much displeased 
 at what the disciples said. It was a 
 thing highly gratifying to him, and 
 which he earnestly sought, that chil- 
 dren should be brought to him ; and a 
 case where it was very improper that 
 they should interfere. IT Of such is the 
 kingdoin of heaven. The kingdom of 
 heaven evidently means, here, the 
 church. Note, Mark iii. 2. In Mark 
 and Luke it is said he immediately add- 
 ed, " Whosoever shall not receive the 
 kingdom oi' God as a Httle child, shall 
 not enter therein." Whosoever shall 
 not be humble, unambitious, and docile, 
 shall not be a true follower of Christ, 
 or a member of his kingdom. Of such 
 as these — that is, of persons with such 
 tempers as these — is the church to be 
 composed. He does not say of those 
 infants, but of such persons as resem- 
 bled them, or were like them in temper, 
 was the kingdom of heaven made up. 
 It was proper, therefore, that he should 
 pray for them. It was proper that they 
 who possessed such a temper should be 
 brought to him. The disposition itself 
 — the humility, the teachableness, the 
 want of ambition, was an ornament any 
 where, and little children should there- 
 fore be brought to him. — It is probable 
 — it is greatly to be hoped — that all in- 
 fants will be saved. No contrary doc- 
 trine IS taught in the sacred scriptures. 
 But it does not appear to be the design 
 of this passage to teach that all infants 
 will be saved. It means simply that 
 they should be suffered to be brought 
 to hiin, as amiable, lovely, and uncor- 
 rupted by the world, and having traits 
 of mind resemMing those among real 
 Christians. 
 
 15. He laid his hands o7t them. Mark 
 
 15 And he laid his hands on 
 them, and departed thence. 
 
 16 And behold, one came, and 
 said unto him. Good Master, what 
 ' good thing shall I do, that I may 
 have eternal life'? 
 
 c Mar.10.17. Lu. 10.25. 18.18. 
 
 says he blessed them. That is, he 
 pronounced or sought a blessing on 
 them. 
 
 16 — 30. This account is found also 
 in Mark x. 17 — 31, Luke xviii. 18- 
 30. 
 
 16. One cnm^. This was a young 
 man. Ver. 20. He was a ruler (Luke) ; 
 probably a ruler in a synagogue, or of 
 the great council of the nation ; a place 
 to which he was chosen on account of 
 his unblemished character, and promis- 
 ing talents. He came running ^Mark) ; 
 evincing great earnestness and anxiety. 
 He fell upon his knees (Mark) ; not to 
 worship him, but to pay the customary 
 respectful salutation ; exhibiting the 
 highest regard for Jesus as an extraoi 
 dinary religious teacher. IT Good Mas 
 ter. The word good here means, doubt- 
 less, most excellent; referring not so 
 much to the mokal character of Jesus 
 as to his character as a religious teacher 
 It was probably a title which the Jews 
 were in the habit of applying to their 
 religious teachers. The word Master 
 here means teacher. ^ What good thing 
 shall I do. He had attempted to keep 
 all the commandments. He had been 
 taught by his Jewish teachers that men 
 were to be saved by doing something, 
 or by their works ; and he supposes 
 that this was to be the way under every 
 system of religion. He had lived ex- 
 ternally a blameless life ; but yet he 
 was not at peace: he was anxious, and 
 he came to ascertain what, in the view 
 of Jesus, was to be done, that his right- 
 eousness might be complete. To have 
 eternal life means to be saved. The 
 happiness o( heaven is called life, in op- 
 position to the pains of hell, called death, 
 or an eternal dying. Rev. ii. 2 ; xx. 14. 
 The one is real life, answering the pur- 
 poses of livi ig — livnig to the honor of 
 God, and in eternal happiness ; the other 
 is a failure of the great ends of" exist- 
 ence — prolonged, eternal suffering — of 
 which temporal death is but the feebla 
 imago.
 
 K. D. 3y.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 213 
 
 17 And he said unto him. Why 
 eallest thou me jTood ? there is none 
 good but one, that is God : but if 
 thou wilt enter into life, keep the 
 commandments. 
 
 18 He saith unto him, Which 1 
 Jesus said. Thou shalt^do no mur- 
 
 a Ex.20. 13. De.5.17,&c. 
 
 17. Why callest thou me good ? Why 
 do you give to me a title that belongs 
 only to God? You suppose me to be 
 only a man. Yet you give me an ap- 
 pellation that belongs only to God. It 
 is improper to use titles in this manner. 
 As you Jews use them, they are un- 
 meaning. And though the "title may 
 apply to me, yet you did not intend to 
 use it in the sense in which it is proper, 
 as denoting infinite perfection, or di- 
 vinity; but you intended to use it as a 
 complimentary or a flattering title, ap- 
 plied to me as if I were a mere man — a 
 title which belongs only to God. The 
 intention, the liahit of using mere titles, 
 and applying as compliment terms be- 
 longing only to God, is wrong. Christ 
 did not intend here to disclaim divinity, 
 or to say any thing about his own cha- 
 racter; but simply to reprove the inten- 
 tion and habit of the young man — a 
 most severe reproof of a foolish habit 
 of compliment and flattery, and seeking 
 pompous titles. II Keep the command- 
 ments. That is, do what God has com- 
 manded. He, in the ne.xt verses, in- 
 forms hin; what he meant by the com- 
 mandments. Jesus said this, doubtless, 
 to try him, and to convince him that he 
 had by no means kept the command- 
 ments ; and that in supposing he had, 
 he was altogether deceived. The young 
 man thought he had kept them, and was 
 relying on thein for salvation. It was 
 of great importance, therefore, to con- 
 vince him that he was, after all, a sin- 
 ner. Christ did not mean to say that 
 any man would be saved by the works 
 of the law, for the Bible teaches plainly 
 that such will not be the case. Rom. 
 iii. 20, 28; iv. 6. Gal. ii. 16. Eph. ii. 
 9. 2 Tim. i. 9. At the same time, 
 however, it is true that if a man per- 
 fectly complied with the requirements 
 of the law, he would be saved ; for there 
 would be no reason why he should be 
 condemned. Jesus, therefore, since he 
 saw he was depending on his works, 
 *)ld him that if he would entc- hfe he 
 
 der, Thou shalt not commit adul- 
 tery, Thou shalt not steal. Thou 
 shalt not bear false witness ; 
 
 19 Honour thy father and ihy 
 mother; and. Thou '' shalt iove thy 
 neighbour as thyself. 
 
 6 Le.19.18. 
 
 must keep the commandments; if he 
 was depending on them, he must keep 
 them perfectly; and if this was done, he 
 would be saved. The reasons why 
 Christ gave him this direction were, 
 probably : 1st. Because it was his duty 
 to keep them. 2d. Because the young 
 man depe?ided on them, and he ought to 
 understand what was required if he did 
 — that they should be kept perfectly, or 
 that they were not kept at all. 3d. Be- 
 cause he wanted to test him, to show 
 him that he did7iot keep them, and thus 
 to show him his need of a Saviour. 
 
 18, 19. In reply to the inquiry of the 
 young man, Jesus directed him to the 
 sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and fifth 
 (Ex. x.\. 12 — 16), as containing the sub- 
 stance of the whole — as containing par- 
 ticularly ■what he intended to show him, 
 that he had not kept. See Notes, Matt. 
 V. 21, 27. IT Not steal. To steal is 
 to take the property of another without 
 his knowledge or consent. If Bear false 
 vutness. Give testimony contrary to 
 truth. This may be done in a court of 
 justice, or by private or ptiblic slander. 
 It means to say things of another which 
 are not true. IT Honor thy father, &,c. 
 That is, 1st. Obey them, keep their com 
 mands. Col. iii. 20. Eph. vi. 1, 2, 3 
 2d. Respect them, show them reverence, 
 3d. Treat their opinions with regard — 
 not despise them, or ridicule them. 4th. 
 Treat their habits with respect. They 
 may be difl'erent from ours ; may be 
 antiquated, and to us strange, odd, or 
 whimsical ; but they are the habits of 
 a parent, and they are not to be ridi- 
 culed. 5th. Provide for them when 
 sick, weary, old, and infirm. Beai 
 with their weakness, comply with theii 
 wishes, speak to them kindly, and deny 
 ourselves of rest, and sleep, and ease 
 to promote their welfare. — To this he 
 added another — the duty of loving our 
 neighbor. Lev. xix. IS. This Christ 
 declared to be the seco7id great com-- 
 mandment of the law. Matt. xxii. 39 
 A neighbor means, 1st., any person whe
 
 814 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32. 
 
 20 The young maii saith unto ! 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou 
 him, All these things have 1 kept wilt be perfect, go " and sell that 
 
 from my youth up : what lack I yet] 
 
 lives near to us. 2d. Any person with 
 whom we havo^jjealings. 3d. A friend 
 or relative. Man. v. 43. 4th. Any 
 person — friend, relative, coimtryman, 
 or foe. Mark xii. 31. 5th. Any person 
 who does us good, or confers a favor on 
 us. Luke .X. 27 — 37. This command- 
 ment means evidently, 1st. That we 
 should not injvre our neighbor in his 
 person, property, or character. 2d. 
 That we should not be supremely self- 
 ish, and should seek to do him good. 
 3d. That in a case of debt, difference, or 
 debate, we should do what is right, re- 
 garding his interest as much as our own, 
 and not being influenced by a love of 
 self 4th. That we should treat his 
 character, property, &c., as we do our 
 own, according to what is right. 5th. 
 That in order to benerit him we should 
 practise self-denial, or do as we would 
 wish him to do to us. Matt. vii. 12. It 
 does not mean, 1st., that the love of 
 ourselves, accordiiig to tvhat we are, or 
 according to truth, is improper. The 
 happiness of myself is of as much im- 
 portance as that 01 any other man ; and 
 it is as proper that it should be sought. 
 2d. It does not mean, that I am to ne- 
 glect my oivn business to take care of 
 my neighbor's. 3[y happiness, salva- 
 tion, health, and family, are committed 
 peculiarly to myself; and provided I 
 do not interfere with my neighbor's 
 rights, or violate my obligations to him, 
 it is my duty to seek the vvelfare of my 
 own as my first duty. 1 Tim. v. 8, 13. 
 Titus ii. 5. Mark adds to these com- 
 mandments, "defraud not;" by which 
 h<j meant, doubtless, to express the sub- 
 stance of this, to love our neighbor as 
 ourself. It means, literally, to take 
 away the property of another by vio- 
 lence or by deceiving him ; thus show- 
 ing that he is not loved as we love our- 
 selves. 
 
 20. All these, &c. I have made 
 these the rule of my life. I have en- 
 deavored to obey them. Is there any 
 thing that I lack — any new command- 
 ments to be kept ? Do you, the Mes- 
 siah, teach any new commands, besides 
 those which I have learned from the 
 law, and from the Jewish teachers, 
 
 thou hast, and give to the poor, and 
 oLu.12.33. 1G9. Ac.2.45 4.34,35. lTi.6.]a,19 
 
 which it is proper for me to obey, in 
 order to be saved ? 
 
 21. If tJiou wilt he perfect. The word 
 perfect means complete in all its parts- 
 finished, having no part wanting. Thup 
 a watch is perfect, or complete, whei 
 it has all its proper wheels, and hands, 
 and casements in order. Job was said 
 to be perfect (Job i. 1) ; not that he was 
 sinless, for he is afterwards reproved 
 by God himself (Job xxxviii., xxxix., 
 xl. 4) : but because his piety was propor- 
 tioned, and had a completeness of parts. 
 He was a pious father, a pious magis- 
 trate, a pious neighbor, a pious chizen. 
 His religion was not confined to one 
 thing, but extended to all. Perfect 
 means, sometimes, xhe filing up nr car- 
 rying out, or expressio7i of a principle of 
 action. Thus, 1 John ii. 5: " Whoso 
 keepeth his word, in him verily is the 
 love of God perfected." That is, the 
 keeping of the commandments of God 
 is the proper expression, carryi7ig out, or 
 completio7i, of the love of God. This is 
 its meaning here. Ifthou\\;iIt be per- 
 fect, complete, finished — if thou wilt 
 show the proper expression of this keep- 
 ing of the commandments — go, &c. 
 Make the obedience complete. 
 
 Mark says (x. 21), Jesus, beholding 
 him loved him. He was pleased with 
 his amiableness, his correct character, 
 his frankness, and ingenuousness. Je- 
 sus, as a man, was capable of all the 
 emotions of most tender friendship. As 
 a man, we may suppose that his dispo- 
 sition was tender and afl^ectionate, mild 
 and calm. Hence he loved with pecu- 
 liar affection the disciple John, emi- 
 nently endowed with these quahties. 
 And hence he was pleased v/ith the same 
 traits in this young man. Still, with 
 all this amiableness, there is reason to 
 think he was not a Christian ; and that 
 the love of mere amiable qualities was 
 all the affection that was ever bestowea 
 on him by the Saviour. 
 
 One thing, adds Mark, thou lackest. 
 There is one thing wanting. You art) 
 not complete. This done, you would 
 show that your obedience lacked no cs 
 sential part, but was complete, finished, 
 proporiioiiate, perfeci. ' Go and set)
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 thou shall have treasure 
 and come ^nd follow " me. 
 
 22 But when the young man 
 heard that saying, he went away 
 sorrowful : for lie had great pos- 
 sessions. 
 
 a Jiio.12.2G. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 1 heaven ; 
 
 ^15 
 
 that thru hast, &c. The young man 
 djclared that he had kept the law. That 
 law required, among other things, that 
 he should love his neighbor as himself. 
 It requirtd alco that he should love the 
 Lord, his God, supremely ; that is, 
 more than all other objects. If he had 
 that true love to God and man ; if he 
 loved his Maker and fellow creatures 
 more than he did his property, he would 
 be willing to give up his wealth to the 
 service of God and of man. Jesus 
 commanded him to do this therefore, to 
 test his character, and to show him that 
 he had not kept the law as he pretend- 
 ed ; and thus to show him that he 
 needed a better righteousness than his 
 own. IT Treasure hi heaven. See Note, 
 Matt. vi. 20. TT Follow me. To follow 
 Jesus, then meant to be a personal at- 
 tendant on his ministry ; to go about 
 with him from place to place, as well 
 as to imitate and obey him. Now it 
 means; 1st. To obey his command- 
 ments. 2d. To imitate his example, 
 and to live like him. 
 
 22. He had great possessions. He 
 was very rich. He made an idol of 
 them. He loved iheiii more than God. 
 He had not kcfpt the commandments 
 from his youth up, nor had he kept 
 them at all. And rather than do good 
 with his treasures, and seek his salva- 
 tion by obeying God, this young man 
 chose to turn away from the Saviour, 
 and give over his inquiry about eternal 
 life. He probably returned no more. 
 Alas, how many lovely and amiable 
 young persons follow his example ! 
 
 23. Shall hardly enter iMo the king- 
 dom of heaven. Shall with difficulty be 
 saved. He has much to struggle with ; 
 and it will require the greatest of hu- 
 man efforts to break away from his 
 temptations, and idols, and secure his 
 salvation. 
 
 24. It is easier for a camel, &c. 
 This was a proverb in common use 
 among the Jews, and still common 
 among the Arabians. To denote that 
 a thing was impossible, or exceedingly 
 
 23 Then said Jesus unto hi:, dis- 
 ciples, Verily I say unto yon, that 
 ' a rich man shall hardly enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 24 And again I say unto you, It 
 is easier for a camel to go through 
 
 b 1 Ti.6.9,J0. 
 
 difficult, they said that a camel or an 
 elephant might as soon walk through a 
 needle's eye. In the use of such pro- 
 verbs, it is not necessary to understand 
 them literally, but only to denote the 
 extreme difficulty of the case. H A 
 camel. A beast of burden, much used 
 in eastern countries. It is about the 
 size of the largest ox, with one or two 
 bunches on his back, with long neck 
 and legs, no horns, and with feet adapt- 
 ed to the hot and dry sand. They are 
 capable of carrying heavy burdens ; 
 will travel sometimes faster than the 
 fleetest horse ; and are provided with a 
 stomach which they fill with water, by 
 means of which they can five four or 
 five days without drink. They are very 
 mild and tame, and kneel down to re- 
 ceive and unload their burden. They 
 are chiefly used in deserts and hot cli- 
 mates, where other beasts of burden 
 are with diflaculty kept alive. ^ A rich 
 man. This rather means one who loves 
 his riches, and makes an idol of them ; 
 or one who supremely desires to be 
 rich. Mark says, " them that trust in 
 riches." While he has this feeling, it 
 is literally impossible that he should be 
 a Christian. For religion is the love of 
 God, rather than the world ; the love 
 of Jesus and his cause, more than gold. 
 Still a man may have much property . 
 and not have this feeling. He may 
 have great wealth, and love God more ; 
 as a poor man may have little, and love 
 that little more than God. The diffi- 
 culties in the way of salvation for a 
 rich man arc: 1st. That riches engross 
 the affections. 2d. Men consider wealth 
 as the chief good ; and when this is ob 
 taincd, think they have gained all. 3d. 
 They are proud of their wealth, and un- 
 willing to be numbered with the pool 
 and despised followers of Jesus. 4th. 
 Riches engross the time, and fill the 
 mind with cares and anxieties, and leave 
 little for God. 5th. They often produce 
 luxury, dissipation, and vice. 6th. It ia 
 difficult to obtain wealth without sin , • 
 without avarice, and covetousness, and
 
 216 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32, 
 
 Ihe eye of a needle, than for a rich 
 man to enter into the kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 25 When his disciples heard it, 
 they were exceedingly amazed, say- 
 ing, Who then can be saved 7 
 
 26 But Jesus beheld them, and 
 Baid unto them, With men this is 
 
 aPs.3.8. 62.11. Zec.S.C. 
 
 fraud, and oppression. 1 Tim. vi. 9, 
 10, 17. James v. 1 — 5. Luke xii. 16 — 
 21 ; xvi. 19 — 31. Still Jesus says (v. 
 26), all these may be overcome. God 
 can give grace to do it. Though to me7i 
 it may appear impossible, yet it is easy 
 for God. 
 
 27. We Jiave forsaken all. Probably 
 nothing but their fishing nets, smqjl 
 boats, and cottages. But they were 
 their all ; their living, their home. And 
 forsaking them, they had as really shown 
 their sincerity, as though they had pos- 
 sessed the gold of Ophir, and dwelt in 
 the palaces of kings. ^ What shall we 
 have therefore! We have done as thou 
 didst command this young man to do. 
 What reward may we expect for it ? 
 
 28. Verily I say unto you. Jesus in 
 this verse declares the reward which 
 they would have. They were not to 
 look for it now, but in a future period. 
 "i In the regeneration. This word oc- 
 curs but once elsewhere in the New 
 Testament. Titus iii. 5. It hterally 
 means a new birth, or being born again. 
 Applied to man, it denotes the great 
 change when the heart is renewed, or 
 when the sinner begins to be a Chris- 
 tian. This is its meaning clearly in 
 Titus. But this meaning cannot be 
 applied here. Christ was not born 
 again, and in no proper sense could it 
 be said that they had folloived him in the 
 new hirtli. The word also means any 
 great changes, or restoration of things 
 to a former state, or to a better state. 
 In this sense it is probably used here. 
 It refers to that great revolution ; that 
 restoration of order in the universe ; 
 that universal 7ie\u birth when the dead 
 shall rise, and all human things shall 
 be changed, and a new order of things 
 shall start up out of the ruins of the old, 
 ivhen the Son of man shall come to 
 judgment. The passage, then, should 
 be read, ' Ye which have followed me, 
 shall, as a reward in the great day of 
 
 impossible ; but * with God all 
 things are possible. 
 
 27 Then * answered Peter, and 
 said unto him, Behold, we have for- 
 saken all '^ and followed thee : what 
 shall we have therefore 1 
 
 28 And Jesus said unto them, 
 Verily I say unto you, that ye which 
 
 b Mar.10.2a. Lu.18.28. c Ph.3.8. 
 
 the resurrection of the dead, and of 
 forming the new and eternal order of 
 things — the day of judgment, the re- 
 generation — be signally honored and 
 blessed.' IT When the Son of man shall 
 sit in the throne of his glory. That is, 
 to judge the world. Throne of glory 
 means glorious throne, or a splendid 
 throne. It is not to be taken literally, 
 but is used to denote his character as a 
 king and judge, and to signify the great 
 dignity and majesty which will be dis- 
 played by him. See Matt. xxiv. 30 ; 
 x.xvi. 64. Acts i. 11; xvii. 31. "^ Sit 
 upon twelve thrones. This is figurative. 
 To sit on a throne denotes power and 
 honor ; and means here that they should 
 be distinguished above others, and be 
 more highly honored and rewarded. 
 ^Judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
 Jesus will be the judge of quick and 
 dead. He only is qualified for it ; and 
 the Father hath given all judgment to 
 the Son. John v. 22. To judge, de- 
 notes rank, authority, power. The an- 
 cient jK^fges of Israel were men of dis- 
 tinguished courage, patriotism, honor, 
 and valor. Hence the word conies to 
 denote, ?iot so much an actual exercise 
 of the power of passing judgment, as 
 the honor attached to the office. And 
 as earthly kings have those around them 
 dignified with honors and oflnce, coun- 
 sellors and judges, so Christ says his 
 apostles shall occupy the same relative 
 station in the great day. They shall be 
 honored by htm, and by all, as apos- 
 tles ; as having in the face of persecu 
 ti«,n left all ; as having laid the foun- 
 daticr.s of his church, and endured all 
 the maddened persecutions of the world. 
 IT The tioelve tribes of Israel. This wjta 
 the number of the ancient tribes. By 
 this name the people of God were de- 
 noted. By this name Jesus here de- 
 notes his redeemed people. See also 
 James i. 1, where Christians are called 
 the twelve tribes. Here it also means
 
 A D.32.J 
 
 0H AFTER XIX. 
 
 21 1 
 
 nave followed me, in tho regenera- 
 tion, when the Sou of man shal! sit 
 in the throne of his glory, ye " also 
 shall sit upon twelve thrones, judg- 
 ing the twelve tribes of Israel. 
 
 29 And ^ every one that hath for- 
 saken houses, or brethren, or sis- 
 ac.20.21. Lu.2-2.28-30. 1 Co.6.2,3. Re.2. 
 20. b Mar.10.29,30. Lu.18.29,30. 1 Cor.2.9. 
 
 not the Jews, not the world, not the 
 wicked, not that the apostles are to pro- 
 nounce suuiunce on the enemies of God, 
 but the people of God, the redeemed. 
 Among them Jesus says his apostles 
 shall be honored in the day of judgment, 
 as earthly kings place in posts ot office 
 and honor the counsellors and judges 
 of those who have signally served them. 
 Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. vi. 2. 
 
 29. Forsaken, houses, &c. In the 
 days of Jesus those who followed him 
 were obliged generally to forsake houses 
 ind home, and to attend liim. In our 
 times it is not often required that we 
 should literally leave them, e.xcept 
 when the life is devoted to him among 
 the heathen, but it is always required 
 that we love them less than we do him ; 
 that we give up all that is inconsistent 
 with religion, and be ready to give up 
 all when he demands it. ^ For my 
 name's sake. From attachment to me. 
 Mark adds "and for the gospel's;" 
 that is, from obedience to the require- 
 ments of the gospel, and love for the 
 service of the gospel. "S Shall receive 
 ahuyidred fold. Mark says, " a hun- 
 dred fold now in this time, houses, and 
 brethren, and sisters," &,c. A hun- 
 dred fold means a hundred times as 
 much. This is not to be understood 
 literally, but that he will give what will 
 he worth a hundred times as much, in 
 the peace, and joy, and rewards of re- 
 ligion. It is also hterally true that no 
 man's temporal interest is injured by 
 the love of God. Mark adds, "■ with 
 persecutions.^' These are not promised 
 as a part of the reward ; but amidst 
 their trials and persecutions, they should 
 find reward and peace. 
 
 30. This verse should have been con- 
 nected with the following chapter. The 
 parable there spoken is e.xpressly to 
 illustrate this sentiment. See its mean- 
 ttig, ch. XX. 16. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 let. \\ 3 should not throw ourselves 
 13 
 
 ters, or father, or mother, or wife, 
 or children, or lands, for my name's 
 sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, 
 and shall inherit everlasting life. 
 
 30 Bat'' many that are first shall 
 be last ; and the last shall be first. 
 
 c c.20.16. c.21.31,32. Mar.10.31. Lu.13.30 
 Ga.5.7. He.4.]. 
 
 unnecessarily in the way of the ene 
 mies of religion. Ver. 1. Jesus, to 
 avoid the Samaritans, crossed the Jor 
 dan, and took a more distant route to 
 Jerusalem. If duty calls us in the way 
 of the enemies of religion, we should 
 go. If we can do them good, we should 
 go. If our presence will only provoke 
 them to anger and bitterness, then we 
 should turn aside. Comp. Note on ch. 
 X. 23. 
 
 2d. I\Ien will seek every occasion to 
 ensnare Christians. Ver. 3. Questions 
 will be proposed with great art, and 
 with an appearance of sincerity, only 
 for the purpose of leading them into 
 difficulty. Cunning men know well 
 how to propose such questions, and 
 triumph much when they have perplex- 
 ed believers. This is often the boast 
 of men of some standing, who think 
 they accomplish the great purposes of 
 their existence, if they can confound 
 other men ; and think it signal triumph 
 if they can make others as miserable as 
 themselves. 
 
 3d. We should not refuse to answer 
 such persons with mildness, v.'hen the 
 Bible has settled the question. Ver. 4 — 
 6. Jesus answered a captious question, 
 proposed on purpose to ensnare him. 
 We may often do much to confound the 
 enemies of reUgion, and to recommend 
 it, when without passion we hear their 
 inquiries, and dehberately inform them 
 that the question has been settled by 
 God. We had better, however, far 
 better, say nothing in reply, than to 
 answer in anger, or to show that we 
 are irritated. All the object of the 
 enemy is gained, if he can make ut 
 mad. 
 
 4th. Men will search and pervert the 
 Bible, for authority to indulge their 
 sins, and to perplex Christians. Ver. 7 
 No device is more common than to pro 
 duce a passage of scripture, knoxon to 
 be misquoted or perverted, yet plausi 
 ble, for the purpose of perplexing Chria
 
 218 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 LA. D. 32 
 
 tians. In such cases, the best way is 
 often to say nothing. If iinanswered, 
 men will be ashamed of it ; if answer- 
 ed, they gain their point, and are ready 
 for debate and abuse. 
 
 5th. We learn from tliis chapter that 
 there is no union so intimate as the 
 marriage connexion. Ver. 6. Nothing 
 is so tender and endearing as this union 
 appointed by God for the welfare of 
 man. 
 
 6th. This union should not be enter- 
 ed into shghtly or rashly. It involves 
 all the happiness of this life, and much 
 of that to come. The union demands : 
 1st. Congeniality of feehng and dispo- 
 sition ; 2d, of rank or standing in life ; 
 3d, of temper ; 4th, similarity of ac- 
 quirements ; 5th, of age ; 6th, of ta- 
 lent ; 7th, intimate acquaintance. — It 
 should also be a union on religious feel- 
 ings and opinions : 1st. Because reli- 
 gion is more important than any thing 
 else. 2d. Because it will give more 
 happiness m tne married life than any 
 thing else. 3d. Because where one 
 only is pious, there is danger that re- 
 hgion will be obscured and blighted. 
 4th. Because no prospect is so painful 
 as that of eternal separation. 5th. Be- 
 cause it is heathenish, brutal, and mad 
 to partake the gifts of God in a family, 
 and offer no thanksgiving ; — and inex- 
 pressibly \vicked to hve from day to day 
 as if there were no God, ijo heaven, no 
 hell. 6th. Because death is near, and 
 nothing ^\'ill soothe the pangs of parting 
 but the hope of meeting in the resur- 
 rection of the just. 
 
 7th. No human legislature has a right 
 to declare divorces, except in one single 
 case. Ver. 9. If they do, they are ac- 
 cessaries to the crime that may follow, 
 and presume to legislate where God 
 nas legislated before them. 
 
 8th. Those thus divorced, or pre- 
 tended to be divorced, and marrying 
 again, are, by the declaration of Jesus 
 Christ, living in adultery. Ver. 9. It 
 is no excuse to say that the law of the 
 land divorced them. The law had no 
 such right. If all the legislatures of the 
 world were to say that it was lawful for 
 a man to steal, and commit murder, it 
 would not make it so ; and in spite of 
 human permission, God would hold a 
 man answerable for theft and murder. 
 So also of adultery. 
 
 9th. The marriage union demands 
 kindness and love. Ver. 6. Husband 
 
 and wife are one. Love to each other 
 is love to a second self. Hatred, and 
 anger, and quarrels, are against mir- 
 selves. And the evils ai\d quarrels ui 
 married life will descend tm ourselves, 
 and be gall and wormwood in our own 
 cup. 
 
 10th. Infants may be brought to Je 
 sus to receive his blessing. Vs. 12 — 15, 
 While on earth, Jesus admitted them 
 to his presence, and blessed them with 
 his prayers. If they might be brought 
 then, they may be brought now. Then 
 souls are as precious ; their dangers are 
 as great ; their salvation is as important. 
 A parent should require the most indu 
 bitable evidence that Jesus will 7iot re 
 ceive his offspring, and will be displeased 
 if the offering is made, to deter him 
 from tills inestimable privilege. 
 
 11th. If children may be brought, 
 they should be brought. It is the so 
 lemn duty of a parent to seize upon all 
 possible means of benefiting his chil- 
 dren, and of presenting them to God, to 
 implore his blessing. In family prayer, 
 and in the sanctuary, the ordinance oi 
 baptism, the blessing of the Redeemei 
 should be sought early and constantly 
 on their precious and immortal souls. 
 
 12th. Earnestness and deep anxiety 
 are proper in seeking salvation. Ver 
 16. The young man came running ; 
 he kneeled. It was not form and cere- 
 mony ; it was life and reality. Religion 
 is a great subject. Salvation is beyond 
 the power of utterance in importance. 
 Eternity is near ; and damnation thun- 
 ders along the path of the guilty. The 
 sinner must be saved soon, or die foi 
 ever. He cannot be too earnest. He 
 cannot press with too great haste to 
 Jesus. He should come running, and 
 kneeling, and humbled, and lifting the 
 agonizing cry, " What shall I do to be 
 saved ?" 
 
 13th. He should come young. Ver. 
 20. He cannot come too youn^. God 
 has the first claim on our affections. 
 He made us ; he keeps us ; he provides 
 for us ; and it is right that we should 
 give our first affections to him. No one 
 svho has become a Christian ever yet 
 felt that he had become one too young 
 No young person that has given his 
 heart to the Redeemer ever yet regret- 
 ted it. They may give up the gaj 
 world to do it ; they may leave the cir- 
 cles of the dance and the song ; they 
 may be exposed to contempt and per
 
 A. D. 32J 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 219 
 
 secution, but no matter. He who be- 
 comes a true Christian, no matter of 
 what age or rank blesses God that he 
 was inchncd to do it, and the time 
 never can come when for one moment 
 ne will regret it. Why then will not 
 the young give their hearts to the Sa- 
 viour, and do that which they know 
 they never can for one moment regret ? 
 
 14th. If is no dishonor for those who 
 hold offices, and who are men of rank, 
 to inquire on the subject of religion. 
 Luke vviii. IS. Men of rank often sup- 
 pose that it is only the iveak, and credu- 
 lous, and ignora?it, that ever feel any 
 anxiety about religion. Never v/as a 
 greater mistake. It has been only pro- 
 fligate, and weak, and ignorant men, 
 that have been thoughtless. Two- 
 thirds of all the profound investigations 
 of the world have been on this very 
 subject. The wisest and best of the 
 heathens Iiave devoted their lives to in- 
 quire about God, and their own destiny. 
 So in Christian lands. Were Bacon, 
 Newton, Locke, Milton, Hale, and 
 Bcerhaave, men of weak minds? Yet 
 their deepest thoughts and most anxious 
 inquiries were on this very subject. So 
 in our own land. Were Washington, 
 Ames, Henry, Jay, and Rush, men of 
 weak minds ? Yet they were profound 
 believers in revelation. And yet young 
 men of rank, and wealth, and learning, 
 often think they show great independ- 
 ence in refusing to think of what occu- 
 pied the profound attention of these 
 men, and fancy they are great only by 
 refusing to tread in their steps. Never 
 was a greater or more foolish mistake. 
 If any thing demands attention, it is 
 surely the inquiry whether we are to 
 be happy for ever, or wretched ; whe- 
 ther there is a God and Saviour ; or 
 whether we are " in a forsaken and fa- 
 therless world." 
 
 15th. It is as important for the rick to 
 seek religion as the poor. They will 
 as certainly die ; they as much need 
 religion. Without it, they cannot be 
 happy. Riches will drive away no pain 
 on a death-bed ; they will not go with 
 us ; they will not save us. 
 
 16th. It is of special importance that 
 wealthy young persons should be Chris- 
 tians. They are exposed to many dan- 
 gers. The world — the gay and flatter- 
 uig world — will lead them astray. 
 Fond of fashion, dress, and amuse- 
 ment, they are exposed to a thousand 
 
 follies, from whi» h nothing but rehgion 
 can secure thei^ Besides, they may 
 do much good : and God will hold theoi 
 answeralile for all the good they might 
 have done with their wealth. 
 
 17th. The amiable, the lovely, the 
 moral, need also an interest in Christ. 
 If amiable, we should suppose they 
 would be ready to embrace the Saviour. 
 None was ever so moral, so lovely, so 
 pure, as he. If we really laved amia- 
 bleness, then we should come to him. 
 We should love him. But alas ! how 
 many amiable young persons turn away 
 from him, and refuse to follow him ! 
 Can they be really lovers of that which 
 is pure, and lovely ? If so, then why 
 turn away from the Lamb of God ? 
 
 18th. The amiable and the ^ovely 
 need a better righteousness than then 
 own. With all inis, they may make an 
 idol of the world ; they may be proud, 
 sensual, selfish, prayerless, and thought- 
 less about dying. Externally they ap- 
 pear lovely ; but O how far is the hear' 
 from God ! 
 
 19th. Inquirers about religion depend 
 on their own works. Ver. 16. They 
 are not wilhng to trust to Jesus for sal- 
 vation ; and they ask what they shall 
 do. This is always the case. And it 
 is only when they find that they can do 
 nothing — that they are poor, and help- 
 less, and wretched — that they cast 
 themselves on the mercy of God, and 
 find peace. 
 
 20th. Comphments and flattering 
 titles are evil. Ver. 17. They ascribe 
 sofnething to others which we know 
 they do not possess. Often beauty ia 
 praised, where we know there is no 
 beauty ; accomplishment where there 
 is no accomplishment ; talent, where 
 there is no talent. Such praises are 
 falsehood. We know them to be such. 
 We intend to deceive by them ; and 
 we know that they will produce pride 
 and vanity. Often they are used for 
 the purpose of destruction. If a man 
 praises us too much, we should look to 
 our purse, or our virtue. We should 
 feel that we are in danger, and the next 
 thing will be a dreadful blow, the 
 heavier for all this flattery. They thai 
 use compliments much, expect them 
 from others ; are galled and vexed 
 when they are not obtained, and are in 
 danger when they are. 
 
 21st. If we are to be saved, we mna 
 do just what God commands us. Vs.
 
 220 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 CHA.PTER XX. 
 
 FOR the kingdom of heaven is 
 like unto a man that is an 
 Householder, "which went out early 
 
 oCa.8.11,12. 
 
 17, 18. This is all we have to do. We 
 are not to invent any thing of our own. 
 God has marked out the course, and 
 we must follow it. 
 
 22d. We are easily deceived about 
 keeping the law. Ver. 17. We often 
 think we observe it, when it is only the 
 outward form that we have kept. The 
 law is spiritual ; and God requires the 
 heart. 
 
 23d. Riches are a blessing, if used 
 aright ; if not, they are deceitful, dan- 
 gerous, ruinous. Vs. 23. 24. Thou- 
 sands have lost their souls by the love 
 of riches. None have ever been saved 
 by them. 
 
 24th. It is our duty to forsake all for 
 Christ. Vs. 27—29. Be it httle or 
 much, it is all the same to him. It is 
 the heart that he looks at ; and we may 
 as well show our love by giving up a 
 fishing boat and net, as by a palace or 
 a crown. If done in either case, it will 
 De accepted. 
 
 25th. Religion has its own rewards. 
 Vs. 28, 29. It gives more than it taSes. 
 It more than compensates for all that 
 we surrender. It gives peace, joy, com- 
 fort in trial and in death, and heaven 
 beyond. This is the testimony of all 
 Christians of all denominations ; of all 
 that have lived, and of all that do live, 
 that they never knew true peace, till 
 they found it in the gospel. The testi- 
 mony of so many must be trtie. They 
 have tried the world in all its forms of 
 gaiety, folly, and vice, and they come 
 and say with one voice, here only is 
 true peace. On any other subject they 
 would be beheved. Their testimony 
 here must be true. 
 
 26th. Those eminent for usefulness 
 here, will be received to distinguished 
 honors and rewards in heaven. Ver. 
 28. They that turn many to righteous- 
 ness shall shine as stars in the firma- 
 ment for ever. Dan. xii. 3. 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 1. For the kingdom of heaven, &c. 
 I'he word." for" shows that this chap- 
 ter shculd have been connected ^with 
 the preceding. The parable v.'as spoken 
 
 in the morning to hire labourers inte 
 
 his vineyard. 
 
 2 And when he had agreed with 
 the labourers for a penny * a-day, 
 he sent them into his vineyard. 
 b c. 18,28. 
 
 expressly to illustrate the sentiment in 
 the last verse of that chapter. The 
 kingdom of heaven means here the 
 church, including perhaps its state here 
 and hereafter. See Note, Matt. iii. 2. 
 It has reference to rewards; and the 
 meaning may be thus expressed : ' Re- 
 wards shall be bestowed in my king- 
 dom, or on my followers, in the same 
 manner as they were by a certain' 
 householder, in such a way as that the 
 last shall be equal to the first, and the 
 first last.' ^ A householder. A master 
 »f a family. One at the head of family 
 affairs. ^ His vineyard. No incon- 
 siderable part of Judea was employed 
 in the culture of the grape. Vineyards 
 are often used, therefore, to represent 
 a fertile or well cultivated place ; and 
 hence the church, denoting the care 
 and culture that God has bestowed on 
 it. Isa. v. 7. Jer. xii. 10. For the 
 manner of their construction, see Notes 
 on Matt. xxi. 33. 
 
 2. A penny a day. The coin here 
 referred to was a Roman coin, equal in 
 value to about fourteen cents. The 
 original denotes the Roman denarius, 
 {hivapiov) a silver coin, which was ori- 
 ginally equivalent to ten asses, (a brass 
 Roman coin) whence its name. The 
 consular denarius bore on one side a 
 head of Rome, and an X or a star to 
 denote the value in asses, and a chariot 
 with either two or four horses. At a 
 later period the casts of different deities 
 were on the obverse ; and these were 
 finally superseded by the heads of the 
 Cassars. Many specimens of this coin 
 have been preserved. The following 
 cuts will show the usual appearance ot 
 the coins. 
 
 Denarius of Aus*j&tu*.
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 22i 
 
 3 And he went out about the 
 third hour, and saw others standing 
 idle in the market-place, 
 
 4 And said unto them, Go ye 
 also into the vineyard, and what- 
 soever is right, I will give you. 
 And they went their way. 
 
 5 Again he went out ahout the 
 sixth and ninth hour, and did like- 
 wise. 
 
 6 And about the eleventh hour 
 he went out, and found others stand- 
 ing idle, and saith unto them, Why 
 stand ye here all the day idle ■? " 
 
 o Pr.19.15. Eze.lC.49. Ac.17.21. Hc.f).12. 
 
 Denarius of Tiberius. 
 
 j.t was prolfably af that time the price 
 of a day's labor. See Tobit v. 14. 
 This was the common wages of a Ro- 
 man soldier. In England, before the 
 discovery of the mines of gold and sil- 
 ver of South America, and conse- 
 quently before money was plenty, the 
 price of labor was about in proportion. 
 In 1351 the price of labor was regulated 
 by law, and was a ■penny a day. But 
 provisions were of course proportionally 
 cheap; and the avails of a man's labor 
 in articles of food were nearly as much 
 as they are now. 
 
 3. About the third hour. The Jews 
 divided their days into twelve equal 
 parts, or hours, beginning at sunrise, 
 and ending at sunset. This was, there- 
 fore, about nine o'clock in the morning. 
 IT Standing idle in the marhet-place. A 
 place where provisions are sold in 
 (owns. Of course many resort to such 
 places ; and it would be the readiest 
 place to meet persons, and find employ- 
 ers. They were not, therefore, dis- 
 poged to be idle, but were waiting in 
 the proper place to find employers. 
 
 4. Whatsoever is right. Whatsoever 
 it shall appear you can earn. The con- 
 tract with the first was definite ; wi'h 
 
 19* 
 
 7 They say unto him, Because 
 no man hath hired us. He saith 
 unto them, * Go ye also into the 
 vineyard ; and whatsoever is right, 
 that shall ye receive. 
 
 8 So when even was come, the 
 lord of the vineyard saith unto his 
 steward. Call the labourers, and* 
 give them their hire, beginning from 
 the last unto the first. 
 
 9 And when they came that v>ere 
 hired about the eleventh '' hour, they 
 received every man a penny. 
 
 10 But when the first came, they 
 6EC.9.10. Jno.9.4. cLu.10.7. d Lu.23. 
 
 40-43. 
 
 this one it depended on the judgment 
 of the employer. 
 
 5. The sixth and ninth hour. That 
 is, about twelve and three o'clock. 
 
 6. The eleventh hour. About five 
 o'clock in the afternoon ; or when there 
 was but one working hour of the day 
 left. 
 
 8. When even was come. That is, 
 when the twelfth hour was come ; the 
 day was ended, and the time of pay- 
 ment was come. TT The steward. A 
 steward is one who transacts business 
 in the place of another. He was one 
 who had the administration of affairs in 
 the absence of the househoiucr • who 
 provided for the family ; and who was 
 intrusted with the payment of laborers 
 and servants. He was commonly the 
 most trusty and faithful of the servants, 
 raised to that station as a reward for 
 his fidelity. IT Beginning from the last 
 unto the first. It was immaterial where 
 he hegan to pay, provided he dealt justly 
 by them. In the parable, this order is 
 mentioned to give opportunity for the 
 remarks which follow. Had those first 
 hired been first paid, they would have 
 departed satisfied, and the pciKi, oi the 
 parable would have been lost. 
 
 9. They received every ma7i a penny. 
 There was no agreement how much 
 they should receive, but merely that 
 justice should be done. Vs. 4, 5, 7. 
 The householder supposed they had 
 earned it, or chose to make a present to 
 them to compensate for the loss of the 
 first part of the day, when they were 
 vvilling to work but could not find em- 
 ployment. 
 
 10. 7%ey su]>posed that they should
 
 222 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 32. 
 
 supposed that they shoulJ have re- 
 ceived more ; and they lik( wise re- 
 ceived every man a penny. 
 
 11 And when they hid received 
 it, they murmured " agamst the good 
 man of the house, 
 
 12 Saying, These last ^ have 
 wrought but one hour, and thou 
 hast made them equal unto us, 
 which have borne the burden and 
 the heat of the day. 
 
 a Lu. 15.29,30. i or, have continued one 
 hour only. 
 
 have received more. They had worked 
 longer ; they had been in the heat ; 
 they supposed that it was his intention 
 to pay them, not according to contract, 
 but according to the time of the labor. 
 
 11. Murmured. Complained. Found 
 tiult with. ^ The good man of the 
 nouse. The original here is the same 
 word which in verse 1. is translated 
 househotder, and should have been so 
 translated here. It is the old English 
 way of denoting the father of a family. 
 It expresses no moral quality. 
 
 12. The burden and heat of the day. 
 The burden means the heavy labor, the 
 severe toil. We have continued at that 
 toil, in the heat of the day. The others 
 had worked only a httle wliile, and that 
 in the cool of the evening, and when it 
 was far more pleasant and much less 
 fatiguing. 
 
 13. Friend, I do thee no wrong. I 
 have fully complied with the contract. 
 We had an agreement ; I have paid it 
 all. If I choose to give a penny to 
 another man if he labors little or not at 
 all ; if I should choose to give all my 
 property away to others, it would not 
 affect this contract with you. It is fully 
 met. And with my own ; with that on 
 which you have no further claim ; I 
 may do as I please. — So, if Christians 
 s.re just, and pay their lawful debts, and 
 injure no one, the world has no right to 
 complain if they give the rest of their 
 property to the poor, or devot* it to 
 6cnd the gospel to the heathen, or to 
 release the prisoner or the captive. It 
 is their own. They have a right to do 
 with it as they please. They are an- 
 swerable, not to men, but to God. And 
 ii".t;dels, and worldly men, and cold j 
 professors ii- the church, have no right j 
 to interfere I 
 
 13 But he answered one of them, 
 and said, Friend, * I do thee no 
 wrong : didst not thou agree with 
 me for a penny 1 
 
 14 Take that thine is, and go thy 
 way : <' I will give unto this last 
 even as unto thee. 
 
 15 Is "^ it not lawful for me to do 
 what I will with mine own 1 Is • 
 thine eye evil because I am good ? 
 
 16 Soothe last shall be first, and 
 
 6c.22.12. c Jno.17.2. d Ro.9.15-24. Ja. 
 1.18. e De.15.9. c.6.23. /c.19.30. 
 
 14. Take that thine is. Take what is 
 justly due to you — what is properly your 
 own. 
 
 15. 7s thine eye evilbecause I am good. 
 The Hebrews used the word evil, when 
 applied to the eye, to denote one envi- 
 ous smA malicious. Deut..\v. 9. Prov. 
 .x.idii. 6. The eye is called evil in such 
 cases, because envy and malice show 
 themselves directly in the eye. No pas- 
 sions are so fully expressed by the eye 
 as these. ' Does envy show itself in the 
 eye ; is thine eye so soon turned to ex- 
 press envy and malice, because I have 
 chosen to do good ?' 
 
 16. So the last shall be first, &,c. This 
 is the moral or scope of the parable. 
 To teach this, it was spoken. Many 
 that, in the order of time, shall be 
 brought last into the kingdom, shall be 
 first in the rewards, higher proportion- 
 ate rewards shall be given to them than 
 to others. To all justice shall be done. 
 To all to whom the rewards of heaven 
 were promised, they shall be given. 
 Nothing shall be withheld that was 
 promised. If among this number who 
 are called into the kingdom, I choose 
 to raise some to stations of distinguished 
 usefulness, and to confer on them pecu- 
 Har talents and higher rewards, I injure 
 no other one. They shall enter heaven 
 as was promised. If amidst the multi- 
 tude of Christians, I choose to signahze 
 such men as Paul, and Martyii, and 
 Braincrd, and Spencer, and Summer- 
 field ; to appoint some of them to short 
 labor, but to wide usefulness, and raise 
 them to signal rewards, I injure not the 
 great multitude of others who live long 
 lives less useful, and less rewarded. 
 All shall reach heaven, and all shall re- 
 ceive what I promise to the faithful. 
 IT Many be called, but few chosen. The
 
 \. D 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 223 
 
 jiic first last: for " many be called, 
 but few chosen. 
 
 17 And ' Jesus going- up to Je- 
 rusalem, took the twelve disciples 
 apart in the way, and said unto 
 them, 
 
 ac.2-2.H. lTli.2.13. Ja. 1.23-25. frc. 10.21, 
 &c Mar.l0.32,&c. Lu.l8.31,&c. Jno.12.12, 
 &;c. 
 
 meaning of this in this connexion, I take 
 to be simply this : Many are called into 
 my kina:dom ; they come and labor as 
 I command them ; they are compara- 
 tively unknown and obscure. Yet they 
 arc real Christians, and shall receive 
 the proper reward. A few I have chosen 
 for higher stations in the church. I have 
 endowed them with apostolic gifts, or 
 superior talents, or wider usefulness. 
 They may not be so long in the vine- 
 yard ; their race may be sooner run ; 
 but I have chosen to honor them in liis 
 manner ; and I have a right to do it. I 
 injure no one ; and have a right to do 
 what I will with mine own. Thus ex- 
 plained, this parable has no reference to 
 the call of the Gentiles; nor to the call 
 of aged sinners ; nor to the call of sin- 
 ners out of the church at all. It is sim- 
 ply designed to teach that i?i the church, 
 among the multitudes that shall be 
 saved, Christ makes a difference. He 
 makes some more useful than others, 
 without regard to the time which they 
 serve ; and he will reward them accord- 
 ingly. The parable teaches o7ie truth, 
 and but one. And where Jesus has ex- 
 plained it, we have no riglit to add to it, 
 and say that it teaches any thing else. 
 It adds to the reason for this interpreta- 
 tion, that Christ was conversing about 
 the rewards that should be given to his 
 followers, and not about the numbers 
 that should be called, or about the doc- 
 trine of election. See ch. xi.x. 27 — 29. 
 17_19. See also Mark x. 32 — 34; 
 Luke .xviii. 31—34. And Jesiis, going 
 up to Jerusalem. That is, doubtless, to 
 (he Passover. This journey was from 
 Galilee, on the east side of Jordan, pro- 
 bably to avoid the Samaritans. Ch. 
 .xix. 1. At this time he was on this 
 journey to Jerusalein, probably not far 
 from Jericho. This was his last jour- 
 ney to Jerusalem. He was going up to 
 die for the sins of the world, if Took 
 the twelve disciples apart. All the males 
 of the Jews were required to be at this 
 
 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusa- 
 lem ; and the Son of man shall be 
 betrayed unto the chief priests and 
 unto the scribes, and they shall con- 
 demn him to death, 
 
 19 And "^ shall deliver him to the 
 
 cc.27.2,&;c. Mar.l.5.I,lG,&c. Lu.23.1,&;c. 
 Jiio.l8.2S,&c. Ac.3.13. lCor.15.3-7. 
 
 feast. Ex. xxiii. 17. The roads, there 
 fore, on such occasions, would probably 
 be thronged. It is probable, also, that 
 they would travel in companies, or that 
 whole neighborhoods would go toge- 
 ther. See Luke ii. 44. By his taking 
 them apart, is meant his taking them 
 aside from the company. He had some 
 thing to communicate, which he did not 
 wish the others to hear. Mark adds . 
 "And Jesus went before them, and 
 they were amazed ; and as they fol- 
 lowed, they were sore afraid." He led 
 the way. He had told them before (ch. 
 xvii. 22), that he should be betrayed into 
 the hands of men, and be put to death. 
 They began now to be afraid that this 
 would happen, and to be solicitous for 
 his Hfe and for their own safety. 
 
 18, 19. Behold we go up to Jerusalem. 
 Jesus assured them tliat what they fear 
 ed would come to pass. But he had in 
 some measure prepared their minds for 
 this state of suffering, by the promises 
 which he had made to them. Ch. xLx. 
 27—30; .XX. 1—16. In all their .suffer- 
 ings they might be assured that eternal 
 rewards were before them. H Shall be 
 betrayed. See ch. xvii. 22. ^ Chief 
 Priests aiid scribes. The High Priest, 
 and the learned men who composed the 
 Sanhedrim, or (ireat Council of the na- 
 tion. He was thus betrayed by Judas. 
 Matt. xxvi. 15. He was delivered to 
 the chief priests and scribes. Matt. 
 xxvi. 57. Ti And they shall condemn 
 him to death. They had not power to 
 iiiflict death, as that was taken away 
 by the Romans. But they had the 
 power of expressing an opinion, and of 
 delivering him to the Romans to be put 
 to death. This they did. Matt. xxvi. 
 66 ; .x.xvii. 2. If Shall deliver him to the 
 Gentiles. That is, because they have 
 not the right of inflicting capital punish- 
 ment, they will deliver him to those 
 who have — the Roman authority. The 
 Gentiles here means Pontius Pilate, and 
 the Roman soldiers. See Matt, xxvii.
 
 224 
 
 Gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, 
 and to crucify him: and the third 
 day he shall rise again. 
 
 20 Then '' came to him the mo- 
 ther of Zebedee's children, with her 
 sons, worshipping him, and desiring 
 a certain thing of him. 
 
 21 And he said unto her, What 
 wilt thou 1 She saith uiito him, 
 Grant that these my two sons may 
 
 a Is.53.5. b Mar.10.35. 
 
 2, 27—30. IT To mock. See Note, Matt, 
 ii. 16. IT To scourge. That is, to whip. 
 This was done with thongs, or a whip 
 made on purpose ; and this punishment 
 was commonly inflicted upon criminals 
 before crucifixion. See Note on ch. x. 
 17. IT To crucify him. That is, to put 
 him to death on a cross, the common 
 punishment of slaves. See Matt, x.xvii. 
 35. IT The third day, &c. For the evi- 
 dc nee that this was fulfilled, see Matt. 
 .\3 viii. Mark and Luke say that he 
 sh all be spit upon. Spitting on another 
 has always been conr-idsred an expres- 
 sion of the deepest i )ntempt. Luke 
 says (xviii. 31): "All things that are 
 written by the prophets concerning the 
 Son of man shall be accomplished." 
 Among other things, he says he shall 
 be " spitefully entreated ;" that is, treat- 
 ed with spite or malice ; malice, imply- 
 ing contempt. These sufferings of our 
 Saviour, and this treatment, and his 
 death, had been predicted in many 
 places. See Isa. liii. ; Dan. L\. 26, 
 27. 
 20—28. See also Mark x. 35—45. 
 
 20. Theji came to him the mother of 
 Zebedee's children, &c. This was pro- 
 bably Salome. Mark xv. 40, xvi. 1. 
 IT With her sons. The names of these 
 sons were James and John. Mark x. 
 35. Mark says they came and made 
 the request. That is, they made it 
 through the medium of their mother; 
 they requested her to ask it for them. 
 It is not improbable that she was an 
 imbitious woman, and v/as desirous to 
 see her sons honored. ^ Worshipping 
 kirn. Showing him respect; respect- 
 fully saluting him. In the original, 
 Jine'eling. See Note, Matt. viii. 2. 
 
 21. Gn:?it that my two sons may sit, 
 &c. They were still looking for a tcm- 
 ooral kingdom. They expected thai he 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33 
 
 sit, the one on thy right hand, and 
 the other on the left, in thy king- 
 dom. 
 
 22 But Jesus answered and said, 
 Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye 
 able to drink of the cup that I shall 
 drink of, and to be baptized with 
 the ' baptism that I am baptized 
 with ] They say unto him, We are 
 able. 
 
 would reign on the earth with great 
 pomp and glory. They expected that 
 he would conquer as a prince and a 
 warrior. They wished to be distin- 
 guished in the day of his triumph. To 
 sit on the right and left hand of a prince 
 was a token of confidence, and the 
 highest honor granted to his friends. 1 
 Kings li. 19. Ps. ex. 1. 1 Sam. xx. 25. 
 The disciples here had no reference 
 to the kingdom of heaven, but only to 
 the kingdom which they supposed he 
 was about to set up on the earth. 
 
 22. l^e know 7tot what ye ask. You 
 do not know the nature of your request, 
 nor what would be involved in it. You 
 suppose that it would be attended only 
 with honor and happiness if the request 
 was granted ; whereas, it would require 
 much suffering and trial. ^ Are ye able 
 to drink of the cup, &c. To drink of a 
 cup often, in the scriptures, signifies to 
 be afflicted, or sometimes to be punished. 
 Isa." h. 17, 22. Ps. Ixxv. 8. The figure 
 is taken from a feast, where the master 
 of a feast extends a cup to those pre- 
 sent. Thus God is represented as ex- 
 tending to his Son a* cup filled with a 
 bitter mixture — one causing deep suf- 
 ferings. John xviii. 11. This was the 
 cup to which he referred. IT The bap- 
 tism that I am baptized with. This is 
 eviderltly a phrase denoting the same 
 thing. Are ye able to suffer with me — 
 to endure the trials and pains which 
 shall come upon you and me in endea- 
 voring to build up my kingdom ? Are 
 you able to be plunged deep in afflic- 
 tions, to have sorrows cover you likcr 
 water, and to be sunk beneath calami- 
 ties as floods, in the work of religion ? 
 Afflictions are often expressed by being 
 sunk in the floods, and plunged in the 
 deep waters. Ps. Ixix. 2. Isa. xliii. 9. 
 Ps. cxxiv. 4, 5. Lam. iii. 54.
 
 A.D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 225 
 
 23 And he sailh unto them, Ye I 25 But Jesus cal.ed them unto 
 * shall drink indeed of my cup, and Mm, and said. Ye * know that the 
 
 be baptized with the baptism that I 
 am baptized with ; but to sit on my 
 right hand, and on my left, is not 
 mine to give, but it shall he given to 
 them for whom it is prepared of my 
 Father. 
 
 24 And when the ten heard it, 
 ihey were moved with indignation 
 against the two brethren. 
 
 aAc.12.2. Ro.8.17. 2Cor.l.7. Re.1.9. 
 
 23. Ye shall indeed drink of the cup, 
 &c. You are truly attached to me. 
 You will follow me, and }'ou will par- 
 take of my afflictions, and will suffer as 
 /shall. This was fulfilled. James was 
 slain with the sword by Herod. Acts 
 .vii. 2. John lived many years. But he 
 attended the Saviour through his suf- 
 ferings, and was himself banished to 
 Patmos, a solitary island, for the testi- 
 mony of Jesus Christ — a companion of 
 others in tribulation. Rev. i. 9. IT 7s 
 not mine to give, &c. The translation 
 of this place evidently does not express 
 the sense of the original. The transla- 
 tion expresses the idea that Jesus has 
 nothing to do in bestowing rewards on 
 his followers. This is at variance with 
 the uniform testimony of the scriptures. 
 Matt. XXV. 31 — iO. John v. 22—30. 
 The correct translation of -the passage 
 would be, ' To sit on my right hand and 
 on my left is not mine to give, except to 
 those for whom it is prepared for my 
 Father.' The passage thus declares 
 that Christ would give rewards to his 
 followers ; but only to such as should 
 be entitled to them according to the 
 purpose of his Father. Much as he 
 might be attached to these two disci- 
 ples, yet he could not bestow any such 
 signal favors on them out of the regular 
 course of rewards. Rewards were pre- 
 pared for his followers, and in due time 
 they should be bestowed. He would 
 bestow them according as they had been 
 provided from eternity by God the Fa- 
 ther. Matt. xsv. 34. The correct 
 sense is seen by leaving out that part 
 of the verse in Italics, and this is one 
 of the places in the Bil)le where the 
 sense has been obscured or perverted 
 by the introduction of words which 
 bave nothing to coi respond with them 
 
 princes of the Gentiles exercise do* 
 minion over them, and they that are 
 great exercise autliority upon them. 
 
 26 But it shall not be ' so among 
 you : but *' whosoever will be great 
 among yon, let him be your minister; 
 
 27 And whosoever will be chief 
 among you, let him be your ser- 
 vant: 
 
 6 Lii. 22.25,26. c lPe.5.3. d c.23.11. Mar 
 9.35. 10.43. 
 
 in the original See a similar instance 
 in 1 John ii. 23. 
 
 24. The ten heard it. That is, the 
 ten other apostles. IT They were moved 
 with indignation. They were offended 
 at their ambition, at their desire to be 
 e.xalted above their brethren. The 
 word " it" refers not to what Jesus 
 said, but to their request. When the 
 ten heard the request which they had 
 made, they were indignant. 
 
 25 — 27. But Jesus called them untt 
 him. That is, he called all the apostles 
 to him, and stated the principles on 
 which they were to act. The princes 
 of the Gentiles exercise dominion over 
 them ; that is, over their subjects. ' You 
 know that such honors are customary 
 among nations. The kings of the earth 
 raise their favorites to posts of trust and 
 power. They give authority to some 
 over others. But my kingdom is esta- 
 blished in a different manner. There 
 are to be no ranks ; no places of domi 
 nion. All are to be on a level. The 
 rich, the poor, the learned, the unlearn- 
 ed, the bond, the free, are to be equal. 
 He will be the most distinguished that 
 shows most humility, the deepest sense 
 of his unworthiness, and the most ear- 
 nest desire to promote the welfare of 
 his brethren.' IT Gentiles. All who 
 were not Jews — used here to denote 
 the manner in which human govern- 
 ments are constituted. If Minister. A 
 servant. The original word is deacon 
 — a word meaning a servant of any 
 kind ; one especially who served at the 
 tabic; and in the New Testament, one 
 who serves the church. " Acts. vi. 1 — 4. 
 1 Tim. iii. 8. Preachers of the gospel 
 are called mi7iisters because they are 
 the servants of God and the church (1 
 Cor. iii. 5, iv. 1 ; 2 Cor. iii. C, vi. 4 ■
 
 226 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.33, 
 
 28 Even as the Son jf man came 
 not to be ministered unto, but " to 
 minister, and * to give his life a ran- 
 som for many, 
 oLu.22.27. Jno.13.4.14. Ph.2.7. 6 Is.53.5, 
 
 Eph. iv. 12) ; an office, therefore, which 
 forbids them to lord it over God's heri- 
 tage ; which is the very opposite of a 
 p.tation of superiority, and which de- 
 mands the very lowest degree of hu- 
 mility. 
 
 28. Even as the Son of man, &,c. 
 See Note, Matt. ^iii. 20. Jesus points 
 them to his own example. He was in 
 the form of God in heaven. Phil. ii. 6. 
 He came to men in the form of a ser- 
 vant. Phil. ii. 7. He came not with 
 pomp and glory, but as a man in hum- 
 ble life. And since he came, he had 
 not required them to minister to him. 
 He labored /or them. He strove to do 
 them good. He provided for their 
 wants, fared as poorly as they did, 
 went before them in dangers and suf- 
 i"erings, practised self-denial on their 
 account, and for them was about to lay 
 down his life. See John xiii. 4, 5. If To 
 give Jiis life a ransom for many. The 
 word ransom means literally a price 
 paid for the redemption of captives. In 
 war, when prisoners are taken by an 
 enemy, the money demanded for their 
 release is called a ransom. That is, it 
 is the means by which they are set at 
 liberty. So any thing that releases any 
 one from a state of punishment, or suf- 
 fering, or sin, is called a ransom. Men 
 are by nature captives to sin. They 
 are sold under it. They are under con- 
 demnation. Eph. ii. 3. Rom. iii. 9 — 
 •20, 23. 1 John v. 19. They are un- 
 der a curse. Gal. iii. 10. They are in 
 love with sin. They are under its 
 withering dominion, and are exposed to 
 death eternal. Ezek. xviii. 4. Ps. ix. 
 17; xi. 6; l.xviii. 2; cxxxix. 19. Matt. 
 XXV. 46. Rom. ii. 6 — 9. They must 
 have perished unless there had been 
 Rome way by which they could be res- 
 cued. This was done by the death of 
 Jesus ; by giving his hfe a ransom. 
 The meaning is that he died in the 
 place of sinners, and that God was will- 
 ing to accept the pains of ^/s death in the 
 place of the eternal suffering of the re- 
 deemed. The reasons why such a ran- 
 pom was necessary, are : 1st. That God 
 had declared that the sinner should die 
 
 29 And as they departed from 
 Jericho, a great multitude followed 
 him. 
 
 8,11. Da.9.24,26. ] Tim.S.G. 
 28. lPe.1.18,19. Ke.1.5. 
 
 Tit .2.14. He.9. 
 
 — that is, that he would punish, or show 
 his hatred to, all sin. 2d. That all men 
 had sinned ; and if justice was to take 
 its regular course, all must perish. 3d. 
 That man could make no atonement 
 for his own sins. All that he could do, 
 were he holy, would be only to do his 
 duty, and would make no amends for 
 the past. Repentance and future obe 
 dience would not blot away one sin. 
 4th. No man was pure, and no angel 
 could make atonement. God was 
 pleased, therefore, to appoint his only- 
 begotten Son to make such a ransom. 
 See John iii. 16 ; IJohniv. 10; 1 Peter 
 i. 18, 19; Rev. xiii. 8; John i. 29; 
 Eph. V. 2; Heb. viii. 27; Isa. hii. 
 This is commonly called the atonement. 
 See Notes on Rom. v. ii. H For many. 
 See also Matt. xxvi. 28 ; John x. 15 ; 1 
 Tim. ii. 6 ; 1 John ii. 2 ; 2 Cor. v. 14, 
 15 ; Heb. ii. 9. 
 
 29—34. See Mark x. 46—52 ; Luke 
 xviii. 35 — 43, xix. 1 ; where this account 
 of his restoring to sight two blind men 
 is also recorded. And as they departed 
 from Jericho. This was a large town 
 about eight miles west of the Jordan, 
 and about nineteen miles northeast from 
 Jerusalem. Near to this city the Is- 
 raehtes crossed the Jordan, when they 
 entered into the land of Canaan. Josh. 
 iii. 16. It was the first city taken by 
 Joshua, who destroyed it to the founda- 
 tion, and pronounced a curse on him 
 who should rebuild it. Josh. vi. 20, 
 21 , 26. This curse was literally fulfilled 
 in the days of Ahab — nearly five hun- 
 dred years after. 1 Kings xvi. 34. It 
 afterwards became the place of the 
 school of the prophets. 2 Kings ii. 5. 
 In this place Elisha worked a signal 
 miracle, greatly to the advantage of the 
 inhabitants, by rendering the waters 
 near it, that were before bitter, sweet 
 and wholesome. 2 Kings ii. 21. In 
 point of size it was second only to Je- 
 rusalem. It was sometimes called the 
 city of palm-trees, from the fact that 
 there were many palms in the vicinity. 
 A few of them are still remaining. 2 
 Chron. x.xviii. 15. Judges i. 16; iii. J3. 
 At this place died Herod the Great. (?f
 
 A..D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 227 
 
 30 And, " behold, two blind men, 
 sitting by the way-side, when they 
 heard that Jesus passed by, cried 
 ac.9.27. Mar.l0.4C. Lu.18.35. 
 
 a most wretched and foul disease. See 
 Note, Matt. ii. 19. It is now a small 
 village, wretched in its appearance and 
 inhabited by a very few persons, and 
 called Riha, or Fah, situated on the 
 ruins of the ancient city, (or, as some 
 think, three or four miles east of it,) 
 which a modern traveller describes as a 
 poor, dirty village of the Arabs. There 
 are perhaps fifty houses, of rough stone, 
 with roofs of bushes and mud, and the 
 population two hundred or three hun- 
 dred in number, is entirely IMohamme- 
 dan. The road from Jentsalem to Je- 
 richo lies through what is called the 
 wilderness of Jericho, and is described 
 by modern travellers as t.he most dan- 
 gerous and forbidding about Palestine. 
 As lately as 1820, an English traveller, 
 Sir Frederick Henniker, was attacked 
 on this road by the Arabs, with fire- 
 arms, who left him naked and severe- 
 ly wounded. See Notes on Luke x. 
 30. Jesus was going to Jerusalem. 
 He had left Samaria, and crossed the 
 Jordan. Ch. xLx. 1. His regular jour- 
 ney was therefore through Jericho. 
 IT As they departed from Jericho. Luke 
 says, ^ As he was come nigh unto Jeri- 
 cho." The original word used in Luke, 
 translated was come nii(h, commonly ex- 
 presses approach to a place. But it does 
 not of necessity mean that always. It 
 may denote nearness to a place, whether 
 going to it, or from it. It would be here 
 rendered correctly, ' when they were 
 near to Jericho,' or when they were in 
 ihe vicinity of it, without saying wheth- 
 er they were going to it or from it. Mat- 
 thew and Mark say they were going 
 from it. The passage in Luke xix. 1, 
 And Jesus entered and passed through 
 Jericho, which seems to be mentioned 
 as having taken place after the cure of 
 the blind man, does not necessarily 
 suppose that. That passage might be 
 intended to be connected with the ac- 
 count of Zaccheus, and not to denote 
 the order of time in which these events 
 ■ook place ; but simply that as he was 
 passing through Jericho, Zaecheus 
 pought to see him, and invited him to 
 his house. Historians vary m the cir- 
 cumstances and order of events. The 
 
 out, saying. Have mercy on us, O 
 Lord, fhou Son of David ! 
 
 31 And the multitude rebuked 
 
 main fads of the narrative are observed. 
 And such variations of circumstances 
 and order, where there is no palpable 
 contradiction, show the honesty of the 
 writers ; show that they did not con- 
 spire together to deceive, and are in all 
 courts of justice considered as confir- 
 mations of the truth of the testimony. 
 
 30. Two blind men. Mark and Luke 
 mention but one. They do not say, 
 however, that there was no more than 
 one. They mention one because he 
 was probably well known ; perhaps the 
 son of a distinguished citizen reduced 
 to poverty. His name was Bartimeus. 
 Bar is a Syriac word, meaning son ; 
 and the name means, therefore, "the 
 son of Timeus." Probably Titneus 
 was a man of note ; and as the case of 
 his son attracted most attention, Mark 
 and Luke recorded it particularly. Had 
 they said there was only one healed, 
 there would have been a contradiction. 
 As it is, there is no more contradiction 
 or difficulty than there is in the fact that 
 the evangelists, hke all other historians, 
 often omit many facts which they do 
 not choose to record. IT Heard that 
 Jesus passed by. They learned who 
 he was by inquiring. They heard a 
 noise, and asked who it was. (Luke.l 
 They had doubtless heard much of hi? 
 fame, but had never before been where 
 he was, and probably would not bt 
 again. They were therefore more earn 
 est in calling upon him. If Son of Da 
 vid. That is, Messiah, or Christ. This 
 was the name by which the Mes.siah 
 was commonly known. He was the 
 illustrious descendaiil of David in whom 
 the promises especially centered. Ps. 
 cxxxii. 11, 12; Ixxxix. 3, 4. It was the 
 universal opinion of the Jews that the 
 Messiah was to be the descendant of 
 David. See ch. xxii. 42. On the use 
 of the word Son, see Note on Matt. i. 1. 
 
 31. And the multitude rebuked them 
 because, &c. They chid or reproved 
 them, and in a threatening manner told 
 them to be silent. ^ They cried the 
 more. Jesus standing still, ordered them 
 to be brought to him. (Pvlark.) They 
 then addressed the blind men, and told 
 thorn that Je.sus called. Mark adda-
 
 228 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. 1). 33. 
 
 them, because they should hold 
 their peace : but they cried the 
 more, saying, Have mercy on us, 
 
 Lord, thou Son of David ! 
 
 32 And Jesus stood still, and 
 called them, and said, What will 
 ye that I shall do unto you 1 
 
 that Baitimeus cast away his garment, 
 and rose and came to Jesus. The gar- 
 ment was not his only raiment, but was 
 the outer garment, thrown loosely over 
 iiim, and commonly laid aside when 
 persons labored or ran. See Note, 
 Matt. V. 40. His doing it denoted haste, 
 and earnestness, in order to come to 
 Jesus. 
 
 34. And touched their eyes. Mark 
 and Luke say he added, thy faith hath 
 saved thee. Thy confidence, or belief 
 that I could cure, has been the means 
 of obtaining this blessing. Faith had 
 no power to open the eyes, but it led 
 them to Jesus ; it showed that they had 
 just views of his power ; it was con- 
 nected with the cure. So faith has no 
 power to save from sin, but it leads the 
 poor, lost, blind sinner to him who has 
 power ; and in this sense it is said we 
 are saved by faith. Kis touching their 
 eyes was merely a sign that the power 
 of healing proceeded from him. 
 
 Here was an undoubted miracle. 1st. 
 These blind men were well known. 
 One at least had been long blind. 2d. 
 They were strangers to Jesus. They 
 could not have, therefore, /eior?tei them- 
 selves blind. 3d. The miracle was in 
 the presence of multitudes, who took a 
 deep interest in it, and who could easily 
 have detected the imposition if there 
 had been one. 4th. The men followed 
 him. They praised or glorified God. 
 (Mark and Luke.) The people gave 
 praise to God also. (Luke.) They 
 wore all satisfied that a real miracle 
 was performed. 
 
 KEMARKS. 
 
 1st. From the parable at the begin- 
 ■ims ol this chapter (vs. 1 — IG) we learn 
 
 1 hat it is not so much the time that we 
 uerve Christ, as the manner, that is to 
 Entitle us to high rewards in heaven. 
 Some may be in the church many 
 rears, yet accomplish little. Others in 
 a few years may be more distinguished 
 in the success of their labors and in 
 their rewards. 
 
 2d. God will do justice to all. Vcr. 
 
 33 They say unto him. Lord, that 
 our eyes may be opened. 
 
 34 So Jesus had compassion on 
 them, and touched their eyes : and 
 immediately their eyes received 
 sight, and they followed him. 
 
 13. He will give to all his followers all 
 that he promised to give. He will give 
 to him eniitled to the least every thing 
 which he has promised, and infinitely 
 more than he has deserved. 
 
 3d. On some he will Uestow higher 
 rewards than on others. Ver. 16. There 
 is no reason to think that the condition 
 of men in heaven will be equal, any 
 more than it is on earth. Diflerence of 
 rank may run through all God's gov- 
 ernment, and still no one be degraded, 
 or be deprived of his rights. 
 
 4th. God does as he pleases with his 
 own. Ver. 15. It is his right to do so 
 — a right which men claim, and wliich 
 God may claim. If he does injustice 
 to no o)ie, he has a right to bestow what 
 favors on others he pleases. 
 
 5th. In doing good to another man, 
 he does no injury to me. He violated 
 none of my rights by bestowing great 
 talents on Newton, or great wealth on 
 Solomon. He did not injure me by 
 making Paul a man of distinguished 
 talents and piety, or John a man of 
 much meekness and love. What he 
 gives me I should be thankful for, and 
 improve : nor should I be envious or 
 malignant, that he has given to others 
 more than he has to me. Nay, I should 
 rejoice that he has bestov.-ed such favors 
 on undeserving men at all ; — that the 
 race is in possession of such talents and 
 rewards, to whomsoever given ; and 
 should believe that in the hands of God 
 such favors will be well bestowed. 
 God is a soveixign ; and the Judge of 
 all the earth will do that which is right. 
 
 6th. It is our duty to go into the vine- 
 yard and labor faithfully, whenever the 
 Lord Jesus calls us, and till he calla 
 us to receive our reward. Vs. 1 — IG. 
 He has a right to call us, and there are 
 none who arc not invited to labor for 
 him. 
 
 7th. Rewards are offered to all who 
 will serve him. Ver. 4. It is not that 
 we daerve any favor, or that we shall 
 not .say at the end of life that wc have 
 bf en unprofitable servants ; but Jii» otra
 
 \.D 3?..\ 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 229 
 
 Liously promises that our rewards shall 
 be measured by our faithfulness in his 
 cause. He will have the glory of bring- 
 ing us into his kingdom and saving us, 
 while he will bestow rewards on us 
 according as we have been faithful in 
 his service. 
 
 8th. Men may be saved in old age. 
 Ver. (). Old men are sometimes brought 
 into the Idngdom of Christ, and made 
 holy. But it is rare. Few aged men 
 ars converted. They drop into the grave 
 as they Ined. And to a man who 
 wastes his youth and his middle life in 
 s"ii, and goes down into the vale of 
 yjars a rebel against God, there is a 
 dreadful probability that he will die as 
 he lived. It will be found to be true, 
 probably, that by far more than half 
 who are saved are convi rted before 
 they reach the age of twenty-five. Be- 
 sides, it is foolish as well as wicked to 
 spend the best of our days in the service 
 of Satan, and to give to God only the 
 poor remnant of our lives, that wc can 
 no longer use in the canse of wicked- 
 ness. God should have our first and 
 hcst days, 
 
 9th. Neither this parable, nor any part 
 of the Bible, should be abused, so as to 
 lead us to put off the time of repent- 
 ance to old age. It is possible, though 
 not prohable, that an old man may re- 
 pent ; but it is not probable that r«? shall 
 live to be old. Few, few, ot all the 
 world, hve to oldage. We may die in 
 youth. Tiiousands die in childhood. 
 I'he time, the accepted lime to serve 
 God, is in childhood. There are more 
 reasons why a child should love the Sa- 
 viour, than why he should love a pa- 
 rent. Ho has done much more for us 
 than any parent. And there is no rea- 
 son why he may not bo trained up to 
 love him, as well as his parents. And 
 God will require it at the hands of pa- 
 rents and teachers, if they do not train 
 up the children committed to them to 
 love and obey hiin. 
 
 10th. One reason why we do not un- 
 derstand the plain doctrines of the Bi- 
 ble is our prejudice. Vs. 17 — 19. Our 
 Saviour plainly told his disciples that he 
 must die. He stated the manner of his 
 death, and the principtd circumstances. 
 To us all this is plain ; but Ihei/ did not 
 understand it. (Luke.) They had lillcd 
 their heads with notions about his earth- 
 ly glory and honor, and they were not 
 ufilling to see the 1 \ith as he stated it. 
 20 
 
 Ne^er was there a juster proverb than 
 that " None arc so blind as those who 
 will not see." So to us the Bible mjght 
 be plain enough. The doctrines of 
 truth are revealed clear as a sunbeam, 
 but we are filled with previous notions ; 
 we are determined to think dili'erently ; 
 and the easiest way to gratify this is to 
 say we do not see it so. The only cor- 
 rect principle of interpretation is, that 
 the Bible is to be taken just as it is. 
 The meaning that the sacred writers in- 
 tended to teach is to be sought honest- 
 ly ; and when found, that and that only 
 is religious truth. 
 
 11th. Mothers should be cautious 
 about seeking places of honor for their 
 sons. Ver. 20 — 22. Doing this, they 
 seldom know what they ask. They 
 may be seeking the ruin of their chil 
 dren. It is not posts of honor that se 
 cure happiness or salvation. Content- 
 ment and peace are found oftenest in 
 the humble vale of honest and sober 
 industr}' — in attempting to fill np our 
 days with usefulness in the situation 
 where God has placed us. As the pu- 
 rest and loveliest streams often flow in 
 the retired grove, far from the thunder- 
 ing cataract or the stormy ocean, so is 
 the sweet peace of the soul ; it dwells 
 oftenest far from the bustle of public 
 life, and the storms and tempests of am- 
 bition. 
 
 12th. Ambition in the church is ex- 
 ceedingly improper. Ver. 22. It is not 
 the nature of religion to produce it. It 
 is opposed to all the modest, retiring, 
 and pure virtues, that Christianity pro- 
 duces. An ambitious man will be des- 
 titute of rehgion just in proportion to 
 his ambition ; and piety may always be 
 graduated by humility. 
 
 ISth. Our iiumility is the measure of 
 our religion. Ver. 26 — 28. Without 
 humility we can have no religion. He 
 that has the most lowly views of him- 
 self, and the highest of God — that is 
 willing to stoop the lowest to aid hi»' 
 fellow creatures, and to honor God — 
 has the most genuine piety. Such was 
 the example of our Saviour, and it can 
 never be any dishonor to imitate tht. 
 Son of God. 
 
 14th. The case of the blind men is an 
 expressive representation of the condi- 
 tion of the sinner. Vs. 30 — 24. 1st 
 Men are blinded by reason of sin 
 They do not by nature see the truth 
 of religion. 2d. It is proper hi thii
 
 230 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 AND ' when they drew nigh 
 unto Jerusalem, and were come 
 oMar.ll.l. Lu.19.29. 
 
 state of hlindness to call upon Jesus to 
 open our eyes. If we ever see, it will 
 be by the grace of God. God is the 
 fountain of light, and those in darkness 
 should seek him. 3d. Present oppor- 
 tunities should be improved. This was 
 ;he first time that Jesus had been in 
 Jericho. It was the last time he would 
 be there. He was passing through it 
 on his way to Jerusalem. So he passes 
 among us by his ordinances. So it may 
 be the last time that we shall have an 
 opportunity to call upon him. While 
 he is near, we should seek him. 4th. 
 When people rebuke us and laugh at 
 as, it should not deter us from calling 
 )n the Saviour. There is danger that 
 hey will laugh us out of our purpose 
 :o seek him, and we should cry the 
 more earnestly to him. We should 
 feel that our eternal all depends on our 
 being heard. 5th. The persevering cry 
 of those who seek the Saviour aiiojlu 
 will not be in vain. Thev who cry to 
 him sensible of their blindi''<5ss, and sen- 
 sible that he only can opeti their eyes, 
 will be heard. He turns none away 
 who thus cry to him. fith. Sinners 
 must " rise" and come to Jesus. They 
 must cast away every thing that hinders 
 their coming. As the blind Bartimeus 
 threw off his "garments," so sinners 
 should throw away every thing that 
 hinders their going to him — every thing 
 that obstructs their progress — and cast 
 themselves at his feet. No man will 
 be saved while sitting still. The com- 
 mand is, " strive to enter in;" and the 
 promise is made to those only who 
 "ask," and "seek," and "knock." 
 7th. Fa'th is the only channel through 
 which we shall receive mercy. Accord- 
 ing to our faith — that is, our co7ifide?ice 
 in Jesus — our trust and reliance on him 
 ^so will it be to us. Without that we 
 5hall perish. 8th. They who apply to 
 Jesus thus will receive sight. Their 
 eyes will be opened, and they will see 
 ylearly. 9th. Tiiey who are thus re- 
 stored to sight should follow Jesus. 
 They should follow him wherever he 
 leads ; they should follow him always ; 
 '.hey should follow none else but him. 
 ITc that can give sight to (he blind can- 
 
 to Bethphage, unto the Mount of 
 Olives, then sent Jesus two dis- 
 ciples, 
 
 not lead us astray. He that can shed 
 light in the beginning of our faith, can 
 enlighten our goings through all our 
 pilgrimage, and down through the dark 
 valley ot the shadow of death. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 1 — 16. See also Mark xi. 1 — 11, 
 Luke xi.x. 29—44. 
 
 1 . And when they drew nigh unto Je 
 rusalem. They were going up now 
 from Jericho. Ch. xx. 29. The dis- 
 tance was about nineteen miles. The 
 most of the way was a desert, or filled 
 with caves, and rocks, and woods — a 
 fit place for robbers. See Luke x. 30, 
 The Mount of Olives, or Olivet, is on 
 the east of Jerusalem. Between this 
 and Jerusalem there runs a small stream 
 called the brook Kidron, or Cedron. 
 It is dry in the hot seasons of the year, 
 but swells to a considerable size in time 
 of heavy rains. See Note on John 
 xviii. 1. The Mount of Olives was so 
 called from its producing in abundance 
 the olive. It was from Jerusalem about 
 a sabbath day's journey. Acts i. 12. On 
 the west side of the mountain was the 
 garden of Gethsemane. Luke xxii. S9. 
 Mark xiv. 32. On the eastern declivity 
 of the mountain, were the villages of 
 Bethphage and Bethany. Mai-li and 
 Luke say that he came near to both 
 those places. }ie came 7iearest to Beth- 
 phage, and sent his disciples to the vil- 
 lage over against them, to Bethany. Be- 
 thany was the place where Lazarus dwell 
 whom he raised from the dead (John xi.); 
 where Martha and Mary dwelt ; ar;d 
 where Mary anointed him with oint- 
 ment against the day of his burying. 
 John xii. 1 — 7. These circumstances 
 are omitted by the three first-evangelists 
 but supplied by John, who wrote after 
 them. The Mount of Olives is about 
 a mile in length, and about seven hun- 
 dred feet in height, and overlooks Je- 
 rusalem; so that from its summit al- 
 most every part of the city can be seen. 
 The mountain is composed of three 
 peaks or summits. Our Saviour is sup- 
 posed to have ascended from the mid- 
 dle one. The olive is a fruit well known 
 among us as an article of commerco
 
 \. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 231 
 
 2 Saying unto them, Go into 
 the village over-against you, and 
 straightway ye shall find an ass 
 lied, and a colt with her : loose 
 thcnt, and bring them unto me. 
 
 3 And if any man say aught unto 
 you, ye shall say. The Lord hath 
 need of them ; and straightway he 
 will send them. 
 
 The tree blooms in June, and bears 
 white flowers. The fruit is small. It 
 is first green, then pale, and, when fujly 
 ripe, black. It incloses a hard stone, 
 in which are the seeds. The wild olive 
 was common, and differed from the 
 other only in being of a smaller size. 
 There are two roads from Jerusalem to 
 Bethany ; one around the southern end 
 of the Mount of Ohves, and the other 
 across the summit. The latter is con- 
 siderably shorter, but more difficult, 
 and it was probably along this roadlhal 
 the Saviour went. 
 
 2. Go into the village over-against 
 you. The village here meant was not 
 tar from Bethany, and about two miles 
 east of Jerusalem. Mark and Liike. 
 He had lodged at Bethphage the night 
 before, and in the morning sent his dis- 
 ciples to the village over against them ; 
 chat is, to Bethany. John .\ii. 1 — 12. 
 'r Ye shall find an ass tied, &c. In 
 Judea there were few horses, and those 
 v.'cre chiefly used in war. Men seldom 
 employed them in common life, and in 
 ordinary journeys. The ass, the mule, 
 and the camel, are still most used in 
 eastern countries. To ride on a horse 
 was sometimes an emblem of war : on 
 a mule and an ass the emblem of peace. 
 Kings and princes commonly rode on 
 ihem in times of peace ; and it is men- 
 tioned as a mark of rank and dignity to 
 ride in that manner. Judges x. 4 ; xii. 
 It. 1 Sam. XXV. 20. So Solomon, 
 .vhen he was inaugurated as king, rode 
 on a mule. 1 Kings i. 33. Riding in 
 this manner, then, denoted neither 
 poverty nor degradation, but was the 
 appropriate way in which a king should 
 ride, and in which, therefore, the King 
 af Zion should enter into his capital — 
 the city of Jerusalem. 
 
 Mark and Inikc say that he told 
 hem they should find "a colt tied." 
 '""his they were directed *o bring. 
 
 4 All this was done, that it might 
 be fulfilled which was spoken by 
 the prophet, " saying, 
 
 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, 
 * Behold, thy King cometh unto 
 thee, meek, and silting upon an ass, 
 and a colt the foal of an ass. 
 
 6 And the disciples went, and did 
 as Jesus commanded them, 
 
 a Zec.9.9. * Is.C2.11. Mar.]1.4,&c. Jno.l2.1i. 
 
 They mention only the colt, because 
 it was this on which he rode. 
 
 3. The Lord hath need of him. This 
 means no more than the master has 
 need of him. The word Lord often 
 means no more than master as opposed 
 to servant. Matt. x. 24. Eph. vi. 5. 
 1 Peter iii. 5, 6. The word is some 
 times used in the Bible as applied to 
 God, or as a translation of the name 
 JEHOVAH. Its common use is a mere 
 title of respect given by an inferior to a 
 superior, by a servant to a master, by 
 a disciple to a teacher. As a title of 
 high respect it was given to Christ, or 
 the Messiah. — The persons to whom 
 these disciples were sent were probaoly 
 acquainted with the miracles of Jesus, 
 and favorably disposed towards him. 
 He had attracted great notice m that 
 region particularly by raising Lazarus 
 from the dead, and most of the people 
 regarded him as the Messiah. 
 
 4, 5. All this was done. &,c. The 
 prophecy here quoted is found in Zech. 
 ix. 9. It was always, by the Jews, ap- 
 plied to the Messiah. IT Daughter of 
 Zion. That is, Jerusalem. Zion was 
 one of the hills on which the city of Je 
 rusalem was built. On tliis stood the 
 city of David and some strong for- 
 tresses. The names daughter and vir- 
 gin were given to it often, in accord- 
 ance with the oriental figurative manner 
 of expression. See my Note on Isa. i. 
 8. Amos V. 2. Ps. xlv. 13 ; cxxxvii. 
 8. Isa. xlvii. 1. It was given to them 
 as as expression of their beauty or 
 comeliness. If Meek. See Note, Matt. 
 V. 5. The expression here rather de- 
 notes peaceful, not warlihc; not with 
 pomp, and sta^e, and the ensigns of 
 ambition. He came in the manner in 
 which kings were accuslomed to ride, 
 but with none of their pride and ambi- 
 tious feehng. ^ Sitting upon an ass, 
 &c. He rode on 'he colt. fMark an^
 
 S2 
 
 MATTHEV. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 * And brought the ass, and the 1 8 And a very great multitude 
 3olt, and put on therei their clothes, spread their garments in the ways 
 and they set hirr, thereon. others cut down branches from the 
 
 Luke.) This expression in Matthew is 
 one which is common with all writers. 
 See Gen. xix. 29 ; Judges xii. 7. 
 
 7. And put on them their clothes. 
 This was done as a token of respect. 
 2 Kings ix. 13. 
 
 8. And a very great multitude, Slc. 
 Others showed the same respect by 
 throwmg their garments before him ; 
 others by cutting dovwi branches of 
 trees and casting ihcm in the way. 
 This was the way in which conquerors 
 and princes were often honored. To 
 cast flowers, or garlands, or evergricns, 
 oefore a warrior returning from victory, 
 
 or a king entering into his kingdom, 
 was a common way of testifying joyfiii 
 and triumphant feeling. Thus Jose 
 phus says that Alexander and Agrippa 
 were received at Jerusalem. So in our 
 own land, some of the most acceptable 
 tokens of rejoicing ever bestowed upon 
 Washington were garlands of roses 
 scattered iu his path by children. So 
 the path of Lafayette was often strewed 
 with flowers, as a mark of respect and 
 of a nation's gratitude. John says (xii. 
 13) that these branches were branches 
 of the palm-tree. The palm was an 
 emblem of joy and victory. It was
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 233 
 
 frees, 
 nay. 
 
 and strawed them in the 
 
 used by the Roman soldiers as well as 
 tlie Jews as a symbol of peace. See 1 
 Mac. xiii. 51 ; 2 Mac. x. 6, 7 ; Rev. 
 vii. 9. 
 
 The palm-tree is common in warm 
 climates, and was abundant in Pales- 
 tine. The finest grew about Jericho 
 and Engcddi. Hence Jericho was call- 
 ed the city of palm-trees. The palm 
 has a long and straight body, a spread- 
 ing top, and an appearance of very 
 great beauty. It produces an agreeable 
 Iruit, a pleasant shade, a kind of honey 
 little inferior to the honey of bees, and 
 from it was drawn a pleasant wine, 
 much used in the East.' On ancient 
 coins the palm-tree is often a symbol 
 of Judea. On coins made after Jeru- 
 salem was taken, Judea is represented 
 by a female sitting and weeping under 
 a palm-tree. A reference to the palm- 
 tree occurs often in the Bible, and its 
 general form and uses are familiar to 
 most readers. We have placed on the 
 preceding page, a cut of the tree, and 
 add a description of it, for the use of 
 those to whom it is not familiar. 
 
 Strictly speaking, the palm has no 
 branches ; but at the summit, from 
 forty to eighty twigs, or leaf-stalks, 
 spring forth, which are intended in Neh. 
 viii. 15. The leaves are set around the 
 trunk in circles of about six. The 
 lower row is of great length, and the 
 vast leaves bend themselves in a curve 
 towards the earth ; as the circles as- 
 cend, the leaves are shorter. In the 
 month of February, there sprout from 
 between the junctures of the lower 
 stalks and the trunk little scales, which 
 develope a kind of bud, the germ of the 
 coming fruit. These germs are con- 
 tamed in a thick and tough skin, not 
 unlike leather. According to the ac- 
 count of a modern traveller, a single 
 tree in Barbary and Egypt bears from 
 fifteen to twenty large clusters of dates, 
 weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds 
 each. Hie palm-tree lives more than 
 (wo hundred years, and is most pro- 
 ductive from the thirtieth until the 
 eightieth year. The Arabs speaw. of 
 two hundred and sixty uses to which 
 :he different parts of the palm-tree are 
 anphed. 
 
 ' The inhabitants of Egypt, Arabia, 
 20* 
 
 9 And the multitudes that went 
 before, and that followed, cried, say 
 
 and Persia depend much on the fruit 
 of the palm-tree for tlieir subsistence. 
 Camels feed on the seed, and the leaves, 
 branches, fibres, and sap are all very 
 valuat^. 
 
 The " branches" referred to by John 
 (xxii. 13), refer to the long leaves which 
 shoot out from tlie top of tlie tree, and 
 which were often carried about as the 
 symbol of victory. Comp. Notes on 
 Isa. iii. 26. 
 
 9. Hosanna to the Son of David, &,c. 
 The word ho!<anna means "save now," 
 or " save I beseech thee." It is a Sy- 
 riac word, and was the form of accla- 
 mation used among the Jews. It was 
 probably used in the celebration of their 
 great festivals. During those festivals 
 they sang the 115th, llGth, 117lh, and 
 118th psalms. In the chanting or sing 
 ing of those psalms, the Jewish writers 
 infortn us, that the people responded 
 frequently 7ioZ/eZ?ya7t or hosa7ina. Their 
 use of it on this occasion was a joyful 
 acclamation, and an invocation of a di- 
 vine blessing by the Messiah. IT Son 
 of David. The Messiah. IT Blessed he 
 he, &,c. That is, blessed be the il/es- 
 siah. This passage is taken from Fs. 
 cxviii. 25, 26. To come in the name of 
 the Lord, is to come by the aulhority of 
 the Lord ; to come commissioned by 
 him to reveal his will. The Jews had 
 commonly applied this to the Messiah. 
 IT Hosanna in the highest. This may 
 mean either ' Hosanna in the highest, 
 loftiest strains,' or it may mean a prayet 
 to God, ' Save now, O thou that dwcll- 
 est in the highest heaven, or among the 
 highest angels.' Perhaps the whole 
 song of hosanna may be a prayer to the 
 Supreme God, as well as a note of tri- 
 umphant acclamation : ' Save now, O 
 thou supremely great and glorious God , 
 save by the Messiah that comes in thy 
 name.' 
 
 Mark adds that they shouted " Bless- 
 ed be the kingdom of our father David, 
 that Cometh in the name of tlie Lord." 
 That is, the kingdom promised to Da- 
 vid. 1 Kings ii. 4 ; viii. 25. Coming 
 in the name of the Lord, means coming 
 according to the promise of the Lord. 
 Its meaning may be thus expressed . 
 ' Prosperiiy to the reign of our father 
 David, advancing now accordmg to tbn
 
 234 
 
 ing, Hosanna to the Son of David ! 
 Blessed " is he hat cometh in the 
 name of the Lord ; Hosanna in the 
 highest I * 
 
 10 And when he was come into 
 Jerusalem, all the city was moved, 
 saying, Who is this 1 
 
 a Ps.118.26. c.23.39. 6 Lu.2^4. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D 33. 
 
 11 And the multitude said, This 
 is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth 
 of Galilee. 
 
 12 And ' Jesus went into the 
 temple of God, and cast out all 
 them that sold and bought in the 
 temple, and overthrew the tables of 
 
 cMar.ll.ll. Lu.]9.45,&c. Jno.2.15,&c. 
 
 promise made to him, and about to be 
 established by the long-promised Mes- 
 siah", his descendant.' 
 
 Luke adds (six. 38) that they said, 
 " Peace in heaven, and glory in the 
 highest." The word peace is used 
 here as significant of joy, triumph, ex- 
 ultation in heaven at this event. There 
 will be increased peace and rejoicing 
 from the succession of the redeemed : 
 and let glory and praise be given to 
 God among the highest angels. 
 
 There is no contradiction here among 
 the 3vangelists. Among such a multi- 
 tude the shouts of exultation and tri- 
 umph would by no means be confined 
 to the same words. Some would say 
 one thing, and some another ; and one 
 evangelist recorded what was said by a 
 part of the multitude, and another what 
 was said by another part. 
 
 10. And when he teas come into Je- 
 rusalem, all the city was moved. There 
 was great excitement. The sight of 
 such a multitude, the shouts of the 
 people, and the triumphant procession 
 throtigh the city, excited much atten- 
 tion and inquiry. 
 
 12 — 23. This paragraph contains the 
 account of the barren fig-tree, and of 
 the cleansing of the temple. See also 
 Mark xi. 12—19. Luke xix. 45 — 48. 
 
 12. And Jesus xoent into the temple 
 of God, &c. From Mark .\i. 11 — 15, 
 it is probable that this cleansing of the 
 temple did not take place on the day 
 that ho entered Jerusalem in triumph, 
 but on the day following. He came 
 and looked round upon all things, Mark 
 Gnys, and went out to Bethany with the 
 twelve. On the day following, return- 
 ing from Bethany, he saw the fig-tree. 
 Entering into the temple, he purified it 
 5?i that day ; or, perhaps, he finished 
 the work of purifying it on that day, 
 which he commenced the day before. 
 Matthew has mentioned the purifying 
 of the temple, which was performed 
 probably on two successive days; or 
 has stated the fact, without being parti- 
 
 cular as to the order of events. Mark 
 has stated them more particularly, and 
 has divided what Matthew mentions 
 together. 
 
 The temple of God, or the temple 
 dedicated and devoted to the service of 
 God, was built on mount Moriah. The 
 first temple was built by Solomon, 
 about 1005 years before Christ. 1 Kings 
 vi. He was seven years in building it. 
 1 Kings vi. 38. David, his father, had 
 contemplated the design of building it, 
 and had prepared many materials for it, 
 but was prevented, because he had been 
 a man of war. 1 Chron. xxii. 1 — 9. 1 
 Kings V. 5. This temple, erected with 
 great magnificence, remained till it was 
 destroyed by the Chaldeans under Ne 
 buchadnezzar, five hundred and eighty 
 four years before Christ. 2 Chron. 
 xx.xvi. 6, 7, 19. 
 
 After the Babylonish captivity, the 
 temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, but 
 with vastly inferior and diminished 
 beauty. The aged men wept when 
 they compared it whh the glory of the 
 former temple. Ezra iii. 8, 12. This 
 was called the seco7id temple. This 
 temple was often defiled in the wars 
 before the time of Christ. It had be- 
 come much decayed and impaired. He- 
 rod the Great, being exceedingly un 
 popular among the Jews, on account 
 of his cruelties (see Note, Matt, ii.), 
 was desirous of doing something to ob' 
 tain the favour of the people, and ac- 
 cordingly about sLxteen years before 
 Christ, and in the eighteenth year of 
 his reign, he commenced the work of 
 repairing it. This he did, not by taking 
 it down entirely at once, but by remov- 
 ing one part after another till it had be 
 come in fact a new temple, greatly sut'- 
 passing the former in magnificence. It 
 was still called by the Jews the second 
 tempie ; and by Christ's coming to this 
 temple thus repaired, was fulfilled the 
 prophecy in Haggai ii. 0. On this 
 building Herod employed eighte^'.n thou- 
 sand men, and completed it so is to be
 
 D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XAl. 
 
 285 
 
 fit for use in nine years, or about eight 
 years before Christ. But additions con- 
 tinued to be made to it, a^id it continued 
 increasing in splendor and magnificence, 
 till Anno Domini G4. John says (ii. 
 ^20), forty and six years was this temple 
 m building. Christ was then thirty 
 years of age, which added to the six- 
 teen years occupied in repairing it be- 
 ibre his birth, makes forty-sLx years. 
 
 The word temple was given, not 
 merely to the sacred edifice, or house 
 itself, hut to all the numerous cham- 
 bers, courts, and rooms connected with 
 it, on the top of mount Moriah. The 
 temple itself was a small edifice, and 
 was surrounded by courts and cham- 
 bers half a mile in circumference. Into 
 ;he sacred edifice itself our Saviour 
 never went. The high-priest only 
 went into the holy of holies, and that 
 but once a year ; and none but priests 
 were permitted to enter the holy place. 
 Our Saviour was neither. He was of 
 the tribe oi Judak, and he consequently 
 was allowed to enter no farther than the 
 other Israelites into the temple. The 
 works that he is said to have performed 
 in the temple, therefore, are to be un- 
 derstood as having been performed in 
 the courts surrounding the sacred edi- 
 fice. These courts will now be de- 
 scribed. 
 
 The temple was erected on mount 
 Moriah. The space on the summit of 
 the mount was not, however, large 
 enough for the buildings necessary to 
 be erected. It was, therefore, enlarged, 
 ny building high walls, from the valley 
 oelow; and filling up the space within. 
 One of these walls was sLx hundred 
 feet in height. The ascent to the tem- 
 ple was by high flights of steps. The 
 entrance to the temple, or to the courts 
 on the top of the mount, was by nine 
 gates, all of them extremely splendid. 
 On every side they were thickly coated 
 with gold and silver. But there was 
 one gate of peculiar magnificence. This 
 was called the beautiful gate. Acts iii. 
 2. It was on the east side, and was 
 made of Corinthian brass, one of the 
 most precious m.etals in ancient times. 
 See the Introduction to 1 Corinthians, 
 ^ 1. This gate was fifty cubits, or 
 seventy-five feet in height. 
 
 The whole temple, with all its courts, 
 was surrounded by a wall about twenty- 
 five feet in height. This was built on 
 the wall rais?d from the base to the ton 
 
 of the mountain, so that from the fop 
 of it to the bottom, in a pcrpendiculai 
 descent, was in some places not far 
 from six hundred feet. This was parti- 
 cularly the case on the south-east cor- 
 ner ; and it was here, probably, that 
 Satan wished our Saviour to cast him- 
 self down. Note, Rlatt. iv. G. 
 
 On the inside of this wall, between 
 the gales, were piazzas, or covered 
 porches. On the eastern, northern, 
 and western sides there were two row 
 of these porches ; on the south, three. 
 These porches were covered walks, 
 about twenty feet in width, paved with 
 marble of difiercnt colors, with a flat 
 roof of costly cedar, which was sup- 
 ported by pillars of sohd marble, so 
 large that three men could scarcely 
 stretch their arms so as to meet around 
 them. These walks or porches afford- 
 ed a grateful shade and protection to 
 the people in hot or stormy weather. 
 The one on the east side was distin- 
 guished for its beauty, and was called 
 Solomon's porch. John x. 23. Acts iii. 
 11. It stood over the vast terrace or 
 wall which he had raised from the val- 
 ley beneath, and which was the only 
 thing of his work that remained in the 
 sacred temple. 
 
 When a person entered any of the 
 gates into this space within the wall, he 
 saw the temple rising before him with 
 great magnificence. But the space was 
 not clear all the wfty up to it. Going 
 forward, he came to another wall, in- 
 closing considerable ground, considered 
 more holy than the rest of the hill. The 
 space between this first and second 'vall 
 was called the court of the Gentilei . It 
 was so called because Gentiles r-' ght 
 come into it, but they could procet i- no 
 farther. On the second wall, ai J on 
 the gates, were inscriptions in Herrew, 
 Greek, and Latin, forbidding any Gen- 
 tile or unclean person from proceeding 
 farther on pain of death. This court 
 was not of equal dimensions all the 
 way round the temple. On the east, 
 north, and west, it was quite narrow. 
 On the south it was wide, occupying 
 nearly half of the whole surface of the 
 hill. In this court the Gentiles mignt 
 come. Here was the place where much 
 secular business was transacted. This 
 was the place occupied by the buvers, 
 and sellers, and the money changers, 
 and which Jesus purified by casting 
 them out.
 
 236 
 
 The inclosure within the second wall 
 was nearly twice as long from east to 
 west as from north to south. This in- 
 closure was also divided. The eastern 
 part of it was called the court of ths 
 women; so called because women might 
 advance thus far, but no farther. This 
 court was square. It was entered by 
 three gates : one on the north, one on 
 the east directly opposite to the beauti- 
 ful gate, and one on the south. In pass- 
 ing from the court of the Gentiles to 
 that of the women, it was necessary to 
 ascend about nine feet by steps. This 
 court of the women was inclosed with 
 a double wall, with a space between 
 the walls about fifteen feet in width, 
 paved with marble. The inner of these 
 two v.'alls was much higher than the 
 one outside. The court of the women 
 was paved with marble. In the corners 
 of that court were different structures 
 for the various uses of the temple. It 
 was in this court that the Jews com- 
 monly worshipped. Here, probably, 
 Peter and John, with others, went up 
 to pray. Acts iii. 1. Here too the Pha- 
 risee and publican prayed ; the Phari- 
 see near the gate that led forward to 
 the temple ; the pubhcan standing far 
 off, on the other side of the court. 
 Luke xviii. 9 — 14. Paul also was seized 
 here, and charged with defiling the tem- 
 ple, by bringing the Gentiles into that 
 holy place. Acts xxi. 26 — 30. 
 
 A high wall on the west side of the 
 court of the women divided it from the 
 court of the Israelites ; so called be- 
 cause all the males of the Jews might 
 advance there. To this court there was 
 an ascent of fifteen steps. These steps 
 were in the form of a half circle. The 
 great gate to w-hich these steps led, 
 was called the gate Nicanor. Besides 
 this, there were three gates on each 
 side, leading from the court of the wo- 
 men to the court of the Israelites. 
 
 Within the court of the Israelites, was 
 the court of the priests, separated by a 
 wall about a foot and a half in height. 
 Within that court was the altar of burnt 
 offering, and the laver standing in front 
 of it. Here the priests performed the 
 daily service of the temple. In this 
 place also were accommodations for the 
 priests, when not engaged in conduct- 
 ing the service of the temple ; and for 
 the Levites, %vho conducted the music 
 of tho sanctuary. 
 
 The lemple, properly so callec stood 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. 33 
 
 within this court. It surpassed in splen 
 dor all the other buildings of the holy 
 city ; perhaps in r.iagnificence unequal 
 led in the world. It fronted the east, 
 looking down through the gates Nica- 
 nor and the beautiful gate, and onward 
 to the mount of Olives. From the 
 mount of Olives on the east there was 
 a beautiful and commanding view of tho 
 whole sacred edifice. It was there that 
 our Saviour sat, when the disciples di- 
 rected his attention to the goodly stones 
 with which the temple was built. Mark 
 xiii. 1. The entrance into the temple 
 itself W'as from the cozcrt of the priests, 
 by an ascent of twelve steps. The porch 
 in front of the temple was a hundred 
 and fifty feet high, and as many broad. 
 The open space in this porch through 
 which the temple was entered, was one 
 hundred and fifteen feet high, and thir- 
 ty-seven broad, without doors of any 
 sort. The appearance of this, built, as 
 it was, with white marble, and deco- 
 rated with plates of silver, from the 
 mount of Olives was exceedingly daz- 
 zling and splendid. Josephus says, that 
 in the rising of the sun it reflected so 
 strong and dazzling an effulgence, that 
 the eye of the spectator was obliged to 
 turn away. To strangers at a distance 
 it appeared like a mountain covered 
 with SDow, for where it was not deco 
 rated with plates of gold, it was ex- 
 tremely white and glistening. 
 
 The temple itself was divided into 
 two parts : the first, called the sanctuary 
 or holy place, was sixty feet in length, 
 sixty feet in height, and thirty feet ir 
 width. In this was the golden candle- 
 stick, the table of shew-bread, and the 
 altar of incense. The holy of holies, 
 or the 77iost holy place, was thirty feet 
 each way. In the first temple, this 
 contained the ark of the covenant, the 
 tables of the law, and over the ark was 
 the mercy-seat, and the cherubim. Into 
 this place no person entered but the 
 high-priest, and he but once in the year. 
 These two apartments were separated 
 only by a vail, very costly and curiously 
 wrought. It was this vail which was 
 rent from the top to the bottom when 
 the Saviour died. Matt, xxvii. 51. 
 Around the walls of the temple, pro- 
 perly so called, was a structure three 
 stories high, containing chambers foi 
 the use of the officers of the tcrnplo. 
 The temple was wholly razed to the 
 ground by the Romans nrder Titui ajM^
 
 A O. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTRR XXI. 
 
 237 
 
 Vespasian, and was wholly destroyed 
 according lo the predictions of the Sa- 
 viour. See Notes on ch. xxiv. 2. The 
 Bite of it was made like a ploughed field. 
 Julian the apostate attempted to re- 
 build it, but the workmen, according 
 to his own historian, Ammianus Mar- 
 
 cellinus, were prevented by balls of fire 
 breaking out from the ground. See 
 VVarburlon's Divine Legation of Moses. 
 Its site is now occupied by the mosque 
 of Omar, one of the most splendid spe- 
 cimens of Saracenic architecture in the 
 world. 
 
 The 
 
 following is a view of the temple and its courts, as just described: 
 
 P North 
 
 " [ITo" 
 
 oo o 
 o oo 
 
 o oo 
 
 Hhv|!|LEJjiiiiJ||HIErU||;KlKI. , H l__j^__, 
 
 THlll^l1.ill{ITlKIKIKl7h-m- 
 
 O ooo 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 ooo 
 
 o oo 
 ooo 
 
 oo o 
 
 ooo 
 r> a 
 
 ooo __ ►_ o 
 
 Pi 
 
 ooo 
 
 ooo 
 
 O 
 ooo 
 
 ) o o o_,o ooo o „_ o o 6 o o ooo 
 > Or, o ]H o o opo o !ii o o o 1} o o I 
 
 , oK o ovo o o K- o o •• o o o^'-o o o 
 
 I o o|6|oOooo|{ll°ooooo I 
 
 I' South P 
 
 Explanation. 
 A A'tar of burnt offerings. 
 B Holv placo. 
 C Hnly of holies. 
 D D Pillars of Jachin and Boaz. 
 
 E E E &c. Rooms for the use of the Levites: for wood, instruments, beds, &x. 
 F F F F Court of the priests. 
 G G G G Court of the Israelites. 
 H Court of .he women. 
 
 I I I I Court of the Gentiles. im 
 
 K K K Gates from the court of the Gentiles to the OTurt of the women. 
 L Ascent from the court of the women to the court of the Israelites. 
 M M M &;c. Enclosure between the court of the Israelites and that of the priests. 
 N The beautiful gate of the temple. 
 OOO Solomon's porch. 
 P P P &c. Gates to the temple. 
 
 R R R &c. Porches or covered walks, supported by marble pillars. 
 X X X X X Boxes to receive money; the treasury. Mark xi. 41. 
 S S S S Small rooms for various uses in the temple. 
 V V V V Space fifteen feet wide between the court of the women and the GeiitUes. 
 
 12. And cast out them that bought and 
 sold in the. temple. The place where 
 this was done was not the temple 'tself, 
 
 but the outer court, or the court of t?ie 
 Gentiles. This was esteemed the least 
 sac-ed part of the temple ; and the Jews.
 
 238 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A D 33 
 
 the money-chanjjers, ana the seats 
 of them that sold doves; 
 
 13 And said unto them, It is" 
 written, My house shall be called 
 the house of prayer : but ye have 
 made it a den of* thieves, 
 
 14 And the blind and the lame 
 came to him in the temple; and' 
 he healed them. 
 
 a Is.56.7. b Je.T.ll. c Is.SS.C. 
 
 it seems, did not consider it profanation 
 to appropriate this to any business in 
 any v/ay connected with the temple ser- 
 vice. The things which they bought 
 and sold were, at first, those pertaining 
 to the sacrifices. It is not improbable, 
 however, that the traffic afterwards ex- 
 tended to all kinds of merchandise. It 
 gave rise to much confusion, noise, con- 
 tention, and fraud, and was exceedingly 
 improper in the temple of the Lord. 
 IT The tables of the m.07iey-c}iangers. Ju- 
 dea was subject to the Romans. The 
 money in current use was Roman coin. 
 yet the Jewish law required that every 
 man should pay a tribute to the service 
 of the sanctuary of half a shekel. Ex. 
 XXX. 11 — 16. This was a Jewish coin; 
 and it was required to be paid in that 
 coin. It became, therefore, a matter of 
 convenience to have a place where the 
 Eoman coin might be exchanged for the 
 Jewish half-shekel. This was the pro- 
 fessed business of these men. Of course 
 they would demand a small sum for the 
 exchange ; and among so many thou- 
 sands as came up to the great feasts, it 
 would be a very profitable employment, 
 and one easily giving rise to much fraud 
 and oppression. If The seats of them 
 that sold doves. Doves were required 
 to be offered in sacrifice. Lev. xiv. 22. 
 Luke ii. 24. Yet it was difficult to 
 bring them from the distant ^arts of 
 Judea. It was found much*asier to 
 purchase them in Jerusalem. Hence it 
 became a business to keep them to sell 
 to those who were required to offer them. 
 
 Mark adds (xi. 16), that he would not 
 Buffer that any man should carry any 
 vessel through the temple. That is, 
 probably, any of the vessels or im- 
 plements connected with the trafHc in 
 oi'., incense, wine, &,c., that were kept 
 for sale in the temple. 
 
 13. And said — It is writlen, &c. 
 This is written in Isa. Ivi. 7. The first 
 
 15 And when lie chief priest? 
 and scribes saw the v/onderful 
 things that he did, and the children 
 crying in the temple, and saying, 
 Hosanna "* to the Son of David! 
 they were sore displeased, 
 
 16 And said unto him, Hearest 
 thou what these say"? And Jesus 
 saith unto them, Yea : have ye 
 
 d ver.9. 
 
 part of this verse only is quoted from 
 Isaiah. The rest " but ye have made 
 it a den of thieves," was added by Je- ' 
 sus, denoting their abuse of the temple. 
 Thieves and robbers live in dens and 
 caves. Judea was then much infested 
 with them. In their dens thieves devise 
 and practise iniquity. These buyers and 
 sellers imitated them. They made the \ 
 temple a place of gain ; they cheated and 
 defrauded ; they took advantage of the ' 
 poor, and by their being under a neces 
 sity of purchasing these articles for sa- 
 crifice they robbed them, by selhnc 
 what they had at an enormous price. 
 
 The following reasons may be given 
 why this company of buyers and sellers 
 obeyed Christ : 1st. They were over- 
 awed by his authority ; and struck with 
 the consciousness that he had a right to 
 command. 2d. Their own consciences 
 reproved them ; they knew they were 
 guilty, and dared make no resistance. 
 3d. The people generally were then on 
 the side of Jesus, beUeving him to be 
 the Messiah. 4th. It had always been 
 the belief of the Jews that a prophet had 
 a right to change, regulate, and order 
 the various affairs relating to externa) 
 worship. They supposed Jesus to be 
 such, and they dared not resist him. 
 
 Mark and Luke add, that in conse 
 quence of this, the scribes and chief 
 priests attempted to put him to death 
 Mark xi. 18, 19. Luke xix. 47, 48 
 This they did from envy. Matt, xxvil 
 18. He drew off the people from them, 
 and they envied and hated him. They 
 were restrained then for fear of the 
 people ; and this was the reason why 
 they plotted secretly to put him to dcat*? 
 and why they afterwards so gladly 
 heard the proposalsof the traitor. Matt, 
 xxvi. 14, 15. 
 
 15, 16. When the chief priests, &c. 
 The chief men of the nation were en 
 vious o( ■/,,- .o;j fij'ily. Thev could no'
 
 A.D.33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 239 
 
 never read, Out " of the mouth of 
 babes and sucklings thou hast per- 
 fected praise 1 
 
 17 And he left them, and went 
 out of the city into Bethany; and 
 he lodged there. 
 
 a Ps.8.2. 
 
 prevent it ; but being determined to find 
 fault, they took occasion to do so from 
 the shouts of the children. Men often 
 are offended that children have any thing 
 to do with religion, and deem it very 
 improper that they should rejoice that 
 the Saviour lias come. Our Lord Jesus 
 viewed tliis subject differently. He saw 
 that it was proper that they should re- 
 joice. Thei/ are hiterested in the con- 
 cerns of religion ; and then, before evil 
 principles get fast hold of their minds, 
 is a proper time to love and obey him. 
 He confounded them by appealing to a 
 text of their own scriptures. This text 
 is found in Ps. viii. 2. This quotation 
 is not made directly from the Hebrew, 
 out from the Greek translation. This, 
 however, should create no difficulty. 
 The point of the quotation was to prove 
 that children might oiler praise to God. 
 This is expressed in both the Hebrew 
 and the Greek. 
 
 17. Bethany. See Note, Matt. xxi. 1. 
 
 19. Ajid seeing a Jig-tree in the way, 
 &c. This tree was standing in the pub- 
 lic road. It was, therefore, common 
 property, and any one might lawfully 
 use its fruit. Mark says (xi. 13) : " See- 
 ing a fig-tree afar off", having leaves, he 
 came," &c. That is, not far off /ro?« 
 the road ; but seeing it at a considerable 
 distance, having leaves appearing 
 healthy and luxuriant, they presumed 
 that there would be fruit on it. Mark 
 says (xi. 13), he came if haply he might 
 find any thing thereon. That is, judg- 
 ing from tlie appearance of the tree, it 
 was probahle that there would be fruit 
 on if. We are not to suppose that our 
 Lord was ignorant of the true condition 
 of the tree, but he acted according to 
 the appearance of things ; being a man 
 as well as divine, he acted of course as 
 men do act in such circumstances. 
 ^ And found nothing thereoii, hut leaves 
 only. Mark (xi. 13) gives as a reason 
 for this, that " the time of figs was not 
 yet." That is, the time of gatheri7i" 
 the figs was not yet, or had not passed. 
 (' was a time when figs were ripe, or 
 
 18 Now in the morning, as he 
 returned into the city, he hungered. 
 
 19 And ' when he saw ' a fig- 
 tree in the way, he came to it, and 
 found nothing thereon, but leaves 
 only, and said unto it. Let no fruil 
 
 6Mar.]1.13. ^ one jig-trte. 
 
 fit to eat, or he would not have gone to 
 it, expecting to find them. But the 
 time of gathering them had not passed, 
 and it was to be presumed that they 
 were still on the tree. This took place 
 on the week of the passover, or in the 
 beginning of April. Figs in Palestine 
 are commonly ripe at the passover. 
 The summer in Palestine begins in 
 I\Iarch, and it is no uncommon thin? 
 that figs should be eatable in April, li 
 is said that they sometimes produc( 
 fruit the vear round. 
 
 Mark (xi. 12, 13) says that this took 
 place on the morning of the day on which 
 he purified the temple. Matthew would 
 lead us to suppose that it was on the day 
 following. Matthew records briefly 
 what Mark records more fully. Mat- 
 thew slates the fact that the fig-tree 
 was barren and withered away, without 
 regarding minutely the order, or the 
 circumstances in which the event took 
 place. There is no contradiction. For 
 Matthew does not ajl'irm that this took 
 place on the morning after the temple 
 was cleansed, though he places it in 
 that order. Nor does he say that a day 
 did not elapse after the fig-tree was 
 cursed before the disciples aiscovcred 
 that it was withered ; thougn he does 
 not aflirm that it was so. Such circum- 
 stantial variations, where there is no 
 positive contradiction, go greatly to con- 
 firm the truth of a narrative. They 
 show that the writers were honest men, 
 and did not conspire to deceive the 
 world. IT And said unto it, Let no fruit 
 grow on thee, &c. Mark calls this 
 cursing the tree (ch. xi. 21). Tlie word 
 curse does not imply here anger, or dis- 
 appointment, or malice. It means only 
 devoting to this destruction, or this v.i- 
 thering away. All the curse that was 
 pronounced, was in the words that no 
 fruit should grow on it. The Jews used 
 the word curse, not as always implying 
 wrath, and anger, but to devote to death, 
 or to any kind of destruction. Heb. vi, 
 8. It has been common ly thought thai 
 he did this to denote the euddcii wither
 
 S40 
 
 MA^ITHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 grow on thee henceforward for ever. 
 And presently the fig-tree withered 
 " away. 
 
 20 And when the disciples saw z7, 
 they marvelled, saying, How soon 
 is the fig-tree withered away ! 
 
 21 Jesos answered and said unto 
 them. Verily I say unto you. If* ye 
 have faith, and donht not, ye shall 
 not only do this which is done to the 
 fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto 
 this mountain, Be thou removed, "^ 
 and be thou cast into the sea, it shall 
 be done. 
 
 22 And all things whatsoever ye 
 aJudel2. 6 c.17.20. Lu.17.6. Ja.l.G. cc. 
 
 8.12. 
 
 ing away, or destruction of the Jewish 
 people. They, like the fig-tree, pro- 
 mised fair. That was full of leaves, 
 and they full of professions. Yet both 
 were equally barren. And as that was 
 destroyed, so were they soon to be. It 
 is certain that this would be a good iL- 
 lustration of the destruction of the Jew- 
 ish people ; but there is not the least 
 evidence that our Saviour intended it 
 as such ; and without such evidence, 
 we have no right to say that that was 
 its meaning. If And ■presently the fig- 
 tree withered away. That is, before 
 another day. See Mark. It is proba- 
 ble that they were passing directly on- 
 vv'ard, and did not stop then to consider 
 it. Matthew does not affirm that it 
 withered away in their presence, and 
 Mark affirms that they made the dis- 
 covery on the morning after it was 
 " cursed." 
 
 20. And when the disciples saw it. 
 That is, on the morning following that 
 on which it was cursed. Mark -\i. 20. 
 IT They marvelled, saying, &c. Peter 
 said this. Mark .xi. 21. Matthew means 
 only to say that this was said to him ; 
 Mark tells us which one of them said it. 
 
 21. Jeswi answered and said, &c. 
 Jesus took occasion from this to esta- 
 blish their faith in God. Mark .xi. 22. 
 lie told them that any difficulty could 
 be removed by faith. To remove a 
 mountain, denotes the power of over- 
 coming any difficulty. The phrase was 
 so uspd by the Jews. There is no doubt 
 that this was literally true, that if they 
 had the faith of miracles , they cotdd re- 
 Wove tne mountain before thrm — the 
 
 shall ask '^ in prayer, believing, yo 
 shall receive. 
 
 23 And ' when he was come intc 
 the temple, the chief priests and the 
 elders of the people came unto him 
 as he was teaching, and said, By i 
 what authority doest thou these 
 things ■? and who gave thee thia 
 authority 1 
 
 24 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto them, I also will ask you one 
 thing, which if ye tell me, I in like 
 wise will tell you by what authority 
 I do these things. 
 
 25 The baptism of John, whence 
 rfc.7.7. Mar.11.24. Ja.5.16. lJno.3.22. 5. 
 
 14. eMar.11.27. Lu.20.1. /Es.2.14. 
 
 mount of Olives — for this was as easy 
 for God to do by them as to heal the 
 sick, or raise the dead. But he rather 
 referred, probably, to the difficulties 
 and trials which they would be called 
 to endure in preaching the gospel. 
 
 22. A?idall things, &c. He adds an 
 encouragement for them to pray, as- 
 suring them that they should have ail 
 things which they asked. This promise 
 was evidently a special one, given to 
 them in regard to working miracles. 
 To them it was true. But it is mani- 
 fest that we have no right to apply this 
 promise to ourselves. It was designed 
 specially for the apostles ; nor have we 
 a right to turn it from its original mean- 
 ing. 
 
 23—27. See also Mark xi. 27—33 
 Luke XX. 1 — 9. 
 
 23. When he was come into the temple. 
 That is, probably, into the inner court ; 
 the court of the IsraeUtes. They took 
 this opportunity when he was not sur- 
 rounded by the multitude. "^ By what 
 authority, &c. There was a show of 
 propriety in this question. He was 
 making great changes in the afi'airs of 
 the temple, and they claimed the right 
 to know why this was done, contrary to 
 their permission. He was not a. priest ,. 
 he had no civil or ecclesiastical authority 
 as a Jew. It was sufficient authority, 
 indeed, that he came as a prophet, and 
 worked miracles. But they professed 
 not to be satisfied with that. ^ These 
 things. The things which lie iiad jus' 
 done, in overturning the seats of those 
 that were engaged in traffic. Ver. 12 
 
 24. 25. And Tesu: answered, &<..
 
 A. D. 33.1 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 241 
 
 was it ! from heaven or of men 1 
 And they reasoned with themselves, 
 sayino^, If we shall say, From hea- 
 ven ; he will say unto us, Why did 
 ye not then believe h'lml 
 
 26 But if we shall say, Of men ; 
 we fear the people ; for " all hold 
 Johi' as a prophet. 
 
 2"/ And they answered Jesus, and 
 said, Wf) cannot tell. And he said 
 unto them, Neither tell I you by 
 what authority I do these things. 
 
 28 But what think ye 1 A certain 
 '' man had two sons ; and he came 
 to the first, and said. Son, go work 
 to-day in my vineyard. 
 
 ac.14.5. 6Lu.l5.n,&c. 
 
 Jesus was under no obligation to give 
 them an answer. They well knew by 
 what authority he did this. He had not 
 concealed his power in working mira- 
 cles, and had not kept back the know- 
 ledge that he was the Messiah. He 
 therefore referred them to a similar case 
 — that of John the Baptist. He knew 
 the estimation in which Jolin was held 
 by the people. He took the wise in 
 their own craftiness. Whatever an- 
 swer they gave, he knew they would 
 convict themselves. And so they saw, 
 when they looked at the question. They 
 reasoned correctly. If they said, "From 
 heaven," he would directly ask why 
 they did not believe him. They pro- 
 fessed to hear all the prophets. If they 
 said, "of men," their reputation was 
 
 fone, for ail the people believed that 
 ohn was a prophet. ^ The baptism 
 of John. For an account of this, see 
 Matt. iii. The word baptism here pro- 
 bably includes all his work. Tliis was 
 his principal employment ; and hence 
 he was called the Baptist, or the Bap- 
 tizer. But our Saviour's question refers 
 to his whole ministry. — ' The mi?iistry of 
 John, his baptism, preaching, prophecies 
 -was it from God, or not ?' If it was, 
 then the inference was clear that Jesus 
 Nvas the Messiah ; and then they might 
 easily know by what authority he did 
 those things. ^ Fromheaveii. By divine 
 authority, or by the command of God. 
 "^ From men. By human authority.. 
 
 26. We fear the people. They feared 
 that the people would stone them. 
 'Luke.) Such an unpopular sentiment 
 2' 
 
 29 He answered and said, I will 
 not ; but afterward ' he repented, 
 and went. 
 
 30 And he came to the second, 
 and said likewise. And he an- 
 swered and said, I go, sir; and 
 went not. 
 
 31 Whether of them twain did 
 the will of his father'? They say 
 unto him. The first. Jesus saith 
 unto them, Verily I say unto you, 
 that the publicans and the harlots 
 go into the kingdom of God before 
 you. 
 
 32 For John came unto you in 
 the way of righteousness, and ye 
 
 c2Ch.33.12,13. lCor.6.11. Ep.2.1-13. 
 
 as to profess that all that John did was 
 imposture, would have probably ended 
 in tumult, perhaps in their death. 
 
 27. Tl^e cannot tell. This was a di- 
 rect falsehood. They could have told ; 
 and it should have been, we xvill not 
 tell. There was no reason but that 
 why they did not tell. The reason 
 probably why they would not acknow- 
 ledge that John was a prophet, was 
 that if they did, they saw he could 
 easily show them by what authority he 
 did those things; i. e., as Messiah. 
 John predicted him, pointed him out, 
 baptized him, came as his forerunner, 
 to fulfil the prophecies. If they ac- 
 knowledged one, they must the other. 
 In this way our Saviour was about to 
 lead these crafty men to answer their 
 own question, to their own confusion, 
 about his authority. They saw this ; 
 and having given them a sufficient an- 
 swer, there was no need of stating any 
 thing further. 
 
 28—32. But what think ye? A way 
 of speaking designed to direct them 
 particularly to what he was saying^, tliat 
 they might be self-convicted. " Two 
 sofis. By those two sons our Lord in- 
 tends to represent the conduct of the 
 Jews, and that of the publicans and 
 sinners. "^ In my vineyard. See Note 
 on ver. 33. To work in the vineyard 
 here represents the work which God 
 requires man to do. ^ I will not. This 
 had been the language of the pubh 
 cans and wicked men. They refused 
 at first, and did not profess to be willing 
 to go IT liepented. Changed his mintT
 
 242 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D. U 
 
 believed him not ; but the publicans 
 » and the harlots * believed him : 
 and ye, when ye had seen it, re- 
 pented not "afterward, that ye might 
 believe him 
 
 33 Hear another parable : There 
 was a certain householder, which 
 
 s Lu.3.12. b Lu 7.37,&;c. c Ke.2.21. 
 
 Afterwards, at the preaching of John 
 and Christ, the publicans — the wicked 
 — repented, and obeyed. If The second 
 — said, I go, sir : and went 7iot. This 
 represented the conduct of the scribes 
 and Pharisees — rprofessing to obey God; 
 observing the external rites of religion ; 
 but opposed really to the kingdom of 
 God, and about to put his Son to death. 
 IT Whether of them tivain, &c. Which 
 of the two. TT They say unto him, The 
 first. This answer was correct. But 
 It is strange that they did not perceive 
 that it condemned themselves. IT Go 
 into the kingdom of God. Become 
 Christians, or more readily follow the 
 Saviour. See Note, Matt. iii. 2. IT Be- 
 foi-e you. Rather than you'. They 
 are more likely to do it than you. You 
 are self-righteous, self-willed, and ob- 
 stinate. Many of them had believed, but 
 you have not. IT John came in the way 
 of righteousness. That is, in the right 
 way, or teaching the way to be righte- 
 ous ; to wii by repentance. Publicans 
 and harlots heard him, and became 
 righteous, but they did not. They saw 
 it, but as in a thousand other cases, it 
 did not produce the proper effect on them, 
 and they would not repent. 
 
 33 — 16. The parable of the vineyard. 
 This is also recorded in Mark xii. 1 — 
 12. Luke xx. 9—19. 
 
 33. Hear another paraMe. See Note, 
 Matt. xiii. 3. ^ A certain householder. 
 Note, Matt. xx. 1. "^ Planted, a vine- 
 yard. A place for the cultivation of 
 grapes. It is often used to represent 
 the church of God, as a place cultivated 
 and valuable. Judea was favorable to 
 vines, and the figure is freqtiently used, 
 therefore, in the sacred writers. See 
 IVIatt. XX. 1. It is used here to repre- 
 sent the Jewish people : the people 
 chosen of the Lord, cultivated with 
 care, and signally favored ; or perhaps 
 more definitely, the city of Jerusalem. 
 ^ Hedged it round about. This means, 
 he indoaed it, either with a fence of 
 
 ''planted a viieyar^, and hedsfcd h 
 round about, and digged a wine- 
 press in it, and built a tower, and 
 let it out to husbandmen, and went 
 into a far country : 
 
 34 And when the time of the 
 fruit drew near, he sent his servants 
 
 dPs.80.8-16. Ca.8.11,12. Is.5.1-7. ,Ie.2.21 
 Mar.12.1. Lu.20.9.&c. 
 
 wood or stone, or more probably with 
 thorns, thick-set and growing, a com- 
 mon way of inclosing fields in Judea, 
 as it is in England. 11 And digged a 
 wine-press in it. Mark says, digged a 
 place for the wine fat. This should 
 have been so rendered in Matthew. 
 The original word does not mean the 
 press in which the grapes were trodden, 
 but the vat, or large cistern into which 
 the wine ran. This was commonly 
 made by digging into the side of a hill. 
 The wine-press was made of two recep- 
 tacles. The upper one, in Persia at pre- 
 sent, is about eight feet square, and four 
 feet high. In this the grapes are thrown, 
 and trodden by men, and the juice runs 
 into the large receptacle, or cistern be- 
 low. See Notes on Isa. Ixiii. 2, 3. f^jid 
 built a tower. See also Isa. v. 2. In 
 eastern countries at present these tow- 
 ers are often eighty feet high, and thirty 
 feet square. I'hey were ior the keep- 
 ers who defended the vineyard from 
 thieves and animals, especially from 
 foxes. Cant. i. 6 ; ii, 15. "^ And let it 
 out, &LC. This was not an uncommon 
 thing. Vineyards were ofien planted 
 to be let out for profit. IT Into a far 
 country. This means, in the original, 
 only that he departed from them. It 
 docs not mean that he went out of the 
 land. Luke adds, "for a long time." 
 That is, as appears, till the time of the 
 fruit ; perhaps for a year. This vine- 
 yard denotes doubtless the Jewish peo 
 pie, or Jerusalem. But these circum- 
 stances are not to be particularly ex- 
 plained. They serve to keep up the 
 story. They denote in ge7ieral that 
 God had taken proper care of his vine- 
 yard ; i. e. his people : but beyond that 
 we cannot affirm that these circum- 
 stances, of building the tower, &c., 
 mean any particular thing, for he has 
 not told us that they do. And where 
 he has not explained them, we have no 
 right to attempt it. 
 34. A7id when th". time of the fruit
 
 A. D. 33. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 243 
 
 • to the husoandmen, that they might 
 receive the fruits of it. 
 
 35 And * the husbandmen took 
 his servants, and beat one, and kill- 
 ed another, and stoned another. 
 
 36 Again, he sent other servants 
 more than the first : and they did 
 unto them likewise. 
 
 37 But, last of all, he sent unto 
 <i2Ki.l7.ia,&c. ft2Ch.36.16. Ne.9.26. 
 
 Je.25.:i--. c.5.12. 23.34-37. Ac.7.52. 1 Th.2. 
 15. He.ll.3t5,37. Re.6.9. 
 
 drew near, &,c. The time of gathering 
 the friiit. The vineyard was let out, 
 probably for a part ol the fruit, and the 
 owner sent to receive the part that was 
 Iris. II Sent his servants. These doubt- 
 less represent the prophets sent to the 
 Jewish people. 
 
 35. And beat one. The word here 
 translated beat, properly means \ojlay, 
 or to take off the skin. Hence to beat, 
 or to whip, so that the skin in many 
 places is taken off. li^ And hilled an- 
 other. Isaiah is said to have been put 
 to death by sawing him asunder. See 
 Luke .xiii. 34. Heb. xi. 37. 1 Sam. xxii. 
 
 18. 1 Kings xix. 10. ^ And stoned an- 
 other. This was among the Jews a 
 common way of punishment. Deut. 
 xiii. 10 ; xvii. 7. Josh. vii. 25. Espe- 
 cially was this the case in times of po- 
 pular tumult, and of sudden indignation 
 among the people. Acts vii. 5S ; xiv. 
 
 19. John viii. 59; x. 31. This does 
 not imply of necessity that those who 
 were stoned died, but they might be 
 only severely wounded. Mark says, 
 "at him they cast stones and wound- 
 ed him in the head, and sent him 
 away," &c. 
 
 There is a little variation in the cir- 
 cumstances, as mentioned by Matthew, 
 and by Mark and Luke ; but the sub- 
 stance is the same. Mark and Luke 
 are more particular, and state the order 
 in which the servants were sent one af- 
 ter another. They all denote the deal- 
 ing of the people of Israel towards the 
 prophets. All these things had been 
 done to them. See Heb. xi. 37. Jer. 
 xhv. 4, 5, 6. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Neh. 
 ix. 26. 2 Chron. xxiv. 20, 21. 
 
 37. Lastofall, &i,c. Mark idds, that 
 this was an only son, greatly beloved. 
 This beautifully and most tenderly ex- 
 hibits the love of God, in sending his 
 only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world 
 
 them his son, saying, They will 
 reverence my son. 
 
 38 But when the husbandmen 
 saw the son, they said among them- 
 selves, This is the heir: 'come, let 
 us kill him, and let us seize on his 
 inheritance. 
 
 39 And they ^ caught him, and 
 cast him out of the vineyard, and 
 slew him. 
 
 i:He.l.l,2. d Ac.2.23. 4.25-27. 
 
 to die for men. Long had he sent the 
 prophets, and they had been persecuted 
 and slain. There was no use in send- 
 ing any more prophets to the people. 
 They had done all they could do. God 
 had one only-begotten and well-beloved 
 Son, whom he might send into the 
 world, and whom the world ought to 
 reverence, even as they should the Fa- 
 ther. John V. 23. To reverence, de- 
 notes honor, esteem, deference — that 
 feeling which we have in the presence 
 of one greatly our superior; — to give 
 such a person, in our feehngs aiid by our 
 deportment, the honor which is due to 
 his rank and character. God is often 
 represented in the Bible as giving his 
 Son, his only-begotten and well-beloved 
 Son, for a lost world. John iii. 16, 17. 
 1 John iv. 9, 14. Rom. viii. 3, 32. Gal. 
 iv. 4. 
 
 38. But when the husbandmen, &,c. 
 They determined to kill him, and as he 
 was the only son, they supposed they 
 could easily seize on the property. It 
 was rented to them, was in their pos- 
 session, and they resolved to keep it. 
 This circumstance has probably no re- 
 ference to any particular conduct of the 
 Jews, but is thrown in to keep up the 
 story, and fill up the narrative. An hcii 
 is one who succeeds to an estate, com- 
 monly a son ; an inheritance is what an 
 heir receives. 
 
 39. And they caught him. &-C. This 
 refers to the conduct of the Jews in 
 putting the Saviour to death. So they 
 understood it. Vcr. 45. The Jews put 
 him to death, afier they had persecuted 
 and slain the prophets. This was done 
 by giving him into the hands of the Ro- 
 mans, and seeking his crucifixion. Matt. 
 xxvii. 20 — 25. Acts ii. 23 ; vii. 51, 52 
 ^ And cast him out of the vineyard. 
 The vineyard in this parable may re- 
 present Jerusalem. Jftsus was crua-
 
 M4 
 
 lilATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 40 Wljen the Lord therefore of 
 the vineyard cometh, what will he 
 do unto those husbandmen 1 
 
 41 They say unto him, He will 
 miserably destroy " those wicked 
 men, and let out his vineyard unto 
 other * husbandmen, which shall 
 render him the fruits in their sea- 
 sons. 
 
 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did 
 
 a Ps.2.4,5,9. Zec.12.2. 
 26. 11.11. 
 
 6Lu.21.24. Ro.9. 
 
 fied out of Jerusalem, on mount Cal- 
 vary. Luke xxiii. 33. 
 
 40. When the Lord therefore, &c. 
 Jesus then asked them a question about 
 the proper way of dealing with those 
 men. The design of asking them this 
 question was that they might condemn 
 themselves, and admit the justice of the 
 punishment that was soon coming upon 
 them. 
 
 41 They say, &c. They answered 
 accoiding as they knew men would act, 
 and would act justly in doing it. He 
 would take away their privileges and 
 confer them on others. This was the 
 answer which Jesus wished. It was so 
 clear, that they could not answer other- 
 wise. He wished to show them the 
 justice of taking away their national 
 privileges, and punishing them in the 
 destruction of their city and nation. 
 Had he stated this at first, they would 
 not have heard him. He, however, by 
 a parable led them along to slate them- 
 selves the very truth which he wished to 
 communicate, and they had then no- 
 thing to answer. They did not, how- 
 ever, yet see the bearing of what they 
 had admitted. 
 
 42, 43. Jesus saith, &c. Jesus, hav- 
 ing led them to admit the justice of the 
 great principle on which God was about 
 to act towards them, proceeds to apply 
 it by a te.xt of scripture, declaring that 
 this very thing which they admitted in 
 the case of the hushandmen, had been 
 predicted respecting themselves. This 
 
 ?assago is found in Ps. c.wiii. 22, 23. 
 t was first applicable to David ; but no 
 less to Jesus. If The stone. The figure 
 is taken from building a house. The 
 principal stone for size and beauty is 
 'lifU commonly laid as the corner-stone. 
 ' Which the builders rejected. On ac- 
 count of its want of beauty, or size, it 
 
 ye never read in the scriptures. The 
 ' stone which the builders rejected, 
 the same is become the head of the 
 corner : this is the Lord's doing, 
 and it is marvellous in our eyes ] 
 
 43 Therefore say I unto you. The 
 kingdom "* of God shall be taker 
 from you, and given to a nation 
 brinfring forth the fruits thereof. 
 
 (;Ps.l]8.22. Is.28.16. 1 Pe.2.6,7. 
 . e 1 Cor. 13.2. 
 
 d Is.28 
 
 was laid aside, or deemed unfit to be a 
 corner-stone. This represents the Lord 
 Jesus, proposed to the Jews as the 
 foundation, or corner-stone on which to 
 build the church : rejected by them — 
 the builders — on account of his want 
 of comeliness or beauty ; i. e., of what 
 they esteemed to be comely or desira- 
 ble. Isa. liii. 2, 3. IT The same is he 
 come, &c. Though rejected by them, 
 yet God chose him, and made him the 
 foundation of the church. Christ is 
 often compared to a stone, a corner- 
 stone, a tried, i. e., a. sure, firm founda- 
 tion — all in allusion to the custom of 
 building. Acts iv. 11. Rom. Lv. 33. 
 Eph. ii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 7. ^ Lord's do- 
 ing. The appointment of Jesus of 
 Nazereth to be the foundation of the 
 church, is by miracle and prophecy 
 proved to be the work of God. IF Mar- 
 vellous in our eyes. Wonderful in the 
 sight of his people. An object of gra- 
 titude and admiration. That he should 
 select his only Son ; that he should 
 stoop so low, be despised, rejected, and 
 put to death ; that God should raise 
 him up, and build a church on this 
 foundation, embracing the Gentile as 
 well as the Jew, and spreading through 
 all the world, is a subject of wonder 
 and praise to all the redeemed. 
 
 43. The hingdom of God, &.c. Jesus 
 applies the parable to them — the Jews. 
 They had been the children of the king 
 dom, or under the reign of God ; having 
 his law, and acknowledging him as 
 King. They had been his chosen and 
 peculiar people. But he says that now 
 this privilege sliould be taken away, 
 and they cease to be the peculiar peo- 
 ple of God ; and the blessing should be 
 given to a nation who would bring 
 forth the fruits thereof, or be righteous, 
 that is, to the Gentiles. Acta xxviii. 28
 
 A £).33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 245 
 
 44 And whosoever shall fall " on 
 this stone shall be broken : but on 
 whomsoever it shall fall, it * will 
 grind him to powder. 
 
 45 And when the chief priests 
 and Pharisees had heard his para- 
 
 a Is.8.l4,15. b He.2.2,3. 
 
 44. IVhcsoever shall fall, &c. There 
 is an allusion here doubtless, to Isa. viii. 
 14, 15. Having made an allusion to 
 himPelf as a Stone, or a Rock (v. 42), he 
 proceeds to state the consequences of 
 coming in contact with it. He that falls 
 upon it, shall be broken : he that runs 
 against it — a corner-stone, standing out 
 from the other parts of the foundation 
 — shall be injured, or broken in his 
 hmbs, or body. He that is offended 
 with my being the foundation, or that 
 opposes me, shall, by the act, injure 
 himself; make himself miserable by so 
 doing, even were there nothing farther. 
 But there is something farther. If On 
 whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind 
 him to powder. That is, in the original, 
 will reduce him to dust, so that it may 
 be scattered by the winds. There is an 
 allusion here, doubtless, to the custom 
 of stoning as a punishment among the 
 Jews. A scaffold was erected, twice 
 the height of the man to be stoned. 
 Standing on its edge, he was violently 
 struck off by one of the witnesses ; if 
 he died by the blow and the fall, noth- 
 ing farther was done ; if not, a heavy 
 stone was thrown down on him, which 
 at once killed him. So the Saviour 
 speaks of ihc falling of the stone on his 
 enemies. They who oppose him, re- 
 ject him, and continue impenitent, shall 
 be crushed by him in the day of judg- 
 ment, and perish forever. 
 
 45, 4G. Tliey at last perceived that 
 he spoke of them, and would have 
 gratified their malice at once, but they 
 feared the people. 
 
 REJMARKS. 
 
 1st. Jesus is omniscient, and sees and 
 knows all things. Ver. 2. 
 
 2d. It is our dity to obey the Lord 
 Jesus, and to do ;t at once. Ver. 3. 
 When he command's, there should be 
 no delay. What he orders is right ; 
 nnd we should not hesitate or deliberate 
 about it. 
 
 3d. Especially is this the case where 
 he is to be honored, as he was on this 
 occasion. Vs. 3, 8. If it was for our 
 21* 
 
 hies, they perceived that he ."^pake 
 of them. 
 
 46 But when they sought to lay 
 hands on him, they feared the mul- 
 titude, because they ' took him for 
 a prophet. 
 
 e Lu.7.16. Jno.7.40. 
 
 interest or honor only that we obeyed 
 him, it would be of less consequence. 
 But our obedience will honor him; and 
 we should seek that honor by any 
 sacrifice or self-denial. 
 
 4th. We should be wilHng to give up 
 our property to honor the Lord Jesus. 
 Ver. 3. He has a right to it. If given 
 to spread the gospel, it goes as tliis did, 
 to increase " the triumphs of our 
 King." We should be willing to give 
 our wealth, that he might " gird on his 
 sword," and " ride prosperously among 
 the heathen." Every one saved among 
 the heathen, by sending the gospel to 
 them, will be for the honor of Jesus. 
 They will go to swell his train, when 
 he shall enter triumphantly into his 
 kingdom at the day of judgment. 
 
 5th. It is our duty to honor him. Vs. 
 7 — 9. He is King of Zion. He is Lord 
 of all. He reigns, and shall always 
 reign. 
 
 "Sinners! whose love can ne'er forget 
 Tlie wormwood and the gall. 
 Go spread your trophies at his feet. 
 And crown him Lord of all. 
 
 ye chosen seed of Israel's race; 
 
 Ve ransomed from the fall ; 
 Hail him who saves you by his grace. 
 
 And crown liim Lord of all. 
 
 Let every kindred, every tribe. 
 
 On this terrestrial ball, 
 To him all majesty ascribe, 
 
 And crown him Lord of all." 
 
 6th. Children should also honor him, 
 and shout hosanna to him. Ver. 15. 
 The chief priests and scribes, in the 
 time of our Saviour, were displeased 
 that they did it ; and many of the great, 
 and many formal professors, since, 
 have been displeased that children 
 should profess to love and honor Jesua. 
 They have opposed Sunday schools, 
 and opposed the praying ot children, 
 and opposed their singing to his praise, 
 and opposed their giving their money 
 to spread his gospel. But Jesus loves 
 such praise and such fervice. The
 
 ^46 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 mouths 0/ babes and sucklings should 
 be taught to speak his name ; and 
 whatever the world may say, whatever 
 the proud, the rich, or the formal may 
 say, children should seek him early, 
 and give their first years to him. He 
 loves their praises. Perhaps few of all 
 the songs of thanksgiving are so pleas- 
 ant to his ear, as the hosannas of a Sab- 
 bath-school. 
 
 7th. We have here a view of the 
 fflory of Jesus. Vs. 9—11. Though 
 numble, yet he was King. Though 
 most of his life unhonored, yet once he 
 had the honors of his station rendered 
 to him, and entered the city of his fa- 
 ther David as a til.imphant King of 
 Zion. He will be yei tore honored. 
 He will come with all his iaints, with 
 the glory of his Father, and with his 
 holy angels. There we shall be. And 
 then we should be prepared to join with 
 .he vast host in sliouting hosanna to the 
 returning King of Zion. 
 
 8th. Yet amidst all these honors he 
 was meek and lowly. Ver. 5. Others 
 would have been proud, and lifted up. 
 But he was always meek. His heart 
 was not proud. He is the only one of 
 kings, that could bear triumph and ho- 
 nors without being lifted up by it, and 
 made proud. 
 
 9th. Yet amidst all his triumphs, he 
 wept over Jerusalem. (Luke.) No 
 king, no conqueror, ever before showed 
 compassion like this. Men weep when 
 they are afflicted, or are poor and needy, 
 but what prince has ever, in the mo- 
 ment of his triumph, wept over the 
 miseries and dangers of his subjects ? 
 Not an instance can be found in all 
 history where an earthly conqueror 
 ever showed compassion hke this. So 
 Tesus has still compassion over blind, 
 ruined, wretched man. Amidst all the 
 triumphs of the gospel he does not for- 
 get those who are yet in their sins, but 
 stretches out his arms to welcome them 
 to his embrace. 
 
 10th. Prophecy will be certainly and 
 exactly fulfilled. (Luke.) That re- 
 specting Jerusalem was literally ac- 
 complished ; and in like manner will 
 all that is predicted of all sinners as- 
 suredly come to pass. If Jerusalem 
 had repented, it would have been 
 saved. So if sinners repent, they will 
 be saved. If not, like Jerusalem, in 
 due time they will perish. 
 
 11th. Jesus f.urified the temple. Ver. 
 
 12. It was tli house of God. So our 
 hearts should be the dwelhng-place of 
 the holy Spirit. So also they should be 
 pure. All worldly cares, and traffic, 
 and business, that would interfere with 
 the dweUing of the Spirit there, and 
 all wickedness, oppression, extortion, 
 cheating, and pollution, should be ban- 
 ished. God dwells not in such pol- 
 luted temples ; and unless we are pure 
 i?i heart, he will not be with us, and we 
 shall not see his face in peace. 
 
 12th. Jesus only can purify our hearts- 
 He does it by his blood and spirit. Over 
 all our sins he holds the same power as 
 he did over the traffickers in the temple. 
 At his command they will flee, and we 
 shall be pure. If our hearts are ever 
 purified, therefore, it will be by the 
 power of Jesus. Nor should we wait 
 in sin for him to do it. We should 
 come to him, and beseech him to have 
 mercy, and to save us from our pollu- 
 tions. 
 
 13th. Envy and hatred will take hold 
 of very small matters, to show itself 
 against the good and even the pru- 
 dent. Ver. 15. They could blame no- 
 thing else, and they chose to find fault 
 with the shouting of children. So al- 
 ways in a revival of religion, or any 
 great work of the Lord, it is some small 
 matter that is seized upon ; something 
 not exactly to the view of wicked ob- 
 jectors, that is made the occasion of 
 reproach and opposition. 
 
 14. We must produce fruit in our 
 lives, as well as flowers. Ver. 19. A 
 profession of religion is like the flowers 
 of spring. A revival is like the opening 
 fragrant blossoms. They are beauti- 
 ful and promise much fruit. But how 
 many wither, and droop, and soon fall 
 useless to the ground ! How few of 
 all the blossoms of the spring produce 
 ripe and mellow fruit in autumn ! So, 
 alas ! it is often with those who appear 
 well in revivals of religion. 
 
 15th. If we make a profession, and 
 do not produce fruit, Jesus will curse 
 us, and we shall soon wither away. Vs. 
 19, 20. He will suffer none to entet 
 into his kingdom on the ground of pro- 
 fession only. If we bear fruit, Lnd live 
 fives of piety, we arc Christians. If 
 not, all our professions are like the 
 blossoms of spring, or the leaves of the 
 tree. They will not save us from the 
 withering frown of Jesus. 
 
 16th. Men will do almost any thing
 
 A.D.33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 AND Jesus answered and spake 
 unto them again in parables, 
 and said, 
 2 The " kingrdom of heaven is 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 247 
 
 -right or wrsng — and as often wrong 
 as right — to c )nsult popularity. Ver. 24. 
 It is generally not asked by such men 
 what is riiild or what is true, but what 
 will secure popularity. If they have 
 that, they are satisfied. 
 
 17th. Men often tell a direct false- 
 hood, rather than acknowledge the 
 truth. Ver. 27. Especially is this the case 
 when the truth makes against them. 
 
 18th. Double-dealing, and an attempt 
 to evade the truth, commonly lead into 
 difficulty. If these men had been ho- 
 nest, they would have had far less trou- 
 ble. Ver. 27. 
 
 19th. A state of gross open sin is 
 often more hopeful than one of hypo- 
 crisy, pride, and self-conceit, together 
 with external conformity to rehgion. 
 Ver. 28. Multitudes of profane and li- 
 centious people may be saved, while 
 the proud and self-righteous will be cut 
 off. The reason is: 1st. That the 
 wicked, the gross, have no righteous- 
 ness on which they can pretend to rely. 
 2d. Nothing so effectually prevents re- 
 ligion as pride and self-confidence. 3d. 
 It is more difficult to make a proud 
 Pharisee see his sins. 4th. There is 
 often really more ingenuousness and 
 candor, and less of malignity against the 
 gospel, among the openly wicked than 
 among those who are outwardly right- 
 eous, b\U who are inwardly like whited 
 sepulchres, full of dead men's bones 
 and all uncleanness. 
 
 20th. Muhitudes of people profess to 
 go, and go not. Ver. 30. They pro- 
 fess to love God, and love themselves 
 better. They profess to obey him, and 
 yet obey their lusts. They are hypo- 
 crites, and destruction must come upon 
 them. 
 
 21st. Sinners when they see the ef- 
 fect of truth on others, should repent. 
 Ver. 32. It is proof of the truth of 
 religion; and they as much as others 
 need it. 
 
 22d. We see the goodness of God in 
 sending his messengers to a lost world. 
 Vs. 33—38. H s prophets he sent one 
 
 like unto a certain king, which 
 made a * marriage ior his son. 
 
 3 And ■= sent forth his servants to 
 call them that were bidden to the 
 wedding : and they would not come. 
 
 6Rc.]9 7,9. cP^.08.11. Jer.25.4. 35.15. 
 Re.3-i.17. 
 
 after another, and they were put to 
 death. Ilis well-beloved Son he sent, 
 and he also was put to death. Nor is 
 his mercy yet stayed. He still sends 
 his message to sinners. Thousands 
 have died as his Son did, in attempting 
 to spread the gospel — but still he sends 
 it. We have often, often, rejected it, 
 yet still he sends it. What earthly 
 monarch would be treated in this man- 
 ner ? What earthly parent would be 
 so kind ? 
 
 23d. If we improve not our privileges, 
 they will be taken away from us. Ver. 
 43. The gospel will be sent to many 
 of the heathen, and they will be saved. 
 Wo to those who have had it all their 
 lives, and are not saved. 
 
 24th. All who reject the Saviour must 
 perish. Ver. 44. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 1. Spake by parahles. See Note, 
 Matt. xiii. 3. 
 
 2. The kingdom of heaven. Note, 
 Matt. iii. 2. The phrase here means, 
 ' God deals ^\'ith man in his kingdom, 
 or in regard to the dispensation of the 
 gospel, as a certain king did,' &c. 
 This parable refers undoubtedly to the 
 rejection of the Jews, and to the call- 
 ing of the Gentiles. The gospel, with 
 all its privileges, was oflered to the 
 Jewish people ; but through their wick- 
 edness and pride they rejected it, and 
 all its blessings were offered to the 
 Gentiles, and accepted. This is the 
 general truth. Many circumstances are 
 thrown in to fill out the narrative, which 
 cannot be particularly explained. ^ A 
 marriage for his so7i. Rather a mar- 
 riage-feast, or a feast on the occasion 
 of the marriage of his son. The king 
 here doubtless represents God, provid- 
 ing for the salvation of the world. 
 
 3. Andsenl forth his servants. These 
 represent the messengers that God has 
 sent to invite men to his kingdom. 
 IT To call them that were biddev,. That 
 is, to give notice to those who had be- 
 fore been invi'.ed, that the feast wa*«
 
 248 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 4 Again, he sent forth other ser- 
 vants, saying, Tell them which are 
 bidden, Behold, I have prepared my 
 dinner ; my oxen and my fallings 
 are killed, and all things are ready : 
 come unto the marriage. 
 
 5 But they made light''' of it, and 
 went their ways, one to his farm, 
 and another to his merchandise : 
 
 6 And the remnant took his ser- 
 vants, and entreated * them spite- 
 fully, and slew them. 
 
 7 But when the king heard there- 
 of, he was wroth : and he sent forth 
 
 a Ps.106.24,25. Pi-.1.2.1,25. Ac.24.25. Eo.2. 
 4. 6 1 Th.2.15. 
 
 ready. It appears that there were two 
 invitations, one considerably previous 
 to the time, that they might have op- 
 portunity to prepare for it, and the other 
 to give notice of the precise time when 
 they were expected, "^l The wedding. 
 The marriage-feast. The same word 
 ir.the original as in verse 2. V They 
 u 9uld not come. They might have come 
 if they chose, but tl: ■' would not. So 
 all the difficulty that tinners ever labor 
 under in regard to salvation, is in the 
 will. It is a fixed determination not to 
 come, and be saved. 
 
 4. Other servants. Who might press 
 it on their attention. So God repeats 
 his message to sinners, when they re- 
 ject it. ^ My dinner. This word lit- 
 erally denotes the meal taken about 
 noon. It is also taken for a meal in 
 general. As marriages were, among 
 eastern nations, in the evening, it refers 
 here to a meal taken at that time. 
 IT Fatlings. This word does not refer 
 to any particular species of animals. 
 It denotes any fat animals. As oxen 
 are also mentioned, however, it refers 
 here probably to lambs, or calves. 2 
 Sam. vi. 13. 1 Chron. .xv. 26. 
 
 5. But they made light of it. Treated 
 it with contempt, as a thing of no con- 
 sequence : — an exact representation of 
 the conduct of sinners in regard to the 
 gospel. If One to his farm, &c. So 
 men are engaged so much in their 
 worldly employment , that they pretend 
 thoy have no time to attend to religion. 
 The world is in their view of more va- 
 hie than God. "^ 3Ieichandise. Traffic, 
 irading. 
 
 6 And the remnant, &c. That is, a 
 
 his armies, and destroyed ' those 
 murderers, and burnt up their city. 
 
 8 Then saith he to his servants, 
 The wedding is ready, but they 
 which were bidden were not wor- 
 thy. '^ 
 
 9 Go ye therefore into the high- 
 ways ; and as many as ye shall find, 
 bid to the marriage. 
 
 10 So those servants went out 
 into the highways, and gathered to- 
 gether all, ^ as many as they found, 
 both bad and good : and the wed- 
 ding was furnished with guests. 
 
 cDa.9.26. Lu.l9.2T. dc.10.11.13. Ac.l3. 
 46. Re.3.4 22.14. e C.13.4T. 
 
 part made light of it, and treated it 
 with silent contempt, and coolly went 
 about their business. The others were 
 not satisfied with that, but showed po- 
 sitive malignity. Some sinners seem 
 to be well satisfied by merely neglecting 
 religion ; while others proceed against 
 it with open violence and bitter malice. 
 IT Entrected them spitefully. Used harsh 
 and opprobrious words. Reviled and 
 abused them. This was done because 
 they hated and despised the king. So 
 sinners often abuse and calumniate mi- 
 nisters of religion because they hate 
 God, and can in no way else show it so 
 well. 
 
 7. But when the Jcing heard, &LC. This 
 doubtless refers to the Jews, and to Je 
 rusalem. They were murderers, hav- 
 ing slain the prophets ; and God was 
 about to send forth the armies of the 
 Romans under his providential direc- 
 tion, and to burn up their city. Note, 
 Matt, x.xiv. IT Wroth. Angry; dis- 
 pleased. 
 
 9. The highivat/s. Literally, the exit 
 or going out of tlie paths or roads. li 
 means the square, or principal street, 
 into which a number of smaller streets 
 enter; a place, therefore, of confluence, 
 where many persons would be seen, 
 and persons of all descriptions. By this 
 IS represented the offering of the gosjjei 
 to the Gentiles. They were commonlj 
 regarded among the Jews as living it 
 highways and hedges — cast out, poo: 
 and despised. 
 
 10. Bad and good. All dcscriptiom 
 of people. None are good by nature 
 if they were, they would not need the 
 gospel. But some are worse thar
 
 A;D.33.3 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 249 
 
 11 And when the king came in 
 to " see the guests, he saw there a 
 man which had not on a wedding 
 'garment : 
 
 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, 
 now earnest thou in hither, not hav- 
 ing a wedding garment 1 And he 
 <vas ' speechless. 
 
 aZep.1.12. 6 Ps.45.14. Is.61.10. 2Cor.5. 
 i Ep.4.24. Re.lG.15. 19.8. eJe.2.2G. 
 
 Others ; and ihey have special need of 
 it. None can be saved without it. 
 
 11. A Tnaii which had not on a wed- 
 ding garment. Anciently kings and 
 princes were accustomed to make pre- 
 sents of changes of raiment to their 
 friends and favorites, to refuse to re- 
 ceive which was an expression of high- 
 est contempt. Gen. xlv. 22. 2 Kings x. 
 22. Esther vi. S ; viii. 15. It was, of 
 course, expected that such garments 
 would be worn when they came into 
 the presence of the benefactor. The 
 garments worn on festival occasions 
 were chiefly long white robes ; and it 
 was the custom of the person who made 
 the feast to prepare such robes to be 
 worn by the guests. This renders the 
 conduct of this man more inexcusable. 
 He came in his common ordinary dress, 
 as he was taken from the highway ; and 
 though he had not a garment of his own 
 suitable for the occasion, yet one had 
 been provided for him, if he had applied 
 for it. His not doing it, was expressive 
 of the highest disrespect for the king. — 
 This beautifully represents the conduct 
 of the hypocrite in the church. A gar- 
 ment of salvation might be his, wrought 
 by the hands of the Saviour, and dyed 
 in his blood. But the hypocrite chooses 
 the filthy rags of his own righteousness, 
 and thus offers the highest contempt for 
 that provided in the gospel. He is to 
 blame, not for bein^ invited; not for 
 coming, if he would come — for he is 
 i'reely invited ; but for offering the high- 
 est contempt to the King of Zion, in 
 presenting himself with all his filth and 
 rags, and in refusing to be saved in the 
 way provided in the gospel. 
 
 \2. Friend. YlviX\\ev, companion. The 
 word does not imply friendship. IT He 
 VMS speechles:^. He had no excuse. So 
 it will be with all hypocrites. 
 
 13. Cast him into outer dark7icss. See 
 Note. Matt. viii. 12. This, without 
 
 13 Then said the king to tiie ser- 
 vants, Bind him hand and foot, and 
 take him '' away, and cast him into 
 outer darkness : ' there shall be 
 weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 14 For ■'' many are called, but few 
 are chosen. 
 
 15 Then ^ went the Pharisees 
 
 (lls.5-2.1. Re.21.27. e c.8.12. /c.7.14 
 20.16.Lu.l3.23,24. g Mar.l2.13,&c. Lu.20. 
 20,&c. 
 
 doubt, refers to the future punishment 
 of the hypocrite. Matt, xxiii. 23 — 33 ; 
 xxiv. 51. 
 
 14. Many are called, hut few are 
 chosen. Our Saviour often uses this 
 expression. It was probably prover- 
 
 i bial. The Jews had been called,^ but 
 j few of them had been chosen to life. 
 The great mass of the nation were 
 wicked, and showed by their lives that 
 they were not chosen to salvation. The 
 Gentiles also were invited to be saved. 
 Isa. xlv. 22. Nation after nation has 
 been called ; but few, few, have yet 
 showed that they were real Christians, 
 the elect of God. It is also true, that 
 many who are in the church may prove 
 to be without the wedding garment, and 
 show at last that they were not the 
 chosen of God. This remark in the 14th 
 verse is the inference from the wkole 
 parable, and not of the part about the 
 man without the wedding garment. It 
 does not mean, therefore, that the great 
 mass in the church are simply called 
 and not chosen, or are hypocrites; but 
 the great mass in the human family, in 
 the time of Christ, who had been called, 
 had rejected the mercy of God. 
 
 15 — 22. The Pharisees and Herodians 
 cTideavor to entaitgle Jesus. This nar- 
 rative is also found in Mark xii. 12 — 
 17; Luke .xx. 20—26. 
 
 15. • Then v)ent the Pharisees. See 
 Note, Matt. iii. 7. ^ How they might 
 entangle him. To entangle means to 
 ensnare, as birds are taken by a net. 
 This is done secretly, by leading them 
 within the compass of the net, and then 
 suddenly sprincring it over them. So to 
 entangle is artfully to lay a plan for en- 
 ticing, to beguile by proposing a ques- 
 tion, and by leading, if possible, to an 
 incautious answer. This was tlie kind 
 proposed here to Jesus. "^ In his talk. 
 The word his is supplied here by the 
 translators, perhaps iini>roperly. I'
 
 25U 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 and took counsel how they might 
 entangle him in his talk. 
 
 16 And they sent out unto him 
 their disciples, with the Herodians, 
 saying, Master, we know that thou 
 art true, and teachest the way of 
 God in truth, neither carest thou for 
 
 msans in conversation, or by talking 
 with him ; not alluding to any thing he 
 had before said. 
 
 16. The Herodians. It is not cer- 
 tainly known who these were. It is 
 probable that they took their name from 
 Herod the Great. Perhaps they were 
 first a political party, and were then 
 distinguished for holding some of his 
 peculiar opinions. Dr. Prideaux thinks 
 that those opinions referred to two 
 things; the first respecting subjection 
 to a foreign power. The law of Moses 
 was, that a stranger should 7iot he set 
 over the Jews as a king. Deut. xvii. 15. 
 Herod, who had received the kingdom 
 of Judea by appointment of the Ro- 
 mans, held that the law of Moses re- 
 ferred only to a voluntary choice of a 
 king, and did not refer to a necessary 
 submission, where they had been over- 
 powered by force. They supposed, 
 therefore, that it was lawful in such 
 cases to pay tribute to a foreign prince. 
 This opinion was, however, extensively 
 unpopular among the Jews, and par- 
 ticularly the Pharisees, who looked 
 upon it as a violation of their law, and 
 all the acts growing out of it as oppres- 
 sive. Hence the difficulty of the ques- 
 tion proposed by them. Whatever way 
 lie decided, they supposed he would be 
 involved in difficulty. If he should say 
 it was not lawful, the Herodians were 
 ready to accuse him as being an enemy 
 of Caesar; if he said it was lawful, the 
 Pharisees were ready to accuse him to 
 the people of holding an opinion ex- 
 tremely unpopular among ihcm, and as 
 being an enemy of their rights. The 
 other opinion of Herod, which they 
 seem to have followed, was, that when 
 a people were subjugated by a f ireign 
 force, it was right to adopt the rites and 
 customs of their religion. This was 
 vyhat was meant by the leaven of Herod. 
 Mark viii. 15. The Herodians and Sad- 
 ducees seem on most questions to have 
 been united. Compare Matt. xvi. 6; 
 
 any man : for thuu regardest not the 
 person of men. 
 
 17 Tell us therefore, What think- 
 est thou 1 Is it lawful to give tribute 
 unto Cesar, or not 1 
 
 18 But Jesus perceived their 
 wickedness, and said. Why tempt 
 ye me, ye hypocrites 1 
 
 Mark viii. 15. IT We know that thou art 
 true. A hypocritical compliment, not 
 believed by them, but artfully said, as 
 compliments often are, to conceal their 
 true design. H Neither carest thou for 
 any man. That is, thou art an inde- 
 pendent teacher, delivering your senti- 
 ments without regard to the fear or 
 favor of man. This was true, and pro- 
 bably they believed this. Whatever 
 they might believe about him, they had 
 no reason to doubt that he deUvered his 
 sentiments openly and freely. IT For 
 thou regardest not the person of men. 
 Thou art not partial. Thou wilt decide 
 according to truth, and not from any 
 bias towards either party. To regard 
 the person, or to respect the person, is 
 in the Bible uniformly used to denote 
 partiality ; or being influenced in a de- 
 cision, not by truth, but by previous 
 attachment to a person, or one of the 
 parties — by friendship, or bias, or pre- 
 judice. Lev. XLX. 15. Jude 16. Deut. 
 xvi. 19. 2 Sam. xiv. 14. Acts x. 34. 
 James ii. 1, 3, 9. 1 Pet. i. 17. 
 
 17. Is it lawful to give tribute unto 
 CcEsar ? Tribute was the tax paid to the 
 Roman goyernment. 'H Cmsar. The 
 Roman emperor. The name CcBsar, 
 after the time of Julius Caesar, became 
 common to all the emperors, as Pha- 
 raoh was the common name of all the 
 kings of Egypt. The Ccnsar that reign- 
 ed at this time was Tiberius — a man 
 distinguished for the grossest vices and 
 most disgusting and debasing sensu- 
 ality. 
 
 18. Jesjis perceived their wickedness 
 This must have been done by his power 
 of searching the heart, and proves that 
 he was omniscient. No mere man has 
 the power of discerning the motives of 
 others. ^ Tempt ye me. Try me, or 
 endeavor to lead mc into difficulty by 
 an insidious question. If Hypocrites. 
 Dissemblers. Professing to be candid 
 inquirers, when their only object is to 
 lead into difhculty. Note, Matt. vi. 2
 
 A.D.33.J 
 
 19 Sliew me the tribute-money. 
 And they brought unto him a ' 
 penny. 
 
 20 And ho saith unto them, 
 Whose is this image and '' super- 
 scription 1 
 
 21 They say unto him, Cesar's. 
 Then saith he unto them. Render " 
 therefore unto Cesar the things 
 which are Cesar's, and unto God 
 ' the thing's that are God's. 
 
 22 When they had heard these 
 words, they marvelled, and left him, 
 and went their way. 
 
 23 The ' same day came to him 
 the Sadducees, which "^ say that 
 
 ' in value, 7 pence halfpenny. - nr. iJi- 
 scription. a c.l7.'2o,'27. Ro..]3.7. i Mal.l. 
 
 19. The tribute money. The money 
 m which the tribute was paid. This 
 was a Roman coin. The tribute for the 
 teinple service was paid in the Jevvish 
 shekel; that for the Roman govern- 
 ment in foreign coin. Their having 
 that coin about them, and using it, was 
 proof that they themselves held it law- 
 ful to pay the tribute ; and iheir preten- 
 sions, therefore, were mere hypocrisy. 
 ^ A penny. A Roman denarius, worth 
 about fourteen cents. 
 
 20. This image. The likeness of the 
 reigning prince was probably struck on 
 the coins, as it is now on Spanish coins. 
 ^ Superscription. The name and titles 
 of the emperor. 
 
 21. Render, therefore, to Ccesar, &c. 
 Cffisar's image and. name on the coin 
 proved that it was his. It was proper, 
 therefore, to give it back to him when 
 he called for it. But while this was 
 done, he took occasion to charge them 
 also to give to God what he claimed. 
 This may mean either, 1st. The annual 
 tribute due to the temple service, imply- 
 ing that paying tribute to Caesar did not 
 free them from the obligation to do that ; 
 or, 2d. That they should give their 
 hearts, lives, property, and influence, 
 all to God, as his due. 
 
 22. They marvelled. They had been 
 foiled in their attempt. Though he had 
 appareiuly decided in favor of the He- 
 rodians, yet his ansv\'cr confounded both 
 parties, and wholly prevented the use 
 which they intended to make of it. It 
 was so wise -it so clearly detected their 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 251 
 
 there is no resurrection, and asked 
 him, 
 
 24 Saying, Master, Moses said 
 If' a man die, having no children, 
 his brother shall marry his wife, 
 and raise up seed unto his brother 
 
 25 Now there were with us seven 
 brethren : and the first, when he had 
 married a wife, deceased, and, hav- 
 ing no issue, left his wife unto his 
 brother : 
 
 26 Likewise the second also, and 
 the third, unto the ^ seventh. 
 
 27 And last of all the woman 
 died also. 
 
 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, 
 
 6-S. 3.8-10. c Mar.l2.]i?,&c. Lii.20.'27,&c. 
 (iAc.23.8. eDe.2d.o. Ru.1.11. ^ seven. 
 
 wickedness, and foiled their aim — that 
 they were confounded, and retired co- 
 vered with shame. 
 
 23 — 33. Coiiversatio7i of Jesus with 
 the Sadducees respecting the resurrec- 
 tion. See also Mark xii. 18 — 27; Luke 
 XX. 27—38. 
 
 23. The same day came the Sadducees. 
 For an account oi the Sadducees see 
 Note, Matt. iii. 7. 11 No resurrection 
 The resurrection literally means the 
 raising up the body to life after it is 
 dead. John xi. 24 ; v. 29. 1 Cor. xv. 
 22. But the Sadducees not only denied 
 this, but also a future state, and the 
 separate existence of the soul after 
 death, as well as the existence of angels 
 and spirits. Acts xxiii. 8. Both these 
 doctrines have commonly stood or fallen 
 together, and the answer of our Saviour 
 respects both ; though it more distinctly 
 refers to the separate existence of the 
 soul, and to a future stale of, rewards 
 and punishments, than to the resurrec- 
 tion of the body. 
 
 24. Saying, Master, Biases said, 
 &,c. Deut. XXV. 5, G. This law was 
 given by Moses in order to keep the 
 fainilies and tribes of the Israelites dis- 
 tinct, and to perpetuate them. If Eaise 
 up seed unto his brother. That is, the 
 children shall be reckoned in the gene- 
 alogy of the deceased brother ; or, to 
 all civil purposes, shall bo considered 
 as his. 
 
 25 — 28. There were with us setien 
 brethren. It is probable that they stated 
 a case as difficult as possible; an'J
 
 252 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 whose wife shall she be of the se- 
 ven ■? for they all had her. 
 
 29 Jesus answered and said unto 
 them, Ye do err, not " knowing the 
 scriptures, nor the power of God. 
 
 30 For in the resurrection they 
 neither marry, nor are given in mar- 
 riage, but are as the angels ^ of God 
 in heaven. 
 
 a Jno.20.9. b c.18.10. 1 Jno J.2. 
 
 though no such case might «ave oc- 
 curred, yet it was supposabk-. and in 
 their view it presented a real dithcuhy. 
 The difficulty arose from the liict that 
 they supposed that substantiady the 
 same state of things takes place in the 
 other world as here ; that husbainis and 
 wives must be reunited ; and thev pro- 
 fessed not to be able to see how one 
 woman could be the wife of seven iuen. 
 29. Ye do err, not hnowing, &c. 
 They had taken a wrong view oi the 
 doctrine of the resurrection. It was Mot 
 taught that men would marry theic. 
 The scriptures, here, mean the books 
 of the Old Testament. By appealing 
 to them, he showed that the doctrine 
 of the future state was there, and that 
 the Sadducees should have believed it 
 as it was, and not have added the ab- 
 surd doctrine to it that men must live 
 there as they do here. The way in 
 vvhich the enemies of the truth attempt 
 to make a doctrine of the Bible ridicu- 
 lous is by adding to it, and then calling 
 it absurd. He produced a passage from 
 the books of Moses (ver. 32), because 
 they had also appealed to his writings. 
 V. 24. Other places of the Old Tes- 
 tanient asserted it more clearly (Dan. 
 xii. 2 ; Isa. xxvi. 19) ; but he wished to 
 meet thpm on their own ground. None 
 of those scriptures asserted that men 
 would live there as they do here, and 
 therefore their reasoning was false. 
 "^ Nor the power of God. They proba- 
 bly denied, as many have done since, 
 that God could gather the scattered 
 dust of the dead, and remould it into a 
 body On this ground they affirmed 
 that tii3 doctrine could not be true — 
 opposing reason to revelation, and sup- 
 posing that infinite power could not rc- 
 araanize a body that it had at first or- 
 ganized, and raise a body from its own 
 lust wluch it had at first raised from 
 aothing. 
 
 31 But as touching the resurrec- 
 tion of the dead, have ye not read 
 that which was spoken unto you by 
 God, saying, 
 
 32 I " am the God of Abraham, 
 and the God of Isaac, and the God 
 of Jacob? God is not the God of 
 the dead, but of the living. 
 
 c Ex.3.6,15,16. He.11.16. 
 
 30. Neither marry, &c. This was 3 
 full answer to the objections of the Sad 
 ducees. ^ But are as the angels of 
 God. That is, in the manner of their 
 intercourse ; in regard to marriage, and 
 the mode of their existence. Luke adds, 
 that they shall be equal to the angels. 
 That is, they shall be elevated above 
 the circumstances of mortahty, and live 
 in a manner, and in a kind of inter- 
 course, equal to the 'angels. It does 
 not imply that they shall be equal in 
 intellect, but only in the circumstances 
 of their existence, as that is distinguish 
 ed from the way in which mortals five 
 He also adds, " neither do they die any 
 more, but are the children of God, 
 being the children of the resurrection," 
 or being accounted worthy to be raised 
 up to life, and therefore sons of God 
 raised up to him. 
 
 31, 32. As touching, &c. That is, 
 in proof that the dead are raised. The 
 passage which he quotes is recorded in 
 Ex. iii. 6, 15. This was at the burning 
 bush. (Mark and Luke.) Abraham, 
 Isaac, and Jacob, had been long dead 
 when Moses spoke this : Abraham 32S 
 years, Isaac 224, and Jacob 198. Yet 
 God spake then as being still their God. 
 They must, therefore, be still some- 
 where living ; for God is not the God 
 of the dead; i. e., it is absurd to say - 
 that God rules over those who are ex- 
 tinct or annihilated, but he is the God 
 only of those who have an existence. 
 Luke adds, all live unto him. That is, 
 all the righteous dead ; all of whom he 
 can be properly called their God, five 
 unto his glory. This passage does not 
 prove directly that the dead body would 
 be raised, but only by consequence. It 
 proves that Abraham, Isaac, and Ja- 
 cob, had aa existence then, or that their 
 souls were alive. This the Sadducees 
 denied. Acts xxiii. 8. And this was 
 the main point in dispute. If this ^vas
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 •i^ 
 
 33 And when the multitude heard 1 was a lawyer, asked hir7i a question, 
 
 this, they were astonished " at his 
 doctrine. 
 
 34 But when the Pharisees had 
 heard that he had put the Saddu- 
 cees to silence, they were gathered 
 together. 
 
 35 Tlien * one of them, which 
 a c.7.28. Mar.12.17. b Lu.l0.25,&c. 
 
 idniitted — if there was a state of re- 
 wards and punishments — thea it would 
 Easily follow that the bodies of the 
 dead would be raised. 
 
 34 — ^tO. Jesus converses with a Pha- 
 risee respecting the law. See also Mark 
 xii. 2S— 34. 
 
 34. The Pharisees — were gathered to- 
 gether. That is, either to rejoice that 
 their great rivals, the Sadducees, had 
 been so completely silenced, or to lay a 
 new plan for ensnaring him, or perhaps 
 both. They would rejoice that the Sad- 
 ducees had been confounded, but they 
 would not be the less desirous to in- 
 volve Jesus in difficulty. They there- 
 fore endeavored, probably, to find the 
 most difficult question in dispute among 
 themselves, and proposed it to him to 
 perplex him. 
 
 35. A lawyer. This does not mean 
 one that practised law, as among us ; but 
 one learned or skilled in the law of Mo- 
 ses. Mark calls him 07ie of the Scribes. 
 This means the same thing. The scribes 
 were men of learning ; particularly men 
 skilled in the law of Moses. He had 
 heard him reasoning with the Sadducees, 
 and perceived that he answered them 
 well ; and he was thought to be better 
 qualified to hold a debate with him. 
 (Mark.) This man was probably of a 
 candid turn of mind ; perhaps willing to 
 know the truth ; and not entering very 
 fully into their mahcious intentions, but 
 acting as their agent. Mark xii. 34. 
 If Tempting him. Trying him. Pro- 
 posing a question to test his knowledge 
 of the law. 
 
 36. Which is the greit commandment. 
 That Ls, the greatest commandment, or 
 the- one most importn.nt. The Jews 
 »re said to have divided the law into 
 greater and smaller commandments. 
 Which was of the greatest importance 
 they had not determined. Some held 
 that it was the law respecting sacrifice ; 
 others, that respecting circumcision ; 
 
 29. 
 
 tempting him, and saying, 
 
 36 Master, which is the great 
 commandtnent in the law ? 
 
 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou 
 ' shalt love the Lord thy God with 
 all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
 and with all thy mind. 
 
 cDe.G.S. 10.12. 
 
 others, that pertaining to washings and 
 purifying, &c. H The law. The word 
 law has a great variety of significations ; 
 it means, commonly, in the Bible, as it 
 does here, the law given by 3Ioses, re- 
 corded in the first five books of the 
 Bible. 
 
 37. Jesus said unto him, &-c. Mark 
 says that he introduced this by referring 
 to the doctrine of the unity of God — 
 " Hear, O Israel I the Lord thy God is 
 one Lord" — taken from Deut. vi. 4 
 This was said, probably, because all 
 true obedience depends on the correct 
 knowledge of God. None can keep 
 his comandments who are not acquaint 
 ed with his nature, his perfections, and 
 his right to command. IT Thou shalt 
 love the Lord thy God, &c. The mean- 
 ing of this is, thou shalt love him with 
 all thy faculties or powers. Thou shalt 
 love him supremely, more than all other 
 beings and things, and with all the ar- 
 dor possible. To love him with all the 
 heart is to fix the affections supremely 
 on him, more strongly than on any thing 
 else, and to be willing to give up all 
 that we hold dear at his command. 
 IT With all thy soul. Or, with all thy 
 life. This means, to bo willing to give 
 up the life to him, and to devote it all 
 to his service ; to live to him, and to be 
 willing to die at his command. IT With 
 all thy mind. To submit the intellect 
 to his will. To love his law and gospel 
 more than we do the decisions of our 
 own minds. To be wiUing to submit 
 all our faculties to his teaching and 
 guidance, and to devote to hiin all our 
 mtellectual attainments, and all the re- 
 sults of our intellectual efforts. ^ With 
 all thy strength. (Mark.) With all 
 the faculties of soul and body. To la- 
 bor and toil for his glory, and to make 
 that the great object of all our efforts. 
 
 33. This is the irst and great com- 
 mandmen:. This commandment is 
 found in Deut. vi. 5. It is the first and
 
 254 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 first and great 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 38 This is the 
 commandment. 
 
 39 And the seci uid is like unto 
 it, " Thou shall love thy neighbour 
 as thysejf. 
 
 40 On these two commandments 
 'hang all the law and the prophets. 
 
 a Le.19.18. J Ro.13.9. Ja.2.8. 
 
 greatest of all; Jirst, not in order of 
 tvne, but of importance; greatest in dig- 
 nity, in excellence, in extent, and dura- 
 don. It is the fountain of all others. 
 All beings are to be loved according to 
 their excellence. As God is the most 
 excellent and glorious of all beings, he 
 IS to be loved supremely. If He is loved 
 aright, then our affections will be di- 
 rected towards all created objects in a 
 fight manner. 
 
 39. The second is like unto it. Lev. 
 six. 18. Resembles it in importance, 
 dignity, purity, and usefulness. This 
 had not been asked by the lawyer, but 
 Tesus took occasion to acquaint him 
 with the substance of the whole law. 
 For its meaning see Note, Matt. xix. 
 19. Comp. Rom. xiii. 9. Mark adds, 
 there is no greater commandment than 
 these. None respecting circumcision 
 ar sacrifice is greater. They are the 
 fountain of all. 
 
 40. On these tioo commandments hang, 
 &c. That is, these comprehend the 
 substance of what Moses in the law, 
 and what the prophets have spoken. 
 What they have said has been to en- 
 deavor to win men to the love of God 
 and each other. Love to God and man 
 comprehends the whole of religion ; and 
 to produce this has been the design of 
 Moses, the prophets, the Saviour, and 
 the apostles. 
 
 Mark (xii. 32—34) adds that the scribe 
 said, " Well, Master, thou hast said the 
 truth;" and that he assented to what 
 .Tesus had said, and adm.itted that to 
 love God and man in this manner was 
 more than all burnt offerings and sac- 
 rifices ; that is, was of more value or 
 importance. Jesus, in reply, told him 
 that he was " not far from the kingdom 
 of heaven;" i. e., by his reply he had 
 shown that he was almost prepared to 
 receive the doctrines of the gospel. He 
 jiad shown a real acquaintance with the 
 iaw, which showed that he was nearly 
 prepared to receive the teachhigs of Je* 
 9US N<yc, Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 41 While tr.e Pharisees were 
 gathered together, Jesus asked 
 them, 
 
 42 Saying, What « think ye of 
 Christ ■? whose son is he ? They 
 say unto him, The So7i of David. 
 
 43 He saith unto them, How then 
 c Mar.l2.35,&c. Lu.20.4],&c. 
 
 Mark and Luke say that this had such 
 an effect on them that no man, after 
 that, durst ask him any question. Luke 
 XX. 40. Mark .xii. 34. This does not 
 mean that none of his disciples durst 
 ask him any question, but none of the 
 Jews. He had confounded all their 
 sects — the Herodians (Matt. xxii. 15— 
 22) ; the Sadducees (23 — 33) ; and last, 
 the Pharisees (34 — 10.) All finding 
 themselves unable to confound him, 
 they gave up the attempt. 
 
 4 1 — 4G. Jes2is proposes a quest ion con- 
 cerning the Messiah. See also Mark 
 35—37 : ^Luke xx. 41 — 44. 
 
 41. While the Pharisees. &i.c. Jesus, 
 having confounded the great sects of the 
 Jews, proceeds in his turn to propose to 
 them a question for their solution. This 
 was done, not for the purpose of vain 
 parade and triumph, but, 1st, to show 
 them how ignorant they were of their 
 prophecies. 2d. To humble them in 
 view of their ignorance. 3d. To bring 
 to their attention the true doctrine re- 
 specting the Messiah — his being pos- 
 sessed of a character superior to that 
 of David, the most mighty king of Is- 
 rael — being his Lord, at the same time 
 that he was his descendant. 
 
 42. What think ye of Christ ? What 
 are your views respecting the Messiah, 
 or the Christ, especially respecting his 
 genealogy ? He did not ask them their 
 views respecting him in general, but 
 only respecting his ancestry. The arti- 
 cle should have been retained in the 
 translation— /Ae Christ, or the Messiah. 
 He did not ask them their opinion re- 
 specting himself, his person, and work, 
 as would seem in our translation ; but 
 their views respecting the Messiah 
 whom they expected. "iT Whose son in 
 he? Whose descendant? Note, Matt. 
 i. 1. ITT/ie son of David. The de- 
 scendant of David, according to the 
 promise. 
 
 43. How then, 8i,c. How is this doc- 
 trine;, that he is descended from David, 
 consistent with what David said when
 
 \. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 255 
 
 doth David in spirit call him" Lord 1 
 saying-, 
 
 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, 
 Sit thou on my right hand, till 
 I make thine enemies thy foot- 
 stool. 
 
 a Ps.llOJ. Ac.2.34,3o. He.1.13. 10.12,13. 
 
 he calls him lord? How can your 
 opinion be reconciled with that ? That 
 is recorded in Psalm ex. 1. A lord or 
 master is a superior. The word here 
 docs not necessarily imply divinity, but 
 only superiority. David calls him his 
 superior, his lord, his master, his law- 
 giver ; and expresses his willingness to 
 obey him. If the Messiah was to be 
 merely a descendant of David, as other 
 men descended from parents — if he was 
 to have a imnian nature only, as you 
 Jews suppose — if he did not exist when 
 David wrote — wiiii what propriety 
 could he, then, call him his lord ? ^ In 
 spirit. By the inspiration of the Holy 
 Spirit. As a prophet. Acts ii. 30 ; i. 16. 
 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. 
 
 44. The Lord said, &.C. This is the 
 language of David. ' Jehovah said to 
 my lord — the Blessiah — sit thou,' &,c. 
 This was a prediction respecting the 
 exaltation of Christ. To be raised to 
 the right hand of a king was significant 
 of favor, trust, and power. Note, 
 Matt. XX. 21. This was done respecting 
 Chriait. Mark xvi. 19. Acts vii. 55. 
 Rom. viii. 34. Eph. i. 20. Heb. i. 3 ; 
 viii. 1 ; x. 12. If Thine enemies thy 
 footstool. A footstool is that which is 
 under the feet when we are sitting — 
 implying that we have it under subjec- 
 tion, or at our control. So he shall put 
 all enemies imder his feet — all his 
 spiritual foes — all that rise up against 
 him. Ps. ii. 9, 12. Heb. x. 13. 1 Cor. 
 .w. 25. 
 
 45. If David. &c. If he was then 
 David's lord; if he was his superior; 
 if he had an existence at that time ; 
 how could he be descended from him. 
 They could not answer him. Nor is 
 there any way of answering the ques- 
 tion but by the adinission that the 
 Messiah was divine as well as human. 
 That he had an existence at the time 
 of David, and was his lord and master, 
 his God and king — and that as man he 
 R'as descended from him. 
 
 KEMAB KS. 
 
 1st. Multitiides of iien, wh) are in- 
 
 45 If David then call him Lord, 
 how is he his son ] 
 
 46 And 'no man was able to an- 
 swer him a word ; neither ' durst any 
 man, from that day forth, ask him 
 any more questions. 
 
 ALu.14.G6. c Mar.12. 34. Lu. 20.40. 
 
 vited to be saved, reject the gospel, 
 and perish in their sins. Ver. 3. 
 
 2d. If they perish, they only will be 
 to blame. I'he offer was freely made, 
 the salvation was provided, and the, 
 only reason why they were not saved 
 was because they would not come. 
 Ver. 3. 
 
 3d. Attention to the affairs of this 
 life, the love of the world, will shut 
 many out of the kingdom of heaven. 
 Ver. 5. Some attention to those things 
 is necessary ; but such as to lead to the 
 loss of the soul never can be right. 
 
 4th. It is treating God ungratefully 
 to reject his Gospel. Vs. 3 — 5. He 
 has sent his Son to die for us. He has 
 entreated us to be saved. He has fol- 
 lowed us with mercies. And to reject 
 all these, and refuse to be saved, is to 
 treat him with contempt, as well as 
 to overwhelm ourselves in condemna- 
 tion. Man has no rigid to he damned. 
 He is under the most solemn obliga- 
 tions to be saved. And after what God 
 has done for us, deep and awlul wo 
 will await us if we are so foolish and 
 wicked as to be lost. 
 
 5th. Many of the poor and needy will 
 be saved, while the haughty and rich 
 will perish for ever. Vs. 9, 10. 
 
 6th. Let those who make a profes- 
 sion of religion look often to the great 
 day when Christ will search them. 
 Ver. 11. There is a day coming that 
 will try us. His eye will be upon us. 
 He will read our hearts, and see whe- 
 ther we are clothed in his righteous- 
 ness, or only the filthy rags of our own, 
 
 7th. A profession of religioii will no. 
 save us. Vs. 11 — 13. It is foolish to 
 deceive ourselves. It is vain to attempt 
 to deceive God. Nothing but genuine 
 piety, true faith in Jesus, and a holy 
 life, will save us. God asks not pro- 
 fession merely, but the heart. He asks 
 not mockery, but sincerity ; not pre- 
 tension, but reality. 
 
 8th. The hypocrite must perish. Ver. 
 13. It is right that he should perish. 
 Ho knew his Master's v.'ill, and v.^riln
 
 256 
 
 not do it He must perish with an 
 awful condemnation. No man sins 
 amidst so much light ; none with so 
 high a hand. No sin is so awful as to 
 attempt to deceive God, and to palm 
 pretensions on him for reality. 
 
 9th. Pretended friends are sometimes 
 more dangerous than avowed enemies. 
 Ver. 16. Pretended friendship is often 
 for the purpose of decoying us into evil. 
 It throws us off our guard, and we are 
 more easily taken. 
 
 10th. The truth is often admitted by 
 wicked men from mere hypocrisy. 
 Ver. 16. It is only for the purpose of 
 deceiving and leading into sin. 
 
 11th. Wicked men can decide cor- 
 rectly on the character of a public 
 preacher. Ver. 16. They often admit 
 Iiis claim in words, but for an evil pur- 
 pose. 
 
 12th. It may be right for us some- 
 times to attend to artful and captious 
 questions. Ver. 18. It may afford op- 
 portunity to do good, to confound the 
 wicked, and to inculcate truth. 
 
 13th. No cunning can overreach God. 
 Ver. 18. He knows the heart, and he 
 will perceive the wickedness of all who 
 attempt to deceive him. 
 
 14th. It is right to obey the law of 
 the land. Ver. 21. Consciejitious Chris- 
 tians maJie the best citizens. 
 
 15th. We should give honor to civil 
 rulers. Ver. 21. We should pay re- 
 spect to the office, whatever may be the 
 character of the ruler. We should 
 speak well of it, not abuse it, yield 
 proper obedience to the requirements, 
 and not rebel against it. Men may be 
 wicked w4io hold an office, but the 
 office is ordained by God (Rom. xiii. 1, 
 2) ; and for the sake of the office we 
 must be patient, meek, submissive, and 
 obedient. Matt, xxiii. 3. 
 
 IGth. Yet we are to obey civil rulers 
 no farther than their commands are 
 consistent with the law of God. Ver. 
 21. God is to be obeyed rather than 
 man. And when a civil ruler com- 
 mands a thing contrary to the laws of 
 the Bible and the dictates of our con- 
 6cienc6s, we ma}', we must resist it 
 
 17th. The objections of men to the 
 doctrines of the Bible are founded on 
 ignorance of what those doctrines are, 
 and distrust of the power of God. Ver. 
 2y. Men often set up a notion which 
 they call a doctrine cf the Bible, and 
 then Cght a ihadow, and think they 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. ^3 
 
 have confuted the truth of God, while 
 the truth was untouched. It is a totally 
 different thing from what they sup- 
 posed. 
 
 18th. When men attack a doctrine, 
 they should be certain that they under- 
 stand It. Ver. 29. The Sadducees did 
 not understand the true doctrine of the 
 resurrection. The inquiry which they 
 should have made was, whether they 
 had correct views of it. This is ths 
 inquiry which men ought always first 
 to make when they approach a doctrine 
 of the Bible. 
 
 19th. We learn the glory and hap 
 piness of the state after the resurrection. 
 Ver. 30. (Luke.) We shall be in some 
 respects equal to the angels. Like 
 them we shall be free from sin, suffer- 
 ing, and death. Like them we shall be 
 complete in knowledge and felicity. 
 Like them we shall be secure of eternal 
 joy. Happy are those, the good of all 
 the earth, who shall have part in that 
 resurrection of the just. 
 
 20th. The dead shall be raised. Vs. 
 31, 32. There is a state of happiness 
 hereafter. This the gospel has reveal ■ 
 ed ; and it is the most consoling and 
 cheering truth that has ever beamed 
 upon the heart of man. 
 
 21st. Our pious friends that have died 
 are now happy. Vs. 31, 32. They are 
 with God. God is still their God. A 
 father, or mother, or sister, or friend, 
 that may have left us, is there — there 
 in perfect felicity. We should rejoice 
 at that, nor should we wish them back 
 to the poor comforts and the many 
 sufferings of this world. 
 
 22d. It is our duty to love God with 
 all the heart. Ver. 37. No half, for- 
 mal, cold, and selfish affection comes 
 up to the requirement. It must be full, 
 entire, absolute. It must be pleasure 
 in all his attributes — his justice, his 
 power, his purposes, as well as his 
 mercy and his goodness God is to be 
 loved just as he is. If man is not 
 pleased with his whole character, he is 
 not pleased with him at all. 
 
 23d. God is worthy of love. He is 
 perfect. He should be early loved. 
 Children should love him more than 
 they do father, or mother, or friends. 
 Their first affections should be fi.xed on 
 God, and fixed on him supj-emely, till 
 they die. 
 
 24th. We must love our neighbor. 
 Ver. 39. We mu.st do to all as wf
 
 \. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XXIIl. 
 
 257 
 
 CHAPTER XXni. 
 
 THEN spake Jesus to the mul- 
 titude, and to his disciples, 
 
 2 Sayiiiff, The " scribes and the 
 Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 
 
 3 All therefore whatsoever they 
 lid you observe, that observe and 
 
 a Mal^.7. 
 
 '.roulJ have them io to us. This is 
 ihc law and the prophets. This is the 
 way of jus'iice, of peace, of kindness, 
 jf charity, and of benevolence. If all 
 men obeyed these laws, the earth would 
 be a paradise, and man would taste the 
 bliss of heaven here below. 
 
 25th. We may ask here of each one, 
 what think you of Christ ? Ver. 42. 
 What think you of tlie necessity of a 
 Saviour ? What think you of his na- 
 ture ? Is he God as well as man, or 
 do you regard him only as a man ? 
 What think you of his character ? Do 
 you see him to be lovely and pure, and 
 IS he such as to draw forth the warm 
 affections of your heart ? What think 
 you of salvation by him ? Do you de- 
 pend on him, and trust in him, and ex- 
 pect heaven only on the ground of his 
 merits ? Or do you reject and despise 
 him, and would you have joined in put- 
 ting him to death ? Nothing more cer- 
 tainly tests the character, and shows 
 what the feelings are, than the views 
 which we entertain of Christ. Error, 
 here, is fatal error ; but he who has 
 just views of the Redeemer, and right 
 feehngs towards him, is sure of s.^l- 
 
 VATION. 
 
 26th. We have in this chapter an il- 
 lustrious specimen of the wisdom of 
 , Jesus. He successfully met the snares 
 of his mighty and crafty foes, and with 
 infinite ease confounded them. No art 
 of man could confound him. Never 
 was wisdom more clear, never more 
 triumphant. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 2. Scribes and Pharisees. Note, 
 Matt. iii. 7. ^ Moses' seat. Moses was 
 a legislator of the Jews. By him the 
 law was given ; and the office of ex- 
 plaining that law devolved on the scribes 
 and Pliarisees. In the synagogues they 
 oat while expounding the law, and rose 
 when they read it. By sitting i?i the 
 teat <if Moses we al 3 to understand au- 
 22* 
 
 do; but do not ye after their works • 
 for '' they say, and do not, 
 
 4 For tiiey bind heavy burdens, 
 ' and grievous to be borne, and lay 
 them on men's sTioulders ; but they 
 themselves will not move them with 
 one of their fingers. 
 
 b Ro.2.21-23. c Ac.15.10. 
 
 thority to teach the law. Or, as he 
 taught the nation by giving the law, so 
 they taught it by explaining it. 
 
 3. All, therefore, whatsoever, &c. 
 That is, all that they teach consisten' 
 with the law of Moses ; all the com- 
 mands of Moses which they read to 
 you and properly explain. The word 
 all could not be taken without such a 
 restriction, for Christ himself accuses 
 them of teaching many things contrary 
 to that law, and of making it void by 
 traditions. Matt. .xv. 1 — 6. IT They say 
 and do not. The interpretation they 
 give to the law is in the main correct, 
 but their lives do not correspond with 
 their teaching. It is not the duty of 
 men to imitate their teachers unless their 
 lives are pure ; but they are rather to 
 obey the law of God than to frame their 
 hves by the example of evil men. 
 
 4. They hind heavy burdens, &c. 
 This phrase is derived from the custom 
 of loading animals. The load or bur- 
 den is bound up, and then laid on the 
 beast. So the Pliarisees appoint weighty 
 burdens, or grievous and heavy pre- 
 cepts, and insist that the people should 
 obey them, though they lent no assist- 
 ance. The heavy burdens refer not 
 here to the traditions and foohsh cus- 
 toms of the Pharisees, for Jesus would 
 not command the people to observe 
 them ; but they clearly mean the cere- 
 monies and rites appointed by Moses, 
 which Peter says neither they nor their 
 fathers were able to bear. Acts .xv. 10. 
 Those rites were numerous, expensive, 
 requiring much time, much property, 
 and laborious. The Pharisees were 
 rigid in requiring that all the people 
 should pay the taxes, give of their pro- 
 perty, comply with every part ol the 
 law with the utmost rigor, yet indulged 
 themselves, and bore as little oi tlie 
 expense and trouble as possible ; so 
 that where they could avoid it, they 
 would not lend the least aid to the peo 
 pie in the toils and expe nse of their re
 
 258 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 5 But " all tlielr works they do 
 
 for to be seen of men : they make 
 
 broad their phylacteries, * and en- 
 
 laroe the borders of the.r garments, 
 
 ac.6.1-lC. 6 Nu.:5.38. 
 
 ligious rites. ^ With one of their fin- 
 gers. In the least degree. They will 
 not render the least aid. 
 
 5. Their phylacteries. The word 
 phylactery comes from a word signify- 
 ing to keep, preserve, or guard. The 
 name was given because phylacteries 
 were worn as amulets or charms, and 
 were supposed to defend them from 
 evil. They were small sUps of parch- 
 ment or vellum, on which were written 
 certain portions of the Old Testament. 
 The practice of using phylacteries was 
 founded on a literal interpretation of 
 that passage where God commands the 
 Hebrews to have the law as a sign on 
 their foreheads, and as frontlets be- 
 tween their eyes. (Ex. xiii. 16. Comp. 
 Prov. iii. 1, 3; vi. 21.) One kind of 
 phylactery was called a frontlet, and 
 was composed of four pieces of parch- 
 ment ; on the first of which was writ- 
 ten, Ex. xii. 2 — 10 ; on the second, Ex. 
 xiii. 11 — 21; on the third, Deut. vi. 4 — 
 9 ; and on the fourth, Deut. xi. 18 — 21. 
 These pieces of parchment, thus in- 
 scribed, they enclosed in a piece of 
 tough skin, making a square, on one 
 side of which is placed the Hebrew let- 
 ter shin, ]l}, and bound them round then- 
 
 oreheads with a thong or riband, when 
 •hey went to the synagogue. Some 
 tvore them evening and morning ; and 
 jthers only at the morning prayer. 
 
 As the token upon the hand was re- 
 quired, as well as the frontlets between 
 ihc eyes, the Jews made two rolls of 
 parchment, written in square letters, 
 with an ink made on purpose, and with 
 
 6 And "^ love the uppermost rooms 
 at feasts, and the chief seats in the 
 synagogues, 
 
 c Mar.l2.38,&c. Lu.ll.43,&.c. 
 
 much care. They were rolled up to a 
 point, and enclosed in a sort of case of 
 black calfskin. They were put upon a 
 square bit of the same leather, whence 
 
 hung a thong of the same, of about a 
 finger in breadth, and about two feet 
 long. These rolls were placed at the 
 bending of the left arm, and after one 
 end of the thong had been made into a 
 little knot in the form of the Hebrew 
 letter yod, "' , it was wound about the 
 arm in a spiral line, which ended at the 
 top of the middle finger. The Phari- 
 sees enlarged them, or made them 
 wider than other people, either that 
 they might make the letters larger, or 
 write more on them ; to show, as they 
 supposed, that they had peculiar reve- 
 rence for the law. IT Enlarge the bor- 
 ders of their garments. This refers to 
 the loose threads which were attached 
 to the borders of the outer garment as 
 a fringe. This fringe was commanded 
 in order to distinguish them from other 
 nations, and that they might remember 
 to keep tlie commandments of God. 
 Num. XV. 38— 40. Deut. xxii. 12. They 
 made them broader than other people 
 wore them, to show that they had pe- 
 cuhar respect for the law. 
 
 6. The upp?rmost roomk .zt feasts. 
 The word rooms, here, by no means 
 expresses the meaning of the original. 
 It would be correctly rendered the up- 
 permost places or couches at feasts. To 
 understand this it is necessary to re- 
 mark that the custom among the Jews 
 was not to eat sitting, as we do, but re- 
 clining on couches. The table was made 
 by three tables, raised like our? and
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXIIl. 
 
 259 
 
 7 And greetings in the markets, 
 and to be called of men, Rabbi, 
 Rabbi. 
 
 placed so as to form a square, with a 
 clear space in the midst, and one end 
 quite open. On the sides of them were 
 placed cushions, capable of containing 
 three or more persons. On these the 
 guests reclined, leaning on their left 
 side, with their feet extended from the 
 table, and so lying that the head of one 
 naturally reclined on the bosom of an- 
 other. To recline near to one in this 
 manner denoted intimacy, and was 
 what was meant by lying hi the hosoin 
 of another. John .xiii. 23. Luke .\vi. 22, 
 23. As the feet were e.vtended from 
 the table, and as they reclined instead 
 of sittino;, it was easy to approach the 
 feet behind, and even unperceived. 
 Thus in Luke vii. 37, 38, while Jesus 
 
 8 But » be not ye called Rabbi : 
 for one is your Master, even Clirist ; 
 and all ye are brethren. 
 a Ja.3.1. 
 
 reclined in this manner, a woman that 
 had been a sinner came to his feet he- 
 hhid him, and washed them with her 
 tears, and wiped them with the hairs 
 of her head. She stood on the outside 
 of the couches. So our Saviour wash- 
 ed the feet of his disciples as i.hcy re- 
 clined on a couch in this manner. .John 
 .xiii. 4 — 12. Whenever we read in the 
 New Testament of sitting at meals, it 
 always means reclining in this manner, 
 and never sitting as we do. The chief 
 scat, or the uppermost one, was the 
 middle couch at the upper end of the 
 table. This the Pharisees loved, as 
 a post of honor or distinction. The 
 annexed cut will fully illustrate the 
 custom. 
 
 Chief teat'i in the ^i/nof^oguei The 
 seats usually occupied by tiie elders of 
 the synagogue, near the pulpit. They 
 love a place of distinction. Note, Matt. 
 iv. 23. 
 
 7. Greetings in the markets. Marks 
 of particular respect shown to them in 
 public places. Markets were places 
 where multitudes of people were assem- 
 bled together. They were pleased with 
 particular attention among the multi- 
 tude, and desired that all should show 
 them particular respect. IT Greetings. 
 Salutations. Gee Note, Luke x. 4. 
 IT To be culled Rahhi, Eabbi. This word 
 it.erally signilies great. It was a title 
 
 given to eminent teachers of the law 
 among the Jews ; a title of honor and 
 dignity, denoting their authority and 
 al)ility to teach. They were gratified 
 with such titles, and wished it given 
 to themselves as denoting superiority. 
 Every time it was given to them it im- 
 plied their superiority to the persona 
 who used it ; and they were fond, there- 
 fore, of hearing it often applied to them. 
 There were three titles in use among 
 the Jews — Rab, Rabbi, and Rabhan — 
 denoting different degrees of learning 
 and ability, as literary degrees do among 
 us. 
 
 8. Be not ye, &c. Jesus forbade hl»
 
 260 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 9 And call no man your Father 
 upon the earth : for one is your " 
 Father, which is in heaven. 
 
 10 Neither be ye called masters : 
 for one is your Master, even Christ. 
 
 11 But 'he that is greatest among 
 you, shall be your servant. 
 
 a C.C.9. 6 c.20.26,27. 
 
 disciples to seek such titles of distinc- 
 tion. The reason he gave was that he 
 was himself their Master and Teacher. 
 They were on a level ; they were to 
 be equal in authority ; they were breth- 
 ren ; and they should neither covet nor 
 receive a title which imphed either an 
 elevation of one above another, or 
 which appeared to infringe on the abso- 
 lute right of the Saviour to be their only 
 Teacher and Master. The command 
 here is an express command to his dis- 
 ciples not to receive such a title of dis- 
 tinction. They were not to covet it ; 
 they were not to seek it ; they were 
 not to do any thing that implied a wish 
 or a willingness that it sliould be ap- 
 pended to their names. Every thing 
 which would tend to make a distinction 
 among them, or destroy their parity ; 
 every thing which would lead the world 
 to suppose that there were ranks and 
 grades among them as ministers, they 
 were to avoid. It is to be observed 
 that the command is, that they were 
 not to receive the title. ^' Be not ye 
 called Eabbi." The Saviour did not 
 forbid them giving the title to others 
 when it was customary or not regarded 
 as improper (Comp. Acts xxvi. 25); 
 but thei/ were not to receive it. It was 
 to be unknown among them. This ti- 
 tle corresponds with the title "Doctor 
 of Divinity ,'" as applied to ministers of 
 the gospel ; and so far as I can see, the 
 spirit oi^ the Saviour's command is vio- 
 lated by the reception of such a title, as 
 it would have been by their being call- 
 ed Rabbi. It is a literary distinction. 
 It does not appropriately pertain to of- 
 fice. It makes a distinction among mi- 
 nisters. It tends to engender pride, 
 and a sense of superiority in those who 
 obtain it ; and envy and a sense of inferi- 
 ority in those who do not ; and the whole 
 spirit and tendency of it is contrary to the 
 " simplicity that is in Christ." 
 
 9. And call no man your father, &c. 
 This does not of course forbid us to ap- 
 ply the term to our real father. Reli- 
 
 .12 And * whosoever shall exalt 
 himself, shall be abased ; and he 
 that shall humble himself, shall be 
 exalted. 
 
 13 But woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut 
 up the kingdom of heaven against 
 c Pr.t5.33. Ja.4.6. 
 
 gion requires all proper honor to be 
 shown to him. Ex. xx. 12. Matt xv. 
 4. Eph. vi. 1, 2, 3. But the word fa- 
 tlier also denotes authority, eminence, 
 superiority, a right to commaiul, and a 
 claim to particular respect. In this 
 sense it is used here. In this sense 
 it belongs eminently to God, and it 
 is not right to give it to men. Chris- 
 tian brethren are equal. God only has 
 supreme authority. He only has a right 
 to give laws, to declare doctrines to 
 bind the conscience, to punish disobe- 
 dience. The Jewish teachers affected 
 that title because they seem to have 
 supposed that a teacher formed the man, 
 or gave him real life, and sought there 
 fore to be called father. Christ taught 
 them that the source of all life and truth 
 was God ; and they ought not to seek 
 or receive a title which properly belongs 
 to him. 
 
 10. Neither — masters. Leaders. Those 
 who go before others ; who claim, there- 
 fore, the right to direct and control oth- 
 ers. This was also a title conferred oil 
 Jewish teachers. 
 
 Neither of these commands forbid us 
 to give proner titles of civil office to 
 men, or to render them the honor be- 
 longing to their station. Matt. xxii. 21. 
 Rom. xiii. 7. 1 Peter ii. 17. They 
 forbid the disciples of Jesus to seek or 
 receive mere empty titles, producing 
 distinctions among themselves, imply- 
 ing authority to control the opinions and 
 conduct of others, and claiming that 
 others should acknowledge them to be 
 superior to them. 
 
 11,12. SeeN<jic,Matt.xx.26. Hethat 
 humhleth himself. &c. God will exalt or 
 honor him that is humble, and that seeka 
 a lowly place among men. That is true 
 religion, and God will reward it. 
 
 13. Wo unto you. You are guilty, 
 and punishment will come unto you. 
 He proceeds to state wherein they were 
 guilty. This most eloquent, most ap- 
 palling, and most terrible of all dis- 
 courses ever dehvered to m »rtaLs was
 
 AD. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 9B01 
 
 men : for ye neither go in yourselves, 
 neither suffer ye them that are en- 
 tering to go in. 
 
 M Woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye de- 
 
 pronounced in the temple, in the pre- 
 B3.ice of muhitudes. Never was there 
 more faithful dealing, more terrible re- 
 proof, more profound knowledge of the 
 workings of hypocrisy, or more skill in 
 detecting the concealments of sin. This 
 was the last of liis public discourses ; 
 and it is a most impressive summary of 
 all he ever had said, or had to say, of 
 a wicked and hypocritical generation. 
 ^ Scribes and Pharisees. Note, Matt, 
 iii. 7. ^ Hypocrites. Note, Matt. vi. 2. 
 T Ye sJtiit up the kingdom of heaven. 
 Note, Matt. lii. 2. They shut it up by 
 their doctrines. By teaching false doc- 
 trines respecting the Messiah ; by bmd- 
 ing the people to an observance of their 
 traditions ; by opposing Jesus, and at- 
 tempting to convince the people that 
 he was an impostor, they prevented 
 many from becoming his followers. 
 Many were ready to embrace Jesus as 
 the Messiah, and were about entering 
 into the kingdom of heaven, i. e. the 
 church — but they prevented it. Luke 
 says (.\i. 52) they had taken away the 
 key of knowledge, and thus prevented 
 their entering in. That is, they had 
 taken away the right interpretation of 
 the ancient prophecies respecting the 
 Messiah, and thus had done all they 
 could to prevent the people from receiv- 
 mg Jesus as the Redeemer. 
 
 14. Devour ividoivs^ houses. The 
 word houses is here used to denote pro- 
 perty or possessions of any kind. You 
 take away, or get possession of by im- 
 proper arts and pretences. This was 
 done in two ways: 1st. They pretend- 
 ed to a very exact knowledge of the 
 law, and to a perfect observance of it. 
 They pretended to extraordinary justice 
 to the poor, friendship for the distressed, 
 and willingness to aid those who were 
 vn embarrassed circumstances. They 
 thus induced widows and poor people to 
 commit the management of their pro- 
 perly to them, as guardians and execu- 
 tors, and then took advantage of them, 
 and del landed them. 2d. They put on 
 tlio appearance of great sanctity, and in- 
 iuroi\ man V conscientious but credulous 
 
 vour widows' houses, " and for a 
 pretence, make long prayer: there- 
 fore ye shall receive the greater 
 damnation. 
 
 15 Woe unto you, scribes and 
 
 a2Ti.3.6. Tit.1.11. 
 
 women to give them much, under pre 
 tence of devoting it to religious pur- 
 poses ^ Long prayers. Their prayers 
 are said to have been often three hours 
 in length. One rule among them, says 
 Lightfoot, was to meditate an hour, then 
 pray an hour, and then meditate an- 
 other hour — all of which was included 
 in their long prayers or devotions. 
 ^ Damnation. Condemnation. The 
 word here probably refers to future 
 punishment. It does not always, how- 
 ever. It means, frequently, no more 
 than condemnation, or the divine disap 
 probation of a certain course of conduct, 
 as in 1 Cor. xi. 29: "He that eateth 
 and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
 drinketh dam?iation to himself" That 
 is, he that eateth and drinketh in an 
 unworthy manner — disorderly, not witn 
 reverence — is guilty, and his conduct 
 will be disapproved or condemned by 
 God — referring solely to the impropriety 
 of the manner of partaking of the Lord' s 
 Supper, and not at all to the wortliiness 
 or unworthiness of the person. See 
 Notes on that place. Comp. Rom. xiv. 
 23. ^ For a preteTice. For appearance 
 or show ; in order that they might the 
 better defraud poor people. They would 
 not be condemned for making long 
 prayers, but because they did it with 
 an evil design. Public prayers should, 
 however, be short, and always to the 
 point. A man praying in a Sunday 
 school should pray for the school, and 
 usually not for every thing else. 
 
 15. Ye compass sea and land. Ye 
 take every means — spare no pains to 
 gain proselytes, 'i Proselyte. One that 
 comes over from a foreign nation, reli- 
 gion, or sect, to us. A convert. Among 
 the Jews there were two kinds of pro- 
 selytes : 1st. Proselytes of righteousness, 
 or those who wholly and fully embraced 
 the Jewish religion, were baptized, cir 
 cumcised, and who conformed to all the 
 rites of the Mosaic institutions. 2d. 
 Proselytes of the gate, or those who ap- 
 proved of the Jewish religion, re- 
 nounced the Pagan superstitions, and 
 conformed to some of the rites of the
 
 262 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye com- 
 pass sea and land to make one 
 proselyte ; and when he is made, 
 ye make him twofold more the child 
 ■ of hell than yourselves. 
 
 16 Woe unto you, yt blind * 
 guides, which say, Whosoever shall 
 swear by the temple, it is nothing; 
 but whosoever shall swear by the 
 gold of the temple, he is a debtor. 
 
 IT Ye fools, ' and blind ! for whe- 
 ther is greater, the gold, or the tem- 
 ple that sanctifieth the gold ? 
 
 18 And, Whosoever shall swear 
 by the altar, it is nothing ; but who- 
 
 a Jno.8.44. Ac.13.10. Ep.2.3, 6 c.15.14. 
 c P5.94.8. 
 
 Jews, but were not circumcised or bap- 
 tised. If Two-fold more the child of hell. 
 That is, twice as bad. To be a child 
 of hell, was a Hebrew phrase, signify- 
 ing to be deserving of hell, to be aw- 
 fully wicked. Note, Matt. i. 1. The 
 Jewish writers themselves say that the 
 proselytes were "scabs of Israel," and 
 " hindered the coming of the Messiah" 
 by their great wickedness. The Pha- 
 risees gained them either to swell their 
 numbers, or to make gain by e,\torting 
 their money under various pretences ; 
 and when they had accomplished that, 
 they took no pains to instruct them, or 
 to restrain them. They had renounced 
 their superstition, which had before 
 somewhat restrained them. The Pha- 
 risees had given tliem no rehgion in its 
 place to restrain them, and they were 
 consequently left to the full indulgence 
 ef their vices. 
 
 16. Whosoever shall swear, &c. See 
 Note, Matt. v. 33—37. IT Tlie temple. 
 Note, Matt. xxi. 12. IT It is nothing. 
 It amounts to nothing. It is not binding. 
 IT The gold of the temple. Either the 
 golden vessels in the temple, the candle- 
 stick, &,c., or the gold with which the 
 doors and other parts of the temple were 
 covered ; or the gold in the treasury. 
 This, it seems, they considered far more 
 cacred than any other part of the temple, 
 but it is not known why. ^ He is a 
 iehtor. He is bound to keep his oath. 
 He is guilty if he violates it . 
 
 17. The temple that sanctifieth the 
 gold. To sanctify is to make holy. The 
 Bold had no holmess but what it derived 
 
 soever sweareth by the gift that is 
 upon it, he is ' guilty. 
 
 19 Ye fools, and blind ! for whe- 
 ther is greater, the gift, or the altar 
 that sanctifieth ^ the gift] 
 
 20 Whoso therefore shall sweat 
 by the altar, sweareth by it, and by 
 all things thereon. 
 
 21 And whoso shall swear by the 
 temple, sweareth by it, and by him 
 ' that dwelleth therein. 
 
 22 And he that shall swear by 
 heaven, sweareth by the throne-^ of 
 God, and by him that sitteth thereon 
 
 1 or, debtor, or, bound. d Ex.29.37. 30.29. 
 e2Ch.C.2. Ps.26.8. /Ps.n.4. Is.66.l. c.5.34. 
 
 from the temple. If in any other place, 
 it would be no more holy than any 
 other gold. It was fooHsh, then, to 
 suppose that that was more holy than 
 the temple from which it received al'. 
 the sanctity which it possessed. 
 
 18. The altar. The altar of burnt- 
 offerings, in the court of the priests 
 Note, Matt. xxi. 12. It was made of 
 brass, about thirty feet in length and 
 breadth, and fifteen feet in height, i 
 Chron. iv. 1. On this altar were oflered 
 all the beasts and bloody oblations of the 
 temple. If The gift that is upon it. 
 The gift or offering made to God, so 
 called because it was devoted or given 
 to him. The gift upon this altar was 
 always beasts and birds. 
 
 19. The altar that sanctifieth the gift. 
 The altar, dedicated to God, gave aL 
 the value or holiness to the offering, 
 and must therefore be the greatest, oi 
 of the most importance. If^ therefore, 
 either bound to the fulfilment of an oath, 
 it must be the altar. 
 
 21. Him that dwelleth therein. That 
 is, God. The temple was his house, 
 his dwelling. In the first, or Solomon's 
 temple, he dwelt between the cheru- 
 bims, in the most holy place. He ma- 
 nifested himself there by a visible sym- 
 bol, in the form of a cloud resting on 
 the mercy-seat. 1 Kings viii. 10, 13. 
 Ps. Ixxx. 1. 
 
 22. The throne of God. Heaven is 
 his throne. Matt. v. 34. It is so called 
 as being the place where he sits in 
 glory. Jesus says, here, that all who 
 swear at all, do n fact swecir by God
 
 A D 33.1 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 263 
 
 23 Woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, i^iypocriies ! for " ye pay 
 lithe of mint, and anise, ' and cum- 
 min, and have omitted the weightier 
 mut{er<< ' of the law, judirment, mer- 
 a Lu.tl.42. 1 dill. 
 
 or the oath is good for nothing. To 
 Bv^-ear by an ahar, a gift, or a temple, is 
 of no force, unless it be meant to appeal 
 to God himself The essential thing in 
 an iath is calling God to witness our 
 sincerity. If a real oath is taken, there- 
 fore, God is appealed to. If not, it is 
 foolish and wicked to swear by any 
 thing else. 
 
 23. Yepaij tilhe. A tenth part. The 
 law required the Jews to devote a tenth 
 part of all their property to the support 
 of the Levites. Numb, xviii. 20 — 24. 
 Another tenth part they paid for the 
 service of the sanctuary, commonly in 
 cattle or grain ; but where they lived 
 far from the place of worship, they 
 changed it to money. Deut. xiv. 22, 
 23, 24. Besides these, there was to be 
 every third year a tenth part given to 
 the poor, to be eaten at their own dwell- 
 ings. Deut. xiv. 28, 29. So that nearly 
 one-third of the property of the Jews 
 was devoted to rehgious services by 
 law. This was beside the voluntary 
 offerings which they made. How much 
 more mild and gentle are the laws of 
 Christianity under which we live ! 
 If Mint. A garden herb, in the original 
 so called from its agreeable flavor. It 
 was used to sprinkle the floors of their 
 houses and synagogues, to produce a 
 i pleasant fragrance. If Anise. Known 
 I commonly among us as dill. It has a 
 ' fine aromatic smell, and is used by con- 
 fectioners and perfumers. 1i Cummin. 
 A plant of the same genus, like/en7^eZ, 
 and used for similar purposes. These 
 were all herbs of little value. The law 
 of Moses said that they should pay 
 tithes of ihe fruits of the earth. Deut. 
 xiv. 22. It said nothing, however, 
 about herbs. It was a question whether 
 these should be tithed. The Pharisees 
 maintained, in their extraordinary strict- 
 ness, that ihey ought. Our Saviour 
 says that they were precise in doing 
 email matters, which the law had not 
 expressly commanded, while they omit- 
 ted the greater things which it had en- 
 joined. If Judgment. Justice to others, 
 as magistrates, neighbors, citizens. 
 
 cy, and faith : these ought ye to 
 have done, and not to leave the other 
 undone. 
 
 21 Fe blind guides ! which strain 
 at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 
 41Sa.l5.22. Je.22.I5,10. Ho.0.6. Mi.C.8. c.9.13 
 
 Giving to all their just dues. If Mercy. 
 Compassion and kindness to the poor 
 and miserable. If Faith. Piety towards 
 God ; confidence in him. Faith in God 
 here means that we are to give to him 
 what is his due ; as mercy and justice 
 mean to do to men, in all circumstances, 
 what is right toward them. If These 
 ought ye to have done. Attention to even 
 the smallest poitus of the law of God is 
 proper, but it should not interfere with 
 the higher and more important parts of 
 that law. 
 
 24. Which strain at a ^nat, Si-c. This 
 is a proverb. There is, however, a 
 mistranslation or mispriiu here, which 
 makes the verse unmeaning. To strain 
 AT a gnat conveys no sense. It should 
 have been, to strain out a gnaf ; and so 
 it is printed in some of the earlier ver- 
 sions ; and so it was undoubtedly ren- 
 dered by the translators. The common 
 reading is a misprint, and should be 
 corrected. The Greek means, to strain 
 out by a cloth or sieve. If A gnat. The 
 gnat has its origin in the water, not in 
 great rivers, but in pools and marshes. 
 In the stagnant waters they appear in 
 the form of small grubs, or larvcB. 
 These larvse retain their form about 
 three weeks, after which they turn to 
 chrysahds ; and after three or four days 
 they pass to the form of gnats. They 
 are then distinguished by their well- 
 known sharp sting. It is probable that 
 the Saviour here refers to the insect as 
 it exists in its grub or la-va form, before 
 it appears in the form of a gnat. Water 
 is then its element, and those who were 
 nice in their drink would take pains to 
 strain it out. Hence the proverb. Sef 
 Calmet's Die. Art. Gnat. It is here 
 used to denote a very small matter, as 
 a caiuel is to denote a large object. 
 ' \ou, Jews, take great pains to avoid 
 offence in very small matters, suiiersti- 
 tiously observing the smallest points of 
 the law, like a man carefully straining 
 out the animalculae from his wine ; while 
 you are at no pains to ai oid great sins — 
 hypocrisy, deceit, oppression, and lust— 
 Uke a man who should swallow a ca
 
 264 
 
 25 Woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for°yemake 
 clean the outside of the cup and of 
 the platter, but within they are full 
 of extortion and excess, 
 
 26 Thou blind Pharisee ! cleanse 
 first that which is within the cup 
 and platter, that the outside of them 
 may be clean also. 
 
 27 Woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye are 
 like unto * whited sepulchres, which 
 indeed appear beautiful outward, but 
 
 a Mar.7.4,&c. & Lu.11.44. Ac.23.3. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33, 
 
 are within full of dead men's bones, 
 and of all uncleanness. 
 
 28 Even so ye also outwardly 
 appear righteous unto men, but 
 within ye are full of hypocrisy and 
 iniquity. 
 
 29 Woe unto you, scribes and 
 Pharisees, hypocrites ! because ye 
 build the tombs of the prophets, 
 and garnish the sepulchres of the 
 righteous, 
 
 30 And say. If we had been in 
 the days of our fathers, we would 
 
 mel.' The Arabians have a similar 
 proverb: "He eats an elephant, and 
 is suffocated with a gnat." He is trou- 
 bled with little things, but pays no at- 
 tention to great matters. 
 
 25. The cup and the -platter. The 
 drinking cup, and the dish containing 
 food. The Pharisees were diligent in 
 observing all the washings and oblations 
 required by their traditions. IT jF?<ZZ of 
 extortion and excess. The outside ap- 
 peared well. The inside was filled with 
 the fruit of extortion, oppression, and 
 wickedness. The meaning is, that 
 though they took much pains to appear 
 well, yet they obtained a living by ex- 
 tortion and crime. Their cups, neat as 
 they appeared outward, were filled, not 
 with the fruits of honest industry, but 
 were extorted from the poor by wicked 
 arts. Instead of excess, many manu- 
 scripts and editions of the Greek Testa- 
 ment read wickedness. 
 
 26. Cleanse first, &.c. Let them be 
 filled with the fruits of honest industry, 
 and then the outside and the inside will 
 be really clean. By this allusion to the 
 cup and platter, he taught them that it 
 was necessary to cleanse the heart first, 
 that the external conduct might be real- 
 ly pure and holy. 
 
 27. Like unto whited sepulchres. For 
 the construction of sepulchres, see 
 Note, Matt. viii. 28. Those tombs 
 were annually whitewashed, to prevent 
 the people from accidentally coming in 
 contact with them as they went up to 
 Jerusalem. The law considered those 
 persons unclean who had touched any 
 thing belonging to the dead. Numb, 
 xix. 16. .Sepulchres were therefore often 
 vyhitewashed, that they might be dis- 
 'iactly seen Thu? " whited,' they ap- 
 
 peared beautiful. But within they con 
 tained the bones and corrupting bodies 
 of the dead. So the Pharisees. Their 
 outward conduct appeared well. But 
 their hearts were full of hypocrisy, 
 envy, pride, lust, and malice — fitly re- 
 presented by the corruption within a 
 whited tomb. 
 
 29. Ye build the tombs of the prophets. 
 That is, ye build sepulchres or tombs 
 over the prophets that have been slain. 
 This they did professedly from venera- 
 tion, and respect for their character. 
 This is often done at the East at the 
 present day, and indeed elsewhere. 
 Among the Mahometans it is a com- 
 mon way of showing respect for any 
 distinguished man to build a tomb for 
 him. By doing this, they profess re- 
 spect for his character, and veneration 
 for his memory. So the Pharisees, by 
 building tombs in this manner, profess- 
 edly approved of the character and con- 
 duct of the prophets, and disapproved 
 of the conduct of their fathers in killing 
 them. H A7id garnish, &c. That is, 
 adorn or ornament. This was done by ' 
 rebuilding them with more taste, deco- 
 rating them, and keeping them neat and 
 clean. The original word means, also, 
 to show any proper honor to the me- 
 mory of the dead ; as by speaking well 
 of them, praying near them, or rearing 
 synagogues near to them, in honor of 
 their memory. 
 
 30. And say, &c. This they pro- 
 fessed to say by rebuilding their tombs. 
 They also, probably, publicly expressed 
 their disapprobation of the conduct of 
 their fathers. All this, in building and 
 ornamenting tombs, was a profession of 
 extraordinary piety. Our Lord showed 
 them it was mere pretence.
 
 \.D.330 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 265 
 
 not have been partakers with them 
 in the blood of the prophets. 
 
 31 Wiicrefore ye be witnesses 
 unto yourselves, that ye are the 
 children of them which killed " the 
 prophets. 
 
 32 Fill ' ye up then the measure 
 of your fathers. 
 
 33 Ye serpents, ye generation ' of 
 
 aAc.7.52. lTh.2.I5. 6Ge.l5.)6. ] Tli.2. 
 W. c c.3.7. 
 
 31. Ye be witnesses to yourselves. 
 The emphasis, here, lies in the words 
 "to yourselves." It was an appeal to 
 their conscience. It was not by their 
 building the tombs that they were wit- 
 nesses that they were the children of 
 those who slew the prophets; but in 
 spite of all this pretence to piety — under 
 cloak of all this profession — they knew 
 .n their consciences, and were witnesses 
 to themselves, that- it was mere hypoc- 
 risy, and that they really approved the 
 conduct of those who slew the prophets. 
 f Children of them, &-c. Resembling 
 them; approvitis their conduct; inhe- 
 ritmg their leenngs. They not only 
 showed that they were descended from 
 them, but- that they possessed their spi- 
 rit, and in similar circumstances would 
 have done as they did. 
 
 32. Fill ye up, then, «Scc. This is a 
 prediction of what they were about to 
 do. He would have them to act out 
 their true spirit, and show what they 
 were, and evince to all that they had 
 the spirit of their fathers. This was 
 done by putting him to death, and per- 
 secuting the apostles. ^ The measure. 
 The full amount, so as to make it com- 
 plete. By your slaying me, fill up what 
 is lacking of the iniquity of your fathers 
 till the measure is full, the national ini- 
 quity is complete, as much has been 
 committed as God can possibly bear, 
 and then shall come upon you all this 
 blood, and you shall be destroyed. Vs. 
 34, 35. 
 
 33. Ye serpents. This name is given 
 to them on account of their pretending 
 to be pious, and very much devoted to 
 God, but being secretly evil. At the 
 heart, with all their pretensions, they 
 were filled with evil designs, as the ser- 
 pent was. Gen. iii. 1 — 5. IT Generation 
 of vipers. See Note, Matt. xii. 34. 
 ''i^ Damnation of hell. This refers, be- 
 
 23 
 
 vipers ! how can ye escape the 
 damnation of hein 
 
 34 Wherefore, behold, I send 
 unto you prophets, and wise men, 
 and scribes : and some of them ye 
 shall kill 'and crucify ; and some of 
 them shall ye scourge • in your syn- 
 agogues, and persecute them from 
 city ^ to city : 
 
 d Ac.7.59. e Ac.5.40. 2 Cor.11.24,25 
 /He.n.37. 
 
 yond all question, to future punishment 
 So great was their wickedness and by 
 pocrisy, that if they persevered in this 
 course, it was impossible to escape the 
 damnation that should come on the 
 guilty. This is the sternest language 
 that Jesus ever used to wicked men. 
 But it by no means authorizes ministers 
 to use such language to sinners now. 
 Christ knew that this was true of them. 
 He had an authority which none now 
 have. It is not the province of minis- 
 ters to denounce judgment, or to uso 
 severe names ; least of all to do it on 
 pretence of imitating Christ. He knew 
 the hearts of men. We know them 
 not. He had authority to declare cer 
 tainly that those whom he addressed 
 would be lost. We have no such au- 
 thority. He addressed persons ; we 
 address characters. 
 
 34. / send unto you prophets, &c. 
 He doubtless refers here to the apos- 
 tles, and other teachers of religion, 
 Piophets, wise men, and scribes, were 
 the names by which the teachers of re- 
 ligion were known among the Jews 
 and he, therefore, used the same terpis 
 when speaking of the messengers which 
 he would send. / send has the force 
 of the future, I will send. IT Some of 
 them ye shall kill. As in the case ot 
 Stephen (Acts vii. 59), and James (Acta 
 xii. 1,2). '^Crucify. Punish with f^eath 
 on the cross. There are no cases of 
 this mentioned; but few historical re- 
 cords of this age have come down t<S 
 us. The Jews had not the power o» 
 crucifying, but thej gave them into the 
 hands of the Romans to do it. li' Shall 
 scourge. See Note, Matt. x. 17. This 
 was done. Acts xxii. 19 — 24. 2 Cor. 
 xi. 24, 25. li Persecute, &c. Note, 
 Matt. V. 10. This was flilfilled in the 
 case of nearly all the apostles. 
 
 35. That upon you nxiay come, &-C.
 
 2db 
 
 35 That ■ upon you may come all 
 the righteous blood shed upon the 
 earth, from the blood of righteous 
 Abel "" unto the blood of Zacharias 
 
 son of Barachias, whom ye slew 
 between the temple and the altar. 
 
 36 A'^erily I say unto you, All 
 these things shall come upon this 
 generation. 
 
 37 O "^ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Ihou 
 
 tliat killestthe prophets, and stonest 
 
 aRe.18.24. 6 Ge.4.8. « 2Ch.24.20,2!. 
 i Lu.13.34. 
 
 MAITHEW. [A.D. 33 
 
 them which are sent unto thee, hov 
 often would I have gathered ' thj 
 children together, even as a het 
 gathereth her chickens under het 
 wings, and ye would not ! 
 
 38 Behold, your house is left 
 unto you desolate./ 
 
 39 For I say unto you. Ye shali 
 not see me henceforth, till ye shall 
 say, f Blessed is he that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord. 
 
 eDe.32.11,12. Ps.91.4. /Zec.n.6. ^Ps 
 118.2G. c.21.9. 
 
 That is, the nation is guilty. Your 
 fathers were guilty. You have shown 
 yourselves to be like them. You are 
 about, by slaying the Messiah and his 
 messengers, to fill up the iniquity of the 
 land. The patience of God is exhaust- 
 ed ; and the nation is about to be visited 
 svith signal vengeance. These national 
 crimes deserve national judgments ; 
 and the proper judgments for all these 
 crimes are about to come upon you in 
 the destruction of your temple and city. 
 IT All the righteous blood. That is, all 
 the judgments due for shedding that 
 blood. God did not hold them guilty 
 for what their fathers did ; but tempo- 
 ral judgments descend on children in 
 "Onsequence of the wickedness of pa- 
 ts — as in the case of drunken and 
 profligate parents. A drunken father 
 wastes the property that his children, 
 might have possessed. A gambler re- 
 duces liis children to poverty and want. 
 An imp 'xient and foolish parent is the 
 occasio -v) leading his sons into places 
 of pove.iV, ignorance, and crime, ma- 
 terially affecting their character and 
 destin/. See Notes on Rom. v. 12 — 
 19. oo of the Jews. The appropriate 
 effects of their fathers' crimes were 
 coming on the nation, and they would 
 suffer. ^ Upon the earth. Upon the 
 land of Judra. The word is often used 
 ^\'ith this limitation. See Matt. iv. 8. 
 If m^hteous Abi'l. Slain by Cain, his 
 brother. Gen. iv. 8. ^ Zacharias, foti 
 of Barachias. It is not certainly known 
 who this was. Some have thought it 
 was the Zecharias whose death is re- 
 corded in 2 Chron. x.xiv. 20, 21. He is 
 there called the son of Jehoiada ; but it 
 is known that it was common among 
 the Jews to have two names, as Mat- 
 ihew is called Levi, Lebbeus, Thad- 
 
 deus; and Simon, Cephas. Others 
 have thought he referred to Zecharias 
 the prophet, who might have been mas- 
 sacred by the Jews, though no account 
 of his death is recorded. It might have 
 been known by tradition. IT Whom ye 
 slew. Whom you, Jews, slew. Whom 
 your nation killed. ^ Betiveen the tem- 
 ple and the altar. Between the temple, 
 properly so called, the sanctuary, and 
 the altar of burnt offering in the court 
 of the priests. See the plan of the tern 
 pie. Matt. -xxi. 12. 
 
 36. Upo7i tJiis generation. The de 
 struction of Jerusalein took place about 
 forty years after this was spoken. See 
 the next chapter. 
 
 37. Jerusalem, &c. See Note, 
 Luke xix. 41, 42. IT Would I have 
 gathered. Would have protected and 
 saved. ^ Thy children. Thy people. 
 
 38. Your house. The temple. The 
 house of worship of the Jews. The 
 chief ornament of Jerusalem. ^ Deso- 
 late. About to be desolate, or destroy- 
 ed. To be forsaken as a place of wor 
 ship, and delivered into the hands ot 
 the RoiTians, and destroyed. See 
 Notes on chapter xxiv. 
 
 39. Ye shall not see me, &c. The 
 dav of your mercy is gone by. I have 
 offered you protection and salvation, 
 and you have rejected it. You are 
 about to crucify me, and your temple 
 to be destroyed ; and you, as a j.ation,, 
 l)e given up to long and dreadl il suf 
 fering. You will not see me as a mer- 
 ciful Saviour, offering you redemptioii 
 any more, till you have borne these 
 heavy judgments. They must come 
 upon you, and be borne, until you 
 would be glad to hail a deliverer, and 
 say. Blessed is he that cometh in the 
 name of the Lord. Blessed be lie thai
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 269 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 ND " Jesus went out, and de- 
 . parted from the temple : and 
 a Mar.13.1. Lii.21.5. 
 
 comes as the Messiah, to bring deUve- 
 rance. This has not been yet accom- 
 plished, but the days will come when 
 the Jews, long cast out and rejected, 
 will hail Jesus as the Messiah, and re- 
 ceive him whom their fathers slew, as 
 the merciful Saviour. Rom. xi. 25 — 32. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1st. Proper respect should always be 
 shown to teachers and rulers. Ver. 3. 
 
 2d. Wc are not to copy the example 
 of wicked men. Ver. 3. We are to 
 frame our conduct by the law of God, 
 and not by the example oi men. 
 
 3d. Men are often very rigid in ex- 
 acting of others what they fail alto- 
 gether of performing themselves. 
 Ver. 4. 
 
 4th. We are to obey God, rather 
 than man ; not to seek human honors 
 (ver. 8), nor to give flattering titles to 
 others, nor to allow others to give them 
 fo us (ver. 9). Our highest honor is in 
 liumihty ; and he is most exalted who 
 is most lowly. Vs. 11, 12. 
 
 5th. In the descriptions of the scribes 
 und Pharisees in this chapter, we have 
 a full-length portrait of the hypocrite. 
 1st. They shut up the kingdom of hea- 
 ven against others. Ver. 13. They 
 made great pretensions to knowledge, 
 but they neither entered in themselves, 
 nor sufTcred others. 2d. They com- 
 mitted the grossest iniquity under a 
 cloak of reUgion. Ver. 14. They 
 i'heated widows out of their property, 
 and made long prayers to iiide their 
 villany. 3d. They showed great zeal 
 in making proselytes ; yet did it only 
 for gain, and made them more wicked. 
 Ver. 15. 4th. Phey taught false doc- 
 trine — artful contrivances to destroy the 
 force of oaths, and shut out the Creator 
 from their view. Vs. 16 — 22. 5th. 
 They were superstitious. Ver. 23. 
 Small matters they were exact in; 
 matters of real importance they cared 
 httle about. 6th. They were openly 
 hypocritical. They took great pains to 
 appear well, while they themselves 
 knew that it was all deceit and false- 
 hood. Vs. 25 — 28. 7th. They pro- 
 fessed great veneration for the memory 
 'jf the pious dead, while at the same 
 
 his disciples came to Mm for tt 
 shew him the buildings of the tem- 
 ple. 
 
 time they were conscious that the; 
 really approved the conduct of thosf 
 whokilled them. Vs. 29 — 31. Never, 
 perhaps, was there a combination ot 
 more wicked feelings and hypocritical 
 actions, than among them ; and ncvei 
 was there more profound knowledge 
 of the human heart, and more faithful- 
 ness, than in him who tore off the mask, 
 and showed them what they were. 
 
 6th. It is amazing with what powei 
 and authority our blessed Lord reproves 
 this wicked people. It is wonderful 
 that they ever waited for a mock trial, 
 and did not kill him at once. But hia 
 time was not come ; and they were re 
 strained, and not suffered to act out the 
 fury of their mad passions. 
 
 ~th. Jesus pities dying sinners. Ver. 
 37. He seeks their salvation. He 
 pleads with them to be saved. He 
 would gather them to him, if they 
 would come. The most hardened, 
 even like the sinners of Jerusalem, he 
 would save if they would come to him. 
 But they will not. They turn from 
 him, and tread the road to death. 
 
 8th. The reason why the wicked are 
 not saved, is in their obstinacy. They 
 choose not to be saved, and they die. 
 If they will not come to Christ, it is 
 right that they should die. If they do 
 not come, they must die. 
 
 9th. The sinner shall be destroyed. 
 Ver. 38. The day will come when the 
 mercy of God will be clean gone for 
 ever, and the forbearance of God ex- 
 hausted ; and then the sinne/ must 
 perish. When once God has gi\en 
 him over, he must die. No man, no 
 parent, minister, or friend, no angel, or 
 archangel, can then save. Salvation is 
 lost, for ever lost. O how ainazing is 
 the folly of the wicked, that they weary 
 out the forbearance of God, and perish 
 in their sins ! 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Jesus foretells the destrtulion of i%j 
 temple, as he takes his final leave of »i, 
 and teaches what we? c the signs of hii 
 coming. These predic'ions are also re- 
 corded in Mark xi'i ; L.die xxi. 5 — 38. 
 
 1. And Jesus went out. He vai;
 
 968 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 2 And Jesus said unto them, See 
 fe not all these things 1 Verily I 
 lay unto you, There * shall not be 
 alKi.9.7. Je.26.18. Lu.19.44. 
 
 roing over to the mount of Olives. 
 Ver. 3. T The buildings of the temple. 
 The temple itself, with the surrounding 
 lourts, porches, and other edifices. See 
 Note, Matt. xxi. 12. Mark says, that 
 ihey particularly pointed out the stones 
 of the temple, as well as the buildings. 
 " In that temple," says Josephus, the 
 lewish historian; " were several stones 
 which were forty-five cubits in length, 
 five in height, and six in breadth;" 
 that is, more than seventy feet long, 
 len wide, and eight high. These stones, 
 of such enormous size, were principally 
 ised in building the high wall on the 
 ;ast side, from the base to the top of 
 ■he mountain. They were also, it is 
 said, beautifully painted with variegated 
 colors. 
 
 2. There shall not he left here one stone 
 upon another. At the time this was 
 spoken, no event was more improbable 
 than this. The temple was vast, rich, 
 splendid. It was the pride of the na- 
 tion, and the nation was at peace. Yet 
 in the short space of forty years all this 
 was exactly accomplished. Jerusalem 
 was taken by the Roman armies, under 
 the command of Titus, A. D. 70. The 
 account of the siege and destruction of 
 the city is left us by Josephus, a histo- 
 rian of undoubted veracity and singular 
 fidelity. He was a Jewish priest. In 
 the wars of which he gives an account, 
 he fell into the hands of the Romans, 
 and remained with them during the 
 siege and destruction of the city. Be- 
 ing a Jew, he would of course say no- 
 thing designed to confirm the prophe- 
 cies of Jesus Christ. Yet his whole 
 history appears almost like a running 
 commeniary on these predictions re- 
 specting the destruction of the temple. 
 The following particulars are given on 
 his authority. 
 
 After the city was taken, Josephus 
 Bays, that Titus "gave orders that they 
 should now demolish the whole city and, 
 temple, except three towers, which he 
 reserved standing. But for the rest of 
 the wall, it was laid so completely even 
 with the ground by those who dug it up 
 from the fjundation, that there was no- 
 thing left, to make those believe who 
 
 left heie one stone upon another, 
 that shall not be thrown dovpn. 
 3 And as he sat upon the mount 
 
 came hither that it had ever been in- 
 habited." Ma'.monides, a Jewish writer, 
 has also recorded that " Terentius Ru- 
 fus, an officer in the army of Titus, 
 with a ploughshare lore up the founda 
 tions of the temple," that the prophecy 
 might be fulfilled, " Zion shall be 
 ploughed as a field." Micah iii. 12. 
 This was all done by the direction of 
 divine providence. Titus was desiroua 
 of preserving the temple ; and fre 
 quently sent Josephus to the Jews to 
 induce them to surrender and save the 
 temple and city. But the prediction of 
 the Saviour had gone forth, and not 
 withstanding the wish of the Roman 
 general, the temple was to be destroy- 
 ed. The Jews themselves first set fire 
 to the porticoes of the temple. One of 
 the Roman soldiers, without any com- 
 mand, threw a burning firebrand into 
 the golden window, and soon the tem- 
 ple was in flames. Titus gave orders 
 to extinguish the fire ; but amidst the 
 tumult, none of his orders were obey- 
 ed. The soldiers pressed to the tem- 
 ple, and neither fear, nor entreaties, 
 nor stripes, could restrain them. Their 
 hatred of the Jews urged them on to 
 the work of destruction, and thus, says 
 Josephus, the temple was burnt against 
 the will of Caesar. — Jewish Wars, b. 
 vi. ch. iv. ^ 5, 6, 7. 
 
 3. He sat upon the mount of Olives. 
 Note, PJatt. xxi. 1. From that mount 
 there was a magnificent view of the 
 whole city. 11 The disciples came unto 
 him privately. Not all of them, but 
 Peter, James, John, and Andrew. 
 Mark xiii. 3. The prediction that the 
 temple would be destroyed (ver. 2), had 
 been made in the presence of all the 
 apostles. A part now came privately 
 to know more particularly when this 
 would be. 11 When shall these things 
 he t There are three questions here : 
 1st. When those things should take 
 place. 2d. What should be the signs 
 of his coming. 3d. What should be 
 the signs that the end of the world was 
 near. To these questions he replies in 
 this and the following chapters. Tins 
 he does, not by noticing them distinct- 
 ly, but by intermingling the descriptjoiia
 
 A.. D. 33.] 
 
 of Olives, the disciples came unto 
 him privately, saying, Tell us, when 
 shall these things be] And what 
 shall be the sign of thy coming, and 
 of the end of the world ? <» 
 
 •1 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto them. Take * heed that no man 
 deceive you. 
 
 5 For many shall come in my * 
 a 1 Th.5.1,&;c. J Col.2.8. 2Th.2.3. « Je. 
 U.U. 
 
 of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of 
 the end of the world ; so that it is some- 
 times difficult to tell to what particular 
 subject his remarks apply. The prin- 
 ciple on which this combined descrip- 
 tion of two events was spoken, appears 
 to be, that they could he described in 
 the same words, and, therefore, the ac- 
 counts are intermingled. A similar use 
 of language is found in sonic parts of 
 Isaiah, where the same language will 
 describe the return from the Babylonish 
 aptivity, and dehverance by the Mes- 
 siah, and, therefore, was used by the 
 prophet. See Introduction to Isaiah, ^ 
 7. ^ Sign of thy coming. Evidence 
 that thou art coming. By what token 
 shall we know that thou art coming? 
 
 4, 5. Take heed, &.C. He first gives 
 them a caution to beware of deception. 
 They were to be constantly on their 
 guard, as many would arise to deceive 
 the people. If Many shall come in my 
 name. Not in the name or by the au- 
 thority of Jesus, but in the name of the 
 Messiah, or claiming to be the Messiah. 
 ^ I am Christ. I am the Messiah. 
 Note, Matt. i. 1. The Messiah was 
 expected at that time. Matt. ii. 1, 2. 
 Many would lay claims to being the 
 Messiah, and, as he was universally 
 e.\pccted, many would easily be led to 
 boheve in them. There is abundant 
 evidence that this was fully accomplish- 
 ed. Josephus informs us that there 
 were many, who pretended to divine 
 inspiration, deceived the people, lead- 
 ing out numbers of them into the de- 
 sert. "The land," says he, "was 
 overrun with magicians, seducers, and 
 impostors, who drew the people after 
 them in multitudes into sohtudes and 
 deserts, to see the signs and miracles 
 which they promised to show by the 
 power ol (jrod." Among these are 
 mentioned particularly Dositheus, the 
 Samaritan, who affirmed that he was 
 23* 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 208 
 
 name, saying, - ^m Christ; and 
 shall deceive many. 
 
 6 And ye shall hear of wars, * 
 and rumours of wars : see that ye 
 be not troubled : for all Ihese tking/t 
 must come to pass, but the end is 
 not yet. 
 
 7 For • natio.i shall rise against 
 nation, and kingdom against king- 
 
 </Da.c.ll. e Hag.2.21,2iJ. 
 
 Christ ; Simon Magus, who said he 
 appeared among the Jews as the Son 
 of God ; and Theudas, who persuaded 
 many to go with him to the river Jor 
 dan, to see the waters divided. The 
 names o{ twenty-four false Messiahs are 
 recorded as having appeared between 
 the time of the emperor Adrian and the 
 year 1682. 
 
 6. And ye shall hear of -wars , &.C. It 
 is recorded in the history of Rome, that 
 the most violent agitations prevailed in 
 the Roman empire previous to the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem. Four emperors , 
 Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitclhus, suf- 
 fered violent deaths, in the short space 
 of eighteen months. In consequence 
 of these changes in the government, 
 there were commotions throughout the 
 empire. Parties were formed ; ard 
 bloody and violent wars were the coi - 
 sequence of attachment to the particu 
 lar emperors. This is the more remark- 
 able, as at the time that the prophecy 
 was made, the empire was in a state of 
 peace. IT Rumors of wars. Wars de- 
 clared, or threatened, but not carried 
 into execution. Josephus says, that 
 Bardanes, and after him Volageses, de- 
 clared war against the Jews, but it was 
 not carried into execution. Ant. 20, 34. 
 He also says that ViteUius, governor of 
 Sytia, declared war against Aretas, 
 king of Arabia, and wished to lead his 
 army through Palestine, but the death 
 of Tiberius prevented the war.' Ant. 
 18. 5, 3. IT The end is not yet. The 
 end of the Jewish economy ; the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem will not imme- 
 diately follow. Be not, therefore, alarm- 
 ed when you hear of those commotions. 
 Other signs will warn you when to be 
 alarmed, and seek security. 
 
 7. Natio7i shall rise against nation, 
 and kingdom against kiiigdom. At 
 Caesarea, the Jews and Syrians con- 
 tended about the right to the city, vy^
 
 270 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 dom . and there shal! be famines, 
 and pestilences, and earthquakes, in 
 divers places. 
 
 jwenty thousand of the Jews were slain. 
 At this blow the whole nation of the 
 Jfews was exasperated, and carried war 
 and desolation through the Syrian cities 
 and villages. Sedition and civil war 
 spread throughout Judea; Italy was 
 also thrown into civil war, by the con- 
 tests between Otho and Vitellius for 
 the crown. ^ And there shall be famines. 
 There was a famine foretold by Agabus 
 (Acts xi. 28), which is mentioned as 
 having occurred, by Tacitus, Suelortius, 
 and Eusebius ; and which was so se- 
 vere in Jerusalem, Josephus says, that 
 many people perished for want of food. 
 Ant. 20, 2. Four times in the reign of 
 Claudius (A. D. 41 — 54), famine pre- 
 vailed in Rome, Palestine, and Greece. 
 ^Pestilences. Raging, epidemic dis- 
 eases. The plague, sweeping off mul- 
 titudes of people at once. It is com- 
 monly the attendant of famine, and 
 often produced by it. A pestilence is 
 recorded as raging in Babylonia, A. D. 
 40 (Joseph. Ant. 18, 'J, 8); in Italy, 
 A. D. 66 (Tacitus, 16. 13). Both of 
 these took place before the destruction 
 of Jerusalem. IT Earthquakes. In pro- 
 phetic 4anguage earthquakes sometimes 
 mean pohtical commotions. Literally 
 they are tremors or shakings of the 
 earth, and often shaking cities and 
 towns to ruin. The earth opens, and 
 houses and people sink indiscriminately 
 to destruction. Many of these are men- 
 tioned as preceding the destruction of 
 Jerusalem. Tacitus mentions one in 
 the reign of Claudius, at Rome, and 
 says that in the reign of Nero the cities 
 of Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse, 
 were overthrown ; and the celebrated 
 Pompeii was overwhelmed, and almost 
 destroyed by an earthquake. Annales 15. 
 22. Others are mentioned as occurring 
 at Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, and Sainos. 
 Luke adds, " And fearful sifrhts, and 
 great signs, shall there be from heavcn.^^ 
 xxi. 11. Josephus, who had probably 
 never heard of this prophecy, and who 
 (certainly would have done nothing de- 
 .-•ignedly to show its fulfihnetit, records 
 ilie prodigies and signs which he says 
 preceded tiie destruction of the city. 
 A star, says he, resembhng a sword, 
 stood over the city, and a comet that 
 
 8 All these are the beginning of 
 sorrows. 
 
 9 Then " shall they deliver you 
 
 aLu.21.12. 
 
 continued a whole year. At the feast 
 of unleavened bread, during the night, 
 a bright light shone round the altar and 
 the temple, so that it seemed to be 
 bright day, for half an hour. The east- 
 ern gate of the temple, of solid brass, 
 fastened with strong bolts and bars, and 
 which had been shut with difficulty by 
 twenty men, opened in the night of its 
 own accord. A few days alter that 
 feast, he says, " before sunsetting, 
 chariots and troops of soldiers in their 
 armor were seen running about among 
 the clouds, and surrounding of cities." 
 A great noise, as of the sound of a mul- 
 titude, was heard in the temple, saying, 
 " LET us REMOVE HENCE." Four years 
 before the war began, Jesus the son of 
 Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, 
 came to the feast of the tabernacles, 
 when the city was in peace and pros - 
 perity, and began to cry aloud, " A 
 voice from the east, a voice from the 
 west, a voice from the four winds, a 
 voice against Jerusalem and the holy 
 house, a voice against the bridegroom 
 and the brides, and a voice against this 
 whole people!" He was scourged, 
 and at every stroke of the whip he 
 cried, " Wo, wo, to Jerusalem." — 
 This cry, he says, was continued every 
 day for more than seven years, till he 
 was killed in the siege of the city, ex- 
 claiming, " Wo, wo to myself, also."— 
 Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. v. ^ 3. 
 
 8. The beginning of sorrows. Far 
 heavier calamities are yet to come be- 
 fore the end. 
 
 9. To be afflicted. By persecution, 
 imprisonment, scourging, &c. ^ Thev 
 shall deliver you up to councils. (Mark.; 
 To the great council, or sanhedrim — for 
 this is the word in the original. Note, 
 Matt. V. 22. This was fulfilled when 
 Peter and John were brought before 
 the council. Acts iv. 5, 6, 7. Mark 
 farther adds (xiii. 9) that they should be 
 delivered to synagogues and to prisons 
 to be beaten, and should be brought be- 
 fore rulers and kings for his name's 
 sake. All this was remarkably fulfill- 
 ed. Peter and John were imprisoned 
 (Acts iv. 3) ; Paul and Silas also (Acts 
 xvi. 24). They were also beaten (xvi. 
 23.) Paul was brought before Gallio
 
 A. D.33.J 
 
 ap to be afflnted and shall kill » 
 you : and ye shall be hated of all 
 nations for my name's sake. 
 
 10 And then shall many be * of- 
 . ended, and shall betray one another, 
 *nd shall liate one another. 
 
 a Jiio.lC.2. Ac.7.59. b c.13.21. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 271 
 
 Acts xviii. 12), before Felix (xxiv. 24), 
 ind bnfore Agrippa (xxv. 23). '^ And 
 ihall kill you. Tiiiit is, shall kill some 
 of you. ytephen was stoned (Acts vii. 
 59); James was killed by Herod (Acts 
 xii. 2). And in addition to all that the 
 jacred writers have told us, the perse- 
 cution under Nero took place before 
 'he destruction of Jerusalem, in which 
 were put lo death, with many others, 
 Peter and Patil. Most of the apostles, 
 it is believed, died by persecution. 
 
 When they were delivered up, Jesus 
 told them not to premeditate what they 
 should say, for he would give them a 
 mouth and wisdom, which all their ad- 
 versaries could not gainsay or resist. 
 Luke xxi. 14, 15. The fulfilment of 
 this is recorded in the case of Stephen 
 (Acts vi. 10), and of Paul who made 
 Felix tremble. Acts xxiv. 25. If Ye 
 shall be haled of all nations. This was 
 fulfilled then, and has been in all ages. 
 It was judged to be a crime to be a 
 Christian. Multitudes for this, and for 
 nothing else, were put to death. H For 
 my name's sake. On account of attach- 
 ment to me ; or because you bear my 
 name as Christiayis. 
 
 10. Many shall be offended. See 
 Note, Matt. v. 29. Many shall stum- 
 ble, fall, apostatize, from a profession 
 of religion. Many who professed to 
 .ove me, shall then show that they had 
 no real attachment to me ; and in those 
 trying times shall show that they knew 
 nothing of genuine Christian love. See 
 1 John ii. 19. IT Shall betray one an- 
 other. Those who thus apostatize from 
 professed attachment to me shall bc- 
 trav others who really love me. This 
 they would do to secure their own 
 safety, by revealing the names, habita- 
 tions, or places of concealment of oth- 
 ers. ^ Shall hate one another. Not 
 that real Christians would do this, but 
 those who had professed to be such, 
 would then show that they were not, and 
 wouW bate one another, .Luke adds, 
 
 11 And ' many false propneta 
 shall rise, and' shall deceive '' many. 
 
 12 And because iniquity shall 
 abound, the love of many shall wax 
 'cold. 
 
 1.3 But-'" he that shall endure unto 
 the end, the same shall be saved. 
 
 d 1 Ti.4.1. e ReJi, 
 
 c2P. 
 IS.IG. 
 
 .2.1. 1 Jno.4.3. 
 / Ke.2. 10. 
 
 that they shoidd be betrayed by parents, 
 and brethren, and kinsfolks. andfriciAs. 
 They would break over the most ten- 
 der ties to surrender Christians to pun- 
 ishment. So great would be their 
 hatred of Christianity, that it would 
 overcome all the natural endearments 
 of kindred and home. This, in the 
 persecutions of Chri.stiaiis, has been of- 
 ten done ; and nothing shows more 
 fully the deep and deadly hatred of the 
 human heart to the gospel. 
 
 11. And many false prophets. Many 
 men, pretending to be prophets, or fore- 
 tellers of future events. This refers not 
 to the false Messiahs of which he had 
 spoken (v. 5\ but to prophets who 
 should appear during the siege of the 
 city, of them Josephus says: "The 
 tyrannical zealots who ruled the city 
 suborned many false prophets to declare 
 that aid would be given to the people 
 from heaven. This was done to pre- 
 vent them froin attempting to desert, 
 and to inspire confidence in God." See 
 Jewish W^rs, b. vi. c. 5, ^ 2, 3. 
 
 12. And because iniquity, &lc. The 
 word iniquity here seems to include the 
 cruelty of the Jews and Romans in their 
 persecutions; the betcaying of Chris- 
 tians by those who professed to be such ; 
 and the pernicious errors of false pro- 
 phets and others. Theefi'ect ot all this 
 would be, that the ardor of feeling of 
 many Chistians would be lessened. 
 The word wax means to become. It is 
 an old Saxon word, not used now in 
 this sense, except in the "Bible. The 
 fear of death, and the deluding influ- 
 ence of false teachers, would lessen the 
 zeal of many timid and weak pro- 
 fessors ; perhaps also of many real, but 
 feeble Christians. 
 
 13. He that shall endure unto the end 
 — shall be saved. The word "end'" 
 here has by some been thought to mean 
 the destruction of Jerusalem, or the eiid 
 of the Jewish economy. And the mean- 
 ing has been supposed to be. he that
 
 272 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 33, 
 
 14 And this gospel o1 the king- 
 dom shall be " preached in all the 
 world for a witness unto all nations ; 
 and then shall the end come. 
 
 15 When ye, therefore, shall see 
 he abomination of desolation spoken 
 
 ac.28.19. Ro.10.18. Re.14.6. 
 
 perseveres in bearing these persecutions 
 to the end of the wars, shall be safe. 
 God will protect his people from harm, 
 so that not a hair of the head shall per- 
 ish. Others with more probability, have 
 referred this to final salvation, and refer 
 the "end"' to the close of life. He 
 that bears afflictions and persecutions 
 faithfully ; that constantly adheres to 
 his religion, and does not shrink till 
 death, shall be saved, or shall enter 
 heaven. So Luke (xxi. 18) says, there 
 should not a hair of the head perish ; 
 i. e., they should be saved. A hair of 
 the head, or the smallest part or portion, 
 is a proverbial expression, denoting the 
 ceHainty and completeness ot their sal- 
 vaion. Luke (xxi. 19) farther adds, 
 "In your patient' 3 possess ye your 
 souls." That is, keep your souls pa- 
 tient ; keep proper ji issession of pa- 
 tience as your own. It is a part of 
 religion to teach it ; and in these trying 
 times let it not depart from you. 
 
 14. And this gospel — shall be preach- 
 ed in all the world. The evidence that 
 this was done is to be chiefly derived 
 from the New Testament, and there it 
 is clear. Thus Paul declares that it was 
 preached to every creature under heaven 
 (Col. i. 6, 23) ; that the faith of the Ro- 
 mans was spoken of throughout the 
 whole world (Rom. i. 8) : that he preach- 
 ed in Arabia (Gal. i. 17), and at Jerusa- 
 lem, and round about unto lUyricum 
 (Rom. w. 19). We know also that he 
 travelled through Asia Minor, Greece, 
 and Crete ; that he was in Italy, and 
 probably in Spiin and Gaul. Rom. xv. 
 24 — 28. At the same time, the other 
 apostles were not idle ; and there is full 
 proof that within thirty years after this 
 prophecy was spoken, churches were 
 established in all these regions. IT For 
 % witness unto all nations. This preach- 
 ing the gospel indisoriminately to all the 
 Gentiles, shall be a proof to them, or a 
 witness, that the division between the 
 Jews and Gentiles was about to be 
 Broken down. Hitherto the blessings 
 of revelation had been confined to the 
 
 * of by Daniel the prophet, stand in 
 the holy place, (whoso readeth, let 
 him understand :) 
 
 16 Then let them which be in 
 Judea flee into the mountains : 
 
 6 Da.9.27. 12.11. 
 
 Jews. They were the peculiar people 
 of God. His messages had been sent to 
 them only. When, therefore, God sent 
 the gospel to all other people, it was 
 proof, or a wil?iess unto them, that the 
 peculiar Jewish economy was at an end. 
 ^ Then shall the end come. The end of 
 the Jewsh economy. The destruction 
 of the temple and city. 
 
 15. The abomination of desolation. 
 This is a Hebrew expression, meaning 
 an abominable or hateful destroyer. The 
 Gentiles were all held in abomination by 
 the Jews. Acts x. 28. The abomination 
 of desolation, means the Roman army ; 
 and is so explained by Luke xxi. 20. 
 The Roman army is farther called the 
 abomiiialion, on account of the images 
 of the emperor and the eagles, carried 
 in front of the legions, and regarded 
 by the Romans with divine honors. 
 "iT Spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Dan. 
 L\. 26, 27 ; xi. 31 ; xii. 11. 11 Sta?iding 
 in the holy place. Mark says, standing 
 where it ought not, meaning the same 
 thing. All Jerusalem was esteemed holy 
 Matt. iv. 5. The meaning of this is, 
 when you see the Roman armies stand- 
 ing in the holy city, or encamped around 
 the temple, or the Roman ensigns or 
 standards in the temple. Josephus far- 
 ther relates, that when the city was 
 taken, the Romans brought their idols 
 into the temple, and placed them over 
 the eastern gate, and sacrificed to them' 
 there. Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. 6, '^ 1. 
 IT Whoso readeth, &c. This seems ta 
 be a remark made by the evangelist, 
 to direct the attention of the reader par- 
 ticularly to the meaning of the prophccv 
 by Daniel. 
 
 16. Tlien let them, &c. Then Chn» 
 tians may know that the end is come^ 
 and should seek a place of safety. De- 
 struction would not only visit the city, 
 but would extend to the surrounding 
 part of Judea. H The mountains. The 
 mountains of Palestine abound in caves, 
 a safe retreat for those pursued. In all 
 ages these caves were the favorite places 
 of robbers ; and were also resorte/1 tc
 
 A.. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 273 
 
 17 Let him which is on the 
 house-top not come down to take 
 any thinor out of his house : 
 
 18 Neither let him which is in 
 the field return back to take his 
 clothes. 
 
 19 And " woe unto them that are 
 
 a Lu .23.29. 
 
 by those in danger. 1 Sam. xiii. 6 ; 
 txii. 1. 2 Sam. xxiii. 13. Josh. x. 16. 
 In those mountains they would be safe. 
 
 17. Him which is on the house-top. 
 The roofs of the houses in eastern coun- 
 tries were made flat, so that they were 
 favorable places for walking and retire- 
 ment. See Note, Matt. ix. 1 — S. The 
 meaning here is, that he who should be 
 on the house-lop when this calamity 
 came upon the city, should flee without 
 delay ; he should not even take time to 
 secure any article of apparel from his 
 house. So sudden would be the ca- 
 lamity, that by doing it he would en- 
 danger his life. 
 
 18. Return hack to take his clothes. 
 His clothes which, in working, he had 
 laid aside; or which in fleeing lie should 
 throw off as an incumbrance. Clothes 
 here means the oiiter garment, com- 
 monly laid aside when men worked, or 
 ran. See Note, Matt. v. 40. 
 
 These directions were followed. It 
 is said that the Christians, warned by 
 these predictions, fled from the city to 
 Pella, and other places beyond Jordan; 
 so that there is not evidence that a sin- 
 gle Christian perished in Jerusalem. 
 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. lib. 3, ch. 6. 
 
 20. But pray ye, Sec. The destruc- 
 tion was certainly coming. It could 
 not be prevented. Yet it was right to 
 pray for a mitigation of the circum- 
 stances, that it might be as mild as pos- 
 sible. So we know that calamity is 
 before us ; sickness, pain, and bereave- 
 ment, and death, are in our path ; yet 
 though vve know that these things must 
 come upon us, it is right to pray that 
 they may come, in as mild a manner as 
 may be consistent with the will of God. 
 We must die ; but it is right to pray that 
 the pains of our dying may be neither 
 loiig nor severe. IT In the winter. On 
 account of the cold, storms, &c. To 
 be turred then from home, and com- 
 oelled to take up an abode in caverns, 
 would be a double calamity. IT Neither 
 ■m the sabbath-day. Journeys were pro- 
 
 with child, and to them that give 
 
 suck in those days ' 
 
 20 But pray ye that yoar flight 
 be not in the winter, neither on the 
 sabbath-day : 
 
 21 For '' then shall be great tribu 
 iation, such as was not since the 
 
 6 Da. 12.1. 
 
 hibited by the law on the sabbath. Ex 
 xvi. 29. The law of Moses did not men- 
 tion the distance to which persons migh 
 go on the sabbath ; but most of the J e ws 
 maintained that it should not be more 
 than two thousand cubits. Some sup- 
 posed that it was seven furlongs, oi 
 nearly a mile. This distance was al 
 lowed, in order that they might go to 
 their places of worship. Most of them 
 held that it was not lawful to go farther, 
 under any circumstances of war or af- 
 fliction. Jesus teaches them to pray 
 that it might not be on the sabbath, be- 
 cause if they should not go farther than 
 a sabbath-day's journey, they would not 
 be beyond the reach of danger; and it 
 they did, they would be exposed to the 
 charge of violating the law. It should 
 be added, that it was almost impracti- 
 cable to travel in Judca on that day, as 
 the gates of the cities were usually 
 closed. Neh. xiii. 19 — 22. 
 
 21. There shall be great tribulation. 
 The word tribulation means calamity, 
 or suffering. Luke (xxi. 24) has speci 
 fled in what this tribulation should con- 
 sist. " They shall fall by the edge of 
 the sword, and shall be led away cap- 
 tive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall 
 be trodden down of the Gentiles, until 
 the times of the Gentiles shall be ful- 
 filled." That is, until the time allotted 
 for the Gentiles to do it shall be fully 
 accomplished ; or as long as God ia 
 pleased to suficr them to do it. 
 
 The first thing mentioned by Luke 
 is, that they should fall by the edge of 
 the sword. That is, should be slain m 
 war, as the sword was then principally 
 used in war. This was most strikingly 
 fulfilled. Josephus, in describing it, uses 
 almost the very words of our Saviour. 
 All the calamities, says he, which had 
 befallen any nation from the beginning 
 of the world, were but small in compari 
 son with those of the Jews. Jewish 
 Wars, b. i., preface, § 4. 
 
 He has given the following a/;count 
 of one part of the massacre wh-3n thn
 
 274 
 
 beginning of the world to this time, 
 no, nor ever shall be. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33. 
 
 22 And except those days should 
 be shortened, there should no flesh 
 
 city was taken. "■' And now rushing 
 into the city, they slew wliomsoever 
 they found, without distinction, and 
 burnt the houses and all the people 
 who had fled into them. And when 
 they entered for the sake of plunder, 
 ihey found whole families of dejid per- 
 sons, and houses full of carcasses de- 
 stroyed by famine, then they came out 
 with their hands empty. And though 
 tliey thus pitied the dead, they had not 
 the same emotion for the living, but 
 killed all they met, whereby they filled 
 the lanes with dead bodies. The whole 
 citij ran with blood, insomuch that many 
 things which were burning were extin- 
 guished by the blood."' Jewish Wars, 
 b. vi. ch. 8, § 5; ch. 9, ^ 2, 3. He 
 adds, that in the siege of Jerusalem, 
 not fewer than eleven hundred thousand 
 perished (Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. 9, 
 § 3) — a number almost as great as are 
 in the whole city of London. In the 
 adjacent provinces no fewer than two 
 hu7idred andjifty thousand are reckoned 
 to have been slain ; making in all whose 
 deaths were ascertained, the almost in- 
 credible number of owe million three 
 hu7idred and fifty thousand, who were 
 put to death. These were not indeed 
 all slain with the sword. Many were 
 crucified. " Many hundreds," says he 
 (Jewish Wars, b. v. ch. xi. 'j 1), " were 
 fir.^t whipped, then tormented with 
 various kinds of tortures, and finally 
 crucified : the Roman soldiers nailing 
 them (out of the wrath and hatred they 
 bore to tlie Jews) one after one way, 
 and another after another, to crosses, 
 hy way of jest, until at length the multi- 
 •^ude became so great that room was 
 (vanting for crosses, and crosses for the 
 bodies." So terribly was their impre- 
 cation fulfilled — his blood be on us and on 
 our children. Matt, xxvii. 25. If it be 
 asked how it was possible for so many 
 people to be slain in a single city, it is 
 answered, that the siege of Jerusalem 
 commenced during the time of the pass- 
 over, when all the males of the Jews 
 were required to be there, and when it 
 s estimated that more than three mil- 
 lions were usually assembled. See Jo- 
 sephus, Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. ix. 
 4 3, 4. 
 A honiblo instance of the distress of 
 
 Jerusalem is related by Josephus. The 
 famine during the siege became so great 
 that they ate what the most sordid ani- 
 mals refused to touch. A woman of 
 distinguished rank, having been plun- 
 dered by the soldiers, in hunger, rage, 
 and despair, killed and roasted her babe, 
 and had eaten one half of him before 
 the deed was discovered. Jewish Wars, 
 b. vi. ch. 3, ^ 3, 4. This cruel and 
 dreadful act was also in fulfilment of 
 prophecy. Deut. xxviu. 53, 56, 57. 
 
 Another thing added by Luke (ch. 
 xxi. 24) was, that they should be led cap- 
 tive into all natians. Josephus informs 
 us that the captives taken during the 
 whole war amounted to ni7iety-seve7i 
 thousand. The tall and handsome young 
 men Titus reserved for triumph ; of the 
 rest, many were distributed through the 
 Roman provinces, to be destroyed by 
 wild beasts in theatres ; many were sent 
 to the works in Egypt; many, especial- 
 ly those under seventeen years of age, 
 were sold for slaves. Jewish Wars, b 
 vi. ch. 9, ^ 2, 3. 
 
 22. Except those days should be sliorl 
 ened. If the calamities of the siege 
 should be lengthened out. If famine 
 and war should be sufl'ered to rage. 
 If No flesh be saved. None of the na- 
 tions would be preserved alive. Ali 
 the i'nhabitants of Judea would perish. 
 The war, famine, and pestilence would 
 entirely destroy them. If But for the 
 elect's sake. The elect here doubtless 
 means Christians. See 1 Pet. i. 2. 
 Rom. i. 7. Eph. i. 4. 1 Thes. i. 4. 
 The word elect means to choose. It is 
 given to Christians because they are 
 chose7i to salvqtioH through sa7ictifica- 
 tion of the .'spirit, a7id belief of the truth. 
 1 Pet. 1,2. It is probable that in Je 
 rusalem and the adjacent parts of Ju- 
 dea, there were many who were true 
 followers of Christ. On tJieir account ; 
 to preserve them alive, and to make 
 them the instruments of spreading the 
 gospel, he said those days should not 
 be lengthened out, and suffered to pro- 
 duce their destruction. It is I'elaled by 
 Josephus (J. Wars, b. i. ch. 12, ^ 1). 
 that Titus at first resolved to reduce 
 the city by famine. He therefore built 
 a wall around it, to ksep any provisions 
 from beinff carried in, and 3i;v oi lh«-
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 6e saved . but • for the elect's sake 
 those days shall be shortened. 
 
 23 Then * if any man shall say 
 unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or 
 there ; believe it not. 
 
 24 For ' there shall arise false 
 Clirists, and false prophets, and '' 
 shall shew great signs and won- 
 ders ; insomuch that, if ' it were 
 
 a Is.65.8,9. 6 De.13.1-3. c ver.5,11. 
 
 people from going out. The Jews, 
 iiowever, drew up their army near the 
 vfalls, engaged in battle, and the Ro- 
 nians pursued them, provoked by their 
 "iitcmpts, and broke into the city. The 
 affairs of Rome also at that time de- 
 manded the presence of Titus there ; 
 and contrary to liis original intention, 
 lie pressed the siege, and took the city 
 by storm, thus shortening the time (hat 
 would have been occupied in reducing 
 it by iiimine. This was for the beiieiit 
 of the ''elect." — So the designs of 
 wicked men. intended by tJwm for ihe 
 destruction of the people of God, are 
 intended by God for the good of his 
 chosen people. See Isa. x. 7, and my 
 Noteii on that verse. 
 
 23. Lo, here is Christ. The^Messiah. 
 The Jews expected the Messfah to de- 
 liver tliem from Roman oppression. In 
 the time of these great calamities they 
 would anxiously look for him. Many 
 would claim to be the Messiah. Many 
 would follow them. Many would re- 
 joice to believe that he was come, and 
 would call on others, Christians with 
 the rest, to follow them. If Believe it 
 not. You have evidence that the Mes- 
 siah has come, and you are not to be 
 deceived by the plausible pretensions of 
 others. 
 
 24. False Christs. Persons claiming 
 to be the Mcs.siah. IT False prophets. 
 Persons claiming to bo the prophet spo- 
 ken of by Moses (Deul. xviii. 15); or 
 persons pretending to declare the way 
 of deliverance from the Romans, and 
 calling the people to follow them. See 
 verse 5. IT Shall show great signs and 
 wtmders. That is, shall pretend to 
 work miracles. Shall so nearly re- 
 Bemble prophets in their miraculous 
 power as to render it diffictilt to detect 
 the imposture. Josophus represents 
 the false Christs and prophets that ap- 
 Deared, as masi'^Mns ani sorcerers He 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 275 
 
 possible, they shall deceive the very 
 elect. 
 
 25 Behold, I have told you be- 
 fore. 
 
 26 Wherefore if they shall say 
 unto you, Behold, he is in the de- 
 sert ; go not forth: Behold, he is 
 in the secret chambers ; believe it 
 not. 
 
 d2Th.2.9-ll. Re.J3.13. « Jno. 10.28,29. 
 
 says they led the people out into the 
 deserts, and promised to work miracles 
 to deliver them. Ant., b. xx. ch. 8, ^ 
 6. ^ If possible, would deceive, &.C. 
 So nearly would their pretended mi- 
 racles resemble true miracles, as to 
 render it difficult to detect the imposi- 
 tion ; and so much so that if it were 
 possible they would persuade even true 
 Christians that they were the Messiah. 
 But that was not possible. They would 
 be too firmly established in the belief 
 that Jesus was the Christ, to be wholly 
 led away by otliers. Christians may be 
 sometimes led far astray ; they may be 
 in doubt about some great doctrines of 
 religion ; they may be perplexed by the 
 cavils and cunning craftiness of those 
 who do not love the truth, but ihey 
 cannot be wholly deceived, and seduced 
 from the Saviour. Our Saviour says 
 that if this were possible, it would be 
 done then. But it was not possible. 
 
 25. Behold. &c. Mark adds (ch. xiii. 
 2i), take ye heed. The reason why he 
 told them before, was that they might 
 be on their guard, and be prepared for 
 those calamities. 
 
 2G. Behold, he is in the desert. Tho 
 Jews had formed the expectation that 
 the Messiah would appear suddenly, 
 from some unexpected quarter. Hence 
 many would be looking to the desert 
 places, expecting that he would come 
 from them. Accordingly most of the 
 impostors and pretended prophets led 
 their people into the deserts. ^ Go not 
 forth. Do not follow them. They will 
 only deceive you. IT In secret chambers. 
 Concealed in some house, or some re- 
 tired part of the city. Many would, 
 doubtless, pretend that the Messiah 
 was concealed there, and either for the 
 purpose of encouraging or deceiving 
 the people, would pretend that they 
 had discovered him. 
 
 27. For as the lightning cometh ckI
 
 no 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D.3j 
 
 27 For as the liglitning" cometh 
 out of the east, and shineth even 
 unto the west ; so shall also the 
 coming of the Son of man be. 
 a Zec.9.14. Lu.l7.Q4,&c. 
 
 of the east, &c. This is not designed 
 to denote the quarter from whicli he 
 would come, but the manner. He does 
 not mean to affirm that the Son of man 
 will come from the east, but that he will 
 come in a rapid and unexpected man- 
 ner, hke the hghtning. Many would 
 be looking for him in the desert ; many 
 m secret places. But, he said, it would 
 be useless to be looking in that manner. 
 It was useless to look to any particular 
 part of the heavens, to know where the 
 lightning would next flash. In a mo- 
 ment it would blaze in an unexpected 
 part of the heavens, and shine at once 
 to the other part. So rapidly, so unex- 
 pectedly, in so unlooked for a quarter 
 would be his coming. See Luke x. 18. 
 Zech. ix. 14. IT The coming of the Son 
 jf man. It has been doubted whether 
 this refers to the destruction ol Jerusa- 
 lem, or to the coming at the day of 
 judgment. For the solution of this 
 doubt, let it be -remarked : 1st. That 
 those two events are the principal 
 scenes in which our Lord said he would 
 come, either in person or in judgment. 
 2d. That the destruction of Jerusalem 
 is described as his coming, his act, for 
 their great crimes. 3d. That these 
 events — the judgment of Jerusalem 
 and the final judgment — in many re- 
 spects greatly resemble each other. 
 4th. That they will hear, therefore, to 
 be described in the same language. 
 And, 5th, therefore, that the same 
 words often include holh events, as pro- 
 perly described by them. The words, 
 therefore, had doubtless a primary re- 
 ference to the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 but such an amplitude of meaning as 
 also to express his coming to judgment. 
 See m introduction to Isaiah, § 7. (3.) 
 28. Wheresoever, &c. The words in 
 this verse are proverbial. Vultures 
 and eagles easily ascertain where dead 
 bodies are, and come to devour them. 
 So with the Roman army. Jerusalem 
 s Uke a dead and putrid, corpse. Its 
 life is gone, and it is ready to be de- 
 voured. The Roman armies will find 
 it out, as the vultures do a dead carcass, 
 and will come around it, to devair it. 
 
 28 For ' wheresoever the carcajs 
 is, there will the eagles be gathered 
 together. 
 
 29 Immediately after the tribula 
 
 b Job 39.30. 
 
 This proverb also teaches an universa. 
 truth. Wherever wicked men are, there 
 will be assembled the instruments of 
 their chastisement. The providence of 
 God will direct them there, as the 
 eagles are directed to a dead carcass. 
 
 This verse is connected with the pre 
 ceding by the word "for," implying 
 that this is a reason for what is seda 
 there, that the Son of man would cer- 
 tainly come to destroy the city, and 
 that he would come suddenly. The 
 meaning is, he would come by means 
 of the Roman armies, as certainly, as 
 suddenly, and as unexpectedly, as 
 whole flocks of vultures and eagles, 
 though unseen before, suddenly find 
 their prey, see it at a great distance, 
 and gather in multitudes around it. 
 Travellers in the deserts of Arabia tell 
 us that they sometimes witness a speck 
 in the distant sky, which for a long 
 time is scarcely visible. At length, it 
 grows larger ; it comes nearer ; and 
 they at last find that it is a vulture that 
 has from an immense distance seen a 
 carcass lying on the sand. So keen is 
 their vision, and so aptly does this re- 
 present the Roman armies, though at 
 an immense distance, yet spying, as it 
 were, Jerusalem, a putrid carcass, and 
 hastening in multitudes to destroy it. 
 
 29. Shall the sun he darke?ied, &lc. 
 The images here used are not to be ta- 
 ken literally. They are often used by 
 the sacred writers to denote any great 
 calamities. As the darkening of the 
 sun and moon, and the falling of the 
 stars would be an inexpressible cala- 
 mity, so any great catastrophe, any 
 overturning of kingdoms or cities, or 
 dethroning of kings and princes, is re- 
 presented by the darkening of the sun 
 and moon, and by some terrible con- 
 vulsion in the elements. Thus the de- 
 struction of Babylon is foretold in simi 
 lar terms (Isa. xiii. 10); and of Tyre, 
 Isa. xxiv. 23. The slaughter in Bozrah 
 and Idumea is predicted in the same 
 language. Isa. xxxiv. 4. See also Isa. 
 1. 3: Ix. 19, 20. Ezek. x.vxii. 7. Joe.' 
 iii. 15. To the description in Matthew, 
 Luke has added (ch. xxi. 25\ " thtff-
 
 K. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 277 
 
 ticn of those days shall " the sun be 
 darkened, and the moon shall not 
 give her light, and the stars shall 
 fall from heaven, and the powers of 
 the heavens * shall be shaken. 
 
 30 And then shall appear the 
 sign of the Son of man 'in heaven; 
 c l3.13.10. Eze.32.7. Am.5.20. Ac.2.20. 
 Re.6.12. b 2 Pe.3.10. c Da.7.13. Ile.1.7. 
 
 jhould be distress of nations, with per- 
 plexity ; the sea and the waves roaring ; 
 men's hearts failing them for fear, and 
 for looking after those things that are 
 - coming upon the earth." All these are 
 figures of great and terrible calamity. 
 The roaring of the waves of the sea, 
 denotes great tumult and affliction 
 among the people. Perplexity means 
 doub', anxiety: not knowing what to 
 do to escape. jMen s hearts should fail 
 them for fear, or by reason of fear. 
 Their fears would be so great as to 
 take away their courage and strength. 
 
 30. The sign of the Son of man. The 
 evidence that Christ is coming to de- 
 stroy the city of Jerusalem. It is not 
 to be denied, however, that this descrip- 
 tion is applicable also to his coming at 
 the day of judgment. The disciples 
 had asked him (ver. 3) what should be 
 the sign of his coming, and of the end 
 of the world. In his answer, he has 
 reference to both events, and his lan- 
 guage may be regarded as descriptive 
 of both. At the destruction of Jerusa- 
 lem, the sign or evidence of his coming, 
 was found in the fulfilment of these pre- 
 dictions. At the end of the world, the 
 sign of his coming will be his personal 
 approach with the glory of his Father 
 and the holy angels. 1 Thes. iv. 16. 
 Luke x.xi. 27. Matt. xxvi. G4. Acts i. 
 11. ^ All the tribes of the earth mourn. 
 This is, either all the tribes or people 
 of the land of Judea shall mourn at the 
 great calamities coming upon them, or 
 all the nations of the world shall wail 
 when he comes to judgment. All the 
 wicked shall mourn a the prospect of 
 their doom. Rev. i. * . The cause of 
 heir wailing at the day of judgment 
 shall be chiefly that they have pierced, 
 killed, rejected the Saviour, and that 
 they deserve the condemnation that is 
 coming upon them. Johnxix. 37. Zech. 
 xii. 12. if And they shall see the Son of 
 nan. The Lord Jesus coming to judg- 
 ment. Probably this refers more d^i- 
 24 
 
 and then shall aM the tribes of the 
 earth mourn, and ^ they shall see 
 the Son of man coming in the 
 clouds of heaven, with power and 
 great glory. 
 
 31 And lie shall send his angels 
 ' with a great sound ' of a trumpet ; 
 
 dc.16.27. IMar.13.20. Lu.22.G9. > or, wit* 
 a trumpet and a great voice. e 1 Til. 4. 16. 
 
 rectly to his coming at the last dav. 
 though it may also mean that the evi 
 deuce of his coming to destroy Jerusa- 
 lem shall then be seen. '^\ In the clouds 
 of heaven. He- ascended in a cloud.- 
 Acts i. 9. He shall return in like man- 
 ner. Acts i. 11. The clouds of heaven 
 denote not the clouds in heaven, btit 
 the clouds that appear to shut heaven, 
 or the sky, from our view. IF With 
 power. • Power, manifest in the de 
 struction of Jerusalem, by the wonders 
 that preceded it, and by the overturn- 
 ing of the temple and city. In the day 
 of judgment, power manifest by con- 
 suming the material world (2 Pet. iii. 7, 
 10, 12) ; by raising the dead (John v. 
 29,30. 1 Cor. xv. 32); by chanmng 
 those who may be alive when he shall 
 come ; that is, making their bodies hke 
 those who have died, and been raised 
 up (1 Thes. iv. 17. 1 Cor. xv. 52) ; by 
 bringing the affairs of the world to a 
 close, receiving the righteous to heaven 
 (Matt. XXV. 34. 1 Cor. xv. 57) ; and by 
 sending the wicked, however numerous 
 or however strong, down to hell. Matt. 
 XXV. 41, 4G. John v. 29. ^ Great glory. 
 The word glory here means the visible 
 display of his honor and majesty. This 
 glory will be manifested by the man- 
 ner of his coming (Matt. xxvi. (A) ; by 
 the presence of the angels (Matt. xxv. 
 31) ; and by the wonders that shall at- 
 tend him down the sky. 
 
 3 1 . And he shall send his angels. An- 
 gels signify literally messengers. Luke 
 vii. 24 ; ix. 52. The word is often ap- 
 plied to inanimate objects, or to any 
 thing that God employs to rescue his 
 peo[)le from danger. Ps. civ. 4. But 
 it most commonly refers to the race of 
 intelligences more exalted than man, 
 who are employed often in the work of 
 man's rescue irom ruin, and his salva- 
 tion. Heb. i. 14. In either of these 
 senses, it might here refer to deliver- 
 ance granted to his people in the ■t»la- 
 mities of Jei>isalem. It is sau) thiU
 
 278 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 A. D.33. 
 
 and the)' shall gatTier together his 
 elect * from the four winds, from 
 Dne end of heaven to the other. 
 32 Now * 'earn a parable of the 
 a Zec.l4-5. b Lu.21.29. 
 
 there is reason to believe that not one 
 Christian perished in the destruction of 
 that city, God having in various ways 
 secured their escape, so that they fled 
 Jo Pella, where they dwelt when the 
 city was destroyed. But the language 
 seems to refer rather to the end of the 
 world ; and no doubt its principal ap- 
 ' plication was intended to be to the 
 gathering of his elect, at the day of 
 judgment. IT JVilh a great sound of a 
 triimpet. The Jewish assemblies used 
 to be called together by the sound of a 
 trumpet, as ours are by bells. Lev. 
 x.w. 9. Num. X. 2. Judges' iii. 27. 
 Hence when they spoke of convening 
 an assembly, they spoke also of doing 
 it by sounding a trumpet. Our Saviour 
 speaking to Jews, used language to 
 which they were accustomed, and de- 
 scribed the assembling of the people at 
 the last day, in language which they 
 were accustomed to use in calling as- 
 semblies together. It is not certain, 
 however, that he ineant that this would 
 be literally so, but only to indicate the 
 certainty that the world would he assem- 
 bled together. Similar language is often 
 used, when speakmg of the judginent. 
 I Thes. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xv. 52. A trump, 
 or trumpet, was a wind instrument, 
 made at first of the h'orns of oxen, and 
 afterwards of rams' horns, cut off at 
 the smaller e.\tremiiy. In some in- 
 stances it was made of brass, in the form 
 of a horn. The common trumpet was 
 straight, made of brass or silver, a cubit 
 in length, the larger extremity shaped 
 so as to resemble a small hell. In times 
 of peace, in assembling the people, this 
 was sounded softly. In times of cala- 
 mity, or war, or any great commotion, 
 it was sounded loud. Perhaps this was 
 referred to when our Saviour said, with 
 a great sound of a trumpet. IT They 
 thall gather together his elect. Elect. 
 See Note on ver. 22. The word means 
 Christians — the chosen of God. If this 
 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 it means, God shall .send forth his mes- 
 Bcngers — whatever he may choose to 
 employ for that purpose — signs, won- 
 ders, hiitxian messengers, or the angels 
 
 fig-tree : When his branch is yet 
 tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye 
 know that summer is nigh : 
 
 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall 
 
 themselves, and gather Christians into 
 a place of safety, so that they shall not 
 be destroyed with the Jews. If it re- 
 fers to the last judgment, as it doubt- 
 less in a primary or secondary sense 
 does, then it means that he will send 
 his angels to gather his chosen, his elect, 
 together from all places. Matt. xiii. 
 39, 41--13. This shall be done before 
 the living shall be changed. 1 Cor. xv. 
 51, 52. 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17. ^Fromthe 
 four winds. .That is, from the four 
 quarters of the globe : east, west, north, 
 and south. The Jews expressed those 
 quarters by the wtwfZs blowing from 
 them. See Ezek. xxxvii. 9. See also 
 Isa. xliii. 5, 6. "^ From one end of hea- 
 ven, &c. Mark says (xiii. 27), from 
 the uttermost part of the earth, to the 
 uttermost part of heaven. The expres- 
 sion denotes that they shall be gathered 
 from ail parts of the earth where they 
 arc scattered. 
 
 The word heave7i is here used to de- 
 note the visible heavens or the sky, 
 meaning that through the whole world 
 he would gather them. See Ps. xix. 1 
 —7. Deut. iv.32. 
 
 32. Now learn a parable. See Note, 
 Matt. xiii. 3. The word here means 
 rather an illiostration. Make a compa- 
 risoii, or judge of this as you do re- 
 specting a fig-tree. ^Fig-tree. Thia 
 was spoken on the mount of Ohves, 
 which produced not only olives, but figs. 
 Possibly one was near when he spoke 
 this. IT When his branch. &.C. When 
 the juices return from the roots into the 
 branches, and the buds swell and burst, 
 as if tender, and too feeble to contain 
 the pressing and expanding leaves. 
 When you see that, you judge that 
 spring and summer are near. 
 
 33. So likewise ye, &e. In the same 
 manner, when you see what I have pre- 
 dicted, the signs around Jerusalem, 
 then know that its destruction is at hand. 
 1i/s near. Luke says (xxi. 28),' that 
 your redemptio?i drav.eth nigh, and (xxi. 
 31) the kingdom of God is ni°h at hmid. 
 Your deliverance from the dangers that 
 threaten the city ajjproaches, and the 
 kirgdom of God will be set up in th«
 
 \. D. 3y.j 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 279 
 
 see all these things, know that it ^ 
 is near, even ' at the doors. 
 
 34 Verily I say unto you, This 
 generation shall not pass till all 
 these things be fulfilled. 
 
 35 Heaven * and earth shall pass 
 away, but my words shall not pass 
 away. 
 
 30 But ' of that day and hour 
 
 knoweth no man, no, not the angels 
 
 of heaven, but my Father only. 
 
 37 But as the days of Noe were, 
 
 1 or. He. a Ja.5.9. b Ps.l02.2G. Is.51.6. 
 
 c Zee. 14.7. lTh.5.2. 
 
 earth ; or your everlasting redemption 
 from sin and death will-come at the 
 day of judgment, and his eternal king- 
 dom is to be established in the hea- 
 vens. 
 
 34. This generation, &c. This age; 
 this race of men. A generation is about 
 thirty or forty years. The destruction 
 of Jerusalem took place about forty 
 years after this was spoken. See Note, 
 Matt. xvi. 28. H Till all these things, 
 &c. Till these things shall receive a 
 full accomplishment. Till events shall 
 take place that shall- be a complete ful- 
 filment, if there were nothing farther 
 intended. He does not mean to exclude 
 here the reference to the judgment, but 
 to say that the destruction of Jerusalem 
 would be such as to make appropriate 
 the words of the prediction, were there 
 nothing beyond. So when death was 
 threatened to Adam, the propriety of 
 the threaten ng would have been seen, 
 and the threatening would have been 
 fulfilled, had men sufl'ered only tempo- 
 •al death. At the same time, the threat- 
 ening had a fulness of meaning, that 
 would cover also, and justify, eternal 
 death in hell. Thus the words of Christ, 
 describing the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 had a fulness of signification that would 
 meet also the events of the judgment, 
 iind whose meaning would not he filled 
 up till the world was closed. 
 
 35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, 
 &c. You may sooner expect to see 
 the heaven and earth pass away, and 
 ret-j-n to nothing, than my words to 
 fail. 
 
 36. But of that day and hour. Of the 
 precise time of the fulfilment. The 
 general sig7is of its coming have been 
 Qfiven , as the budding of the fig-tree is 
 
 so'shall also the coming of the Son 
 of man be. 
 
 38 For as in the days that were 
 before the Hood they were eating 
 and drinking, marrying and giving 
 in marriage, until "^ the day that Nee 
 entered into the ark, 
 
 39 And knew not, until the flood 
 came, and took them all away ; so 
 shall also the coming of the Son of 
 man he. 
 
 40 Then shall two be in the field ; 
 
 d Ge.C.2. 
 
 a certain indication that summer is near. 
 But the precise time is not indicated by 
 these things. One part of their inquiry 
 was (vcr. 3), ichen those things should 
 be ? He now replies to them, by say 
 ing that the precise time would not be 
 foretold. If Knoweth no man, no, not 
 the angels. See Note on Mark xiii. 32, 
 
 37. Noe. The Greek way of writing 
 Noah. See Gen. vi., vii., viii., ix. The 
 coming of the Son of man would be as 
 it was in the days of Noah: 1st. In its 
 being sudden and unexpected, the pre 
 else time not being made known, though 
 the general indications had been given. 
 2d. The world would be found as it was 
 then. 
 
 38. For as in the days, &c. The 
 things mentioned here denote attention 
 to the affairs of this life, rather than to 
 what was coming on them. It does not 
 mean that these things were wrong, 
 but only that such was their actual em- 
 ployment, and that they were regard- 
 less of what was coming upon them. 
 
 39. They J;new not. That is, they 
 knew not the exact time, until it came 
 upon them. So, says he, it sliall be 
 when the Son of man shall come. 'I'hey 
 shall not know the precise lime until he 
 comes, and then they shall be found 
 engaged in the ordinary business ot life 
 unconcerned. 
 
 40. Then shall two he in the field, &c. 
 The calamity shall come suddenly. 
 There shall be no escape for those 
 whom it overtakes. ^ 07ie slmll bt 
 taken. The word taken may mean, 
 either to be taken away from the dan- 
 ger, i. e., rescued, as Lot was (Luke 
 xvii. 28, 29), or to be taken away 6v 
 death. Probably the latter is the mean
 
 880 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 3S. 
 
 the one shall be taken, and the 
 other left. 
 
 41 Two wovien shau he grinding 
 at the mill ; the one shall be taken, 
 and the other left. 
 
 42 Watch " therefore ; for ye 
 Know not what hour your Lord 
 doth come. 
 
 tS But know this, that if the good 
 a Lu.32.39,40. Re.3.3. 16.15. 
 
 41. Two womeji, &c. Grinding in 
 the East was performed, as it is now, 
 chieily by hand. The mill-stones were 
 about two feet in diameter, and half a 
 
 foot in thickness. The lower one was 
 fixed, and the upper one was turned by 
 a handle, or crank. This was done by 
 two persons, who sat opposite to each 
 other. One took hold of the mill han- 
 dle, and turned it half way round; the 
 other then seized it, and completed the 
 revolution. This was done by women ; 
 by servants of the lowest order ; and 
 was a very laborious employment. See 
 Ex. xi. 5. Job xxxi. 10. Isa. xlvii. 2. 
 Judges xvi. 21. The meaning of this 
 verse is similar to the former. Of two 
 persons sitting near to each other, one 
 shall be taken, and the other left. The 
 calamity would be sudden, and would 
 come upon them before they were 
 aware. 
 
 42. Watch. Be looking for his com- 
 ing. Be expecting it as near ; as a great 
 event ; as coming in an unexpected 
 manner. Watch the signs of his com- 
 ing, and be ready. 
 
 43. BxU know this, &c. If a man 
 knew the lour, or about the hour, when 
 II robber would come, he would be 
 ready for him. So you know not the 
 e.xact ho.r but you know it is near, 
 
 man of the hcjse had known In 
 what watch the thief would come, 
 he would have watched, and would 
 not have suffered his house to be 
 broken up. 
 
 44 Therefore be ye also ready : 
 for in such an hour as ye think not, 
 the Son of man cometh. 
 
 45 Who then is a faithful and 
 
 when the Son of man will come. He 
 will come suddenly, as a thief comes, 
 without giving previous warning. 1 
 Thess. V. 2. 2 P^ter iii. 10. Rev. iii. 
 3 ; xvi. 15. IT Good man. See Note, 
 Matt. XX. 11. Thief. A robber. A 
 thief, with us, means one who takes 
 goods without doing violence — secretly, 
 silently. The original word means one 
 who does it by house-breaking, or by 
 highway violence. Luke x. 30. "if Bro- 
 ken up. Broken into — either by the 
 doors or windows. IT In what watch. 
 In which of the four quarters of the 
 night. See Note, Matt. xiv. 25. 
 
 44. Be ye also ready. Luke (xxi. 36) 
 says that he charged them to pray al- 
 ways, that they might be accounted 
 worthy to escape those things — the 
 judgments coming upon the wicked — 
 and to stand before the Son of man — 
 i. e., to stand there approved by him, or 
 admitted to his favor. He also charged 
 them (Luke xxi. 34) to take heed and 
 not to sufier their hearts to be over- 
 charged with surfeiting, or too much 
 eating, or drunkenness, or the cares of 
 thid life, lest that day should come upor 
 them unawares; things improper if there 
 were no judgment — pecuharly mad and 
 wicked when the judgment is near. 
 
 45 — 51. This passage is in fact vl pa- 
 rable, though it is not expressiy so 
 called. The design is to show that his 
 disciples should act as if they were each 
 nioment expecting his return. This he 
 illustrates by the conduct of a servant 
 who did not expect his master soon tc 
 return, who acted with great impropri- 
 ety, and who was accordingly punished. 
 
 45. Who, then, is a faithful and wise 
 serva7it, &c. By the conduct of a faith- 
 ful and wise servant he intends to de- 
 note a faithful Christian, a servant of 
 God, or a teacher of relioion. IT IFAosi 
 his lord. His master. It has no refer- 
 ence to God. It means the lord oi
 
 \. D. 33.1 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 281 
 
 wise servant., whom his lord hath 
 made ruler over his household, to 
 give them " meat in due season 1 * 
 
 46 Blessed is that servant, whonr 
 his lord, when he cometh, shall find 
 so doing. 
 
 47 Verily I say unto you, that he 
 shall make him ruler ' over all his 
 goods. 
 
 48 But and if that evil servant 
 shall say in his heart. My lord de- 
 layeth his coming ; 
 
 49 And shall begin to smite his 
 
 fellow-servants, and to eat and drink 
 
 with the drunken ; 
 
 a Je.3.15. b c.13.52. c c.25.21. d 1 Th. 
 5.3. Re.3.3. 
 
 master of the servant. Applied to 
 Christian teachers, in the spiritual 
 meaning of the parable, it refers to 
 Christ, who has appointed them as 
 teachers, and who is their Lord and 
 Master. John .xiii. 13, 14. IT Over his 
 household. His family. Christian mi- 
 nisters are the servants of God appointed 
 over the church, the family of Christ. 
 
 1 Thess. V. 12, 13. 1 Cor. iii. v. ; iv. 1, 
 
 2 ; xii. 28. IT ^leat m due season. Tiie 
 word meat here means food of all kinds. 
 When the Bible was translated into 
 English, it included, as the original does, 
 ail kinds of provisions requisite to sup- 
 port and nourish life. ^ In due season. 
 At the proper time. As they need it, 
 or in the accustomed times. This was 
 the office of a steward. Among the 
 ancients this office was often filled by a 
 slave — one who had shown himself 
 'rusty and faithful. The duty was to 
 aave a general superintendence over 
 .he affairs of the family. Applied to 
 Christian ministers, it means that they 
 ire to feed the flock of God, to minister 
 'o their wants, and to do it as they need 
 it. John xxi. 15 — 17. Acts xx. 2S. 1 
 Cor. iv. 1. 2. 
 
 47. Shall make him ruler, &lc. Shall 
 confirm his appointment over his house- 
 hold, and, as a reward, shall place him 
 over all his property. This does not 
 mean that ministers shall have a higher 
 rank or office, but is a circumstance of 
 (he parable or story, designed to show 
 the effect of faithfulness. Faithful ser- 
 vants of Christ shall be rewarded. This 
 will be done by his approbation, and by 
 the rewards of the heavenly world. 
 24* 
 
 50 The lord of that servant shall 
 come in a day "* when he looketh 
 not for him, and in an hour that he 
 is not aware of. 
 
 51 And shall ' cut him asunder, 
 and appoint him his portion with thu 
 hypocrites : there ' shall be weep- 
 ing and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THEN shall the kingdom of 
 heaven be likened unto ten 
 virgins,-^ which took their lamps, 
 and went forth to meet the bride- 
 groom. ^ 
 
 lor, cut him off. e c.25.30. /Ps.45.14. 
 Ca.6.8,9. aCor.U.2. g- Jno.3.29. 
 
 48. That evil servant. If that ser 
 vant so appointed, having this office, 
 should be evil or wicked. IT Say i?i his 
 heart. Secretly suppose. "^ Delayeth 
 his coming. Will not return in a long 
 time ; or docs not return as soon as was 
 expected, and perhaps may not at all. 
 
 49. S?fiite his fellow- servant, &c. 
 This is the conduct of a wicked servant, 
 who, supposing he would not be called 
 to account, and abusing his authority, 
 gave himself up to oppression, carous- 
 ing, and debauchery. It is designed to 
 represent the conduct of ministers who 
 are unfaithful, overbearing, and who 
 abuse their trust in the church. 
 
 51. Shall cut him asunder. This 
 kind of punishment was anciently prac- 
 tised. Sometimes it was done by the 
 sword, sometimes by saws. It was 
 practised ainong the Chaldeans (Dan. 
 ii. 5, iii. 29) ; and among the Hebrews. 
 2 Sam. xii. 31. J Sam. xv. 33. 1 Kings 
 iii. 25. Heb. xi. 37. It was also prac- 
 tised by the Egyptians and Romans. 
 It is not, perhaps, here, to be taken 
 literally, but signifies that the wicked 
 servant should be severely punished. 
 IT Hypocrites. See Note, Matt. vi. 2. 
 They are spoken of here as the worst 
 of men. IT Weeping and gnashing of 
 teeth. See Note, Matt. viii. 12, 13. 
 The unfaithful and wicked minister of 
 God, who lives without expectation or 
 fear of judgment, shall suifer the e« 
 verest punishment inflicted on sinnera 
 in the world of wo. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 1 . Then shall the kingdom of heat>i\ 
 See Note, Matt. iii. 2. The pbnjif
 
 282 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D, 33. 
 
 2 And " five of them were wise, 
 and five were foolish. 
 
 a Je.24.2-9. c.22.10. 
 
 here refers to his coming in the day of 
 judgment. ^ Shall be likened. Or 
 shall resemble. The meaning is, when 
 the Son of man returns to judgment, it 
 shall be as it was in tlie case of ten vir- 
 gins in a marriage ceremony. The 
 coming of Christ to receive his people 
 to himself is often represented under 
 the similitude of a marriage — the church 
 being represented as his spouse or bride. 
 The marriage relation is the most ten- 
 der, tirm, and endearing, of any known 
 on earth, and on this account it fitly 
 represents the union of believers to 
 Christ. See Matt. ix. 15 ; John iii. 29 ; 
 Rev. ,\i.x. 7, x.xi. 9; Eph. v. 25—32. 
 If Ten virgins. These virgins, doubt- 
 less, represent the church — a name 
 given to it because it is pure and holy. 
 See 2 Cor. xi. 2; Lam. i. 15, ii. 13. 
 ^ Wliich took their lamps, and went forth 
 to meet the bridegroom. The lamps used 
 on such occasions were rather torches 
 or flambeaux. They were made by 
 winding rags around pieces of iron or 
 earthen ware, sometimes hollowed so 
 as to contain oil, and fastened to han- 
 dles of wood. These torches were 
 dipped in oil, and gave a large light. 
 Marriage ceremonies in the East were 
 conducted with great pomp and solem- 
 nity. The ceremony of marriage was 
 performed commonly in the open air, 
 on the banks of a stream. Both the 
 bridegroom and bride were attended by 
 friends ; they were escorted in a palan- 
 quin, carried by four or more persons. 
 After the ceremony of nlarriage, suc- 
 ceeded a feast of seven days if the bride 
 was a virgin, or three" days if she was a 
 widow. This feast was celebrated in 
 lier father's house. At the end of that 
 time the bridegroom conducted the 
 bride with great pomp and splendor, 
 to his own home. This was done in 
 '.he evening, or at night. Jer. vii. 34 ; 
 sxv. 10; .xxxiii. 11. Many friends and 
 relations attended them ; and besides 
 those who went with them from the 
 house of the bride, there was another 
 company that came oat from the house 
 of the bridegroom to meet them, and 
 welcome them. These were probably 
 female friends and relatives of the bride- 
 5ro)m, who went out to welcome him 
 sna iiis nsw ca npanion to their home. 
 
 3 They that were foolish took their 
 lamps, and took no * oil with them : 
 6 Is.48.1. 
 
 These are the virgins mentioned in this 
 parable. Not knowing precisely the 
 time when the procession would come, 
 they probably went out early, and 
 waited by the way till they should see 
 indications of its approach. In the 
 celebration of marriages in the East at 
 the present day, many of the pecuhar 
 customs of ancient times are observed. 
 At a Hindoo marriage, says a modern 
 missionary, the procession of which I 
 saw some years ago, the bridegroom 
 came from a distance, and the bride 
 lived at Serampore. to which place the 
 bridegroom was to come by water. "" 
 Ai'ter wailing two or three hours, at 
 length, near midnight, it was an- 
 nounced, in the very words of Scrip- 
 ture, " Behold, the bridegroom comet ft , 
 go ye out to meet him." All the persons 
 employed now lighted their lamps, and 
 ran with them in their hands to fill up 
 their stations in the procession ; some 
 of them had lost their lights, and were 
 unprepared, but it was then too late to 
 seek them, and the cavalcade moved 
 forward to the house of the bride ; at 
 which place the company entered a 
 large and splendidly illuminated area, 
 before the house, covered with an aw 
 ning, where a great multitude of friends, 
 dressed in their best apparel, were 
 seated upon mats. The bridegroom 
 was carried in the arms of a Iriend, 
 and placed in a superb seat in the midst 
 of the company, where he sat a short 
 time, and then went into the hous-.-, the 
 door of which was immediately .hut, 
 and guarded by sepoys. I and o'hera 
 expostulated with the door-keepeio, but 
 in vain. Never was I so struck tt-ith 
 our Lord's beautiiul parable as at this 
 moment — And the door ivas shut. 
 
 The journal of one of the American 
 missionaries in Greece contains an ac- 
 count of an Armenian wedding v/hic-h 
 she attended ; and, after describing the 
 dresses and previous ceremonies, she 
 says, that at twelve o'clock at night, 
 precisely, the cry was made by some 
 of the attendants. Behold, the bridegroom 
 Cometh ; and immediatc'y five or six 
 men set off to meet him. ii Bridegroom. 
 A man newly married. 
 
 2, 3, 4. And five of them were wise. 
 The words wise andfooJith. here, refer
 
 I 
 
 A-D.33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 283 
 
 4 But the wise took oil ■ in their 
 vessels with their lamps. 
 
 5 While the bridegroom tarried, 
 they all slumbered ' and slept. 
 
 6 And at midnight "^ there was a 
 ■^ cry made, Behold, the bridegroom 
 Cometh ; go ye out "to meet him. 
 
 7 Then all those virgins arose, 
 
 and trimmed their lamps. 
 
 o lJno.2.20. AlTh.S.C. c Re. 16. 15. dl 
 Th.4.1t> r. Am.4.12. 
 
 only to their conduct in regard to the 
 oil. The one part was wise in taking 
 *oil, the olher foolish in neglecting it. 
 The conduct oi those who were wise 
 refers to those who are prepared for the 
 coming of Christ — prepared by possess- 
 ing real piety, and not merely profes- 
 sion. The conduct of those without oil 
 expresses the conduct of those who 
 profess to love him, but are destitute of 
 true grace, and are unprepared to meet 
 him. Nothing can be argued from the 
 niimher here, in regard to the proportion 
 if sincere Christians among professors. 
 Circumstances in parables are not to be 
 pressed literally. They are necessary 
 to keep up the story, and we must look 
 chiefly or entirely to the scope or design 
 of the oarable to understand its mean- 
 ing. In this parable the scope is to 
 teach us to watch or be ready. Ver. 13. 
 It is not to teach us the number of those 
 who shall be saved, and those who shall 
 not. In teaching us to watch and be 
 ready, our Lord gives great additional 
 interest by the circumstances of this 
 narrative ; but there is no authority for 
 saying that he meant to teach that just 
 half of professing Christians would be 
 deceived. The probability is that 
 nothing like that number will be found 
 to have been hypocrites. IT Oil m their 
 vessels. The five foolish virgins pro- 
 bably ejpected that the bridegroom 
 would come immediately. They there- 
 fore provided for no delay, and no un- 
 certainty. The wise virgins knew that 
 the time of his coming was uncertain, 
 and they therefore furnished themselves 
 with oil. This was carried in vessels, 
 so that it could be poured on the torch 
 or flanil'cau when it was necessary. 
 T Ves<eh. Cups, cans, or any thing 
 .0 li'j'/i oil. 
 
 5. /Tie bridegroom tarried. That is, 
 Kkii'i thev waited for liim. It was un- 
 
 8 And the foolish aald \into the 
 wise. Give us of youi oil ; for our 
 lamps are gone ' out. •'^ 
 
 9 But the wise answered, saying, 
 Nut so ; lest there be not enough 
 for us and you: but go ye rather* 
 to them that sell, and buy for your- 
 selves. 
 
 10 And * while they went to buy, 
 
 ^ or, ffoin^ out. /Lu.l2.:io. ^ Is.55.1,6, 
 A Am.8.12,i3. 
 
 certain at what time he would come. 
 He delayed longer than they expected. 
 It All slumbered and slept. Waiting till 
 near midnight, they fell into repose. 
 This circumstance is not to be pressed to 
 prove that all Christians will be asleep, 
 or cold and careless, when the Lord 
 Jesus will come. It will not be true. 
 Many may be so ; but many also will 
 be looking for his coming. This cir- 
 cumstance is designed simply to show 
 more clearly the duty of being ready. 
 Ver. 13. It does not mean to affirm it 
 as a fact that none will be ready. 
 
 6. At midnight. Later than was the 
 usual custom, and hence they had fall- 
 en asleep. ^^4 cry made. Of thos? 
 who were coming with the bridegroom. 
 
 7. Trimmed their lamps. Burning till 
 midnight, the oil was exhausted. They 
 gave a dim and obscure light. They 
 trimmed them by removing the burnt 
 parts of the li7ien or the torch, so that 
 they would burn clear. It was propel 
 also to dip them ajrain in oil, or to pour 
 oil upon them. This strikingly repre- 
 sents the conduct of most men at the 
 approach of death. They the?i begin to 
 make ready. They are alarmed, anx- 
 ious, trembling, and asking the aid oi 
 others ; and often when it is for ever too 
 late. 
 
 10. Went in with him to the marriage. 
 The marriage-feast. The marriage cere 
 many took place before the bride left 
 her father's house, but a feast was giv- 
 en at the house of her husband, and 
 which was also called the marriage, 
 or r. part of the marriage solemnities. 
 This part of the parable doubtless re- 
 presents the entrance of those who are 
 ready, or prepared, into the kingdom of 
 Gf^d, when the Son of man shall come 
 They will be ready who repent of their 
 sins ; who believe on the Lord Jesus ; 
 who live a holy life ; and who wait for
 
 384 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 i A. D. 33. 
 
 the bridegroom came ; and they 
 that were ready went jn with him 
 to the marriage : and the door was 
 shut. « 
 
 11 Afterward came also the other 
 virgins, saying, * Lord, Lord, open 
 to us. 
 
 a He.3.18,19. 
 12.17. 
 
 R3.22.il. 6C.7.21-23. He. 
 
 fci3 coming. See Mark xvi. 16 ; John 
 V. 24; Acts iii. 19 ; Rev. xxiii. 11 ; 2 
 Peter iii. 11, 12; 1 Tim. vi. 17—19; 2 
 Tim. iv. 6, 7, 8. TT The door was shut. 
 No more could be admitted to the mar- 
 liage-feast. So wlaen the truly righte- 
 ous shall all be received into heaven, 
 it will be closed against all others. 
 There will be no room for preparation 
 afterwards. Rev. xxii. 2. Eccl. xi. 3 ; 
 Lx. 10. Matt. XXV. 46. 
 
 11. Open unto us. This is not to be 
 understood as implying that any will 
 come after the righteous shall be ad- 
 mitted into the Ivingdom, and claim ad- 
 mission then. It is a part of the para- 
 ble to illustrate the general truth incul- 
 cated, or to prepare the way for what is 
 afterwards said, and keep up the narra- 
 tive, and make it consistent. 
 
 12. / know you not. You were not 
 in the compau)' of those who attended 
 me to the marriage feast, and are un- 
 known to me. Applied to professing 
 Christians, having only a profession of 
 religion, but no real piety, it means, I 
 know, or acknowledge you not as Chris- 
 tians. I do not approve of you, or de- 
 light in you, or admit you to be my 
 friends. The word know is often used 
 in the sense of approving, loving, ac- 
 knowledging as real friends and follow- 
 ers. See Matt. vii. 23 ; Ps. i. 6 ; 2 
 Tim. ii. 19; 1 Thess. v. 12. 
 
 13. Watch, therefore, &c. This is 
 the scope or design of the whole para- 
 ble. This is the great truth he wished 
 to inculcate, and all parts of the para- 
 ble are to be interpreted in reference to 
 this admonition. Like the virgins, many 
 are professedly going to meet the Bride- 
 groom — the Lord Jesus Christ. Like 
 the coming of the bridegroom, his ad- 
 vent will be sudden. It will be to many 
 at an unexpected time. Many, even 
 professing Christians, will be engaged 
 m the business of the world ; thought- 
 Jess about eternity ; not expecting his 
 approach, and not prepared. They will 
 
 12 But \.k answ ' and said, 
 Verily I saj unto yoi-, I ' know you 
 not. 
 
 13 Watch'' therefore, for ye know 
 neither the day nor the hour where- 
 in the Son of man cometh. 
 
 14 For ' the kingdom of heaven ia 
 c Ha.1.1.3. dc.24.42,44. Mar.13.33,35. Lu. 
 
 21.36. e Lu.l9.12,&c. 
 
 only profess to know him, but in workt 
 they will deny him. So death will come. 
 All approaches of the Son of God to 
 judge men are sudden, and to many 
 unexpected. So many, when they shall 
 see him coming, at death or the judg- • 
 ment, will begin, like the foohsh vir 
 gins, to be active, and to prepare to die. 
 But it will be too late. They that are 
 ready will enter in, and heaven will be 
 closed for ever against all others. The 
 coming of the Saviour is certain. The 
 precise time token he will come is not 
 certain. As the virgins should all have 
 watched and been ready, so should we. 
 They who are Christians should be 
 ever watchful ; and they who are not 
 should lose no time to be ready ; for in 
 such an hour as they think not the Son 
 of man shall come. If The Son of man 
 Cometh. This refers, doubtless, to his 
 coming in the day of judgment. The 
 circumstances of the parable do not 
 seem at all to apply to his coming to 
 destroy Jerusalem, but arc aptly ex- 
 pressive of his advent to judge the world. 
 14. For the kingdom of heaven, &c. 
 This paraWe of the talents was spoken 
 still farther to illustrate the manner in 
 which he would deal with men at his 
 return to judgment. The words, the 
 kingdom of heaven, are not in the ori- 
 ginal, but are very properly inserted by 
 the translators. The design of the pa- 
 rable is to teach that those who improve 
 their talents or faculties in the cause of 
 religion — who improve them to their 
 own salvation, and in doing good to 
 others — shall be proportionally reward- 
 ed. But they who neglect their talents, 
 and neither secure their own salvation 
 nor do good to others, will be punished. 
 The kingdom of heaven is hke such a 
 man ; that is, God deals with men in 
 his government as such a ma7i did. ^ Hit 
 own se.rva7its. That is, such of them 
 as he judged worthy such a trust. These 
 represent the apostles, ChiLstian miiia- 
 ters, professing Christians, and |:r<ilii«T)a
 
 4. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 285 
 
 us a man travelling into a far coun- 
 rry, who called his own servants, 
 «n(J delivered unto them his goods. 
 15 And unto one he gave five ' ta- 
 ents, to another two, and to another 
 one ; to every man according to his 
 
 17 And likew'se he that had re- 
 ceived two, he also gained other two. 
 
 18 But lie that had received one, 
 went, and digged in the earth, and 
 hid his lord's money. 
 
 19 After a long time, * the lord 
 
 several ability ; " and straightway , of those servants cometh, and reek- 
 
 took his journey. 
 
 16 Then he that had received the 
 five talents, went, ai?d traded with 
 the same, and made ihem other five 
 talents. 
 
 1 a talent is 187/. 10s. c.13.24. a Ro.l2.G. 
 ICo. 1-2 4 &c. Ep.4.11. 
 
 all men. The going into a far country 
 may represent the Lord Jesus going 
 into heaven. He has wiven to all ta- 
 lents to improve. Epn. iv. 8 ; ii. 12. 
 ^ His goods. His property — represent- 
 ing the offices, abilities, and opportu- 
 nities for doing good, which he has given 
 to his professed followers. 
 
 15. Five talents. See Matt, xviii. 24. 
 A talent of silver was worth about 
 1505 dollars and sixty-two cents. It 
 here denotes the highest abilities given 
 to men ; perhaps the highest offices in 
 the church, and the greatest opportu- 
 nity of doing good. % According to his 
 several ability. According to the abiUty 
 of each one. According as he saw each 
 one was adapted to improve it. So in 
 the church and the world. God gives 
 men stations which he judges them 
 adapted to 111, and requires them to fill 
 them. So he makes distinctions among 
 men in regard to abilities, and in the 
 powers anaopportunities of usefulness ; 
 requiring them only to occupy those 
 stations, and discharge their duties there. 
 1 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
 16, 17. The two who had received 
 most employed their money in trade, 
 and by honest industry doubled it be- 
 fore their master returned ; represent- 
 ing the conduct of those who make a 
 good improvement of their abilities, and 
 employ them in doing good. 
 
 18. Digged in the earth, &c. This 
 represents the conduct of those who 
 .aeglect the abihties that God has given, 
 and fail to do what he has required. 
 This is done often : 1st. On the plea 
 that they do not occupy a high station. 
 2d. That they have slender abilities, 
 and can do little good. 3d. As it was 
 ill tills case, that God had mf given 
 
 oneth ' with them. 
 
 20 And so he that had received 
 five talents, came, and brought other 
 five talents, saying. Lord, thou de- 
 liveredst unto me five talents; be- 
 
 b c.24.48. c c.I8.23,24. 
 
 them as much as he did others, and 
 they Vvill therefore do nothing. These 
 pleas are without foundation : for. First. 
 God docs not require us to do as much 
 as those who have greater abilities ; but 
 this is not a reason why we should do 
 nothing. 2 Cor. viii. 12. Second. 
 That situation is honorable, and may 
 be useful, where God has placed us; 
 and though humble, yet in that we may 
 do much good. 1 Cor. xii. 11 — 31. 
 Third. Men of slender abiliti'js may 
 often do more good in the world than 
 men of much greater talents. It is 
 rather a warm heart, than a strong head 
 which is required to do good. A hum- 
 ble Christian, by his life, example, and 
 conversation, may often do much more 
 good than is done by those in more 
 elevated stations, and with far greater 
 gifts. 
 
 We are not to suppose by this, how- 
 ever, that our Saviour meant to teach 
 that only those oi feeble talents neglect- 
 ed their duty. I'he parable does not 
 require us to do this ; and the fact is, 
 perhaps, that those most highly endowed 
 are the farthest from properly improving 
 their talents. 
 
 19. After a long time, &c. By the 
 return of the lord of those servants to 
 reckon with them, is denoted the return 
 of Christ to call men to an account for 
 the manner in which they have improved 
 their talents. See Rom. xiv. 12 ; 2 
 Cor. V. 10 • 1 Thess. iv. 16 ; Acts i. 11, 
 xvii. 31. "^Reckon with them. To 
 reckon is to settle accounts. Here it 
 means to inquire into their faithfulness, 
 and to reward or punish them accord 
 ingly. 
 
 20. I have gained. Gained by trad 
 ing. Ver. 16. By honest industrr.
 
 286 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 hold, I have gained besidea thein 
 live talents more. 
 
 21 His lord said unto him, Well 
 (lone, thou good and faithful ser- 
 vant: thou hast been faithful over 
 a few things, I will make thee ruler 
 • over many things : enter thou into 
 the joy of thy lord. 
 
 22 He also that had received two 
 talents, came, and said, Lord, thou 
 deliveredst unto me two talents : 
 behold, I have gained two other ta- 
 lents beside them. 
 
 23 His lord said unto him. Well 
 done, good and faithful servant : 
 
 o Lu. 12.44. 22,29. Re.3.21. 
 
 21. Suler over many things. I will 
 promoio thee to greater honors and more 
 important trusts. If Joy of thy Lord. 
 In the mean time share the pleasures 
 and enjoyments of his palace ; be his 
 couipaaion ; and receive the rewards 
 which he has promised thee. The joy 
 of his lord may mean either the festivals 
 and rejoicing at liis return, or the re- 
 wards which his lord had prepared for 
 his faithful servants. Applied to Chris- 
 tians, it means that they v\'ho rightly 
 injprove their talents shall, at the return 
 of Christ, be promoted to great honors 
 m heaven, and be partakers of the joys 
 of their lord in the world of glory. See 
 ver. 34;alsol John ii. 28. 
 
 24. The one talent. The design of 
 this part of the parable is to show that 
 no one is excused in indolence because 
 he has few talents. God will require 
 of him only according to his ability. 1 
 Cor. iv. 2. Luke xii. 48. 2 Cor. viii. 
 12. "^ A hard?nan. Of a sordid, grip- 
 ing disposition ; taldng advantage of the 
 poor, and oppressing them. ^ Reaping, 
 &.C. This is indicative of an avaricious 
 and overbearing disposition. Compel- 
 hng the poor to sow for him, and reap- 
 ing all the benefit himself If Hast not 
 ftrtioed. The word strew means to 
 scatter — as men scatter seed in sowing 
 it. It may mean also to ventilate, or to 
 fan by venlilating, or winnowing. As 
 towi?ig the seed is mentioned just be- 
 fore, it may be that this refers to gather- 
 ing grain fanned or winnowed by others, 
 while he did nothing — indicating also a 
 hard r <■ sordid disposition. 
 
 thou hast been faithful over a few 
 things, I will make thee ruler over 
 many things : enter thou into the 
 joy of thy lord. 
 
 24 Then he which had received 
 the one talent, came, and said, Lord, 
 I knew thee that thou art an hard 
 * man, reaping where thou hast not 
 ' sown, and gathering where thou 
 hast not strawe^ : 
 
 25 And I was afraid, '' and went, 
 and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, 
 there thou hast that is thine. 
 
 26 His lord answered and said 
 
 unto him. Thou wicked ' and sloth- 
 
 6 Job 21. 15. c Je.2.31. d Pr.26.13. Re.21. 
 8. e Job 15.5,6. c.18.32. Lu.19.22. Jude 15 
 
 25. I was afraid. I feared lest, by 
 some accident, thy talent would be lost 
 if I put it out to trade, and that I should 
 be severely punished by a hard master 
 I therefore kept it laid up safely, and 
 hid it where it could not be lost, if That 
 is thine. There is what properly be- 
 longs to thee. There is the original 
 talent that thou gavest me, and that is 
 all that can be reasonably required. 
 Observe, here : 1st. That this expresses 
 exactly the feehngs of all sinners. God, 
 in their view, is hard, cruel, unjust 
 2d. All the excuses of sinners are ex- 
 cuses for indolence and sin, and to cheat 
 themselves out of heaven. The effect 
 of this excuse was to lose the reward ; 
 so of the excuses of sinners for not do- 
 ing their duty. 3d. Sinners grudge 
 every thing to God. They are never 
 willing to be liberal towards him, but 
 are stinted and close ; and if they give, 
 they do it with hard feelings, and say 
 that that is all that he can claim. 
 
 26. Slothful. Indolent, lazy, who 
 had done nothing. God will judge men, 
 not merely for doing wrong, but for 
 7iot doing right. See verse 45. That 
 servant was ivicked, 'because he had 
 such an opinion of his master ; he had 
 shown that he was slothful, by not 
 making good use of the talent. Ver 
 27. If Thou knewest, &-C. This should 
 be understood, and might have been 
 translated, as a question. If you knew 
 he was such a mar., you ought to have 
 acted accordingly, e o as to have escaped 
 punishment. Didst thou know that I 
 reap, &c. ? Then thou shoulds^. have
 
 A. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 2e7 
 
 ful servant, thou knewesi that I reap 
 where I sowed not, and gather where 
 I have not strawed : 
 
 27 Thou oughtest therefore to 
 have put my money to the ex- 
 changers, and then at my coming I 
 Bhould have received mine own with 
 usury. 
 
 28 Take therefore the talent from 
 nim, and give it unto him which 
 nath ten talents. 
 
 ac.l3.J2. Mar.4.25. Lu.8.18. 19.2G. 11m. 
 10.42. cc.8.12. <iDa.7.]3. Zec.14.5. c.I6. 
 
 given my money to the exchangers, 
 &c. This is not intended to admit 
 that he was such a man. but to con- 
 vict the slothful sor\-ant of guilt and 
 folly in not having been prepared to meet 
 him. 
 
 27. The exchangers. The exchangers 
 were persons who were in the habit of 
 borrowing money, or receiving it on 
 deposit at a low rate of interest, to be 
 loaned to others at higher interest. 
 They commonly sat by tables in the 
 temple, with money ready to exchange 
 or loan. See Matt. xxi. 12. Tliis 
 money was left with the servant, not to 
 exchange, nor to increase it by any 
 such idle means, but by honest indus- 
 try and merchandise ; but since he was 
 too indolent for that, he ought at least 
 to have loaned it to the exchangers, 
 that liis master might have received 
 some benefit from it. ^ With usury. 
 With interest, increase, or gain. The 
 word usury, in our language, has a 
 bad signification, meaning unlawful or 
 exorbitant interest. This was contrary 
 to the law. Ex. xxii. 25. Lev. xxv. 
 36. The original means gain, increase, 
 or lawful interest. 
 
 29. For u7i(o every one that hath shall 
 be given. See Note, Matt. xiii. 12. 
 This seems to be a proverbial expres- 
 sion. It means, whosoever rightly im- 
 proves what is committed to nim shall 
 receive more, or shall be rewarded ; 
 but he that misimproves what is com- 
 mitted to him shall not be rewarded. 
 [n pecuniary matters — in the literal 
 eense of this parable — they who im- 
 prove their money by industry or mer- 
 chandise, increase it. They who do 
 not — who are indolent or vicious — lose 
 what they did possess, and it goes into 
 •iic hands of the faithful and imlustrious. 
 
 29 For • unto every one that hatli 
 shal) be given, and he shall have 
 abundance: but from him that hath 
 not shall be taken away ' even that 
 which he hath. 
 
 30 And cast ye the unprofitable 
 servant into outer darkness : ' there 
 shall be weeping and gnashing of 
 teeth. 
 
 31 When •* the Son of man shal! 
 come in his glory, and all the holy 
 
 27. 19.28. Mar.8.38. Ac. 1.11. lTli.4.16. 3 
 Th.1.7. Jude 14. Re.1.7. 
 
 In the spiritual sense of the parable, it 
 means only that they who are faithiul 
 shall be rewarded — not, however, that 
 any thing shall be taken from the un- 
 faithful and given to them ; and that 
 the unfaithful and indolent shall be 
 taken away from their privileges and 
 punished. 
 
 30. And cast, &.c. See Note, Matt, 
 viii. 12. The spirhual meaning of the 
 parable may be thus summed up : 1st. 
 The sei-vants of God are not all en 
 dowed with equal gifts and talents. 2d. 
 They are bound to employ their talents 
 in promoting his honor, and in a proper 
 improvement of them. 3d. By employ- 
 ing their talents in a proper manner, 
 they improve and strengthen them. 
 4th. They will be judged according to 
 the improvements they have made. 
 5th. All sinners look on God as a hard 
 master, and as unreasonable and tyran 
 nical. 6th. They will be judged, not 
 merely for doing wrong, but for ne- 
 glecting to do right. 7th. If the servant 
 who kept the talent entire without in- 
 juring it, and who returned it to his 
 master as he received it, was neverthe- 
 less judged, condemned, and cast away, 
 what must they expect who abuse their 
 talents, destroy by drunkenness and 
 lust the noble faculties conferred, oi 
 them, and squander the property iha 
 might be employed in advancing the 
 interests of morals and religion ! 
 
 31. When the Son of 7nan, &-C. Tliia 
 is in answer to the question which the 
 disciples proposed to him respecting the 
 end of the world. Ch xxiv. 3. That 
 this refers to the last judgment, and 
 not, as some have supposed, to the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem, af pears: Isi. 
 From the fact that it was iii answer to 
 an express irvquiry respecting the ervi
 
 288 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 angels with him, then shall he sit 
 upon the throne of his glory : 
 
 3-J, And * before him shall be 
 gathered all nations; and he shall 
 separate * them one from another, 
 as a shepherd ' divideth his sheep 
 from the goats : 
 
 33 And he shall set the sheep on 
 
 «Ro.l4.10. 2Cor.5.10. Re.20.I2. 6 Eze. 
 36.38. c.13.49. c Ps.78.52. Jiio.10.14,27. 
 
 of the world. 2d. All nations were to 
 be assembled — which did not take place 
 at Jerusalem. 3d. A separation was to 
 take place between the righteous and 
 the wicked — which was not done at 
 Jerusalem. 4th. The rewards and 
 punishments are declared to be eternal. 
 None of these things took place at the 
 destruction of Jerusalem. If In his 
 glory. In his own proper honor. With 
 his glorified body, and as the head and 
 king of the universe. Acts i. 11. Eph. 
 i. 20—22. 1 Thes. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xv. 
 24,25,52. IT The throne of his glory. 
 This means, in the language of tlie He- 
 brev.'s, his glorious or splendid throne. 
 It is not to be taken literally, as if there 
 would be a material throne or seat of 
 the Kmg of Zion. It expresses the 
 idea that he will come as a king and 
 judge to assemble his subjects before 
 aim, and to appoint them their re- 
 wards. 
 
 32. A?id before him, &c. At his 
 coming to judgment the world will be 
 Durned up and destroyed. 2 Peter iii. 
 10, 12. Rev. XX. 11. The dead in 
 Christ — i. e., all true Christians — shall 
 DC first raised up from their graves. 
 1 Thess. iv. 16. The hving shall be 
 changed — i. e., shall be made like the 
 glorified bodies of those that are raised 
 from the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 52 — 54. 1 
 Thess. iv. 17. All the wicked shall rise 
 and come forth to judgment. John v. 
 28,29. Dan.xii. 2. Matt. xiii. 41, 42. 
 Rev. XX. 13. Then shall the world be 
 judged, the righteous saved, and the 
 wicked punished. ^ Aiid he shall srpa- 
 rate, &c. Shall determine respecting 
 their character, and shall appoint them 
 their doom accordingly. 
 
 33. Shall set the sheep, &c. By the 
 theep are denoted, here, the righteous. 
 The name is given to them because the 
 ihcep is an emblem of innocence and 
 narmlessness. Seo John x. 7, 14, 15, 
 
 his right '' hand, but the goats on 
 
 the left. 
 
 34 Then shall the king say unto 
 them on his right hand, Come, ye 
 blessed ' of my Father,-'' inherit the 
 s kingdom * prepared for you from 
 the foundation of the worl4 : 
 
 dHe.l.3. «Ps.ll5.15. /Ro.8.17. Pa. 
 1.4. ^lTh.2.12. Be.5.10. AlCor.2.9. He 
 31..16. 
 
 16, 27; Ps. c. 3, Ixxiv. 1, xxiii. 1i On 
 the right ha7id. The right hand is the 
 place of honor, and denotes the situa- 
 tion of those who are honored, or those 
 who are virtuous. See Eccl. x. 2 ; Eph. 
 i. 20; Ps. ex. 1 ; Acts ii. 25, 33. H The 
 goats. The wicked. See Ezek. xxxiv. 
 
 17. ^ The left. That is, the left hand. 
 This was the place of dishonor, denot- 
 ing condemnation. See Eccl. x. 2. 
 
 34. The king. That is, the Lord 
 Jesus, the King of Zion, and of the uni- 
 verse, now acting as Judge. Luke xix. 
 38. John xviii. 37. Rev. xvii. 14 ; xix. 
 16. IT Blessed of my Father. Made 
 happy, or raised to felicity by my Fa- 
 ther. See Note, Matt. v. 3. IT Inherit 
 the kingdom. Receive as heirs the king- 
 dom, or be received there as the sons 
 of God. Christians are often called 
 heirs of God. Rom. viii. 17. Gal. iv. 
 6, 7. Heb. i. 14. 1 John iii. 2. li Pre- 
 pared for you, &c. That is, designed 
 for you, or appointed for you. The 
 phrase, y"roTO the foundation of theworld, 
 is used to denote that this was appoint- 
 ed for them in the beginning ; that God 
 has no new plan ; that the rewards 
 which he will now confer on them he 
 always intended to confer. Christ says 
 to the righteous that the kingdom was 
 prepared for them. Of course God 
 meant to confer it on them. They were 
 individuals ; and it follows that he in- 
 tended to bestow his salvation on them 
 as individuals. Accordingly the salva- 
 tion of his people is uniformly repre- 
 sented as the result of the free gift of 
 God, according to his own pleasure, 
 bestowed on indi\aduals, and by a plan 
 which is eternal. Rom. viii. 29, 30. 
 Eph. i. 4, 5, 11, 12. 2 Thess. 11, 13. 
 1 Peter i. 2. John vi. 37. This is right 
 and consistent with justice ; for, 1st. 
 All men are by nature equally unde- 
 serving. 2d. Bestowing favors on one 
 does not do injustice to another, whertr
 
 4. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 289 
 
 35 For <» I was an hungered, and 
 j-e gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and 
 ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, 
 * and ye took me in : 
 
 36 Naked, ' and ye clothed me : 
 I was sick, and ye visited '' me : I 
 was in prison, • and ye came unto 
 me. 
 
 37 Then shall the righteous an- 
 swer him, saying. Lord, when saw 
 we thee an hungered, and fed ihee? 
 or thiisly, and gave thee drink 1 
 
 a Is.58.7. Eze.ia-. 6 1 Pe.4.9. 3 Jno.5. 
 cJa.i!.15,16. <iJa.l.27. e2Ti.l.l6. He.13.2. 
 
 neither deserves favor. Pardoning one 
 criminal is not injuring another. Be- 
 stowing great talents on Locke, New- 
 ton, or Paul, did not injure me. 3d. If 
 it is right for God to pve eternal life to 
 liis people, or to admit them to heaven, 
 it was right to determine to do it, which 
 is but another way of saying that God 
 resolved from all eternity to do right. 
 Those who perish choose the paths 
 which lead to death, and will not be 
 saved by the merits of Jesus. No 
 blame can be charged on God if he 
 does not save them against their will. 
 John v. 40. Mark xvi. 15, 16. 
 
 35,36. 1 was an hunfrered. The union 
 between Christ and his people is the 
 most tender and endearing of all con- 
 nexions. It is represented by the closet 
 anions of which we have knowledge. 
 John XV. 4, 5, 6. Eph. v. 23— 32. 1 
 Cor. vi. 15. This is a union, not physi- 
 cal, but moral ; a union of feelings, in- 
 terests, plans, destiny; or, in other 
 words, he and his people have similar 
 feehngs, love the same objects, share 
 the same trials, and inherit the same 
 blessedness. John xiv. 19. Rev. iii. 
 5, 21. Rom. viii. 17. Hence he con- 
 siders favors shown to his people as 
 shown to himself, and will reward them 
 Accordingly. Matt. x. 40, 42. They 
 show attachment to him, and love to his 
 cause. By showing kindness to the 
 poor, and needy, and sick, they show 
 that they possess his spirit — for he did 
 it when on earth ; they evince attach- 
 ment to him, for he was poor and 
 needy ; and they show that they have 
 .he proper spirit to fit them for heaven. 
 1 John ili. 14, 17. James ii. 1 — 5. 
 Mark ix. 41. IT Was a stranger. The 
 word stranger means a foreig-ner, or 
 2=1 
 
 38 When saw we thee a stranger, 
 and took ihee in? or naked, and 
 clothed ihee? 
 
 39 Or when saw we thee sick, 
 or in prison, and came unto thee"! 
 
 40 And the King shall answer 
 ftnd say unto them. Verily I say unto 
 you, Inasmuch ^ as ye have done il 
 unto one of the least of these my 
 brethren, ye have done il unto me. 
 
 41 Then shall he say also untc 
 
 them on the left hand. Depart* from 
 
 /Pr.19.17. Mar.9.41. He.C.lO. g L.u. 
 13.27. 
 
 traveller; in our language, one un 
 known to us. To receive such to the 
 rites of hospitality was, m eastern 
 countries, where there were few or no 
 public houses, a great virtue. See Gen. 
 xviii. 1 — 8 ; Heb. xiii. 2. IT J'ook me in. 
 Into your house. Received me kindly. 
 If Naked. Poorly clothed. Among the 
 Jews they were called naked who were 
 clad in poor raiment, or they who had 
 on only the tunic or inner garment, 
 without any outer garment. See Note, 
 Matt. V. 40 ; also Acts xix. 16 ; Mark 
 xiv. 51, 52 ; Job xxii. 6 ; Isa. Iviii. 7. 
 
 37 — 39. Then shall the rigldeous, &c 
 This answer is indicative of humility — 
 a deep sense of their being unworthy 
 such commendation. They will feel that 
 their poor acts of kindness have come so 
 far short of what they should have been, 
 that they have no claim to praise or re- 
 ward. It is not, however, to be sup- 
 posed that in the day of judgment thia 
 will be actually said by the righteous, 
 but that this would be a proper expres- 
 sion of their feelings. 
 
 40. 07ie of the least of these. One of 
 the obscurest, least known, poorest, and 
 most despised and afliicted. IT 3Iy bre- 
 thren. Either those who are Christians, 
 whom he condescends to call brethren ; 
 or those who are afflicted, poor, and 
 persecuted, who are his brethren and 
 companions in suffering ; and who suf- 
 fer as he did on earth. See Heb. ii. tl : 
 Matt. xii. 50. How great is the conJe 
 scension and kindness of the Judge of 
 the world, thus to reward our actions, 
 and to consider what we have done to 
 the poor as done to him ! 
 
 41. On the left hand. The wicked. 
 If Ye cursed. That is, ye who are de 
 voted to destruction, whose characters
 
 290 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 me, ye cursed, into " everlasting fire, 
 ' prepared for the devil and his an- 
 gels : 
 
 42 For I was an hungered, and 
 ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, 
 and ye gave me no drink : 
 
 43 I was a stranger, and ye took 
 me not in : naked, and ye clothed 
 
 OC.13. 40,42. Re.]4.11. 6Jude6. Re.aO.lO. 
 
 deserve everlasting punishment, and 
 who are about to enter into it. To curse 
 is the opposite of to bless. It implies a 
 negation of all the blessings of heaven, 
 and a positive infliction of eternal suffer- 
 ings. IT Everlasting Jire. Fire, here, is 
 used to denote punishment. The image 
 is employed to express extreme suffer- 
 hig, as a death by burning is one of the 
 most horrible that can be conceived. 
 The image was taken probably, from 
 the Jires burning in the valley of Hin- 
 nom. See Note, Matt. v. 22. It has 
 been asked whether the wicked will be 
 burned in literal fire, and the common 
 impression has been that they will be. 
 Respecting that, however, it is to be 
 observed: 1st. That the maiii truth in- 
 tended to be taught refers not to the 
 manner of suffering, but to the certaiiity 
 and bit ens it yoVit. 2d. That the design, 
 therefore, was to present an image of 
 terrific and appalling suffering — an im- 
 age well represented by fire. 3d. That 
 this image was well known to the Jews 
 (Isa. Ixvi. 24), and therefore expressed 
 the idea in a very strong manner. 4th. 
 That all the truth that Christ intended 
 to convey appears to be expressed in the 
 certainty, intensity, and eternity, of fu- 
 ture torment. 5th. That there is no 
 distinct affirmation respecting the mode 
 of that punishment, where the mode was 
 the subject of discourse. 6th. That to 
 as it is a subject of comparatively little 
 consequence what will be the mode of 
 punishment. The fact that the wicked 
 will be eternally punished, cursed of 
 God, should awe every spirit, and lead 
 every man to secure his salvation. As, 
 liowever, the hody will be raised, it is 
 not unreasonable to suppose that a mode 
 of punishment will be adopted suited to 
 the body, perhaps bearing some analogy 
 to suffering here, in its various forms 
 ot Hames, and racks, and cold, and 
 heat, and war, and disease, and ungra- 
 ified desire, and remorse — perhaps the 
 
 me not : sick, and in prison, and yt? 
 visited me not. 
 
 44 Then shall they also answer 
 him, saying, Lord, when saw we 
 thee an hungered, or athirst, or a 
 stranger, or naked, or sick, or in pri- 
 son, and did not minister unto th(,e 1 
 
 45 Then shall he answer them^ 
 
 concentration of all earthly woes, all 
 that makes man misera'ile here, poured 
 upon the naked body and spirit of the 
 wicked in hell, for ever and ever. IT Pre- ~.\ 
 paredfor the devil. The devil is the 
 prince of evil spirits. This place of pun 
 ishment was fitted for him when he re- 
 belled against God. Jude 6. Rev. xii. 
 8, 9. H His angels. His messengers, 
 his servants, or those angels that ha 
 drew ofl^ from heaven by his rebelhon 
 and whom he has employed as his mes- 
 sengers to do evil. The word may ex- 
 tend also to all his followers— fallen 
 angels or men. There is a remarkable 
 difference between the manner in which 
 the righteous shall be addressed, and 
 the wicked. Christ will say to the one 
 that the kingdom was prepared for them; 
 to the other, that the fire was not pre- 
 pared for them, but for another race of 
 beings. They will inherit it because 
 they have the same character as the de- 
 vil, and therefore are fitted to the same 
 place — not because it was originally 
 fitted for them. 
 
 45. Inasmuch as ye did it not. &c. 
 By not doing good to the followers of 
 Christ, they showed that they had no 
 real lovo to him. By not doing good to 
 the poor and needy, to the stranger and 
 the prisoner, they show that they have 
 not his spirjt, and are not hke him, and 
 are unfit ior his kingdom. Let it be 
 observed, here, that the public ground 
 of their condemnation is the neglect o^ 
 duty, or because they did it not. We are 
 not to suppose that they will not also be 
 condemned for their open and positive 
 sins. See Rom. ii. 9; Eph. v. 5 ; Coll. 
 iii. 5, 6 ; 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10 ; Rev. xxi. 8 , 
 Ps. ix. 17. But their neglect o{ charily 
 or of doing good to him and his people 
 may be the public reason of condemninp 
 them : 1st. Because he wished to give 
 pre-eminence to those virtues, to excite 
 his followers to do them. 2d. Men 
 should be punished for neglut aa wei!
 
 A. D. 33.} 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 291 
 
 saying, Verily I say unto you, In- 
 asmuch " as ye did it not to one of 
 the least of these, ye did it not to me. 
 
 a Zec.2.8. Ac.9.5. 
 
 aa positive sin. Sin is a violation of 
 the law, or refusiiig to do what God 
 commands. 3a. Nothing better shows 
 the true state of the heart than those 
 duties, and the true character can be 
 as well tested by them as by open 
 crimes. 
 
 If it be asked how the heathen who 
 never heard of the name of Christ can 
 be justly condemned in this manner, it 
 may be answered ; 1st. That Christ ac- 
 knowledges all the poor, and needy, 
 and strangers of every land, as his 
 brethren. See v. 40. 2d. That by ne- 
 glecthig the duties of charity they show 
 that they have not his spirit — are not 
 hke him. 3d. That these duties are 
 clearly made known by conscience, and 
 the light of nature, as well as by reve- 
 lation ; and men may therefore be con- 
 demned for the neglect of them. 4tli. 
 That they are not condemned for not 
 beheving in Christ, of whom they have 
 not heard, but for a wrong spirit, ne- 
 glect of dity, open crime ; for being 
 u?ilike Christ, and therefore u?tfit for 
 heaven. ^ One of the least of these. 
 These on my right hand. My breth- 
 ren. Those who are saved. 
 
 46. And these, &c. These persons. 
 Many, holding the doctrine of universal 
 salvation, have contended that God 
 would punish si?i oniy. Christ says 
 that those on his left hand shall go away 
 — not sins, but sinners. Besides, si?i, 
 as an abstract thing, cannot he punish- 
 ed. It is nothing but the acts of trans- 
 gressors ; and to be reached at all, must 
 be reached by punishing the offenders, 
 ff Into everlasting punishment. The 
 original word, here translated punish- 
 ment, means torment, or suflering in- 
 flicted for crime. The noun is used but 
 in one other place in the New Testa- 
 ment. ] John iv. 18: " Fear hath <or- 
 ment ' The verb from which the noun 
 IS derived is twice used. Acts iv. 21. 
 2 Pet. ii. 9. In all these places it de- 
 notes anguish, suffering, punishment. 
 It does not mean simply a state or condi- 
 tier, but absolute, positive suffering; 
 and if this word does not teach it, no 
 word could expresi the idea that the 
 
 46 And * these shall go away into 
 everlasting punishment : but the 
 righteous into life eternal. 
 
 b Da.12.2 Jno.5.29 
 
 wicked would suffer. It has been con 
 
 tended that the sufferings of the wicked 
 would not be eternal, or luithout end. It 
 is not the purpose of these Notes to en- 
 ter into debates of that kind farther than 
 to fix the meaning of words. In regard 
 to the meaning of the word everlast- 
 i?ig'in this place, it is to be observed: 1st. 
 That lh.e literal meaning of the word ex- 
 presses absolute eternity — ahrays being- 
 Matt, xviii. 8 ; .xix. 16. Mark iii. 29. 
 Rom. h. 7. Heb. v. 9. 2d. That the 
 obvious, plain interpretation of the word 
 demands this signification. 3d. That 
 admitting that it was the Saviour's de- 
 sign ever to teach this doctrine, this 
 would be the very word to express it ; 
 and if this does not teach it, it could not 
 be taught. 4th. That it is not taught in 
 any plainer manner in any confession of 
 faith on the globe ; and if this may be 
 explained away, all those may be. 5th. 
 That our Saviour knew that this would 
 be so understood by nine-tenths of the 
 world ; and if he did 7iot mean to teach 
 it, he has knowingly led them into error, 
 and his honesty cannot be vindicated. 
 6th. That he knew that the doctrine was 
 calculated to produce fear and terror ; 
 and if he was benevolent, his conduct 
 cannot be vindicated in exciting unne- 
 cessary fears. 7th. That the word zised 
 here is the same in the original as that 
 used to express the eternal life of ihi 
 righteous ; if one can be proved to b** 
 limited in duration, the other can by tb'r 
 same arguments. The proof that th 
 righteous xuill he happy for ever, is pr< 
 cisely the same, a?id no other than that tJ 
 wiched will he miserable for ever. 8tl 
 That it is confirmed by many other pas 
 sages of scripture. 2 Thess. 1, 7, 8, 1 
 Luke xvi. 26. Rev. xiv. 11. Ps. b 
 17. Isa. xxxiii. 14. Mark xvi. It 
 John iii. 36. IT Life eternal. Man b; 
 sin has plunged himself into death, tern 
 poral, spiritual, eternal. Christ, bj 
 coming and dying, has abolished death, 
 and brought life and immortality to 
 light. 2 Tim. i. 10. Life is the oppo- 
 site of death. It denotes, here, free- 
 dom from death, and positive hohnesi 
 and happiness for ever.
 
 292 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 CHAPTER XX VI. 
 
 AND it came to pass, when Jesus 
 had finished all these sayings, 
 ne said unto his disciples, 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 1 — 16. See also Marji xiv. 1 — 11 ; 
 Luke xxii. 1 — 6 ; John xii. 1 — 7. 
 
 2. After two days is the feast of the 
 passover. See Note, Matt. xii. 1 — 8. 
 The festival of the passover was cele- 
 brated to preserve among the Jews the 
 memory of their liberation from Egyp- 
 tian servitude, and of the safety of their 
 first-born in that night when the first- 
 born of the Egyptians perished. Ex. xii. 
 The name passover was given to the 
 feast because the Lord passed over the 
 houses of the Israelites without slaying 
 their first-born, while the Egyptians 
 .'eve cut off. Ex. xii. 13. It was cele- 
 o-ated seven days, viz., from the 15th 
 to the 21st of the month Aeib, or Nisan 
 (April). Ex. .xii. 15—20; xxiii. 15. Du- 
 ring all this period the people ate un- 
 leavened bread, and hence the festival 
 was sometimes called the feast of un- 
 leavened bread. Ex. xii. 18. Lev. xxiii. 
 
 6. On the evening of the fourteenth 
 day, all the leaven or yeast in the fami- 
 ly was removed with great care, as it is 
 to the present time — a circumstance to 
 which the apostle alludes in 1 Cor. v. 
 
 7. On the 10th day of the month the 
 mSP*er of a family separated a lamb or 
 a goat of a year old from the flock (Ex. 
 xii. 1 — 6), which he slew on the 14th 
 day before the altar. Deut. xvi. 2, 5, 6. 
 The lamb was commonly slain at about 
 3 o'clock, P. M. The blood of the 
 paschal lamb was in Egypt sprinkled on 
 the docr-posts of the houses ; after- 
 wards it was po^ired by the priests at 
 the foot of the altar. Ex. xii. 7. The 
 lamb thus slain was roasted whole, 
 with two spits thrust through it — one 
 lengthwise, and one transversely — 
 crossing each other near t'le fore legs ; 
 so that the animal was, in a manner, 
 crucified. Not a bone of it might be 
 broken — a circumstance strongly re- 
 presenting the sufferings of our Lord 
 Ji;sus, the passover slain for us. John 
 xis. 36. 1 Cor. v. 7. Thus roasted, the 
 Iamb was served up with wild and bit- 
 ter herbs. Not fewer than ten, nor 
 more than twenty persons, were admit- 
 ted to those sacred feasts. At first it 
 
 2 "Ye " know that after two days 
 is the feast of the passover, and the 
 Son of man is betrayed to be cru 
 cified. 
 a Mar.l4.1,&c. Lu.22.1,&c. Juo.l3.1,&c. 
 
 was observed with the loins girt about, 
 with sandals on their feet, and with all 
 the preparations for an immediate jour- 
 ney. This in Egypt was significant of 
 the haste with which they were about 
 to depart from the land of bondage. 
 The custom was afterwards retained. 
 
 The order of the celebration of this 
 feast was as follows : The ceremony 
 commenced with drinking a cup of wine 
 mingled with water, after having given 
 thanks to God for it. This was the 
 first cup. Then followed the washing 
 of hands, with another short form of 
 thanksgiving to God. The table was 
 then supphed with the provisions, viz., 
 the bitter salad, the unleavened bread, 
 the lamb, and a thick sauce composed 
 of dates, figs, raisins, vinegar, &c 
 They then took a small qtiantity of sa 
 lad, with another thanksgiving, and att 
 it. After which, all the dishes were 
 removed from the table, and a second 
 cup of wine set before each guest as at 
 first. The dishes were removed, it is 
 said, to excite the curiosity of children, 
 and to lead them to make inquiry into 
 the cause of this observance. See Ex. 
 xii. 26, 27. The leading person at the 
 feast then began and rehearsed the his- 
 tory of the servitude of the Jews in 
 Egypt, the manner of their deliverance, 
 and the reason of instituting the pass- 
 over. The dishes were then returned 
 to the table, and he said, " This is the 
 passover which we eat, because that the 
 Lord passed over the houses of our fa- 
 thers in Egypt;" and then holding up 
 the salad and the unleavened bread^ he 
 stated the design, viz : that the one re- 
 presented the bitterness of the Egyptian 
 bondage, and the other the suddenness 
 of their deliverance. This done, he 
 repeated the 113th and 114th psalms, 
 offered a short prayer, and all the com- 
 pany drank the wine that had been 
 standing some time before them. This 
 was the second cup. The hands were 
 then again washed, and the meal then 
 eaten, with the usual forms and so- 
 lemnities. After which they washed 
 the hands again, and then drank an 
 other cup ot wine, called ihe eup of
 
 A.D. 33.] 
 
 3 Then assembled together the 
 uhief priests, and the scribes, and 
 the elders of the people, unto the 
 palace of the high priest, who was 
 called Caiaphas, 
 
 4 And " consulted that they might 
 
 a P6.2.2. 
 
 blessing, because the leader was accus- 
 tomed in a particular manner, over that 
 cup, to offer thanks to God for his 
 goudnes?. This is the cup which our 
 Saviour is supposed to have taken when 
 he instituted the Lord's supper, called 
 by Paul the cup of blessuig. 1 Cor. x. 
 16. There was still another cup, which 
 was drunk when they were about to 
 separate, called the Hallel, because in 
 connexion with it they were accustom- 
 ed to repeat the lesser Hallel, or the 
 115th, 116ih, 117th, 118th psalms. In 
 accordance with this, our Saviour and 
 his disciples sang a hymn, as they were 
 about to go to the mount of OHves. 
 Ver. 30. It is probable that our Sa- 
 viour complied with these rites accord- 
 ing to the custom of the Jews. While 
 doing it, he signified that the typical re- 
 ference of the passover was about to 
 be accomplished, and he instituted in 
 place of it the supper — the communion 
 — and of course the obligation to keep 
 the passover then ceased. ^ The Son of 
 man is betrayed. Will be betrayed. He 
 did not mean to say that they then knew 
 that he would be betrayed, for it does 
 not appear that they had been informed 
 of the precise time. But they knew 
 that the passover was at hand, and he 
 then informed them that he would be 
 betrayed. IT To he crucified. To be 
 put to death on the cross. See Note on 
 Matt, x.wii. 35. 
 
 3. Then assembled, &c. This was a 
 meeting of the great council or sanhe- 
 drim. Note, Matt. v. 23. H The palace. 
 The original word properly denotes the 
 hall or large area in the centre of the 
 dwelhng, called the court. See Note, 
 Matt. ix. 1 — 8. It may be understood. 
 However, as referring to the palace it- 
 self. IT The high priest. Holding the 
 office that was first conferred on Aaron. 
 Ex. xxviii. The office was at first he- 
 reditary, descending on the oldest son. 
 Numb. iii. 10. Antiochus Epiphanes 
 (B. C. ItiO), when he had possession of 
 Judea, sold tne office to the highest 
 Didder. In the year 152 B. C, Alex- 
 25* 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 296 
 
 Jesus by subtilty, and kill 
 
 take 
 him. 
 
 5 But they said. Not on the feas' 
 day, lest there be an uproar among 
 the people. 
 
 6 Now when Jesus was in Beth 
 
 ander king of Syria, conferred tht 
 office on Jonathan (1 Mace. x. 18- 
 20), whose brother Simon was after- 
 wards created by the Jews both prince 
 and high priest. 1 Mace. xiv. 35 — 47. 
 His posterity, who at the same time 
 sustained the office of kings, occupied 
 the station of high priest till the time 
 of Herod, who changed the incumbents 
 of the office at pleasure ; a liberty which 
 the Romans ever afterwards exercised 
 without any restraint. The office was 
 never more fluctuating than in the time 
 of our Saviour. Hence it is said that 
 Caiaphas was high priest for that year. 
 John xi. 51. Persons who had been 
 high priests, and had been removed 
 from office, still retained the name. 
 Hence more than one high priest is 
 sometimes mentioned, though strictly 
 there was but one who held the office. 
 
 4. By subtilty. By guile, deceit, or 
 in some secret manner, so that the peo 
 pie would not know it. Jesus was re- 
 garded by the people as a distinguished 
 prophet, and by most of them probably 
 as the Messiah ; and the sanhedrim did 
 not dare to take him away openly, lest 
 the people should rise and rescue him. 
 They were probably aware that he had 
 gone out to Bethany, or to some of the 
 places adjacent to the city ; and as he 
 passed his nights there, and not in the 
 city, there was need of guile to ascer- 
 tain the place where he remained, and 
 to take him. 
 
 5. Not 071 the feast-day. Not during 
 the yeast. The feast lasted seven days. 
 A vast multitude attended from all parts 
 of Judea. Jerusalem is said to have 
 contained at such times three millions 
 of people. Amidst such a multitude 
 there were frequent tumults and sedi- 
 tions: and the sanhedrim was justly 
 apprehensive there viould be now, if in 
 open day, and in the temple, they took 
 away a teacher so popular as Jesus 
 and put him to death. They therefore 
 sought how they might do it secretly, 
 ar,d by guile. 
 
 6. In Bethany See Note, ch. xxi. 1.
 
 294 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 33. 
 
 any, in the house? of Simon the 
 lepei , 
 
 7 There " came unto him a wo- 
 man having an alabaster box of very 
 
 a Jno.ll.I,2. 12.3. 
 
 ir Simon the leper. Simon who had been 
 a leper. If Leper. See Note, Matt. viii. 
 1. It was unlawful to eat with persons 
 that ?iad the leprosy: and it is more 
 than probable, therefore, that this Si- 
 mon had been healed — perhaps by our 
 Lord himself. John (xii. 1) says that 
 this was the house where Lazarus was, 
 who had been raised from the dead. 
 Probably Lazarus was a relative of Si- 
 mon's, and was hving with him. He 
 farther says that they made Jesus a 
 supper, and that Martha served. John 
 says that tliis was sLx days before the 
 passover. From the order in which 
 Matthew and Mark mention it, it would 
 have been supposed that it was but two 
 iays before the passover, and after the 
 cleansing of the temple. But it is to 
 be observed, 1st. That Matthew and 
 Mark often neglect the exact order of 
 the events that they record. 2d. That 
 they do not affirm at what time this was. 
 They leave it indefinite, saying that 
 while Jesus was in Bethany he was 
 anointed by Mary. 3d. That Matthew 
 introduced it here for the purpose of 
 giving a connected account of the con- 
 duct oi Judas. Judas murmured at the 
 waste of the ointment (John xii. 4) ; and 
 one of the effects of his indignation, it 
 seems, was to betray his Lord. 
 
 7. There came to him a woman. This 
 woman was Mary, the sister of Laza- 
 rus and Martha. John xii. 3. 1i Hav- 
 ing an alabaster box. The alabaster is 
 a species of marble, distinguished for 
 being light, and of a beautiful white co- 
 lor, almost transparent. It was much 
 used by the ancients for the purpose of 
 preserving various kinds of ointment in. 
 If Of very precious oi?itme?it. That is, 
 of ointment of much value ; that was 
 rare, and difficult to be obtained. Mark 
 (xiv. 3) and John (xii. 3) say that it was 
 ointment of spikenard. In the original 
 it is Nard. It was procured from an 
 herb growing in the Indies, chiefly ob- 
 tained from the root — though some- 
 times also from the bark. It was liquid, 
 so as easily to flow when the box or 
 ohial was open, and was distinguished 
 
 precious ointment, and poured it on 
 his head, as he sat at meat. 
 
 8 But when his disciples saw it, 
 they had indignation, saying. To 
 what purpose is this waste 1 
 
 particularly for an agreeable smell. See 
 Cant. i. 12. The ancients were much 
 in the habit of anointing or perfum,ing 
 their bodies, and the nard was esteemed 
 one of the most precious perfumes. 
 John says there was a pound of this 
 (xii. 3). The pound in use among them 
 was the Roma;n, of twelve ounces, an- 
 swering to our Troy weight. That 
 there was a large quantity is farther 
 evident from the fact that Judas says 
 it might have been sold for three hun- 
 dred pence ($40), and that the house 
 was filled with the odor of the ointment. 
 (John). And poured it on his heaa. 
 They were accustomed chiefly to anoim 
 the head, or hair. John says (xii. 3) 
 that she poured it on the feet of Jesus, 
 and wiped them with her hair. There 
 is, however, no contradiction. She pro- 
 bably poured it both on his head and hia 
 feet. Matthew and Mark having re- 
 corded the former, John, who wrote his 
 gospel in part to record events omitted 
 by them, relates that the ointment was 
 also poured on the feet of the Saviour. 
 To pour ointment on the head was com- 
 mon. To pour it on the feet was an 
 act of distinguished humility and attach- 
 ment to the Saviour, and therefore de- 
 served to be particularly recorded. If As 
 he sat at meat. That is, at supper. In 
 the original, as he reclined at supper. 
 The ancients did not sit at their meals, 
 but reclined at length on couches. See 
 Note, Matt, xxiii. 6. She came up, 
 therefore, behind him, as he lay reclined 
 at the table ; and bending down over 
 the couch, poured the oiniment on hia 
 head and his feet ; and probably kneel- 
 ing at his feet, wiped them with her 
 hair. 
 
 8. They had indignation. John says 
 that Judas expressed indignation. Pro- 
 bably some of the others felt indigna- 
 tion, but Judas only gave vent to his 
 feelings. The reason why Judas was 
 indignant was that he had the hag (John 
 xii. 6), i. e. the purse, or repository of 
 articles given to the disciples and to the 
 Saviour" He was a thief; and was in 
 the habit, it seems, of taking out and
 
 D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 295 
 
 9 For this ointment might have 
 been sold for much, and given to 
 ihe poor. 
 
 10 When Jesus understood it, he 
 said unto them, Why trouble ye the 
 woman ] for she hath wrought a 
 good work upon ms. 
 
 putting to his own use what was put in 
 for thcin in common. The leading trait 
 of Judas' character was avarice; and 
 no opportunity was suffered to pass 
 without attempting, by base and wicked 
 means, to make money. In his exam- 
 ple, an avaricious man may learn the 
 true nature and the effect of that gro- 
 velling and wicked passion. It led him 
 to commit the enormous crime of be- 
 traying his Lord to death ; and it will 
 always lead its possessor to guilt. No 
 small part of the sins of the men of the 
 world can be traced to avarice ; and 
 many and many a time since the days 
 of Judas has the Lord Jesus been be- 
 trayed among his professed friends by 
 the same base propensity. ^ In this 
 waste. This loss or destruction of pro- 
 perty. They could see no use in it, and 
 (hey therefore supposed it was lost. 
 
 9. Sold for much. Mark and John 
 say for three hundred pence; that is, 
 for about S40. This, to them, was a 
 large sum. Mark says, they murmured 
 against her. There was also an implied 
 murmuring against the Saviour for suf- 
 fering it to be done. The murmuring 
 was, however, without cause. It was 
 the properly of Mary. She had a right 
 to dispose of it as she pleased, answer- 
 able not to them, but to God. They had 
 no right over it, and no cause of com- 
 plaint if it had been wasted. So Chris- 
 tians now are at liberty to dispose of 
 their property as they please, either in 
 distributing the Bible, in supporting the 
 gospel, in sending it to Heathen nations, 
 or in aiding the poor. The world, like 
 Tudas, esteems it to be wasted. Like 
 Judas, they are indignant. They say 
 .t might be disposed of in a better way. 
 Yet, like Judco, they are interfering in 
 that which concerns them not. Like 
 Dther men. Christians have a right to 
 dispose o' their property as they please, 
 answerable only to God. And though 
 ttii avaricious world esteems it to be 
 waste, yet if their Lord commands it. it 
 
 11 For " ye have the poor aU 
 ways with you ; but * me ye have 
 not always. 
 
 12 For in that she hatn poured 
 this ointment on my body, she did 
 it for my burial. 
 
 13 Verily I say unto you. Where 
 a Du.15.11. 6 Jno. 11.19. 17.11. 
 
 will be ibund to be the only way in 
 which it was right for them to dispose 
 of that property, and will be found not 
 to have been in vain. 
 
 10. Trouhle ye the woman. That is, 
 disturb her mind by insinuations, as it 
 she had done wrong. 1i A good work 
 on me. She has done it with a mind 
 grateful, and full of love to me. The 
 work was good, also, as it was prepara 
 tive to his death. Ver. 12. 
 
 11. For ye have the poor, &Z.C. Mark 
 adds, " Whensoever ye will, ye may 
 do them good." It was right that they 
 should regard the poor. It was a plain 
 precept of religion (see Ps. xli. 1 ; Prov. 
 .\iv. 21, xxix. 7; Gal. ii. 10), and our 
 Saviour would not prohibit it, but do all 
 that was possible to excite his followers 
 to the duty. But every duty should be 
 done in its place, and the duty then in- 
 cumbent was that v.hich Mary had per- 
 formed. They would afterwards have 
 abundant occasion to show their regard 
 for the poor. IT JSIe ye have not always. 
 He alludes, here, to his dying, and his 
 going away to heaven. He v.ould be 
 their friend and their Saviour, but he 
 would not be bodily present with them 
 always, so that they could shov,' kind- 
 ness in this way to him. 
 
 12. She did it for my burial. It is 
 not to be supposed that Mary under- 
 stood clearly that he v.'as then about to 
 die, for the apostles, it seems, did not 
 fully comprehend it, or that she intend- 
 ed it for his burial ; but she had done 
 it as an act of kindness and love, to 
 show her regard for her Lord. He said 
 that it was a proper preparation for his 
 burial. Anciently, bodies were anoint- 
 ed and embalmed for the purpose of tl>e 
 sepulchre. Jesus said that this was 
 really a preparation for that burial, a 
 fitting him in a proper manner for the 
 tomb. 
 
 13. yl memorial. Any thing to pro- 
 duce remembrance. This should be told 
 to her honor and crcUi, as a memorial
 
 29b 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 soever this gospel shall be preached 
 in the whole world, there shall also 
 this, that this woman hath done, be 
 told for a memorial of her. 
 
 14 Then one * of the twelve, call- 
 ed Judas Iscariot, went unto the 
 chief priests, 
 
 15 And said unto them. What 
 
 a 3.10.4. 
 
 of her piety and self-denial ; and it is 
 right tnat the good deeds of the pious 
 should be recorded and liad in recollec- 
 tion. 
 
 14. Then one of t?ie twelve, Sec. Luke 
 says that Satan entered into Judas. 
 That is, Satan tempted or instigated him 
 to do it. Probably he tempted Judas 
 by appealing to his avarice, his ruling 
 passion, and by suggesting that now 
 was a favorable opportunity to make 
 money rapidly, by selling his Lord. 
 ^ Judas Iscariot. See Note, Matt. x. 
 4. IT Unto the chief priests. The high 
 pr.est, and those who had been high 
 
 Eriests. The ruli'ig men of the san- 
 edrim. Luke adds that he went also 
 to the captains. (xxJ 4.) It was ne- 
 cessary, on account ol ihe great wealth 
 deposited there, and its great sacred- 
 ness, to guard the temple by night. 
 Accordingly men were stationed around 
 it, whose leaders or commanders were 
 called captains. Acts iv. 1. These 
 men were commonly of the tribe of the 
 Levites, were closely connected with 
 the priests, were men of influence, and 
 Judas went to them, therefore, as well 
 as to the priests, to offer himself as a 
 traitor. Probably his object was to get 
 as much money as possible, and he 
 might therefore have attempted to make 
 a bargain with several of them apart 
 from each other. 
 
 15. And they covenanted with him. 
 Made a bargain with him. Agreed to 
 give him. Mark says they promised to 
 give him money. They did not pay it 
 to him then, lest he should deceive them. 
 When the deed was done, and before 
 lie was made sensible of its guilt, they 
 paid him. See Matt, xxvii. 3 ; Acts i. 
 18. IT Thirty pieces of silver. Mark 
 and Luke do not mention the sum. 
 They say that they promised him money 
 '_ — in the original, silver. In Matthew, 
 in the original, it is thirty s/Zners, or sil- 
 terlings. This was the price o/" a sZave 
 
 will ye give me, and I will deliver 
 him unto you 1 And they * cove- 
 nanted with hirnfor thirty pieces of 
 silver. 
 
 16 And from that time he sought 
 opportunity to betray him. 
 
 17 Now ' the first day of the feasi 
 of unleavened bread, the disciples 
 
 6 Zec.11.12 13. e.27.3. c Ex.12.6,18. 
 
 See Ex. xxi. 32. And it is not unlikely 
 that this sum was fixed on by them to 
 show their contempt of Jesus, and that 
 they regarded him as of little value. 
 There is no doubt, also, that they un- 
 derstood that such was the anxiety of 
 Judas to obtain money, that he would 
 betray his Lord for a7iy sum. The 
 money usually denoted by pieces of 
 silver, when the precise sum is not 
 mentioned, is a shekel — a silver Jewish 
 coin, amounting to about fifty cents. 
 The whole sum, therefore, for which 
 Judas committed tliis crime, was Sl5. 
 
 16. Sought opportunity to betray him. 
 Luke adds, "in the absence of the mul- 
 titude." This was the chief difficulty, 
 to dehver him into the hands of the 
 priests so as not to liave it known by 
 the people, or so as not to excite tumult. 
 The opportunity which he sought, 
 therefore, was one in wliich the multi- 
 tude would not see him, or could not 
 rescue the Saviour. ^ To betray him. 
 The word means to deliver into the 
 hands of an enemy by treachery or 
 breach of trust ; to do it while friend- 
 ship or faithfuhiess is professed. AU 
 this took place in the case of Judas. 
 But the word in the original does not 
 necessarily imply this. It means simply 
 to deliver up, or to give into their hands. 
 He sought opportunity hoiu he might de- 
 liver him up to them, agreeably to thp 
 contract. 
 
 17—19. See also Mark xiv. 12—16 
 Lukexxii. 7 — '13. 
 
 17. The first day, &c. The feast 
 continued eight days, including the day 
 on which the paschal lamb was killed 
 and eaten. Ex. xii. 13. That was the 
 fourteenth day of the montli Abib, an 
 swering to parts of our March and April. 
 IT Of unleavened bread. Called so be- 
 cause, during those eight days, no bread 
 made with yeast or leaven vas allowed 
 to be eaten. Luke says, 'in which 
 the passovei must be killed.' ' That ia
 
 A. D. 33.J 
 
 came to Jesus, saying unto him, 
 Where wilt thou that we prepare 
 for thee to eat tiie passover ] 
 
 in which the paschal lavih, or the lamb 
 eaten on the occasion, must he killed. 
 The word in the original, translated 
 passover, commonly means, not the 
 feast itself, but the lamb that was killed 
 on the occasion. See Ex. xii. 43 ; Numb. 
 i^. 11; John ,\viii. 28 ; 1 Cor. v. 7; 
 where Christ, our passover, is said to 
 be slain for us; i. e. our paschal lamb, 
 so called on account of his innocence, 
 and his being offered as a victim, or 
 sacrifice, for our sins. 
 
 18. Go into the city to such a man. 
 That is, Jerusalem, called the city, by 
 way of eminence. Luke says that the 
 disciples whom he sent were Peter and 
 John. The man to whom they were to 
 go it seems he did not mention by name, 
 but he told them that when they came 
 into the city, a man would meet them 
 bearing a pitcher of water. See Mark 
 and Luke. Him they were to follow, 
 and in the house which he entered they 
 would find a room prepared. The name 
 of the man was not mentioned. The 
 house in which they were to keep the 
 passover was not mentioned. The rea- 
 son of this pj-obably was, that Christ 
 was desirous of concealing from Judas 
 the place where they would keep the 
 passover. He was acquainted with the 
 design of Judas to betray him. He 
 knew that if Judas was acquainted with 
 the place beforehand, he could easily 
 give information to the chief priests, 
 and it would give them a favorable 
 opportunity to surprise them, and ap- 
 prehend him without making a tumult. 
 Though it was certain that he would 
 not be delivered up before the time ap- 
 pointed by the Father, yet it was pro- 
 per to use th 'means to prevent it. There 
 can be but little doubt that Jesus was 
 acquainted with this man, and that he 
 was a disciple. The direction which he 
 gave his disciples most clearly proves 
 that he was omniscient. Amidst so 
 great a multitude going at that time into 
 the city, it was impossible to know that 
 a particular man would be met — a man 
 \)eari[ig a pitcher of water — tmlcss Je- 
 sus had all knowledge, and was there- 
 fore divirid. If The Master saith. This 
 was the name by which Jesus was pro- 
 bably known among the disciples, and 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 297 
 
 18 And he said. Go into the city 
 to such a man, and say unto him, 
 The Master saif.i, My time is al 
 
 one which he directed them to give him. 
 Sec Matt, xxiii. 8, 10. It means liter- 
 ally the teacher, as opposed to the dis- 
 ciple, or learner; not the master, as 
 opposed to the servant or slave. The 
 fact that they used this name as ?y"the 
 man would know whom they meant, 
 and the fact that he understood them 
 and made no inquiries about him, shows 
 that he was acquainted with Jesus, and 
 was probably himself a disciple. ^ My 
 time is at hand. That is, is near. By 
 his time here may be meant, either hia 
 time to eat the passovf, or the time of 
 his death. It has bo:n supposed by 
 many that Jesus, in accordance with a 
 part of the Jews who rejected tradi- 
 tions, anticipated the usual observance 
 of the passover, or kept it one day 
 sooner. The Pharisees had devised 
 many forms of ascertaining when the 
 month commenced. They placed wit 
 nesses around the heights of the tem- 
 ple to observe the first appearance of 
 the new moon; they examined iVe 
 witnesses with much formahty, and 
 endeavored also to obtain the exact time 
 by astronomical calculations. Others 
 held that the month properly com 
 menced when the moon was visible. 
 Thus it is said a difference arose be- 
 tween them about the time of the pass- 
 over, and that Jesus kept it one day 
 sooner than most of the people. The 
 foundation of the opinion that Jesus 
 anticipated the usual time of keeping 
 the passover, is the following : 1st. In 
 John xviii. 28, it is said that on the day 
 on which our Lord was crucified, and 
 of course the day after he had eaten 
 the passover, the chief priests would 
 not go into the judgment-hall, lest they 
 should be defiled, but that they might 
 eat the passover, evidently meaning that 
 it was to be eaten that day. 2d. In 
 John ,xix. 14, the day on which he was 
 crucified is called the preparation of the 
 passover, that is, the day on which it 
 was prepared to be eaten in the even- 
 ing. 3d. In John xix. 31, the day in 
 which our Lord lay in the grave was 
 called the great day of the sabbath, 
 " a high day." That is, the day after 
 the passover was killed, the sabbath 
 occurring on the first day of the feasi
 
 298 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 hand ; I will keep the passover at 
 thy house with my disciples. 
 
 19 And the disciples did as Jesus 
 had appointed them ; and they made 
 ready tlie passover. 
 
 20 Now when the even was 
 come, he sat down with the twelve. 
 
 properly, and therefore a day of pecu- 
 liar solemnity. Yet our Saviour had 
 par'aken of it two days before, and 
 therefore the day before the body of the 
 people. If this opinion be true, then 
 the phrase "my time is at hand," means 
 my time for keeping the passover is near. 
 Whether the opinion be true or not, 
 there may be a reference also to his 
 death. This was probably a disciple of 
 his, though perhaps a secret one. Jesus 
 might purpose to keep the passover at 
 his house, that he might inform him 
 more particularly respecting his death, 
 and prepare him for it. He sent there- 
 fore to him, and said, " I will keep the 
 passover at thy hoHse." 
 
 Mark and Luke add, that he would 
 show them " a large upper room, fur- 
 nished and prepared." Ancient writers 
 remark that at the time of the great 
 feasts, the houses in Jerusalem were 
 all open to receive guests ; that the 
 houses were in a manner common to 
 the people of Judea ; and there is no 
 doubt, therefore, that the master of a 
 house would have it ready on such oc- 
 casions for company. It is possible also 
 that there might have been an agree- 
 ment between this man and our Lord, 
 that he would prepare his house for 
 him, though this was unknown to the 
 disciples. The word rendered furnish- 
 ed means literally spread; that is, spread 
 with carpets, and with couches, on which 
 to recline at the table, after the manner 
 of the East. See Note, Matt, xxiiii. 6. 
 
 19. They made ready the passover. 
 That is, they procured a paschal la;nh, 
 multitudes of which were kept for sale 
 m the temple; they procured it to be 
 killed and flayed by the priests, and the 
 blood to be poured at the altar ; they 
 roasted the lamb, and prepared the bit- 
 ter herbs, the sauce, and the unleaven- 
 ed bread. This was done, it seems, 
 while our Lord was absent, by the two 
 disciples. 
 
 20. IVhen the even was come. The 
 'amb was killed between the evenings, 
 Ex. xii. 6 ^Hebrew) ; that is, between 
 
 21 And as they did eat, he said, 
 Verily I say unto you, that one of 
 you shall betray me. 
 
 22 And they were exceeding sor 
 rowful, and began every one of them 
 to say unto him, Lord, is it I ? 
 
 three o'clock P. M. and nine in the 
 evening. The Jews reckoned two eve- 
 nings, one from three o'clock P. M. to 
 sunset, the other from sunset to the 
 close of the first watch in the night, or 
 nine o'clock. The paschal supper was 
 commonly eaten after the setting of the 
 sun, and often in the night. Ex. xii. 8. 
 If He sat down. At first the supper was 
 eaten standing, with their loins girded 
 and their staff in their hand, denoting 
 the haste with which they were about 
 to flee from Egypt. Afterwards, how- 
 ever, they introduced the practice, it 
 seems, of partaking of this as they did 
 of their ordinary meals. The original 
 word is, he reclined; i. e., he placed 
 himself on the couch in a rechning pos- 
 ture, in the usual manner in which they 
 partook of their meals. Note, Matt. 
 ixiii. 6. While reclining there at the 
 supper, th disciples had a dispute which 
 should be the greatest. See Notes on 
 Luke xxii. 24 — 30. At this time also, 
 before the institution of the Lord's sup 
 per, Jesus washed the feet of his dis- 
 ciples, to t3:ich them humility. See 
 Notes on John xiii. 1 — 20. 
 
 21—24. As they did eat, &c. The 
 account contained in these verses is 
 also recorded in Mark xiv. 18 — 21, 
 Luke xxii. 21—23, John xiii. 21, 22. 
 John says, that before Jesus declared 
 that one of them should betray him, 
 he luas troubled in spirit, and testified. 
 That is, he felt deeply the greatness of 
 the crime that Judas was about to com- 
 mit, and anticipated with much feeling 
 the sufferings that he was to endure. 
 If He testified. He bore witness, or 
 he declared. 
 
 22. They were exceeding sorrowful. 
 John says, they looked on one another, 
 like men in anxiety, conscious each 
 one, except Judas, of no such inten- 
 tion, and each one beginning to ex- 
 amine himself, to find whether he was 
 the person intended. This showed their 
 innocence, and their attachment to Je- 
 sus. It showed how sensitive l\iev were 
 to the least suspicion of the kind It
 
 A. D 33.' 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 299 
 
 23 And he answered and said, 
 • He that dippeth his hand with me 
 in the dish, the same shall betray me. 
 
 a Ps.41.9. 55.12-J5. 
 
 showed that they were willing to know 
 themselves ; thus evincing the spirit of 
 the true Christian. Judas only was 
 silent, and was the last to make the 
 inquiry, and that after he had been 
 plainly indicated. Ver. 25. Thus show- 
 ing. 1st, that guilt is slow to suspect 
 itself; 2d, that it shrinks from the 
 light ; 3d, that it was his purpose to 
 conceal his intention ; and, 4th, that 
 nothing but the consciousness that his 
 Lord knew it could induce him to make 
 inquiry. The guilty would, if possible, 
 always conceal their crimes. The in- 
 nocent are ready to suspect that they 
 may have done wrong. Their feelings 
 are tender, and they inquire with so- 
 licitude whether there may not be 
 something in their bosoms unknown to 
 themselves, that may be a departure 
 from right feeling. 
 
 23. He that dippeth his hand with me 
 in the disk. The Jews, at the obser- 
 vance of this ordinance, used a bitter 
 fauce, maile of bunches of raisins, 
 mixed with vinegar and other season- 
 ing of the like kind, which they said 
 represented the clay which their fathers 
 were compelled to use in Egypt, in 
 making brick ; thus reminding them 
 of their bitter bondage there. This 
 was probably the dish to which refe- 
 rence is made here. It is not improba- 
 ble that Judas reclined near to our 
 Saviour at the feast, and by his saying 
 it was one that dipped with him in the 
 dish, he meant one that was near to 
 him, designating him more particularly 
 than he had done before. John adds 
 (.\iii. 23 — 30; see Note on that place) 
 that a disciple (i. e., John himself) was 
 reclining on Jesus' bosom ; that Simon 
 Peter beckoned to him to ask Jesus 
 more particularly who it was ; that Je- 
 sus signified who it was, by giving 
 Judas a sop; i. e., a piece of bread or 
 meal, dipped in the thick sauce, and 
 that Judas having received it, went out 
 :o accomplish his wicked design of be- 
 traying him. Judas was not, there- 
 'bre, present at the institution of the 
 Lord's supper. 
 
 2-1 IVie Son of man goeth. That is, 
 ihe Messiah ; the Christ. Note. Matt. 
 
 24 The Son of tuaii go<eth as it is 
 written * of him : but woe unto thai 
 man by whom the Son of man is 
 
 6 Ps.2a. Is. 53. 
 
 viii. 20. ^ Goeth. Dies, or will die. 
 The Hebrews often spoke in this man- 
 ner of death. Ps. xxxix. 13. Gen. XV. 
 2. IT As it is written of him. That is. 
 as it is written or prophesied of him in 
 the Old Testament. Compare Ps. xli. 
 9, with John xiii. 18. See also Dan. 
 ix. 26, 27. Isa. liii. 4—9. Luke (xxii. 
 22) says, as it was determined. In the 
 Greek, as it was marked out by a boun- 
 dary; that is, in the divine purpose. It 
 was the previous inttntion of God to 
 give him up to die for sin, or it could 
 not have been certainly predicted. It 
 is also declared to have been by his de- 
 terminate counsel and foreknowledge. 
 Acts ii. 23. If Wo unto that man, &c. 
 The crime is great and awful, and he 
 will be punished accordingly. He states 
 the greatness of his misery in the pnrase 
 following. ^ It had been gojd, &c 
 That is, it would have been better for 
 him if he had not been born ; or it 
 would be better now for him if he v/aa 
 to be as if he had not been born, or it 
 he was annihilated. This was a pro- 
 verbial mode of speaking among the 
 Jews in frequent use. In relation to 
 Judas, it proves the following things: 
 1st, that the crime which he was about 
 to commit was exceedingly great ; 2d, 
 that the misery or punishment due to it 
 would certainly come upon him ; 3d, 
 that he would certainly deserve that 
 misery, or it would not be threatened 
 or inflicted ; and, 4th, that his punish- 
 ment would be eternal. If there should 
 be any period when the sufl'crings of 
 Judas should end, and he be restored 
 and raised to heaven, the blessings of 
 that happiness without end would infi- 
 nitely overbalance all the sufl'orings he 
 will endure in a limited time ; and con- 
 sequently it would 710* be true that it 
 would be better for him not to have 
 been born. Existence to him would 
 be a blessing. It follows that in rela- 
 tion to o7ie wicked man, the sufl'eringa 
 of hell will be eternal. If o( one, then 
 it is equally certain and proper that all 
 the Wicked will perish for ever. 
 
 If it be asked how this crime of Judas 
 could be so great, or could be a crime 
 at all, when it was determined before-
 
 300 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 betrayed ! it had been good for that 
 man if he had not been born. 
 
 25 Then Judas, which betrayed 
 him, answered and said, Master, is 
 a 1 Cor.ll.23,&c- 
 
 hand that the Saviour should be betray- 
 ed and die in this manner, it may be 
 answered : 1st. That the crime was 
 what it was in itself, apart from any 
 determination of God. It was a viola- 
 tion of all the duties he owed to God, 
 and to the Lord Jesus ; awful ingrati- 
 tude, detestable covetousness, and most 
 base treachery. As such it deserved to 
 be punished. 2d. The previous pur- 
 pose of God did not force Judas to do 
 this. In it he acted freely. He did 
 just what his wicked heart prompted 
 him to do. 3d. A previous kiwwledge 
 of a thing, or a previous -purpose to per- 
 mit a thing, does not alter its nature, 
 or cause it to be a different thing from 
 what it is. 4th. God, who is the best 
 judge of the nature of crime, holds all 
 ihat was ione in crucifying the Saviour, 
 though it was by his determinate coun- 
 sel and foreknowledge, io he by loicked 
 hands. Acts ii. 23. This punishment 
 of Judas proves also that sinners cannot 
 take shelter for their sins in the decrees 
 of God, or plead them as an e.xcuse. 
 God will punish crimes for what they 
 are in themselves. His own deep and 
 inscrutable purposes in regard to hu- 
 man actions will not change the nature 
 jf those actions, or screen the sinner 
 ♦rom the punishment which he de- 
 «erves. 
 
 25. Thou hast said. That is, thou 
 ^ast said the truth. It is so. Thou art 
 ihe man. Compare verse 64 of this 
 chapter with Mark xiv. 62. 
 
 26—30. See also Mark xiv. 22 — 26. 
 Luke xxii. 15—20. 1 Cor. xi. 23—25. 
 
 26. As they were eating. As they 
 v/ere eating the paschal supper, near 
 the close ot the meal. Luke adds, that 
 he said, just befbre instituting the sa- 
 cramental supper, "with desire, have 
 I desired to eat this passover with you 
 •jefore I suffer." This is a Hebrew 
 iiianner of expressiop, signifying / 
 have greatly desired. He had desired 
 
 doubti(!SS, (1.) that he might institute 
 me supper, to be a perpetual memorial 
 of him ; (2.) that he might strengthen 
 ihcm for their approaching trials ; (3.) 
 •hat he mlRht explain to them the true 
 
 it I ■? He said unto him, Thou hast 
 said. 
 
 26 And " as they were eating 
 Jesus took bread, and ^ blessed it, 
 1 Many Greek copies have, gave thanks. 
 
 nature of the passover ; and (4.) that 
 he might spend another season with 
 them in the duties of religion, of wor- 
 ship. Every Christian about to die, 
 will also seek opportunities of drawing 
 specially near to God, and of holding 
 communion with him, and with his peo- 
 ple. IT Jesus took bread. That is, the 
 unleavened bread which they used at 
 the celebration of the passover, made 
 into thin cakes, easily broken and dis- 
 tributed. ^ And blessed it. Or soijghl 
 a blessing on it ; or gave thanks to God 
 j for it. The word rendered blessed, not 
 unfrequently means to give thanks. 
 1 Compare Luke ix. 16, and John vi. 11. 
 It is also to be remarked, that some 
 manuscripts have the word rendered 
 gave thanks, instead of the one trans- 
 lated blessed. It appears from the writ- 
 j ings of Philo, and the Rabbins, that the 
 I Jews were never accustomed to eat 
 ! without giving thanks to God, and seek- 
 ing his blessing. This was especially 
 the case in both the bread and the wine 
 used at the passover. IT And brake it. 
 This breaking of the bread represented 
 the sufferings of Jesus about to take 
 place — his body broken or wounded for 
 sin. Hence Paul (1 Cor. xi. 24) adds 
 " this is my body which is broken fo! 
 you." That is, which is about to bt 
 broken for you by death, or wounded, 
 pierced, bruised, to inake atonement 
 for your sins. If This is my body. This 
 represents my body. This broken brcacl 
 shows the manner in which my body 
 will be broken ; or this will serve to 
 call my dying sufferings to your re- 
 membrance. It is not meant that hia 
 body would be literally broken as the 
 bread was, but that the bread would be 
 a significant emblem or symbol to re- 
 call to their remembrance his suffer- 
 ings. It is not improbable that our 
 Lord pointed to the broken bread, or 
 laid his hands on it, as if he had said, 
 ' Lo, my body! or. Behold my body! 
 that which represents my broken body 
 to you.' This could not be intended to 
 mean, that that bread was literally his 
 body. It was not. His body was then 
 before them living. Ana there is nc
 
 A. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XX\1. 
 
 301 
 
 and brake //, and gave it to the dis- 
 ciples, and said, Take, eat; ti.is is 
 my body. 
 
 greater absurdity than to imagine his 
 living body there changed at once to 
 death, and then the bread to be changed 
 into that dead body, and all the while 
 the living body of Jesus was before 
 ihem. \ et this is the absurd and im- 
 possible doctrine of the Roman Catho- 
 lics, holding that the bread and wine 
 were literally changed into the body and 
 blood of our Lord. This was a com- 
 mon mode of speaking among the Jews, 
 and exactly similar to that used by 
 Moses at the institution of the passover. 
 (Ex. xii. 11) "It," i.e., the Lamb, 
 "is the Lord's passover." That is, 
 the Lamb and the feast, represent the 
 Lord's passing over the houses of the 
 Israehtes. It serves to remind you of 
 It. It surely cannot be meant that that 
 Lamb was the literal passing over their 
 houses — a palpable absurdity — but that 
 it represented it. So Paul and Luke 
 say of the bread, "this is my body 
 broken for you : iJiis do in rejiem- 
 13RANCE of me." This expresses the 
 whole design of the sacramental bread. 
 It is to call to remembrance in a vivid 
 manner the dying suflerings of our 
 Lord. The sacred writers, moreover, 
 often denote that one thing is represent- 
 ed by another by using the word is. 
 See Matt. xiii. 37. He that soweth the 
 good seed is the Son of man; i ^. re- 
 presents the Son of man. Gen. xh. 26. 
 The seven good kinc ake seven j-ears ; 
 i. e., represent or signify seven years. 
 See also John .xv. 1, 5. Gen. xvii. 10. 
 The meaning of this important passage 
 may be thus expressed : ' As I give 
 this broken bread to you, to eat, so will 
 I deliver my body to be afflicted and 
 slain for your sins.' 
 
 27. And he took the cup. That is, the 
 cup of wine which they used at the feast 
 of the passover, called the cup of Hal- 
 Id, or praise, because t'jey commenced 
 then repeating the psalms with which 
 they closed the passover. See Ver. 30. 
 Phis cup, Luke says, he took after 
 'upper. That is, after they had fiiiish- 
 td the ordinary celebration of eating 
 the passover. The bread was taken 
 while they were eating, the cup after 
 they had done eating. IT^ti^ gave 
 26 
 
 27 And he took the cup, and 
 gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
 saying. Drink ye all of it : 
 
 23 For this is my blood of the 
 
 of it. That 
 drink of it ;' 
 
 thanks. See on ver. 26. 1i Drink ye all 
 That is, ' all of you, disciples, 
 not, 'drink aZZ the wine.' 
 28. For this is my blood. This repre- 
 sents my blood : as the bread did h.' 
 body. Luke and Paul vary the expres 
 sion, adding what Matthew and ftlark 
 ha\e omitted. " This cup is the New 
 Te:-tament in my blood." By this cup, 
 he meant the wine m the cup, and not 
 the cup itself Pointing to it, probably, 
 he said, 'this — wine — represents my 
 blood about to be shed.' The phrase, 
 "new testament," should have been 
 rendered 7iew covenaiit, referring to thft 
 covenant or compact that God was about 
 to make with men through a Redeem- 
 er. The old covenant was that which 
 was made with the Jews by the sprin- 
 kling of the blood of sacrifices. See 
 Ex. xxiv. 8. And Moses took the 
 blood, and sprinkled it on the people , and 
 said, Behold the blood of the covenant 
 which the Lord hath made with you, 
 &.C. In allusion to that, Jesus sa)'s, 
 this cup is the new covenant in my 
 blood ; that is, ratified, or sealed and 
 sanclioTied by my blood. Anciently, co 
 venants or contracts were ratified by 
 slaying an animal ; by the shedding of 
 its blood, imprecating similar vengeance 
 if either party failed in the compact. 
 So Jesus says the covenant which God 
 is about to form with men, the new co- 
 venant, or the gospel economy, is seal- 
 ed or ratified with his blood. If Whicr, 
 is shed for many for the remission oj 
 sins. In order that sins may be remit 
 ted, or forgiven. That is, this is th- 
 appointed way, by which God will par 
 don transgressions. That blood is efli 
 cacious for the pardon of sin : 1st. Be 
 cause it is the life of Jesuf ; the blooc 
 being used by the sacred writers as re- 
 presenting life itself, or as containing 
 the elements of liic. Gen. ix. 4. Lev. 
 xvii. 14. It was forbidden, therefore, 
 to eat blood, because it contained the 
 life, or was the fife, of the animal. 
 When, therefore, Jesus says his blood 
 was shed for many, it is the 'same as 
 saying that his life was given for many. 
 See Note on Rom. iii. 25. 2d. His hfo 
 was given for sinners, or he died in the
 
 802 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 new testament, " which is shed for 
 many for the remission of sins. 
 
 29 But I say unto you, 1 will rot 
 
 drink henceforth of this fruit of the 
 
 vine, until that day when I drink it 
 
 new with you in my Father's king- 
 
 om. * 
 
 a, Je.31.31. h Is.25.6. 
 
 j-lace of sinners, as their substitute. By 
 nis death on the cross, the death, or 
 punishment due to them in hell maj' be 
 removed, and their souls be saved. He 
 endured so much suffering, bore so much 
 agony, that God was pleased to accept 
 it in the place of the eiernal torments 
 of all the redeemed. The interests of 
 justice, the honor and stability of his 
 government, would be as secure in sav- 
 ing them in this manner, as if the suf- 
 fering were inflicted on them personally 
 in hell. God, by giving his Son to die 
 for sinners, has shown his infinite ab- 
 horrence of sin: since, according to his 
 view, and, therefore, according to irw^^, 
 nothing else would show its evil nature, 
 but the awful sufferings of his own 
 Son. That he died in the stead or 
 place of sinners, is abundantly clear 
 from the following passages of scrip- 
 ture : John i. 29. Eph. v. 2. Heb. vii. 
 27. 1 John ii. 2 ; iv. 10. Isa. liii. 10. 
 Rom. viii. 32. 3 Cor. v. 15. 
 
 29. But 1 say unto you, &c. That 
 is, the observance of the passover, and 
 of the rites shadowing forth future 
 things, here end. I am about to die. 
 The design of all these types and sha- 
 dows is about to be accomplished. This 
 is the last time that I shall partake of 
 them with you. Hereafter, when my 
 Father's kingdom is established in hea- 
 ven, we will partake together of the 
 thing represented by these types and 
 'eremanial ohserva7ices ; the blessings 
 and triumphs of redemption, "i Fruit 
 of the vine. Wine, \hejf'ruit or produce 
 of the vine, made of the grapes of the 
 vine. IT Until that day. Probably the 
 ime when they should be received to 
 heaven. It does not mean here on 
 earth, farther than that they would 
 partake widi him in the happiness of 
 spreading the gospel, a)id the triumphs 
 of his kingdom. IT JVhen 1 drink it 
 new with you. Not that he would par- 
 take with lliem of literal wine there, 
 but in the thing represented by it. 
 VVine was an important part of the I 
 
 30 And when they had sung ap 
 ' hymn, they went out into th» 
 Mount of Olives. 
 
 31 Then saith Jesus unto them 
 All ye shall be offended because of 
 me this night : for it is written, ' 1 
 will smite the Shepherd, and the 
 
 ' or, psalm. c Zgc.13.7. 
 
 feast of the passover, and of all feasts. 
 The kingdom of heaven io often repre 
 sented under the image of a feast. It 
 means that he will partake of joy with 
 them in heaven; that they will share 
 together the honors and happiness oi 
 the heavenly world. IT New. In a new 
 manner; or, perhaps, a/res/i. "i In my 
 Father^s kingdom. In heaven. The 
 place where God shall reign in a king- 
 dom fully estabhshed and pure. 
 
 30. And when they had sung an hymn. 
 The passover was observed by the Jews 
 by singing, or chanting the 113th, 1 14th, 
 115th, UGth, llTth, and 118th psalms.. 
 These they divided into two parts. The 
 113th and 114ih psalms they sung dur- 
 ing the observance of the passover, and 
 the others at the close. There can he 
 no doubt that our Saviour, and the 
 apostles also, used the same psalms in 
 their observance of the passover. The 
 word rendered sung a hymn, is a parti- 
 ciple, literally meaning hymning, no 
 confined to a single hymn, but admit- 
 ting many, "t Mount of Olives. See 
 Note, Matt. xxi. 1. 
 
 31 — 35. Jesus foretells the fall of Pe- 
 ter. This is also recorded in Marli xiv. 
 27 — 31. Luke xxii. 31 — 34. John xiii 
 34— 3S. 
 
 31. Then said Jesus u7ito them, &.c 
 The occasion of his saying this was. 
 Peter's bold alRrmalion that he was 
 ready to die with him. John xiii. 36. 
 Jesus had told them that he was going 
 away, i. e., was about to die. Peter 
 asked him whither he was going. Je- 
 sus replied, that he could not follow 
 then, but should afterwards. Peter, 
 not satisfied with that, said that he was 
 ready to lay down his life lor him. Je- 
 sus then distinctly informed them tkat 
 all of them would leave him that night. 
 1i All of ye shall he offended because of 
 me. See Note, Matt. v. 29. It means, 
 here, you will all stumble at my being 
 taken, abused, and set at naught ; you 
 will be ashamed to own me as a teacher, 
 and to acknowledge yourselves as mv
 
 A D,33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 30i 
 
 sheep of the flock shall be scattered 
 abroal. 
 
 32 But after I am risen again, " I 
 will go before you into Galilee. 
 
 33 Peter answered and said unto 
 •lim, Though all men shall be oflend- 
 ed because of thee, yet will I never 
 be offended. 
 
 a c.28.7,10,16. 
 
 disciples. Or, my being betrayed will 
 prove a snare to you all, so that you 
 Bhall be guilty of the sin of forsaking 
 me, and by your conduct of denying 
 me. 'i For it is written, &c. See 
 Zech. xiii. 7. This is affirmed here to 
 have reference to the Saviour, and to 
 be fulfilled in him. IT / will smite. 
 This is the language of God, the Fa- 
 ther. / will smite, means either that I 
 will give him up to be smitten (com- 
 pare Ex. iv. 21, with viii. 15, &c.), or 
 that / will do it myself Both of these 
 things were done. God gave him up 
 to the Jews and Romans, to be smit- 
 ten for the sins of the world (Rom. viii. 
 32) ; and he himself left him to deep 
 and awful sorrows, to bear " the bur- 
 den of the world's atonement" alone. 
 See Mark .\v. 34. IT The Shepherd. 
 The Lord Jesus — the Shepherd of his 
 people. John x. 11, 14. Comp. Note 
 on Isa. xl. 11. ^ The sheep. This 
 means here particularly the apostles. It 
 also refers sometimes to all the fol- 
 lowers of Jesus, the friends of God. 
 John X. IG. Ps. c. 3. IT Shall be 
 scattered abroad. This refers to their 
 fleeing, and was fulfilled in that. See 
 verse 56 of this chapter. 
 
 32. But after I am risen, &c. This 
 promise was given them to encourage 
 and support them, and also to give 
 them an indication where he might be 
 found. He did not mean that he would 
 first appear to some of them, but that 
 he would meet them all in GaUlee. 
 This was done. See Mark xvi. 7. 
 Matt. x.\viii. 16. IT Galilee. See Note, 
 Vlatt. ii. 22. 
 
 33. Peter answered — though all, &c. 
 The word men is improperly inserted 
 iinre by the translators. Peter meant 
 only to affirm this of the disciples. This 
 confdenee of Peter was entirely cha- 
 racteristic. He was ardent, sincere, 
 ■ind really attached to his Master, 
 Vet this declaration was made evi 
 deutlj : 1st. From true love to Jesus 
 
 34 Jesus said unto him. Verily 1 
 say unto thee, that this night, be- 
 fore the cock crow, thou shall den3 
 me thrice. 
 
 35 Peter said unto him, Thougt 
 I should die with thee, yet will i 
 not deny thee. Likewise also sair 
 all the disciples. 
 
 2d. From too much reliance on hit 
 own strength. 3d. From ignorance of 
 himself, and of the trials which he was 
 soon to 'pass through. And it most 
 impressively teaches us : 1st. That no 
 strength of attachment to Jesus can 
 justify such confident promises of fide 
 lity, made without dependence on him. 
 2d. That all promises to adhere to him, 
 should be made relying on him for aid. 
 3d. That we little know how feeble wo 
 are, till we are tried. 4th. That Chris 
 tians may be left to great and disgrace 
 ful sins to show them their weakness. 
 
 Luke adds, that Jesus said to Peter, 
 that Satan had desired to have him, 
 that he might sift him as wheat ; thf.t 
 he might moroughly try him. But 
 Jesus says that he had prayed tor hira, 
 that his faith should not fail, and 
 charged him when he was converted, 
 i. e., when he was turned from this ■.An, 
 to strengthen his brethren, i. e., by 
 teaching them to take warning by his 
 example. Sec Note on Luke xx.u. 31 — 
 33. 
 
 34. This night. This was in the 
 evening when this was spoken, after 
 the observance of the passover, and we 
 may suppose near nine o'clock, "i Be 
 fore the cock crow. Mark and Luke 
 add, before the cock crow twice. The 
 cock is accustomed to crow twice, once 
 at midnight, and once in the morning, 
 at break of day. The latter was com- 
 monly called cock-crowing. See Mark 
 .xiii. 35. This was the time familiarly 
 known as the cock-crowing, and of 
 this Matthew and John speak, without 
 referring to the other. Mark and Luke 
 speak of the second crowing, and mean 
 the same time ; so that there is no con- 
 tradiction between them. ^ Deny me 
 thrice. That is, as Luke adds, deny 
 that thou hnowest me. See vf. 74. 
 
 35. Will net deny thee. Will noi 
 deny my connexion wit^. (bee, or that I 
 knew thee. All the distipies sani tu« 
 same thing, and all fled at the approach
 
 304 
 
 36 Then " coaieth Jesus with 
 them unto a place called Gethse- 
 mane, and saith unto the disciples, 
 Sit ye here, while I go and pray 
 yonder, 
 o Mar.l4.32,&c. Lu.22.30,&c. Jno.l8.1,&c. 
 
 of danger, forsaking their Master and 
 Friend, and practically denying that 
 they knew him. Ver. 56. 
 
 36 — i5. Jesus^ ogony in Gelhsemane. 
 This account is also recorded in Mark 
 viv. 32—42. Luke xxii. 39—46. John 
 t\iii. 1. • 
 
 36. The'ji Cometh, &c. After the in- 
 stitution of the supper, in the early part 
 of the night, he went out to th-5 mount 
 of Olives. In his journey he passed 
 over the brook Cedron (John xviii. 1), 
 which bounded Jerusalem on the east. 
 ^ To a place. John calls this a garden. 
 This garden was evidently on the 
 western side of the mount of Olives, a 
 short distance from Jerusalem, and 
 commanding a full view of the city. 
 It is doubted whether the word ren- 
 dered garden means a villa or country 
 seat, or a garden, properly so called. 
 It is probable that it might include 
 both : a cluster of houses, or a small 
 village in which was a garden. The 
 word here means not properly a garden 
 for the cultivation of vegetables, but a 
 place planted with the olive and other 
 trees, perhaps with a fountain of waters, 
 and with walks and groves ; a proper 
 place of refreshment in a hot chrnate, 
 and of retirement from the noise of the 
 adjacent city. Such places were doubt- 
 less common in the vicinity of Jerusa- 
 lem. Messrs. Fisk and King, American 
 missionrfHes, were there in 1823. They 
 tell us that the garden is about a stone's 
 cast irom the brook of Cedron ; that it 
 now contains eight large and venerable 
 looking olives, whose trunks show their 
 great antiquity. The spot is sandy and 
 barren, and appears like a forsaken 
 place. A low broken wall surrounds 
 it. Mr. K. sat down beneath one of the 
 irces, and read Isa. liii., and also the 
 gospel history of our Redeemer's sor- 
 row during that memorable night in 
 which he was there betrayed ; and the 
 interest of the association was height- 
 ened by the passing through the place 
 rf a party of Bedouins, armed with 
 »i')eara and swords. Jesus, in the si- 
 ;ence of the night, free from uiternip- 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. :<?f 
 
 37 And he took with him Petei 
 and the two sons of Zebedee, and 
 began to be sorrowful and very 
 heavy. 
 
 38 Then saith he unto them, My 
 
 tion, made it a place of retirement and 
 prayer. 
 
 Luke says, he went as he was wont, 
 i. e., accustomed, to the mount o*" 
 Olives. Probably he had been in the 
 habit of retiring from Jerusalem to that 
 place for meditation and prayer; thus 
 enforcing by his example what he haa 
 so often done by his precepts, the duly 
 of retiring from the noise and bustle of 
 the world to hold communion with God. 
 If Gelhsemane. This word is made up 
 either of two Hebrew words, signifying 
 valley of fatness, i. e. a fertile valley; 
 or of two words, signifying an olive 
 press, given to it probably because the 
 place was filled with olives. IT Sit ye 
 here. That is, in one part of the gar- 
 den, to which they first came. ^ Whilt 
 I go and pray yonder. That is, at the 
 distance of a stone's cast. Luke xxii. 
 4L Luke adds, that when he came to 
 the garden, he charged them to pray 
 that they might not enter into tempta- 
 tion ; i. e., into deep trials and affiictious, 
 or more probably into scenes and dan 
 gers that would tempt them to deny 
 him. 
 
 37. And he tooli with him Peter, and 
 the two S071S of Zebedee. That is, Jamea 
 and John. Matt. x. 2. On two other 
 occasions he had favored these disciples 
 in a particular manner, suffering them 
 to go with him to witness his power and 
 glory, viz., at the healing of the ruler's 
 daughter (Luke viii 51), and at his 
 transfiguration on the mount. Matt, 
 xvii. 1. ^ Sorrowful. Affected with 
 grief. IT Very heavy. The word in the 
 original is much stronger than the one 
 translated sorrovful. It means, to be 
 pressed down, or overwhelmed with 
 great anguish. This was produced, 
 doubtless, by a foresight of his great 
 sufferings on the cross in making an 
 atonement for the sins of men. 
 
 38. il/y soul is cjccecdi7tg sorrowful. 
 His h.'jnan nature — his soul — was much 
 and deeply affected and pressed down. 
 IT Eve7i unto death. Tliis denotes ex- 
 treme sorrow and agony. The sufTer- 
 ings of death are the greatest of whicb
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 305 
 
 " soul IS exceeding sorrowful, even 
 unto death : tarry ye here, and ■>vatch 
 with me. 
 
 39 And he went a little farther, 
 and fell on his face, and * prayed, 
 a Ps.llG.3. Is.53.3,10. Jno. 12.27. 6 He.5.7. 
 
 we have any knowledge ; they are the 
 most feared and dreaded by man ; and 
 tiiose sufierings are, therei'ore, put for 
 oxtremc and indescribable anguish. 
 The meaning may be thus expressed : 
 My sorrows are so great, tliat under their 
 burden I am ready to die ; such is the 
 anxiety of mind, that I seem to bear the 
 pains of death ! °« Tarry ye here and 
 watch with me. The word rendered 
 watch, means literally to abstain from 
 sleep; then to be vigilant; to guard 
 against danger. Here it seems to mean, 
 to sympathize with him ; to unite with 
 him in seeking divine support ; and to 
 prepare themselves for approaching 
 dangers. 
 
 39. And he tvent a little farther. That 
 is, at the distance that a man could con- 
 veniently cast a stone. (Luke.) IT Fell 
 on his face. Luke says, "he kneeled 
 down." He did both. He Jirst kneeled, 
 and then in the fervency of his prayer, 
 and the depth of his sorrow, he fell with 
 his face on the ground, denoting the 
 deepest anguish, and the most earnest 
 entreaty. This was the usual posture 
 of prayer in times of great earnestness. 
 See Num. xvi. 22. 2 Chron. xx. 18. 
 Neh. viii. 6. ^ If it be possible. That 
 is, if the world can be redeemed ; if it 
 be consistent with justice, and with 
 maintaining the government of the uni- 
 verse, that men should be saved tvith- 
 0ut this extremity of sorrow, let it be 
 done. There is no doubt that if it had 
 been possible, it would have been done ; 
 und the fact that these sufferings were 
 not removed, that the Saviour went for- 
 ward and bore them without mitigation, 
 shows that it was not consistent with 
 Ae justice of God, and with the welfare 
 ■»f the universe, that men should be 
 ^aved without the awful sufferings of 
 •uch an atonement. IT Let this cup. 
 These bitter sufferings. These ap- 
 i^roachhig trials. The v/ord cup is often 
 ised in this sense, denoting sufferings. 
 See Note on Matt. xx. 22. IT Not as I 
 \uill, hut ar thou wilt. As Jesus was 
 man, is well as God, there is nothing 
 inconsis'cnt in supposing that, like a 
 
 sayinor, O my Father, if it be pos- 
 sible, let this cup ' pass from me ! 
 nevertheless, ^ not as I will, but as 
 thou wilt. 
 
 40 And he cometh unto the dis- 
 ec.20.22. d Jno.5.30. G.38. Uo.15.3. Pli.2.S. 
 
 man, he was deeply affected in view of 
 these sorrows. When he speaks oihia 
 will, he expresses what human nature, 
 in view of such great sufferings, would 
 desire. It naturally shrunk from them, 
 and sought dehvcrance. Yet he sought 
 to do the will of God. He chose rather 
 that the high purpose of God should be 
 done, than that that purpose should be 
 abandoned, and regard be shown to the 
 fears of his human nature. In this he 
 has left a model of prayer in all times 
 of affliction. It is right, in times of ca- 
 lamity, to seek deliverance. Like the 
 Saviour, also, in such seasons, we 
 should, we must submit cheerfully to 
 the will of God — confident that, in ah 
 these trials, he is wise, and merciful, 
 and good. 
 
 40. And findeth them asleep. It may 
 seem remarkable that, in such circum- 
 stances, with a suffering, pleading Re 
 deemer near, surrounded by danger 
 and having received a special charge ti 
 watch, i. e., not to sleep, they should s(. 
 soon have fallen asleep. It is frequent- 
 ly supposed that this was proof of won- 
 derful stupidity, and indifierence to thei*- 
 Lord's sufi'erings. The truth is, how 
 ever, that it was just the reverse ; it 
 was proof of their great attachment , and, 
 their deep sympathy in his sorrows. 
 Luke has added, that he found them 
 sleeping for sorrow. That is, on ac- 
 count of their sorrow : their grief was so 
 great, that they naturally fell asleep. 
 Multitudes of facts might be brought to 
 show that this is in accordance with the 
 regular effects of grief Dr. Rush says, 
 "There is another symptom of grief, 
 which is not often noticed, and that ia 
 profou?id. sleep. I have often witnessed 
 it even in mothers, immediately after 
 the death of a child. Criminals, we are 
 told by Mr. Akerman, the keeper of 
 Newgate in London, often sleep sound 
 ly the night before their execution. The 
 son of general Custine slept nine hours 
 the night before he was led to the guil- 
 lotine in Paris." Diseases of the Mind, 
 p. 319. IT Sailh unto Feter, &.C. This 
 reproof M'as administered to Peter par'
 
 306 
 
 •iioles, and findeth them asleep, and 
 saith unto Peter, What! could ye not 
 watch with me one hour ? 
 
 41 Watch," and pray, that ye * 
 enter not into temptation : "^ the 
 spirit ^ indeed is willing, but the 
 flesh is weak. 
 
 42 He went away again the se- 
 a Mar.]3.33. 14.38. Lu.22.40. Ep.6.18. Re. 
 
 16.15 . 6Pr.4.14,]5. 
 
 ticu'arly, on account of his warm pro- 
 fessions, his rash zeal, and his self-con- 
 fidence. If he could not keep awake 
 and watch wiih the Saviour for one 
 hour, how little probability was there 
 that he would adhere to him in all the 
 trials through which he was soon to 
 pass ! 
 
 41. Watch. See ver. 38. Greater 
 trials are coming on. It is necessary, 
 therefore, still to be on your guard. 
 If And prat/. Seek aid from God by 
 ■supplication in view of the thickening 
 calamities. IT That ye enter not into 
 temptation. That ye be not overcome 
 and oppressed ^vith these trials of your 
 faith, so as to deny me. The word 
 temptation here properly means, what 
 would try their faith in the approaching 
 calamities, his rejection and death. It 
 would try their faith, because though 
 they supposed he was the Messiah, 
 (hey were not very clearly aware of the 
 necessity of his death ; they did not ful- 
 ly understand that he was to rise again. 
 They had cherished the belief that he 
 was to establish a kingdom while he 
 lived. When they should see him, 
 therefore, rejected, tried, crucified, 
 dead ; when they should see him sub- 
 mit to all this, as if he had not power to 
 dehver himself, then would be the trial 
 of their faith; and in view of it, he ex- 
 horted them to pray that they might not 
 xo enter temptation as to be overcome 
 by it, and fail. If The spirit indeed is 
 xrilling, &c. The mind, the disposition 
 is ready, and disposed to bear these 
 trials, but thejlesh, the natural feelings, 
 through the fear of danger, is weak, and 
 '.vih be hkely to lead you astray when 
 the trial comes. Though you may have 
 ctiong faith, and believe now that you 
 will not deny me, j'ct human nature is 
 weak, shrinks at trials, and you should, 
 therefore, seek strength from on high. 
 I'h'.s was not intended for an apology 
 mr their sleeping, but to excite them. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D.33 
 
 cond time, and prayed, saying, 
 my Father, if this cup may not pass 
 away from me, except 1 drink it, 
 thy will be done. 
 
 43 And he came and found them 
 asleep again : for their eyes were 
 heavy. 
 
 44 And he left them, and went 
 cRe.3.10. dls.26.8,9. Ro.7.18-25. Ga.5 
 
 17. 
 
 notwithstanding he knew that they 
 loved him, to be on their guard, .est 
 the weakness of human nature should 
 be insufficient to sustain them in the 
 hour of their temptation. 
 
 42 — 44. It is probable that our Lord 
 spent considerable time in prayer, and 
 that the evangelists have recorded rather 
 the substance of his petitions than the 
 very words. He returned repeatedly to 
 his disciples, doubtless to caution them 
 against danger ; to show the deep inter- 
 est which he had in their welfare ; and 
 to show them the extent of his sufferings 
 on their behalf Each time that he re- 
 turned, these sorrows deepened. Again 
 he sought the place of prayer, and as his 
 approaching sufl'erings overwhelmed 
 him, this was the burden of his prayer, 
 and he prayed the same words. Luke 
 adds, that amidst his agonies, an angel 
 appeared from heaven strengthening 
 him. His human nature began to sink, 
 as unequal to his sufl'erings, and a mes- 
 senger from heaven appeared, to sup 
 port him in these heavy trials. It may 
 seem strange, that since Jesus was di- 
 vine (John i. 1), the diviiie nature did not 
 minister strength to the human, and that 
 he that was God, should receive strength 
 from an angel. B ut it should be remem 
 bered, that Jesus came in his human 
 nature, not only to make an atonement, 
 but to be a perfect example of a holy 
 man ; that as such, it was necessary to 
 submit to the common conditions of hu- 
 manity, that he should hve as other 
 men, be sustained as other men, suffer 
 as other men, and be strengthened as 
 other men ; that he should, so to speak, 
 take no advantage in favor of his piety, 
 from his divinity, but submit, in all 
 things, to the common lot of pious men. 
 Hence he supplied his wants, not by his 
 being divine, but in the ordinary way 
 of human life ; hence he preserved him- 
 self from danger, not as God, but bj 
 seeking the usual ways of injman pru
 
 4. D 33] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 303 
 
 avay dgaiii, and prayed the third 
 time, saying the same words. 
 a 2 Cor.12.8. 
 
 dencc and precaution ; hence he met 
 trials as a man ; he received comfort as 
 a man ; and there is no absurdity in 
 supposing that, in accordance with the 
 condition of" his people, his human na- 
 ti'resliould be strengthened an theyare, 
 by those who are set forth to be minis- 
 tering spirits to the heirs of salvation. 
 Heb. i. 14. 
 
 Luke farther adds (xxii. 44), that be- 
 ng in an agony, lie prayed more earn- 
 estly, and his sweat was as it were great 
 drops of blood falling down to the 
 ground. The word agony is taken from 
 thean.\iety, fear, cflbrt, and strong emo- 
 tion, of the wrestlers in the Greek 
 games, about to engage in a mighty 
 struggle. Here it denotes the extreme 
 anguish of mind ; the strong conflict 
 produced between sinking human na- 
 ture and the prospect of deep and over- 
 whelming calatnilies. 1i Great drops of 
 blood. Luke xxii. 44. The word here 
 rendered great drops does not mean 
 drops gently falling on the ground, but 
 rather thick and clammy masses of gore, 
 pressed by inward a^ony through the 
 skin, and, mixing with the sweat, fall- 
 ing thus to the ground. It has been 
 doubted, by some, whether the sacred 
 writer meant to say that there was act- 
 ually blood in this sweat, or only that 
 the sweat was iji the'form of great drops. 
 The natural meaning is, doubtless, that 
 the blood was mingled with his sweat ; 
 that it fell profusely — falling masses of 
 gore ; that it was pressed out by his in- 
 ward anguish ; and <hat this was caused 
 in some way in view of his approaching 
 death. This eflect of extreme sufi'er- 
 ings — of mental anguish — has been 
 known in several other instances. — 
 Bloody sweats have been mentioned by 
 many writers as caused by extreme 
 Buffering. Dr. Doddridge says (Note 
 on Luke xxii. 44), that " Aristotle and 
 Diodorus Siculus both mention bloody 
 sweats, as attending some extraordinary 
 agony of mind ; and I find Loti, in his 
 life of Pope Sextus V., and Sir John 
 Chardin, in his history of Persia, men- 
 tioning a hke phenomenon, to which 
 Dr. .lackson adds another from Thu- 
 anus." It has been objected to this 
 account, that it is improbable, and that 
 «iich an event could not occur. The 
 
 45 Then cometh he to his dfe- 
 ciples, and saith unto them, Sleep 
 
 mstances, however, which are reftn'ed 
 to by Doddridge and others, show suffi- 
 ciently that the objection is unfounded. 
 In addition to these, I may observe, 
 that Voltaire has himself narrated a 
 fact which ought for ever to stop tlie 
 mouths of infidels. Speaking of Charles 
 IX., of Francs, in his Universal His- 
 tory, he says, " He died in his thirty 
 fifth year ; his disorder was of a very 
 remarkable kind ; the blood oozed out 
 of all his pores. This malady, of which 
 there have been other instances, was 
 owing to either excessive fear, or violent 
 agitation, or to a feverish and melan- 
 choly teinperamenl." 
 
 Various opinions have been given of 
 the probable causes of these sorrows of 
 the Saviour. Soine have thought it was 
 a strong shrinking from the maimer of 
 dying on the cross, or from an appre- 
 hension of being forsaken there by the 
 Father ; others that Satan was permit- 
 ted in a peculiar manrier to try him, and 
 to fill his mind with horrors, having de- 
 parted from him at the begnning of his 
 ministry for a season (Luke iv. 13), only 
 to renew his temptations in a more 
 dreadful manner now ; and others that 
 these sufierings were sent upon him as 
 the wrath of God manifested against sin, 
 that God mflkted. them directly upon 
 him by his own hand, to show his ab 
 horrence of the sins of men, for which 
 he was about to die. Where the scrip- 
 tures are silent about the cause, it does 
 not become us confidently to express 
 an opinion. We may suppose, perhaps, 
 without presumption, that a part or all 
 these things were combined to produce 
 this awful suffering. There is no need 
 of supposing that there was a single 
 thing that produced it ; but it is rather 
 probable that this was a rush of feeling 
 from every quarter — his situation, his 
 approaching death, the temptations of 
 the enemy, and the awful sufTering on 
 account of men's sins, and God's hatred 
 of it about to be manifested in his own 
 death — all coming upon his soul at once 
 —sorrow flowing in from every quarter 
 — the concentration of the sufl'erings of 
 the atonement pouring together upon 
 hiir. and filling him with unspeakable 
 anguish. 
 
 45. Sleep on now, and take your rest.
 
 808 
 
 on now and take your rest ; behold, 
 the hour is at hand, and the Son of 
 man is betrayed into the hands of 
 sinners. 
 
 4G Rise, let us be going: behold, 
 Le is at hand that doth betray me. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A.D. 33 
 
 47 And %\hne he yet spake, lo. • 
 Judas, one of the twelve, came, and 
 with him a great multitude, with 
 swords and staves, from the chief 
 priests and elders of the peopJa. 
 
 48 Now he that betrayed him 
 a Ac 1.16. 
 
 Most interpreters have supposed that this 
 should be translated asa.questton, rather 
 than a command. ' Do you sleep now, 
 and take your rest? Is this a time, 
 amidst so much danger, and so many 
 enemies, to give yourselves to sleep? 
 Tills construction is strongly counte- 
 nanced by Luke xxii. 46, where tlie ex- 
 pression. Why sleep ye ? evidently re- 
 fers to the same point of time. There 
 is no doubt that the Greek will bear 
 this construction, and in this way the 
 apparent inconsistency will be removed 
 between this command, to sleep, and 
 that in the next verse, to rise and be 
 going. Others suppose that, his agony 
 being over, and the necessity of watch- 
 ing with him being now past, he kindly 
 permitted them to seelc rspose till they 
 should be roused by the coming of the 
 traitor ; that, while they slept, Jesus 
 continued still awake ; that some con- 
 siderable time elapsed between what 
 was spoken here and in the next verse ; 
 and that Jesus suffered them to sleep 
 until he saw Judas coming, and then 
 aroused them. Others have supposed 
 that he spoke this in irony : Sleep on 
 now, if you can ; talce rest, if possible, 
 in such dangers, and at such a time. 
 But this supposition is unworthy the 
 Saviour and the occasion. Mark adds, 
 "it is enough." That is, sufficient 
 time has been given to sleep. It is 
 time to arise and be going. If The hour 
 is at hand. The time when the Son of 
 man is to be betrayed is near. 1l Sin- 
 ners. Judas, the Roman soldiers, and 
 the Jews. 
 
 46. Eise, let us he p;oing. That is, 
 probably, with them. Let us go where- 
 soever they shall lead us. The time 
 when / must die is come. It is no 
 longer proper to attempt an escape. 
 
 47 — 57. The account of Jesus' beuig 
 betrayed by Judas is recorded by all 
 the evangelists. See Mark xiv. 43 — 
 52. Luke xxii. 47 — 53. John xviii. 
 2—12. 
 
 47. Judas, one of the twelve, came. 
 This was done while he was addressing 
 
 his disciples. John informs us that 
 Judas knew the place, because Jesus 
 was in the habit of going there with his 
 disciples. Judas had passed the time, 
 after he left Jesus and the other disci- 
 ples at the passover, in arranging mat- 
 ters with the Jews, collecting the band, 
 and preparing to go. Perhaps, also, 
 on this occasion they gave him the 
 money which they had promised. '^ A 
 great multitude with swords arid staves. 
 John says, that he had received a 
 hand of men and oncers from the chief 
 priests, &.c. Josephus says (Ant. xx. 
 ch. iv.), that at the festival of the pass- 
 over, when a great multitude of people 
 came to observe the feast, lest there 
 should be any disorder, a band of men 
 was commanded to keep watch at the 
 porches of the temple, to repress a tu- 
 mult, if any should be excited. This 
 band, or guard, was at the disposal of the 
 chief priests. Matt, xxvii. 65. It was 
 composed of Roman soldiers, and waa 
 stationed chiefly at the tower of An- 
 toiiia, at the north-west side of the tem- 
 ple. In addition to this, they had co7i- 
 stant guards stationed around the tem- 
 ple, composed of Levites. The Ro- 
 man soldiers were armed with siuords. 
 The other persons that went out car- 
 ried probably whatever was accessible 
 as a weapon. These were the persons 
 se7it by the priests to apprehend Jesus. 
 Perhaps other desperate men might 
 have joined them. IT Staves. In the 
 original, '^ wood ;" used here in the 
 plural number. It means rather clubs 
 or sticks, than spears. It does not mean 
 staves. Probably it means any weapon 
 at hand, such as a mob can conveni 
 ently collect. John says, that they had 
 la7ite.rns and torches. The passover was 
 celebrated at the full moon. But this 
 night might have been cloudy. The 
 place to wliicli they were goin^ was 
 also shaded with trees ; and Tights, 
 therefore, might be necessary. 
 
 48. Gave them a sign. That i«, told 
 them of a way by which they might 
 know whom to apprehend, i. e jyoiM
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 gave t'liem a siorn, ' saying, Whom- 
 soever I shall kiss, that same is he : 
 hold him fast. 
 
 49 And forthwith he came to Je- 
 sus, and said, Hail, Master; and 
 kissed * him. 
 
 50 And Jesus said unto him, ' 
 Eriend, wherefore art thou come 1 
 
 a Ps.38.I2. b 2 Sa.3.27. 20.9. Ps.28.3. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 30t 
 
 kissing him. It was nigbt. Jesus was, 
 besides, probably personally unknown 
 to the lioma7is, perhaps to liie others 
 also. Judas, therelbre, being well ac- 
 quainted with him, to prevent the pos- 
 sibility of mistake, agreed to designate 
 him by one of the tokens of friendship. 
 John tells us, that Jesus, knowing all 
 things that should come upon him, 
 when they approached him, asked them 
 whom they sought ? and that they re- 
 phed, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus in- 
 formed them that he was the person 
 they sought. They, when they heard 
 it, overawed by his presence, and smit- 
 ten witii the consciousness of guilt, 
 went backward, and fell to the ground. 
 He again asked them whom they 
 sought. They made the same decla- 
 ration : Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus then, 
 since they professed to seek only him, 
 claimed the right that his disciples 
 should be sulfered to escape; — "that 
 the saying might be fulfilled which he 
 spake (John xviii. 9) : Of them which 
 thou gavest me, have I lost none." 
 
 49. Hail, Master. The word trans- 
 lated hail, here, means, to rejoice, to 
 have joy ; and also to have cause of joy. 
 It thus expresses the joy which one 
 friend has when he meets another, es- 
 pecially after an absence. It was used 
 by the Jews and Greeks as a mode of 
 salutation among friends. It would 
 here seem to e.xpress the joy of Judas 
 at finding his Master, and again being 
 with him. ^ Dlaster. In the original, 
 Eahhi. See Note, Matt, xxiii. 7. ^\ Kiss- 
 ed him. Gave him the common salu- 
 tation of friends, when meeting after 
 absence. This mode of salutation was 
 more common among eastern nations 
 than with us. 
 
 50. Aiid Jesus said unto him, Friend. 
 It seems strange to us that Jesus should 
 ^ve the endeared UTvme friend to a man 
 that he knew was his enemy, and that 
 ■*as about to betray him. It should be 
 
 Then came they and laid hands o» 
 Jesus, and took him. 
 
 51 And, behold, one of them 
 which were with Jesus stretched 
 out his hand, and drew his sword, 
 and struck a servant of the high 
 priest, and smote off his ear. 
 
 c Ps.41.9. 55.13. 
 
 remarked, however, that this is the fault 
 of our language, not of the original. 
 In the Greek there are two words 
 which our translators have rendered 
 friend : one implying affection and re- 
 gard, the other not. One is properly 
 rendered friend, the other expresses 
 more nearly what we mean by compan- 
 ion. It is this latter word which is 
 given to the disaffected laborer in the 
 vineyard: ''Friend, I do thee no 
 wrong;" (Matt. xx. 13) to the guest 
 which had not on the wedding garment, 
 in the parable of the marriage feast 
 (Matt, x.xii. 12) ; and to Judas in this 
 place. "H Wherefore art thou come ? This 
 was said, not because he was ignorant 
 why he had come, but probably to fill 
 the mind of Judas with the conscious- 
 ness of his crime, and by a striking 
 question to compel him to think of v.hat 
 he was doing. 
 
 51. One of them which were with Jesus, 
 John informs us that this was Peter. 
 The other evangelists concealed the 
 name, probably because they wrote 
 while Peter was living, and it might 
 have endangered Peter to have it Isnown. 
 1i And drew his sword. The apostles 
 were not commonly armed. On this 
 occasion they had provided two swords. 
 Luke x.xii. 38. In seasons of danger, 
 when traveUing through the country, 
 they were under a necessity of provid- 
 ing means of defending themselves 
 against the robbers that infested the 
 country. This will account for theii 
 having any swords in their possession. 
 See Note on Luke x. 30. These swords 
 Josephus informs us, the people were 
 accustomed to carry under their gar- 
 ments, as they went up to Jerusalem. 
 ^A servant of the high priest. His 
 name, John informs us, was Malchus. 
 Luke adds, that Jesus touched the ear 
 and healed it; thus showing his bene- 
 volence to his foes when they sought 
 his hfe, and giving them proof that thcv
 
 310 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 FA. I). 33 
 
 52 Then said Jesus unto him, 
 Put up again ihy sword into his 
 place : for " all they that take the 
 sword shall perish with the sword. 
 
 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot 
 now pray to my Father, and he 
 shall presently give me more than 
 twelve legions of * angels 1 
 
 54 But how then shall the scrip- 
 
 a Ge.9.6. Eze.35.5,6. Re.13.10. b 2 Ki.6.17. 
 Da.7.10. c.4.11. 
 
 were attacking Him that was sent from 
 heaven. 
 
 52. Thy sicord into his place. Into 
 the sheatn. "» For all they which take 
 the sword, &c. This passage is capa- 
 ble of different significations. 1st. They 
 who resist by the sword the civil ma- 
 mstrate, shall be punished ; and it is 
 dangerous, therefore, to oppose those 
 who come with the authority of the 
 civil ruler. 2d. These men, Jews and 
 Romans, who have taken the sword 
 against the innocent, shall perish by the 
 sword. God will take vengeance on 
 them. But, 3d. The most satisfactory 
 mterpretation is that which regards it as 
 a caution 10 Peter. Peter was rash. 
 Alone he had attacked the whole band. 
 Jesus told him tliat his unseasonable 
 and imprudent defence might be the 
 occasion of liis own destruction. In 
 doing it, he would endanger his hfe, for 
 they who took the sword perished by it. 
 This was probably a proverb, denoting 
 that they who engaged in wars com- 
 monly perished there. 
 
 53. Thinkest thou, &,c. Jesus says, 
 that not only would Peter endanger 
 himself, but his resistance implied a 
 distrust of the protection of God, and 
 was an improper resistance of his will. 
 If it had been proper that they should 
 be rescued, God could easily have fur- 
 nished far more efficient aid than that 
 of Peter — a mighty host of angels. 
 ^ Twelve legions. A legion was a di- 
 vision of the Roman army, amounting 
 to more than six thousand men. See 
 Note, Matt. viii. 29. The number 
 twelve was mentioned, perhaps, in re- 
 ference to the number of his apostles, 
 and himself Judas being away, but 
 eleven disciples remained. God could 
 guard him, and each disciple, with a 
 legion of angels ; that is, God could 
 efwily protect him. if he should pray to 
 \ht, and if it was his will. 
 
 ■ tures be fulfilled, that ' thus it mus* 
 be"? 
 
 55 In that same hour said Jesus 
 to the multitudes. Are ye come out, 
 as against a thief, with swords and 
 staves for to take me ] I sat daily 
 with you teaching in the temple, 
 and ye laid no hold on me. 
 
 56 But all this was done, that the 
 
 c Lu.24.26,46. 
 
 54. But how then shall the scriptures 
 he fulfilled, &lc. That is, the scriptures 
 which foretold of his dying for the world. 
 In some way that must be accomplished ; 
 and the time had come when, having 
 finished the work which the Father 
 gave him to do, it was proper that he 
 should submit to a cruel death. This 
 was said doubtless to comfort Ids dis- 
 ciples ; to show them that his death 
 was not a matter of surprise or disap- 
 pointment to him ; and that they, there 
 fore, should not be ofiended and foi 
 sake him. 
 
 55. Against a thief. Rather, a rob- 
 ber. This was the manner in which 
 they would have sought to take a high- 
 wayman of desperate character, and 
 armed to defend his life. It adds not 
 a httle to the depth of his humiliation, 
 that he consented to be hunted down 
 thus by wicked men, and to be treated 
 as if he had been the worst of man- 
 kind. If Daily with you in the temple. 
 For many days before the passover, as 
 recorded in the previous chapter. 
 
 56. Scriptures of the prophets. The 
 writings of the prophets, for this is the 
 meaning of the word scriptures. He 
 alludes to those parts of the prophets 
 which foretold his sufferings and death. 
 IT Then all.lhe disciples, (Sec. Overcome 
 with fear, when they saw their Master 
 actually taken ; alarmed with the ter- 
 rific appearance of armed men, and 
 torches in a dark night ; and forgetting 
 their promises not to forsake him, they 
 all left their Saviour to go alone. Alas I 
 how many, when attachment to Christ 
 would lead them to danger, leave him 
 and also flee ! Mark adds, that aftei 
 the disciples had fled, a young man, 
 having a linen cloth cast about nis na- 
 ked body, attempted to follow him. 
 Probably he was the coner of the gar- 
 den, and a friend of Jesus. Aroused 
 by the noise from his repoae, he carae
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 31) 
 
 scriptures " of the prophets miorht 
 
 be fulfilled. Then all the disciples 
 
 forsook him, and fled. 
 
 57 And * they that had hold on 
 
 aGe.3.15. Ps.22.Ga. Is.53. La.4.'20. Da.9. 
 34,26. Zcc.13.7. Ac.1.16. 
 
 to defend the Saviour. He cast, in his 
 hurry, a garment at hand round his 
 body, and carne to him. The young 
 men among the Romans and Jews at- 
 tempted to -secure him also ; but he 
 escaped from them, and fled. See Note 
 on Mark xiv. 50, 51. 
 
 57 — 75. The trial of our Lord before 
 the council, and the denial of Peter hap- 
 pening at the same tiine, might be re- 
 lated one before the other, according to 
 the evangelists' pleasure. Accordingly, 
 Matthew and Mark relate the trial first, 
 and Peter's denial afterwards ; Luke 
 mentions the denial first, and John has 
 probably observed the natural order. 
 The parallel places are recorded in 
 Mark xiv. 53 — 72 ; Luke xxii. 54 — 71 ; 
 and John xviii. 13 — 27. 
 
 57. To Caiaphas. John says, that 
 they led him first to Annas, the father- 
 in-law of Caiaphas. This was done, 
 probably, as a mark of respect, he hav- 
 ing been high priest, and, perhaps, dis- 
 tinguished for prudence, and capable of 
 advising his son-in-law in a difficult 
 case ; and the Saviour was detained 
 there probably until the chief priests 
 and elders were assembled. If The high 
 priest. Note, Matt. xxvi. 3. John says 
 he was high priest for that year. An- 
 nas had been high priest some years 
 before. In the time of our Saviour the 
 office was frequently changed by the 
 civil ruler. This Cauaphas had prophe- 
 sied that it was expedient that one 
 should die for the people. Note, John 
 xi. 49, 50. ^ The scribes and elders. 
 The men composing the great council 
 of the nation or sanhedrim. Note, 
 Matt. V. 22. It is not probable that 
 they could be immediately assembled, 
 and some part of the transaction re- 
 specting the denial of Peter probably 
 took place while they were collecting, 
 
 58. Peter followed afar off. By this 
 he evinced two things : 1st. Real at- 
 tachment to his Master ; a desire to be 
 near him, and to witness his trial. 2d. 
 Feai respecting his personal safety. He 
 therefore kept so far off" as to be out of 
 danger, and yet so near as that he might 
 
 Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the 
 high priest, where the scribes and 
 the elders were assembled. 
 
 58 But Peter followed him afai 
 
 b Mar.]4.53,&c. Lu.22.54.&c. Jno.18.12, 
 &c. 
 
 witness the transactions respecting his 
 Master. Perhaps he expected to be lost 
 and unobserved in the crowd. Many, 
 in this, imitate Peter. They are afraid 
 to follow the Saviour closely. They 
 fear danger, ridicule, or persecution. 
 They follow him — but it is at a great 
 distance ; so far that it is difficult to 
 discern that they are in the train, and 
 are his friends at all. Religion requires 
 us to be near to Christ. We may men 
 sure our piety by our desire to be with 
 him ; to be like him ; and by our will- 
 ingness to follow him always — through 
 trials, contempt, persecution, and death. 
 John says, that another disciple went 
 with Peter. By that other disciple is 
 commonly supposed, as he did not 
 mention his name, that he meant him 
 self He was acquainted with the high 
 priest, and went immediately into the 
 hall. IT U7U0 the high priesfs palace. 
 The word rendered palace, means ra- 
 ther the hall, or middle court or area of 
 his house. It was situated in the cen- 
 tre of the palace, and was commonly 
 uncovered. See Note, and plan of a 
 house, in Matt. ix. 1 — 8. ^ And went 
 in. John informs us that he did not go 
 immediately in. But the other disciple, 
 being known to the high priest, went in 
 first, while Peter remained at the gate, 
 or entrance. The other disciple then 
 went out, and brought in Peter. Mat- 
 thew, Mark, and Luke have omitted 
 this circumstance. John recorded it, 
 probably, because they had omitted it, 
 and because he was the "other disci- 
 ple" concerned in it. ^ Sat with the 
 servants to see the end. That is, the 
 end of the trial ; or to see how it would 
 go with his Master. The other evan- 
 gelists say that he stood with the ser- 
 vants warmintj himself John says, il 
 being cold, tney had made a fire of 
 coals, and warmed themselves. It was 
 then probably not far from midnight. 
 The place where they were was unco- 
 vered ; and travellers sav, that though 
 the daijs are warm in Jude;: at that sea- 
 son of the year, yet that the nights are 
 often uncomfortably cold. Thia fir«
 
 %12 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.D.33, 
 
 iff, unto the high friest s palace, and 
 went in, and sat with the servants, 
 see the end. 
 
 .59 Now the chief priests and 
 elders, and all the council, sought 
 "alse witness against Jesus, to put 
 aim to death ; 
 
 60 But found none ; yea, though 
 many false witnesses came, yei found 
 they none. At the " last came two 
 false witnesses, 
 
 a Ps.27.12. 35.1]. 
 
 was made in the hall. (Luke.) The 
 fire was not in a Jlreplace, as we com- 
 monly suppose, but was probably made 
 of coals laid on the pavement. At this 
 place and time was Peter's first denial 
 of his Lord, as is recorded afterwards. 
 See ver. G9. 
 
 59. False witnesses. Witnesses that 
 would accuse him of crime; of viola- 
 tion of the laws of the land or of God. 
 We are not to suppose that they wished 
 them to be /aZse witnesses. They were 
 indifferent, probably, whether they were 
 true or false, if they could succeed in 
 condemning him. The evangelist calls 
 it false testimony. Before these wit- 
 nesses were sought, wo learn from 
 John (xviii. 19 — 23) that the high priest 
 asked Jesus of his disciples, and his 
 doctrine. Jesus replied, that he had 
 taught openly in the temple, and in se- 
 cret had said nothing ; that is, he had 
 no secret doctrines which he had not 
 been willing openly to teach, and he re- 
 ferred them to those who had heard 
 him. In a firm, dignified manner he 
 put himself on trial, and insisted on his 
 rights. " If I have spoken evil, bear 
 witness of the evil, but if well, why 
 smitest thou me ?" This conversation 
 took place probably before the council 
 was assembled, and during this time 
 the denials by Peter occurred. Luke 
 informs us (xxii. 66), that the council 
 came together as soon as it was day ; 
 that is, probably near the mrrning, or 
 not far from break of day — after Peter 
 had denied him, and gone out. 
 
 60. Found none. That is, they found 
 none on whose testimony they could 
 with any show of reason convict him. 
 The reason was, as Mark says (xiv. 56), 
 that "their witnesses ajireed not to- 
 irethsr." They differed about facts. 
 
 61 And said, This fellow said, * 
 I am able to destroy the temple of 
 God, and to build it in three days. 
 
 62 And the high priest arose, and 
 said unto him, Answerest thou no- 
 thing 1 What is it which these wit- 
 ness against thee 1 
 
 63 But "^ Jesus held his peace. 
 
 And the high priest answered and 
 
 said unto him, I adjure •* thee by the 
 
 living God, that thou tell us whe- 
 
 b Jno.2.19-21. c Is.53.7. c.27.12,14. d 1 
 Sa. 14.26,28. lKi.22.16. 
 
 times, and circumstances, as all false 
 witnesses do. Two witnesses were re- 
 quired by their law, and they did not 
 dare to condemn him without conform- 
 ing, in appearance at least, to the re- 
 quirements of the law. 
 
 61. And said, This fellow said, &c, 
 Mark has recorded this testimony dif- 
 ferently. According to him. they said, 
 " We heard him say, I will destroy thia 
 temple that is made with hands, and 
 within three days I will build another 
 made without hands." Probably both 
 forms of giving in the testimony were 
 used on the trial, and Matthew has re 
 corded it as it was given at one time, 
 and Mark at another ; so that there is 
 no contradiction. Mark adds, "but 
 neither so did their witnesses agree to- 
 gether." That which they attempted 
 to accuse him of, is what he had said 
 respecting his body, and their destroy- 
 ing it. John ii. 19. " Destroy this tem- 
 ple, and in three days I will raise it 
 up." This he spoke of his body ; they 
 perverted it, endeavoring to show that 
 he meant the temple at Jerusalem. 
 They neither stated it as it was, nor did 
 they state correctly its meairing : nor 
 did they agree about the words used. 
 It was, therefore, very little to their 
 purpose. 
 
 62, 63. Jesus held his peace. Was 
 silent. He knew that the evidence did 
 not even appear to amount to any thing 
 worth a reply. lie knew that they 
 were aware of that, and that feeling 
 that, the high priest attempted to draw 
 something from him, on which they 
 could condemn him. IT I adjure Iheeby 
 the Uvins^ God. I put thee upon thy 
 oath before God. This was the usr.al 
 form of putting an oath among iha 
 Jews. It unplies calling God to %rii
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXV i. 
 
 318 
 
 ther thou be the Christ, <• the Son 
 
 of God. 
 
 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou 
 
 hast said : nevertheless I say unto 
 
 you, Hereafter * shall ye see the 
 
 o c.lG.lG. Jno.1.34. b Da.7.13. Jno.1.51. 
 lTli.4.10. Ue.1.7. 
 
 ness the truth of what was said. The 
 law reaoecting witnesses also made it a 
 vioiJinon of an oath to conceal any part 
 of the truth ; and though our Saviour 
 might have felt that such a question, 
 put in such a manner, was very im- 
 proper, or was unlawful, yet he also 
 knew that to be silent would be con- 
 strued into a denial of his being the 
 Christ. The question was probably 
 put in anger. They had utterly failed 
 in their proof They had no way left 
 to accomplish their purpose of con- 
 demning him, but to draw it from his 
 own lips. This cunning question was 
 therefore proposed. The difliculty of 
 the question consisted in this ; If he 
 confessed that he was the Son of God, 
 tliey stood ready to condemn him for 
 blasphemy. If he detiied it. they were 
 prepared to condemn him for being an 
 impostor, for deluding the people under 
 the pretence of being the Messiah. 
 IT The livins God. Jehovah is called 
 the living 6od. in opposition to idols, 
 which were without life. ^ The Christ. 
 The Messiah, the Anointed. Note, 
 Matt. i. 1. IT The Son of God. The 
 Jews uniformly expected that the Mes- 
 siah would be the Son of God. In 
 their view it denoted also that he would 
 be divine, or equal to the Father. John 
 X. 31 — 36. To claim that title was, 
 therefore, in their view, blasphemy; and 
 as they had determined betorehand, in 
 their own minds, that he was not the 
 Messiah, they were ready at once to 
 accuse him of blasphemy. 
 
 G4. Thou hast said. This is a form 
 of assenting or affirming. Thou hast 
 said the truth ; or, as Luke (xxii. 70) 
 has it, " Ye say that I am." This was 
 not, however, said immediately. Before 
 Jesus acknowledged himself to be the 
 Messiah, he said to them (Luke x.xii. 
 67, 66, 69,) " If I tell you ye vnll not 
 believe, and if I ask you'" — i. e. propose 
 the proofs of my mission, and require 
 you to give your opinion of them — " ye 
 will not aiswer me, nor let me go." 
 ' Nevertheless. This word should 
 27 
 
 Son of man sitting on the right, 
 hand ' of power, and coming in the 
 clouds of heaven. 
 
 65 Then the high priest rent his 
 clothes, saying, He hath spoken 
 
 cPs.llO.]. Ac.7.55. 
 
 have been translated moreover, or fur. 
 thermore. What follows is designed to 
 explain and give confirmation to what 
 he had said. ^ Sitting on the ri^ht haTid 
 of power. That is, of God, called hero 
 the Power ; equivalent to the Mighty, 
 or the Almighty. It denotes dignity 
 and majesty, for to sit at the right nand 
 of a prince was the chief place of honor. 
 See Note, Matt. xx. 2L IT Coming in 
 the clouds of heaven. See Note, Matt, 
 x.xiv., x.w. The meaning of this is, 
 you shall see the sign from heaven 
 which you have so often demanded ; 
 even the Messiah returning himself as 
 the sig7i, with great glory, to destroy 
 your city, and to judge the world. 
 
 65. Then the high priest rent his 
 clothes. The Jews were accustomed to 
 rend their clothes, as a token of grief. 
 This was done often as a matter of 
 form, and consisted in tearing a par- 
 ticular part of the garment reserved for 
 this purpose. It was not lawful for the 
 high priest to rend his clothes. Lev. x, 
 6 ; xxi. 10. By that was probably in- 
 tended the robes of his priestly office. 
 The garment which he now rent was 
 probably his ordinary garment, or the 
 garments which he wore as president 
 of the sanhedrim — not those in which 
 he officiated as high priest in the things 
 of religion. This was done on this oc- 
 casion to denote the great grief of the 
 high priest that so great a sin as blas- 
 phemy had been committed in his pre- 
 sence. IT He hath spoken blasphemy. 
 That is, he has, under oath, arrogated 
 to himself what belongs to God. In 
 claiming to be the Messiah ; in assert- 
 ing that he was the Son of God, and 
 therefore equal in dignity with the Fa- 
 ther; and that he would yet sit at his 
 right hand ; he has claimed what be- 
 longs to no man, and wha* lo therefore 
 an invasion of the divine prerogative. 
 If he had not been the Messiah, the 
 charge would have bten true. But the 
 question was whether he had not given 
 evidence that he was the Messiah, and 
 that therefore his claims wore juat
 
 514 
 
 blasphemy ; what further need have 
 we of witnesses ! behold, now ye 
 have heard his blasphemy. 
 
 66 What think ye ] They an- 
 swered and said, He is guilty of 
 death. » 
 
 67 Then * did they spit in his 
 
 aLe.24.16. Jno.19.7. 6 Is.50.6. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33. 
 
 face, and buffetod him ; and others 
 smote him with ' the palms of theii 
 hands, 
 
 68 Saying, Prophesy vinto us, 
 thou Christ, who is he that smote 
 thee? 
 
 69 Now ' Peter sat without in the 
 
 1 or, rods, c Mar.l4.C6,&c. Lu.'.a.55,&e. 
 Jno.l8.16.&;C. 
 
 This pmnt, the only proper point of in- 
 quiry, they never examined. They 
 assumed that he was an impostor; and 
 that point being assumed, every thing 
 hke a pretension to bein^ the Messiah 
 was, in their view, proof that he deserv- 
 ed to die. 
 
 66. What thinJc ye? What is your 
 opinion 1 What sentence do you, pro- 
 nounce ? As president of the sanhe- 
 drim he dt'manded their judgment. IT 
 He is guilty of aeath. This was the 
 form wnich was used when a criminal 
 was condemned to die. The meaning 
 IS, he is found guihy of a crime to 
 which the law annexes death. This 
 sentence was used before the Jews be- 
 came subject to the Romans, when 
 they had the power of inflicting death. 
 After they were subject to the Ro- 
 mans, though the power of inflicting 
 capital punishment was taken away, 
 yet they retained the form, when they 
 expressed their opinion of the guiU of 
 an offender. The law under which they 
 condemned him was that recorded in 
 Lev. xxiv. 10 — 16, which sentenced 
 him that was guilty of blasphemy to 
 death by stoning. The chief priests, 
 however, were unwiUing to excite a 
 popular tumult by stoning him, and 
 they therefore consulted to deliver him 
 to the Romans to be crucified, under 
 the authority of the Roman name, and 
 thus to prevent any excitement among 
 the people. 
 
 67. They spit in his face. This, 
 among the Jews, as among us, was 
 significant of the highest contempt and 
 insult. Num. xu. 14. Isa. 1. 6. Job 
 XXX. 10. IT And buffeted him. That is, 
 they struck him with their hands closed, 
 or with the fist. ^ Others smote him 
 vilh the palms of their hands. The word 
 used in the original here means literally 
 to strike with rods. It also means to 
 strike the mouth with the open hand, as 
 if to prevent a person's speaking, or to 
 
 evince abhorrence of what he had spo 
 ken. 
 
 68. Saying, Prophesy unto us, &c. 
 Mark informs us that before they said 
 this they had bhndfolded him. Having 
 prevented his seeing, they ridiculed his 
 pretensions of being the Messiah. If 
 he was the Christ, they supposed he 
 could tell who smote him. As he bore 
 it patiently, and did not answer, they 
 doubtless supposed they had discovered 
 another reason to think he was an im- 
 postor. The word prophesy does not 
 mean only to foretell future events — 
 although that is the proper meaning of 
 the word ; but also to declare any thing 
 that is unknown, or any thing which 
 cannot be known by natural know- 
 ledge, or witJiout revelation. Luke 
 adds, " And many other things blas- 
 phemously spake they against him." 
 There is something very remarkable in 
 this expression. They had charged him 
 with blasphemy in claiming to be the 
 Son of God. This charge they were 
 not able to prove. But the evangelist 
 fixes the charge of blasphemy on them, 
 because he really was the Son of God, 
 and they denied it. 
 
 69. Norv Peter sat without in the pa- 
 lace. Mark says the first denial took 
 place while Peter was " beneath in the 
 palace." This poZoce was the laree hall 
 or court belonging to the residence of 
 the high priest The part of it where 
 Jesus and the council were was elevat- 
 ed, probably, above the rest, for a tri- 
 bunal. Peter was beneath, or in the 
 lower part of the hall, with the servants, 
 at the fire. Yet, as Matthew says, he 
 sat without in the palace — i. e. out of 
 the palace where they were trying Je- 
 sus — to wit, in the lower part of tne 
 hall with the servants — both narratives 
 are therefore consistent. ^ And a dam- 
 sel came unto him John (xvui. 17,) 
 sa>s, that this da nsel was one th-ti 
 kept the door. If Thou toatt aho viiti
 
 A.. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTEK XXVI. 
 
 316 
 
 palace : and a damsel came unto 
 bim, sayinor, Thou also wast with 
 Tesus of Galilee. 
 
 70 But he denied before tkemTiW, 
 saying, I know not what thou sayest. 
 
 71 And when he was gone out 
 into the porch, another maid saw 
 him, and said unto them that were 
 there. This fellow was also with 
 Jesus of Nazareth. 
 
 Jesus of Galilee. Probably she sus- 
 pected nim from his being in company 
 wiih John. This was in tiie early part 
 of the trial of Jesus. 
 
 70. But he denied before them all, 
 &c. Ha denied that he was a disciple ; 
 he denied that he knew Jesus ; he de- 
 nied (Mark) that he understood what 
 was meant — i. e. he did not see any 
 reason why this question was asked. 
 All this was palpable falsehood ; and 
 Peter inust have known that it was 
 such. This is remarkable, because 
 Peter had just before been so confident. 
 It is more remarkable, because the 
 edge of the charge was taken ofl'by the 
 insinuation that John was known to be 
 a disciple — thou also wast with Jesus 
 of Galilee. 
 
 71. When he was gone out into the 
 porch. The entrance, or the small 
 apartment between the outer door and 
 the large hall in the centre of the build- 
 ing. See plan of a house, Note, Matt, 
 ix. 1 — S. Peter was embarrassed and 
 confused by the question ; and to save 
 his confusion from attracting notice, he 
 went away from the fire into the porch, 
 where he e.xpected to be unobserved. 
 Yet in vain. By the very movement 
 to avoid detection, he came into contact 
 with another who knew him, and re- 
 peated the charge. How clearly does 
 it prove that our Lord was omniscient, 
 (hat all these things were foreseen ! 
 IT Another maid saw him. Mark simply 
 says that a maid saw him. From Luke 
 it would appear that a man spoke to him. 
 Luke x.xii. 58. The truth probably is, 
 that both were done. When he first 
 went out, a maid charged him with 
 bemg a follower of Jesus. He was 
 probably there a considerable time. 
 To this charge he might have been si- 
 ent, thinking, perhaps, that he was 
 concealed, and there was no need of 
 denying Jesus then. Yet it is very 
 
 7'2 And again he denied with an 
 oath, I do not know the man. 
 
 73 And after a while came uii'vQ 
 him they that stood by, and said to 
 Peter, Surely thou also art one sf 
 them ; for thy speech bewrayet!) 
 thee. 
 
 74 Then began he to curse and to 
 swear, saying, I know not the man^ 
 And immediately the cock crew. 
 
 likely that the charge would be repeated. 
 A man also might have repeated it ; and 
 Peter, irritated, provoked, perhaps 
 thinking that he was in danger, then 
 denied his Master the second time 
 This denial was in a stronger manner, 
 and with an oath. While in the porch, 
 Mark says, the cock crew ; that is, 
 the first crowing, or not far from mid- 
 night. 
 
 73. And after a vMle. That is, about 
 an hour after. (Luke.) Peter, by this 
 time, had returned into the palace oi 
 hall, and stood warming himself by the 
 fire. John xviii. 25. 1l Thy speech he- 
 wrayeth thee. Your language makes it 
 manifest that you are ol his company 
 That is, as Mark adds, he was a Gali- 
 lean ; and in this way his speech be- 
 trayed him. It is probable that the 
 Galileans were distinguished for some 
 pecuharity of pronunciation, perhaps 
 some peculiar rusticity or coarseness in 
 their manner of speaking, that distin 
 guished them from tlie refinement of 
 the capital, Jerusalem. This charge, 
 John says (xviii. 2(i), was supported by 
 the express affirmation of a kinsman of 
 Malchus, the servant of the high priest, 
 that he had seen him in the garden. 
 
 74. Theji began he to curse, &c. 
 Peter was now irritated beyond endu- 
 rance. He could no longer resist the 
 evidence that he was known. It had 
 been repeatedly charged on him. His 
 language had betrayed him, and there 
 was a positive witness who had seen 
 him. He fell it necessary, therefore, 
 to be still more decided ; and he accord- 
 ingly added to the sin of denying his 
 Lord, the deep aggravation of profane 
 cursing and swearing ; affirming whr- 
 he must have known was false, that hi 
 knew not the man. Immediately tlici. 
 the cock crew; that is, the seconi'. 
 crowing, or not far from three ui tt' 
 morning.
 
 316 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 3Sk 
 
 lb And Peter remembered the " 
 word of Jesus, which said unto him, 
 3ver.34. Lu.'22.31-34. 
 
 75. And Peter remembered the words 
 )f Jesus, &c. Luke has mentioned a 
 beautiful and touching circumstance 
 omitted by the other evangehsts, that 
 ivhen the cock crew, Jesus turned and 
 'ooked upon Peter, and that then he re- 
 membered his words. They were in 
 the same room — Jesus at the upper end 
 of the hall, elevated for a tribunal, and 
 Peter below with the servants; so that 
 Jesus could look down upon Peter 
 standing near the fire. By a tender and 
 compassionate look — a single glance of 
 his eye — the injured Saviour brought to 
 remeinbrance all Peter's promises, his 
 own predictions, and the great guilt of 
 the disciple ; he overwhelmed him with 
 the remembrance of his sin, and pierced 
 his heart through with many sorrows. 
 The consciousness of deep and awful 
 guilt rushed over Peter's soul ; he t]ew 
 from the palace, he went alone in the 
 darkness of the night, and wept hilterhj. 
 
 The fall of Peter is one of the most 
 melancholy instances of depravity ever 
 committed in our world. But a little 
 while before so confident ; seated at the 
 table of the Lord ; , distinguished, 
 throughout the ministry of Christ, with 
 peculiar favors ; cautioned against this 
 very thing ; yet so soon denying him, 
 forgetting his promises, and profanely 
 calling on God to witness what he knew 
 to be false, that he did not hrww him ! 
 Had it been but once, it would have 
 been awful guilt — guilt deeply piercing 
 the Redeemer's soul in the day of trial ; 
 but it was three times repeated, and at 
 last with profane cursing and swearing. 
 Yet while we weep over Peter's fall, 
 and seek not to palhate his crime, we 
 should draw from it important practical 
 uses: 1st. The danger of self-confi- 
 dence. He that thinketh he standeth 
 should take heed lest he fall. True 
 Christian confidence is that which relies 
 on God for strength, and feels safety 
 only in the belief that He is able and 
 willing to keep from temptation. 2d. 
 The highest favors, the most exalted 
 privileges, do not secure us from the 
 danger of falling into sin. Few men 
 Here ever so highly favored as Peter ; 
 lew ever so dreadfully departed from 
 the Saviour, and brought so deep a 
 
 Before the cock crow, thou shah 
 deny me thriep. Aad he went out, 
 and wept bitterly.. 
 
 scandal on religion. 3d. When a man 
 be/r.-irrs to sin, hia tall from one act to 
 another is easy — perhaps almost certain. 
 At first Peter's sin was only simple 
 denial ; then it incroused to more vio- 
 lent affirmation, and ended with open 
 profaneness. tJo die downward road 
 of crime is easy. When sin is once in- 
 dulged, the way is open for a whole 
 deiuge of crime ; nor is the course easily 
 stayed till the soul is overwhelmed in 
 awfnl guilt. 4lli. True repentance is 
 deep, thorough, bitter. Peter wept 
 bitterly. It was sincere sorrow — sor- 
 row proportioned to the nature of the 
 ofi'ence he had committed. 5th. A look 
 from Jesus — a look of mingled affec- 
 tion, pity, and reproof — produces bittet 
 sorrow for sin. Him we injure by ou; 
 crimes ; and his tender look, when wc 
 err, pierces the soul through with many 
 sorrows, opens fountains of tears in the 
 bosom, and leads us to weep with bit- 
 terness over our transgressions. 6th. 
 When we sin — when we fall into temp- 
 tation — let us retire from the world,, 
 seek the place of solitude, and pour out 
 our sorrows before God. He will mark 
 our groans ; he will hear our sighs ; he 
 will pity his children ; and he will re 
 ceive them, like weeping Peter, to his 
 arms again. 7th. Real Christians may 
 be suffered to go far astray. To show 
 them their weakness, to check self-con- 
 fidence, and to produce dependence on 
 Jesus Christ, they may be able to show 
 how weak, and feeble, and rash they 
 are. Peter was a real believer. Jesus 
 had prayed for him that his faith should 
 fail not. Luke xxii. 32. Jesus was 
 always heard in his prayer. John xi. 42. 
 He was heard, therefore, then. Peter's 
 faith did not fail ; that is, his belief in 
 Jesus, his real piety, his tr%t.e attach- 
 ment to Jesus. He knew, during the 
 whole transaction, that Jesus was the 
 Messiah, and that he himself was well 
 acquainted with him. But he was suf- 
 fered to declare that which he knew 
 was not true. And in this consisted 
 his sin. Yet, 8th. Though a Christian 
 7nfiy be sufiered to go astray — may fall 
 into sin — yet he who should, from this 
 example of Peter, think he might law- 
 fully do it ; or who should resolve to do
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVn, 
 
 817 
 
 W 
 
 CHAPTER. XXVH. 
 
 HEN the morning was come, 
 all the chief priests and el- 
 
 it, thinking that he might, hke Peter, 
 weep and repent ; would give evidence 
 that he knew nothing of the grace of 
 God. He that resolves to sin under the 
 expectation of repenting hereafter, cati- 
 not be a Ckristian. 
 
 It is wurthy of further remark, that 
 the fact that the fall of Peter is recorded 
 by all the evangelists is high proof of 
 their hcnesty. They were willing to 
 tell the truth as it was ; to conceal no 
 fact even if it made much against them- 
 selves, and to make mention of their 
 own faults without attempting to appear 
 to be better than they were. And it is 
 worthy of special observation, that 
 Mark has recorded this with all the 
 circumstances of aggravation, perhaps 
 even more so than the others. Yet, by 
 the universal belief of antiquity, the 
 Gospel of Mark was written under Pe- 
 ter's direction, and every part of it sub- 
 mitted to him for examination. Higher 
 proof of the ho?iesty and candor of the 
 evangelists could not be demanded. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVn. 
 
 1, 2. Jesus is brought before Pilate. 
 See also Mark xvi. 1 ; Luke xxiii. 1 ; 
 John xviii. 28. 
 
 1. Whe7i the morning v;as come. This 
 was not long after he had been con- 
 demned by the sanhedrim. Peter's 
 last denial was probably not far from 
 three o'clock, or near the break of day. 
 As soon as it was light, they consulted 
 together for the purpose of taking his 
 life. The sun rose at that season of 
 the year, in Judea, not far from five 
 o'clnck ; and the time when they as- 
 sembled was not long after Peter's de- 
 nial. H The chief priests — took counsel. 
 They had agreed that he deserved to 
 die, on a charge of blasphemy. Yet 
 they did not dare to put him to death 
 by stoning, as they did afterwards Ste- 
 phen (Acts vii.), and as the law com- 
 manded in case of blasphemy, for they 
 feared the people. They therefore co7i- 
 rulted, or took counsel together, to de- 
 termine on what pretence they could 
 deliver him to the Roman emperor, or 
 to fix some charge of a civil nature, by 
 which Pilate might be induced to con 
 27* 
 
 ders of the people ook coursel 
 against Jesus to put him to death. 
 2 And when they had bound him 
 a Ps.2.2. 
 
 demn him. The charge w'nich thej 
 fixed on was not that on which thex 
 had tried him, and on which they had 
 determined he ought to die (ch. xxvi. 
 66 ;) but that of perverting the nation, 
 and of forbidding to-give tribute to CcB' 
 sar. Luke x.xiii. 2. On this accusa- 
 tion, if made out, they supposed Pilate 
 could be mduced to condemn Jesus. 
 On a charge of blasphemy they knew 
 he could not, as that was not an ofi^nce 
 against the Roman laws, and over 
 which, therefore, Pilate claimed no 
 jurisdiction. "^ To put him to death. 
 To devise some way by which he 
 might be put to death under the af 
 thority of the Roman governor. 
 
 2. And ivhc7i they had bound him. H.> 
 was bound when they took him in the 
 garden. John xviii. 12. Probably when 
 he was tried before the sanhedrim, in 
 the palace of Caiaphas, he had been 
 loosed from his bonds — being there 
 surrounded by multitudes, and sup- 
 posed to be safe. As they were about 
 to lead him to another part of the city 
 now, they again bound him. The 
 binding consisted, probably, in nothing 
 more than tying his hands. IT Pontius 
 Pilate, the governor. The governoi 
 appointed by the Romans over Judea. 
 The governor commonly resided a' 
 Cesarea ; but he came up to Jerusa 
 lem usually at the great feasts, when 
 most of the Jews were assembled, to 
 administer justice, and to suppress tu. 
 nnilts if any should arise. The title 
 which Pilate received was that of go- 
 vernor, or procurator. The duties of 
 the office were chiefly to collect the 
 revenues due to the Roman emperor, 
 and in certain cases to administer jus- 
 tice. Pilate was appointed governor of 
 Judea by Tiberius, then emperor of 
 Rome. John says (xviii. 2S) that they 
 led Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of 
 judgment — that is, to the part of the 
 pretorium or governor's palace where 
 justice was administered. The Jews 
 did not, however, enter in themselves, 
 lest they should be defiled, but iJiat 
 they might eat the passover. In Numb, 
 xix. 22. it is said that \^iosoever touched 
 an unclean thing should be unclean
 
 S18 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A.1) 33 
 
 they led him away, and delivered 
 him " to Pontius Pilate the governor. 
 3 Then Judas, which had betray- 
 ed him, when he saw that he was 
 condemned, repented himself, and 
 brought again the thirty pieces of 
 silver to the chief priests and elders, 
 a c.20.19. 
 
 For this reason they would not enter 
 into the house of a heathen, lest they 
 should contract some defilement that 
 would render them unfit to keep the 
 passover. 
 
 3. Then Judas, when he saw that he 
 wa^ condemned, repented himself. This 
 shows that Judas did not suppose that 
 the afl'air would have resulted in this 
 calamitous manner. He probably ex- 
 pected that Jesus would have worked 
 a miracle to deliver himself, and not 
 have suffered this condemnation to 
 come upon him. When he saw him 
 taken, bound, tried, and condemned ; 
 when he saw that all probability that 
 he would deliver himself was taken 
 away ; he was overwhelmed with dis- 
 appointment, sorrow, and remorse of 
 conscience. The word rendered re- 
 pented himself, it has been observed, 
 does not of necessity denote a change 
 for the better, but a7iy change of views 
 and feelings. Here it evidently means 
 no other change than that produced by 
 the horrors of a guilty conscience, and 
 by deep remorse for crime at its une.x- 
 pected results. It was not saving re- 
 pentance. That leads to a holy life. 
 This led to an increase of crime in his 
 own death. True repentance leads the 
 sinner to the Saviour. This led away 
 from the Saviour to the gallows. Ju- 
 das, if he had been a true penitent, 
 would have come the7i to Jesus, con- 
 fessed his crime at his feet, and sought 
 for pardon there. But, overwhelmed 
 with remorse, and the conviction of vast 
 guilt, he was not willing to come into 
 Fiis presence, and added to the crime of 
 n traitor that of self-murder. Assur- 
 edly such a man could not be a true 
 penitent. 
 
 4. / have sin?ied. I have been guilty. 
 [ have done wrong. H In that I have 
 ielrayed the innocent blood. That is. in 
 Dt^in.yiiig an innocent being to death. 
 Blool is put here for life, or for the 
 na^. The meaning is, that he knew 
 ind felt that Jesus was innocent. This 
 
 4 Saying, I have sinned, in that I 
 have betrayed the innocent blood. 
 And they said, What is that to US'! 
 See thou to thai. 
 
 5 And he cast down the pieces of 
 silver in the temple, and departed, 
 and went and hanged - himself. 
 
 6 2 Ki 24.4. e Ps.55.23. Vtia 17.23. Ac.1.18. 
 
 confession is a remai kable proof that 
 Jesus was innocent. Judas had been 
 with him three years. He had seen 
 him in public and private ; he had 
 heard his pubhc teaching and his pri- 
 vate views ; he had seen him in all 
 circumstances ; and if he liad done any 
 thing evil, or advanced any thing against 
 the B.oman emperor, Judas was com- 
 petent to testify it. Had he known any 
 such thing, he would have stated it. 
 He would have appeared to vindicate 
 himself. His testimony, being a disci- 
 ple of Jesus, would have been, to the 
 cliief priests, far more valuable than 
 that of any other man ; and he might 
 not only have escaped the horrors of a 
 troubled conscience, and an awful death, 
 but have looked for an ample reward. 
 That he did not make such a charge — 
 that he fully and frankly confessed that 
 Jesus was innocent — and that he gave 
 up the ill-gotten price of treason — is fuU 
 proof, that, in the belief of Judas, the 
 Saviour was free from crime, and even 
 the suspicion of crime. ^ IVhat is that 
 to us ? This form of speaking denoted 
 that they had nothing to do with his 
 remorse of conscience, and his belief 
 that Jesus was innocent. They had 
 secured what they wanted, the person 
 of Jesus, and they cared little now for 
 the feelings of the traitor. — So all 
 wicked men, who make use of tho 
 agency of others for the accomplish 
 ment of crime, or the gratification of 
 passion, will care little for the effect on 
 the instrumerU. They will soon cast 
 him off and despise him, and in thou- 
 sands of instances the instruments of 
 villany and the panders to the pleasures 
 of others, are abandoned to remorse, 
 wretchedness, crime, and death. 
 
 5. And he cast dow?i, &.C. This was 
 an evidence of his remorse of conscience 
 for his crime. His ill-gotten gain, now, 
 did him no good. It would not produce 
 relief to his agonized mind. He at- 
 tempted, therefore, to obtain r-ilief by 
 tiirowing back the price o£' /reason,
 
 4, D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 319 
 
 6 And the chief priests took the 
 silver pieces, and said, It is not law- 
 ful for to put them into the treasury, 
 oecause it is the price of blood. 
 
 But he attempted it in vain. The con- 
 Kciousness of guilt was fastened to his 
 soul ; and Judas tbuiul, as all will tind, 
 .hat to cast away or abandon ill-gotten 
 wealth will not alleviate the guilty con- 
 science. ^ In the temple. It is not qui:e 
 certain what part of the temple is licre 
 meant. . Some have thought it was the 
 place where the sanhedrim was accus- 
 tomed to sit; others, the treasury; 
 others, the part wjierc the priests ofier- 
 fld sacrifirc. It is probable that Judas 
 cared htile, or thought little, to what 
 particular part of the temple he went. 
 In his deep remorse he hurried to the 
 temple, and probably cast the money 
 down in the most convenient place, and 
 fied to some situation where he might 
 take his life. If Atid vnnt and hanged 
 hims?lf. The word used in the original, 
 here, has given rise to much discussion, 
 whether it means that he was suffocated 
 or strangled by his great grief, or v,he- 
 ther he took his life by suspending him- 
 self. It is acknowledged on all hands, 
 however, that the latter is its most 
 usual meaning, and it is certainly the 
 most obvious meaning. Peter says, in 
 giving an account of the death of Jesus 
 (Acts i. IS), that Judas, " falling head- 
 long, burst asunder in the midst, and 
 all his bowels gushed out." There 
 has been supposed to be some difficulty 
 in reconciling these two accouius, but 
 there is really no necessary difference. 
 Both accounts are true. Alatthew re- 
 cords the rrwde in which Judas atteiupt- 
 ed his death by hanging. Peter speaks 
 of t}ie result. Judas probably passed 
 out of ihe temple in great haste, and 
 pertutHation of mind. He sought a 
 pla'.e where he might perpetrate this 
 crime. He would not, probably, be 
 very careful about the fitness of the 
 n^ieans he used. In his anguish, his 
 haste, his deoire to die, he seized upon 
 a rope and suspended himself; and it 
 is not at all remarkable, or indeed un- 
 usual, that the rope might prove too 
 weak and break. Falling headlong — 
 •.hat is, on his face, — he burst asunder, 
 ind in awful horrors died — a double 
 ileath, with double pains and double hor- 
 rors — ^tbe reward of his aggravated gtiilt 
 
 7 And they took counsel, and 
 bought with them the potters field, 
 'o bury strangers in. 
 
 6. It is lot latiful, &.C. It was for 
 bidden (Deui. xx.ii. 18) to take what 
 was esteemed as an abomination, and 
 to offer it to God. The price of blood 
 — that is, of the life of a man — they 
 justly considered as an improper and 
 unlawful offerifig. 1i The trmsuri/. ' The 
 treasury was kept in the court of the 
 women. See plan of the temple, Matt. 
 .\.\i. \2. It was composed oi a number 
 of small chents placed in different parts 
 of the courts to receive the voluntary 
 offerings of the people, as well as the 
 half shekel required of every Jew. The 
 original word, here rendered Iriasury, 
 contains the notion of an offtri/ig to God. 
 What was given there was considered 
 as an offering made to Him. H The 
 price of blood. The life is in the blood. 
 The word blood, here, means the same 
 as life. The price of blood, means the 
 price by which the life of a man has 
 been purchased. This was an acknow- 
 ledgment that in their view Jesus was 
 innocent. They had bought him, not 
 condemned him justly. — It is remarka- 
 ble that they were so scrupulous now 
 about so small a matter comparatively 
 as putting this money in the treasury, 
 when they had no remorse about mur- 
 dering an innocent being, and crucify- 
 ing him who had given full evidence 
 thai he was the Messiah. Men are 
 often very scrupulous in small matters, 
 who sticli not at great crimes. 
 
 7. And they took counsel, &c. They 
 consulted among themselves about the 
 proper way to dispose of this money. 
 ir And bought with them. In Acts i. 18. 
 it is said of Judas that "Ae purchased o 
 field with the reward of his iniquity." 
 By the passage in the Acts is meant no 
 more than that he furnished the means, or 
 ivas the occasio?! of purchasing the field. 
 It is not of necessity implied that Judas 
 actually made the contract, and paid 
 down the money to buy a field to bury 
 strangers in — a thing which would bo 
 in itself very improbable; but that it 
 was by his means that the field was pur 
 chased. It is very frequent in the scrip 
 tures, as well as in other writings, tc 
 represent a man as doing that which hb 
 is only the cause or occasion of another'*
 
 330 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 8 Wherefore that field was called, 
 The field of blood, unto this day. 
 
 9 (Then was fulfilled that which 
 was spoken °- by Jeremy the prophet, 
 saying. And they took the thirty 
 pieces of silver, the price of him 
 
 a Ze.ll.12,23. 
 
 doing. See Acts ii. 23 ; John xLx. 1 ; 
 Matt, xxviii. 59, 60. IT Tlie potter's 
 field. Probably this was sone field 
 well known by that name, wh.ch was 
 used for the purpose of making earthen 
 vessels. The price paid for a field so 
 near Jerusalem may appear to be very 
 small ; but it is not improbable that it 
 had been worked till the clay was ex- 
 hausted, and was neither fit for that bu- 
 siness nor for tillage, and was therefore 
 considered as of little value. If To hury 
 strangers in. Jews, who came up from 
 other parts of the world to attend the 
 gieat feasts at Jerusalem. The high 
 priests, who regarded the Gentiles as 
 alominable, would not be inclined to 
 pi Dvide a burial place for them. 
 
 8. The field of IJjod. The field pur- 
 chased by the price of blood. The 
 name by which this leld was called 
 was Aceldama. Acts i. 19. It was just 
 without the walls of Jerusalem, on the 
 south of mount Zion. It is now used 
 as a burying-place by the Armenian 
 Christians in Jerusalem, who have a 
 magnificent convent on mount Zion. 
 Miss. Herald, 1824. p. 66. See the map 
 of Jerusalem, ch. ii. If To this day. 
 That is, to the day when Matthew 
 wrote this gospel, about thirty years 
 after the field was purchased. 
 
 9. Spoken by Jeremy the prophet. The 
 words quoted here are not to be found 
 in the prophecy of Jeremiah. Words 
 similar to these are recorded in Zech. 
 xi. 12, 13, and from that place this quo- 
 tation has been doubtless made. Much 
 difirculty has been experienced in ex- 
 plaining this quotation. Anciently, ac- 
 cording to the Jewish writers, Jeremiah 
 was reckoned the first of the prophets, 
 and was placed first in the Book of the 
 Prophets: thus, Jeremiah, Ezekiel 
 Isaiah, and the twelve minor prophets 
 Some have thought that Matthew, quot- 
 ing this place, quoted the Book of the 
 Prophets under the name of that which 
 Bad the first place in the book — i. e., 
 Jeremiah ; and though the words are 
 i-hose of Zechariah, yet they are quoted 
 
 that was val led, ^ whom they of tht 
 children of Israel did value; 
 
 10 And gave them for the pot- 
 ter's field, as the Lord appointed 
 me.) 
 
 1 or, whom they bought of the children <q 
 Israel. 
 
 correctly as the words of the Book ot 
 the Prophets, the first of which was Je- 
 remiah. Othere have thought that there 
 was a mistake made by ancient tran- 
 scribers, writing the name Jeremiah in- 
 stead of Zechariah ; and it is observed 
 that this might be done by the change 
 of only a single letter. It was often the 
 custom to abridge words in writing them. 
 Thus, instead of writing the name of 
 Jeremiah in full, it would be written in 
 Greek Iriou. So Zechariah would be 
 written Zriou. By the mere change of 
 Z into I, therefore, the mistake might 
 easily be made. Probably this is the 
 correct explanation. Others have sup- 
 posed that the words were spoken by 
 Jeremiah, and that Zechariah recorded 
 them, and that Matthew quoted them 
 as they were, the words of Jeremiah. 
 The passage is not «uoted literally ; and 
 by its being fulfilled is meant, proba- 
 bly, that the language used by Zecha- 
 riah on a similar occasion would express 
 also this event. It was language ap- 
 propriate to this occasion. If The price 
 of him that was valued. That is, the 
 price of him on whom a value was set. 
 The word rendered "valued," here, 
 does not, as often in our language, 
 mean to esteem, but to estimate ; not to 
 love, aonrove, or regard, but to fix a 
 price Oh, to estimate the value of. This 
 they considered to be thirty pieces of 
 silver, t?ie common price of a slave. 
 If They of the children of Israel did 
 value. Some of the Jews, the leaders 
 or priests, acting in the name of the na- 
 tion. If Did value. Did estimate, or 
 fix a price on. 
 
 10. A?id gave them. In Zechariah it 
 is, / gave them. Here it is represented 
 as being given by the priests. The 
 ineaning is not, however, different. It 
 is, that this price was given for the pot- 
 ter's field. If As the Lord appoi?ited 
 me. That is, commanded mc. The 
 meaning of the place in Zechariah is 
 this : He was directed to go to the lev/a 
 as a prophet — a pastor of the people. 
 They treated him, as they had dontj
 
 A.. D. 38.] 
 
 11 And Jesus stood before the 
 governor : and the governor asked 
 him, saying, Art thou the king of 
 the Jews ] And Jesus said unto him, 
 Thou sayest. 
 
 12 And when he was accused of 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 321 
 
 others, witn great contempt. He asks 
 them to give him his price — i. e., the 
 price which they thought he and his 
 pastoral labors were worth, or to show 
 their estimate of his office. If they 
 thought it of value, they were to pay 
 him accordingly ; if not, they were to 
 "forbear" — that is, to give nothing. 
 To show their great contempt of him 
 and his office, and of God who had sent 
 him, they gave him thirty pieces of sil- 
 ver, the price of a slave. This God com- 
 manded, or appointed him to give to the 
 potter, or to throw into the pottery — to 
 throw away. So in the time of Jesus 
 the same thing was substantially re- 
 peated. Jesus came as the Messiah. 
 They hated and rejected him. To show 
 their contempt of him and his cause, 
 '.hey valued him at the price of a slave. 
 This was thrown down in tiie temple, 
 ■aken by the priests, and appropriated 
 to the purchase of a field owned by a 
 potter, worn out, and of little or no 
 value; all showing at how low a price, 
 through the whole transaction, the Son 
 of God was estimated. Though the 
 words quoted here are not precisely like 
 those in Zechariah, yet the seiise and 
 general structure are the same. 
 
 11. And Jesus stood hef ore the gover- 
 nor. Many things are oinittcdby Mat- 
 ihew in the account of this trial, which 
 are recorded by the other evangelists. 
 A much more full account is found in 
 John xviii. 2S — 40. If And the governor 
 asked him, &c. 'J'his question was 
 asked on account of the charge which 
 the JeivH Drought against Jesus, of per- 
 verting the nation, atid forbidding to 
 give tribute to Ccesar. Luke x.\iii. 2. It 
 was on this charge that, after consulta- 
 tion, they had agreed to arraign him 
 before Pilate. They had condemned 
 bim for hlanphcmy ; but they well knew 
 ihat Pilate would altogether disregard 
 an accusation of that kind. They there- 
 fore attempted to substitute a totally 
 difTercnt accusation from that on which 
 hey had professed to lind him guilty ; 
 o excite tiie jealousy of the lloman 
 
 the chief priests and elders, he an- 
 swered " nothing. 
 
 13 Then sailh Pilate unto him, 
 Hearest thou not how many things 
 they witness against thee ] 
 
 14 And he answered him to nevei 
 
 a C.26.G3. 
 
 governor, and to procure his death on a 
 talse charge of treason against the Ro- 
 man emperor. If Thou sayest. That 
 is, thou sayest right, or thou sayest the 
 truth. We may wonder why the Jews, 
 if they heard this confession, did not 
 press it upon the attention of Pilate aa 
 a full confession of his guilt. It was 
 what they had accused him of But it 
 might be doubtful whether, in the con- 
 fusion, they heard the confession ; or 
 if they did, Jesus took away all occa- 
 sion of triumph by explaiiiing to Pilate 
 (he 7jarMre of his kingdom. John xviii. 
 36. Though he acknowledged that he 
 was a king, yet he stated fully that his 
 kingdom was not of this world, and that 
 therefore it could not be alleged against 
 him as treason against the Roman em- 
 peror. This was done in the palace, 
 apart from the Jews, and fully satisfied 
 Pilate of his innocence. John .wiii. 23. 
 
 12. When he was accused, &c. To 
 wit, of perverting the nation, and of 
 forbidding to give tribute to Caesar. 
 Luke -xxiii. 2, 5. Probably this was 
 done in a tumultuous manner, and in 
 every variety of form. If He answered 
 nothing. He was conscious of his in- 
 nocence. He knew that they could 
 not prove these charges. They offered 
 no testimony to prove them ; and, in 
 conscious innocence, he was silent. 
 
 13. They witness against thee. This 
 means, rather, that they accused him. 
 They were not witnesses, but accusers. 
 These accusations were repeated and 
 pressed. They charged him with ex- 
 citing the people, teaching throughout 
 all Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem, 
 and e.xciting them to sedition. Luke 
 xxiii. 5. 
 
 14. To never a word. That is, not 
 ata'l. He said nothing. This is a way 
 of speaking, denoting that it was re- 
 markable. It is an emphatic way of 
 saying that he answered noihing. There 
 was no need of his replying. He was 
 innocent, and they offered no proof of 
 guilt. Besides, his appearance was full 
 evidence in his favor. He was jKJO.r,
 
 322 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 a word ; insomtch that the governor 
 marvelled greatly. 
 
 15 Now " at that feast the go- 
 vernor was wont to release unto the 
 people a prisoner, whom they would. 
 a Mar.]5.6,&c. Lu.23.17,&c. Jno.l8.39,&c. 
 
 unarmed, without powerful friends, and 
 alone. His life had been public, and 
 his sentiments were well known, and 
 the charge had on the face of it the as- 
 pect of absurdity. It deserved there- 
 fore no answer. If Marvelled greatly. 
 Wondered exceedingly, or was much 
 surprised. He was probably more sur- 
 prised that he bore this so meekly, and 
 did not return railing for railing, than 
 that he did not set up a defence. The 
 lalt,er was unnecessary. The former 
 was unusual. The governor was not 
 accustomed to see it, and was therefore 
 greatly amazed. 
 
 It was at this time that Pilate, having 
 heard them speak of Galilee (Luke xxiii. 
 5), asked if he was a Galilean. Having 
 ascertained that he was, and probably 
 desirous of freeing himself from any. 
 farther trouble in the affair, under pre- 
 tence that he belonged to Herod's ju- 
 risdiction, he sent Jesus to Herod, who 
 was then at Jerusalem, attending the 
 feast of the passover. Luke xxiii. 6 — 
 12. Herod, having examined him, and 
 finding no cause of death in him, sent 
 him back to Pilate. Pleased with the 
 respect which had been shown him, 
 Herod laid aside his enmity against Pi- 
 late, and they became friends. The 
 cause of their friendship does not appear 
 to be at all that they were united in op- 
 posing ilic claims of Jesus to be the 
 Messiah, but the respect which Pilate 
 had shown in sending Jesus to him. 
 
 15 — 23. See also the parallel places 
 n\ Mark xv 6 — 14 ; Luke xxiii. 17 — 23 ; 
 John xviii. 39, 40. 
 
 15. At that feast. The feast of the 
 Passover. IT The governor was wont to 
 release, &c. Was acmstomed to re- 
 lease. From what this custom arose, 
 or by whom it was introduced, is not 
 known. It was probably adopted to 
 secure popularity among the Jews, and 
 c'o render the government ot the Ro- 
 nans less odious. Any .itile indulgence 
 granted to the Jews during the heavy 
 oppression of the Romans, would serve 
 to conciliate their favor, and to keep the 
 nation from sedition. It might happe.u 
 
 16 And they had then a notabla 
 prisoner, called Barabbas. 
 
 17 Therefore, when they were 
 gathered together, Pilate said unto 
 them, Whom will ye that I release 
 
 often, that when persons were arraign- 
 ed before the Romans, on charge of se- 
 dition, some peculiar favorite of the 
 people, or some leader, might be among 
 the number. It is evident that if they 
 had the privilege of recovering such a 
 person, it would serve much to allaj 
 their feelings, and make tolerable the 
 yoke under which they groaned, 
 
 16. A notable prisoner. The word 
 notable means one that is distinguished 
 in any way, either for great virtues, or 
 great crimes. In this place, it evident- 
 ly means the latter. He was perhaps 
 a leader of a band who had been guilty 
 of sedition, and had committed murder 
 in an insurrection. Luke xxiii. 19. 
 
 17. Whom will ye that I release, &c. 
 Pilate was satisfied of the innocence of 
 Jesus. Luke xxiii. 13 — 16. He was, 
 therefore, desirous of releasing him. Ha 
 expected to release one to the people. 
 He knew that Jesus, though condemn- 
 ed by the cliief priests, was yet popular 
 among the ■people. He therefore at- 
 tempted in this manner to rescue him 
 from the hands of the priests, and ex- 
 pected that the people would prefer /a'wi, 
 to an odious and infamous robber and 
 murderer. — Had the people been left to 
 themselves, .it would probably have 
 been done. ^ Jesus which is called 
 Christ. That is, Jesus who claims to 
 be the Messiah. Pilate probably did 
 not believe it. or care much for it. He 
 used the name which Jesus had ac- 
 quired among the people. Perhaps, 
 also, he thought that they would be 
 more likely to ask him to be released, 
 if he was presented to them as the Mes- 
 siah — Mark (xv. 9,) adds, that he asked 
 them whether they would that he should 
 release the king of the Jews ? It is pro- 
 bable that he asked the question in 
 both ways. Perhaps it was several 
 times repeated, and Matthew has re- 
 corded one way in which it was asked, 
 and Mark another. He asked them 
 whether they would demand him v/ho 
 VMS called the Chri^^t — expecting that 
 they would be moved bv the claims of 
 the Messiah, slairas which when he en-
 
 A. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 32H 
 
 aritoyou 1 Ba'abbas, or Jesus which 
 is called Christ 1 
 
 18 For ho knew that for envy " 
 they had delivered him. 
 
 19 When he was set down on the 
 judgment-seat, his wife sent unto 
 him, sayincr, Have thou nothing to 
 do with that ''just man; for I iiave 
 suffered many things this day in a 
 dream because of him. 
 
 20 But the chief priests and el- 
 
 a Pr.27.4. Ec.4.4. b [s.53.1]. Zec.9.9. Lu. 
 23.47. lPe.2.SB. 1 Jno.2.1. 
 
 tared Jerusalem in triumph, and in the 
 icmple, they had acknowledged. He 
 asked them wiiether they would iiave 
 the king of the Jews — prol)ahly to ridi- 
 cule the pncsis w!io had delivered him 
 on thai charge. He did it to show the 
 people how absurd the accusation was. 
 There he stood, apparently, a poor, in- 
 oflensive, unarmed, and despised man. 
 Herod set him at nought and scourged 
 him, and sent him back. 1'he charge, 
 therefore, of the priests, that he was a 
 ki?ig opposed to the Roman emperor, 
 was supremelij ridiculous ; and Pilate 
 e.xpeciing the people would see it so, 
 hoped also that they would ask him to 
 be released. 
 
 IS. For he kncio that for envy, &c. 
 Tliis was envy at his popularity. He 
 drew away the people from them. This 
 Pilate understood probably from his 
 knowlege of the pride and ambition of 
 the rulers, and from the fact that no 
 danger could arise from a person that 
 appeared like .lesus. If Pilate knew 
 this, he was bound to release him him- 
 self. As a governor and judge, he was 
 oound to protect the innocent, and 
 should, in spite of all the opposition of 
 the Jews, at once have set him at lib- 
 erty. But the scriptures could not then 
 have been fulfilled. It was necessary, 
 ui order that an atonement should be 
 made, that Jesus should be condemned 
 to die. At the same time, it shows the 
 wisdom of the overruling providence of 
 God, that he was condemned by a man 
 who was satisfied of his innocence, and 
 who proclaimed before his accusers 
 tiis full belief that there was no fault 
 in liim. 
 
 19. Have thou nothing to do, &c. 
 That is, do not condemn him. Per- 
 laps she wtis afraid that the vengeance 
 
 ders persuaded the multitude that 
 they siiould ask '^ Barabbas, and de- 
 stroy Jesus. 
 
 21 The governor answered and 
 said unto them, Whether of the 
 twain will ye that I release unto 
 you ] They said, Barabbas. 
 
 22 Pilate saiih unto them, What 
 shall I do then with Jesus, which is 
 called Christ] They aW say unto 
 him, Let him be crucified. 
 
 of heaven would follow her husband 
 and liamily, if he condemned tiie inno- 
 cent. H That just man. The word 
 just here has the sense of innocent ; 
 or not guilty. She might have been 
 satisfied of his innocence from other 
 sources, as well as from the dream. 
 — It is possible that the woman might 
 have been a worshipper of the true 
 God, and that she might therefore have 
 desired that the Messiah should be re- 
 leased. ^ I have suffered many things, 
 &,c. Dreams were occasionally con- 
 sidered as indications of the Divine 
 will, and among the Romans and Greeks 
 as well as the Jews, great reliance was 
 placed on them. Her mind, probably 
 agitated with the subject ; satisfied of 
 the innocence of Jesus ; and knowing 
 that the Jews would make every effort 
 to secure his condemnation, was also 
 e.Kcited during her sleep, perhaps with 
 a frightful prospect of the judgments 
 that would descend on the family of 
 Pilate if Jesus was condenmed. She 
 therefore sent to him to secure if pos- 
 sible his release. 
 
 20. Persuaded the multitude. The 
 release of a prisoner was to be to the 
 people, not to the rulers. The rulers^ 
 therefore, in order to secure the con- 
 demnation of Jesus, urged on the poo 
 pie to demand Barabbas. The people 
 were greatly under the influence of the 
 priests. Galileans among the citizens 
 of Jerusalem were held in contempt. 
 The priests turned the pretensions of 
 Jesus into ridicule. Hence in a popu- 
 lar tumult, among a flexible, and chang- 
 ing multitude, they easily e.xcited therr 
 who but a little before had cried hosan- 
 na to cry crucify him. 
 
 21. Whether of the twamt Which 
 of the two, Jesus or Barabbaa i
 
 324 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 23 And the trovernor said, Why, 
 ft'hat evil hath he donel But they 
 cried out the more, Saying, Let ° 
 b\m be crucified. 
 
 24 When Pilate saw that he could 
 pievail nothing, but that rather a tu- 
 mult was made, he took water, and 
 washed his * hands before the mul- 
 
 a c.21.33,39. b De.Sl.G. 
 
 23. And the Governor said, IVhy ? 
 Luke informs us that Pilate put this 
 question to them three times, so anxious 
 was he to release him. He affirmed 
 that he had found no cause of death in 
 him. He said therefore, that he would 
 chastise him, and let him go. He ex- 
 pected probably by causing him to be 
 publicly whipped, to excite their com- 
 passion, to satisfy them, and thus to 
 evade the demands of the priests, and 
 to set him at hberty with the consent 
 of the people. So weali and irresolute 
 was this Roman governor ! Satisfied 
 of his innocence, he should at once have 
 prckrred justice Xopopxdarity, and acted 
 as became a magisiratc in acquitting the 
 innocent. IT Lei him be crucified. See 
 Note on verse 39. Luke says they 
 were instant with loud voices demand- 
 ing this. They urged it. They de- 
 manded it with a popular clamor. 
 
 24. He took water, &c. The Jews 
 were accustomed to wash their hands 
 when they wished to show that they 
 wiM"e innocent of a crime committed by 
 others. See Deut. xxi. 6; Ps. xxvi. 6. 
 They often used signs to represent their 
 meaning. Pilate, in doing this, meant 
 to denote that they were guilty of his 
 death, but that he was innocent. But 
 the mere washing of his hands, did not 
 free him from guilt. Pie was bound as 
 a magistrate to free an innocent man ; 
 and whatever might be the clamor of 
 the Jews, he was guilty at the bar of 
 God for suffering the holy Saviour to 
 lie led to execution, to gratify the ma- 
 lice of enraged priests, and the clamors 
 of a tumultuous populace, "ii See yc to 
 it. That is, take it upon yourselves. Ye 
 nro responsible for it, if ye put him to 
 ileith. 
 
 '25. His blood he on us, &c. That 
 IS, let the guilt of putting him to death, 
 :f there be any, be on us and our child- 
 ren. We will bo answerable for it, 
 and will consent to bear the punishment 
 'or it. It is remarked by writera, that 
 
 titude saying, I am innocent of the 
 blood of this just person: see ye 
 to it. 
 
 25 Then answered all the people, 
 and said. His ' blood he on us, and 
 on our children. 
 
 26 Then released he Barabbas 
 unto them : and when he had 
 
 c De 19 10. Jos.2.19. c.21.44. Ac.5.38. 
 
 among the Athenians, if any one ac- 
 cused another of a capital crime, he 
 devoted himself and children to the 
 sairie punishment, if the accused waa 
 afterwards found innocent. So in all 
 countries the conduct of the parent in- 
 volves also the children in the conse- 
 qtiences of his conduct. The Jews 
 had no rigid to call down this vengeance 
 on their children, but in the righteous 
 judgment of God it has come upon 
 them. In less than forty years their 
 city and tejiiple were overthrown andy 
 destroyed. More than a million of peo- 
 ple perished in the siege. Thousands 
 died by famine ; thousands by disease ; 
 thousands by the sword ; and their blood 
 ran down the streets like water, so that, 
 Joscphus says, it extinguished things 
 that were burning in the city. Thou 
 sands were crucified — suffering the same 
 punishment that they had inflicted on 
 the Messiah. So great was the num- 
 ber of those who were crucified, that, 
 Joscphus says, they were obliged to 
 cease from it, " room being wanting foi 
 the crosses, and crosses for the men." 
 To this day, also, the curse has re- 
 mained. They have been a nation scat- 
 tered and peeled ; persecuted almost 
 every where, and a hissing and a by- 
 word aniong men. No single nation 
 probably lias suffered so much ; and yet 
 they have been preserved. All classes 
 of men ; all the governments of the 
 earth, have conspired to overwhelm 
 them with calatuity, and yet they still 
 live as monuments of the justice of 
 God, and as proofs, going down from 
 age to age, that the Christian religion is 
 true — standing demonstrations of the 
 crime of their fathers in putting the 
 Messiah to death, and in calling down 
 vengeance on their heads. 
 
 26. A7id when he had scourged Jesus. 
 See Note, Matt. x. 17. Aniong the Ro- 
 mans it was customary to scourge, ot 
 whip, a slave before he was crucified 
 This was done to inflict a greater Buf
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 325 
 
 scourged " Jesus, he delivered him 
 to be crucified. 
 
 27 Then the soldiers of the go- 
 vernor took Jesus into the ' common 
 hall, and gathered unto him the 
 whole band of soldiers. 
 
 s Is.53.5. Lu. 18.33. ^ or, ffovernor's house. 
 
 fering than crucifixion would be alone ; 
 *n(l to add to the horrors of the pun- 
 ishnieat. Our Lord, being about to be 
 put to dec ;h, after the manner of a slave, 
 was also treated as a slave ; as one of 
 the lowest and most despised of man- 
 kind. — ^ He delivered him, 6cc. Not 
 merely he gave him up to Ikem to cru- 
 cify him, as if t/ie-j only were answer- 
 able, but he gave him up as a judge 
 when he ought to have saved his lile, 
 and might liave done it. Crucifixion 
 was a Roman punisiiment ; it was per- 
 formed by Roman soldiers ; Pilate pro- 
 nounced the sentence from the tribu- 
 nal, and Pilate affixed the title to the 
 cross. Pilate, therefore, as well as the 
 Jews, was answerable to God, for the 
 death of the Saviour of the world. 
 
 27—31. See also Mark xv. 15—20: 
 John xix. 1—3. 
 
 27. Into the common hall. The ori- 
 ginal word here means rather the go- 
 vernor's palace, or dwelling. The trial 
 of Jesus had taken place out of the 
 palace. The Jews would not enter in, 
 and it is probable that courts were held 
 iften in a larger and more public place, 
 than would be a room in his dwelling. 
 Jesus, being condemned, was led by 
 the soldiers away from the Jews within 
 the palace, and subjected to their pro- 
 fane mockery and sport. If The whole 
 hand. The hand or cohort was a tenth 
 part of a Roman legion, and consisted 
 of from four hundred to six hundred 
 men, according to the size of the legion. 
 
 28. A7Ld the}/ stripped him. That is, 
 they either took ofl" all his upper gar- 
 ments or removed all his clothing, pro- 
 bably the former. ^ ^1 scarlet rohe. 
 Mark says they clothed him in purple. 
 The scarlet color was i/btained from a 
 spcicies of fiuit ; purph; from shell-fish. 
 The ancients gave the name purple to 
 any color tiiat had a mixture of nd in 
 it, and consequently these different co- 
 lors might be sometimes called by the 
 same name. The robe here used was 
 the kind worn by Roman generals, and 
 other distinguished officers of the Ro- 
 
 28 
 
 28 And they stripped him, and 
 put on him a sciirlet robe. 
 
 29 And when they had platted a 
 crown of thorns, they put it upon 
 his head, and a reed in his right 
 hand : and they bowed the knee be- 
 
 man army, and also by the Roman 
 governors. It was n-.ade so as to be 
 placed on the shoulders, and was bound 
 around the body .so as to leave thf right 
 arm at liberty. As we cannot suppose 
 that Pilate would array him in a new 
 and splendid robe, we must suppose 
 that this was one which had been worn 
 and cast oft' as useless, and was now 
 used to array the Son of God as an ob- 
 ject of ridicule and scorn ! 
 
 29. Had platted. The word platted 
 here means xroven together or uaving 
 made a wreath of a thorn bush. If A 
 crown. Or perhaps rather a wreath. A 
 crown was worn by kings, commonly 
 made of gold, and precious stones. To 
 ridicule the pretensions of Jesus, that 
 he was a king, they probably plucl;ed 
 up a thorn bush growing near, made it 
 into something resembhng, in shape, a 
 royal crown, so as to correspond \v'ith 
 the old purple, and to complete the 
 mockery, "if Of thorns. What is the 
 precise species of shrub denoted here 
 is not certainly known. It was, Iz-.^w- 
 ever, doubtless, one of that species tlia/ 
 has sharp points of very hard wood 
 They could therefore be easily pressed 
 into the skin, and cause considerable 
 pain. Probably they seized upon the 
 first thing in their way that could be 
 made into a crown, and this happened 
 to be a thorn; thus increasing the suf- 
 ferings of the meek Redeemer. IT And 
 a reed in his right hand. A reed is 
 a straight, slender herb, growing in 
 marshy places, and abundant on the 
 banks of the Jordan. It was often used 
 for the purpose of making staves foi 
 walking ; and it is not improbable that 
 this was such a staff in the possession 
 of some person present. The word is 
 several times thus used. See 2 Kings 
 .wiii. 21 ; Isa. xxxvi. 6 ; Ezck. x.xix. (i. 
 Kings commonly carried a sreptrc, made 
 of ivory cr gold, as a sign of their office 
 or rank. Es.'. iv. 11 ; vili. 4. This reed 
 or staff \hej,' lut in his hand, in imita- 
 tion of a sceptre, to deride also his pre- 
 tensions oi being a king. '^ And Ifiei
 
 326 
 
 fore him, and mocked « him, saying, 
 Hail, King of the Jews ! 
 
 30 And they spit' upon him, and 
 took the reed, and smote him on the 
 head. 
 
 31 And after that they had mock- 
 
 a rs.C9.19 20. b I.=.49.7. 50.6. 53.3,7. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33. 
 
 ed him, they took the robe off from 
 him, and put his own raiment on 
 him, and led ' him away to crucify 
 him. 
 
 32 And as they came ou*, they 
 found a man of Cyrene, Simon by 
 c Nu. 15.35. 1 Ki.2I. 10,13. Ac.7.58. He.13.12. 
 
 lovjed the knee. This was done for 
 mockery. It was an act of pretended 
 homage. It was to ridicule his saying 
 that he v.as a king. The cominon 
 mode of showing respect or homage 
 for kings, was by kneeling or prostra- 
 tion. It shows amazing forbearance on 
 the part of Jesus, that he thus consent- 
 ed to be ridiculed, and set at naught. 
 No mere hitman being would have 
 borne it. None but him who loved us 
 unto death, and who saw the grand re- 
 sults that would come irom this scene 
 of sufferings, could have endured such 
 jruel mockery. ^ Hail, King of the 
 Jews. The term hail was a conunon 
 mode of salutation to a king, or even to 
 a friend. It itnplies, commonly, the 
 highest respect for oflice, as well as the 
 person, and is an invocation of blessings 
 on the person. Here it was used to 
 carry on what they thought to be the 
 farce of his being a king; to ridicule in 
 every possible v.-ay the pretensions of 
 a poor, unattended, unarmed man of 
 Nazareth, as if he had been a weak 
 impostor, or had been deranged. 
 
 30. And Ihey spit upon him. This 
 was a token of the deepest contempt 
 and insult. See Note, Malt. .\xvi. 67. 
 *^ And took the reed. The cane, proba- 
 bly so large as to inflict a heavy blow. 
 ^ And sJHole him on the head. Not 
 merely to injure him by the force of the 
 blow, but to press the thorns into his 
 head, and thus to add cruelty to insult. 
 
 31, 32. As they came out. That is, 
 out of the governor's palace, where he 
 nad been treated with such cruelty and 
 contempt, or out of the gates of the city 
 to crucify him. "^ A man of Cyrene. 
 Cyrene was a city of Libya, in Africa, 
 ying west of Egypt. There were 
 
 .Tiany Jews there, and they were in the 
 nabit, like others, of going frequently 
 to Jerusalem. "^ Hi?n the-if compelled to 
 bear his cross. John says (.xix. 17.) that 
 Jesus went forth bearing his '.ross. 
 Luke 6-ays (.\xiii. 26.) that they laid the 
 -.ross on fiinion, that he might bear it 
 after Jc!5U3 Tliere is no contradiction 
 
 in these accounts. It was a part of the 
 usual punishment of those who were 
 crucified, that they should bear theii 
 own cross to the place of execution. 
 It was accordingly laid at first on Jesus, 
 and he went forth, as John says, bear- 
 ing it. Weak, however, and exhausted 
 by sufli^ring and watchfulness, he pro- 
 bably sunk under the heavy burden, 
 and they laid hold of Simon that he 
 might bear one end of the cross, as 
 Luke says, after Jesus. The cross 
 was composed of two pieces of wood, 
 one of which was placed upright in the 
 earth, and the other crossed it, after the 
 form of the figure -f-. The upright 
 part was commonly so high that the 
 feet of the person crucified were two 
 or three feet from the ground. On the 
 middle of that upright part there was a 
 projection, or seat, on which the per- 
 son crucified sat, or, as it were, rode. 
 This was necessary, as the ha7ids were 
 not alone strong enough to bear the 
 weight of the body ; as the body was 
 left exposed often many days, and not 
 unfrequently suffered to remain till the 
 flesh had been devoured by vultures, oi 
 putrefied in the sun. The feet were 
 fastened to this upright piece, either by 
 nailing them with large spikes driven 
 through the tender part, or by being 
 lashed by cords. To the cross piece at 
 the top, the hands, being extended, 
 were also fastened, cither by spikes, or 
 by cords, or perhaps in some cases by 
 both. The hands and feet of our Sa 
 viour, were both fastened by spikea. 
 Crosses were also sometimes made in 
 the form of the letter X, the hmbs cf 
 the person crucified being extended to 
 the four parts, and he sufiered to die a 
 lingering death, in this cruel manne\ 
 The cross used in the crucifixion of 
 Christ, appears to have been the formei . 
 The mention of the cross often occuia 
 in the New Testament. It was the in- 
 strument on which the Saviour madi; 
 atonement for the sins of the world 
 The whole of the Christian's hope of 
 heaven, and all his peace and consoia-
 
 ^.l). 33 j 
 
 CHAPlhK XXV 11. 
 
 327 
 
 name: him they compelled to bear 
 tiis cross. 
 33 And when they were ojme 
 
 tion in trial and in death, depend on the 
 sacrifice there made fdr sin, and on just 
 views and feelings in regard to the fact 
 and the design of the Redeemer's 
 death. The following cuts are. there- 
 fore, inserted as an illustration of the 
 usual form of the cross, and common 
 me'liod of crucifixion. The simplest 
 ibrm of the cross was the following : 
 
 [;: 
 
 ssaj 
 
 unto a place called Golgotha, that 
 is to say, A place of a skull, 
 
 34 They gave him vinegar to 
 
 ter was crucified, 
 xxi. 18. 
 
 See Notes on Jchn 
 
 33. Golgotha. This is the Hebrew 
 word, signifying the place of a skull. 
 This is ilie word which in Luke is call- 
 ed Calvary. In the original, there also, 
 it is a skull. The word calvary is a 
 Lathi word meaning skull, or place of 
 skulls. It is not known certainly why 
 this name was given to this place. 
 Some have supposed that it was because 
 the mount resembled in shape a human 
 skull. The most probable opinion, 
 L 1 J „f ..,. ,;f:.-;^r^ ;= ;i ' however, is that it was a place of e.\e- 
 
 he f,^^\,"i°J,°f,"^'"S^^°" '« '' i cution; that malefactors were behead- 
 rn-ed b> the follo^^ mg cut . \ ^^ ^j^^;^_ ^^ otherwise put to death, and 
 
 that their bones remained unburicd or 
 unburned. Mount Calvary was a small 
 eminence usually supposed to have 
 been on the north-west of Jerusalem, 
 without the walls of the city, but at 
 a short distance. Jesus was put to 
 death out of the city, because capital 
 punishments were not allowed, withni 
 the walls. See Num. xv. 35. 1 Kings 
 xxi. 13. This was a law ariionc; the Ro- 
 mans, as well as the Jews. He also died 
 there, because the bodies of tlie beasts 
 slain m sacrifice as typical of him, were 
 burned without the cawp. He also, as the 
 antitype, suffered without the gate. Heb, 
 xiii. )!■ 12. The place wliirh is shovvr. 
 as Calvary now is within the city, and 
 must also have been within the ancient 
 walls, and there is no reason to stippose 
 that it is the place wheie the Savuiur wa9 
 put 10 death. 
 
 34. They gave him vinegar, &C. 
 Mark says that " they gave him to drini 
 
 ;;^T,':: 
 
 Other modes of ciucifixion are illus- 
 •rated by the following cut. It was in 
 one of these modes, probably, that Pe-
 
 328 
 
 MATTHEW 
 
 lA. D. 33 
 
 drink, mingled " with gall : and 
 when he had tasted thereof, he 
 would not drink. 
 
 a Ps.00.21. 
 
 XDine mingled xoith myrrh.'''' The ,wo 
 evangelists mean the same thing. Vin- 
 egar was made of hght wine rendered 
 Ecid, and was the common drinli. of 
 the Roman soldiers, and this might be 
 called either vinegar or wine, in com- 
 mon language. Myrrh is a bitter sub- 
 stance, produced in Arabia, but is used 
 often to denote any thing bitter. The 
 meaning of the name is hitterness. See 
 Note. Matt. ii. 11. Gall is properly a 
 bitter secretion from the liver, but the 
 word is also used to denote any thing 
 exceedingly bitter, as wormwood, &c. 
 The drink, therefore, was vinegar or 
 wine, rendered bitter by the infusion 
 of wormwood, or some other very bit- 
 ter substance. The effect of this, it is 
 said, was to stupify the senses. It was 
 often given to those crucified, to ren- 
 der them insensible to the pains of 
 death. Our Lord knowing this, when 
 he had tasted it, refused to drink. He 
 was unwilling to blunt the pains of dy- 
 ing. The cup which his Father gave 
 him, he rather chose to drink. He 
 came to suffer. His sorrows were ne- 
 cessary for the work of the atonement; 
 and he gave himself up to the unmiti- 
 gated sufferings of the cross. This was 
 presented to hirn. in the early part of 
 his sufferings, or when he was about to 
 be suspended on the cross. After- 
 ward, when he was on the cross, and 
 just before his death, vinegar was of- 
 fered to him xmthowt the myrrh, — the 
 vinegar which the soldiers usually drank 
 — and of this he received. See vcr. 49, 
 and John xi.x. 28—30. Where Mat- 
 thew and Mark say that he ' would not 
 drink' they refer to a different thing, 
 and a different time, from John, and 
 there is no contradiction. 
 
 35. And they crucified him. To crti- 
 cify, means to put to death on a cross. 
 The cross has been described at ver. 32. 
 The mcuiner of the crucili.xion was as 
 "ollows :- After the criminal had car- 
 ied the cross, attended with every pos- 
 sible jibe and insult, to the place of ex- 
 ecjtion, a hole was dug in the earth to 
 receive the foot of i The cross was 
 laid on tlje ovomc ; tho person con- 
 
 35 And ' they Lrncified him, and 
 parted his garments, casting lots; 
 that it might be fulfilled which was 
 
 b PS.22J6. Mar.l5.24.&c. Lu.23.34,&:c. 
 Jno.l0.24,&:c. 
 
 demned to suffer was stripped, and waa 
 extended on it, and the soldiers fasten 
 ed the hands and feet either by nails or 
 thongs. After they had fixed the nails 
 deeply in the wood, they elevated the 
 cross with the agonizing sufferer on it ; 
 and in order to fix it more firmly in the 
 earth, they let it fall violently into the 
 hole which they had dug to receive it. 
 This sudden fall must have given to the 
 person that was nailed to it a most vio- 
 lent and convulsive shock, and greatly 
 increased his sufferings. The crucified 
 person was then suffered to hang, com- 
 monly, till pain, exhaustion, thirst, and 
 hunger, ended his life. Sometimes the 
 sufferings continued for days ; and 
 when Iriendly death terminated the 
 hfe, the body was often suffered to re- 
 main — a loathsome object, putrefying 
 in the sun, or devoured by birds. 
 
 This punishment was deemed the 
 most disgraceful and ignominious that 
 was practised among the Romans. It 
 was the way in which slaves, robbers, 
 and the most notorious and abandoned 
 wretches, were commonly put to death. 
 It was thia, among other things, that 
 exposed those who preached the gos- 
 pel to so much shame and contempt 
 among the Greeks and Romans. They 
 despised every thing that was connect- 
 ed with the death of one who had died 
 as a slave and an outlaw. 
 
 As it was the most ignominious pun- 
 ishment known, so it was the most 
 painful. The following circumstances 
 make it a death of peculiar pain : 1st. 
 The position of the arms and the body 
 was unnatural, the arms being extend 
 ed back and almost immovable. The 
 least motion gave violent pain in the 
 hands and feet, and in the back, which 
 was lacerated with stripes. 2d. The 
 nails being driven through the parts of 
 the hands and feet which abound with 
 nerves and tendons, created the rrost 
 exquisite anguish. 3d. The exposure 
 of so many wounds to the air brought 
 on a violent inflammation, which greatly 
 increased the poignancy of tlie suffer- 
 ing. 4th. The free circulation of th»'. 
 blood '^'as prevented. More blcod wn*
 
 \. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 t329 
 
 ?pokcn ' by the prophet, They part- 
 ed my garments among them, and 
 upon my vesture did they cast 
 lot6. 
 
 36 And sitting down, they watc.i- 
 fid him there ; 
 
 37 And set up over his head 
 tiis accusation written, THIS IS 
 
 a Ps.23.18. 
 
 carried out in the arteries than could 
 be returned by the veins. The conse- 
 quence was, that there was a great in- 
 crease in the veins of the head, pro- 
 ducing an intense pressure and violent 
 pain. The same was true of other parts 
 of the body. This intense pressure in 
 the blood-ve«^els was the source oi in- 
 expressible misery. 5th. The pain gra- 
 dually increased. There was no re- 
 laxation and no rest. There was no 
 prospect but death. The sufferer was 
 commonly able to endure it till the 
 third, and sometimes even to the se- 
 venth day. The intense sufferings of 
 the Saviour, however, were sooner 
 terminated. This was caused, per- 
 haps, in some measure, by his previous 
 fatigue and exhaustion, but still more 
 by the intense sufferings of his soul, in 
 bearing our griefs, and carrying our 
 sorrows ; in making an atonement for 
 the sins of the world. See Note on 
 Mark xv. 44. If Arid parted his gar- 
 ments. It was customary to crucify a 
 person naked. The clothes of the suf- 
 ferer belonged to those who were ex- 
 ecutioners. John says (xix. 23) that 
 they divided his garments into four 
 parts, to each soldier a part ; but for 
 his coat they cast lots. See Note on 
 the place. When Matthew says, there- 
 fore, that they parted his garments, 
 casting lots, it is to be understood that 
 they divided one part of them, and for 
 the other part of them they cast lots. 
 IT That it migfit be fulfilled, &c. The 
 jvords here quoted are found in Psalm 
 jcxii. 18. The whole psalm is usually 
 referred to Christ, and is a most strik- 
 ing description of his sufferings and 
 death. 
 
 36. They vatched him there. That is, 
 llic four soldiers who had crurified 
 him. They watched him lest his friends 
 should come and release him. 
 
 37. And set up over his head. John 
 says (xLX. 19), that Pilate wrot«" tlie 
 
 28* 
 
 JESUS THE KING OF THE 
 JEWS. 
 
 38 Then were there two thieves 
 '' crucified with him ; one on the 
 right iiand, and another on the left. 
 
 39 And they that passed by re- 
 viled him, wagging '^ their heads, 
 
 40 And saying. Thou that de* 
 
 b Is.53.12. c Ps.22.7. 109.25. 
 
 title, and put it upon the crosc. Proba- 
 bly Pilate wrote it, or caused it to ^.e 
 written, and directed the soldiers to set 
 it up. A man is often said to do what 
 he directs others to do. It was custom- 
 ary to set up over the heads of persons 
 crucified the crime for which they suf 
 fcred, and the name of the sufferer. 
 The accusation on which Jesus had 
 been condemned by Pilate, was his 
 claiming to be the king of the Jews. 
 "ii This is Jesus the king of the Jews. 
 The evangelists differ in the account 
 of this title. Mark (.\v. 26) says it was 
 " the king of the Jews." Luke says, 
 (xxiii. 38), " this is the king of the 
 Jews." John (xix. 19), " Jesus of 
 Nazareth, the king of the Jev.-s." But 
 the difficulty may be easily removed. 
 John says, that the title was written 
 in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. It ia 
 not at all improbable that the inscrip- 
 tion varied in these languages. One 
 evangelist may have translated it from 
 the Hebrew ; another from the Greek ; 
 a third from the Latin ; and a fourth 
 have translated one of the inscriptions a 
 little ditlerently from another. Besides, 
 the evangelists all agree in the main 
 point of the inscription, viz., that he 
 was the king of the Jews. 
 
 38. Two thieves crucified, &c. Rath 
 er, two robbers. Pilate did not reside 
 in Jerusalem. When he came there on 
 the great feasts, or at other times, it was, 
 in part, to hold courts for the trial of 
 criminals. These robbers had beer pro- 
 bably condemned at that time ; and to 
 show greater contempt for Jesus, he 
 was crucified between men of that 
 abandoned character, and on a cross 
 that should have been occupied by their 
 companion and leader, Baralibas. 
 
 39. Waggi7ig their heads. In token 
 of derision and insult. See Job xvi. 4. 
 Ps. cix. 25. 
 
 40. Thou that destroyest the temple, 
 & c. Meani ig, thou that didst boast that
 
 830 
 
 stroyest the temple, and buildest it 
 in three days, save thyself. If thou 
 be the Son of God, come down 
 from the cross. 
 
 41 Likewisealso the chief priests 
 nocking "Am, with the scribes and 
 jlders, said, 
 
 42 He saved otliers, himself he 
 cannot save. If he be the King of 
 Israel, let him now come down 
 
 c lol 13.9. Ps.35.16. Is.28.22. Lu.18.32. 
 
 MATTHEW. [A. D. 33. 
 
 from the cross, and vpe will believe 
 him. 
 
 43 He trusted in God ; let * him 
 deliver him now, if he will have 
 him : for he said, ' I am the Son of 
 God. 
 
 44 The thieves also, which were 
 crucified with him, cast the same 
 in his teeth. 
 
 45 Now from the sixth hour 
 
 b PS.3.2.IX. 8.42. 10.71.11. e Jno.5.]7,18. 10 
 30,36. 
 
 thou couldst do it. This was one of the 
 things that had been falsely ciiarged on 
 him. It was intended for painful sar- 
 casm and derision. If he could destroy 
 the temple, they thought he might easily 
 come down from the cross. 
 
 42, 43. He saved others. It does not 
 seem probable thai they meant to ad- 
 mit that he had actually saved others, 
 but only that he pretended to save them 
 from death by miracles, or that he 
 claimed to be the Messiah, and thus 
 affirmed that he could save them. This 
 is, therefore, cutting irony. IT If he he 
 the King of Israel, &c. It may seem 
 strange to some that Jesus did not vin- 
 dicate by a great miracle his claims to 
 be the Messiah, and come down from 
 the cross. But the time had coine for 
 him to make atonement. He had given 
 full and sufficient proof that he was the 
 Christ. The people would have been 
 as Uttle satisfied that he was, if he had 
 come down from the cross. They said 
 this for the purpose of insult ; and Jesus 
 chose rather to suffer though iiis tna- 
 raeter was assailed, than to work a new 
 miracle for their gratification. He had 
 foretold his death, and the time had 
 come ; and now amidst revihngs, and 
 jibes, and curses, and the severe sar- 
 casms of an angry and apparently tri- 
 umphant priesthood, he chose to die for 
 the sins of the world. To this they 
 added insult to God, profanely caUing 
 upon him lo interpose by miracle, and 
 save him, if he was his friend. And all 
 his, when their prophets had foretold 
 this very scene, and when they were 
 fulfilling the predictions of their own 
 scriptures. So wonderful is the way 
 by which God causes his word to be 
 fulfilled. 
 
 44. The tltltves also. The robbers, 
 at hifxhwaymen. Luke says '.xxiii. 39) 
 
 that one of them did it, and that the 
 other reproved him and was penitent. 
 The accoiuit in Luke may, however, 
 easily be reconciled with that in Mat- 
 thew, by supposing that at first, both of 
 them reviled the Saviour, and that it is 
 of this fact that Matthew speaks. Af- 
 terwards one of them relented, and be 
 came penitent — perhaps from witness- 
 ing the patient sufferings of Christ. It 
 is of this particularly that Luke speaks. 
 Or it may be, that what is true of one 
 of the malefactors, is by Matthew at 
 tributed to both. The evangelists, when, 
 for the sake of brevity, they avoid par 
 ticularizing, often attribute to many 
 what is said or done by single persons, 
 meaning no more than that it was done 
 by some one or more of them, without 
 specifying the one. Compare Mark vii, 
 17, wuh Matt. XV. 15. Mark v. 31, 
 with Luke viii. 45. Luke ix. 13, with 
 John vi. 8, 9. ^ Cast the same in his 
 teeth. This is a most unhappy transla- 
 tion. It means in the original simply, 
 they upbraided him, or reproached him 
 in the same manner. 
 
 45. Now, from the sixth hour. ,That 
 is, from our twelve o'clock. The Jews 
 divided their day into twelve hours, be- 
 ginning to count at sunrise. If There 
 was darlmess. This could not have 
 been an eclipse of the sun, f(;r the pass- 
 over was celebrated at the time of the 
 full moon, when the moon is opposite 
 to the sun. Luke says (xxiii. 45), that 
 the sun was darkened ; but it was not 
 by a.i eclipse, but, perhaps, by the va- 
 pors and clouds that preceded the eaith- 
 quake. The only cause of this was the 
 interposing power of God — furnishing 
 testimony to the dignity of the sufferer, 
 and cauf ing the elements to sympathise 
 with the pains of his dying Son. It was 
 also pecuhavlv proper to furnish tliis tc3<
 
 A. D, 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 331 
 
 there was darkness " over all the I 46 And about the r.inth hour 
 land unto the ninth liour. I Jesus cried with a loud voice, say 
 
 a A Ml. 8.9. 
 
 timcny when the Su.i of righteousness 
 A'as withdrawing his beams for a time, 
 and the Iledeeincr of men was e.xpir- 
 ing. A dark, thick cloud, shutting out 
 the light of day, and clothing every ob- 
 ject with the darkness of midnight, was 
 the appropriate drapery with which the 
 world should be clad when the Son of 
 God ex|jired. This darkness was no- 
 ticed bv one at least of the Pagan writ- 
 ers. Phlegon, a Roman astronomer, 
 speaking of the fourteenth year of the 
 reign of Tiberius, which is supposed to 
 be that in which our Saviour died, says, 
 "that the greatest eclipse of the sun 
 that was ever known happened then, 
 for the day was so turned into night that 
 the stars appeared." If Over all the 
 land. That is, probably over the whole 
 latid of Judea, and perhaps some of the 
 adjacent countries. The e.xtent of the 
 darkness is not known. U The ninth 
 hour. Till about three o'clock in the 
 afternoon, at which time the Saviour is 
 supposed to have died. 
 
 46. Eli, Eli, &,c. This language is 
 not pure Hebrew, nor Syriac, but a 
 mLxture of both, called commonly Syro- 
 Chaldaic. This was probably the lan- 
 guage which he commonly spoke. The 
 words are taken from Psalm xxii. 1. 
 If My God, my God, &-C. I'his e.xpres- 
 sion is one denoting intense suffering. 
 It has been difficult to understand in 
 v^hat sense he was forsaken by God. It 
 is certain that God approved his work. 
 It is certain that Jesus was innocent. 
 He had done nothing to forfeit the favor 
 of God. As his own Son — holy, harm- 
 less, undcfiled, and obedient, God still 
 loved him. In either of these senses, 
 God could not have forsaken him. But 
 the expression was probably used in re- 
 ference to the following circumstances, 
 viz. : 1st. His great bodily sufferings on 
 the cross, greatly aggravated by his 
 previous scourging, and by the want of 
 sympathy, and by the revilings of his 
 enemies on the cross. A person suffer- 
 ing thus, might address God as if he 
 was forsaken, or given up to extreme 
 enguish. 2d. He himself said that this 
 was " the j)ower of darkness." Lttke 
 xxii. 53. 'i'he time when his enemies, 
 including the Jews and Satan, were 
 suffered to do 'heir utm St. It was said 
 
 of the serpent that he should bruise the 
 heel of the seed of the woman. Gen. 
 iii. 15. By that has been commonly 
 understood to be meant, that though 
 the Messiah should finally crush and 
 destroy the power of Satan, yet he 
 should himselt suffer through the power 
 of the devil. When he was tempted 
 (Luke iv.) it was said that the tempter 
 departed from him for a season. There 
 is no improbability in supposing that he 
 might be permitted to return at the time 
 of his death, and exercise his power in 
 increasing the sufferings of the Lord 
 Jesus. In what way this might be 
 done, can be only conjectured. It 
 might be by horrid thoughts ; by tempt- 
 ation to despair, or to distrust (rod, who 
 thus permitted his innocent Son to suf 
 fer; or by an increased horror of the 
 pains of dying. 3d. There might have 
 been withheld from the Saviour those 
 strong religious consolations ; those 
 clear views of the justice and goodness 
 of God, which would have blunted his 
 pains, and soothed his agonies. Mar- 
 tyrs, under the inffuencc of strong reli- 
 gious feeling, have gone triumphantly 
 to the stake, but it is possible that those 
 views might have been withheld from 
 the Redeemer when he came to die. 
 His sufferings were accumulated suffer- 
 ings; and the design of the atonement 
 seemed to require that he should suffer 
 all that human nature conld be made to 
 endure in so short a time. Yet, 4th. 
 We have reason to think that there 
 was still something more than all this 
 that produced this exclamation. Had 
 there been no deeper and more awful 
 sufferings ; it would be difficult lo see 
 why Jesus should have shrunk from 
 these sorrows, and used such a remark 
 able expression. Isaiah tells us (liii. 4, 
 5) that he bore our griefs, and carried 
 our sorrows ; that he was wounded for 
 our transgressions , and bruised for out 
 iniquities ; that the chastisement of our 
 peace teas laid upo7> him ; that by his 
 stripes we are heided. He hath redeemed 
 us from the curse of the law, being 
 made a curse for us, (Gal. iii. 13); he 
 was made a sin-offering, (2 Cor. v. 21); 
 he died i)i our place, on our account, 
 that he might bring us near to God. It 
 1 was this, doubtless, which caused his
 
 332 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 mg, Eli Eli, lama sabachthani 1 
 that is to say, » My God, my God, 
 why hast thou forsaken me 1 
 
 47 Some of them that stood there, 
 when they heard thai, said, This man 
 falleth for Elias. 
 
 48 And straightway one of them 
 ran, and took a spunge, and filled it 
 with * vinegar, and put it on a reed, 
 and gave him to drink. 
 
 s Pb.22.1. Is.53.10. La.1.12. b Ps.69.21. 
 
 intense sufferings. It was the mani- 
 festation of God's hatred of sin to his 
 Boul, in some way wliich he has not 
 explained, that he experienced in that 
 dread hour. It was suffering endured 
 by kim, tliat was due to us ; and suf- 
 'ering by which, and by which alone, 
 we can be saved from eternal death. 
 
 47. This man calleth for Elias. This 
 was done purposely to deride him and 
 his pre-tensions to be tlie Messiah. The 
 words Eli, Eli, they might easily pre- 
 tend that they understood to mean 
 Ebas, or so pervert them. The taunt 
 would be more cutting, because it was 
 *he universal belief of the Jews, as well 
 as the doctrine of Christ, that Elias 
 would come before the Messiah. They 
 derided him now, as calling upon Elias, 
 when God would not help him; still 
 keeping up the pretensions to being the 
 Messiah, and invoking Elijah to come 
 from the dead to aid him. Or it is pos- 
 sible that this might have been said by 
 some bystanders, who did not under- 
 stand the language in which he spoke, 
 or who might not have been near enough 
 to hear him distinctly. 
 
 48. One of them ran. John (xix. 28) 
 says, that this was in consequence of 
 Jesus' saying, " I thirst." One of the 
 effects of crucifixion was excessive 
 thirst. ^ Took a spunge. A spunge is 
 a well known porous substance, that 
 easily absorbs water. It was used in 
 this case, because Jesus being elevated, 
 it was difficult to convey a cup to his 
 lips. 1i Filled it with vinegar. This 
 was the common drink of Roman sol- 
 diers. It was a light wine, turned sour, 
 and mcvod with water. John says, 
 .'xix. 29\ there was a vessel set full of 
 vinegar, probably for the use of the 
 soldiers who watched his crucifixion. 
 'S And pitt it on arced. John says, it 
 
 49 The rest said, Let be, let ua 
 see whether Elias will come to save 
 him. 
 
 50 Jesus, when he had cried 
 again with a loud voice, yielded up 
 the ghost. 
 
 51 And, behold, the veil * of the 
 temple was rent "^ in twain, from 
 the top to the bottom ; and the 
 earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 
 
 c Ex.2G.31. Le.10.2, 15.21.23. 2 Ch.3.14. dis 
 25.7. 
 
 was put upon hyssop. The hyssop ^vas 
 a shrub, growing so large sometimes as 
 to be called a tree. 1 Kings iv. 33. The . 
 stalk of this was what Matthew calls a 
 reed. The spunge fastened to this could 
 easily be extended to reach the mouth 
 of Jesus. This vinegar Jesus drank, 
 for it was not intended to stupify him, 
 or blunt his sense of pain, hke the wine 
 and myrrh. 
 
 49. The rest said, &c. Still deriding 
 his sufferings, and refusing to allow 
 even the poor consolation of a drink, to 
 assuage the thirst of the Saviour of the 
 world in his dying agonies. 
 
 50. Cried again -with a loud voice 
 He cried, "It is finished." John xLx. 
 30. It was in the height of his agony, 
 probably attended with deep groaning, 
 and uttered amidst sorrows which were 
 never else experienced in our world. 
 It finished the work of atonement ; 
 made the way of salvation possible ; 
 rolled away the curse from guilty men ; 
 and opened the kingdom of heaven to 
 all true behevers. If Yielded up the 
 ghost. This, though a hteral transla 
 tion, is unhappy. It means, resigned 
 his spirit, or expired. The same phrase 
 is used by the LXX. in describing the 
 dbrith of Rachel. Gen xxxv. 18. 
 
 51. The vail of the temple.. This was 
 doubtless the vail, curiously wrotight, 
 which separated the holy from the most 
 holy place, dividing the temple into two 
 apartments. Ex. xxvi. 31 — 33. IT /?j 
 twain. In two pieces, or parts. This 
 was the time of day when the priest was 
 burning incense in the holy place, and it 
 is probable that he witnessed it. The 
 most holy place has been usually consi- 
 dered as a type of heaven, and the rend- 
 ing of the vail to signify that the way to 
 heaven w&s now open to all — the groat 
 High Priest, the Lord Jesus, being
 
 A. I). 3i).j 
 
 CHAPTER XXVll. 
 
 ssa 
 
 52 And ' the gi-aves were opened ; 
 \"ind many bodies of the saints which 
 yslept arose, 
 
 y53 And came out of the graves ' 
 after his resurrection, and went into 
 the\ holy city, and appeared unto 
 mai\y. 
 
 alsSoF. 2().l'.). Ho. 13.14. Jno.5.25,28. 6 Da. 
 ]2± 1 Th.4.14. c 1 Cor.15.iJ0. 
 
 'about to enter in as the forerunner of 
 his people. However, ahmt the de- 
 sign of the rending of the vail, the 
 Scriptures are silent, and conjecture is 
 useless. ^ Atid the earth did quake. 
 Or shook. Earthquakes are violent 
 convukaons of the ground, caused com- 
 monly by conlined and rarefied air. 
 This was probably, however, a miracu- 
 lous convulsion of the earth, in attesta- 
 tion of the truth that the sufferer was 
 the Messiah, the Son of God; and as 
 an exhibition of his wrath at the crimes 
 of those who put him to death. It was 
 not confined to Judca, but was felt in 
 other countries. It is mentioned by 
 Roman writers. If The rocks rent. That 
 is, were torn asunder. Rocks are still 
 Been at mount Calvary thus rent asun- 
 der, which are said to be the ones that 
 were convulsed when the Saviour died. 
 
 52. And the graves were opened. 
 Graves, or sepulchres, were most com- 
 monly made among the Jews in solid 
 rocks, or in caves of rocks. The rend- 
 ing of the rocks, therefore, would lay 
 them open. The graves were opened 
 by this earthquake, but the dead in them 
 did not rise till alter liis resurrection. 
 ^ And many bodies of saints arose. Of 
 course it is not known who these were, 
 nor what became of them. It is pro- 
 bable that they were persons who had 
 .'ecently died, and they appear to have 
 been known in Jerusalem. At least 
 had the ancient saints risen, they would 
 not have been known, and would not 
 so soon have been credited as those 
 who had recently died. IT Which slept. 
 Which had died. The death of saints 
 is often called sleep. Dan. xii. 2. 1 
 Cor. XV. 18. 1 Thess. iv. 15. 
 
 53. And came out of the graves after 
 kis resurrection. The narrative of IVIat- 
 thew does not determine whether they 
 came to life before Jesus rose, and re- 
 mained in the tombs, or came to life 
 after he died. The latter is the proba- 
 ble opinion . There is nothing said of 
 
 54 Now** when the centurion, and 
 they that were with him watching 
 Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those 
 things that were done, they feared 
 greatly, saying, Truly this was the 
 Sen of God. 
 
 55 And many women were there, 
 
 d Mar. 15.39. Lu.23.47,&;c. 
 
 the reason why they were raised. It u 
 not improbable to suppose that it was, 
 amidst the other wonders attending the 
 death of Jesus, to convince the Jews 
 that he was the Messiah. Perhaps 
 some who had been his open friends 
 were raised up now as an attestation 
 that he in whom they had believed, 
 was the Christ. What became of them 
 after they had entered into the city : 
 whether they again died, or ascended 
 to heaven, is not revealed, and conjee 
 ture is vain. If The holy city. Jerusa- 
 lem, called holy because the temple 
 was there ; because it was devoted to 
 Go.d ; and was the place of their reli- 
 gious solemnities. 
 
 54. Now when the centurion, &c 
 Centurion, a captain of a hundred sol 
 diers. He was here placed over the 
 band that attended the crucifixion. 
 If They feared greatly. They regarded 
 these things as proof that God was an- 
 gry, and they were terrified at the 
 prospect that vengeance was coming 
 on them. If Truly this was the Son of 
 God. They had heard, probably, that 
 before Pilate he professed to be the 
 Son of God. Seeing these wonders, 
 they believed that he was true, and 
 that God was now attesting the truth 
 of his professions. The centurion 
 was a heathen, and had probably no 
 very distinct notions of the phrase the 
 So7i of God ; perhaps understanding by 
 it only that he was hke the heathen 
 heroes who had been deified ; but he 
 certainly regarded these wonders as 
 proof that he was what he professed to 
 be. In the original it is, '"a son of a 
 god;" an expression perfectly suitable 
 to a polytheist, who believed in the (;x- 
 istence of many gods. Mark (xv. 39) 
 says, that they affirmed that " this man 
 was the son of God." Luke (.xxiii. 47), 
 that they said, "certainly this was q 
 righteous man." These things were 
 said by different persons, or at different 
 periods ot hia stuTerengs — one evange
 
 334 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A D. 33. 
 
 (beholding afar off,) which " follow- 
 ed Jesus t'rom Galilee, ministering 
 unto him ; 
 
 56 Among which was Mary Mag- 
 dalene, and Mary the mother of 
 James and Joses, and the mother of 
 Zebedee's children. 
 
 57 When ^ the even was come, 
 thexs came a rich man of Arima- 
 
 a Lu .8.2,3. 
 
 list having recorded one saying, and 
 another another. 
 
 55. Beholding afar off. They were 
 probably not suffered to come near the 
 cross, because it was surrounded by 
 soldiers. They witnessed, with intense 
 feelings, his sufferings from some con- 
 venient place as near as they could 
 approach. ^ Mhiistering unto him. 
 Attending hiiB, and providing for his 
 wants. While multitudes of 7«ew joined 
 in the cry, Crucify him, and forsook him 
 in his trying moments, it does not ap- 
 p(;ar that any of his female followers 
 were thus unfaithful. In the midst of 
 all his trials, and all the contempt 
 poured upon him, they adhered to their 
 Redeemer. Never did female con- 
 stancy shine more brightly, and never 
 was a happier example set for all who 
 should afterwards believe on him. 
 
 56. Mary Magdalene. Mary of 
 Magdala. She had peculiar cause of 
 attachment to the Saviour, having been 
 relieved by him of a most dreadful 
 calamity, and restored to her right 
 mind, after being possessed by seven 
 devils. Mark xvi. 9. 1i And the mo- 
 ther of Zebedee's children. That is. of 
 James and John. Matt. x. 2. Her 
 name was Salome. Mark xv. 40. 
 
 57. When the even was come. That 
 iS, sometime after three o'clock in the 
 aiiernoon. Before this, the Jews had 
 besought Pilate that the legs of those 
 who were crucified might be broken, 
 and the bodies be taken down, that 
 they might not remain on the cross 
 during the sabbath. The soldiers com- 
 ing to Jesus, for that purpose, found 
 that he was already dead, contrary to 
 their expectation. A soldier, however, 
 thrust a spear into his side, and there 
 was furnished the fullest proof that he 
 had expired. See Notes on John xix. 
 ^i~27. ^ A rich man of Arimathea. 
 It is uncertain where Arimathea was. 
 
 thea, named Joseph, w'no also him 
 self was Jesus' disciple: 
 
 58 He went to Pilate, and beg- 
 ged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate 
 commanded the body to be deliver- 
 ed. 
 
 59 And when Joseph had taken 
 the body, he wrapped it in a cleaa 
 linen cloth, 
 
 5Mar.l5.42. Lu.23.50. Jno.19.38. 
 
 There were several cities of that name 
 in Judea. It is commonly supposed to 
 be the same as Rama. See Note on 
 ch. ii. 17. Luke says that this was a 
 city of the Jews, and it is probable 
 therefore, that it was in the tribe of 
 Benjamin, and but a short distance 
 from Jerusalem. This man sustained 
 a high character. He was an " honor 
 able counsellor;" (Mark xv. 43) he 
 " waited for the kingdom of God ;" he 
 was " a good man and a just ;" he had 
 nobly set himself against the wicked 
 purposes of the sanhedrim (Luke xxiii. 
 51) ; he was a disciple of Jesus, though 
 he was not openly his follower, be- 
 cause he feared the Jews. John xix. 
 38. . 
 
 58. He went to Pilate. Because no 
 one had a right to remove the body but 
 the magistrate. He was condemned to 
 be crucified, usually a long and most 
 bitter death, and, in coirimon cases, ii 
 would have been unlawful to have re 
 moved the body so soon. 
 
 59. He wrapped it in a clean linen 
 cloth. John adds, that this was done 
 imth spices (xix. 40.) The Jews were 
 accustomed to use myrrh, aloes, and 
 other aromatics, in large quantities, 
 when they buried their dead. When 
 they were not regularly embalmed, 
 which was a long and tedious process, 
 they inclosed the spices in the folds of 
 the linen, or wrapped the body in it. 
 Spices were sometiines used in sucL 
 quantities as to form a heap or bed, od 
 which the dead body was laid. Thui 
 it is said of Asa (2 Chron. xvi. 14), 
 " they laid him in the bed which wa? 
 filled wit.^ sweet odors and spices," &c. 
 There nc, being time properly to em ■ 
 balin the body of Jesus, he was buried 
 in this manner. The woinen who at- 
 tended him, either not being a\*are of 
 this, or desirous of showing a farther 
 regaid for him, returned from the ee
 
 A. I). 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER AXVIl. 
 
 33.». 
 
 60 And " laid it in liis own new 
 tomb, which he liad hewn out in 
 the rock ; and he rolled a great 
 stone to the door of the sepulchre, 
 and departed. 
 
 61 And there was Mary Magda- 
 lene, and the other Mary, silting 
 oyer against the'sepulchre. 
 
 62 Now the next day, that follow- 
 ed the day of the preparation, the 
 thief priests and Pharisees came 
 .ogmiier unto Pilate, 
 
 o Is.o3.9. 
 
 pulchre on the first day of the week, 
 and prepared other spices wiih which 
 to embalm him. Luke xxiii. 56 ; xxiv. 1. 
 
 60. I71 /lis own new tomb. John says 
 (xix. 41), that this was in a garden that 
 was in or near the place where he was 
 crucified. This tomb Joseph had pre- 
 pared for himself, as was not uncom- 
 mon among the Jews. In this tomb 
 Luke and Jcihn inform us that no man 
 had been laid. This was so ordered, 
 in the providence of God, doubtless, 
 that there might be no suspicion about 
 his identity when he rose ; that it inight 
 not be alleged that another person had 
 risen ; or that he was raised by touch- 
 ing the bones of some prophet, as hap- 
 pened to the corpse that touched the 
 bones of Elislia. 2 Kin^s xiii. 21. Far- 
 ther, by being buried here, an impor- 
 tant prophecy was remarkably fulfilled 
 (Isa. liii. D) : He made his "rave — with 
 the rich in his death. The fulfilment of 
 this is the more remarkable, because 
 during his life he associated with the 
 poor, and was himself poor. If Which 
 he had hewn out in the rock. This was 
 a common way of constructing tombs 
 in Judea. .See Note, Matt. viu. 28. 
 Being cut out of a rock, there was no 
 way by which the disciples could have 
 access to it but by the entrance, at 
 which the guard was placed, and con- 
 sequently it was impossible for them to 
 steal him away. I'he sepulchre thus 
 eecure, was rendered more so by rolling 
 « great stone at its entrance ; all possi- 
 ble precautions thus being used, in the 
 prjviiience of God, against imposition 
 snd deceit. 
 
 62. Now, the next day, that followed 
 tfte daw of the preparation. The first 
 dnv of the feast of the passover was 
 
 63 Saying, vSir, we remember that 
 that deceiver * said, while he was 
 yet alive, After "^ three days I will 
 rise again. 
 
 64 Command therefore that the 
 sepulchre be made sure until the 
 third day, lest his t^'sciples come by 
 night, and ^ steal him away, and say 
 unto the people. He is risen from 
 the dead : so the last error shall be 
 worse tlian the first. 
 
 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have 
 
 6Jno.7.]2,47. 2 Cor.6.8. c c.16.21. 17.23 
 20.19. Lu.24.6,7. Jiio.2.19. dc.m.13. 
 
 called the day of preparation, becanso 
 all things were on that day got in readi- 
 ness for the observances of the paschal 
 week. The Jevvi.sh day closed at sun 
 set, and the sabbath at that time com 
 menced. The 7iext day mentioned here 
 does not mean the following day in our 
 acceptation of the word, or the following 
 mornivg, but the next day in the Jewish 
 way of speaking; that is, after the next 
 day had commenced, or after sundown. 
 To suppose them to have waited till 
 the next morning, would be absurd ; as 
 the disciples would be as likely to steal 
 him away the first night as the second. 
 
 63. TFe rememher. They had either 
 heard him say this, or, more probably, 
 had understood that this was one of his 
 doctrines. If That deceiver. One o( 
 the charges against him was, that ho 
 deceived the people. By this title they 
 still chose to designate him, thinking 
 that his death had fully confirmed the 
 truth of the charges against him. 
 
 64. Until the third day. That is, 
 during two nights and the intervening 
 day. This proves that when the Jews 
 spoke of three days, they did not of ne- 
 cessity mean three wlu le days, btit parts 
 of three days, as was the case in our 
 Saviour's lying in the grave. If T'liz 
 last error shall he worse than the first. 
 That, is, the last deception, or taking 
 him from the tomb, pretending that he 
 rose, shall have a wider influence among 
 the people than ihe. first, or his pretend- 
 ing to be the Messiah. 
 
 65. Ye have a viatch. The Jews had 
 a guard or watch of Roman sokiiers 
 who kept watch in the tower cf Anto- 
 nia, on the north-west of the temple, 
 Pilate either referred to these, or to tho 
 watch that attended the crucifixion : the
 
 336 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A, D. 33 
 
 a watch : go your v;ay, make it as 
 sure as you can. 
 
 6G So they wsnt. and made the 
 sepulchre sure, sealing ° the stone, 
 and settinsf a watch. 
 
 a Da.6.17. 
 
 whole hand that had been appointed for 
 that. As the torments of crucifixion 
 sometimes lasted many days, the band 
 had been probably granted to them 
 during that time, and they were, there- 
 fore, still at the direction of the chief 
 priests. 
 
 66. Sealing the stone. The sepul- 
 chre was made sure, by affi.xing the 
 large stone to the entrance in such a 
 way that it could not be removed with- 
 out detection. It was sealed. In what 
 way this was done, cannot now be cer- 
 tainly told. The cave in which Daniel 
 was cast was fastened in the same 
 manner, and sealed with the king's 
 signet (Dan. vi. 17) perhaps by fastening 
 the stone in its place with cords, and 
 bringing them together and uniting 
 them with wax, and impressing on that 
 ihe seal of the king. In this way letters 
 and books were anciently sealed. Pos- 
 sibly on the sepulchre of Jesus was 
 impressed in this manner the seal of 
 Pilate — the seal of office — making it 
 doubly sure. Or it may be that the 
 stone was fitted into the tomb with clay 
 or cement, and on that was impressed 
 the seal of Pilate. ^ Selting a watch. 
 That is, as large a number of soldiers 
 as they judged necessary to secure the 
 tomb. 
 
 We cannot but be struck with the 
 wisdom of God, in ordering the circum- 
 stances of the Saviour's burial in such 
 a manner as to avoid the possibility of 
 deception. Had all this been done by 
 h.\9i friend 1 , it might have been said that 
 they only pretended to secure the tomb, 
 and only iretended that he was dead. 
 Bui he was adjudged to be dead hy the 
 Jev)s themselves ; Pilate was satisfied 
 that that was the fact ; they had their 
 Dwn way about his burial ; he was 
 buried alone ; the place of his sepulchre 
 was made sure — expressly to prevent his 
 being removed ; and they placed around 
 him a guard, in their own judgment, 
 large enough to prevent his being taken 
 "^way by force or strength. Ifis very 
 ncmies, therefore, took every possible 
 >r>Jcaution to place his resurrection be- 
 
 CH AFTER XXVIII. 
 
 IN ' the end of the sabbath, as h 
 began to dawn toward the firs ; 
 dai/ of the week, came Mary Maj - 
 
 J Mar.lG.l. Lii.24.1,&c. Jiio.20.1,&c. 
 
 yond the possibihty' of suspicion ol 
 fraud and imposture, and were the verj 
 
 means of furnishing the most striking 
 proof that his death, burial, and resur- 
 rection were not impositions, but most 
 affecting, awful, and yet cheering reah- 
 ties. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 1. In the end of the Sabbath. The 
 word e7id here means the same as after 
 the Sabbath ; i. e., after the Sabbath 
 was fully completed, or finished, and 
 may be expressed in this manner, ' In 
 the night following the sabbath, for the 
 sabbath closed at sunset, as it be 
 gan to dawn,' &c. ^\ As it began tc 
 damn tovmrd the Jirst day of the wee/:. 
 The word daivn is not of necessity in 
 the original. The word there properly 
 means, as the first day approached, or 
 drew on, without specifying the pre- 
 cise time. Mark says (xvi. 1, 2), that 
 it was after " the sabbath was past, and 
 very early in the morning, at the rising 
 of the sun ;" i. e., not that the sun was 
 rise?!, but that it was about to rise, or 
 at the early break of day. Luke says 
 (xxiv. 1), that it was very early ; in the 
 Greek, deep tivilight, or when there 
 was scarcely any light. John (.xx. 1) 
 says, it was " very early, while it was 
 yet dark." That is, it was not yet full 
 daylight, or the sun had not yet risen. 
 The time when they came, therefore, 
 was at the break of day, when the sun 
 was about to rise, but while it was yet 
 so dark as to render objects obscure, 
 or not distinctly visible. IT The first day 
 of the week. The day v^'hich is observ- 
 ed by Christians as the sabbath. The 
 Jews observed the Seventh day of the 
 week, or our Saturday. During that 
 day our Saviour was in the grave, Aa 
 he rose on the morning of the first day, 
 it has always been observed, in com- 
 memoration of so glorious an event. 
 ^ Came ]SIary Magdalene, and the other 
 Mary. From Mary Magdalene Christ 
 had cast out seven devils. Grateful for 
 his great mercy, she was one of his 
 firmest and most faithful followers, anJ
 
 \. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 337 
 
 'lalene, • and the other Mary, to see 
 'he sepulchre. 
 
 2 And, behold, there ' was a {rroat 
 earthquake : for the angel of the Lord 
 descended from heaven, and cam/ 
 and rolled back the stone from t'.H; 
 door, and sat upon it. 
 
 a C.27.5G. ' or, had been. 
 
 was first at the sepulchre, and was^<-s/ 
 permiiied to .«ee her risen Lord. 'I'lie 
 other Mary was not the mother of io- 
 sus, but the mother of James iiid 
 Joses. (Mark.) Mark says that Sa- 
 lome attended them. Salome was ine 
 wife of Zcbedee, and the mother of 
 James and John. From Luke (xaiv. 
 10), it appears that Joanna, wife of 
 Chusa, Herod's steward (see Luke viii. 
 3), was with them. These four wo- 
 men, Mark says, having brought sweet 
 spices, came to anoint him. They had 
 prepared apart of them on the evening 
 before the sabbath. Luke x.xiii. 56. 
 They now completed the preparation, 
 and bought more : or it may be that it 
 means merely that havi7iff hous^ht sweet 
 spices, without specifying the nmewhen, 
 they came now to embalm him. John 
 mentions only Mary Magdalene. He 
 does this probably because his object 
 was to give a particular account of her 
 interview with the risen Saviour. There 
 is no contradiction among the evange- 
 lists. For while one mentions only the 
 names of a part only who were there, 
 he does not deny that others were pre- 
 sent also. It is an old ma.\im that " he 
 who mentions a few, does not deny that 
 there are more." ^ To see the sepulchre. 
 To see whether it was as it had been 
 left on the evening when he was laid 
 there. To see if the stone was still 
 there, by which they would know that 
 fie had not been removed. Mark and 
 Luke say that the design of their com- 
 ;ns( was to anoint him with the sweet 
 «pices which they had prepared. Mat- 
 thew docs not mention that, but he 
 >loes not rfewi/that that was the ultimate 
 :Jesign of their coming. It is not im- 
 probable that they might have known 
 the manner in which he was buried. 
 wi'L a large quainity of myrrh and 
 I'oes. But that was done in haste; it 
 vins done by depositing the myrrh and 
 iloes, without nii.xture or preparation, 
 n th',' gniYe-cloihes. They came, that 
 Jiey might embalm his body more de- 
 29 
 
 3 His ' countenance was like 
 lightning, and his raiment white as 
 <;now : 
 
 4 And for fear of him the keep- 
 ers did shake, and became as dead 
 men. 
 
 iPs.101.4. Eze.l.4-14. Da.lOG. ReJ.14- 
 10. 
 
 liberately, or at least that they migh 
 anoint the bandages, and complete the 
 work of embalming. 
 
 2. There was a great earthquake. 
 Rather there had been. It does not 
 mean that this was while they were 
 there, or while they were going, but 
 that there had been so violent a commo- 
 tion as to remove the stone. The word 
 here rendered earthquake docs not of 
 necessity mean that the convulsion ex- 
 tended to the earth, but only that there 
 had been such a concussion as to re- 
 move the stone. If A7id sat v.pon it. 
 Sat upon it when the keepers saw him. 
 It is not said that he was sitting when 
 he appeared to the women. From 
 Luke, it would rather appear that he 
 was standing. 
 
 3. His countenajice. In our language, 
 the word counteiiance refers to \\\e fact 
 only. In the original, it refers to hif 
 whole person. His general aspect, 01 
 the appearance of the a7igel himsilf, was, 
 &,c. 1i Like lightning. Fcculiarly 
 bright and shining. ^ His raimeTil 
 v>hite as snow. Celestial beings are 
 usually represented as cloihcd in v.'hite 
 Act.s i. 10. Dan. vii. 9. Rev. iii. 4, 5 
 iv. 4 ; vii. 13, 14. White, among the 
 Jews, was the symbol of purity, or 
 innocence. 
 
 4. The keepers did shake. It was 
 night. The appearance was sudden 
 and unexpected, and to them terrilic. 
 The stone was probably suddenly re- 
 moved. At the noise, the light, the 
 suddenness of the appearance, they 
 were affrighted, ^t And became as dead 
 men. Probably by terror tlioy fainted, 
 or were thrown into a swoon. At this 
 time it is probable tnat the Lord Jesua 
 arose ; and hence he was not seen by 
 them when he came forth. At whr.t 
 precise time of the nishi this was, we 
 are not certainly informed. The nar- 
 rative, however, leads us to su[)pose 
 that it was not long before the women 
 came to the sepulchre, or near the break 
 of day.
 
 838 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 5 And the angel answered " and 
 said unto the women, Fear not ye: 
 for * I know that ye seek Jesus, 
 which was crucified. 
 
 6 He is not here ; for he is risen, 
 as he said.' Come, seethe place 
 where the Lord lay. 
 
 « He.1.14. b Ps.105.3,4- e c.27.63. 
 
 5, And the ans^el answered and said, 
 &c. This was not on the outside of the 
 tomb, for Matthew does not say that the 
 angel appeared to the women then, but 
 only to the keepers. Mark says, "en- 
 tering into the sepulchre, they saw a 
 young man sitting on the right side, 
 clothed in a long white garment." (xvi. 
 f).) Luke says (x.xiv. 3), " they enter- 
 ed in, and found not the body of the 
 Lord Jesus ; and as they were much 
 perplexed thereabout, behold two men 
 stood by them in shining garments." 
 Seeing the stone rolled away, and the 
 sepulchre open, they of course anxious- 
 ly entered into it, to see if the body was 
 there. They did not find it, and there 
 they saw the vision of the angels, who 
 gave them informati i respecting his 
 resurrection. InfideU have objected 
 that there are three inconsistencies in 
 the accounts by Mark and Luke : 1st. 
 That Mark says the angel was sitting, 
 and Luke says they were standing. 
 Answer. The word in Luke does not 
 of necessity mean that they stood, but 
 only that they were present. Or it may 
 be that the one that Mark mentions was 
 sitting when they entered, and then 
 arose. 2d. It is objected that Luke 
 mentions two, but Mark and Matthew 
 one. Answer. Mark mentions the one 
 who spoke ; for it cannot be supposed 
 they both spake the same thing. He 
 does not deny that another was present 
 with him. Luke affirms that there was. 
 This way of speaking is not unfrequent. 
 Thus Mark and Luke mention only one 
 demoniac who was cured at Gadara. 
 Matthew mentions two. In like man- 
 ner, Mark and Luke speak of only one 
 blind man who was cured at Jericho, 
 while from Matthew it is certain that 
 two were. The fact that but one is 
 mentioned — where it is not denied that 
 there were others — does not prove that 
 there could not be others. 3d. Mat- 
 thew calls this an angel. Mark and 
 Luke a man. Answer. Angels, in the 
 scriptures, from appealing in the form 
 
 7 And go quickly, and tell his 
 disciples that he is risen "* from the 
 dead ; and, behold, he goeth before 
 you into Galilee ; there ' shall ye 
 see him : lo, I have told yon. 
 
 8 And they departed quickly from 
 the sepulchre, with fear and great 
 
 (iLu.24.34. lCo.15.4. ever.16,17. 
 
 of men, are often called as they appear. 
 and are mentioned as men. See Gen 
 xviii. 2, 16, 22; xix. 1, 5. "^ Fear na 
 ye. The cause of their fear was doubt 
 less the appearance of the angels ; o' 
 the word fear may'be taken m a widei 
 sense, and mean agitated or troubled 
 Thus, be not agitated, or troubled, tha 
 you do not find the body of the Saviour 
 I know that ye seek him, and are trou 
 bled that he is removed ; but you need 
 not /ear that he has been stolen. You 
 will see him again in Galilee. 
 
 6. He is risen, as he said. He had 
 often predicted that he would rise, but 
 the disciples did not understand it, and 
 consequently did not expect it. Matt, 
 xvi. 21 ; XX. 19. TT The place where the 
 Lord lay. The place where a body 
 was deposited in a sepulchre was com- 
 monly a Tiiche cut in the wall of the se- 
 pulchre. The sepulchre was usually 
 large ; that of David was more than a 
 hundred feet in length, cut out of sohd 
 rock under ground, and separated into 
 various apartments. All round the 
 sides of those apartments were niches 
 for the dead ; or they were ranged 
 around the sides, in places cut in the 
 solid rock just large enough to contain 
 the body. In such a place our Lord 
 lay. 
 
 7. Tell his disciples. Mark adds par- 
 ticularly, " tell Peter." This was a 
 kind message to Peter, who had so re- 
 cently denied his Lord. It would serve 
 to cheer him in his despondency, and to 
 assure him that his sin had been for- 
 given ; and U shows the tender love anJ 
 remembrance of Jesus — even for hie 
 unfaithfid friends. 
 
 8. Ajid they departed quicTtly. Joyful 
 at the news, and wishing to impart it to 
 all. they fled to find the disciples, and 
 tell ihem that the Lord was risen, 
 U With fear and great joy. Fear, 1st, 
 at the wonderful scenes which they hac 
 witnessed — the stone rolled away, anc 
 the present,, of an angel ; 2d, a con 
 fused state of mind, apprehensive, per
 
 •.D.33.J 
 
 O'HAPTER XXV 111 
 
 3S» 
 
 joy, and did run to bring his disci- 
 ples word. 
 
 9 And as they went to tell his 
 disriples, behold, Jesus met them. 
 Baying, Ail hail." And they came 
 and held him by the feet, and wor- 
 shipped him. 
 
 10 Then said Jesus unto them. 
 He not afraid : go tell my brethren, 
 
 a Jno.20.19. 
 
 haps, that it might not after all be true. 
 The news was too good to be credited 
 at once. Yet they had sufficient belief 
 in it to fill them with great and unex- 
 pected joy. Perhaps no language could 
 better express the state of their minds — 
 the mingled awe and rejoicing — than 
 that which is here used. ^ And did run, 
 &.C. They ran to announce what they 
 had seen to the disciples. The city, 
 where the disciples were, was half a 
 mile or more from the place. 
 
 9. And as they went — Jesus met them. 
 This was when they left the sepulchre 
 the second time. Jesus ^rs< appeared to 
 Mary Magdalene, when alone. John 
 XX. 14. Afterwards he appeared to the 
 other women, as related by Matthew. 
 See the accounts of the resurrection 
 harmonized, at the end of this chapter. 
 "^ All hail. This is a term of salutation. 
 The word " all" has been supplied by 
 the translators. It is not in the origi- 
 nal. The meaning of the word " hail" 
 here, is rejoice ; a term of salutation 
 connected with the idea of joy — joy 
 at his resurrection, and at meeting 
 them again. H Held him hij the feet. 
 Or threw themselves prostrate before 
 him. This was the usual posture of 
 supplication. See 2 Kings iv. 37. It 
 does not mean that they took hold of 
 his feet, but only that they cast them- 
 selves down before him. If And wor- 
 shipped him. See Note, Matt. viii. 2. 
 In this place the word worship seems to 
 denote the homage due to the Messiah 
 risen from the dead ; regarded by them 
 now in a proper light, and entitled to 
 the honor which weis due to God, agree- 
 ably to John V. 23. 
 
 10. Be not afraid. The ancients, 
 when in the presence of a heavenly be- 
 mg — an angel, or one who was sup- 
 posed to be possessed of divine power — 
 were commonly struck with great /car, 
 aa well as a great sense of their un- 
 
 * that they go into Galilee, and 
 there shall they see me. 
 
 11 Now when they were going 
 behold, s me of the watch came 
 into the city, and shewed unto the 
 chief priests all the things that 
 were done. 
 
 12 And when they were assem- 
 bled with the elders, and had taken 
 
 b He.2.11. 
 
 worthmess. See Luke v. 8. Judges 
 vi. 22, 23; xiii. 21, 22. The women 
 were in Uke manner alarmed when they 
 saw Jesus, believing him now peculiarly 
 to be a divine Being ; seeing him re- 
 turning from the regions of the dead ; 
 and doubtless impressed with a new 
 consciousness that they were unworthy 
 of being in his presence. Jesus com- 
 forted them. He was the same Jesus 
 with whom they had been beiore his 
 death ; and they had no reason now to 
 fear him. ^ Go tell my brethren. There 
 is something exceedingly tender in the 
 appellation here used, " my brethren." 
 Though he was risen from the dead ; 
 though about to be exalted to heaven ; 
 yet he did not disdain to call his disci 
 pies his brethren. This was calculated 
 still farther to silence the fears of the 
 women, and inspire them with confi- 
 dence. IT Into Galilee. Galilee was the 
 northern part of the land. There the 
 Saviour commenced his ministry ; and 
 there, away from the noise and confu- 
 sion of the city, he purposed again to 
 meet them — in retirement and quietness 
 to satisfy them of his resurrection — and 
 to commission them to go forth and 
 preach the everlasting gospel. 
 
 11. When they were going. Or when 
 they had gone from the tomb. ^ Some 
 of the watch. Some of the guard that 
 had been set around the tomb to keep 
 it safe. Probably the leaders, or offi- 
 cers, came to give a true account of 
 what had happened. H Showed unto 
 the chief priests. To Annas and Caia- 
 phas. 
 
 12. And when they were assembled, 
 &c. They deemed the matter of so 
 much importance as to justify the call- 
 ing together of the great council of the 
 nation. Notwithstanding all their ( au 
 tion, it was plain that the body of Jesus 
 was gone. It was farther plain that 
 
 he disciples would affirm that he was
 
 S40 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 counsel, they gave large money unto 
 the soldiers, 
 
 13 Saying, Say ye. His disciples 
 «ame by night, and stole " him away 
 while we slept. 
 
 14 And if this come to the go- 
 
 o c.26.f)4. 
 
 mised. It was not improbable that Je- 
 ms would himself appear, and convince 
 multitudes that he was the Messiah ; 
 and that the guilt of putting him to 
 depth would, after all their caution and 
 cunning, be charged on them. They 
 had been at great pains to procure his 
 death. They had convinced Pilate that 
 he was dead. They had placed a guard 
 for the express purpose of preventing 
 his being taken. It would be in vain 
 after this to pretend that he was not 
 dead ; that he was in a swoon ; that he 
 died in appearance only. They had 
 shut themselves out from this, which 
 would have been the most plausible 
 plea, and whatever course they might 
 now adopt, they were obliged to pro- 
 ceed on the admission that he had been 
 really dead, and that all proper measures 
 had been taken to prevent his being 
 stolen. They concluded, after consul- 
 tation, that but one way was left — to 
 bribe the soldiers — to induce them to 
 (ell a falsehood, and to attempt to con- 
 vince the world that Jesus, in spite of 
 themselves, and in the face of all pro- 
 bability, had been really stolen. H Large 
 money. Much money. This was given 
 to bribe them ; to induct them to con- 
 ceal the truth ; and to afhrm what they 
 knew was false. 
 
 14. The governor'' s ears. To Pilate. 
 If it is reported to him that Jesus was 
 stolen while you slept. 11 IVe will per- 
 suade him. We i*ill convince, or satisfy 
 him, so that he shall not punish you. 
 This they might promise with sdfcty. 
 For, Isi. They knew from the charac- 
 ter of Pilate that he could be easily 
 bribed. 2d. Pilate after the feast of 
 • he passover was accustoned to return to 
 Cesarea. He had not been inclined at 
 all to interfere h. any thing concerning 
 the Saviour, until it was urged upon 
 liim by the Jews. He would not be 
 disposed of himaelf to take any farther 
 trouble about the matter. He would 
 feel that all that could be demanded of 
 him had been done, and would not be 
 disposed farther to interfere, unless the 
 
 vernor s ears, we will persuade him, 
 and secure you. 
 
 15 So they took the money, and 
 did as they were taught : and this 
 saying is commonly reported among 
 the Jews until this day. 
 
 sanhedrim should demand it. This of 
 course they would not do. 
 
 15. This saying is — reported. This 
 account of the disappearance of the body 
 of Jesus from the sepulchre is com- 
 monly given. IT Until this day. The 
 time when Matthew wrote this gospel, 
 i. e., about thirty years after the resur- 
 rection. 
 
 . The resurrection of the Lord Jesus, 
 of which an account is given in this 
 chapter, is one of the most important 
 doctrines of the Christian rehgioT, and 
 is attested by the strongest evidence 
 that can be adduced in favor of any an- 
 cient fact. Let it be considered : 1st. 
 That he had often foretold his own 
 death and resurrection. See Matt. xii. 
 40; .\-vi. 21; .\.\. 19. 2d. There was 
 no doubt that he was really dead. 
 Of this the Jews, the Romans, and the 
 disciples, were all equally well satis- 
 fied. 3d. Every proper precaution was 
 taken to prevent his removal by stealth. 
 A guard, usually consisting of sixty 
 men, was placed there for the e.xpress 
 purpose of keeping him, and the sepul- 
 chre was secured by a large stone, and 
 by a seal. 4th. On the third day the 
 body was missing. In this all were 
 agreed. The high priest did not dare 
 to call that in question. They labored, 
 therefore, to account for it. The disci 
 pies affirmed that he was alive. The 
 Jews hired the Roman soldiers to affirm 
 that he was stolen while they slept, and 
 succeeded in making many of the peo- 
 ple believe it. This account of the Jews 
 is attended with the following difficul- 
 ties and absurdities : 1st. The Roman 
 guard was composed usually of si.xty 
 nten, and they were stationed there for 
 the express purpose of guarding the 
 body of Jesus. 2d. The punishment 
 of sleeping while on guard i i the Roman 
 army was death, and it is perfectly in 
 credible that they should expose them 
 selves in this manner to death. 3d 
 The disciples were few in number, un 
 armed, weak, and timid. They had 
 just fled before those who took Jesiu
 
 A. D. 33. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI II. 
 
 341 
 
 16 Then " the eleven disciples 
 went away into Galilee, into a moun- 
 o c.26.32. 
 
 m the garden, and how can it be believ- 
 ed thai in so short a time they would 
 dare to attimpt to take away from a 
 Roman guard of armed men what ihoy 
 were expressly set to defend? 4th. 
 How could the disciples presume that 
 ihey would find them asleep ; or if they 
 should, how was it possible to remove 
 .he stone and the body, wiihout awak- 
 ing one of their number. 5th. The re- 
 qnlarity and order of the grave-clothes 
 iJohn .■c.\.C,7), show thai the body had 
 not been stolen. When men rob graves 
 of the bodies of the dead, they do not 
 wait coolly to fold up the grave-clothes, 
 and lay them carefully by themselves. 
 6th. It the soldiers were asleep, how 
 did they, or how could they know that 
 the disciples stole the body away ? If 
 they were awake, why did they suffer 
 it ? The whole account, therefore, was 
 intrinsically absurd. On the other hand, 
 the account given by the disciples was 
 perfectly natural. 1st. They account 
 for the reason why the soldiers did not 
 see the Saviour when he rose. Terri- 
 fied at the vision of an an^el, they be- 
 came as dead men. 2d. They affirmed 
 that they saw him. All the apostles 
 afRrmed this, and many others. 3d. 
 They affirmed it in Jerusalem, in the 
 presence of the Jews, before the high 
 priest and the people. See the Acts of 
 the Apostles. If the Jews really be- 
 lieved the account which they them- 
 selves had given, why did they did not 
 apprehend the apostles, and prove them 
 guilty of the theft, and of falsehood: 
 things which they never attempted, and 
 which show, therefore, that they did 
 not credit their own report. 4th. In 
 regard lo the Saviour, they could not 
 be deceived. They had been with him 
 three years. They knew him as a 
 friend. They again ate and drank with 
 him ; they put their fingers into his 
 hands and side ; they conversed with 
 him ; they were with him forty days. 
 There were enough of them to bear 
 rvitness. Law commonly requires not 
 more than one or two competent wit- 
 nesses, but here were twelve^Xviva, ho- 
 nest men who affirmed in all places, 
 and at all times, that they had seen him. 
 Can it be possible that they could be 
 deceived ? Then all faith in testimony 
 29* 
 
 tain where Jesus had appointed 
 them. 
 
 must be given up. 5th. They gave 
 every possible evidence of their sinceri 
 ty. I'hey were persecuted, ridiculed, 
 scourged, and put to death for affirming 
 this. Yet not one of them ever ex 
 pressed the least doubt of its truth 
 They bore every thing rather than tc 
 deny that they had seen him. They 
 had no motive in doing this, but the 
 love of truth. They obtained no wealth 
 by it ; no honor ; no pleasure. They 
 gave themselves up to great and unpa- 
 ralleled sufferings — going from land to 
 land ; crossing almost every sea ; jn6 
 enduring the dangers, toils, and priva- 
 tions of almost every clime, for the simple 
 object of affirming every where that a 
 Saviour died and rose. If they knew 
 this was an impositon — and if it had 
 been, they would have known it — in 
 what way is ihis remarkable conduct to 
 be accounted for ? Do men conduct in 
 this way for naught ? And especially 
 in a plain case, where all thai can be 
 required is the testimony of the senses? 
 6th. The world believed them. Three 
 thousand of ihe Jews themselves be- 
 lieved in the risen Saviour, on the day 
 of Pentecost, but fifty days after his 
 resurrection. Acts ii. 41. Muliitudea 
 of oiher Jews believed during ihe lives 
 of ihe apostles. Thousands of Gentiles 
 believed also, and m three hundred 
 years the belief that Jesus rose had 
 spread over and changed the whole Ro- 
 man empire. Had the aposiles been 
 deceivers, that was the age in which 
 they could most easily have been de- 
 tected. Yet that was the age wher 
 converts were most rapidly multiplied, 
 and God affi.\ed his seal to their testi 
 mony that it was true. 
 
 16. Then Ihe eleven disciples. Judas 
 was dead, leaving but eleven of the 
 original number of the apostles. 11 Into 
 a mountain where Jesus had appointed 
 them. This appoi7itmeiit is recorded in 
 Matt. xxvi. 32. On what particular 
 mountain this was is not known. It ia 
 probable that Jesus, when he made the 
 appointment, specified the place, which 
 has been omitted by lh« evangelists. 
 Matthew has omitted many appearances 
 which Jesus made to his disciples 
 which have been recorded by Luke 
 John, and Paul See the harmony o»
 
 842 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 LA. D. 33 
 
 17 And when they saw " him, 
 they worshipped him : but some 
 doubted. 
 
 18 And Jesus came and spake 
 
 oc.16.28. iPs.2.6. 89.19. 110.1-3. Is.9. 
 6,7. Da.7.14. c.11.27. Lu.1.32. Jno.17.2. Ro. 
 14.9. Ep.1.20,21. He.2.8. 1 Pe.3.22. Re.11.15. 
 
 the resurroction at the end of the chap- 
 ter. 
 
 17. They worshipped him. Paid him 
 aonor as the Messiah. IT But some 
 doubted. As, for example, Thomas. 
 John XX. 25. The disciples had not 
 expected his resurrection ; they were 
 therefore slow to believe. The mention 
 of their doubting shows that they were 
 honest men — that they were not easily 
 imposed on — that they had not pre- 
 viously agreed to affirm that he bad 
 risen — that they were convinced only 
 by the strength of the evidence. Their 
 caution in examining the evidence ; 
 their slowness to believe ; and their 
 firm conviction after all their doubts ; 
 and their willingness to show their con- 
 viction, even by their death : is most 
 conclusive proof that they were not de- 
 ceived in regard to the fact of his resur- 
 rection. 
 
 18. All power is given me in heaven 
 and tn earth. The So7i of God, as 
 Creator, had an original right to all 
 things, to control them and dispose of 
 them. See John i. 3; Col. i. 16, 17; 
 Heb. i. 8. But the univer'ie is put un- 
 der him more particularly as Mediator, 
 that he might redeem his people, that 
 he might gather a church, that he might 
 defend his chosen, thai he might sub- 
 due all their enemies, and bring them 
 off conquerors and more than conquer- 
 ors. Eph. i. 20—23. 1 Cor. xv. 25—27. 
 John V. 22, 23. Phi!, ii. 6—11. It is 
 in reference to this, doubtless, that he 
 speaks here — power or atithority com- 
 mitted to him over all things, that he 
 might redeem, defend, and save the 
 church purchased with his own blood. 
 Kis mediatorial government extends, 
 therefore, over the material world, over 
 angels, over devils, over wicked men, 
 and over his own people. 
 
 19 Go ye, therefore. Because all 
 power is mine, go. I can defend you. 
 The world is placed under my control. 
 It is redeemed. It is given me in pro- 
 mise by my Father, as the purchase of 
 Tnv death. Though you are weak, yet 
 
 unto them, saying. All ' power 
 given unto me in heaven and ir 
 earth. 
 
 19 Go * ye therefore, and ^ teacl: 
 
 c Mar.16.15. ' or, make disciples, or, C/trig 
 tians, of all nations. 
 
 I am strong. Though you will en- 
 counter many troubles and dangers, 
 yet I can defend you. Though you 
 die, yet / live, and the work shall be 
 accomplished. IT Teach all natio?ts. 
 The word rendered teach, here, is not 
 the one that is usually so transi.-tcd in 
 the New Testament. This word pro- 
 perly means disciple, or mahe disciples 
 of, all nations. This was to be done, 
 however, by teacliing them, and by ad- 
 ministering the rite of baptism. IT All 
 ■nations. The gracious commission was 
 the foundation of the authority to go to 
 the Gentiles. The Jews had expected 
 that the offers of life under the Messiah 
 would be confined to their own nation. 
 Jesus broke down the partition wall, 
 and commissioned his disciples to go 
 every where, and bring the world to the 
 knowledge of himself ^ Baptizing 
 them. Applying to them water, as an 
 emblem of the purifying influences of 
 the Christian religion through the Holy 
 Spirit, and solemnly devoting them to 
 God. If In the name, &c. This phrase 
 does not mean, here, by the authority 
 of the Father, &c. To be baptized in 
 the name of the Father, Sic, is the 
 same as to be baptized unto the Father; 
 as to believe on the name of Christ is 
 the same as to believe on Christ. John 
 i. 12; ii. 23; iii. 18. 1 Cor. i. 13. To 
 be baptized unto any one Is publicly to 
 receive and adept him as a religious 
 teacher or lawgiver ; to receive his sys- 
 tem of religion. Thus the Jews were 
 baptized imto 3Ioses. 1 Cor. x. 2. Tha. 
 is, they received the system that he 
 taught ; they acknowledged him as 
 their lawgiver and teacher. So Paul 
 asks (1 Cor. i. 13), " Were ye baptizca 
 in the name of Paul?" — i. e., Were 
 you devoted to Paul by this rite ? Did 
 you bind yourselves to him, and give 
 yourselves away to him, or to God ? So 
 to be baptized in the name of the Fa- 
 ther, &c., means publicly, by a signifi- 
 cant rite, to receive the system of reli- 
 gion ; to bind the soul to obey his laws • 
 to he devoted to him ; to receive, as tli(
 
 4. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 d-li 
 
 all nations, baptizing them in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 ind of *he Holy Ghost; 
 
 20 Teaching * them to observe 
 als.52.10. Ro.10.I8. 6 Ac.2.42. ICor.ll 2. 
 
 guide and comforier of the hfc, his sys- 
 tem of religion ; to obey his laws, and 
 trust to his promises. To be baptized 
 un;o the Son, in like manner, is to re- 
 '.eive him as the Messiah — our Prophet, 
 Priest, and King , to submit to his laws, 
 nnd to receive him as the Saviour of 
 the soul. To be baptized unto the 
 Holy Ghost is to receive him publicly 
 as the Sanctifier, Comforter, and Guide 
 of the soul. The meaning, then, may 
 be thus expressed : Baptizing iliem unto 
 the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by a 
 solemn profession of the only true re- 
 hgion, and by a solemn devotion to the 
 service of the sacred Trinity. 
 
 The union of these three names in 
 the form of baptism proves that the 
 Son and Holy Ghost are equal with the 
 Father. Nothing would be more ab- 
 surd or blasphemous than to unite the 
 name of a creature — a man or an an- 
 gel — with the name of the ever-living 
 God, in this solemn rite. If Jesus was 
 u mere man or an angel, as is held by 
 many who deny his divinity ; and if the 
 Holy Ghost was a mere atlribufe of 
 God ; then it would have been the 
 height of absurdity to use a form like 
 this, or to direct the apostles to baptize 
 men unto them. How absurd would 
 be the direction — nay, how blasphe- 
 mous — to have said, 'Baptize them 
 unto God, and unto Paul, and unto the 
 tsisdom or power of God !' Can we be- 
 heve that our Saviour would have given 
 B direction so absMird as this ? Yet, 
 
 all things whatsoever I have com- 
 manded you : and, lo, I * am witti 
 
 you alway, evc7i unto the end of 
 the world. Amen. 
 
 cc.18.20. Re.1.18. 
 
 unless he himself was divine, and the 
 Holy Spirit was divine, Jesus gave a 
 direction substantially the same as this. 
 The form of baptism, therefore, haa 
 been always understood as an irrefra- 
 gable argument for the doctrine ot the 
 Trinity, or that the Son and Holy 
 Spirit are equal with the Father. 
 
 20. Lo, 1 am with you. That is, by 
 my spirit, my providence, my attending 
 counsel and guidance. I will strength- 
 en, assist, and guide you. This also 
 proves that Christ is divine. If a mere 
 man, or a creature oi the highest order, 
 how could he promise to be with his 
 disciples always — or at all? They 
 would be scattered far and wide. His 
 disciples would greatly increase. If he 
 was with them always, he was God ; 
 for no finite creature could thus be pre- 
 sent with many men scattered in differ- 
 ent parts of the world, "f Unto the eiid 
 of the world. The word rendered 
 world, here, sometimes means a^e or 
 state ; and by some it has been sup- 
 posed to mean, I will be ■with you until 
 the end of this age, or during the con- 
 tinuance of the Jewish state, to the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem. But as the 
 presence of Christ was no less neces- 
 sary after that than before, there seems 
 to be no propriety in limiting the pro- 
 mise to his own age. It may, there- 
 fore, be considered as a gracious pro- 
 mise to aid, strengthen, guide, and 
 defend, all his disciples, but more espo 
 cial'.y his ministers, to the end of time.
 
 344 MATTHEW. FA. D 31 
 
 HARMONY OF THE ACCOUNTS 
 
 RESURRECTION, APPEARANCES, AND ASCENSION OF 
 CHRIST. 
 
 THE RESURRECTION. 
 
 As there has heen much difficulty felt in reconciling the accounts of the d i 
 ferent evangelists respecting the resurrection of Christ, and as infidels hare 
 maintained that they are utterly irreconcilable, it may be proper, in closing 
 the Notes on Matthew, to give these accounts at one view. One thing should 
 always be borne in mind by all who read the gospels, viz: that the sacred nar- 
 rative of an event is what it is declared to he by all the evangelists. That a 
 thing is omitted by one docs not prove that another is false because he has de- 
 clared it; for the very object of the different Gospels was to give the testimony 
 of independent witnesses to the great facts of the life and death of Jesus. Nor 
 does it prove that there is a contradiction because one relates facts in a differ- 
 ent order from another ; for neither of them professes to relate facts in the pre 
 cise order in which they occurred. The object was to relate the facts them 
 sehies. With thefe principles in view, which are conceded to profane histori- 
 ans always, let us look at the accounts which are presented in the sacred nar- 
 rative respecting the resurrection, appearance, and ascension, of Christ. 
 
 1. Jesus was laid in the tomb on Friday evening, having been wrapped in 
 linen with myrrh and aloes, in a hurried manner. John xix. 39, 40. The ico- 
 men, not apprised of that, or desiring to testify their regard farther, prepared 
 spices on the same evening to embalm him. Luke xxiii. 56. As it was too 
 late that night to complete the preparation, they deferred it till the first day of 
 the week, resting on the sabbath. Luke xxiii. 56. 
 
 2. On the first day of the week, early, the women completed their prepara- 
 tion, purchased more spices and properly mixed them to make an unguent to 
 anoint the bandages in which the body was rolled. Mark xvi. 1. Or this 
 may refer to the same purchase as is mentioned by Luke. They had bought 
 them — i. e., on Friday evening. 
 
 3. They came to the sepulchre just as the day began to dawn, or just as the 
 light appeared in the east, yet so dark as to render objects indistinct. It was 
 " in the end of tlie sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the 
 week." Mat. xxviii. 1. " Very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun ;" 
 or as the sun was about to rise. Mark xvi. 2. " Very early in the morning." 
 Luke xxiv. 1. " Early, while it was yet dark." John xx. 1. 
 
 4. The persons who came were Mary Magdalene (Mat. xxviii. 1 ; John xx. 
 1); Mary, the mother of James and Joses (Mat. xxviii. 1; Luke xxiv. 10 j 
 Mark XV. 40) ; Salome, the wife of Zebedec, and mother of James and .John 
 (compare Mat. xxvii. 56 ; Mark xv. 40) ; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's 
 steward (compare Luke xxiv. 10, viii. 3) ; and certain others not specific^ 
 (Luke xxiv. 1, 10). 
 
 5. The object of their coming: 1st. To see the sepulchre. Mat. xxviii. 1 
 8d. To embalm him, or to Jinish embalming him, Mark xvi. 1 Luke xxiv. }
 
 \. D. 33.] CHAPTER XXVIII. 345 
 
 6. While on t?ie way, they inquired who should roll away the stone for them, 
 that they niifrht have access to tlie body of Jesus. Mark xvi. 3. 
 
 7. Wlieu they arrived, they found there had been an earthquake, or shaking 
 of the tomb, so lliat the stone was rolled away. Mat. xxviii. 2. Mark xvi. 4. 
 
 8. Tiie angel, who rolled tlie stone a.vay, had sat down on it, and appeared to 
 the keepers, and frightened them ; thoigh lie did not appear in thi^ jihice to the 
 iDomen, but only to the keepers. Mat. xxviii. 2 — 4. At that time piubably our 
 Saviour had risen — how long before the women came there is not known, and 
 cannot be ascertained. 
 
 9. When they came there, Mary Magdalene, greatly agitated with the ap« 
 pearance, and probably supposing that the body had been stolen, left the otiier 
 ■.vomen, and ran to the city, at the distance of half a mile, to inform tlie dis- 
 ciples. John xx. 2. 
 
 10. While Mary was gone, the others probably looked round the garden in 
 eearch of the body, and then came and examined the sepulchre to see if it was 
 not there. The tomb was large, and they entered into it. There " the angel 
 spake unto them." Mat. xxviii. 5. " They saw a young man" — i. e. an angel 
 in the appearance of a young man — "silting on the right side." Mark xvi. 5. 
 When they entered he was sitting ; as they entered he rose and stood. Luke 
 xxiv. 4. Luke adds that there was another with him (xxiv. 4) ; this other one 
 was not seen when they entered into the sepulchre, at the time mentioned by 
 Mark; but was seen wlien they liad fully entered in, as mentioned by Luke. 
 
 IL The angel charged them to go and tell the disciples and Peter (Mat. 
 xxviii. 7 ; Mark xvi. 7), and to assure tliem that he would see them in Galilee. 
 The angel also reminded them of what Jesus had said when they were in 
 Galilee. Luke xxiv. 6, 7. 
 
 12. They went immediately towards the city, yet taking a different way 
 from the one Mary had taken, or going in such a way that they did not meet 
 her when she was returning from the city with Peter and John. Mat. xxviii. 8. 
 Mark xvi. 8. "They said nothing to any man." Luke xxiv. 9, 10. In Luke 
 xxiv. 10 it is said that it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the 
 mother of James, that told these things to the disciples. Not that Luke atlirms 
 tliat they were together when they told them, but that the information was 
 given by them, tliough perhaps at different times. 
 
 13. While they were gone, Mary Miigdalene returned to the sepulchre, fol- 
 lowing Peter and John, who came running. John xx. 2 — 9. They examined 
 tlie sepulchre, and found that the body was really gone ; but as yet they did 
 not know the reason, not having seen the other women to whom the ang«l had 
 told the cause, and Mary Magdalene having left the women before the angel 
 had spoken to them. As yet, therefore, she was ignorant of the reason of hia 
 removal. 
 
 14. Peter and John then lefl the sepulchre, returned home, and left Mary 
 alone. John xx. 10. 
 
 15. While Mary was there alone, she looked into the sepulchre, and saw two 
 angels, probably the same that had appeared to the other women. John x.t- 
 U— 13. 
 
 16. Jesus appeared to Mary while she was alone at the sepulchre. John 
 XX. 14 — 18. Thus, according to fllark (xvi. 9), he appeared to Mary Magda- 
 lene '■'■first" 
 
 17. Mary then went to tell the disciples that she had seen him, but tiiey did 
 not fully believe her. John xx. 18. Mark xvi. 10, 11. 
 
 18. Afterwards Jesus appeared to the other women. Mat. .xxviii. 9. " As 
 they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail." This 
 would seern, in Matt.ew, to be immediately after they left the sepulchre the 
 first time. But many critics observe that the woids "to tell his disciples" are
 
 846 MATTHEW. [A L' J3. 
 
 wanting' in many manuscripts, and of doubtful authority. It may be fa.thei 
 said, that tlie vvoras * as they were going," might have been rendered, "after 
 they were gone." They do not imply, of necessity, that the appearance took 
 place immediately, but only after they were gone, without specifying the time. 
 Probably it was not long after he liad appeared to Mary Magdalene. They 
 would probab.y return to the garden after they had informed the disciples, and 
 linger around there that they might ascertain what had become of him, or 
 learn whether he had been seen by any one. It was then, probably after they 
 had licen away and returned, and after he had been seen by Mary, that tliey 
 aaw him. 
 
 II. APPEARANCES OF JESHS AFTER THE RESURRECTION. 
 
 1. To Mary Magdalene. Jolm sx. 14. Mark xvi. 9. 
 
 2. To the other women. Mat. xxviii. 9. 
 
 3. To Peter. 1 Cor. xv. 5. Luke xxiv. 34. 
 
 4^ To two disciples as they were going to Emmaus. Mark xvi. 12, 13. 
 Luke xxiv. 13 — 32. 
 
 5. The same day at evening, to the apostles, in the absence of Thomas. 1 
 Cor. XV. 5. Mark xvi. 14. Luke xxiv. 36. John xx. 19, 24. 
 
 6. To the apostles when Thomas was present. John xx. 24 — 29. 
 
 7. In Galilee, at the sea of Tiberias, to Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, 
 and John, and two others. John xxi. 1 — 14. This is said to be the third time 
 that he showed himself to the disciples — i. e., to the apostles — when they were 
 assembled together. John xxi. 14. 
 
 8. To the disciples on a mountain in Galilee. Mat. xxviii. 16. 
 
 9. To more than tive hundred brethren at once. 1 Cor. xv. 6. 
 
 10. To James, one of the apostles. 1 Cor. xv. 7. 
 
 11. To all the apostles assembled together. 1 Cor. xv. 7. He was seen by 
 them forty days after he rose — probably conversing with them familiarly. 
 
 12. To the apostles at his ascension. Luke xxiv. 50, 51 Acts i. 9, 10 
 
 13. To Paul. 1 Cor. xv. 8. Acts ix. 3, 4, 5 ; xxii. 6—10. 
 
 in. THE ASCENSION. 
 
 1. It was forty days after his resurrection. Acts i. 3. 
 
 2. He ascended from the mount of Olives, near Bethany. Luke xiir. 50 
 Acts i. 12. 
 
 3. It was in the presence of all the apostles. Luke xxiv. 50. Acts i. 9, 10 
 
 4. \le was received into a cloud, and ascended to heaven. A»;tb 1 9,11 
 Luke xxiv. 51. Eph. i. 20—22.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO 
 
 THtl GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK.. 
 
 Or Mark, the writer of this Gospel, little is certainly known. He is 
 eommonly si pposed to be the same that is several times mentioned ic 
 the New Testament. He was not an apostle, or companion of the Lord 
 Jesus, durinor his ministry, though some of the Fathers affirm that ho 
 was one of the seventy disciples. This is improbable, as he is men- 
 tioned by Peter (1 Pet. v. 13) as his son; from which it is supposed that 
 he was converted by the instrumentality of Peter. 
 
 From the New Testament, we learn that he was sister's son to Barna- 
 bas, (Col. iv. 10) ; and that his moiher's name was Mary, a pious womao 
 in Jerusalem, at whose house the apostles and primitive Christians often 
 assembled. Acts xii. 12, 
 
 His Hebrew name was John (Acts. xii. 12), and it is probable that he 
 adopted a name better known, or more familiar, when he visited the 
 Gentiles, a practice not uncommon in that age. He was at first the 
 companion of Paul and Barnabas, in their journeys to propagate Chris- 
 tianity. Acts xiii. V. He chose not to attend them through their whole 
 journey, but left them in Pamphylia, and probably returned to Jerusalem. 
 Acts XV. 38. Probably at this time he was the companion of Peter, and 
 travelled with him to Babylon. 1 Peter vi. 13. Afterwards he went 
 with Barnabas to Cyprus. Acts xv. 39. Subsequently he went to 
 Rome, at the express desire of Paul, in company with Timothy. 2 Tim. 
 iv. 11. He remained at Rome while Paul was a captive there, but how 
 long is uncertain. Col. iv. 10. Philemon 24. From Eusebius, Epipha- 
 nius, and Jerome, we hear that Mark went from Rome to Alexandria, in 
 Egypt, where he planted a church, and died and was buried in the eighth 
 year of the reign*f Nero, A. D. 64. 
 
 The time when this gospel was written is not certainly known. It is 
 supposed to have been between the years 56 and 63. It is allowed 
 by all, that it was written at Rome ; of course, it was during the latter 
 years of his life, after the apostles had left Judea. Mark xvi. 20. Mark 
 was, for a considerable time, the companion of Peter. Though he had 
 not himself been with the Saviour in his ministry, yet from his long 
 acquaintance with Peter, he was familiar with the events of his life, and 
 with his instructions. The uniform testimony of the Fathers is, that he 
 was the interpreter of Peter, and that he wrote this Gospel under the eye 
 of Peter, and with his approbation. It has come down to us, therefore, 
 with the sanction of Peter's authority. Its right to a place among tlie 
 inspired books has never been questioned. That it was written by Mark; 
 that it was with Peter's approbation; that it was a record of the /«c/s 
 which Peier stated in his ministry; and that it was therefore an inspired 
 nook, has never been ques ioned. 
 
 f347:
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 rilUE ^eofinning of the gospel uf 
 A Jesus Clirist, the^Son ot'God; 
 2 As it is written in the prophets, 
 ''Behold, 1 send my messenger be- 
 fore thy face, which shall prepare 
 thy way before thee. 
 • 3 The 'voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness, Prepare ye the way of 
 the Lord, make his paths straight. 
 
 4 John ^ did baptize in the wil- 
 derness, and preach the baptism of 
 ' repentance, for the remission ' of 
 sins. 
 
 5 And there went out unto him 
 all the land of Judea, and they of 
 Jerusalem, and were all baptized of 
 him in the river of Jordan, confess- 
 ing/ their sins. 
 
 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; 
 
 7 And preached, saying, There * 
 
 allc.l.1,2. A iMal.3.]. c Is.40.3. <ZMatt. 
 XI. Lu.3.3. Jiio.:!.2:i. 1 or, jtnto. e Ac.2-2. 
 16. / I,ov.'26.40— 42. Ps.30.5. Prov.£8.13. 
 lJno.1.8— 10. ^Lev.n.22. A Matt.3.11. 
 Jn<i.l.27. Ac. 13.25. 
 
 1 . The heginning of the Gospel. The 
 *ord gospel literally signifies good tid- 
 ings, and panicukirly ihe good tidings 
 respecting the way of salvation by the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Some have under- 
 stood the word gospel here to mean his- 
 tory or life — the begiiming of the his- 
 tory, &LC. But Mark says nothing of 
 the early life of the Saviour. It has 
 reference ratiier to the preaching of 
 John, an account of which immediately 
 follows, and means tie beginning of the 
 good news, or armun iation, respecting 
 -he Messiah. It was very customary 
 thus to prefix a title t • a book. If The 
 San of God. This til ° was used here 
 CO attract attention, aid secure the re- 
 spect of those who rhould read this 
 gospel. It is no common history. It 
 does not recount the deeds of man — of 
 a hero, or philosopher, but the doctrines 
 and doings of TUK Son ok (Jud. The 
 nis'.ory, therefore, commands respect. 
 30 
 
 cometh one mightier than I aftci 
 me, the latchet of whose shoes 1 
 am not worthy to stoop down and 
 unloose. 
 
 8 1 indeed have baptized you 
 with water : but he shall baptize ' 
 you with the Holy Ghost. 
 
 9 And it came to pass in those 
 days, that Jesus came from Naza- 
 reth of Galilee, and was baptized ^ 
 of John in Jordan. 
 
 10 And straightway coming up 
 out of the water, he saw the hea- 
 vens ' opened, and the Spirit, * like 
 a dove, descending upon him : 
 
 11 And there came a voice from 
 heaven, saying. Thou art my be- 
 loved Son, ' in whom I am well 
 pleased. 
 
 12 Aird immediately the Spirit 
 driveth him into the wilderness. 
 
 13 And "• he was there in the 
 wilderness forty days, tempted of 
 Satan ; and was with the wild 
 
 i Joel 2.28. Ac.1.5. 2.4. 10.45. 11.15,10. 1. 
 Cor.12.13. yMatt.3.13. Lu.3.21. ^ or, do 
 ven, or, rejit. k Is.42.1. Jiio.1.32. / Ps.2 
 7. m Matt.4.1,&c. Lu.4.1,&c. 
 
 2. — 3. As it is written in the prophets 
 He mentions prophets here without spe 
 cifying which. The places are found in 
 Malachi iii. 1 ; and in Isa. xli. 3. See 
 Note on Matt. iii. 3. 
 
 5—8. See Note, Matt. iii. 3, 5, G, 4, 
 11. 
 
 9—11. See Note, Matt. iii. 13—17. 
 
 12 — 13. Mark here relates concisely 
 what Matthew has recorded, more at 
 length in ch. iv. M The Spirit drivelh 
 The word driveth does not mean that 
 he was compelled forcibly against hia 
 will to go there, but that he was in- 
 clined to go there by the Spirit, or wa.= 
 led there. The Spirit of God, for im 
 portant purposes caused him to go. 
 Compare Matt. ix. 25, where the same 
 word is used in the original. ' Vnd 
 when they were all put forth' — in 
 Greek, all driven out. H And was with 
 the wild beasts. This is added to show 
 the desolation and danget of his dwcL 
 a*9)
 
 350 
 
 beasts ; and the angels ministered 
 into him. 
 
 14 Now after that John was put 
 in prison, Jesus "came into Galilee, 
 preaching the gospel ^ of the king- 
 dom of God, 
 
 15 And saying, The time " is ful- 
 fi'led, and the kingdom of God is at 
 nand ; repent '' ye, and believe ' the 
 gospel. 
 
 16 Now ^ as he walked by the 
 sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and 
 Andrew his brother, casting a net 
 into the sea : (for they were fishers.) 
 
 17 And Jesus said unto them. 
 Come ye after me, and I will make 
 you to become fishers of men. 
 
 18 And straightway they forsook 
 their nets, and followed him. 
 
 19 And when he had gone a lit- 
 a MaU.4.23. b Lu.8.1. c Da.2.44. 9.25. 
 
 Ga.4.4. Ep.l.lO. <i Ac.2.38. eKo.lG.26. 
 
 ing there. In this place, sutrounded 
 by such dangers, the temptations offered 
 by Satan were the stronger. Amidst 
 want, and perils, Satan might suppose 
 he would be more easily seduced from 
 God. But he trusted in his Father, 
 and was alike delivered from dangers, 
 from the wild beasts, and from the 
 power of temptation ; thus teaching us 
 what to do in the day of danger and 
 trial. IT A7id the angels ministered to 
 him. From Luke iv. 2, we learn that 
 in those days he did eat nothing. 
 When Mark says, therefore, that the 
 angeLs ministered to him, it means 
 after the days of temptation had ex- 
 pired, as is said by Matthew iv. 11. 
 
 14. Now after that John, &c. John 
 v/as imprisoned by Herod. Matt. xiv. 
 3. H Jesus came into Galilee. He left 
 Judea, and went into the more retired 
 country of Gahlee. He supposed that 
 if he remained in Judea, Herod would 
 also persecute him, and attempt his 
 hfe. His time of death had not come ; 
 and he, therefore, prudently sought 
 safely in retirement. Hence we may 
 learn, that when we have great duties 
 to perform for the church of God, we 
 are not wantonly to endanger our lives. 
 When we can secure them without a 
 nacrifice of principle, we are to do it. 
 See Matt. xxiv. IG. 
 
 15. The time is fulfillrd That is. 
 
 MARK. [A. D. 28 
 
 tie further thence, he saw James 
 the son of Zebedee, and John hia 
 brother, 'vho also were in the ship 
 mending their nets. 
 
 20 And straightway he called 
 them : and they left theii father 
 Zebedee in the ship with the hired 
 servants, and went after him. 
 
 21 And they went into Caper- 
 naum : and straightway on the sab- 
 bath-day he entered into the syna- 
 gogue, and taught. 
 
 22 And s they were astonished at 
 his doctrine : for he taught them as 
 one that had authority, and not as 
 the scribes. 
 
 23 And '' there was in their syna- 
 gogue a man with an unclean spirit ; 
 and he cried out, 
 
 /Matt.4.18,&c. Lu.5.4,&c. ^r Matt.7.28 
 h Lu.4.33,&c. 
 
 the time for the appearance of the Mes 
 siah. The time so long foretold, has 
 come. ^ The kingdom of God is at 
 hand. See Notes on Matt. iii. 2. TT Re- 
 pe7it ye. Exercise sorrow for sins, and 
 turn from them. If And believe the 
 gospel. Literally, trust in the gospel, 
 or believe, the good tidings — to wit, 
 respecting salvation. See Note, Matt 
 iv. 17. 
 
 IG— 20. See Matt. iv. 18—22. 
 
 21—27. See also Luke iv. 31—37. 
 
 21. And they went into Capernaum. 
 For the situation of Capernaum see 
 Matt. iv. 13. IT Straightway. Iinme- 
 diately. On the folbwing Sabbath. 
 IT The Syjiagogue. See Note, Matt, 
 iv. 23. il And taught. In the syna- 
 gogue, the presiding elder, after read- 
 ing the scriptures, invited any who 
 chose, to address the people. Acts 
 xiii. 15. Though our Saviour was not 
 a priest of the Levitical order, or an 
 officer of the synagogue, yet we hnd 
 him often availing himself of this privi- 
 lege, and deUvering his doctrines to the 
 Jews. 
 
 22. He taught them as one that had 
 authority, &c. See Note, Matt. \'ii. 
 29. 
 
 23. A man with an unclean spirit. 
 See Matt. iv. 24. It is probable that 
 this man had lucid intervals, or ho 
 would not have been admitted into thp
 
 A.l). 28.] 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 351 
 
 24 Saying, Let us alone ; what 
 have we to do with thee, thou Jesus 
 of Nazareth ? art thou come to de- 
 stroy us 1 I know thee who thou 
 art, the Holy One of God. 
 
 ;25 And Jesus rebuked him, say- 
 ing. Hold thy peace, and come out 
 of him. 
 
 26 And when the unclean spirit 
 had torn him, and cried with aloud 
 'oice, he came out of him. 
 
 synac,oguo. \V hile there one of his fits 
 came on, and he suddenly cried out. 
 
 24. Let us alone. Though but 07ie 
 impure spirit is mentioned as possessing 
 this man, yet thai spirit speaks also in 
 the name of others. They were leagued 
 together in the work of evil, and this 
 one knew that if hewas punished others 
 would also share the same fate. H What 
 have we to do with thee ? This seems 
 to mean, ' Have we injured thee ?' or 
 we have done nothing to injure thee. 
 See I Kings xvii. 18. By this the 
 spirit meant to say that if Jesus cast 
 iiim out, he would use an improper 
 interference. But this was untrue. 4'he 
 possession of the man was a direct as- 
 sault on God, and his works. Jesus 
 came to destroy the works of the devil, 
 and he had a right, therefore, to libe- 
 rate ihe captive, and to punish him who 
 bad possessed him. So Satan still con- 
 .«idcrs it an infringement of his rights, 
 when God frees a sinner from bondage, 
 and destroys his influence over the soul. 
 So he still pleads, to be let alone, and 
 to be sufl'ered to lead men captive at 
 his will. IT Art thou come to destroi/ us ? 
 Implying that this could not be the in- 
 tention of the benevolent Messiah; that 
 to be cast out of that man would, in 
 fact, be his destruction, and that, there- 
 fore, he might be suffered still to re- 
 main. Or miplying, as in Matt. viii. 
 29, that the time of their destruction 
 had not come, and that he ought not to 
 destroy them before that. ^ / know 
 thee, &c. Evil spirits seem to have 
 been acquainted at once with the Mes- 
 siah. Besides they had learned from 
 Ills miracles that he was the Messiah, 
 and had power over them. H The Holy 
 One of God. The Messiah. See Dan. 
 LX. 24. He is called the Holy One of 
 God, because, 1st. He was eminently 
 pure. 2d. Because he was the only 
 begotten Son of God — equal with the 
 
 27 And they were all amazed, in- 
 somuch that they questi'Dned among 
 themselves, saving, What thing is 
 th.^ '^ ■A't.a'v ^'.e,v doctrine is thisl 
 for with authority coinmandeth he 
 even the unclean spirits, and they 
 do obey him. 
 
 28 And immediately his fame 
 spread abroad throughout ali tlii? 
 region round about Galilee. 
 
 Father. And, 3d. Because he was 
 anointed, or set apart to the work of the 
 Messiah, the mediator between God 
 and man. 
 
 25. And Jesus rchukcd him. Chode 
 him, or commanded him, with a threat- 
 ening, to be still. This was not the 
 inan that he rebuked, but the spirit, for 
 he instantly commanded the same be- 
 ing to come out of the man. In all this 
 Jesus did not once address the man. 
 His conversation was with the evil 
 spirit ; proving conclusively that it was 
 not a mere disease, or derangement — 
 for how could the Son of God hold 
 converse with disease, or delirium — 
 but that he conversed with a being, 
 who also conversed, reasoned, cavilled, 
 felt, resisted, and knew him. There 
 are therefore evil spirits ; and those 
 spirits have taken possession of men, 
 "i Hold thy peace. Greek. Be muzzled. 
 Restrain thyself Cease from com- 
 plaints, and come out of the man. 
 This was a very signal proof of the 
 power of Jesus, to be able by a word 
 to silence an evil angel, and against hi? 
 will to compel him to leave a man 
 whom he delighted to torment. 
 
 26. And when the unclean .•spirit, &c. 
 Still malignant, though doomed to obey, 
 submitting because he was obliged to, 
 not because he chose — he exerted hi% 
 last power, inflicted all the pain he 
 could, and then bowed to the Son of 
 God, and came out. This is the na- 
 ture of an evil disposition. Though 
 compelled to obey ; though jireveniec 
 by the command and Providence of 
 God from doing what it would, yet in 
 seeming to obey, it docs all the ill ii 
 can, and makes even the appearance of 
 obedience the occasion for increased 
 crime and mischief 
 
 27 — 28. And they were all amazed, 
 (fee. The power of casting out devils 
 was to them new. It was done by s
 
 852 
 
 MARK. 
 
 LA. D. 29 
 
 29 And " forthwith, when they 
 were come out of the synagogue, 
 tliey entered into the house of Si- 
 mon and Andrew, with James and 
 John. 
 
 30 But Simon's wife's mother 
 lay sick of a fever ; and anon they 
 teli him of her. 
 
 31 And he came, and took her 
 by the hand, and lift her up ; and 
 immediately the fever left her, and 
 she ministered unto them. 
 
 33 And at even, when the sun 
 did set, they brought unto him all 
 
 a Matt.8.]4. Lu.4.38. 
 
 word. He did it in his own name, and 
 by his own authority. This proved 
 that he was superior to all the unclean 
 spirits. In consequence, his fame 
 spread throughout all the country, and 
 the impression became prevalent that 
 he was the Messiah. 
 
 29—31. See Malt. viii. 14—15. 
 
 32—34. See Matt. viii. 16—17. And 
 at even, when Ihe sun did set. See Note 
 on Mart. viii. 
 
 33. All the city. A great part of the 
 city. A great multitude from the city. 
 
 34. And suffered tiot the devils to 
 speak, because they knew him. They 
 knew that he was the Messiah. If 
 they had spoken, they would have 
 made that known to the people. Jesus 
 was not desirous, at that time, that that 
 should be publicly known, or his name 
 be blazoned abroad. The time had not 
 come when he wished it to be promul- 
 gated, and he, therefore, imposed si- 
 lence on the evil spirits. 
 
 35 — 37. And in the morning, risitig 
 up a great while before day. Luke says 
 dv. 42,) it was day. The passage in 
 Mark means, in ihe original, not lite- 
 rally, a great while before day, but very 
 early, or while there was yet much ap- 
 pearance of night. The place in Luke 
 means at daybreak, at the beginning of 
 day. Then also there is much appear- 
 ance of night ; and Luke and Mark, 
 therefore, refer to the same lime — he- 
 'ore it was fully light, or just at day- 
 break. ^ And departed hito a solitary 
 pliAf.e, in,< there prayed. Here observe, 
 I'it, Tijii* the Saviour, though perfectly 
 hoh , rxj^irdcd the duty of secret prayer 
 
 that weie diseased, and them thai 
 were possessed with devils. 
 
 33 And all the city was gathered 
 together at the door. 
 
 34 And he healed many that were 
 sick of divers diseases, and cast out 
 many devils ; and suffered not the 
 devils to speak, ^ because they knew 
 him. 
 
 35 And in the morning, rising up 
 a great while before day, he went 
 out, and departed intu a solitary 
 place, and there prayed. 
 
 36 And Simon, and they that 
 were with him, followed after him 
 
 1 or, to say that they knew him. 
 
 as of great importance. 2d. That ho 
 sought a solitary place for it — far away 
 from the world, and even his disciples, 
 3d. That it was early in the morning— 
 the first thing after rising — always the 
 best time, and a time when it should 
 not be omitted. 4th. If Jesus prayed, 
 how much more important is it for us! 
 If he did it in ihe morning, how much 
 more important is it for 7is, before the 
 world gets po.3session of our thoughts ; 
 before Satan fills us with unholy feel- 
 ings ; when we rise fresh I'rom beds of 
 repose, and while the world around us 
 is still ! David also thus prayed. Ps. 
 v. 3. He that wishes to enjoy religion 
 will seek a place of secret prayer in the 
 morning. If that is omitted, all wdl go 
 wrong. Our piety will wither. The 
 world vvill fill our thoughts. Tempta- 
 tions will be strong. And through the 
 day, we shall find it impossible to raise 
 our feelings to a state of proper devo- 
 tion. This will be found to be true, 
 universally, that the religious enjoyment 
 through the day, will be accordifig to the 
 state of the heart in the morning ; and 
 can, therefore, be measured by our faith- 
 fvhiess in early secret prayer. How 
 different too was tiie conduct of the 
 Saviour from those who spend the 
 precious hours of the morning in sleep ! m 
 He knew the value of the morning 1 
 hours ; he rose while the world was 
 still ; he saw wlien the light spread 
 abroad in the cast with fresh tokens of 
 his Father's presence, and jomcd with 
 the universal creation in offering praise 
 to the every where present God. 
 
 36. And Siinon. Simon Pe'er. t Thn
 
 1. D 28.] 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 353 
 
 37 And when they had found | If thou wilt, thou canst make me 
 him, they said unto him, All me;» clean. 
 
 seek for thee. ! 41 And Jesus, moved with con* 
 
 38 And he said unto them, Let passion, put forth his hai d, and 
 
 us go into the next towns, that I 
 may preach there alfeo : for there- 
 fore ° came I forth. 
 
 39 And he preached in their syn- 
 agogues throughout all Galilee, and 
 cast out devils. 
 
 40 And * there came a leper to 
 him, beseeching him, and kneeling 
 down to him, and saying unto him, 
 a Is.(jl.l,2 Jno.17.8. b Matt.8.2. Lu.5.12. 
 
 that were with him. The other apos- 
 tles. 
 
 37. All men seek for thee. That is 
 many men, or multitudes. The inquiry 
 after him was general. They told him 
 this evidently with a view to induce him 
 to leave his place of retirement, and to 
 prevail upon liim to appear publicly, to 
 instruct the multitudes. 
 
 38. And he said unto them, &,c. 
 This was said in answer to their implied 
 request, that he would go and meet the 
 multitudes. ' Since the an,\iety to hear 
 the truth is so great ; since such nmlti- 
 tudes are waiting to hear the word, let 
 us go into the ne.xt towns,' &c. If Next 
 towns. Towns in the neighborhood or 
 vicinity of Capernaum. He proposed 
 to carry the gospel to them, rather than 
 that multitudes should leave their homes 
 and attend him in his ministry. ^Toimis. 
 The word here rendered towns denotes 
 places in size between cities and vil- 
 lages, or large places but without walls. 
 IT For therefore came I forth. That is, 
 came forth from God, or was sent by 
 God. Luke says (iv. 43,) " for there- 
 fore am I sent." Compare John xvi. 
 2S. "I came forth from the Father, 
 and am come iruo the world." The 
 meaning of this verse, therefore, is, 
 Bince multitudes press to hear the word, 
 let us not remain here, but go into the 
 neighboring towns also, foul was sent 
 by God iiot to preach at Capernaum 
 only, but throughout Judea, and it is, 
 iheretore, improper to confine my la- 
 Dors to this place. 
 
 39. And he preached in their syna- 
 gogues. See Matt. iv. 23. 1i All 
 Galilee. Sec Matt. i. 22. H And cast 
 ■rut devils. Sje Matt. iv. 24. 
 
 touched him, and saith unto him, 1 
 will ; be thou clean. 
 
 42 And as soon as he had spoken, 
 immediately ' the leprosy departed 
 from him, and he was cleansed. 
 
 43 And he straitly charged him, 
 and forthwith sent him away ; 
 
 44 And saith unto him. See thou 
 say nothing to any man : but go 
 
 c Ps.33.9. Jno.]5.3. 
 
 40 — 45. And there came a leper, &c. 
 See Notes on Matt. viii. 1 — 4. 1i Kned- 
 vng down to him. He kneeled, and in 
 clined his face to the ground, in token 
 of deep humiliation, and earnest en- 
 treaty. Compare Luke v. 12. ^ If thou 
 wilt. There was an acknowledgment 
 of the Almighty power of Jesus, and 
 an appeal to his benevolence. ^ Make 
 me clean. Canst heal me of this loath- 
 some and offensive disease ; in the eye 
 of the law justly regarded as unclean, 
 and render me legally clean, and restore 
 me to the privileges of the congrega- 
 tion, '^i And Jesus — touched him. It 
 was by the law considered as uncleari 
 to touch a leprous man. See Num. v, 
 2. The fact that Jesus touched hirt 
 was evidence that the requisite powei 
 had been already put forth to heal him ; 
 that Jesus regarded him as already 
 clean. ^ I •will. Here was a most 
 manifest proof of his divine power. 
 None but God can work a miracle. 
 Yet Jesus does it by his own will — by 
 an e.\ertion of his own power. He 
 was, therefore, divine. H See thou saij 
 nothing to any man. The law of Moses 
 required that the man who was healed 
 of the leprosy should be pronounced 
 clean by the priest, before he could he 
 admitted again to the privileges of the 
 congregation. Lev. xiv. Christ, though 
 he had cleansed him, yet required him 
 to be obedient to the law of the land 
 to go at once to the priest, and not tt. 
 maK.e delay by stopping to converse 
 about his being healed. It was, also, 
 possible that it he did not go at once, 
 evil-tninded men would go liefore him 
 and prejudice the priest, and prevent 
 his declaring t'.-* heaJing to be thorough
 
 €4 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. i!h 
 
 Ihy way, shew thyse.f to the priest, 
 and offer for thy cleansing those 
 things " which Moses commanded, 
 for a testimony ' unto them. 
 
 45 But he went 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. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 AND again he entered into Ca- 
 pernaum after some days ; and 
 
 aLe.14.2-32. 6R0.15.4. ICor. 10.11. cPs. 
 77.11,12. Tit.1.10. dc.2.13. 
 
 because it was done by Jesus. It was 
 further of importance that the priest 
 should pronounce it to be a genuine 
 cure, that there might be no cavils 
 among the Jews, against its being a 
 real miracle. "^ Offer — those things , &lc. 
 Two birds, and cedar wood, and scar- 
 let, and hyssop. And after eight days, 
 two he-lambs, without blemish, and 
 one ewe-lamb, and fine flour, and oil. 
 Lev. xiv. 4, 10. ^ For a testimony unto 
 than. Not to the priest, but to the peo- 
 ple, that they may have evidence that 
 It is a real cure. The testimony of the 
 priest on the subject, would be decisive. 
 45. Began to publish it much. That 
 is, the subject of his own cure. He was 
 so deeply affected with it, and so much 
 rejoiced, that he followed the natural 
 dictates of his own feehngs, rather than 
 the command of the Saviour. If Jesus 
 could no more enter openly into the city. 
 The word could, here, does not refer to 
 any natural inability, or to any physical 
 obstacle in his way, but only denotes 
 that there was difficulty, or inconve- 
 nience, or impropriety, in his doing it 
 then ; that he judged it best 7iot then to 
 enter into the city. The difficulty was, 
 probably, that his being in the city 
 drew such crowds of people as render- 
 ed it difficult to accommodate them, or 
 80 as to excite the opposition of civil 
 'ulers. IT The city. The city, or large 
 town, where the leper was cured. The 
 same reason for not entering that city 
 applied, also, to others, so that he re- 
 mained in the deserts, where the multi- 
 tudes could come to him without any 
 difficulty or opposition. 
 
 it •was noised that he was in tht 
 house. 
 
 2 And straightway many were 
 gathered together, insomuch thai 
 there was no room to recei\e them, 
 no, not so much as about the door : 
 and he preached ' the word unto 
 them. 
 
 3 And f they come unto him, 
 bringing one sick of the palsy, which 
 was borne of four. 
 
 4 And when they could not come 
 nigh unto him for the press, they 
 uncovered the roof where he was : 
 
 ePs.40.9. /Matt.9.],&c. Lu.5.]8,&;c. 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 1. Into Capernaum. See Note, Malt 
 iv. 13. ^ After some days. The num- 
 ber of days is not known. Probablj 
 he remained long enough in the desetl 
 to heal the sick that were brought to 
 him, and to give instructions to the 
 multitudes that attended his preaching. 
 Capernaum was not the city mentioned 
 in ch. i. 45, and it is probable that there 
 was no difficulty in his remaining there 
 and preaching. If ATid it was noised 
 &c. He entered the city doubtless, 
 privately ; but his being there was soon 
 known, and so great had his popularity 
 become that multitudes pressed to hear 
 him. 
 
 2. So muck as about the door. In the 
 court or yard before the door. They 
 could not get near enough to hear him. 
 "If Preached the word unto them. The 
 w ,rd of God ; the revelation or doctrine 
 which he came to deliver, called the 
 word ; and the word of God, because it 
 was spoken or revealed by God. Com- 
 pare Acts vi. 2 — 7. 
 
 3 — 12. See this miracle explained in 
 Matt. ix. 2 — 8. ^ Palsy. See Note, 
 Matt. iv. 24. ^ Borne of four. Borne 
 on a couch (Matt. ix. 2.) by four men. 
 
 4. The press. The crowd, the mul 
 titude of people. Jesus was, probably, 
 in the large open area, or hall, in the 
 centre of the house. See Note, Matt. 
 ix. I — 8. The people pressed into that 
 area, ar.d blocked up the door so that 
 they could not have access to him 
 ^ They uncovered the roof where he was 
 See Note, Matt. L\. 2—8. Hou&ej 
 were flat. In cities they joined each
 
 A. D. 29.] 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 355 
 
 and when they had broken it up, 
 they let down the bed wherein the 
 sick of the palsy lay. 
 
 5 When Jesus saw their faith, " 
 he said unto the sick of the palsy, 
 Son, thy sins be forgiven tiiee. 
 
 6 But there were certain of the 
 scribes sitting there, and reasoning 
 in their hearts, 
 
 7 Why doth this man thus speak 
 blasphemies ] Who can forgive sins 
 * but God only ] 
 
 8 And immediately, when Jesus 
 perceived in his spirit that they so 
 reasoned within themselves, he said 
 unto tliem, Why reason ye these 
 things in your hearts 1 
 
 9 Whether is it easier to say to 
 the sick of the palsy, Thrj sins be 
 forgiven thee ; or to say, Arise, and 
 take up thy bed, and walk ? 
 
 10 But that ye may know that 
 
 aAc.14.9. Ep.2.8. fils.4:i.25. Da.9.9. 
 c Ac.5.31. <iJno.7.31. 9.32. e Matt.y.9. 
 
 other, and the roofs constituted an 
 agreeable place for walking. It is not 
 improbable that they ascended a neigh- 
 boring house, and came over the hall, 
 where Jesus was. They removed the 
 curtain or awning, drawn over the area, 
 where Jesus was, so that they might 
 let the man down before him. If Whe7i 
 they had broken it up. When they had 
 removed the awning, and a part of the 
 banisters, so that they could let the 
 man down. 
 
 5. Their faith. Their confidence, or 
 belief, that he could heal him. H Son. 
 Literally child. The Hebrews used the 
 words son and child, with a great lati- 
 tude of signification. They were ap- 
 plied to children, to grand-children, to 
 adopted children, to any descendants, to 
 disciples, followers, young people, and 
 to dependants. See Note, Matt. i. 1. 
 In this place, it denotes affection, or 
 kindness. It was a word of consola- 
 tion—an endearing appellation, applied 
 by the Saviour to the sick man, to 
 show his compassion, to inspire confi- 
 dence, and to assure him that he would 
 heal him. 
 
 12. We never saw it on this fashion. 
 Literally " wc never saw it so." We 
 lever saw any thmg like th's. 
 
 the Son of man hath power on 
 earth to forgive sins, (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 went forth be- 
 fore IheiTi all ; insomuch that they 
 were all amazed, and glorified God, 
 saying. We •* never saw it on this 
 fashion. 
 
 13 And he went forth again by 
 the sea-side ; and all the multitude 
 resorted unto him, and he taught 
 them. 
 
 14 And ' as he passed by, he 
 saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting 
 ' at the receipt of custom, and said 
 unto him, Follow me. And he 
 arose and followed him. 
 
 15 And ^ it came to pass, that, as 
 
 Lu.5.27. ' or, at the place where the cus- 
 tom was received, f Matt.9,10,&c. 
 
 13. By the sea-side. That is, by the 
 sea of Tiberias, on the shore of which 
 Capernaum was situated. See Note 
 Matt. iv. 13. 
 
 14. Levi the so7i of Alpheus. The 
 satne, undoubtedly, as Matthew, the 
 writer of the Gospel. It was not un- 
 common among the Jews to have two 
 names. If The receipt of custom. See 
 Note, Matt. ix. 9. 
 
 15. Sat at meat in the house. The 
 words, " at meat," are not in the origi- 
 nal. The phrase means ' as he reclined 
 at his meal — or as he was eating.' This 
 feast was made by Matthew, in honour 
 of the Saviour. See Luke v. 29. If Pub 
 licans. See Note, Matt. v. 47. If Sin- 
 ners. Sinners of abandoned character 
 — of the same character that publicans 
 commonly sustained — fit companions 
 of publicans — great sinners. If There 
 were many. That is, many disciples 
 Their following him, leaving their 
 homes, and going with him from place 
 to place, was proof of their attachment 
 to him. There is no doub', that otir 
 Saviour, in the early part of his minis- 
 try, was extremely popular. Multitudes 
 of the common people attended him, 
 and gave conclusive evidence that they 
 were liis real disciples. And i v^as
 
 a56 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 2&. 
 
 Jesus aat at meat in his house, many 
 publ .cans ° and sinners sat also to- 
 Ifether with Jesus and his disciples : 
 for there were many, and they fol- 
 lowed him. 
 
 16 And when the scribes and 
 Pharisees saw him eat with publi- 
 cans and sinners, they said unto his 
 disciples, How is it that he eateth 
 and drinketh with publicans and 
 sinners ] 
 
 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith 
 unto them, They * that are whole 
 have no need of the physician, but 
 they that are sick: I came not to 
 call the righteous, but sinners ' to 
 repentance. 
 
 IS And the disciples of John and 
 of the Pharisees used to fast : and 
 they come and say unto him, Wliy 
 do the disciples of John and of the 
 Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast 
 not ] 
 
 19 And Jesus said unto them. 
 Can the children of the bride-cham- 
 ber fast, while the bridegroom "* is 
 
 aLu.15.1-5. 6 Matt.9.12,i:i. Lu.5,31,32. 
 c Is. 18.55.7. Matt.18.ll. Lii. 19.10. 1 Cor.lj. 
 9-lJ. 1 Tit. 1.15. (iMatl.25.1. 
 
 only after much opposition and ridicule 
 from the rich, and the great, that he 
 ever became unpopular among the peo- 
 ple. Perhaps no preacher has ever at- 
 tracted so universal attention, and pro- 
 duced so decisive effects on mankind, 
 as our Lord did, in his personal minis- 
 try. 
 
 16, 17. See Matt, ix, 12—13. 
 
 IS. And the dixciples of John and of 
 the Pharisees used to fast. Were ac- 
 customed often to fast. Compare Luke 
 V. 33, xviii. 12. IT And they come and 
 say. The disciples of John came, 
 IVIatt. i.x. 14. 
 
 19—22. See Matt. Lx. 15—17. 
 
 23 — 28. See Matt. xii. 1—8. The 
 corn-fields. The fields sown with grain, 
 wheat, or barley. The word corn, in 
 the Bible, refers only to grain of that 
 kind, and never to maize or Indian-corn. 
 Ti To pluck the ears of corn. They were 
 hungry. See Matt. They, therefore, 
 gathered the wheat, or barley, as they 
 walked, and rubbed it in their hands to 
 
 with them? As lorg as they have 
 the bridegroom with them, they can- 
 not fast. 
 
 20 But the days will come when 
 the bridegroom shall be taken away 
 from them, and then ' shall they 
 fast in those days, 
 
 21 No man also seweth a piece 
 of ' new cloth on an old garment, 
 else the new piece that filled it up 
 taketh away froiiu the old, and the 
 rent is made worse. 
 
 22 And no man putteth new wine 
 into old bottles ; else the new wine 
 doth burst the bottles, and the wine 
 is spilled, and the bottles will be 
 marred -J but new wine must be put 
 into new bottles. 
 
 23 And « it came to pass, that he 
 went through the corn-fields on the 
 sabbath-day ; and his disciples be- 
 gan, as they went, to pluck * the 
 ears of corn. 
 
 24 And the Pharisees said unto 
 him, Behold, why do they on the 
 sabbath-day that which is not lawful] 
 
 e Ac. 13.2. i or, raw, or, unwrought. /Jot 
 32.19. Ps.119.80,83. g Matt.l2.1,&.c. Lu.ti 
 l,&c. A De.23.25. 
 
 shell it, and thus to satisfy their appe- 
 tite. Though our Lord was with them, 
 and though lie had all things at his con 
 trol, yet he suffered them to resort tc 
 this method to supply their wants. 
 When Jesus, thus with his disciples, 
 suffered them to be poor, we may learn 
 that poverty is not disgraceiul ; that 
 God often sufl^ers it for the good of hia 
 people ; and that he will lake care, in 
 some vvay, that their wants shall be 
 supplied. It was lawful for them thus 
 to supply their wants. Though the pro 
 perty belonged to another, yet the law 
 of Moses allowed the poor to satisfy 
 their wants when hungry. See Deut. 
 xxiii. 2.5. 
 
 24. That which is not lawful. That 
 is, that which they esteemed to be un- 
 lawful on the sahhath-day. It was made 
 lawful by Moses, without any distinc 
 tion of days, but Ihey had denied its 
 lawfulness on the sabbath. Christ 
 shows them, from their own law, that 
 it was nst unlawful.
 
 A.. D. 29.J 
 
 CHAPTER u 
 
 357 
 
 25 And lie said u: to them, Have 
 ve never read what David did, " 
 when he had need, and was an hun- 
 gered, he, and they that were with 
 him ] 
 
 96 How he went into the hnuse 
 a 1 Sa.21.6. 
 
 25. Have ye never read, &c. See 
 Note, Matt. xii. 3. 
 
 26. Abiathar the priest. From 1 Sam. 
 xxi. 1, it appears tiiat Abimeleck was 
 high priest at the time here referred to. 
 And from 1 Sam. xxiii. (i, it appears that 
 Abiathar was the son of Abimeleck. 
 Some difficuhy has been feh in recoii- 
 ciHng these accounts. The probable 
 reason why Mark says it was in the 
 days of Abiathar, is liiat Abiathar was 
 better knov>rn than Abimelech. The 
 son of tiie high priest was regarded as 
 his successor, and was often associated 
 with him in the duties of his office. It 
 was not improper, therefore, to desig- 
 nate him as high priest, even during the 
 lite of his father, especially as that was 
 the name by which he was afterwards 
 known. Abiathar, moreover, in the ca- 
 lamitous times when David came to the 
 throne, left the interest of Saul, and fled 
 to David, bringing with him the ephod, 
 one of the peculiar garments of the hitrh 
 Driest. For a long lime, during David's 
 reign, he was high priest, and it became 
 natural therefore to associate his name 
 with that ol David ; to speak of David 
 as kingj, and Abiathar the high priest 
 of his time. This will account for the 
 fact that he was spoken of rather than 
 nis father. At the same time this was 
 strictly true, that this was done in the 
 days of Abiathar, who was afterwards 
 high priest, and was familiarly spoken 
 of as such; as we say, that General 
 Washington was present at the defea'. 
 of Braddock. and saved his army; 
 though the title of General did not be- 
 long to him till many years afterwards. 
 ^ Sheio-bread. See Note, Matt. xii. 4. 
 
 27. The sabbath was made for man. 
 For his rest from toil, his rest iVom the 
 cares and anxieties of the world, to 
 give an opportunity to call off his atten- 
 tion from earthly concerns, and to di- 
 rect it to the affairs of eternity. It was 
 a kind provision for man that he might 
 refresh his body by relaxing hi^ labors ; 
 '.hat he might have undisturbed time to 
 seek the consolations of religion to 
 
 of God in the days of Abiathar the 
 high priest, and did eat the shew- 
 bread, * which is not lawful to eat 
 but for the priests, and aave also to 
 them which were with him 1 
 
 27 And he said unto them, The 
 J Ex.29.32,33. Le.24.9. 
 
 cheer him in the anxieties and sorrows 
 of a troubled world ; and that he might 
 render to God that homage which is 
 most justly due to him as the Creator, 
 Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer 
 of the world. And it is easily capable 
 of proof, that no institution has been 
 more signally blessed to man's welfare 
 than the Christian sabbath. To that 
 we owe, more than to any thing else, 
 the peace and order of a civilized com- 
 munity. Where there is no sabbath, 
 there is ignorance, vice, disor ler, and 
 crime. On that iioly day, the poor, and 
 the ignorant, as well as the learned, 
 have undisturbed time to leani the re- 
 quirements of religion, the nature of 
 morals, the law of God, and the way 
 of salvation. On that day, m in may 
 offer his praises to the Great ( Jiver of 
 all good, and in the sanctuary !»eek the 
 blessing of Him whose favor is life. 
 Where that day is observed in any 
 manner as it should be, order prevails, 
 morals are promoted, the poor are ele- 
 vated in their condition, vice flies away, 
 and the community puts on the appear- 
 ance of neatness, industry, morality, 
 and religion. The sabbaih was, there- 
 fore, pre-eminently intended for man's 
 welfare, and the best interests of man- 
 kind demand that it should be sacred '.y 
 regarded as an appointment of merciful 
 heaven, intended for our best good ; 
 and, where improved aright, infallibly 
 resulting in our tem|)oral and eternal 
 peace. ^ Not man for the sabbath. Man 
 was made frst, and then the sabbath 
 w.is appointed fir his welfaie. Gen.ii. 
 1-3. The sabbaih was not Urst made 
 or contemplated, and men the man 
 made with reference to tha.. Since 
 therefore, the sabbath was intended for 
 man's real good, the law respecting it 
 must not be inter|)reted so as to oppose 
 his real welfare. It must be explained 
 in consistency with a proper attention 
 to the duties of mercy to the poor anci 
 the sick, and to those in peril. It must 
 be, however, in accordance with man'i 
 real prood on the luhole. and with tha
 
 358 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 30. 
 
 sabbath was made for man, " and 
 not * man for the sabbath : 
 
 28 Therefore ' the Son ol man is 
 Lord also of the sabbath. 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 AND '' he entered again into the 
 synagogue ; and there was a 
 man there which had a withered 
 hand. 
 
 2 And they watched ' him whe- 
 her he would heal him on the sab- 
 
 aNe.9.14. Is.58.13. Eze.20.12,20. ft Col. 
 210. cJiio.9.14. Ep.1.2-2. Re.1.10. 
 
 law of God. The law of God contem- 
 plates man's real good on the whole; 
 and we have no right, under the plea 
 that the sabbath was made for man, to 
 do any thing contrary to what the law 
 of God admits. It would not be for 
 our real good, but for our real and eter- 
 nal injury, to devote the sabbath to 
 vice, to labor, or to amusement. 
 
 28. Therefore, the Soft of man, &c. 
 See Note, Matt. xii. 8. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 1 — 5. See this explained in Mall. xii. 
 9—13. 
 
 4. Or to do evil? to save life, or to 
 hill ? It seems to have been a maxim 
 with the Jews, that not to do good 
 when we have an opportunity, was to 
 do evil ; 7iot to save life was to kill, or 
 to be guilty of murder. If a man has 
 an opportunity of saving a man's life 
 when he is in danger, and does not do 
 il, he is evidently guilty of his death. 
 On this principle our Saviour puts this 
 question to the Jews, whether it was 
 better for him, having the power to heal 
 this man, to do it, or to suffer him to 
 remain in this suffering condition. And 
 he illustrates it by an exainple, show- 
 ing that in a matter of much less im- 
 portance — tbat respecting their cattle — 
 they would do on the sabbath just as he 
 would if he should heal this man. The 
 same remark may apply to all opportu- 
 nities of doing good. " The ability to 
 do good imposes an obligation to do it." 
 Cct'on Mather. He that has the means 
 Df feeding the hungry, and clothing the 
 naked, and instructing the ignorant, 
 and sending the gospel to the destitute, 
 and that does it not, is gnilty ; for he is 
 practicall)- doing evil ; he is su fering 
 evils to exist which he might remove. 
 
 bath-day ; that they might accuse 
 him. 
 
 3 And he saith unto the man 
 which had the withered hand. 
 Stand forth. 
 
 4 And he saith unto them, Is it 
 lawful to do good on the sabbalh- 
 days, or to do evin to save life, .^^ or 
 to kill? But they held their peace. 
 
 5 And when he had looked round 
 about on them with anger, being 
 
 dMatl.l2.9,&c. Lu.6.G,&c. e Lu.l4 1, 
 
 1 ^rise, ill the midst. /Hos.G.6. 
 
 So the wicked will be condemned in 
 the day of judgment, because they did 
 it not. Matt. XXV. 45. If this be true, 
 what an obligation rests on the rich to 
 do good ! 
 
 5. IVith anger. With a severe and 
 stern countenance ; with indignation at 
 their hypocrisy and hardness of heart. 
 This was not, however, a spiteful or 
 revengeful passion ; it was caused by 
 excessive grief at their state. It was 
 not sudden and tumultuous hatred of 
 the men whose hearts were so hard ; it 
 was hatred of the sin which they ex- 
 hibited, joined with the extreme grief 
 that neither hi teaching, nor the law 
 of God, nor an) means which could be 
 used, overcame their confirmed wick- 
 edness. Such anger is not unlawful. 
 Eph. iv. 26. And in this instance, our 
 Lr>rd has taught us that anger is nevei 
 lawful, except when it is tempered with 
 grief or compassion for those who have 
 offended. ^ Hardness of their hearts. 
 The heart, figuratively the seat of feel- 
 ing, or affection, is said to be tendei 
 when it is easily affected by the suffer- 
 ings of others ; by our own sin ant) 
 danger; by the love and commands of 
 God; — when we are easily made te 
 feel on the great subjects pertauiing to 
 our interest. Ezek. xi. 19, 20. It is 
 hard, when nothing moves it ; when a 
 man is alike insensible to the suflerings 
 of others, the dangers of his own con- 
 dition, and the commands, the love, 
 and the threatenings of God. It is 
 most tender in youth, or when we have 
 conmiitted fewest crimes. It is mai^< 
 hard by indulgence in sin ; by long re- 
 sisting the offers of life ; or by opposing 
 any great and affecting appeals which 
 God maj make to us by his spirit or 
 providenc-2, by affliction, or by a revival
 
 A. D. 30.J CHAPTER III. 
 
 grieved for the hardness ' of their 
 iiearts, he saith unto the man, 
 Stretch forth thine hand. And he 
 stretched it out: and liis hand was 
 restored whole as the other. 
 
 6 And the Pharisees went forth, 
 and straightway took counsel with 
 the * Herodians against him, how 
 Shey might destroy him. 
 
 7 But Jesus withdrew himself 
 with his disciples to the sea : and a 
 
 1 or, hliitdncss. a Matt.22.lG. 
 
 359 
 
 of religion. Hence it is, that the most 
 favorable period for securing an interest 
 in Christ, or for becoming a Christian, 
 is in j'outh; the first, the tenderest, 
 and the best days of life. Nay, in the 
 days of childhood — in the sabbath 
 school — God may be found and the 
 soul prepared to die. 
 
 6. Straigldwmj. Immediately ; or, 
 as soon as possible. IT Took counsel. 
 Laid a plan. Consulted with them. 
 Literally, "made a consultation." IT 
 The Herodians. See Note, Matt. xxii. 
 16. IT How they mif^ht destroy him. 
 They hated him for his holiness ; be- 
 cause he reproved them ; because he 
 laid open their hypocrisy ; and because 
 he won the hearts of the people, and 
 lofcsened their intlaence. They, there- 
 fore, determined to remove him.ifpos- 
 Bible, and thus avoid his reproofs. Sin- 
 ners would often rather put to death the 
 man that reproves them, than to for- 
 sake their sins. The Pharisees had 
 rather commit any crime, even to the 
 murder of the Messiah, than forsake 
 the sins of which he rebuked them. 
 
 7, 8. To the sea. The sea of Gali- 
 leo. Or 10 the desert and lonely regions 
 which surrounded the sea, where he 
 •night be in obscurity, and avoid their 
 lesigns against his life. His time h^d 
 lot yet come, and he prudently took 
 :;are of his life ; thus showing that we 
 nre not needlessly to throw oursf.lvcs 
 
 >)to danger. ^ Galilee. See Mat. ii. 22. 
 ^ Judea. See Mat. ii. 1. *i Jerusalem. 
 Jerusalem was in Judea. It is men- 
 
 JoneJ oarticularly to show that not only 
 (ale pei)ple of the surrounding country 
 came, but also many from the capital, 
 the place of wealth, and honor, and 
 power. II Idumea. The country for- 
 merly inliabited by the Edymites, in the 
 
 great ' multitude from (Jaliiee fol 
 lowed him, and from Judoa, 
 
 8 And from Jerusalem, and from 
 Idumea, and frujn beyond Jordan; 
 and they about Tyre and Sidon, 
 a great multitude, when they had 
 heard wliat great things he did, 
 came unto him. 
 
 9 And he spake to his disciples, 
 that a small ship should wait on 
 him because of tlie multitude, lest 
 they should throng him. 
 
 6 Lu.6.17. 
 
 time of the Saviour, the most southern 
 part of the land of Canaan. The word 
 Idumea is a Greek word, made from 
 the Hebrew Edam. It signifies the 
 land of Edom, a name given to Esau, 
 one of the sons of Isaac. Gen. xxv. 30 
 The word signifies red. and was givei. 
 to him because he sought of Jacob rea 
 pottage, as the price of his birthright 
 He settled in ?Iount Seir (Deut. ii. 5). 
 on the south of the land of Canaan, and 
 the country of Idumea was bounded by 
 Palestine on tlie north. During the 
 Babylonish captivity, the Edomites 
 spread themselves into the country of 
 Judea, and occup'ed a considerable part 
 of the south of Palestine. They had, 
 however, submitted to the rite of cir- 
 cumcision, and were incorporated with 
 the Jews. From them sprang Herod 
 the Great. V Frofn beyond Jordan. 
 From the east coast of the river Jor- 
 dan. The sacred wri'ers lived on the 
 ivest side of Jordan, and by the country 
 beyond Joulan, they meant that on the 
 east side. V Tyre and Sidoa, See note 
 Mat. xi. 21. 
 
 9. A small ship. Rather, a boat. 
 There were, properly speaking, no 
 ships on the sea of Tiberias. Tais was- 
 probably a small boat that belonged tv 
 his disciples, in which he could sit ofi 
 from the shore, and teach the peop>. 
 without being pressed by them. ^ Lesi 
 they should throng him. Tliey pressed 
 upon liim in great numbers. He had 
 healed many, and those who were still 
 diseased pressed or crowded on him, so 
 as to endanger his life. He, therefore, 
 withdrew from the multitude, and 
 sought a situaiion where he might be 
 free from danger. H As many as had 
 plagxics. As many as had diseases, or 
 maladies of bodv or mind. The word
 
 860 
 
 MARK. 
 
 LA.D.30 
 
 10 For he had healed many ; " 
 insomuch that they ' pressed upon 
 him for to touch him, as many as 
 had plagues. 
 
 11 And * unclean spirits, when 
 they saw him, fell down before him, 
 and cried, saying. Thou art the Son 
 of God. 
 
 12 And he straitly charged them 
 that they should not make him 
 known. " 
 
 13 And ^ he goeth up into a 
 naountain, and calleth unto him, 
 whom he ' would : and they came 
 unto him. 
 
 14 And he ordained twelve, that 
 they should be with him, and 
 
 a Matt. 12.15. 14.14. i or, rushed. b c.l. 
 24. Matt.]4.3;{. Lii.4.41. Ja.2.19. c c.1.25, 
 34. d Matt. 10.1. e Jno.15,16. 
 
 plague, nov/ confined to the pestilence, 
 does not express the meaning of the 
 original, and tends to mislead. 
 
 11,12. Unclean, spirits. Persons who 
 were possessed of evil spirits. ^ Thou 
 art the Son of God. The Son of God, 
 by way of eminence. In this place it 
 is equivalent to the Messiah, who was, 
 among the Jews, called the Son of God. 
 Hence they were charged not to make 
 hiin known, because he was not de- 
 sirous that it should be blazoned abroad 
 that he claimed to be the Messiah. He 
 had not yet done what he wished to 
 establish his claims to the Messiahship ; 
 he was poor and unhonored, and the 
 claim would be treated as that of an 
 impostor, as it was afterwards, and 
 \vould endanger his life. For the pre- 
 ''cnt, therefore, he did not wish that it 
 .should be proclaimed abroad that he 
 was the Messiah.. 
 
 This circumstance proves the exis- 
 tence of evil spirits. If these were 
 .Tierely diseased or deranged persons, 
 then it is strange that they should be 
 endowed wnh knowledge so much su- 
 perior to those in health. If they were 
 under the influence of an order of spirits 
 'iiiperior to man — whose appropriate 
 ■labitation was in another world — then 
 ■t IS not slrauKC that they should know 
 h'm, even in tiie mif^st of his poverty, 
 to be the Messiah, tl e Son of CJod. 
 
 13 — 13. For an account of the ap- 
 K>«ntment of the aj-iestles, see Matt. x. 
 
 that he might send them forth to 
 preach, 
 
 15 And to have power to lieal 
 sicknesses, and to cast out devils . 
 
 16 And Simon ^ he surnainedi 
 Peter ; 
 
 17 And James the so7i of Zebe- 
 dee, and John the brother of James 
 and he surnained them Boanerges, 
 which is. The sons of thunder ; » 
 
 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and 
 Bartholomew, and Matthew, and 
 Thomas, and James the sun of Al- 
 pheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon 
 the Canaanite, 
 
 19 And Judas Iscariot, which also 
 
 betrayed him : and they went " ink) 
 
 an hnuse. 
 
 /Jno.1.42. £• Is.SS.l. . Je.23.29. » oi 
 liome. 
 
 1 — i. ^ And calleth unto him whom he 
 would. Those whom he chose ; whom 
 he was about to appoint to the apostle- 
 ship. 
 
 14. He ordaiiied twelve. The word 
 rendered ordai?ied here, does not ex- 
 press our noiion of ordination to the 
 ministry. It means, literally, "he 
 made," or he apiminted twelve to be 
 with him. ^ Twelve. The reason why 
 twelve were chosen was, probably, that 
 such a number would be deemed com- 
 petent witnesses of what they saw ; 
 that so many could not be supposed to 
 be imposed upon ; that they coidd not 
 be easily charged with being excited by 
 sympathy, or being deluded, as a mul 
 titude might ; and that, being destined 
 to go into all the world, a considerable 
 number seemed indispensable. Per- 
 haps, also, there was some reierence to 
 the fact that twelve was the number of 
 the tribes of Israel. 
 
 17. Boanerges. This word is made 
 up of two Hebrew words, signifying 
 sons of thunder, meaning that they 
 on some accounts, resembled ihunder. 
 Note, Matt. i. 1. It is not known why 
 this name was given to James and John. 
 They are no where else called by it. 
 Some suppose it was because ihey wish- 
 ed to call down fire from heaven, and 
 consume a certain village of the Sama- 
 ritans. Luke ix. 54. It is, however, 
 more probable that it was on accoun* 
 of something fervid, and glowins;
 
 A.. D. 30.] CHAPTER III. 361 
 
 20 And tlie multiiude cometh to- ] hath Beelzebub, and by the prince 
 gether again, so " that they could of the devils cas\eth he out devils. 
 
 not so much as eat bread. 
 
 21 And when his ' friends heard 
 of it, they went out to lay hold on 
 him : for they said, He * is beside 
 himself. 
 
 22 And the scribes which came 
 
 iown from Jerusalem, said,. He ' 
 
 o c.0.31. 1 or, kinsmen, b IIos.9.7. Jno. 
 ;0.2C. 
 
 \nd powcrtiil, in their genius and elo- 
 
 uence. • 
 
 20. The\,' covld no« so much as cat 
 ■ vead. Their time and attention were 
 lO occupied, that they were obliged to 
 forego tlieir regular meals The affairs 
 of religion may lo occupy t,ic attention 
 of ministers, and others, as to destroy 
 -heir relish for the ordinary comforts and 
 employment-j of hfe, and prevent their 
 engaging in their customary pursuits. 
 Religion is all-important — far more im- 
 portant than the ordinary business of 
 this life ; and tliero is notliing unrea- 
 sonable if our temporal F.flb.iis some- 
 limes give way to the higher interests 
 of our own souls, and the souls of others. 
 At the same time, it is true that roligion 
 is ordinarily consistent with a close at- 
 tention to worldly business. It pro- 
 motes industry, economy, order, neat- 
 ness, and punctuality — all indispenc.able 
 to worldly prosperity. Of these there 
 has been no more illustrious example 
 than that of our Saviour himself 
 
 21. When his friends . Greek, " they 
 .vho were of him." Not the apostleo, 
 but his relatives, his friends, who were 
 in the place of his nativity. IT Heard 
 of it. Heard of his conduct ; his 
 preaching ; his appoiniing the apostles ; 
 his drawing such a multitude to his 
 preaching. This shows that by " his 
 friends" were not meant the apostles, 
 but those at a distance who heard of 
 his conduct. IT Tkei/ went cut to lay 
 hold on him. To take him av/ay from 
 .he multitude, and to remove him to his 
 nome, that he might be treated as a 
 maniac, and, by absence from the 
 ta'tses of excitement, might be restored 
 to his right mind. ^ They said. That is, 
 rommon report said. Or his friends said, 
 for they did not believe on l.im. John 
 rii. 5. Probably the enemies of Jesus 
 •aised the report, and his relatives were 
 lersuadcd tc beheve it tc he true. ^ He 
 ■3] 
 
 23 And he called them unio him, 
 and said unto them in parables. How 
 can Satan cast out Satan 1 
 
 24 And if a kingdom be divided 
 against itself, that kingdom cannol 
 stand. 
 
 25 And if a house be divide 
 
 cMatt.9.34. 10.25. 12.24. Lu.11.15. Jrio.7 
 20. 8.48,52. 
 
 is beside himself. He is delirous, or de- 
 ranged. The reason why this report 
 gained any belief was, probably, that 
 our Lord had hved among them as a 
 carpenter ; that he was poor, and un 
 known ; and that now, at thirty years 
 of age, he broke off from his occupa- 
 tions, abandoned his common employ- 
 ment, spent much time in the deserts, 
 denied himself the common comforts 
 of life, and set up his claims to be the 
 Messiah who was expected by all the 
 people to come with great pomp and 
 splendor. The charge of derangement 
 on account of attention to reUgion, has 
 not been confined to our Saviour. Let 
 a man be made deeply sensible of his 
 sins, and spend much of his time in 
 prayer, and have no relish for the ordi- 
 nary amusements or business of Ufe ; 
 or let a Christian be much impressed 
 with his obligation to devote himself to 
 God, and act as if he believed there was 
 an eternity, and warn his neighbors of 
 their danger ; or let a minister show 
 uncommon zeal, and waste his strength 
 in the service of his Master, and the 
 world is not slow to call it derangement. 
 And none will be more ready to origi 
 natp or believe the charge than an un- 
 godly and infidel parent, or brother ; a 
 self-righteous Pharisee or professor in 
 the church. At the same time, men 
 may endanger themselves on the bosora 
 of the Jeep, or in the bowels of the 
 earth, for vxcalih ; or may plunge into 
 the vortex of fashion, and folly, and vice, 
 and break in upon the hours of repose, 
 and neglect their duties to tlieir family, 
 and the demands of business, and in 
 the view of the world it is wisdom, and 
 prc:»f of a pane mind ! Such is the 
 consistency of boasted reason ; such 
 the wisdom and prudence of worldly 
 men ! 
 
 22 — 30. And the scribes, &c. See 
 ?Totes on Matt \ii. 24 — ^32. Tbo o«ca
 
 862 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 30» 
 
 against itself, that house cannot 
 stand. 
 
 26 And if Satan rise up against 
 himself, and be divided, he cannot 
 stand, but hath an end. 
 
 27 No ° man can enter into a 
 strong man's house, and spoil his 
 goods, except he will first bind the 
 strong man ; and then he will spoil 
 his house. 
 
 28 Verily I say unto you, All '' 
 sins shall be forgiven unto the sons 
 of men, and blasphemies wherewith 
 soever they shall blaspheme : 
 
 29 But he that shall blaspheme 
 against the Holy Ghost ' hath never 
 forgiveness, but is in danger of eter- 
 nal damnation : 
 
 30 Because they said, He hath an 
 unclean spirit. 
 
 .31 There "^ came then his brethren 
 and his mother, and, standing with- 
 out, sent unto him, calling him. 
 
 32 And the multitude sat about 
 him ; and they said unto him, Be- 
 hold, thy mother and thy brethren 
 without seelv for thee. 
 
 33 And he answered them, say- 
 ing, Who is my mother, or my bre- 
 thren 1 
 
 34 And he looked round about 
 on them which sat about him, and 
 said. Behold my mother and my 
 brethren ! 
 
 35 For whosoever shall do ' the 
 will of God, the same is my brother, 
 and my sister, and my mother. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AND f he began again to teach 
 by the sea-side : and there was 
 
 o Is'.49.24,26. Cl.l. Matt.12.29. 6 Matl. 
 12.31. Lu. 12.10. c He.10.29. d Matt. 12. 
 46-48. Lu.8.19-21. e Ja.1.25. 1 Jno.2.17. 
 f Malt.l3.1,&c. Lu.8.4Ac. g' Ps.78.2. ver. 
 34. Aver.9.23. c.7.16. 
 
 sion of their saying this was, that he 
 had healed a man possessed with a de- 
 vil. The scribes, who came from Je- 
 ntsalem to watch his conduct, charged 
 it on a compact or agreement between 
 him and the Prince of the devils. 
 
 31—35, See Notes on Matt. xii. 46 — 
 50, 
 
 gathered unto him a great multitude, 
 so that he entered into a ship, ana 
 sat in the sea; and the whole mul- 
 titude was by the sea on the lana. 
 
 2 And he taught them many 
 things by parables, * and said unto 
 them in his doctrine, 
 
 3 Hearken : '' Behold, there went 
 out a sower to sow : 
 
 4 And it came to pass, as he sow 
 ed, some fell by the way-side, and 
 the ' fowls of the air came and de- 
 voured it up., 
 
 5 And some fell on stony-' ground, 
 where it had not much earth ; and 
 immediately it sprang up, because 
 it had no depth of earth : 
 
 6 But when the sun was up, it 
 was scorched ; and * because it had 
 no root, it withered away. 
 
 7 And some fell among thorns ; ' 
 and the thorns grew up, and choked 
 it, and it yielded no fruit. 
 
 8 And other fell on good "ground, 
 and did yield fruit " that sprang up 
 and increased, and brought forth, 
 some thirty, and some sixty, and 
 some an hundred. 
 
 9 And he said unto them. He that 
 hath ears to hear, let him hear. 
 
 10 And" when he was alone, they 
 that were about him with the twelve 
 asked of him the parable. 
 
 11 And he said unto them., Unto 
 P you it is given to know the mys- 
 tery of the kingdom of God : but 
 unto them that are without, < all 
 these things are done in parables : 
 
 12 That " seeing they may see, 
 and not perceive ; and hearing they 
 
 iGe.15.11. j Eze.11.19. 3G.26. At Ps.1.4. 
 Ja.l.ll. /Jer.4.3. m He.6.7,8. n Col.l.C. 
 Matt.l3.10,&c- JJ Ep.1.9. y Col.4.5. 1 
 Th.4.12. lTi.3.7. r ls.6.9,10. Jno 12.40 
 Ac.28.26.27. Rom. 11.8. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 1 — 9. See the parable of the sowei 
 explained, in the Notes on Matt. xiii. 1 
 —9. 
 
 10—13. See Malt. xiii. 10—17. Un 
 verse 12. See particularly Notes on 
 John xii. 39, 40. When he was alone. 
 That is, separate from the multitude
 
 A. D. 30.] CHAPTER IV. 
 
 may hear, and not understand ; lest 
 at any time they should be convert- 
 ed, and thdr sins should be forgiven 
 them. 
 
 13 And he said unto them. Know 
 ye not this parable ■? and how then 
 will ye know all parables ? 
 
 14 The sower " soweth the word. 
 
 15 And these are they by the way- 
 side, where the word is sown; but 
 when they have heard, Satan cometh 
 ' immediately, and taketh away ' 
 tlie word that was sown in their 
 hearts. 
 
 IG And these are they likewise 
 which are sown on stony ground ; 
 who, when they have heard the 
 word, immediately receive it with 
 gladness ; 
 
 17 And have no root * in them- 
 selves, and so endure but ' for a 
 time : afterward, when affliction or 
 persecution ariseth for the word's 
 sake, immediately •'" they are offend- 
 ed, 
 
 18 And these are they which are 
 n Is.32.20. 1 Pe. 1.2.5. 61Pe.5.8. Re.12.9. 
 He.2.1. d Job 19.28. e Job27.10. /2 
 
 ri.1.15. ^ Lu.14.18-20. 1 Ti.6.9,17. 2 Ti.4. 
 
 363 
 
 When he withdrevv from the multitude, 
 a few followed him for the purpose of 
 farther instruction. 
 
 13. Know ye not this parable? This 
 which is so plain and obvious. IT How 
 will ye k7iow all parables ? Those which 
 are more difficult and obscure. As they 
 were themselves to be teachers, it was 
 important that they should be acquainted 
 with the whole system of religion — of 
 much more importance for them at that 
 time, than for the mass of the people. 
 
 14—20. See Matt. xiii. 18—23. 
 
 21. Is a candle brought, &c. A can- 
 Jlc is not lit up to be put immediately 
 under a measure, or a bed, where it can 
 give no light. Its design is to give light. 
 So my preaching by parables is not de- 
 signed to obscure the truth, but to throw 
 light on it. You should understand 
 those parables, and understanding them, 
 should ih:part the truth to others also, 
 as a candle throws its beams upon a 
 dark world. IT Bushel. In the original 
 a raeaaure for grain, containina about 
 
 sown among thorns ; such as hear 
 the word, 
 
 19 And the * cares of this world 
 and the deceitful ness '' of riches, 
 and the ' lusts of other things en 
 tering in, choke the word, and i 
 becometh unfruitful.-' 
 
 20 And these are lliey which art 
 sown on good ground ; such as heai 
 the word, and receive it, and bring 
 forth fruit, * some thirty-fold, some 
 sixty, and some an hundred. 
 
 21 And he said unto them. Is a 
 candle brought to be put under a ' 
 bushel, or under a bed ! and not to 
 be set on a candlestick 1 
 
 22 For ' there is nothing hid, 
 which shall not be manifested ; nei- 
 ther was any thing kept secret, but 
 that it should come abroad. 
 
 23 If any man have ears to hear, 
 let him hear. 
 
 24 And he saith unto them, Take 
 heed what "* ye hear : with " what 
 measure ye mete, it shall be mea- 
 
 APr.23.5. » lJno.2. 10,17. j Is.5.2,4. 
 A: Ro.7.4. Col.1.10. 2Fe.].8. i See on Matt 
 5.15. ZEc.12.14. Matt. 10.26. Lu.12.2. 1 
 Cor.4.5. TO 1 Pe.2.2. n Malt.7.2. 
 
 twelve quarts. IT Bed. A couch, either 
 to sleep on at night, or to recline on at 
 their meals. Probably the latter is here 
 meant, and is equivalent to our saying, 
 a candle is not brought to be put under 
 the table, but o?i it. See Note, Matt. 
 xxiii. 6. 
 
 22. There is nothing hid, &c. See 
 Note, Matt. x. 26. 
 
 24. Take heed what ye hear. Or, con- 
 sider well what you hear. Make a good 
 improvement of it. IT With what mea- 
 sure ye mete, &.c. You shall be treated 
 according to the use you make of your 
 opportunities of learning. If you con- 
 sider it well, and make a good improve 
 mcnt of what you hear, you shall be 
 well rewarded. If not, your reward 
 shall be small. This is a proverbial ex 
 pression. See it explained on Matt, vii 
 1,2. ^ 3Iete. Measure. With what 
 measure ye measure. IT Unto you thai 
 hear. To you who arc attentive, and 
 who improve what you hear. 
 
 2.5. For he that hath. &.C. See Note
 
 364 
 
 Bured to you ; and unto you 
 hear shall more be given. 
 
 25 For he that hath, to him shall 
 06 given : and he that hath not, 
 from " him shall be taken even that 
 which he hath. 
 
 26 And he said; So* islhe king- 
 
 a Lu.8.18. 6 Matt.13.24. 
 
 Matt. xiii. 12. The meaning here seems 
 to be, he that diligently attends to my 
 words, shall increase more and more in 
 the knowledge of the truth. But he 
 that neglects them, and is inattentive, 
 shall become more ignorant ; the i'ew 
 things which he had learned he vpill for- 
 get, and his trifling knowledge will be 
 diminished. '^ Hath not. Does not im- 
 prove what he possessed ; or does not 
 make proper use of his means of learn- 
 ing. IT That which he hath. That which 
 he had already learned. By this we are 
 taught the indispensable necessity of 
 giving attention to the means of instruc- 
 tion. The attention must be continued. 
 It is not sufficient that we have learned 
 some things, or appear to have learned 
 much. All will be in vain, unless we 
 go forward, and improve every oppor- 
 tunity of learning the will of God, and 
 the way of salvation. So what children 
 sre taught will be of little use unless 
 they follow it up, and endeavor to im- 
 prove themselves. 
 
 26. So is the kingdom of God. The 
 gospel, or religion in the soul, may be 
 compared to this. See Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 27. A7id should sleep, and rise night 
 and day. Should sleep in the night, and 
 rise by day, for so the expression is to 
 be understood. That is, should live in 
 his usual way, without exerting any in- 
 Huence over the growing grain. By this 
 we are not to infer that men are to use 
 no diligence in the obtainment and 
 growth of piety, but the illustration 
 shows this, and this only, that as we 
 cannot tell how grain grows, so we can- 
 not tell the vwde in which piety increases 
 in the heart. ^ He k7ioiveth not how. 
 This is still true. After all the research- 
 es of philosophers, not one has been 
 able to tell the way in which grain 
 grows. They can observe one fact after 
 another ; they can see the changes ; 
 they can see the necessity of rains and 
 Buns, of care and shelter, but beyond 
 this they cannot go. So in religion. 
 ^e can mark the change ; we can see 
 
 MAKK. [A. D. 30. 
 
 that dom of God, as if a man should 
 cast seed into the ground ; 
 
 27 And should sleep, and ris«j 
 night and day, and the seed should 
 spring and grow up, he knoweth 
 not how. 
 
 28 For the earth bringeth forth 
 
 the need of prayer, and examination, 
 and searching the scriptures, and the 
 ordinances of rehgion, but we cannot 
 tell in what way the religious principle 
 is strengthened. As God unseen, yet 
 by the use of proper means, makes the 
 grass to flourish, so God unseen but 
 by proper means, nourishes the soul, 
 and the plants of piety spring up, and 
 bloom, and bear fruit. See John iii. 8. 
 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit 
 of herself. That is, it is done without 
 the power of man. It is done while 
 man is engaged in other things. The 
 scope of the place does not require us 
 to suppose that our Saviour meant to 
 say that the earth had any productive 
 power of itself, but only that it produced 
 its fruits not by the power of man. God 
 gives it its power. It has no power of 
 its own. So religion in the heart is noi 
 by the pmver of man. It grows he can 
 not tell how ; and of course he cannot 
 without divine aid, control it. It is b) 
 the power of God. At the same time, 
 as without industry man would have no 
 harvest, so w^ithout active efibrt he 
 would have no religion. Both are con- 
 nected with his effort ; both are to be 
 measured commonly by his effort (Phil, 
 ii. 12); both grow he cannot tell how; 
 both increase when the proper means 
 are used ; and both depend on God foi 
 increase. IT First the blade. The green, 
 tender shoot, that first starts out of the 
 earth, before the stalk is formed. If Then 
 the ear. The original means the stalk 
 or spire of wheat or barley, as well as 
 the ear. If The full corn. The ripe 
 wheat. The grain swollen to its proper 
 size. By this is denoted, undoubtedly, 
 that grace or religion in the heart is of 
 gradual growth. It is at first tender, 
 feeble, perhaps almost imperceptible, 
 like the first shootings of the grain in 
 the earth. Perhaps also, like grain, it 
 often lies long in the earth before there 
 are signs of life. Like the tender grain, 
 also, It needs care, kindness, and cul- 
 ture. A light frost, a cold storm, or a
 
 A.. D. 30.] 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 365 
 
 fruit of herself; " first * the blade, 
 then the ear ; after that, the full corn 
 n the ear. 
 
 29 But when the fruit is ^brought 
 forth, immediately he " putteth in 
 the sickle, because the harvest is 
 come. 
 
 30 And he said, Whereunto shall 
 we liken the kingdom of God ? or 
 with what comparison shall we com- 
 pare it? 
 
 31 /M is like a grain of mustard- 
 
 cGe.l.11,12. 6Ec.3.1,ll. i or, ripe. Job 
 5.2(i. c Ee. 14.15. d Matt. 13.31,32. Lu.l3. 
 18,19. 
 
 burning sun, aUke injure it. So tender 
 piety, in the heart of a child, needs care, 
 kindness, cuUure. It needs sheher from 
 the frosts and storms of a cold, unfeei- 
 mg world. It needs the genial dews 
 and mild suns of heaven; — in other 
 words, it needs instruction, prayer, and 
 friendly counsel from parents, teachers, 
 ministers, and experienced Christians, 
 that it may grow, and bring forth the 
 full fruits of holiness. Like the grain 
 also, in due time, it will grow strong ; 
 it will produce its appropriate fruit — a 
 full and rich harvest, to the praise of 
 God. 
 
 29. Immediately he putteth in the 
 tickle. This is the way with the hus- 
 oandman. As soon as the grain is ripe, 
 it is cut down. So it is often with the 
 Christian. As soon as he is prepared 
 '■jr heaven, he is taken there. But we 
 are not to press this part of the parable, 
 as if it meant that all are removed as 
 soon as they are fit for heaven. Every 
 parable contains circumstances thrown 
 in to fill up the story, which cannot be 
 h'erally interpreted. In this, the cir- 
 cumstance oi sleeping and rising cannot 
 be applied to Christ ; and in hke man- 
 ner, ihe harvest, I suppose, is not to be 
 literally interpreted. Perhaps the whole 
 parable may be differently interpreted. 
 The seed sown may mean the gospel 
 wliich he was preaching. In Juaea its 
 beginnings were small. Yet he would 
 leave it ; commit it to his disciples ; and 
 return to his Father. The gospel in the 
 meantime, left by him, would take root, 
 spring up, and produce an abundant 
 harvest. In due time he would return. 
 Bend forth the angels, and gather in the 
 harvest, and save his people for ever. 
 31* 
 
 seed, which, wlien it is sown in the 
 earth, is less than all the seeds that 
 be in the earth : 
 
 32 But when it is aown, it grow- 
 eth up, and becometh greater ' than 
 all herbs, and shooteth out great 
 branches ; so that the fowls of the 
 air may lodge under the shadow 
 of It. 
 
 33 And with many such para- 
 bles spake he the word unto them, 
 as ^ they were able to hear it. 
 
 ePr.4.ia Is.11.9. Da.2.44. Mal.1.11. /Jno. 
 16.12. 
 
 30. Whereunto shall we liken, &c. 
 This shows the great solicitude which 
 Jesus had to adapt his instructions to 
 the capacity of his disciples. He sought 
 out the most plain and striking illustra- 
 tions — an example which should be fol- 
 lowed by all the ministers of the gospel. 
 At the same time that the instructions 
 of the pulpit should be dignified — as our 
 Saviour's always were — they should be 
 plain, adapted to the capacity of the au- 
 dience, and easily understood. To do 
 this, the following things are necessary 
 in a minister : 1st. Humility. A free- 
 dom from a desire to shine, and astonish 
 the world by the splendor of his talents, 
 and by his learning and eloquence. 2d. 
 Good sense. A satisfaction in being un- 
 derstood. 3d. Acquaintance with the 
 habits of thought and manner of speak- 
 ing among the people. To do this, fre- 
 quent intercourse with them is neces- 
 sary. 4th. A good sound education. 
 It is the men of ignorance, with some 
 smattering of learning, and with a de 
 sire to confound and astonish men by 
 the use of unintelligible words, and bj 
 the introduction of matter that is wholly 
 unconnected with the subject, that most 
 often shoot over the heads of the people. 
 Preachers of humility, good sense, and 
 education, are content with being un- 
 derstood, and free from the affectatiori 
 of saying things to amaze and confound 
 their auditors. If The kingdom of God. 
 See Note, Matt. iii. 2. 
 
 31, 32. See Notes on Matt, xiii 31, 
 32. 
 
 33. Spoke the word. The woid of 
 God. The doctrines of his gospel. 
 If As they were able to hear it. As they 
 could comprehend it. They were hke
 
 !sm 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A.D 30. 
 
 34 Bat without a parable spake 
 he not unto them : and when they 
 were alone, lie expounded all things 
 to his disciples, 
 
 35 And the same day, when the 
 even was come, he saith unto them. 
 Let us pass over unto the other side. 
 
 36 And when they had sent away 
 the multitude, they took him even 
 as he was in the ship : and there 
 were also with him other little ships. 
 
 37 And ° there arose a great storm 
 of wind, and the waves beat into 
 the ship, so that it was now full. 
 
 38 And he was in the hinder part 
 of the ship, asleep on a pillow : and 
 they awake him, and say unto him. 
 Master, * carest thou not that we 
 perish 1 
 
 39 And he arose, and rebuked the 
 wind, and said unto the sea. Peace, 
 be still. And '^ the wind ceased, 
 and there was a great calm. 
 
 40 And he said unto them. Why 
 o Matt.8.23. Lu.8.2C!. b Ps.10.1. Is.40.27. 
 
 La.3.8. c Ps.89.9. La.3.31,32. 
 
 children; and he was obliged to lead 
 them along cautiously, and by degrees, 
 to a full understanding of the plan of 
 salvation. 
 
 34. Without a parable spaTie lie not 
 unto them. That is, the things pertain- 
 ing to his kingdom. On other subjects 
 he spake without parables. On these, 
 such was their prejudice, so many no- 
 tions had they contrary to the nature of 
 his kingdom, and so liable would plain 
 instructions have been to give offence, 
 that he employed this method to in- 
 sinuate truth gradually into their minds, 
 and to prepare them fully to understand 
 the nature of his kingdom. If They were 
 alone. His disciples. ^- He expounded. 
 Explained. Showed them more at 
 length the spiritual meaning of the pa- 
 rables. 
 
 35-41. See Matt. viii. 18—27. 
 
 3fi. Even as he vms in the ship. They 
 look him without making any prepara- 
 tion for the voyage ; without providing 
 any food or raiment. He was sitting in 
 a ship, or boat, instructing the people. 
 Ill the same boat, probably ill fitted to 
 encounter a storm on the lake, they 
 sailed. This would render their danger 
 
 are ye so fearful 1 "* how is it thai 
 ye have no faith 1 
 
 41 And they feared* exceedingly, 
 and said one to another. What man 
 ner of man is this, that even the 
 wind and the sea ^ obey him 1 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AND ^ they came over unto the 
 other side of the sea, into the 
 country of the Gadarenes. 
 
 2 And when he was come out 
 of the ship, immediately there ruet 
 him out of the tombs a man with 
 an unclean spirit, 
 
 3 Who had his dwelling '' among 
 the tombs ; and no man could bind 
 him, no, not with chains : 
 
 4 Because that he had been often 
 bound with fetters and chains, and 
 the chains had been plucked asun- 
 der by him, and the fetters broken 
 in pieces : neither could any man 
 tame him. 
 
 5 And always, night and day, he 
 <?Ps.46.1,2. Is.43.2. e Jon. 1.10,16. /Job 
 
 38.11. ^ Matt.8.28,&c. Lu.8.2t),&;c. A Is.C5.4 
 
 more imminent, and the miracle more 
 striking. IT There were with him other 
 little ships. Belonging probably to the 
 people, who, seeing him sail, resolved 
 to follow him. 
 
 39. Peace, be still. There is some- 
 thing exceedingly authoritative and ma- 
 jestic in this command of our Lord. 
 Standing amidst the howling tempest, 
 on the heaving sea, and in the darkness 
 of the night, by his own power he stills 
 the waves, and bids the storm subside. 
 None but the God of the storms and the 
 billows could awe, by a word, the trou- 
 bled elements, and send a imiversal 
 peace and stillness among the winds 
 and waves. He must, therefore, be 
 divine. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1 — 20. See this account of the demo 
 niacs fully explained on Matt. viii. 28 
 —34. 
 
 4. He had been often bound with fet' 
 ters a7id chains. Enbrts had been made 
 to confine him, but his great strength — 
 his strength increased by his malady, 
 had prevented it. 
 
 5. Cutting himself with sto?ies. Theee
 
 A.D.30.] 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 367 
 
 was in the mountains, and in the 
 tombs, crying, and cutting himself 
 with siones. 
 
 6 But when he saw Jesus afar 
 off, he ran and worshipped " him, 
 
 7 And cried with a loud voice, 
 and said, What have I to do with 
 thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most 
 high God ] I adjure thee by God, 
 that thou torment me not. 
 
 8 (For he said unto him, Come * 
 out of the man, /Ao!< unclean spirit.) 
 
 9 And he asked him. What fs thy 
 name ? And he answered, saying. 
 My name is Legion : ' for we are 
 many. 
 
 10 And he be&ought him much, 
 that he would not send them away 
 out of the country. 
 
 11 Now there was there, nigh 
 unto the mountains, a great herd of 
 swine "* feeding. 
 
 12 And all the devils besought ' 
 him, saying, Send us into the swine, 
 •hat we may enter into them. 
 
 13 And forthwith Jesus gave ^ 
 
 aPs.72.9. 6AC.16J8. He.2.14. lJno.3.8. 
 eMatt.12.45. d Le.11.7,8. Dl-.H.8. e Job 1. 
 10,12. 2.5,6. /Rc.i:!.7. 1 Pe.3.22. 
 
 are all marks of a madman : a man be- 
 reft of reason, wretched, an outcast, 
 strong and dangerous. The inspired 
 penman says that this madness was 
 caused by an unclean spirit, or by his 
 being under the influence of a devil. 
 That this account is not irrational, see 
 Note on Matt. iv. 24. 
 
 (). Worshipped him. Bowed down 
 before hiin ; rendered him homage. 
 This was an acknowledgment of Tiis 
 power, and of his control over fallen 
 spirits. 
 
 9. My name is Legion. See Notes 
 on Matt. viii. 29. 
 
 1.5. Sitting, and clothed, and in his 
 right mind. There could be no doubt 
 of the reality of this miracle. The man 
 had been well known. He had lon^ 
 welt among the tombs, an object of 
 error and alarm. To see him all at 
 cri'ie peaceful, and calm, and rational, 
 vsas proof that it was the power of God 
 only that had done it. IT They were 
 ifraid. Ihey were awed, as in the 
 
 them leave. And the unclean spirits 
 went out, and entered into the swine : 
 and the herd ran violently down a 
 steep place into the sea, (they were 
 about two thousand,) and were 
 choked in the sea. 
 
 14 And they that fed the swine 
 fled, and told il in the city, and in 
 the country. And they went out to 
 see what it was that was done. 
 
 15 And they came to Jesus, and 
 see him that was possessed with the 
 devil, and * had the legion, sitting, 
 and clothed, and in his right mind : 
 and they were afraid. * 
 
 16 And they that saw it, told 
 them how it befell to him that was 
 possessed with the devil, and alst 
 concerning the swine. 
 
 17 And they began to pray him 
 to depart ' out of their coasts. 
 
 18 And when he was come intc 
 the ship, he that had been possessed 
 with the devil prayed him that he 
 might be with him. 
 
 19 Howbeit, Jesus suffered him 
 
 ff rs.40.2o. Col.1.13. h Job 13.11. Ps.14.0 
 2 Ti.1.7. t Job 21.14. Lu.5.8. Ac.ie.39. 
 
 presence of God. The word does not 
 mean here that they feared that any evil 
 would happen to them, but that they 
 were affected withame; they felt that 
 God was there ; they were struck with 
 astonishment at what Jesus had done. 
 
 19. Jesus suffered him not. Various 
 reasons have been conjectured why 
 Jesus did not suffer this man to go with 
 him. It might be, that he wished to 
 leave him among the people, as a con- 
 clusive evidence of his power to work 
 miracles. It might be that the man 
 feared that if Jesus left him the devils 
 would return, and that Jesus told him 
 to remain to show to him that the cure 
 was complete, and that he had power 
 over the devils when absent, as well as 
 when present. But the probable rea- 
 son is, that he desired to restore him to 
 his family and friends. He was proba 
 bly a man of influence, and Jesus wa."! 
 unwilhng to delay the joy of his friends, 
 and prolong their anxiety, by suffering 
 him to remain away from them.
 
 368 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A.D ^ 
 
 not, but saith unto him, Go home to 
 thy friends, and • tell them how 
 great things the Lord hath done for 
 thee, and hath had compassion on 
 thee. 
 
 20 And ne departed, and began 
 to publish in Decapolis how great 
 things Jesus had done for him : and 
 all men did marvel. 
 
 21 And when Jesus was passed 
 over again by ship unto the other 
 side, much people gathered unto 
 him : and he was nigh unto the sea. 
 
 22 And, * behold, there cometh 
 ne of the rulers of the synagogue, 
 aims by name ; and when he saw 
 
 nim, he fell at his feet, 
 
 23 And besought him greatly, 
 saying. My little daughter lieth at 
 the point ' of death : / 'pray thee 
 come and lay thy hands on her, that 
 she may be healed ; and she shall 
 live. 
 
 24 And Jesus went with him ; 
 and much people followed him, and 
 thronged him. 
 
 25 And a certain woman, which 
 had an issue ^ of blood twelve years, 
 
 26 And had suffered many things 
 
 a Ps.66.16. Is.38.19. h 3Iatt.9.18,&c. Lu. 
 8.41,&.c. c Ps.107.18. <2Le.l5.19,&:c. 
 
 20. In Decapolis. See Note, Matt. 
 iv. 25. Hou) great things, &c. This 
 was the natural expression of right feel- 
 ing at being cured of such a calamity. 
 So the desire of sinners freed from sin 
 is to honor Jesus ; to ascribe all to his 
 power: and to invite the world to par- 
 ticipate in the same salvation, and to 
 join them in doing honor to the Son of 
 God. Compare Ps. Ixvi. 16. 
 
 22 — 43. See the account of the rais- 
 ing of Jairus' daughter, and the heahng 
 of the woman with ani^sue of blood, ful- 
 .y explained in Notes on Matt. Lx. 18 — 2G. 
 
 23. Lieth at the point of death. Is 
 d}Tng ; in the last agonies. 
 
 26. Had suffered many things. Had 
 resorted to many things painful, by the 
 direction of the physicians, in order to 
 be healed. 
 
 27. Came in the press behind. In the 
 crowd that pressed upon him. Tlais 
 
 of many physicians, and had ipen 
 all that she had, and was nothing 
 ' bettered, but rather grew worse. 
 
 27 When she had heard of Jesus, 
 came in the press behind, and touch- 
 ed f his garment : 
 
 28 For she said, If I may touch 
 but his clothes, I shall be whole. 
 
 29 And straightway the fountain 
 of her blood was dried up ; and she 
 felt in her body that she was healed 
 of that plague. 
 
 30 And Jesus, immediately know 
 ingin himself that virtue ^ had gone 
 out of him, turned him about in the 
 press, and said, Who touched my 
 clothes 1 
 
 31 And his disciples said unto -^ 
 him. Thou seest the multitude '' 
 thronging thee, and sayest thou, 
 Who touched me 1 
 
 32 And he looked round about 
 to see her that had done this thing. 
 
 33 But the woman, fearing and 
 trembling, knowing what was done 
 in her, came and fell down before 
 him, and told * him all the truth. 
 
 34 And he said unto her. Daugh- 
 ter, thy faith • hath made thee 
 
 e Job 13.4. Ps.108.12. Jer.30.12,13. /2 Ki 
 13.21. Matt.14.36. Ac.5.15. 19.12. ^ Lu.6. 
 19. k Ps.30.2. i c.10.52. Ac. 14.9. 
 
 was done to avoid being noticed. It 
 was an act of faith. She was full of con- 
 fidence that Jesus was able to ht^l : but 
 she trembled on account of her con- 
 scious unworthiness, thus illustrating 
 the humility and confidence of a sinner 
 coming to God for pardon and hfe. 
 
 30. Virtue had gone out of him. 
 Power to heal. The word in the origi- 
 nal means power. IT Who touched my 
 clothes T This he said, not to obtain in- 
 formation, for he had healed her, and 
 must have known on whom the bless- 
 ing was cosferred ; but he did it, that 
 the woman might herself make a con- 
 fession of the whole matter, by which 
 the power of her faith and the greatness 
 of the miracle might be maniiested, to 
 the praise of God. 
 
 34. Daughter. A word of kindness, 
 tending to inspire confidence, and to 
 dissipate her fears. IT Be whole. Thai
 
 4. D. 30.J 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 369 
 
 whole : go " in peace, and be whole 
 of thy plague. 
 
 35 While he yet spake, there 
 came from the ruler of the syna- 
 gogue's house, certain which said, 
 Thy daughter is dead : ^ why trou- 
 blest thou the Master any further 1 
 
 36 As soon as Jesus heard the 
 word that was spoken, he saith unto 
 the ruler of the synagogue. Be not 
 afraid, nv\y <: believe. 
 
 37 And he suffered no man to 
 follow him, save ''Peter, and James, 
 and John the brother of James. 
 
 38 And he cometh to the house 
 of the ruler of the synagogue, and 
 seeth the tumult, and them that 
 wept and wailed greatly. 
 
 39 And when he was come in, 
 he saith unto them, Why make ye 
 this ado, and weep? the damsel is 
 not dead, but sleepeth. ' 
 
 40 And they laughed him to 
 scorn. But when he had put them 
 all out, he taketh the father and the 
 mother of the damsel, and them that 
 were with him, and entereth in where 
 the damsel was lying. 
 
 o 1 Sa. 1.17. 20.4-2. i! Ki.5.19. 6 Jno.5.25. 
 11.25. c2Ch.20.20. Jno.11.40. d c.'J.2. U. 
 33. eJno.ll. 11-13. 
 
 is, continue to be whole ; for she was 
 already cured. Of thy plague. Thy 
 disease; literally, thy scourge. So a 
 word from Jesus heals the moral mala- 
 dy of the sinner. 
 
 35, 36. Why troublest thou, &c. It 
 seems that the people had not yet con- 
 fidence that Je-'sus could raise the dead. 
 He had not yet done it ; and as the child 
 was now dead, and as they supposed 
 that his power over her was at an end, 
 they wished no farther to trouble him. 
 Jesus kindly set the fears of the ruler 
 at rest, and assured him that he had 
 equal power over the dead as the living, 
 nnd could as easily raise those who had | 
 e.xpired as those who were expiring. 
 
 38. The tumuli. The ronfu.sion and | 
 weeping of the assembled people, j 
 ^ IVailed. Making inarticulate, niourn- 
 Il'I sounds, howling for the dead. 
 
 39. This ado. This tumult, this bus- 
 is. or confusion. ^ And Weep. Weep 
 
 41 And he toolc the damsel by the 
 hand, and said unto her, Talitha 
 cumi; which is, being interpreted, 
 Damsel, (I say unto thee,) arise. ^ 
 
 42 And straightway the damsel 
 arose, and walked ; for she was of 
 the age of twelve years. And they 
 were astonished with a great aston- 
 ishment. 
 
 43 'And he charged * them strait- 
 ly that no man should know it; and 
 commanded that something should 
 be given her to eat. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 AND he went out from thence, 
 and came into his own country . 
 and his disciples follow him. 
 
 2 And '' when the sabbath-day 
 was come, he began to teach in the 
 synagogue: and, many, hearing/t/w, 
 were astonished, saying. From * 
 whence hath this inan these things 1 
 and what wisdom is this which is 
 given unto him, that even such 
 mighty works are wrought by his 
 hands ? 
 
 3 Is not this the carpenter, the 
 son of Mary, the brother of James, J 
 
 /Ac.9.40. ^Matt.8.4. 12.1G-18. c.3.12. 
 Lii.5.14. A Matt.l3.54,&c. Lu.4.16,&c. t Jno. 
 C.42. j Gal. 1.19. 
 
 in this inordinate and improper manner 
 IT But sleepeth. See Matt. Lx. 24. 
 
 41. Talitha cumi. This is the lan- 
 guage which our Saviour commonly 
 spoke. It is a mixture of Syriac and 
 Chaldee, called Syro-Chaldaic. The 
 proper translation is given by the evan- 
 gelist — •" Damsel, arise." 
 
 43. Something should he given her 
 to eat. " He had raised her by extra- 
 ordinary power, but he willed that 
 she should be sustained by ordinary 
 means." He also in this gave full evi- 
 dence that she was really restored to 
 life and healtli. The changes were 
 great, sudden, and certedn. Tiiere 
 could be no illusion. So when the Sa- 
 viour had risen, he gave evidence of his 
 own resurrection, by eating vith his 
 disciples. John x\i. 1 — 13. 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1 — 6. See this passage explained in 
 the Notes on Matt. xiii. 54 — 58
 
 370 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 31 
 
 and loses, and of Juda, and Simon 1 
 and are not his sisters here with us 1 
 And they were offended " at him. 
 
 4 But Jesus said unto them, * A 
 prophet is not without honour, but 
 in his own country, and among his 
 own kin, and in his ownhouse. 
 
 5 And ' he could there do no 
 •nighty work, save that he laid his 
 nand upon a few sick folk, and 
 nealed them. 
 
 6 And he marvelled <* because 
 of their unbelief. And ' he went 
 round about the villages, teach- 
 ing. 
 
 7 And / he called unto him the 
 twelve, and began to send them 
 forth by two and two, and gave 
 them power over unclean spirits ; 
 
 8 And commanded them that 
 they should take nothing for their 
 
 a Matt. 11.6. b Matt.13.57. Jno.4.44. c Ge. 
 19.22. c.9.23. (i Is. 59.16. Jer.2.11. c Matt.9. 
 35. Lu.I3.22. Ac:i0.38. /Matt.]O.I,&c. c.3. 
 13,&c. Lu.9.1,&c. 10.3,&;c. 'The word 
 Bi^nifies a piece of brass money, in value 
 
 7. By two and two. In order that 
 they might support and encourage each 
 other in their work. Amidst the trials 
 and opposition which they would meet 
 with, mutual counsel and aid would 
 greatly lighten their burdens, and alle- 
 viate their calamities. Mutual counsel 
 might also contribute to their success, 
 and lead to united plans to advance the 
 kingdom of the Redeemer. Jesus here, 
 as in all the work of religion, consulted 
 at the same time the happiness and use- 
 fulness of his disciples ; nor are they 
 ever separated. Whatever contributes 
 to the usefulness of the people, pro- 
 duces also their happiness ; or in other 
 words, the secret of being happy, is to 
 DC useful. 
 
 8 — 11. See these verses fully explain- 
 d in Matt. x. 9—15. In Matt. x. 5, 
 •ley were commanded not to go among 
 •he Gentiles or Samaritans. Mark 
 omits that direction, perhaps, because 
 .Ke was writing for the Gentiles, and 
 the direction might create unnecessary 
 difficulty or offence. Perhaps he omits 
 it also because the command was given 
 lor a temporary purpose, and was not 
 in force at the time of his writing. 
 
 12. PreacJied that men should repent. 
 
 journey, save a staff only ; no scrip, 
 no bread, no ^ money in their purse . 
 
 9 But be shod * with sandals ; * J 
 and not put on two coats. ^ 
 
 10 And he said unto them. In 
 what place soever ye enter into an 
 house, there abide till ye depart 
 from that place. 
 
 11 And whosoever shall not re 
 ceive you, nor hear you, when ye 
 depart thence, shake • off the dust 
 under your feet for a testimony 
 against them. Verily I say unto 
 you. It shall be more tolerable for 
 Sodom and ^ Gomorrah in the day 
 of judgment, than for that city. 
 
 12 And they went out, and 
 preached that men should repent. J 
 
 13 And tlfey cast out many * 
 devils, and anointed with oil' many a 
 that were sick, and healed them. I 
 somewhat less than a farthing, Matt. 10.9, 
 
 but here it is taken in general for money : 
 Lu.9.3. ff Ep.C.15. h Ac.12.8. i Ne.5.13. 
 Ac.13.51. 2 or. jLu.24.47. Ao.2.38. 3.19. 
 Ic Lu.10.17. / Ja.5.I4. 
 
 See the nature of repentance explained 
 in Matt. iii. 2. They were now called 
 upon to repent, and reform their lives, 
 because sin was evil ; because the 
 Messiah had come to prejich forgive- 
 ness to the penitent ; and because at 
 his presence it was fit that the nation 
 should turn from its sins, and prepare 
 to receive him. 
 
 13. Cast out many devils. See Note 
 on Matt. iv. 24. IT And anointed with 
 oil, &c. Anointing with oil was in 
 common use among the Jews in cases 
 of sickness. It was supposed to have a 
 mild, soothing, and alleviating effect on 
 the body. In James v. 14, the elders 
 of the church, in connexion with pray- 
 ers, were directed also to anoint the 
 sick with oil. It was also used in 
 wounds. The good Samaritan poured 
 in oil and wine mto the wounds of the 
 waylaid Jew. Luke x. 34. Josephue 
 says, that in the last sickness of Herod, 
 his physicians commanded him to be 
 anointed with oil. It need not be sup 
 posed, however, that the apostles used 
 oil for m-ere medical purposes. It was 
 used, probably, like the imposition of 
 hands, or like our Saviour's anointing 
 the eyes of the blind with clay, merely
 
 A. D.31.J 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 371 
 
 14 And ° king Herod heard of 
 him ,- (for his name was spread 
 abroad ;) and he said, That John 
 the Baptist was risen from the dead, 
 and therefore mighty worlis do shew 
 forth themseives in him. 
 
 1.5 Others * said, That it is Elias. 
 And others said. That it is a pro- 
 phet, or as one of the prophets. 
 
 16 But when Herod heard /Aere'i/', 
 he said, It is John, whom I behead- 
 ed : he is risen from the dead. 
 
 17 For Herod himself had sent 
 forth, and laid hold upon John, and 
 bound him in prison, for Herodias' 
 sake, his brother Philip's wife: for 
 he had married her. 
 
 18 For John had said unto Herod, 
 It is not lawful ' for thee to have 
 thy brother's wife. 
 
 19 Therefore Herodias had ' a 
 quarrel against him, and would have 
 killed him ; but she could not. 
 
 20 For Herod feared "^ John, 
 knowing that he was a just man and 
 an holy, and observed '' him; and 
 when he heard him, he did many 
 things, and heard him gladly. 
 
 21 And when a convenient day 
 was come, that Herod on his 'birth- 
 day made a supper to his lords, 
 high captains, and chief estates of 
 Galilee ; 
 
 2^ And when the daughter of the 
 
 a Matt.l4.1,&c. Lu.9.7,&c. b Matt.](j.l4. 
 ^.8.23. c Le. 18.16. ^ or, an inward grudge. 
 d Ex.n.3. Eze.2.5-7. 
 
 as a si^n, in expectation of imparting 
 that aid and comfort from God which 
 was sought, and which was represeiited 
 by the natural soothing anct b-"^t'e ef- 
 fect of oil. 
 
 14 — 20. See this account of tlie death 
 of John the Baptist fully explained in 
 Matt. xiv. 1 — 12. 
 
 20. He did many tilings. But he did 
 not do the tiling which was demanded 
 of him — to breali off from his sins. He 
 attempted to make a compromise with 
 his conscience. He still loved his sins, 
 and di<l otlier things which ho suppo.sed 
 raighl be accepted, in the place of put- 
 
 said Herodias came in, and danced, 
 / and pleased Herod and them that 
 sat with biin, the king said unto the 
 damsel. Ask of me whatsoever thou 
 wilt, and I will give it thee. 
 
 23 And he sware unto her. What- 
 soever s thou shdlt ask of me, I will 
 give it thee, unto the half of my 
 kingdom. 
 
 24 And she went forth, and said 
 unto her mother. What shall I ask? 
 And she said, The head of John the 
 Baptist. 
 
 25 And she came in straightway 
 with haste unto the king, and asked, 
 saying, I will that thou give me by 
 and by, in a charger, the head * of 
 John the Baptist. 
 
 26 And the king was exceeding 
 sorry ; yei for his oath's sake, and 
 for their sakes which sat with him, 
 he would not reject her. 
 
 27 And immediately the king 
 sent 'an executioner, and command- 
 ed his head to be brought; and he 
 went, and beheaded him in the pri- 
 son, 
 
 28 And brought his head in a 
 charger, and gave it to the damsel: 
 and the damsel gave it to her mo- 
 ther. 
 
 29 And when his disciples heard 
 of it, they • came and took up his 
 corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 
 
 'or, kept him, or saved kirn. eGe. 40.20. 
 /IS.3.1G. g- Est.5.3,6. 7.2. A Ps.37.12,14 
 3 or, one of his guard. i Ac.8.2. 
 
 ting away, as he ought, the wife of his 
 brother — the polluted, and adulterous 
 woman, with whom he lived. Perhaps 
 he treated John kindly, or spoke well 
 of him, or aided him in his wants, and 
 attempted in this way to silence his 
 rebukes and destroy his faithfulness. 
 This was probably before John wag 
 imprisoned. So sinners often treat 
 ministers kindly, and do much to make 
 tliem comfortable, and hear them glad- 
 ly, while they are still unwilling to do 
 the thing which is demanded of them, 
 to repent and beheve the gospel 
 They expect that their kind attention.^
 
 872 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [\. D.31 
 
 30 And " the apostles gathered 
 themselves tojrether unto Jesus, and 
 told liim all things, both what they 
 had done, and what they had taught. 
 
 31 And he said unto them, Come 
 ye yourselves apart into a desert 
 place, and rest awhile: for there 
 wero many coming and going, and 
 they had no leisure so much as to 
 eat. 
 
 33 And they departed into a de- 
 sert place by ship privately. 
 
 33 And the people saw them de- 
 parting, and many knew him, and 
 ran afoot thither out of all cities, 
 and outwent them, and came toge- 
 ther unto him. 
 
 34 And Jesus, when he came out, 
 saw much people, and was moved 
 with compassion toward them, he- 
 cause * they were as sheep not hav- 
 ing a shepherd : and he began to 
 teach them many things. 
 
 a Lu.9.10. b 1 Ki.22.17. c Matt.l4.15,&c. 
 Lu.9.l2,*c<-.. Jno.6.5,&c. 
 
 vnll be accepted in the place of what 
 God demands — repentance and iho for- 
 saking of their sins. 
 
 30. A7id the apostles gathered them- 
 selves together. That is, those whom 
 he had sent out two and two. Ver. 7. 
 Having travelled around the country, 
 ihey returned and met the Saviour at 
 Capernaum. 
 
 31. A desert place. A retired place, 
 across the sea from Capernaum, where 
 they would be free from interruption. 
 ^ Coming and going. Coming to be 
 healed and retiring, or coming to hear 
 him preach. It means that they were 
 thronged, that there was a vast multi- 
 tude attending his preaching. 
 
 32 — 44. See this miracle explained in 
 Matt. xiv. 13—21. 
 
 32. By ship. By a boat, a small ves- 
 sel. ^ Privately. Without making 
 their plan known. They intended to 
 fo privately. It appears, however, that 
 
 heir intention became known, and mul- 
 jtude? followed them. 
 
 33. Afoot thither. On foot to the 
 ^lace where they saw them going. 
 ■ Out of all cities. All cities or large 
 lOwns in the neighborhood. 
 
 34 Much people — as sheep, &c. 
 
 35 And ' when the day was now 
 far spent, his disciples came unto 
 him, and said. This is a desert place, 
 and now the time is far passed : 
 
 36 Send them away, that they 
 may go into the country round about, 
 and into the villages, and buy them- 
 selves bread : for they have nothing 
 to eat. 
 
 37 He answered and said unto 
 them, Give ye them to eat. And 
 they say unto him. Shall "* we go 
 and buy two hundred ' pennyworth 
 of bread, and give them to eat? 
 
 38 He saith unto them, How 
 many loaves have ye] go and see. 
 And when they knew, they say, 
 Five, and two fishes. 
 
 39 And ' he commanded them 
 to make ail sit down by companies 
 upon the green grass. 
 
 40 And they sat down in ranks, 
 
 by hundreds, and by fifties. 
 
 d Nu. 11.13,22. 2 Ki.4.43. i See on Matt.18 
 28. e Malt.15.35. c.8.5. 
 
 They had no one to teach them, ani 
 guide them. The priests and scribes 
 wovp. proud, corrupt, and despised the 
 common people and neglected them. 
 
 35. The time is far passed. The day 
 is almost gone. It is drawing near 
 night. 
 
 37. Two hundred penny worth of 
 bread. About $27 00. As the disciples 
 had a common purse in which they 
 carried their httle property, consisting 
 of the donations of their friends, and 
 money to be given to the poor, (cone • 
 pare John xii. 6., Matt. xxvi. 8 — 9., 
 Luke viii. 3.), it is not improbable that 
 they had, at this time, about this sum 
 in their possession. Philip, for it was 
 he who asked the question (John vi. 7.), 
 asked, with a mixture of wonder and 
 agitation, whether they should take all 
 their httle property and spend it on a 
 single meal ? And even if we shoutd, 
 said he, it would not be sufficient to 
 satisfy such a multitude. It was im- 
 plied in this, that in his view they could 
 not provide for them if they wished to, 
 and that it would be better to send then? 
 awoy than to attempt it. 
 
 40. In ranks. Literally, in *Ji« form 
 of square beds in a garden By SQnare
 
 A. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 373 
 
 41 And when ne fi.«a raken the 
 five loaves and the two fishes, he 
 
 ooked up to heaven, and blessed, " 
 and brake the loaves, and gave l/iem 
 to his disciples to set before them; 
 and the two fishes divided he among 
 them all. 
 
 42 And ^ they d'd all eat, and 
 Were filled. 
 
 43 And they took up twelve bas- 
 sets full oi' the fragments, and of 
 the fishes. 
 
 44 And they that did eat of the 
 'oaves were about five thousand 
 men. 
 
 45 And ' straightway he con- 
 strained his disciples to get into the 
 ship, and to go to the other side be- 
 'bre unto ' Bethsaida, while he sent 
 away the people. 
 
 46 And when he had sent them 
 away, he '' departed into a mountain 
 to pray. 
 
 47 And when even was come, the 
 ship was in the midst of the sea, 
 and he alone on the land. 
 
 48 And he saw them toiling ' in 
 rowing ; for the wind was contrary 
 unto them : and about the fourth 
 watch of the night he cometh unto 
 
 a 1 Sa.9.13. Matt.26.2C. Lu.','4.30. 6De. 
 G.3. c Malt.l4.'2-:j,&;c. Jno.().17,&c. i or, 
 over against Bethsaida. d Matt.6.6. c.1.35. 
 Lu.6.12. e Jon. 1.13. 
 
 regularly formed, companies. IT By 
 hundreds a?id by fifties. Some compa- 
 nies had a hundred in, and some fifty. 
 We need not suppose that these were 
 exactly formed, or arranged ; but that 
 this was about the number. The ex- 
 pression indicates a multitude. There 
 were so many, that they sat down, by 
 hundreds and by fifties, in separate 
 companies, on the gr?en grass. 
 
 43. Twelve baskets. Baskets belong- 
 mg to the disciples, in which they car- 
 ried their provisions, or, perhaps, be- 
 longing to some of the multitude. IT 
 Fragments. Broken pieces of the bread 
 that remained. 
 
 45 — 56. See this passage explained 
 in Matt. xiv. 22—36. 
 
 52. They considered not the miracle 
 p/ the loaves. Thev did not remember 
 32 
 
 them, walking upi.ri the vea, and 
 would have passed ■'' by them. 
 
 49 But when they saw him 
 walking upon the sea, they " sup- 
 posed it had been a spirit, and cried 
 out : 
 
 50 (For tley all saw him, and 
 were troubled.^ And immediatelj 
 he talked with them, and saith unto 
 them. Be of good cheer : • it is I; 
 be not afraid. 
 
 51 And he went up unto them 
 into the ship ; and-' the wind ceased; 
 and they were sore amazed in them- 
 selves beyond measure, and won- 
 dered. 
 
 52 For they considered not the 
 miracle of the loaves : for their heart 
 * was hardened. 
 
 53 And ' when they had pass- 
 ed over, they came into the land 
 of Gennesaret, and drew to the 
 shore. 
 
 54 And when they were come 
 out of the ship, straightway they 
 knew him, 
 
 55 And " ran through that whole 
 region round about, and began to 
 carry about in beds those that were 
 sick, where they heard he was. 
 
 /Lu.24.33. ^Job.9.8. A Lu.24.37. tig. 
 43.2. j Ps.93.3,4. k Is.G3.17. I Matt.14.34. 
 7nMaU.4.24. c.2.1-3. 
 
 or call to mind the power which Jesus 
 had shown in feeding the five thousand 
 by a miracle, and, that having done 
 that, he had power also to save them 
 from the storm. IT Their heart was 
 hardened. Thoir mi7id was dull to per- 
 ceive it. This does not mean that they 
 were opposed to Jesus, or that they had 
 what we denominate hardiiess of Icart, 
 but simply, that they were slow to per 
 ceive his power, they did not quickly 
 learn, as they ought to have done, that 
 he had all power, and could therefore 
 allay the storm. The word heart ia 
 frequently used in this sense. Sec Eph. 
 i. 18, in Greek; Rom. i. 21.; ii. 15; 2 
 Cor. iv. 6. 
 
 54. They knew him. They recollectei 
 him, for he had been there before, and 
 worked miracles.
 
 374 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 56 And whithersoever he entered, 
 into villages, or cities, or country, 
 they laid the sick in the streets, and 
 besought him that they might touch, 
 * if it were but the border * of his 
 garment : and as many as touched 
 ' him were made whole. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THEN ' came together unto him 
 the Pharisees, and certain of 
 '-he scribes, which came from Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 a Matt.9.20. c.5.27,28. Ac.19.12. & Nu.l5. 
 J8,39. lor, it. c Matt.l5.1,&c. 
 
 56. T ke harder of his gannent. Com- 
 oarc Note, Matt. Lx. 20. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1 — 23. See this passage explained in 
 .he Notes on Matt. xv. 1 — 20. 
 
 1. Came from Jerusalem. Probably 
 lO observe his conduct, and to find mat- 
 ter of accusation against him. 
 
 2. Defiled hands. The hands were 
 considered defiled, or polluted, unless 
 they were washed previous to every 
 meal. 
 
 3. Except they wash their hands oft. 
 The word oft means frequently, often. 
 The word translated oft has been ren- 
 dered various ways. Some have said 
 that it means ''up to the wrist;" un- 
 less they wash their hands up to the 
 wrist. Others have said "up to the 
 elbow." There is evidence that the 
 Pharisees had some such foolish rule 
 as this about washing, and it is likely 
 that they practised it faithfully. But 
 the word, probably, means diligently, 
 accurately, carefully. Unless they wash 
 their hands carefully, or according to 
 rule, &c. IT The tradition. What 
 had been handed down, not what was 
 delivered hy writing in the law of Mo- 
 ses, but what had been communicated 
 from father to son, as being proper and 
 binding. IT The elders. The ancients, 
 not the old men then livi?ig, but those 
 who had lived formerly. 
 
 ■1. DIarkct. This word means cither 
 'he place where provisions were sold, or 
 the place where men were convened 
 for any parpose. In this place it pro- 
 bably means the former. IT Except 
 thr.y wash. In the original, " Except 
 .icy hapt ge." In tliis place it does 
 
 2 And when they saw some of 
 his disciples eat bread with'' defiled 
 (that is to say, with unwashen) 
 hands, they found fault. 
 
 3 For the Pharisees, and all the 
 Jews, except they wash ihei)- hands 
 ^ oft, eat not, holdii/g the tradition " 
 of the elders. 
 
 ■1 And when they come from the 
 market, except they wash, ' they eat 
 not. And many other things there 
 be, which they have received to 
 
 2 or, common. ^ or, diligently : Gr. with tin 
 fist— up to the elbow : Tlieophylact. d Gal.l. 
 14. Col.2.8,22,23. e Job 9.30,31. 
 
 not mean to immerse the whole body, 
 but the hands only. There is no evi- 
 dence that the Jews washed their whole 
 lodies every time they came from mar- 
 ket. It is probable they washed as a 
 mere ceremony ; and often, doubtless, 
 with the use of a very small quantity 
 of water. ^ Tlie washing of cups. In 
 the Greek, the baptism of cups. IT Cups. 
 Drinking vessels. Those used at their 
 meals. IT Pots. Measures of liquids. 
 Vessels made of wood, used to hold 
 wine, vinegar, &c. 1i Brazen vessels. 
 Vessels made of brass, used in cooking 
 or otherwise. These, if much polluted, 
 were commonly passed through the 
 fire; if slightly polluted, they were 
 washed. Earthen vessels, if defiled, 
 were usually broken. ^ Tables. This 
 word means, in the original, beds or 
 couches. It refers not to the tables on 
 which they ate, but to the couches on 
 which they reclined at their meals. 
 See Notes on Matt, xxiii. 6. These 
 were supposed to be defiled when any 
 unclean or polluted person had reclined 
 on them ; and they deemed it necessary 
 to purify them with water. The word 
 baptism is here used — in the original, 
 the baptism of tables ; but as it cannot 
 be supposed that couches were entirely 
 immersed in water, the word baptism, 
 here, must denote some other applica- 
 tion of water, by sprinkfing or other- 
 wise, and shows that the term is used 
 in the sense of washing in any way. 
 If the word, here, is used, as is clear, 
 to denote any thing except entire 
 immersion, it maj' be elsewhere ; 
 and baptism is lawfully performed 
 without immersing the whole bodv in 
 water.
 
 \. D. 32.J 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 375 
 
 hold, as the washing of cups, and ' 
 pots, brazen vessels, and of ^ tables. 
 
 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes 
 asked him. Why walk not thy dis- 
 ciples according to the tradition of 
 the elders, but eat bread with un- 
 washen hands ] 
 
 6 He answered and said unto 
 them, Well hath Esaias " prophesi- 
 ed of you hypocrites, as it is writ- 
 ten, I'his people honoreth me with 
 their lips, but their heart is far from 
 me. 
 
 7 Howbeit, in vain do they wor- 
 ship me, teachinor for doctrines the 
 commandments of men. 
 
 8 For * laying aside the com- 
 mandment of G^d, ye hold the tra- 
 dition of men, as the washing of 
 pots and cups: and many other 
 such like things ye do. 
 
 9 And he said unto them. Full 
 well ' ye reject the commandment 
 3f God, that ye may keep your own 
 tradition. 
 
 10 For Moses said. Honour ' thy 
 father and thy mother; and. Whoso 
 * curseth father or mother, let him 
 die the death. 
 
 1 Sextarius is about a pint and a half. 
 or, beds, a Is.2!>.13. * Is.1.12. ^ or, frus- 
 trate: ver.l3. c Ex 20.12. De.5.lG. 
 
 7. For doctrines. For commands of 
 God binding on the conscience. Im- 
 posing your traditions as equal in au- 
 thority to the commands of God. 
 
 8. Laying aside. Rejecting, or mak- 
 ing it give place to traditions ; con- 
 sidering the traditions as superior in 
 authority to the divine law. This was 
 the uniform doctrine of the Pharisees. 
 See Matt. xv. 1 — 9. IT The tradition 
 of men. What has been handed down 
 by men, or what rests solely on their 
 authority. 
 
 9. Full w 'II. These words are capa- 
 ble of different interpretations. Some 
 •ead them as a questioji : ' Do ye do 
 «eZ? in rejecting?' &,c. Others suppose 
 (hey mean skilfulli/, cunninsihi. ' You 
 show great cunning, or art, in laying 
 aside God's commands, and substitut- 
 ng in their place those of men.' Others 
 
 11 But ye say, If a man shall say 
 to his father or mother. It is Cor- 
 ban, • that is to say, a gift, by what- 
 soever thou mightest be profited by 
 me ; he shall be free. 
 
 12 And ye suffer him no more to 
 do aught for his father or his mo- 
 ther ; 
 
 13 Making the word of God of 
 none effect through your tradition, 
 which ye have delivered : and many 
 such like things do ye. 
 
 1-4 And when he had called all 
 the people unlo him, he said unto 
 them. Hearken unto me every one 
 of you, and understand : f 
 
 15 There is nothing from with- 
 out a man that, entering into him, 
 can defile him : but the things which 
 come out of him, those are they that 
 defile the man. 
 
 16 If « any man have ears tc 
 hear, let him hear. 
 
 17 And '■ when he was entered 
 into the house from the people, his 
 disciples asked him concerning the 
 parable. 
 
 18 And he saith unto them, Are 
 ye so without understanding also ? 
 
 d E'x.21.17. I.e.20.9. Pr.20.20. e IMatt.tS 
 9. 23.18. /Pr.R.5. Is.6.9. Ao.8.30. ^ Matt 
 11.15. AMatt.l5.15,&c. 
 
 suppose them to be ironical. ' How 
 nobly you act ! From conscientious 
 attachment to your traditions, you have 
 made void the law of God ;' meaning 
 to intimate by it that they had acted 
 wickedly and basely. 
 
 17. The parable. The obscure and 
 difficult remarks which he had made in 
 ver. 15. The word parable, here, 
 means obscure and difficult sai/ing 
 They could not understand it. They 
 had probably imbibed many of the 
 popular notions of the Pharisees, ana 
 they could not understand why a man 
 was not defiled by external thingb. It 
 was, moreover, a doctrine of the lav/, 
 that men were ceremonially polluted 
 by contact with dead bodies, &.C., and 
 they could not understand how it could 
 be otherwise. 
 
 IS. Cannot defile him. Cannot ren
 
 376 
 
 Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever 
 thing from without entereth into the 
 man, it cannot defile him ; 
 
 19 Because it entereth not into 
 his heart, but * into the belly, and 
 goeth out into the draught, purging 
 all meats'? 
 
 20 And he said, That which Com- 
 eth out of the man, that defileth the 
 man. 
 
 21 For * from within, out of the 
 heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, 
 adulteries, fornications, murders, 
 
 22 Thefts, covetousness, ^ wick- 
 edness, deceit, lasciviousness, an 
 evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolish- 
 ness : 
 
 23 All these evil things come 
 from within, and defile the man. 
 
 24 And '^ from thence he arose, 
 and went into the borders of Tyre 
 and Sidon, and entered into an 
 
 a 1 Cor.6.13. b Ge.C.5. Ps.14.1,3.53. 1,3. Je. 
 17.9. 1 covetousnesses, jcickcdnesscs. c Malt. 
 15.21, &c. 
 
 der his sojil polluted ; cannot make him 
 a sinner, so as to need this purifying as 
 a religious observance. 
 
 19. Entereth not into his Jteart. Does 
 not reach or aflect the mind, the soul, 
 and consequently cannot pollute it. 
 Even if it should affect the body, yet it 
 cannot the soul, and consequently can- 
 not need to be cleansed by a religious 
 ordinance. The notions of the Phari- 
 sees, therefore, are not founded in rea- 
 son, but are mere superstition. IT The 
 iraught. The sink, the vault. ^Purg- 
 ing all meals. The word purging, 
 here, means to purify, to cleanse. 
 What is thrown out of the body is the 
 innutritious part of the food taken into 
 the stomach, and leaving only that 
 which is proper for the support of life ; 
 and it cannot, therefore, defile the soul. 
 ^ All meats. All food ; all that is 
 taken into the body to support life. 
 Thf? meaning is, that the economy or 
 pro.rsss by which life is supported, pyri- 
 fies or renders nutritious all kinds of 
 food. The unwholesome parts arc 
 separated, and the wholesome only are 
 taken into the system. This agrees 
 with all that has since been discovered of 
 the process of digestion, and of the sup- 
 
 MARK. [A. D. 3J 
 
 house, and would have no man 
 know it.- but '^ he could not be hid. 
 
 25 For a certain woman, whos-e 
 young daughter had an unclean 
 spirit, heard of him, and came and 
 fell at his feet : 
 
 26 The woman was a ^ Greek, a 
 Syrophenician by nation : and she 
 besought him that he would cast 
 forth the devil out of her daughter. 
 
 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let 
 the children first be filled : for • it 
 is not meet to take the children's 
 bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 
 
 28 And she answered and said 
 unto him. Yes, Lord : yet-^the dogs 
 under the table eat of the children's 
 crumbs. 
 
 29 And he said unto her. For * 
 this saying go thy way ; the devil 
 is gone out of thy daughter. 
 
 30 And when she was come to 
 
 dc2.1. ^or, Oentile : la.49.l2. e Matt 
 7.C. 10.5,6. /Ro.15.8,9. Ep.2.12-14. 
 66.2. 
 
 g Is 
 
 port of life. The food taken into the 
 stomach is, by the gastric juice, con- 
 verted into a thick pulp, called chyme. 
 The nutritious part of this is conveyed 
 into small vessels, and changed into a 
 milky substance called chyle. This is 
 changed into blood, and the blood con- 
 veys nutriment and support to all parts 
 of the system. The useless parts of 
 the food are thrown ofl". 
 
 20. That which Cometh out of the man. 
 His words ; the expression of his 
 thoughts and feelings ; his conduct, as 
 the expression of inward malice, anger, 
 covetousness, lust, &c. If Defileth the 
 man. Is really polluted, or ofiensive in 
 the sight of God. They render the soul 
 corrupt and abominable in the sight of 
 God. See Matt. xv. 18—20. 
 
 24 — 30. See this miracle explained in 
 Matt. XV. 21—28. 
 
 24. Would have no man hnoio it. To 
 avoid the designs of the Pharisees, he 
 wished to be retired. 
 
 26. .4 Greek.. The Jews called all 
 persons Greeks who were not of their 
 nation. Compare Rom. i. 14. The 
 whole world was considered as divided 
 into Jews and Greeks. Though she 
 might not have been strictly a Greek,
 
 4.. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 3TJ 
 
 iier house, she found the devil gone 
 ' out, and her daughter laid upon 
 the bed. 
 
 31 And * again, departing from 
 '.he coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he 
 caiTie unto the sea of Galilee, through 
 the nnidst of the coasts of Deca- 
 polis. 
 
 3'2 And they bring unto him one 
 ;hat was deaf, and had an impedi- 
 ment in his speech ; and they be- 
 seech him to put his hand upon 
 him. 
 
 33 And he took him aside from 
 the multitude, and put his fingers 
 into his ears, and ' he spit, and 
 touched his tongue; 
 
 a 1 Jno.3.8. b Matt 15.29.&C. c c.8.23. 
 Jno.'J.C. (ic.G.41. Jiio.l 1.41. 17.1. e Jno.ll. 
 33.38. 
 
 vet she came under this general appel- 
 lation. 
 
 31. Departing from the coasts. The 
 country, or regions of Tyre. If Catne 
 unto the sea of Galilee. The sea of 
 Tiberias. ^ Decapolis. See Matt. iv. 
 25. He did not go immediately into 
 Capernaum, or any city where he was 
 known, but into the retired regions 
 around the sea of Gahlee. This was 
 done to avoid the designs of the Phari- 
 sees who sought his lite. 
 
 32. They bring. That is, his friends 
 brought, or the people brought. ^ One 
 that was deaf, and had an impediment in 
 his speech. Not entirely dumb, but 
 who spoke indistinctly or with difficulty. 
 His deafness might not have been of 
 long standing ; and liis speech, there- 
 fore, not entirely ruined. ^ To put his 
 hand upon him. That is, to cure him. 
 Blessings were commonly imparted by 
 laying on the hands. 
 
 33. Aiid he look him aside from the 
 multitude. Why this was done we 
 have no means of information. It 
 might have been to conceal from the 
 multitude every thing respecting the 
 Konner of cure, in order that none 
 might attempt to cure in a similar way. 
 ^ And he put his fuigers into his ears, 
 &c. Why this was done it has been 
 found exceedingly difficult to explain. 
 Our Lord had power at once to open 
 ais ears and loose his tongue, but for 
 
 32* 
 
 35 And '' looking u-p to heaven, 
 he sighed, and saith unto him, Eph- 
 phatha, that is, Be opened. 
 
 35 And ^ straightway his ears 
 were opened, and the string of his 
 tongue was loosed, and he spake 
 plain. 
 
 36 And he charged them that 
 they should tell no man : but the 
 more he charged them, so mich the 
 more a great deal they published 
 
 37 And were beyond measure 
 astonished, » saying. He hath done 
 all things well : he maketh * both 
 the deaf to hear, and the dumb to 
 speak. 
 
 /Is.35.5,6. Matt.11.5. ^^ Ps.l39.14.Ac.l4 
 11. h E.t.4.10,11. 
 
 some cause he chose to accompany it 
 with a sign. It was intended, proba 
 bly, simply as a sign that the power of 
 healing came from Jesus ; to satisfy the 
 man by the touch that he had this 
 power, and that it could come from no 
 other quarter. Our Saviour often used 
 signs in this way to denote lais power 
 to heal. See Mark viii. 23 ; John ix. 
 G. 
 
 34. Looked up to heaven. To lift up 
 the eyes to heaven is an act imploring 
 aid from God, and denotes an attitude 
 of prayer. Ps. cxxi. 1, 2. Mark vi. 
 41. John xi. 41. ^ He sighed. Pity- 
 ing the sufferings of the man who stood 
 before him. IT Ephphalha. This word 
 is Suriac, the language which our Lord 
 used in addressing the man, and means, 
 " be opened." 
 
 33. The string of his tongue was 
 loosed. The difficulty in his speaking 
 was removed. 
 
 3G. Tell no man. Do not noise it 
 abroad. He was not ambitious of being 
 known ; and he knew that if much was 
 said of liis cures, it would excite the 
 jealousy of the Pharisees, and endan- 
 ger his life. 
 
 37. Beyond measure. Exceedingly ; 
 very much. In the Greek, " Very 
 abundantly." T He hath doie all things- 
 well. All things in a rema- kable man- 
 ner ; or he has perfectly effected the 
 cure of the deaf and the dumi).
 
 398 
 
 CHAP IE R VIII. 
 
 IN* those days, the multitude be- 
 in.iT very, great, and having no- 
 thing to eat, Jesus called his disci- 
 ples unto him, and saith unto them, 
 
 2 I have compassion * on the 
 it.ultitude, because they have now 
 been with me three days, and have 
 nothing to eat : 
 
 3 And if 1 send them away fast- 
 ing to their own houses, they will 
 faint by the way : for divers of them 
 came from afar. 
 
 4 And his disciples answered 
 him. From ' whence can a man sa- 
 tisfy these men with bread here in 
 ihe wilderness ? 
 
 5 And he asked them, How many 
 loaves have ye 1 And they said. 
 Seven. 
 
 6 And he commanded the people 
 io sit down on the ground : and he 
 took the seven loaves, and gave 
 thanks, and brake, and gave to his 
 disciples to set before them; and 
 they did set them before the peo- 
 ple. 
 
 7 And they had a few small 
 fishes: and he "^ blessed, and com- 
 
 a MaU.15.32,&:c. J Ps.]45. 8.15. He.5.2. 
 c c.6.3G,37,&c. d Matt.14.19. 
 
 MAKK. [A. D. 32 
 
 set them also before 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 1 — 9. See this passage explained in 
 Matt. XV. 32—39. 
 
 1. hi those days. While in the wil- 
 derness, where ne had cured the deaf 
 and dumb man. II Havins: notliing to 
 eat. Having come unprovided, or hav- 
 ing consumed what they had brought. 
 
 2. / have compassion. I pity their 
 condition. I am disposed to relieve 
 them. 
 
 9, Four thousand. Four thousand 
 me?i, besides women and children. See 
 Matt. XV. 38. 
 
 10. Datmanutha. In Matt. xv. 39, it 
 is said that he came into the coasts of 
 Magdala. See Note on the place. 
 
 11 — 2] . See this passage explained in 
 •iMatt. xvi. 1—12. 
 
 12. Sighed deeply in his spirit. His 
 soul, his heart was deeply affected at 
 tijijir wickedness and hypocrisy. The 
 
 marded to 
 them. 
 
 8 So they did eat, and • were fill 
 ed : and / they took up of tho 
 broken meat that was left, seven 
 baskets. 
 
 9 And they that had eaten wera 
 about four thousand ; and he sent 
 them away. 
 
 10 And * straightway he entered 
 into a ship with his disciples, and 
 came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 
 
 11 And '' the Pharisees came 
 forth, and began to question with 
 him, seeking of him a sign from 
 heaven, tempting him. 
 
 12 And he sighed deeply in his 
 spirit, and saith, Why doth this 
 generation seek after a sign ? Veri- 
 ly I say unto you, There shall no 
 sign be given unto this generation. 
 
 13 And he left them, and, enter- 
 ing into the ship again, departed to 
 the other side. 
 
 14 Now the disciples had forgot- 
 ten to take bread, neither had they 
 in the ship with them more than 
 one loaf. 
 
 15 And he charged them, saying. 
 
 ePs.107.5,6. 145.16. /l Ki. 17.14-16. 2 Ki. 
 4.2-7.42-44. 5- Matt. 15.30. A Matt.12.38. 
 16.1,&c. Jiio.6.30. 
 
 word spirit, here, means human soul. 
 He drew groans deeply from his breast. 
 If No sign be given. That is, no such 
 sign as they asked, to wit, a sign from 
 lieaven. He said a sign should be given, 
 the same as was furnished by Jonas. 
 Matt. xvi. 4. But this was not what 
 they asked, nor would it be given, he' 
 cause they asked it. 
 
 15. Beivare of tlie leaven of the Pha- 
 risees. See Matt. xvi. 6. li^ Of Herod. 
 Of the Herodians — of Hcrocf and his 
 followers. Matthew, instead of " He- 
 rod," has " the Sadducees." It is not 
 improbable that he cautioned them 
 against them all. The Pharisees sought 
 his life, and were exceedingly corrupt 
 in their doctrine and practice ; tne Sad- 
 ducees 'denied some of the essential 
 doctrines of religion ; and the Herodi- 
 ans, it is supposed, naaintaincd the opin 
 ion that it was lawful for the Jews to 

 
 4. D. 32.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 379 
 
 Take heed, beware " of the leaven * 
 of the Pharisees, and of the leaven 
 Df Herod. 
 
 16 And they reasoned among 
 themselves, saying, It is because 
 we have no bread. 
 
 17 And when Jesus knew if, he 
 eaith unto them. Why reason yc, 
 because ye have no bread 1 perceive 
 
 ye not yet, neither understand ] 
 have ye your '' heart yet hardened 1 
 
 IS Having ' eyes, see ye not] 
 and having ears, hear ye noti and 
 do ye not/ remember ] 
 
 19 When I brake the five ^ loaves 
 among five thousand, how many 
 baskets full of fragments took ye 
 apl They say unto him, Twelve. 
 
 a Pr.19.27. Lu.li!.l. 6 Ex.12.20. Le.a.lJ. 
 I Co.5.6-8. c C.G.5-Z d c.3.5. IG.14. e Is. 
 44.13. /2Pe.I.12. 5- c.6.38,44. Matt. 14.17- 
 21. Lu.<J.12-17. Jno.t5.5-13. 
 
 acknowledge a foreign prince, and join 
 Equally with the Pharisees and Saddu- 
 cees in opposing the claims of Jesus. 
 Matthew has recorded his caution to 
 tvoid the Pharisees and Sadducees, and 
 Mark has added, what Matthew had 
 omitted, the caution likewise to beware 
 of the Herodians. Thus the evange- 
 lists speak the same thinar. 
 
 22. ToBethsaida. See Note on Matt, 
 xi. 21. I1 Besoutrht him to touch him. 
 That is, to heal him ; for they believed 
 that his touch vvould restore his sight. 
 
 ■23. Led him out of the town. Why 
 "his was done the sacred writers have 
 not told us. It might have been to 
 ivoid the collecting of a multitude, and 
 thus to have escaped the designs of the 
 Pharisees, who were attempting to 
 take his life, and chiefly on a charge of 
 sedition, and of exciting the people. 
 On this account Jesus chose to perform 
 the miracle alone ; thus shou-ing, that 
 while he did good he desired to do it in 
 Juch a way as to avoid the appearance 
 of evil, and to prevent, at the same 
 .ime, ostentation, and the malice of his 
 enemies. IT Spit on his eyes. Why 
 .his was done is not known. It was 
 evidently not intended to perform the 
 lure by any natural effect of the spittle. 
 t was to the man a sign, an evidence, 
 hat It was the power of Jesus. The 
 vee were probably closed. They were 
 
 20 And when the seven * among 
 four thousand, how many baskets 
 full of fragments took ye up ? And 
 they said. Seven. 
 
 21 And he said unto them. How 
 is it that ye do not understand ? 
 
 22 And he cometh to Bethsaida 
 and they bring a blind man unto 
 him, and besought him to touch 
 him. 
 
 23 And he took the blind man 
 by the hand, and led him out of the 
 town : and when he had spit ■' on 
 his eyes, and put his hands upon 
 him, he asked him if he saw aught. 
 
 24 And he looked up, and said, 
 I see men, as trees, walking. 
 
 25 After that, he put his hand? 
 
 A ver.1-9. Matt.15.34-33. t Matt.S.S.la. 
 jc.7.33. AJU.9.3G. Is.29.18. 1 Cor.lS.ll, 
 12. 
 
 perhaps " gummed," orunited together 
 by a secretion that had become hard. 
 To apply spittle to them — to wet them 
 — 'Would be a sign, a natural expression 
 of removing the obstruction and open 
 ing them. The power was not in the 
 spittle, but it attended the application 
 of it. 'USawaughl. Saw any thing. 
 
 24. I see men, as trees, waUdng. I 
 see men walking, but see them so in- 
 distinctly, that but for their motion I 
 could not distinguish them from trees. 
 
 1 cannot distinctly see their shapes and 
 features. Probably our Lord did not at 
 once restore him fully to sight, that he 
 might strengthen his faith. Seeing that 
 Jesus had partialUj restored hmi, it 
 was evidence that he could wholly, and 
 it led him to exercise faith anew in him, 
 and to feel more strikingly his depend- 
 ence on him. 
 
 25. Every man clearly. Could see 
 their form and features. His sight was 
 completely restored. Though our Lord 
 did net, by this, probably, intend to 
 teach any lesson in regard to the way 
 in which the mind of a sinner is enlight- 
 ened, yet it affords a striking illustra 
 tion of it. Sinners are by nature bhnd 
 
 2 Cor. iv. 4. 1 John ii. 11. John ix 
 39. The effect of religion, or of the in 
 fluence of the Holy Spirit, is to open 
 the eyes, to show the smner his condi- 
 tion and his danger, and to lead him fo
 
 880 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D 3% 
 
 again upon his eyes, and made him 
 look up : and he was restored, and 
 S1W " every man clearly. 
 
 26 And he sent him away to his 
 house, saying, Neither go into the 
 town, nor tell it to any in the town. 
 
 27 And * Jesus went out, and his 
 disciples, into the towns of Cesarea 
 Philippi : and by the way he asked 
 
 is disciples, saying unto them, 
 Whom do men say that I am "? 
 
 28 And they answered, John ' 
 he Baptist: but some say Elias; 
 
 and others. One of the prophets. 
 
 29 And he saith unto them. But 
 whom say ye that I am 1 And Peter 
 answereth and saith unto him. Thou 
 ^ art the Christ. 
 
 30 And he charged them that 
 they should tell no man. 
 
 31 And he began to teach them, 
 that the Son of man must suffer 
 many things; and be rejected of the 
 elders, and of the chief priests and 
 scribes, and be killed ; and after 
 three days rise again. 
 
 a Pr.4.18. Is.32.3. 1 Pe.2.9. b Matt. 16.13, 
 &c. Lu.9.]8,&c. cMatt.14.2. d Jna.lAl- 
 49. 6.69. 11.27. Ac.8.37. lJno.5.1. eRe.3.19. 
 ' 1 Co.5.5. 
 
 leoli on him whom he has pierced. Yet 
 at first he sees mdistinctly. He does 
 not soon learn to distinguish objects. 
 When converted he is in a new world. 
 Light is shed on every object, and he 
 fsees the scriptures, the Saviour, and 
 the works of creation, the sun, and 
 stars, and hills, and vales, in a new 
 light. He sees the beauty of the plan 
 of salvation, and wonders that he has 
 not seen it before. Yet he sees at first 
 mdistinctly. It is only by repeated ap- 
 plications to the Source of light that he 
 sees all things clearly. At first reli- 
 gion may appear full of mysteries. 
 Doctrines and facts appear on every 
 hand that he cannot fully comprehend. 
 His mind is still perplexed, and he may 
 doubt whether he has ever seen au^ht, 
 or has been ever renewed. Yet let him 
 not despair. Light, in due time, will 
 be shed on these obscure and mysteri- 
 ous truths. Faithful and repeated ap- 
 Dlication to the Father of lights in 
 Waycr, and in searching the scriptures, 
 
 32 And he spake that saying- 
 openly. And Peter took him, and 
 began to rebuke him. 
 
 33 But when he had turned about, 
 and looked on his disciples, he re- 
 buked * Peter, saying, Get thee be- 
 hind me, ^ Satan ; for thou savour- 
 est not the things that be of God, 
 but the things that be of men. 
 
 34 And when he had called the 
 people unto him, with hiS disciples 
 also, he said unto them, Whosoevei 
 * will come after me, let him deny 
 himself, and take up his cross, and 
 follow me. 
 
 35 For * whosoever will save his 
 life, shall lose it; but whosoever 
 shall lose his life for my sake and 
 the gospel's, the same shall save it. 
 
 36 For what shall it profit a man, 
 if he shall gain the whole world 
 and lose his own soul 1 
 
 37 Or what shall a man give in 
 exchange for his soul 1 
 
 38 Whosoever * therefore shall 
 be ashamed of me, and of my 
 
 g Matt. 10.38. 16.24. Lu.9.23. 14.27. Tit.2. 
 12. h Est.4.14. Matt. 10.39. 16.25. Lu.9.24 
 17.33. Jno.12.25. 2 Ti.2.11. 4.6,8. Re.2.10. 7 
 14-18. i Lu.12.9. 2Ti.l.8. 
 
 and in the ordinances of religion, will 
 dissipate all these doubts, and he will 
 see all things clearly, and the universe 
 will appear to be filled with one broad 
 flood of light. 
 
 26. The town. The town of Beth- 
 saida. ^ Nor tell it, &c. Lest it ex- 
 cite the jealousy of the Pharisees, and 
 produce commotion and danger. 
 
 27 — 38. See this passage illustrated in 
 Matt. xvi. 13—28. 
 
 32. He spake that saying openly. 
 With boldness or confidence, or with- 
 out parables or figures ; so that there 
 could be no possibility of misunder 
 standing him. 
 
 38. Ashamed of me. Ashamed tc 
 own attachment to me on account of 
 my lowly appearance, and my poverty, 
 contempt and sufTerings. ^ And of m^ 
 words. My doctrines, my instructions 
 ^ This adulterous and si'tjul genera 
 tio7i. This age given to wickedness, 
 particularly to adultery. If In theglor^ 
 of his Father. In the day of jud!;ment
 
 A. D. 32.^ 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 98 
 
 words, in tliis adulterous and sinful 
 generation, ot" him also shall the 
 Son of man be ashamed, when he 
 Cometh in the glory of his Father, 
 with the holy angels. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AND he said unto .them, Verily " 
 I say unto you, that there be 
 some of them that stand here, which 
 shall not ' taste of death, till they 
 have seen the liingdom of God come 
 with power. 
 
 2 And *= after six days Jesus tak- 
 eth with him Peter, and James, and 
 John, and leadeth them up into an 
 high mountain apart by themselves: 
 and he was transfigured before them. 
 
 3 And his raiment became shin- 
 ing, exceeding white "^ as snow ; so 
 as no fuller on earth can white 
 them. 
 
 4 And there appeared unto them 
 Elias, with Moses; and they were 
 talking with Jesus. 
 
 5 And Peter answered and said 
 to Jesus, Master, it is good for us 
 vo be here : ' and let us make three 
 tabernacles; one for thee, and one 
 for Moses, and one for Elias. 
 
 6 For he wist not-^ what to say; 
 for they were sore afraid. 
 
 a Matt.lG.28. Lii.9.27. b Jno.S.Sa. He.2.9. 
 c Matt.n.lAc. Lu.9.26,&c. d Da.7.9. Matt. 
 28.3. ePs.63.2. 84.10. /Ua. 10.15. Re.l. 
 17. 
 
 See Notes on Matt. xxvi. 64. The 
 meaning of this verse i.s, whosoever 
 shall refuse, through pride or wicked- 
 ness, to acknowledge and serve Christ 
 here, shall be excluded from his king- 
 dom hereafter. He was lowly, meek, 
 and despised. Yet there was an inim- 
 itable beauty in his character even then. 
 But ho will come again in awful gran- 
 deur ; — not as the babe of Bethlehem ; 
 not as the man of Nazareth ; but as the 
 Son of God, in majesty and glory. They 
 that would not acknowledge him here 
 must be rejected by him there; they that 
 would not serve him always, will never 
 enjoy him ; they that would cast him 
 out and despise him, must be cast out 
 hy him, and consigned to eternal, hope- 
 .ess sorrows. 
 
 7 And there was a cloud tha 
 overshadowed them : and a voict 
 came out of the cloud, saying, This 
 ^ is my beloved Son ; hear * him. 
 
 8 And suddenly, when they had 
 looked round about, they saw no 
 man any more, save Jesus only with 
 themselves. 
 
 9 And as they came down from 
 the mountain, he charged them tliat 
 they should tell no man what things 
 they had seen, till the Son of man 
 were risen from the dead. 
 
 10 And they kept that saying with 
 themselves, questioning one with 
 another what the rising from the 
 dead should mean. ' 
 
 11 And they asked him, saying, 
 Why say the scribes that Elias ' 
 must first come "? 
 
 12 And he answered and told 
 them, Elias verily cometh first, and 
 restoreth all things ; and how it is 
 written * of the Son of man, that 
 he must suffer many things, and 
 be ' set at nought. 
 
 13 But I say unto you, That "■• 
 Elias is indeed come, and they have 
 done unto him whatsoever they list- 
 ed, as it is written of him. 
 
 g Ps.9.7. Matt.3.17. 2 Pe.1.17. h De.18.li. 
 t Ac.17.18. j Mal.4.5. k Ps.22. Is.53. Da. 
 9.26. Zec.13.7. / Ps.74.22. Lu.23.11. Ph.2.7 
 mMatt.lI.14. Lu.1.17. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 1. Verily I say, &c. See Notes on 
 Matt. xvi. 28. This verse properly be- 
 longs to the preceding chapter, and the 
 preceding discourse. 
 
 2 — 10. And after six days, &c. See 
 this passage explained on Matt, xvii 
 1—9. 
 
 3. ITo fuller. Rather, no scourer 
 The oflice of the person here mentioned 
 was to scour or whiten cloth ; not to 
 full it. or to render it thicker. 
 
 6. Ht wist not. He knew not. He 
 was dr'sL'-ous of saying something, and 
 te knew not what would be proper. 
 
 11 — 13. Why say tne scribes, &c 
 See Notes on Matt. xvii. 10 — 13. 
 
 14 — 29. See this passage explained 
 m the Notes on Matt. xvii. 14—21.
 
 382 
 
 14 And when he came to his dis- 
 ciples, he saw a great multitude 
 about then., and the scribes ques- 
 tioning with them. 
 
 15 And straightway all the peo- 
 ple, when they beheld him, were 
 greatly amazed ; and running to 
 kim, saluted him. 
 
 16 And he asked the scribes, 
 What question ye ' with them 1 
 
 17 And one of the multitude 
 answered and said, Master, I have 
 brought unto thee my son, which 
 hath a dumb ° spirit : 
 
 18 And wheresoever he taketh 
 him, he teareth ^ him ; and he foam- 
 eth, * and gnasheth with his teeth, 
 and pineth away : and I spake to 
 thy disciples, that they should cast 
 him out; and they could not. 
 
 19 He answereth him, and saith, 
 
 1 or, among yourselves, a Matt. 12.22. Lu. 
 Jl.ll. s or, dasketh him. b Jude 13. 
 
 14. Questioning with them. Debat- 
 ing with the disciples, and attempting to 
 confound them. This he saw as he 
 came down from the mount. In his 
 absence they had taken occasion to at- 
 tempt to perplex and confound his fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 15. Were greatly amazed. Were 
 astonished, and surprised, at his sudden 
 appearance among them. IT Saluted 
 him. Received him with the custom- 
 ary marks of affection and respect. It 
 is probable that this was not by m\y for- 
 mal manner of salutation, but by the 
 riish of the multitude, and by hailing 
 him as the Messiah. 
 
 16. What question ye 1 What is the 
 subject of your inquiry or debate with 
 the disciples ? 
 
 17. A dumb spirit. A spirit which 
 deprived his so7i of the power of speak- 
 ing. 
 
 18. And wheresoever. In whatever 
 nlace, at home or abroad, alone or in 
 public. IT He teareth him. He rends, 
 distracts, or throws him into convul- 
 sions. IT He foamcth. At the mouth, 
 like a mad animal. Among us, these 
 would all be considered as marks of 
 violent derangement or madness. ^And 
 pinHh away. Becomes thin, haggard, 
 and emaciated. This was the effect of 
 
 MARK. [A. D. 33 
 
 O faithless ' generation ! how long 
 shall I be with you 1 how long 
 shall I suffer you] Bring him unto 
 me. 
 
 20 And they brought him untc 
 him : and when he saw him, straight- 
 way the spirit, tare him ; ar.d he fell 
 on the ground, and wallowed foam 
 ing. 
 
 21 And he asked his father. How 
 long is it ago since this came unto 
 him ] And he said. Of a child : ' 
 
 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him 
 into the fire, and into the waters, te 
 destroy him : but if thou canst de 
 any thing, have compassion on us 
 and help us. 
 
 23 Jesus said unto him. If" thou 
 canst believe, all things are possible 
 to him that believeth. 
 
 24 And straightway the father of 
 <;De.:S.20. Ps.78.8. He.3.10. <iJob.5.7. Ps. 
 
 51.5. e 2 Ch.20.20. Matt.17.20. c.11.23. Lu 
 
 17.6. Jno.l].40. He.n.6. 
 
 the violence of his struggles, and per 
 haps of the want of food. 
 
 22. If thou canst do a7ii/ thing. I have 
 brought him to the disciples, and they 
 could not help him. If thou canst do 
 any thing, have compassion, &c. 
 
 23. If thou canst believe. This was 
 an answer to the request ; and there 
 was a reference in the answer to the 
 doubt in the man's mind about the 
 power of Jesus, /can help him. If 
 THOU ca?ist believe, it shall be done. 
 Jesus here demanded faith or confi- 
 dence in his power of heahng. So he 
 demands faith of every sinner that 
 comes to him ; and none that come 
 without confidence in him can obtain 
 the blessing. "(^ All things are possible 
 to him that believeth. All things can 
 be effected or accompUshed — to wit, by 
 God — in favour of him that believes : 
 and if thou canst believe, this will be 
 done. God will do nothing in our fa- 
 vour without faith. It is right that we 
 should have confidence in him ; and if 
 we have confidence, it is easy for him 
 to help us, and he willingly does it. In 
 our weakness, then, we should go to 
 God our Saviour ; and though we have 
 no strength, yet he can aid us, and he 
 will make all things easy for us. 
 
 24. Said with tears. The man felt the
 
 A.D.3a.] CHAPTER IX 
 
 the child cried out, and said with 
 tears, " Lord, I believe; help * thou 
 mine unbelief. 
 
 25 When Jesus saw that the peo- 
 ple came running together, he re- 
 buked the foul spirit, saying unto 
 him. Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I 
 charge thee. Come out of him, and 
 enter no more into him. 
 
 26 And the spirit cried, and rent' 
 him sore, and came out of him : 
 and he was as one dead ; insomuch 
 that many said. He is dead. 
 
 27 But Jesus took him by the "^ 
 hand, and lifted him up, and he 
 arose. 
 
 28 And when he was come into 
 the house, his disciples asked him 
 privately. Why could not we cast 
 him out? , 
 
 29 And he said unto them. This 
 kind can come forth by nothing but 
 by * prayer and fasting./ 
 
 30 And they departed thence, 
 and passed through Galilee; and 
 he would not that any man should 
 know it. 
 
 31 For he taught his disciples, 
 and said unto them. The Son of 
 man is delivered into the hands of 
 
 a PS.12G.5. b II-;.12.2. c Re.12.12. d Is. 
 41.13. eEp.6.18. /lCor.9.27. 
 
 38i) 
 
 implied rebuke in the Saviour's lan- 
 guage. And feeling grieved that he 
 should be thought to be destitute of 
 faith ; and feehng deeply for the wel- 
 fare of his afllicted son ; he wept. No- 
 thing can be more touching or natural 
 than this. An anxious father distressed 
 at the condition of his son ; having ap- 
 plied to the disciples in vain, now com- 
 ing to the Saviour, and not having full 
 confidence that he had the proper quali- 
 fication to be aided, he wept. Any 
 man would have wept in his condition, 
 nor would the Saviour turn the weep- 
 ing suppliant away. ^ / believe. I 
 have faith. I do put confidence in thee ; 
 though I know that my faith is not as 
 Btrong as it should be. If Lord. This 
 woid, here, signifies merely master, or 
 «ir, ao it docs often in the New Testa- 
 •nent. We have no evidence that he 
 
 men, and they shall kill him; and 
 after that he is killed, he shall rise 
 the third day. 
 
 32 But they understood not that 
 saying, and were afraid to ask * 
 him. 
 
 33 And * he came to Capernaum : 
 and being in the house, he asked 
 them. What was it that ye disputed 
 among yourselves by the way"? 
 
 34 But they held their peace 
 for by the way they had disputed 
 among themselves who should be 
 the greatest. 
 
 35 And he sat down, and called 
 the twelve, and saith unto then), 
 If ' any man desire to be first, the 
 same shall be last of all, and servant 
 of all. 
 
 36 And he took a child, and se' 
 him in the midst of them : and when 
 he had taken him in his arms, he 
 said unto theixi, 
 
 37 Whosoever-' shall receive one 
 of such children in my name, re- 
 ceiveth me : and whosoever shall 
 receive me, receiveth not me, but 
 him that sent me. 
 
 38 And John answered him, say 
 ing, Master, we saw * one casting 
 
 g Jno.16.19. k Matt.l8.1,&c. Lu.9.46,&c. 
 22.34,&c. i Matt.20.26,27. C.10.43. j L,u.9 
 43. k Nu. 11.20-28. 
 
 had any knowledge of the divine nature 
 of our Saviour ; and he applied the 
 word, probably, as he would have done 
 to any other teacher or worker of nura 
 cles. 11 Help tfum my unbelief. Sup 
 ply thou the defects of my faith. Give 
 mc strength and grace to put entire 
 confidence in thee. Every one whci 
 comes to the Saviour for help has need 
 of oflTering this prayer. In our unbelief 
 and our doubts we need his aid ; nc>i 
 can we ever put sufficient reliance on 
 him without his gracious help. 
 
 30—33. See Matt. xvii. 22, 23. 
 
 31. /s delivered. Is given to men to 
 make an atonement bv his sufferings 
 and death, and will in due time be 
 taken and killed. 
 
 33 — 37. See Notes on Matt, xviii. 1 
 —5. 
 
 38 We saw one, &c. There is n«
 
 ,64 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 32. 
 
 Jilt devils in thy name, and he fol- 
 loweth not us : and we forbad him, 
 aecause he fblloweth not us. 
 
 39 But Jesus said. Forbid him 
 not : for there " is no rnan which 
 shall do a miracle in my name, that 
 can lightly speak evil of me. 
 
 40 For * he that is not against 
 as, is on our part. 
 
 41 For ' whosoever shall give 
 jou a cup of water to drink in my 
 name, because ye belong to Christ, 
 verily I say unto you, he shall not 
 .ose his reward. 
 
 42 And whosoever shall offend ■* 
 3ne of these little ones that believe 
 
 a 1 Cor.12.3. i Mdtt.12.30. c Matt. 10.42. 
 J5.40. dMaU.18.6. L,u.l7.1,2. 
 
 .mprobability in supposing that this 
 might have been one of the disciples of 
 John, or one of the seventy whom Je- 
 sus had sent out, and who, though he 
 did not personally attend on Jesus, yet 
 nad the power of working miracles. 
 There is no evidence that he was 
 merely an exoicist, or that he used tlie 
 name of Jesus merely as a pretence. 
 
 39. Forbid him not. Do not prevent 
 his doing good. If he can work a mira- 
 cle in my name, it is sufficient proof of 
 attachment to me, and he should not be 
 prevented. IT Can lightly speak evil of 
 me. The word here rendered lighfhj, 
 means quickly, or immediately. Tlie 
 meaning of the passage is, that he to 
 whom God gave the power of working 
 a miracle, hy that gave evidence that he 
 could not soon be found among tlie ene- 
 niiss of Jesus. He ought not, there- 
 fore, to be prevented from doing it. 
 'flicre is no reason to think, here, that 
 John had any improper designs in op- 
 Dosing the man. He thought that it 
 was evidence that ho could not be 
 right, because he did not join them 
 and follow the Saviour. Our Lord 
 I bought differently. He opposed no 
 me who gave evidence thnt he loved 
 lull. Wherever he might be, or what- 
 ivcr his worK, yet, if he did it in the 
 lame of Jesus, and with the niipiob.i 
 ii)n of God, it was evidence sufiicienf 
 hat he was right. — Christians shonlil 
 ejoice in good done by their brethren 
 •lany denomination. There are men 
 calling ihemselves Christians who seem 
 
 in me, it is better for him that & 
 millstone were hanged about his 
 neck, and he were cast into the sea 
 
 43 And ' if thy hand offend ' 
 thee, cut it off: it is better for thee 
 to enter into life maimed, than, hav- 
 ing two hands, to go into hell, into 
 the fire that never shall be quench- 
 ed ; 
 
 44 ¥/here f their worm dieth not, 
 and the fire is not quenched. 
 
 45 And if thy foot offend ° thee, 
 cut it off: it is better for thee to en- 
 ter halt into life, than, having two 
 feet, to be cast into hell, into the 
 fire that never shall be quenched ; 
 
 e De.lS.G. Matt.5.29. i or, cause thee to 
 offend; and so vs. 45 and 47. /Is.66.24. Re. 
 14.11. 2Seever.43. 
 
 to look with doubt and suspicion on all 
 that is done by those who do not walk 
 with them. They undervalue their 
 labours, attempt to lessen the evidences 
 of their success, and to diminish their 
 influence. True likeness to the Sa- 
 viour would lead us to rejoice in all the 
 good accomplished, by whomsoever it 
 may be done ; and to rejoice that tjie 
 kingdom of Christ is advanced, whe- 
 ther by a Presbyterian, an Episcopa- 
 lian, a Baptist, or a Methodist. Com 
 pare Phil. i. 18. 
 
 41. Whosoever .ihall give you a cup, 
 &(:■. How easy it is to be a Christian ! 
 What is easier than to give a cup of cold 
 water to a thirsty disciple of Jesus! 
 But it must be in his name — that is, be 
 cause he is a Christian, and therefore 
 from love to the Saviour. This is very 
 different from giving it from a mere 
 motive of common kindness. If done 
 from love to Christ, it tuill be reward 
 ed ; and hence we learn that the hum- 
 blest acts of Christians, the lowest ser- 
 vice that is rendered, will be gi-aciously 
 noticed by Jesus and rewarded. None 
 are so humble in his kingdom as not to 
 be able to do good ; and none so poor 
 that, in nis circumstances, may not 
 show attachment to him. Their fee- 
 blest service will be accepted ; and acts 
 of love, that may be forgotten by man, 
 will be remembered by him, and re 
 warded in heaven. 
 
 42—50. See Matt, .xviii. 7— y. Mill 
 stone. See Matt, xviii. 6. 
 
 44. 46. "^heir worm This figure a
 
 A. D. 32.1 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 46 Where their worm dieth not, 
 Mid tl»e fire is not quenched. 
 
 47 And if thine eye ' offend thee, 
 pluck it out: it is better for thee to 
 snter into the Ivingdom of God with 
 
 1 See ver.43. 
 
 clearly taken from Isa. Ixvi. 24. In de- 
 scribing the great prosperity of the king- 
 dom ot the Messiah, Isaiah says that 
 the people of God shall go forth, and 
 look upon the carcasses of men who 
 have transgressed against God. Their 
 enemies shall be overcome. They shall 
 be slain. The people of God shall tri- 
 umph. The figure is taken from heaps 
 of the dead slain in battle ; and the pro- 
 phet says that the number shall be so 
 great that their worm — the worm feed- 
 ing on the dead — shall not die, shall live 
 long — as long as there are carcasses to 
 be devoured ; and that the fire which 
 was used to burn the bodies of the dead 
 shall continue long to burn, and shall 
 not be extinguished till they are con- 
 sumed. The figure, therefore, denotes 
 great misery, and certain and terrible 
 destruction. In these verses it is ap- 
 plied to the state beyond the grave, and 
 IS intended to denote that the destruc- 
 tion of the wicked will be awful, wide- 
 spread, and eternal. It is not to be 
 supposed that there will be any real 
 worm in hell — perhaps no material fire. 
 Nor can it be told what was particularly 
 intended by the undying worm. There 
 is no authority for applying it, as is often 
 done, to remorse of conscience, any 
 more than to any other of the pains and 
 reflections of hell. It is a mere image 
 of loathsome, dreadful, and elernnl suf- 
 ferings. In what that sufliering will 
 consist, it is probably beyond the power 
 of any living mortal to imagine. The 
 word "their," in the phrase "their 
 worm," is used merely to keep up the 
 image or figure. Dead bodies, putrefy- 
 ing in that valley, would be overrun 
 with worms, while the^re was not con- 
 fined to them, but spread to other ob- 
 jects, kindled by combustibles through 
 ill the valley. It is not meant, there- 
 fore, that every particular sufferer has 
 a peculiar worm, or has particular sins 
 that cause remorse of conscience. That 
 is a truth ; but it does not appear that it 
 IS intended to be taught here. 
 
 49. Every one shall he salted with fire. 
 *ertiaps no passage in the New Testa- 
 ?3 
 
 2)db 
 
 one eye, than, having two eyes, to 
 be cast into hell-fire ; 
 
 48 Where their worm dieth not, 
 and the fire " is not quenched. 
 
 49 For every one shall be salted 
 
 aver.44.4G. Lu.]6.24. 
 
 ment has given more perplexity to com 
 mentators than tiiis ; and it may be im 
 possible now to fix its precise meaning. 
 The common meaning affixed to it has 
 been, that as salt preserves from putre- 
 faction, so fire, applied to the wicked in 
 hell, shall have the property of preserv- 
 ing them in existence, or they shall he 
 preserved amidst the sprinkhng of fire, 
 to be continually in their sunerings, a 
 sacrifice to the justice of God. But this 
 meaning is not quite satisfactory. An- 
 other opinion has been, that as salt ia 
 sprinkled on the victim preparatory to 
 its being devoted to God (see Lev. ii. 
 13), so should the apostles, by trials, 
 calamities, &c., represented here by 
 fire, be prepared as a sacrifice and of- 
 fering to God. Probably the passage 
 has not reference at all to future punish- 
 ment ; and the difficulty of interpreting 
 it has arisen from supposing it connect- 
 ed with the 4Sth verse, or given as a 
 reason for what is said in that verse, ra- 
 ther than considering it as designed to 
 illustrate the general design of trie pas- 
 sage. The main scope of the passage 
 was not to discourse of future punish- 
 ment. That is brought in incidentally. 
 The chief object of the passage was, 
 1st. To teach them that other men, not 
 with them, mitjht be true Christians. 
 Vs. 38, 39. 2cl. That they should be 
 disposed to look favorably upon the 
 slightest evidence that they might he. 
 Ver. 4i. 3d. That they ought to avoid 
 giving o^ence to such feeble and obscure 
 Christians. Ver. 42. 4th. That every 
 thing calculated to give offence, or to 
 dishonor religion, should be removed. 
 Ver. 43. And 5th. That every thing 
 which would endanger their salvation 
 should be sacrificed ; that they should 
 deny themselves and practise all self, 
 denials, in order to obtain eternal life. 
 In this way they would be preserved to 
 eternal hfc. The word "fire," here, 
 therefore, denotes self-denials, sacri- 
 fices, trials, in keeping ourselves from 
 the gratification of the flesn. As if he 
 had said : ' Look at the sacrifice on tho 
 altar. It is an offeruig to God, about to
 
 386 
 
 MARK. 
 
 I^A. D 33 
 
 with fire, and every sacrifice " shall 
 06 salted with salt. 
 
 50 Salt is good : but if the salt *■ 
 have lost his saltness, wherewith 
 wiil ye season it? Have' salt in 
 yourselves, and have '' j)eace one 
 with another. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 AND ' he arose from thence, and 
 comelh into the coasts of Judei"., 
 by the farther side of Jordan : and 
 ttie people resort unto hinri asjain ; 
 and, as he was wont, he taught them 
 again, 
 
 2 And the Pharisees came to 
 him, and asked him. Is it lawful for 
 a niian to put away his wife 1 tempt- 
 ing him. 
 
 3 And he answered and said un- 
 to them. What did Moses command 
 yon ■? 
 
 4 And they said, Moses ■'^ suffered 
 to write a bill of divorcement, and 
 to put her away. 
 
 aLe.2.l3. Eze.43.24. 6 IVIatt.5.13. Lu.14. 
 34. cCol.4.6. d Ps.34.14. ii Cor. 13.11. Hl'. 
 lii.I4. e Matt.l9.1,&c. Jiio.10.40. /Du.24.1. 
 M atl.5.31. 
 
 be presented to him. It is sprinkled 
 with salt, emblematic o/ purity, of pre- 
 servation, and of fitting it, therefore, 
 for a sacrifice. So you are devoted to 
 God. You are sacrifices, victims, of- 
 ferings, to him in his service. To make 
 you acceptable oflTerings, every thing 
 must be done to preserve you from sin, 
 to purify you, and to make you fit of- 
 ferings. Self-denials, subduing the lusts, 
 enduring trials, removing oflences, are 
 the proper preservatives in the service 
 of God. Doing this, you will be ac- 
 ceptable offerings, and be saved; with- 
 out this, you will be unfit for his eter- 
 nal service, and will be lost.' 
 
 50. Lost its saltness, &c. See Note, 
 Matt. V. 13. 1i Have salt in yourselves. 
 Have the preserving, purifying principle 
 always ; the principles of denying your- 
 selves, of suppressing pride, ambition, 
 contention, &c., and thus you will be 
 an acceptable offering to God. '^' Have 
 peace. Avoid contention and quaiTel- 
 inig, struggling for places, honors, and 
 .^fllce, and seek each other's welfare, 
 and religion will he honored and pre- 
 served iu the world. 
 
 5 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto them, For the hardness of youi 
 heart he wrote you this precept : 
 
 (i But from the beginning of the 
 creation God made * them male and 
 female. 
 
 7 For * this cause shall a man 
 leave his father and mother, and 
 cleave to his wife ; 
 
 8 And they twain shall he cae 
 flesh : so then they are no mora 
 twain, but one flesh. 
 
 9 What therefore God hath join- 
 ed together, let not man put asunder. 
 
 10 And in the house his disciples 
 asked him again of the same matter. 
 
 11 And he saith unto them, ' 
 Whosoever shall put away his wife, 
 and marry another, committeth adul- 
 tery against her. 
 
 12 And if a woman shall put 
 away her husband, and be married 
 to another, she committeth adultery, 
 
 13 And * they brought young 
 ^Ge. 1.27. 5.2. Mal.2.!5. AGe.224. il 
 
 Cor.O.KJ. Ei).5 31. / Matt.5.32. 19.9. Lu.l6. 
 18. Ro.7.3. ICor.-.lO.ll. A Matt. 19.13. l.u. 
 18.15. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 1 — 12. See this question about divorce 
 e.xplained on Matt. ,\ix. 1 — 12. 
 
 12. And if a woman shall put away 
 her husband. It would seem, liom this, 
 that a woman, among the Jews, had 
 the power of separating herself Irom 
 her husband ; yet this right is not given 
 her by the law of Moses. There is 
 not, however, any positive evidence 
 that females often claimed or exercised 
 this right. Cases had occurred, indeed, 
 in which it had been done. The wife 
 of Herod had rejected her former hus- 
 band, and married Herod. And though 
 instances of this kind might have been 
 attempted to be defended by the exam- 
 ple of Pagans, yet our Saviour was de- 
 sirous of showing them that it did not 
 free them from the charge of adultery. 
 The apostles were going forth to teach 
 Pagan nations, and it was proper for 
 Christ to teach them how to act in such 
 cases, and to show them that they were 
 cases of real aduhery. 
 
 13 — 16. See Notes on Matthew xu. 
 13—15. 
 
 13. 3f»uld touch tJmn. That b
 
 A. D. 3J.J CHAPTER X. 
 
 children to him, that he should 
 touch them : and his disciples re- 
 buked those that brought them. 
 
 14 But when Jesus saw it, he 
 was " much displeased, and said 
 unto them. Suffer the litti.e children 
 to come unto me, and forbid them 
 not ; for of such * is the kingdom 
 of God. 
 
 a Ep.4 2G. b Matt. 18.10. 1 Cor.14.20. 1 
 Pe.a.2. Re. 14.5. 
 
 should lay his hands on fhem, and pray 
 for them, and bless tliem. Compare 
 Matthew xi.x. 13. It was common to 
 lay the hands on the head of a person 
 for whom a blessing was asked. See 
 the case of Jacob, Gen. xiviii. 14. 
 
 14. Saw it. Saw the coiiuuct of his 
 disciples. ^ Was muck displeased. Be- 
 cause, first, it was a pleasure to him to 
 receive and bless little children ; and, 
 secondly, they were doing what they 
 were not commanded to do — interfering 
 in a case where it was evidently im- 
 proper. 
 
 1.5. IVhosoever shall not receive. 
 "Whosoever shall not manifest the spirit 
 of a little child. IT The kin'^dom of God. 
 The gospel. The new dispensation by 
 the Messiah, or the reisn of God through 
 a Mediator. See Notes, Matt. iii. 2. 
 ^ As a little child. With the temper 
 and spirit of a child, teachable, mild, 
 humble, and free from prejudice and 
 obstinacy. If Shall not enter therein. 
 Shall not be a Christian ; shall not be 
 a real metnber of the family of Christ 
 on earth, though he may be a profes- 
 sor ; and shall never enter heaven. 
 
 16. Took them up in his arms. These 
 were small children. IT Blessed than. 
 Prayed for them, sought a blessing on 
 them, or gave them the assurance of 
 his favor as the Messiah. 
 
 How happy would it be if all parents 
 thus felt it to be their privilege to pre- 
 sent their children to Christ ! The 
 question with a parent should be, not 
 whether he ouffht to present them by 
 prayer, but whether he may do it. And 
 80, too, the question respecting infant 
 baptism is not so much whether a pa- 
 rent OUGHT to devote his children to 
 God in this ordinance, as whether he 
 MAY do it. It is an inestimable privi- 
 lege to d- It; not a matter of mere 
 Btern and iron-handed duty ; und a 
 
 38? 
 
 15 Ver.ly I say unto yDU, Whoso- 
 ever shall not receive the kingdom 
 of God as a little child, he shall no« 
 enter therein. 
 
 IG And he took them up in Iiia 
 arms, put his hands upon them, and 
 blessed them. 
 
 17 And ' when he was gone forth 
 into tli8 way, there came one run- 
 
 c Matt.l9.16,&c. Lu.l8.]8,&c. 
 
 parent with right feelings will' come to 
 God with his children in every way, 
 and seek his blessing on them in the 
 beginning of their journey of life. Our 
 children are given to us but for a liille 
 time. They are in a world of danger, 
 sin and wo. They are exposed to 
 temptation on every hand. It God be 
 not their friend, they have no friend 
 that can aid them in the day of adver- 
 sity, or keep them from the snares of 
 the destroyer. If He is their friend, 
 they have nothing to fear. The proper 
 expression, then, of parental feeling, is 
 to come and offer them early to God. 
 A parent should ask only the privilege 
 of doing it. He should seek God's 
 favor as the best inheritance of his 
 children ; and if a parent may devote 
 his offspring to God — if he 7nay daily 
 seek his blessing on them by prayer — 
 it is all that he should ask. With pro- 
 per feelings, he will rush to the throne 
 of grace, and daily seek the protection 
 anu guidance of God for his children 
 amidst the temptations and snares of an 
 ungodly world, and implore Him to be 
 their guide when the parent shall be 
 laid in the silent grave. 
 
 So, children who have been devoted 
 to God ; who have been the daily ob 
 jecisof afather's prayers and a mother's 
 tears ; who have been again and again 
 presented to Jesus in infancy and child- 
 hood ; are under the most sacred ob- 
 ligations to live to God. They should 
 never forget that a parent sought the 
 favor of God as the chief blessing ; and 
 having been offered to Je.^us by prayei 
 and baptism in their first days on earth, 
 they should make it their great aim fc 
 be prepared to meet him when he shall 
 come in the clouds of heaven. 
 
 17 — 31. See this passage illustrated 
 in Matt. xix. 16—30. 
 
 17. Gone forth. From the place
 
 388 
 
 ning', and kneeled to him, and ask- 
 ed hiin, Good Master, what shall I 
 do that I may inherit eternal life? 
 
 18 And Jesus said unto him, 
 Why callest thou me good ? There 
 is none aood but one, ° that is God. 
 
 19 Thou knowest the * com- 
 mandments, Do not commit adul- 
 tery, Do not kill. Do i\ )t steal. Do 
 not bear false witness. Defraud not. 
 Honour thy father and mother. 
 
 20 And he answered and said 
 unto him. Master, all ' these have I 
 observed from my youth. 
 
 21 Then Jesus beholding him, 
 loved Kim, and said unto him. One 
 * thing thou lackest: go thy way, 
 Bell whatsoever thou hast, and give 
 to the poor, and thou shalt have 
 
 a Ps.Sfi.S. 119.08. 6 Ex.20. Ro.13.9. c Is. 
 58.2. Ez.33.31,32. Mal.3.8. Ilo.7.9. Ph.3.6. 
 iiJa.2.10. 
 
 where he had been teaching. T Into 
 the way. Into the road or path on his 
 '«urney. If Running. Thua showing 
 the intensity with which he desired to 
 know the way of life. Zeal to know 
 the way to be saved is proper, nor is it 
 possible to be too intense if well direct- 
 ed. Nothing else is so important, and 
 nothing demands, therefore, so much 
 effort and haste. 
 
 19. Defraud not. Do not take away 
 your neighbor's property by fraud or 
 dishonesty. To cheat or defraud sup- 
 poses a covetous desire of a neighbor's 
 pr iperty, and is usually attended with 
 zlsehood or false witness against a 
 leighbor in obtaining it. It is thus a 
 violation of the ninth and tenth com- 
 mandments ; md our Saviour very 
 properly, therrfore, condensed the two, 
 and expressed their substance in this — 
 not to defraud. It is, besides, expressly 
 forbidden in Lev. xi.\. 13; " Thou shalt 
 not defraud thy neighbor." 
 
 21. Jesus — loved him. What occurred 
 afterwards showed that the young man 
 did not love the Saviour or was not a 
 true disciple. So that this expression 
 denotes, simply, natural affection, or 
 means that Jesus was pleased with his 
 Bin ableness, his morality, and his ex- 
 ^rrtal regard for the law oi God. At 
 *to same time, this was entirely con- 
 
 MAEK. [A. B. 33 
 
 treasure * in heaven : and come, 
 take up the cross and follow me. 
 
 22 And he was sad at that say- 
 ing, and went away grieved ; for he 
 had great possessions, 
 
 23 And Jesus looked round about, 
 and saith unto his disciples, Hov7 
 hardly shall they that have riches 
 enter into the kingdom of God ! 
 
 24 And the disciples were astor 
 ished at his words. But Jesus ari 
 swereth again, and saith unto them. 
 Children, how hard is it for ther» 
 that trust -fin riches to enter i/^ , 
 the kingdom of God ! 
 
 25 It is easier for a camel to go 
 through the eye of a needle, than 
 for a rich man to enter into the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 « Matt.6. 19,20. Lu.12.33. IC.9. /Job 31. 
 24. Ps.52.7. 02.10. Hab.2.9. 1 Ti.G.17. Re 
 3.17. 
 
 sistent with deep sorrow that he would 
 not give his heart to God, and with 
 deep abhorrence of such a love of the 
 world as to blind the mind to the beauty 
 of true religion, and to lead to the rejec- 
 tion of the Messiah, and the destruction 
 of the soul. ^ One thiiig thou lackest. 
 When the young man came to Jesus, he 
 asked him, " What lack I yet?" Matt. 
 xL\. 20. This question Mark has omit- 
 ted, but he has retained the answer. 
 The answer means, there is one thing 
 yet wanting. Though all that you liave 
 said should be true, yet to make the 
 system complete, or to show that you 
 really are disposed to keep the com- 
 mands of God, go and sell your pro- 
 perty. See whether you love God more 
 than you do your wealth. By doing 
 that, you will show that your love of 
 God is supreme ; that your obedience 
 is not merely exter7ial and formal, but 
 sincere and real; the thing, now Zac/t- 
 ing, will be made up. 
 
 24. Children. An expression of affec 
 tion, perhaps also implying a reproof 
 that their slowness of understanding 
 was like children. When they should 
 have seen at once the truth of what he 
 said, they were slow to learn it. It be- 
 came necessary, therefore, to repeat 
 what he had said. ^ Ho^ hard. With 
 how- much difficulty.
 
 A. D. 33,J 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 389 
 
 26 And they were astonished out 
 of measure, saying among them- 
 selves, Who then can be saved 1 
 
 27 And Jesus looUing upon them, 
 saith, with men it is impossible, 
 but not with God : for " with God 
 all things are possible. 
 
 28 Then Peter began to say unto 
 nim, Lo, we have left all, and have 
 followed thee. 
 
 29 And Jesus answered and said. 
 Verily I say unto you, there is no 
 man that hath left house, or breth- 
 ren, or sisters, or father, or mother, 
 or wife, or children, or lands, for 
 my sake, and the gospel's, 
 
 30 But he shall receive an hun- 
 dred-fold now in this time, houses, 
 and brethren, and sisters, and mo- 
 thers, and children, and lands, with 
 persecutions; and in the world to 
 come eternal life. 
 
 a Ge. 18.14. Job 42.2. Jer.32.17. Lu.1.37. 
 
 26. Out of measure. Very much, or 
 exceedingly. The Greek means no 
 more than this. 
 
 30. A hundred fold. A hundred 
 times as much. ^ In this time. In this 
 lite. In the ti/ne that he forsakes all. 
 ^ Houses, Sec. This cannot be taken 
 hterally, as promising a hundred times 
 as many mothers, sisters, &c. It means, 
 evidently, that the loss shall be a hun- 
 dred times compensated or made up ; or 
 that, in the possession of religion, we 
 have a hundred times the value of all 
 that we forsake. This consists in the 
 pardon of sin, in the favor of God, in 
 peace of conscience, in support in trials 
 and in death, and in raising up friends 
 in the place of those who arc left — 
 spiritual brethren, and sisters, and mo- 
 thers, &c. And this corresponds to 
 the experience of all who ever became 
 Christians. At the same time it is true 
 that godliness is profitable /or aZZ Ihinps, 
 having the promise of the life that is, 
 IS well as of that which is to come. 
 The favor of God is the security for 
 avery blessing. Obedience to his law 
 secures industry, temperance, chastity, 
 economy, prudence, health, and the 
 confidence of the world — all indispensa- 
 ble to success in life, and all connected, 
 33* 
 
 31 But * many that are first, shall 
 be last ; and the last, first. 
 
 32 And • they were in the way 
 going up to Jerusalem ; and Jesus 
 went before them : and they were 
 amazed ; and as they followed, they 
 were afraid. And he took again 
 the twelve, and began to tell them 
 what things should happen unto 
 him, 
 
 33 Saying, Behold we ^ go up to 
 Jerusalem; and the Son of man 
 shall be delivered unto the chief 
 priests, and unto the scribes ; and 
 they shall condemn him to death, 
 and shall deliver him to the Gen- 
 tiles; 
 
 34 And ' they shall mock him, 
 and shall scourge him, and shall 
 spit upon him, and shall kill him; 
 and the third day he shall rise 
 asfain. 
 
 b Matt.20.16. 
 Lu.l8.13,&c. 
 
 Lu. 13.30. 
 d Ac. 20.22 
 
 Matt.20.17,&c 
 e Ps.22.C,7,13 
 
 commonly, with success. Though the 
 wicked sometimes prosper, yet the surest 
 way of prosperity is to fear God and 
 keep his commandments. Thus will 
 all needed blessings descend on us here, 
 and eternal blessings hereafter. ^ With 
 persecutions. Persecutions, or the con 
 tempt of the world, and bodily suffer 
 ings on account of their religion, they 
 must meet. Jesus did not conceal this. 
 But he consoled them. He assured 
 them that amidst these, or perhaps ir 
 should be rendered ''after'' these, they 
 should find friends and comfort^ It j 
 well to bear trial if God be our I asuu. 
 With the promises of the Bible in out 
 hand, we may hail persecutions, axd 
 thank God that, amidst so many sor- 
 rows, he has furnished such superabun- 
 dant consolations. 
 
 32—34. See Matt. xx. 17—19. 
 
 32. Jesxis went before him. In the 
 manner of an intrepid, fearless leader 
 and guide, exposing himself to danger 
 and death lather than his followers. 
 IT And they were amazed, &c. They 
 were afraid that evil would befall him 
 in the city ; that the scribes and Phan- 
 sees, who had so oi'ten sought to lull 
 him, would then do it. Their fear and 
 amazement were increased when he
 
 S9b 
 
 35 And James and John, the sons 
 of Zcbedee, come unto him,sayinor, 
 Master, we would that thou should- 
 RSt do fur us whatsoever we shall 
 desire. 
 
 36 And he said unto them, What 
 would ye that I should do for you 1 
 
 37 They said unto him. Grant 
 anto us that we may sit, one on thy 
 light hand, and the other on thy left 
 hand, in thy glory. 
 
 38 But Jesus said unto them, 
 Ye * know not what ye ask. Can 
 ye drink of the cup that I drink of] 
 and be baptized with the baptism '' 
 that I am baptized with 1 
 
 39 And they say unto him. We 
 can. And Jesus said unto them, 
 Ye ' shall indeed drink of the cup '' 
 that I drink of; and with the bap- 
 tism that I am baptized withvil, shall 
 ye be baptized : 
 
 40 But to sit on my right hand 
 and on my left hand, is not mine to 
 give; but it shall be given to them 
 for whom it is prepared.' 
 
 41 And when the ten heard it, 
 they began to be much displeased 
 with James and John. 
 
 42 But Jesus called them to him, 
 and saith unto them, Ye ^ know 
 that they which are ' accounted to 
 rule over the Gentiles exercise lord- 
 ship over them ; and their great 
 ones exercise authority upon them. 
 
 43 But so shall it not be among 
 vou • but ^ whosoever will be great 
 
 r Ja.4.3. h 1,11.12.50. c Matt.10.25. Jno. 
 ",.14. dc.U.Sfi. e Matt.25.34. He.11.lG. 
 f Lu.22.25. 1 or, think good, g IVlatt.20.20, 
 X c.9.35. Lu.9.48. 
 
 MARK. [A. D. 33 
 
 among you, shall be your minis- 
 ter : 
 
 44 And whosoever of you will be 
 the chiefesl, shall be servant of all. 
 
 45 For even the Son of man 
 came not to be ministered unto, but 
 * to minister, and to • give his life 
 a ransom for many. 
 
 46 And ■' they came to Jericho, 
 and as he went out of Jericho, 
 with his disciples, and a great num- 
 ber of peojde, blind Bartimeus, the 
 son of Timeus, sat by the highway 
 side, begging. 
 
 47 And when he heard that it 
 was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to 
 cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of 
 David, have mercy on me. 
 
 48 And many charged him that 
 he should hold his peace: but he 
 cried the more * a great deal, Thou 
 son of David, have mercy ' on me. 
 
 49 And Jesus stood still, and 
 commanded him to be called. Anc? 
 they called the blind man, saying 
 unto him, Be of good comfort, rise 
 he "* calleth thee. 
 
 50 And he, casting " away his 
 garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 
 
 51 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto him. What wilt thou that I 
 should do unto thee] The blind 
 man said unto him. Lord, that I 
 might receive my sight. 
 
 52 And Jesus said unto him. Go 
 thy way : thy " faith hath " made 
 thee whole. And immediately he 
 
 AJno.13.14. Pli.2.7. i Is.53.!I,l2. Da.9.2G. 
 2C0.5.21. Ga.3.1.3. 1 Ti.2.(). Til.2.14. j Matt. 
 20.2:i,&c. Lii.l8.35,&c. k Ju.2i».ia I Ps.G2 
 12. mJno.11.28. 71 Ph.3.7-9. Matl.9.22 
 c.5.34. ' or, saved thee. 
 
 fold them what would befall him there. 
 They were amazed that, when he knew 
 so well wiiat would happen, he should 
 itill persevere in going up to the city. 
 
 35 — 15. See Notes on Matt. xx.20— 28. 
 
 36. And James and John — came 7into 
 him. Tiiey did this through the instru- 
 mentality of their mother. They did 
 not coinc in person, but they got their 
 tnuther to make the request for them. 
 Compare Matthew. 
 
 46 — 52. See this passage explained 
 in Notes on Matt. xx. 29—34. 
 
 46. Blind Bartimeus. Matthew sayi3 
 there were two. Mark mentions but 
 one, though he does not deny that there 
 was another. He mentions this man 
 because he was well known — Barti- 
 meus, THE blhid man. 
 
 50. Cast inn auintj his sarment. That 
 is, his outer varment ; the one that v/as 
 thrown loosely over him. See Matt v.
 
 A.. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 391 
 
 received his sight, and followed .Te- 
 sus in the wnv. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 A ND " when, they came nigh to 
 
 6 And they said unto them even 
 as Jesus had commanded : and they 
 let them go. 
 
 7 And they brought the colt tc 
 
 Jerusalem, unto Bethphage, j Jesus, and cast their garments on 
 nnd Bethany, at the Mount of him; and ' he sat upon him. 
 
 Olives, he sendcth forth two of his 
 disciples, 
 
 2 And saith unto them. Go your 
 way into the village over against 
 you ; and as soon as ye be entered 
 into it, ye shall find a colt tied, 
 whereon never man sat: loose him, 
 and bring him. 
 
 3 And if any man say unto you, 
 Why do ye this] say ye that the 
 Lord hath need ^ of him ; and 
 straightway he will send him hither. 
 
 4 And they went their way, and 
 found the colt tied by the door with- 
 out, in a place where two ways met ; 
 and they loose him. 
 
 3 And certain of them that stood 
 there said unto them, What do ye 
 loosinor the colt? 
 
 a Matt.Sl.l.&c. Lu.l9.29,&c. Jno.l2.14,&;c. 
 b Ac. 17.25. 
 
 40. He threw it off. full of joy at the 
 prospect of being healed, and that he 
 might run without impediment to Je- 
 sus. This may be used to illustrate — 
 though it had no such original reference 
 — the manner in which a sinner should 
 come to Jesus. He should throw away 
 the garments of his own righteousness 
 — he should rise speedily — should run 
 '>vithjoy — should have full faith in the 
 power of Jesus, and cast himself entire- 
 ly upon his mercy. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 1 — 11. See this passage illustrated in 
 Matt. x,\i. 1 — 16. 
 
 4. Two vmys met. Cross roads. A 
 public place, probably near the centre 
 if the village. 
 
 .5. What do ye, loosim^lhecolt? Or, 
 why do ye do this? What authority 
 "lave you for doing it ? 
 
 11 — ■21). 8ee this passage explained in 
 .Notes on .Matt. x.si. 18 — Zl. 
 
 ■11. Inio the lemjde. Not into .'le cdi- 
 Sce properly called the temple, but into 
 
 8 And many spread their gar- 
 ments in the way; and others cut 
 down branches off the trees, and 
 strawed them in the way. 
 
 9 And they that went before, and 
 they that followed, cried, saying, 
 Hosanna, Blessed "^ i.s- he that cometh 
 in the name of the Lord : 
 
 10 Blessed be the kingdom ' of 
 our father David, that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord: Hosanna in 
 the highest./ 
 
 11 And Jesus entered into Jeru- 
 salem, and into the temple: and* 
 when he had looked round about 
 upon all things, and now the even- 
 tide was come, he went out unto 
 Bethany with the twelve. 
 
 12 And ^ on the morrow, when 
 
 c Zec.9.9. dPs.118.26. els.9.7. Je.33.I,5. 
 /Ps.143.1. I' Zcp.1.12. Eze.8.9. A Malt.2I 
 IS.&c. 
 
 the courts which surrounded the princi 
 pal edifice. Our Saviour, not being of 
 the tribe of Levi, was not permitted to 
 enter into the holy or most holy place. 
 And when, therefore, it is said that he 
 went into the temple, it is always to be 
 understood of the courts surrounding 
 the temple. See Matt. xxi. 12. H And 
 when he had looked round nhout upon all. 
 Having seen or exatiiiiied every thing. 
 He saw the abominations and a-buses 
 which he afterwards corrected. It may 
 be wondered a! that he did not at once 
 correct thein, insiead of wat-:ing to an- 
 other day. But it may be observed 
 that God is slow to anger, that he does 
 not at once smite the guilty, but svaits 
 patiently "lefore he rebukes and chas 
 tises. II The even-tide. The evening, 
 the time after three o'clock. P. M. It i^ 
 very probable that this was before sun 
 set. The religious services of the tem 
 pie closed wirhout the offfring ol the 
 evening sacrilice. at thrt-e o'clock, 
 P. M., and Jesus probably soon left 
 the city.
 
 W2 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 they were come from Bethany, he 
 was hungry : 
 
 13 And seeing a fig-tree afar off, 
 fiaving leaves, he came, if haply he 
 might find any thing thereon : and 
 when he came to it he found noth- 
 ing "but leaves; for the time of figs 
 was not yet. 
 
 14 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto it. No man eat fruit of thee 
 hereafter for ever. And his disci- 
 ples heard it. 
 
 15 And * they come to Jerusa- 
 lem : and Jesus went into the tem- 
 ple, and began to cast out them that 
 sold and bought in the temple, and 
 overthrew the tables of the money- 
 changers, ' and the seats of them 
 that sold doves ; 
 
 16 And would not suffer that 
 any man should carry a7iy vessel 
 through the temple. 
 
 17 And he taught, saying unto 
 them, Is it not v. lilten, "^ My house 
 shall be called ' o^ "11 nations the 
 house of prayer 1 but ye have made 
 it a den ' of thieves. 
 
 18 And the scribes and chief 
 
 als.5.7. 6Matt.2],12,&;c. Lii.l9.45,&c. 
 Jno.2.14,&c. c De. 14.25,26. rf rs.56.7. ^ or, 
 an house of prayer for all nations. e Je.7. 
 11. 
 
 13, 14. Afar off. See Notes on Matt. 
 xxi. 19. 
 
 15—19. See Matt. xxi. 12—15. 
 
 16. Any vessel. Any vessel used in 
 cooking, or connected with the sale of 
 their articles of merchandise. 
 
 18. All the people were astonished. 
 He became popular among them. The 
 Pharisees saw that their authority was 
 lessened or destroyed. They were 
 therefore envious of him, and sought 
 his life. IT His doctrine. His teaching. 
 He taught v.ith power and authority so 
 great that the multitudes were awed, 
 aad were constrained to obey. 
 
 21. Thou cur sedst. To curse means 
 Ic devote to destruction. This is its 
 meaning here. It does not, in this 
 place, imply blame, but simply that it 
 should be destroyed. 
 
 2'2. Have faith in God. Literally, 
 "Have the faith of God." This may 
 
 priests heard it, and sought how 
 they might destioy him; for they 
 feared him, because all the people 
 was astonished ^ at his doctrine. 
 
 19 And Vv'hen even was come, 
 he vv-ent out of the city. 
 
 20 And in the morning, as they 
 passed by, they saw the fig-tree 
 dried up from the roots. 
 
 21 And Peter, calling to remem- 
 brance, saith unto him. Master, 
 behold, the fig-tree which thou 
 cursedst is withered away ! 
 
 22 And Jesus, answering, saith 
 unto them, ' Have faith in God. 
 
 23 For verily I say unto you, 
 That whosoever ^ shall say unto 
 this mountain. Be thou removed, 
 and be thou cast into the sea; and 
 shall not doubt in his heart, but 
 shall believe that those things which 
 he saith shall come to pass ; he shall 
 have whatsoever he saith. 
 
 24 Therefore I say unto you, 
 What '' things soever ye desire 
 when ye pray, believe that ye re- 
 ceive them, and ye shall have them. 
 
 25 And when ye stand praying, 
 
 /Matt.7.23. c.1.^. Lu.4.32. 2 or, Have the 
 faith of Ood. g- ftIatt.n.20.Lu.]7.6. A Matt 
 7.7. Lu.11.9. 18.1. Jno.14.13. 15.7. 16.24. Ja 
 1.5,6. 
 
 mean, have strong faith, or have confi- 
 dence in God ; a strong belief that he 
 is able to accomplish things that appear 
 most difficult with infinite ease, as the 
 fig-tree was made to wither away by a 
 word. 
 
 25. And when ye stand praying. 
 When ye pray. It seems that the pos- 
 ture in prayer was sometimes standing 
 and sometimes kneeling. God looks 
 upon the heart rather than upon our po- 
 sition in worship ; and if the heart be 
 right, any posture may be proper. It 
 cannot be doubted however, that in 
 private, in the family, and wherever it 
 can be conveniently done, the kneeling 
 posture is more proper, as expressing 
 more humility and reverence, and more 
 in accordance with scripture examples. 
 Compare Ps. xcv. C ; 2 Chron. vi. 13 ; 
 Dan. vi. 10; Luke xxii. 41 ; Acts vii. 
 GO, ix. 40. Yet a subject liie thin mav
 
 \. D. 33.1 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 393 
 
 forgive, " if ye have aught against 
 any; that jour Father also which 
 is in heaven may forgive you your 
 trespasfes. 
 
 26 But * if ye do not forgive, 
 neither will your Father which is 
 in heaven forgive your trespasses. 
 
 27 And they come again to Je- 
 rusalem : and ' as he was walking 
 in the temple, there come to him 
 the chief priests, and the scribes, 
 and the elders, 
 
 23 And say unto him, By <* what 
 authority doest thou these things? 
 and who gave thee this authority to 
 do these things ] 
 
 29 \nd Jesus answered and said 
 unto them, I will also ask of you 
 one ' question, and answer me, and 
 I will tell you by what authority I 
 do these things. 
 
 30 The baptism of John, was it 
 from heaven, or of men? Answer 
 me. 
 
 31 And they reasoned with them- 
 selves, saying. If we shall say. From 
 heaven; he will say. Why then did 
 ye not believe him "? 
 
 32 But if we shall say, Of men, 
 they feared the people; for 'all men 
 counted John, that he was a prophet 
 indeed. 
 
 33 And they answered and said 
 unto Jesus, We ■'^ cannot tell. And 
 Jesus answering, saith unto them. 
 Neither do I ^ tell you by what au- 
 thority I do these things. 
 
 CFI AFTER XII. 
 
 AND he began to speak unto 
 them by parables. A * certain 
 man planted a vineyard, and set an 
 
 aMatt.G.14. Col.3.13. iMatt. 18.3a e Matt. 
 21.23,&c. Lu.20.1,&:c. d Nu.]l).3. ^ or, thimr. 
 e Matt.3.5,6. 14.5. c.G.'20. /Is.1.3. 29.14. Jc. 
 8.7. Hos.4.6. g- Lu. 10.21, 22. A Matt.21.33. 
 Lu.20.9,&c. 
 
 he regarded as of too much conse- 
 quence, and we should be careful that 
 anxiety about a mere form should not 
 exclude anxiety about a far more im- 
 portant matter, the state of the soul. 
 T Forgive, &c. See Note on Matt. vi. 
 12, 15. 
 
 hedge about it, and digged a place 
 fur the wine-fat, and built a tower, 
 and let it out to husbandmen, and 
 went into a far country. 
 
 2 And at the season he sent to 
 the husbandmen a servant, that he 
 might receive from the husbandmen 
 of the ' fruit of the vineyard. 
 
 3 And they caught kim, and beat 
 him, and sent him away empty. 
 
 4 And again he sent unto them 
 another servant ; and at him they 
 cast stones,-' and wounded htm in 
 the head, and sent Am away shame- 
 fully handled. 
 
 5 And again he sent another, 
 and him they killed : and * many 
 others, beating some, and killing 
 seme. 
 
 6 Having yet therefore one son, 
 his well-beloved, he *" sent him also 
 last unto them, saying. They will 
 reverence my son. 
 
 7 But those husbandmen said 
 among themselves. This is the heir ; 
 come, let us kill him, and the inher- 
 itance shall be ours. 
 
 8 And they took him, and killed 
 him, and cast him out " of the vine 
 yard. 
 
 9 What shall therefore the lord 
 of the vineyard do"? He will come 
 and " destroy the husbandmen, and 
 will P give the vineyard unto others. 
 
 10 And have ye not read this 
 scripture? The ' stone which the 
 builders rejected is become the head 
 of the corner : 
 
 11 This was the Lord's doing, 
 and if is marvellous in our eyes. 
 
 12 And ' they sought to lay ho\d 
 
 iCa.H.ll. Mi.7.]. Lu. 12.48. Jno.15.1-8 
 i He. 11.37. /£ Ne.9.30. Jer.7.25,&c. /Matt 
 23.37. TO Ho. 1.1,2. 71 He.13.12. o Pr.1.24- 
 31. Is.5.5-7. Ua.9.2G. p Jer.17.3. q Pa.Ui 
 22. r ell. 18. Jno.7.30. 
 
 27 — 33. See Notes on Matt, xx: 
 23—27. 
 
 CHAPTER >ll. 
 
 1—12. See this parable explained ».' 
 Matt. xxi. 33 -46. 
 13—17. See Matt. xxiL '"- ■'Xi
 
 394 
 
 on him, but fean^d the people; for 
 they knew that he had spoken the 
 parable against them : and they left 
 him, and went their way. 
 
 13 And » they sent unto him cer- 
 tain of the Pharisees, and of the He- 
 rodians, to catch him in his words. 
 
 14 And when they were come, 
 they say unto him, Master, we know 
 that thou art true, and carest for no 
 man ; for thou regardest not the per- 
 son of men, but teachest the way of 
 God in truth : Is it lawful to give 
 tribute to Cesar, or not] 
 
 15 Shall we give, or shall we not 
 give? But he, knowing their hy- 
 pocrisy, said unto them. Why tempt 
 ye me? Bring me a * penny that 
 I may see it. 
 
 16 And they brought it. And he 
 saith unto them, Whose is this im- 
 age and superscription 1 And they 
 said unto him, Cesar's. 
 
 17 And Jesus, answering, said 
 unto them. Render to Cesar * the 
 things that are Cesar's, and to God 
 '^ the things that are God's. And 
 they marvelled at him. 
 
 18 Then ^ come unto him the 
 Sadducpes, which say ' there is no 
 resurrection ; and they asked him, 
 saying, 
 
 19 Master, Moses wrote ^ unto 
 us, If a man's brother die, and leave 
 his wife behind him, and leave no 
 
 a Matt.22.15. Lu.20 20,&c. i Valuiiig of 
 our money seven pence halfpenny, as Matt. 
 'i2.]9. 6 Malt. 17.25-27. Ro.13.7. 1 »e.2 17. 
 c Ec.5.4,5. Mal.1.6. d Matt.22.23. Lu.20.27, 
 
 MARK. LA. D. 33, 
 
 children, that his brother « should 
 take his wife, and raise up seed 
 unto his brother. 
 
 20 Now there were seven breth 
 ren : and the first took a wife, and 
 dyi-ng left no seed. 
 
 21 And the second took her, and 
 died ; neither left he any seed ; and 
 the third likewise. 
 
 22 And the seven had her, and 
 left no seed : last of all the woman 
 died also. 
 
 23 In the resurrection therefore, 
 when they shall rise, whose wife 
 shall she be of them 1 for the seven 
 had her to wife. 
 
 24 And Jesus answering, said 
 unto tJiem, Do ye not therefore err 
 because ye know not the scriptures, 
 neither the power of God 1 
 
 25 For when they shall rise from 
 the dead, they neither marry noi 
 are given in marriage ; but '' are as 
 the angels which are in heaven. 
 
 26 And as touching the dead, 
 that they rise; have ye not read in 
 the book of Moses, how in the bush 
 God spake unto him, saying, • I am 
 the God of Abraham, and the God 
 of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 
 
 27 He is not the God of the 
 dead, but the God of the living: ye 
 J therefore do greatly err. 
 
 28 And * one of the scribes 
 came, and having heard them rea- 
 
 &;c. cAc.23.8. /De.25.5. ^Ru.Ml,13 
 h ] Cor.15.43-53. t Ex.3.6. j vcr.24. k Matt 
 22.35. 
 
 IS — 27. See this passage fully ex- 
 plained in Matt. xxii. 23—33. 
 
 25. Are as the angels. That is, as 
 he angels in respect to connexions and 
 
 relations. What that may be we know 
 not, but this passage teaches that the 
 peculiar relation of marriage will not 
 exist. It does not affirm, hov/ever, that 
 there will be no recollection of former 
 marriages, or no recognition of each 
 Sther as having existed in this tender 
 relation. 
 
 26. How in the bush. At the burn- 
 ing bush. See Exodu? iii. 6. In that 
 
 part of the hooT: of Exodus which con- 
 tains the account of the burning bush. 
 When there were no chapters and ver- 
 ses, it was the easiest way of quoting a 
 book of the Old Testament bt^ the sub- 
 ject, and in this way it was oiten done 
 by the Jews. 
 
 28—34. See Matf. xxii. 34 — 40. 
 
 28. Perceiving that he answered them 
 well. That is, with wisdom, and wiUi 
 a proper understanding of the law. In 
 this case the opinion of the Saviour cor- 
 responded with that of the Pharisees; 
 and this question seems to have been
 
 A.D.33.J 
 
 Boning tojrpther, and perceivins^ that 
 he hd'J aiiswerec] I'neni well, asked 
 him, Which is the fiist command- 
 ment of all 1 
 
 2'J And Jesus answered him, The 
 first of all the commandments is, " 
 Hear, O Israel ; the Lord our God 
 is one Lord : 
 
 30 And thou shall love the Lord 
 thy (iod with all thy heart, and 
 with all thy soul, and with all thy 
 mind, and with all thy strength. 
 This is the first commandment. 
 
 31 And the second is like, name- 
 ly, this, Thou* shah love thy neigh- 
 bour as thyself. There is none 
 Mher commandment greater than 
 these. 
 
 32 Andthefcribe said unto him. 
 Well, Master, thou hast said the 
 truth : for i!,ere is one God ; and ' 
 •here is none other but lie : 
 
 33 And to love him with all the 
 
 a De.6.4,5. Lu.10.97. JLe.19.18. Matt. 
 32.39. Uo.]3.9. c De.4.39. Is.45.5,6,14. 46.9. 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 
 395 
 
 one of the very few candid inquiries 
 made of him by the Jews, for the pur- 
 pose of obtaining information. Jesus 
 answered it in like spirit of kindness, and 
 commended the conduct of the man. 
 
 29. Hear, Israel .' This was said 
 to call the attention of the Jews to the 
 great importance of the truth about to 
 he proclaimed. See Dent. vi. 4, 5. 
 f T/ie Lord, our God, &c. Literally, 
 " Jehovah, our God, is one Jehovah." 
 The other nations worshipped many 
 gods, but the G >d of the Sews was one, 
 and one only. Jehovah was undivid- 
 ed ; and this great truth it was the de- 
 sign of the separation of the Jewish 
 people from other nations to keep in 
 mind This was the peculiar truth 
 which was communicated to the Jews, 
 and this they were required to keep 
 and remember for ever. 
 
 '.10. And Ihoit, shall love, &c. If Je- 
 hovah was the oT]ly God, then they 
 ought not to lovo any other being su- 
 premely. Then they might not bow 
 down before anv id^il. They were re- 
 q'lirtd to love God abo\e all other be- 
 aigs or things, and with all the fa<;ul- 
 »>»'« of theii minds. 
 
 heart, and with all the ur''eT«tand 
 in^, and with all the so ,,, anrl vith 
 all the strentjth, and to love hii 
 neighbour as himself, is mere 
 than all whole burnt-offerings and 
 sacrifices. 
 
 31 And when Jesus saw that he 
 answered discreetly, he said unto 
 him. Thou art not far from the 
 kingdom of God. And no man 
 after that durst ask him ' any 
 question, 
 
 35 And f Jesus answered and 
 said, while he taught in the temple, 
 How say the scribes that Christ is 
 the son of David 1 
 
 3t] For David himself said by * 
 the Holy Ghost, The * Lord said 
 to my Lord, Sit thou on_my right 
 hand, till I make thine enemies thy 
 footstool. 
 
 37 David therefore himself call- 
 eth him Lord ; and whence is he 
 
 dlSa.15.2i. Hos.6.6. Mi. 6.6-8. 
 22.4tj. /Matt.22.41. Lu.20.41,&c. 
 23.2. 2Ti.3.H3. A Ps.llO.l. 
 
 e Matt 
 ff -2 Sa 
 
 32, 33, 34. This answer of the scribe 
 is not found iri Matti,''w. H /s tnore 
 than all. Is o. more importance and 
 value. 1i Discr'-etly. Wisely, accord 
 ing to truth. ^ A'o' far from the king 
 dom of God. Thou who dost prefer the 
 internal to the external worship of God 
 — who hast so just a view of the re- 
 quirements of the law — canst easily be 
 come a follower of me, and art almost 
 fit to be numbered among my disciples. 
 This shows that a proper understand- 
 ing of the Old Testament, of its laws 
 and requirements, would prepare the 
 mind for Christianity, and fit a man at 
 once to embrace it when presented. 
 One system is grafted on the other, 
 agreeablv to Gal. iii. 24. ^ No man — 
 durst ask him any question. That is, 
 no one of the scribes, the Pharisees, or 
 the Sadducees, durs. nsk him a ques- 
 tion for the purpose of templing him, 
 or entangling him. He had completely 
 silenced them. It does not appear, 
 however, but that his disriples dared to 
 ask him questions for the purpose ot 
 informatio.i. 
 
 3.5— 37.— See Malt. .x.Kii. 41— Ifi. 
 
 37. Hie commtm people heard him
 
 396 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D 33 
 
 then his son ? And the common 
 peoji.e heard liim gladly. 
 
 38 And he said unto them" in his 
 doctrine, Beware * of the scribes, 
 which love to go in long clothing, 
 end love salutations in the market- 
 places, 
 
 39 And "^ the chief seats in the 
 synagogues, and the uppermost 
 rooms at feasts ; 
 
 40" Which devour widows' ^ 
 houses, and for a pretence make 
 long prayers : these shall, receive 
 greater damnation. 
 
 a c.4.2. b Matt.23.1. Lu.20.46,&;c. c Lu. 
 11.43. d 2 Ti.3.6. e Lu.21,l,&c. 
 
 eladhj. The success of our Saviour in 
 his preaching was chiefly among the 
 common or the poorer class of people. 
 The rich and the mighty were too proud 
 to listen to his instructions. So it is 
 still. The chief success of the gospel 
 is there, and there it pours down its 
 chief blessings. This is not the fault 
 of the gospel. It Vvould bless the rich 
 and the mighty as well as the poor, if 
 they came with like humble hearts. 
 God knows no distinctions of men in 
 conferring his favors ; and wherever 
 there is a poor, contrite, and humble 
 spirit — be it clothed in rags or in pur- 
 ple — be it on a throne or a dunghill 
 — there he confers the blessings of sal- 
 vation. 
 
 38, hi his doctrine. In his teaching, 
 for so it should be rendered. IT Beware 
 of the scribes. Be on your guard. Be 
 cautious about hearing them or following 
 them, "i! Scribes. The learned men of 
 tiie Jewish nation. IT Which love to go 
 VI long clothing. In long flowing robes, 
 as significant of their consequence, lei- 
 sure, and learning. IT Salutations, &c. 
 See Matt, xxiii. 6, 7. 
 
 40. IVliich devour widows^ houses. 
 Which devour the families of widows, 
 or the means of sny^porting their fami- 
 lies. This they did under pretence of 
 counselling them in the knowledge of 
 tue law, and in the management of their 
 estates. They took advantage of their 
 ignorance and unprotected state, and 
 either extorted large sums for their 
 counsel, or perverted the property to 
 ■.heir own use. No wonder that our 
 
 41 And ' Jesus sat over against 
 the treasury, and beheld how the 
 people cast money ' into the trea- 
 sury : and many that were rich cast 
 in much. 
 
 42 And there came a certain 
 poor widow, and she threw in two 
 '" mites, which make a farthing. 
 
 43 And he called unto kirn hia 
 disciples, and saith unto them, Ver- 
 ily I say unto you, that -^ this poor 
 widow hath cast more in than all 
 they which have cast into the trea- 
 sury : 
 
 ' a piece of brass money; see Matt. 10.9 
 ^ 7th part of that piece of brass money 
 /2Cor.8.2,12. 
 
 Saviour denounced them ! If there is 
 any sin of pectihar enormity, it is thus 
 taking advantage of the circumstances 
 of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, 
 and wronging them out of the pittance 
 on which they depend to support their 
 families. And as God is the friend of 
 the widow and the fatherless, it may be 
 expected that such will be visited with 
 heavy condemnation. H For a pretence. 
 For show, or pretending great devotion. 
 
 41. Sat over against. Opposite to, 
 in full sight of it The treasury. This 
 was in the court of the women. See 
 Matt. xxi. 12. In that court there were 
 fixed a number of places or coffers, 
 made with a large open mouth, in the 
 shape of a trumpet, for the purpose of 
 receiving the offerings of the people ; 
 and the money thus contributed was de- 
 voted to the service of the temple — to 
 incense, sacrifices, &.c. 
 
 43. Tv.'o miles. The word translated 
 mite denotes a small coin made of brass, 
 the smallest in use among the Jews. 
 The precise value cannot now be easily 
 estimated. It was much less thaft any 
 coin we have, as ihe farthing was less 
 than an English farthing. It was in 
 value about three m.ills and a half, or 
 one third of a cent. 
 
 43. This poor widow hath cast more 
 ill, &c. That is, niore in proportion to 
 her means, and therefore more that was 
 acceptable to God. He does not mean 
 that this was more in value than all 
 which the others had put in, but it 
 showed more love to the sacred causCj 
 more self-denial, and of cowrse more
 
 A. D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 {W 
 
 44 For all t/iei/ diJ cast in of 
 their abundance ; " but she of her 
 want did cast in all that she had, 
 »ven * all her livincr. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 AND ' as he went out of the 
 temple, one of his disciples 
 zaith unto him, Master, see what 
 aiantier of stones am what build- 
 .ligs are here F 
 
 2 And Jesus, answering, said un- 
 to him, Seest thou these fjreat build- 
 ings I ** there shall not be left one 
 stone upon another, that shall not 
 be thrown down. 
 
 3 And as he sat upon the Mount 
 if Olives, over against the temple. 
 
 ol CIi.On.3,17. 2Ch.24.10. 
 Matt.24.1.&;c. Lu.21.5,&c. 
 
 b De.24.6. 
 d Lu.I9.44. 
 
 sincerity in what she did. This is the 
 rule by which God will reward us. 
 Compare 2 Cor. viii. 12. 
 
 44. Of their abundance. Of their 
 superfluous store. They have given 
 what they did not need. They could 
 afford it as well as not ; and in doing it 
 'hey have shown no self-denial. If She, 
 of her want. Of her poverty. '^ All 
 her living. All that she had to live on. 
 She trusted in God to supply her wants, 
 and devoted her httle property entirely 
 to him. 
 
 From this passage we may learn : 
 1st. That God is pleased with offerings 
 made to him and his cause. 2d. That 
 it is our duty to devote our property to 
 God. We received it from him; and 
 we shall not employ it in a proper man- 
 ner unless we feel that we are stewards, 
 and ask of him what we shall do with 
 it. Jesus approved the conduct of all 
 who had given money to the treasury. 
 .3d. That the highest evidence of love 
 to the cause of religion is not the amount 
 given, but the amount compared with 
 our means. 4th. That it mn;/ 6e proper 
 to give all our propertv to God, and to 
 Icpend on his Provide ace for the supply 
 of our wants. 5th. That God does not 
 despise the humblest offering, if made 
 in sincerity. He loves a cheerful giver. 
 6th. That there are none who may not 
 in this way show their love to the cause 
 of reUgion. There are few, very few 
 scholars in all our sabbath schools, who 
 34 
 
 Peter and James and John and An- 
 drew asked hiin privately, 
 
 4 Tell us, when shall these things 
 be ■? and what shall be the sign when 
 all these things shall be fulfilled'? 
 
 5 And Jesus, answering them, 
 began to say. Take • heed lest any 
 man deceive you : 
 
 G For many shall come ^ in my 
 name, saying, I am Christ; and 
 shall deceive many. 
 
 7 And when ye shall hear of 
 wars and rumours of wars, be ^ ye 
 not troubled : for such things must 
 needs be; but the end shall not 6e 
 yet. 
 
 S For nation shall rise against 
 
 c Je.20.8. Ep 5.0. 2 Th.2.3. Re.20.7,8. /Ac 
 5.3(i-39. 1 Jno.4.1. s Ps.27.3. 4G.],2. Pr.3.25 
 Jn().14.1,27. 
 
 may not give as much to the cause of 
 religion as this poor widow ; and Jesus 
 would be as ready to approve their of- 
 ferings as he was hers, and the time to 
 begin to be benevolent and to do good 
 is in early hfe, in childhood. 7th. That 
 it is every man's duty to make enquiry, 
 not how much he gives, but how much 
 compared with what he has; how much 
 self-denial he practises, and what is the 
 motive with which it is done. 8th. We 
 may remark that few practise self-de- 
 nial for the purposes of charity. Most 
 give of their abundance — that is, what 
 they can spare without feeling it — and 
 many feel that this is the same as throw- 
 ing it away. Among all the thousands 
 who give to these objects, how few deny 
 themselves of one comfort, even the 
 least, that they may advance the king 
 dom of Christ ! 
 
 CHAPTER, Xni. 
 
 The principal things in this chapter 
 are filly explained in the x.xivth chapter 
 of Matthew. 
 
 1. What manner of stones. The 
 stones here referred to were those used 
 in the building of the temple, anci the 
 walls on the sides of Mount Moriah on 
 which the temple stood. The temple 
 was constructed of white marble, and 
 the blocks were of a prodigious size. 
 Josephus says that these stones were 
 some of them fifty feet lon^, twenty 
 four broad, and si.xteen in thickness. 
 
 3. Cn the mount of Oliver, over against
 
 nation, and kinjrdom against king- 
 dom ; and there shall be earthquakes 
 in divers places, and there shall bj 
 famines and troubles: these art the 
 beginnings of sorrows. 
 
 9 But take heed to yourselves : 
 for they ° shall deliver you up to 
 councils; and in the synagogues 
 ye shall be beaten ; and ye shall be 
 Drought before rulers and kitigs for 
 Kiy sake, for a testimony against 
 them. 
 
 10 And * the gospel must first 
 be published among all nations. 
 
 11 But when they shall lead you, 
 and deliver yon up, take no thought 
 beforehand what ye shall speak, 
 neither do ye premeditate; but 
 whatsoever shall be given you in 
 that hour, that speak ye : for it is 
 
 ' The word in the original importeth tha 
 pains of a woman in travail. a Matt. 10.17, 
 &c. Re.2.10. 6Matt.28.19. Re.14.6. 
 
 MARK. [X D. 33. 
 
 not ye that speak, but 'the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 12 Now the brother '' shall be 
 tray the brother to death, and the 
 father the son ; and children shall 
 rise up against their parents, and 
 shall cause them to be put to death. 
 
 13 And ye shall be hated ' of all 
 men for my name's sake: but he/ 
 that shall endure unto the end, the 
 same shall be saved. 
 
 14 But when ye shall see the 
 abomination of desolation, spoken 
 of * by Daniel the prophet, stand- 
 ing where it ought not, (let him 
 that readeth understand.) then let 
 them that be in Judea flee to the 
 mountains : 
 
 io And let him that is on the 
 house-top not go down into the 
 
 c Ac.2.4. 4.8,:?]. 6.10. d Mi.T.fi. e Lu.6.22. 
 Jno.17.11. /Da. 12.12. Re.2.10. £• Da 9 
 27. 
 
 '.he temple. The mount of Olives 
 was directly east of Jerusalem, and 
 from it there was a fine view of the 
 temple. 
 
 9. Take heed to yourselves. Be cau- 
 tious that no man deceive you ; or, take 
 care of your lives, not to run into unne- 
 cessary danger. "T To cotincils. The 
 liigher ecclesiastical courts of the Jews, 
 including the Sanhedrim, or great coun- 
 cil of the nalion. ^ Rulers and kings. 
 Referring to Roman officers. U For a 
 test imomi against them. Rather to bear 
 tcs>iniony to them ; or to be witnesses 
 before them of the truth. This was /or 
 the sake of Jesus, or because they were 
 attached to him ; and God would over- 
 rule it so that at the same time they 
 should bear witness to the rulers of the 
 truth, as was the case with Peter and 
 John, Acts iv.; wiih Stephen, Acts vi. 
 vii. ; and with Paul, Acts xxiii. xxiv. 
 24. 25. 
 
 11. Neither do ye premeditate. Do 
 rot think beforehand, ox prepare an an- 
 swer. You know not what the accu- 
 sations will be ; and God will furnish 
 you with a reply that shall be adapted 
 to the occasion. Ti Not ye iliat sprak, 
 but the Holy Ghost. This is a full pro- 
 Jnise that they should be inspired, and 
 •consequently their defences recorded in 
 
 the Acts of the Apostles, are the words 
 of the Holy Ghost. There could be no 
 more e.'cplicit promise that they should 
 be imder an infallible guidance ; and we 
 are not left to doubt that they were 
 taught of God. At the same time this 
 was a most desirable and gracious aid. 
 They were illiterate, unknown, without 
 power. They were unfit of themselvea 
 to make the important statements of 
 religion which were requisite. But God 
 gave them power, and they spake with 
 a wisdom, fearlessness, pungency, and 
 ability, which no other men have ever 
 manifested — full proof that these illite- 
 rate fishermen were under the influence 
 of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 13. Thebrother shall betray, SoC. The 
 brother shall give up in a treacherous 
 manner his brother to be put to death 
 on account of his attachment to Jesus. 
 Through fear, in the hope of reward 
 and the haired of the gospel, he will 
 overcome all the natural ties of brother- 
 hood, and give up his own kindred to 
 be burnt or crucified. Perhaps nothing 
 could more clearly show the dreadful 
 evil of those times, as vvell as the natu- 
 ral opposition of the heart to the religion 
 of Christ. 
 
 15. On (he house-top. Sec MatU It 
 1—8.
 
 k. 1). 33.;j 
 
 CHAPTER XIll. 
 
 399 
 
 house, neither eHler thoein, to take 
 any thinc^ out ol" his house. 
 
 16 And let him that is in tlie 
 field not turn back again for to take 
 up his ofarnncnt. 
 
 17 But woe to them that are with 
 child, and to them that give suck 
 in those days ! 
 
 18 And pray ye that your flight 
 be not in the wintiir. 
 
 19 For" in those days shall be 
 aflliction, such as was not from the 
 beginning of the creation whicli 
 God created, unto this time, nei- 
 ther shall be. 
 
 20 And except that the Lord 
 had shortened thc^o dffys, no flesh 
 should be saved : but for the elect's 
 sake, whom he hath chosen, he 
 hath shortened the days. 
 
 21 And then if any man shall say 
 to you, Lo, * here is Christ; or, 
 Lo, he is there ; believe him not : 
 
 22 For false Christs and false 
 prophets shall rise, and shall shew 
 signs and wonders, to seduce, if it 
 were possible, even the elect. 
 
 23 But ' take ye heed : behold, 
 I have foretold you all things. 
 
 21 But in those days, after that 
 
 tribulation, '' the sun shall be dark- 
 
 a Da. 12.1. Joel 2.2. i r,ii. 17.23. c 2 Pe.3. 
 
 17. (/ Da.12.1. Zep. 1.15-17. e Is. i:!. 10. 2-1. 
 
 20,23. Jer.4.28. 2 Pe.3.10,12. Re.0.12-14. 20. 
 
 32. Neither the Soit.. This te.xt has 
 iilways presented serious difhcultic.'!. It 
 has been asked, if Jesus had a divine 
 nature, how could he say he kr-cvv not 
 the day and hour of a future event ? In 
 reply, it has been said that the passage 
 was wanting, according to Ambrose, in 
 some Greek manuscripts. But it is now 
 roinid in all, and there can be little doubt 
 :hai the passage is genuine. Others have 
 said that the verb rendered " knowelh," 
 means sometimes to make known, or to 
 reveal, and iliat the passage means, 
 " thu day and hour none makes known, 
 neiiiier the Angels, nor tlie Son, but 
 the Father." It is true, the word has 
 sometimes that meaning, as in 1 Cor. 
 ii. 2; but then it is natural to ask wh';re 
 has the Father made it known ? In 
 what place did he reveal it ? After all. 
 
 ened, and the moon shall not give 
 her light ; 
 
 25 And * the stars of heaven shall 
 fall, and the powers that are i.' 
 heaven shall be siiaken. 
 
 26 And f then shall they see the 
 Son of man coming in the clouds, 
 with great power and glory. 
 
 27 And then shall he send hia 
 angels, and shall gather together his 
 elect from the four winds, from the 
 uttermost part of the earth, to the 
 uttermost part of heaven. 
 
 28 Now learn a parable of the 
 fig-tree ; When her branch is yet 
 tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye 
 know that summer is near: 
 
 29 So ye in like manner, when 
 ye shall see these things come to 
 pass, know that it is nigh, even at 
 the doors. 
 
 30 Verily I say unto you, that 
 this generation shall not pass, till 
 all these things be done. 
 
 31 Heaven and earth shall pasa 
 away : but ^ my words shall not 
 pass away. 
 
 32 But of that day and (ha/ hour 
 knoweth no man, no, not the an- 
 gels which are in heaven, neither 
 the Son, but the Father. 
 
 11. /Da.-.O-H. .Matt. 10.27. 24.30. C.14.G2. 
 Ac.l.U. 1 Tli.4.1(5. 2 Th.1.7,10. Re.1.7. g Is. 
 40.8. 
 
 the passage has no more difficulty than 
 that in Luke ii. 52, where it is said that 
 Jesus increased in wisdom and stature. 
 He had a human nature. He grew aa 
 a man in knowledge. As a luun. his 
 knowledge must be finite, for t'ae facul- 
 ties of the human soul are not infinite. 
 As a man. he often spoke, reasoned, 
 inquired, felt, feared, read, learned, ate. 
 drank, and walked. Wiiy are not all 
 these, which imply that he was a man ; 
 that, as a man, he was not infinite- 
 why are not these as difficult as the 
 want of knowledge respecting the par- 
 ticular time of a future event, especially 
 when that time luust be made known 
 by (Jod, and when he chose that the 
 man, Christ Jesus, should grow and 
 think, and speak as a man ? 
 34. Who left his house. The worg
 
 400 
 
 MARK. 
 
 f A. D. S3 
 
 33 Take " ye heed, watch and 
 pray ; for ye know not when the 
 lime if. 
 
 34 For the Son of man is as a 
 man taking a far journey, who left 
 his house, and gave authority to 
 his servants, and to every man his 
 work, and commanded the porter lo 
 watch. 
 
 35 Watch ye therefore ; for ye 
 know not when the master of the 
 house Cometh, at even, or at mid- 
 night, or at the cock-crowing, or in 
 the morning ; 
 
 36 Lest coming suddenly, he 
 find you sleeping. * 
 
 a Matt.24.42. 25.13. Lu. 12.40. 21.34. Ro. 
 13.11,12. 1 Th.5.6. Re.16.15. 6 Matt. 25.5. 
 
 house often means family. Our Sa- 
 viour here represents himself as going 
 away, leaving his household the Church, 
 assigning to the apostles, and all his ser- 
 vants their duty, and leaving it uncer- 
 tain when he would return. As his 
 return was a matterof vast consequence, 
 and as the affairs of his kingdom were 
 intrusted to them, just as the affairs of 
 a house are to servants, when the mas- 
 ter is absent: so it was of vast import- 
 ance that they should be faithful at their 
 post, defend the house from danger, 
 and be ready for his return. If The 
 porter. The door-keeper. To the jani- 
 tor or door-keeper was intrusted, par- 
 ticularly, the faithful care of the house, 
 whose duty it was to attend faithfully 
 on those who came, and those who left 
 the house. 
 
 35. Watch ye. Be diligent, faithful, 
 and waiting for the return of your Lord 
 who will come at an unexpected hour. 
 IT Master of the house. Denoting here 
 ihe Lord Jesus. ^ At even, (•r at mid- 
 night, or, &c. This refers to the four 
 divisions into which the Jews divided 
 the night. 
 
 36. Find you sleeping. Inattentive 
 to your post, neglecting your duty, and 
 unprepared for iiis coming. 
 
 37. All, Watch. This command was 
 proper, not only for those who were 
 e.xpecting the calamities that were soon 
 to come upon the Jews, but for all wlio 
 are soon to die, and to go to the judg- 
 ment. We know not the thne of our 
 death. We know not how soon wo 
 
 37 And what I say unto you, 1 
 say unto all, Watch. "= 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 AFTER two days was the feast 
 of the passover, and of unleav- 
 ened bread : and the chief priests 
 and the scribes sought how they 
 might take him by craft and put 
 him to death. 
 
 2 But they said. Not on the feast- 
 Jay, lest there be an uproar of the 
 people. 
 
 3 And '' being in Bethany, in the 
 house of Simon the leper, as he sat 
 at meat, there came a woman hav- 
 ing an alabaster-box of ointment 
 
 c ver.33.35. t? Matt.26.C,&c. Lu.7.37. Jno. 
 12.1,&c. 
 
 shall be called to the judgment. The 
 Son of man may come at any moment, 
 and we should, therefore, be ready, if 
 we are his friends, if we have been re 
 newed and pardoned, if we have repent- 
 ed of our sins, and have beheved on 
 him, and are leading a holy hfe — we are 
 ready. If not, we are unprepared, and 
 soon, probably while we are not ex 
 pecting it, the cold hand of death will 
 be laid on us, and we shall be hurried 
 to the place where is weeping, and 
 waiUng, and gnashing of teeth. O how 
 important it is to be ready, and to es- 
 cape the awful sufferings of an eteknai 
 hell! 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 1 — n. See this passage explained in 
 Matt. xxvi. 1— 16. 
 
 I. And of unleavened bread. So 
 called because that at that feast no 
 other bread was used but that which 
 had been made without leaven or yeast. 
 ^1 By craft. By subtilly (Matt.); that 
 is, by some secret plan that would se- 
 cure possession of him without exciting 
 the opposition of the people. 
 
 3. Ointment. This word does not 
 convey quite the proper meaning. This 
 was a perfume : it was used only to give 
 a pleasant odor, and was liquid. 1i Of 
 spihejiard. The nard from which this 
 perfume was made, is a plant of the 
 East Indies, with a small slender stalk, 
 and a heavy, thick root. The best 
 perfume is obtained from the root, 
 though the stalk and fruit are UEcd for
 
 A- D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 401 
 
 of' spikenard, very precious; and 
 slie brake the box, and poured it on 
 his head. 
 
 4 And there were some that had 
 indignation within themselves, and 
 said. Why was this waste of the 
 ointment made 1 
 
 5 For it might have been sold 
 for more than three hundred ^ pence, 
 3nd have been given to the poor. 
 And they murmured against her. 
 
 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone* 
 why trouble ye her? She hath 
 wrought a good work on me. 
 
 7 For " ye have the poor with 
 you always, and whensoever ye 
 will ye may do them good : but me 
 ye have not always. 
 
 8 She hath done what she could : 
 she is come aforehand to anoint my 
 body to the burying. 
 
 9 Verily I say unto you, Where- 
 soever this gospel shall be preached 
 throughout the whole world, this 
 
 • or, pure nard ; nr, liquid nard. 2 See 
 Matt.l8.2S. a De. 15.11. 4 Mall.2G.14,&c. 
 Lu.2i.3,&c. 
 
 that purpose. ^ And she brake the box. 
 This may mean no more than that she 
 broke the seal of the box, so that it 
 could be poured out. Boxes of per- 
 fumes are often sealed, or made fast 
 with wax, to prevent the perfume 
 from escaping. It was not likely that 
 she would break the box itself when it 
 was unnecessary ; and when the un- 
 guent, being liquid, would have lieen 
 wasted, when it was very precious. 
 Nor from a broken box or phial, could 
 she easily have poured it on his head. 
 
 5. Three hundred pence. About §41 
 40 cts. 
 
 8. She hath done what she could She 
 has showed the highest attachn^ent in 
 her power ; and it was, as it is now, a 
 sufficient argument against there being 
 »ny real waste, that it was done for the 
 honor of Christ. 
 
 12—16. See Matt. xxvi. 17—19. 
 
 12. TTiei/ killed the pas.<iover. The 
 paschal lamb, which was slain in keep- 
 ing the passover. If Go and prepare. 
 Go and prepare a lamb, have it roasted, 
 and properly prepared with the usual 
 34* 
 
 also that she hath done shall be 
 spoken of for a memorial of her. 
 
 10 And * Judas Iscariot, one of 
 the twelve, went unto the chief 
 priests, to betra}^ ' him unto them. 
 
 11 And when they heard it, they 
 were glad, and promised to give 
 him '' money. And he sought how 
 he might conveniently betray him. 
 
 12 And the first day of ' unleav- 
 ened bread, when they ^ killed the 
 passover, his disciples said unto 
 him. Where wilt thou that we go 
 and prepare, that thou mayst eat the 
 passover ■? 
 
 13 And he sendeth forth two of 
 his disciples, and saith unto them, 
 Go ^ ye into the city, and there shall 
 meet you a man bearing a pitcher 
 of water: follow him. 
 
 14 And wheresoever he shall go 
 in, say ye to the good man of the 
 house, The Master ^ saith. Where 
 is the guest-chamber, where I shall 
 
 c Jiio.13.2. d 1 Ki.21.20. Pr.I.lO-lG. e Ex. 
 12.8,&c. 3 or, sacrificed, /c] 1.2,3. He.4.13 
 £-Jno.ll.28. 13.13. 
 
 things to eat with it. IT The city. The 
 city of Jerusalem. They were now in 
 Bethany, about two miles from the 
 city. IT A ma?i bearl^s a pitcher of wa- 
 ter. This could have ^cen known only 
 by the infinite knowledge of Christ. 
 Such a thing could not have been con- 
 jectured, nor was there any concert be- 
 tween him and the man, that at that 
 time he should be in a particular place 
 to meet them, for the disciples them- 
 selves proposed the inquiry. If Jesus 
 knew a circumstance like that, then he, 
 in the same way, must have known ali 
 things. Then he sees all the actions of 
 man; hears every word, and marks 
 every thought. Then the righteous are 
 under his care, and the wicked, much 
 as they may wish to be unseen, cannot 
 escape the notice of his eye. 
 
 14. The good man of the house. This 
 signifies simply the master of the house. 
 The original word expresses noihing 
 respecting his character, whether it was 
 good or bad. If The gue.st-chnmber. A 
 chamber for guests or riend9-;--ati un- 
 occupied room.
 
 402 MARK. 
 
 LA. D. 33 
 
 eat ■ tie passover with my disci- 
 ples'! 
 
 15 And lie will shew you a large 
 ■ipper room furnished and prepared: 
 diore make ready for us. 
 
 16 And his disciples went forth, 
 and came into the cily, and found * 
 as he had said unto them : and they 
 jnade ready the passover. 
 
 17 And in the evening he cometh 
 jvith the twelve. 
 
 18 And as they sat and did eat, 
 Jesus said. Verily 1 say unto you. 
 One of you which eateth ' with me 
 shall hetray me. 
 
 19 And they began to be sorrow- 
 ful, and to say unto him one by 
 one. Is nil and another said, Is 
 it II 
 
 20 And he answered and said 
 unto them, It is ont> of the twelve, 
 that dippeth with me in the dish. 
 
 •21 The Son of man indeed go- 
 elh, as it is written of him : but 
 woe to that man by whom the Son 
 of man is betrayed ! good '' were it 
 for that man if he had never^been 
 born. 
 
 22 And ' as they did eat, Jesus 
 took bread, and blessed, and brake 
 u, and gave to them, and said. Take, 
 • eat ; this is m" body. 
 
 23 And he took the cup; and 
 when he had given thanks, he gave 
 it to them : and they all drank of it. 
 
 24 And he said unto them, This 
 F is my blood of the new testament, 
 which is shed for many. 
 
 25 Verily I say unto you, I will 
 drink no more of the fruit of the 
 
 a Re.3.2n. 6Jno.lG.4. c Ps.41.9. 55.13,14. 
 li .Matt. 13.6,7. c IVIatt.26.2(),&c. Lu.2-2.19. 
 1 Cor.ll.23,&c. /Jiio.6.48-53. ^ 1 Cor.lO. 
 10. Jiio.6.53. A Joel 3.18. Am.9.13,14. 
 
 15. A lar^e upper room. The word 
 nsed here denotes the upper room de- 
 voted to purposes of praver, repose, and 
 often of eaiins- ^ce. Note. Matt. ix. 
 1 — S. ^' Furmxhed and prepared. Lite- 
 rally spread and rradi/. Spread with a 
 '"ar])ot, or with couches, such as were 
 B8cd in bating. See Not e, Matt, xxiii. 6. 
 
 vine, until that day that I drink it 
 ''new in the kingdom of God. 
 
 26 And when they had sung an 
 ' hymn, they went out into the 
 Mount of Olives. 
 
 27 And Jesus saith unto them, 
 All ye shall be offended because of 
 me this night: for it is written, ' I 
 will smite the shepherd, and the 
 sheep shall be scattered. 
 
 28 But-* after that I am risen, I 
 will go before you into Galilee. 
 
 29 But * Peter said unto him. Al- 
 though all shall be offended, ytt 
 will not I. 
 
 30 And Jesus saith unto him, 
 Verily I say unto thee. That this 
 day, even in this night, before the 
 cock crow twice, thou shall deny 
 me thrice. 
 
 81 But he spake the more ve- 
 hemently. If I should die with thee, 
 I will not deny thee in any wise. 
 Likewise also said they all. 
 
 32 And ' they came to a place 
 which was named Gethsemane; and 
 he saith to his disciples. Sit ye here, 
 while I shall pray. 
 
 33 And he taketh with him Pe- 
 ter and James and John, and began 
 to be sore amazed, and to be very 
 heavy ; 
 
 34 And saith unto them, My" 
 soul is exceeding sorrowful unto 
 death : tarry ye here, and watch. 
 
 35 And he went forward a little, 
 and fell on the ground, and prayed 
 " that, if it were possible, the hour 
 might pass from him. 
 
 36 And he said, " Abba, Father, 
 
 1 or, psalm, i Zee. 13.7. j c.lfi.7. k Malt 
 
 2fi.33,34. Li).22..33,34. Jiio.I3.37,.38. i Matt. 
 
 2ri.3r.,&c. Lii.22.39,&c. Jno.l8.li.c. « J;io. 
 12.27. n He.5.7. o Uo.a.lo. Ga.4.6. 
 
 17 — 31. See the passage explained in 
 Matt. x.wi. 20—3.''). 
 
 31. Blore vehemently. More earnestly, 
 more confidentlv. 
 
 32 — 42. See Notes on Matt. xxvi. .% 
 —46. 
 
 36. Abln. This word denotes /a^A«7. 
 It is a Syriac word, and is used by our
 
 4.. D 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 403 
 
 all tliingjs are possible unto thee; 
 lake away this cup from me: never- 
 theless " not what I will, but what 
 thou wilt. 
 
 37 And he cometh, and findeth 
 them sleepinjr, and saitli unto Peter, 
 Simon, steepest thou ? couldst not 
 thou watch one hour? 
 
 38 Watch ye, and pray, lest ye 
 enter into temptation: The '' spirit 
 truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 
 
 39 And again he went away, and 
 prayed, and spake the same words. 
 
 40 And when he returned, he 
 found them asleep ajjain, (for their 
 eyes were heavy,) neither wist they 
 what to answer him. 
 
 41 And he cometh the third time, 
 and saith unto them, Sleep on now, 
 and take your rest: it is enouirh, 
 the ' hour is come : behold, the Son 
 of man is betrayed into the hands 
 of sinners. 
 
 42 Rise up, let us go ; lo, he that 
 betrayeth me is at hand. 
 
 43 And '^ immediately, while he 
 yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the 
 twelve, and with him a great multi- 
 tude ' with swords and staves, from 
 
 a Pr.40.8. Jnn.4.34. 5.30. G.38,39. 18.11. Ph. 
 2.8. i Ro.7. 18-25. Ga.5.17. c Jiin.7.:)0. 8.2U. 
 13.1. d .■Vl;iU.20.47. r.ii.22.47,&c. Jiio.18.3, 
 &c. ePs.3.1,2. /Ps.2.2. 
 
 Saviour as a word denoting filial affec- 
 tion and tenderness. See Rom. viii. 15. 
 
 40. Neither toist theij, &c. Neither 
 linevo they. They were so conscious of 
 the impropriety of sleeping at that time, 
 that they could not find any answer to 
 give to the inquiry why they had done it. 
 
 41. Il is enough. There has been 
 much difficulty m dctermuiiug the 
 meaning of this phrase. Campbell 
 traurlaies it, "all is over," i. e., the 
 time when you could have been of ser- 
 vice to me is gone by. They might 
 nave aided him by watching for him 
 when they were sleeping ; but now 
 the time was past, and he was already, 
 as it were, in the hands of his enemies. 
 It is not iin;.>ro!;ahle, however, that af- 
 ter his agjny some time elapsed before 
 Judas came. He had required them to 
 watch, i. c, to keep awake during that 
 
 the chief priests f and the scribes 
 and the elders. 
 
 44 And he that betrayed him 
 had given them a token, saying. 
 Whomsoever I shall kiss, ^ that 
 same is he : take him, and lead him 
 away safely. 
 
 45 And as soon as he was come, 
 he goeth straightway to him, and 
 saith, Master, * master ; and kissed 
 him. 
 
 46 And they laid their hands on 
 him, and took him. 
 
 47 And one of them that stood 
 by drew a sword, and smote a ser- 
 vant of the high priest, and cut off 
 his ear. 
 
 48 And Jesus answered and said 
 unto them. Are ye coiTie out, as 
 against a thief, with swords and 
 with staves to take me? 
 
 49 I was daily with you in the 
 temple, teaching, and ye took me 
 not: but the scriptures ' must be 
 fulfilled. 
 
 50 And ■' they all forsook him 
 and fied. 
 
 51 And there followed him a cer 
 tain young man, having a linen 
 
 /r2Sa.20.0. Ps.55.21. Pr.27.6. A Lu.C.46. 
 i Ps.^2. ls.53. Lu.24.44. j Ps.8S.8. Is.G3.3. 
 VL'r.27. 
 
 season of agony. After that, they 
 might have been suffered to sleep, 
 while Jesus watched alone. As he 
 saw Judas approach, he probably rous- 
 ed them, saying, It is sufficient — as 
 much repose has been taken as is al- 
 lowable — the enemy is near, and the 
 Son of man is about to b« betrayed. 
 
 43 — 32. See Matt. x.wi. 47 — 57. 
 
 45. Master, master. As if expressing 
 great joy thai he had found him again. 
 
 51. A certain young man. Who this 
 was, we have no means of determining. 
 That he was not one of the Apostles la 
 clear. It is probable that he wasof ono 
 of the neighboring villages or houses, 
 and was roused from sleep by the noiso 
 made by the rabble, and came to see 
 what was doing; nor is it known why 
 this circumstance is recorded by Mark, 
 It is omitted by all the other Evange-
 
 104 
 
 cloth cast about his naked body , 
 and the young men laid hold on 
 him : 
 
 52 And he left » the linen cloth, 
 and fled from them naked. 
 
 53 And * they led Jesus away to 
 the hi^h priest : and with him were 
 assembled all the chief priests and 
 ihe elders and the scribes. 
 
 54 And Peter followed him afar 
 oT, even into the palace of the high 
 priest: and he sat with the ser- 
 vants, and warmed himself at the 
 fire. 
 
 55 And the chief priests and all 
 the council sought for witness 
 against Jesus to put him to death ; 
 and found none. 
 
 56 For ' many bare false witness 
 against him, but their witness agreed 
 not together. 
 
 57 And there arose certain, and 
 bare false witness against him, say- 
 ing, 
 
 58 We heard him say, I will '' 
 destroy this temple that is made 
 with hands, and within three days 
 I will build another made without 
 hands. 
 
 59 But neither so did their wit- 
 ness agree together. 
 
 60 And the high priest stood up 
 in the midst, and asked Jesus, 
 saying, Answerest thou nothing ] 
 What is it which these witness 
 against thee ] • 
 
 61 But /he held his peace, and 
 answered nothing. Again the high 
 
 ac.t3.10. J Matt.26.57,&c. Lu.22.54,&c. 
 Jno.l8.13,&c. c Ps.35.11. d c.]5.2a. Jno.2. 
 I'.i. e Matt.2G.62,&c. /Ps.39.9. Is.53.7. 1 Pe. 
 2.23. 
 
 lists. It may have been recorded to 
 show that the conspirators had instruc- 
 tions to take the apostles, as well as 
 Jesus ; and supposing him to be one of 
 .hem, they laid hold of him to take hnn 
 before the high priest. If A linim cloth 
 vast ahout his naked body. He was 
 roused from sleep, and probably threw 
 around him what was most convenient. 
 They slept in hnen bedclothes com- 
 monly, and he seized a part of the 
 
 MARK. [A. D. 33 
 
 priest asked him, and said nnt« 
 him. Art thou the Christ, the Son 
 of the Blessed ? 
 
 62 And Jesus said, I am • and * 
 ye shall see the Son of man sitting 
 on the right hand of power, and 
 coming in the clouds of heaven. 
 
 63 Then the high priest rent * 
 his clothes, and saith. What need 
 we any further witnesses'! 
 
 64 Ye have heard the blasphe- 
 my: what think ye 1 And they 
 all condemned him to he guilty of 
 death. 
 
 65 And some began to spit ' on 
 him, and to cover his face, and to 
 buffet him, and to say unto him. 
 Prophesy : and the servants did 
 strike him with the palms of theii 
 hands. 
 
 66 And J as Peter was beneath 
 in the palace, there cometh one of 
 the maids of the high priest. 
 
 67 And when she saw Petei 
 warming himself, she looked upon 
 him, and said. And thou also wast 
 with Jesus of Nazareth. 
 
 68 But he denied, * saying, 1 
 know not, neither understand 1 
 what thou sayest. And he wen* 
 out into the porch ; and the cock 
 crew. 
 
 69 And a maid saw him again, 
 and began to say to them that stood 
 by. This is one of them. 
 
 70 And he denied it again. Ann 
 a little after, they that stood by said 
 again to Peter, Surely thou art oru. 
 
 g Da.7.]3. Matt.24.".0. 20.04. Lu.22.G9. Re 
 1.7. h Is.37.1. i Is.50.6. c.15.10. j Matt.26. 
 C9,&c. Lu.22.55,&c. Jno.]8.10,&c. fc 2 Ti.2 
 12,13. 
 
 clothes, and hastily threw it round him. 
 IT The young men. The Roman sol 
 diers. They were called young men 
 because they were made up chiefly of 
 youth originally. This was a Jewish 
 mode of speaking. See Gen. xiv. 24. 
 3 Sam. ii. 14. Tsa xiii. 18. '^ Laid 
 hold on him. Supposing him to Oe one 
 of the apostles. 
 
 53—72. See ihis fully explain*^ ve 
 Matt, x-xvi. 57—75.
 
 A. D. 33.J 
 
 of them ; for thou art a Galilean, " 
 and thy speech aj^reeth thereto. 
 
 71 But ho began to curse and to 
 swear, a<tying, I know not this man 
 of whom ye speak. 
 
 72 And the second time tiie cock 
 crew. And Peter called to mind 
 Ihe word that Jesus said unto him, 
 Before the cock crow twice tliou 
 shall deny me thrice. And when 
 ' he thousiht thereon, he wept. '' 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 AND straightway in the morning 
 the chief priests held a con- 
 sultation ' with the eiders and scribes 
 and the whole council, and bound 
 Jesus, and carried hij7i away, and 
 delivered hiin to Pilate. 
 
 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou 
 the King of the Jews ] And he, 
 answering, said unto him. Thou 
 sayest it. 
 
 3 And the chief pritsts accused 
 him of many things : but he an- 
 swered nothing. 
 
 4 And Pilate asked him again, 
 saying, Answerest thou nothing 1 
 behold how many things they wit- 
 ness against thee. 
 
 5 But "* Jesus yet answerod no- 
 thing; so that Pilate marvelltd. 
 
 G Now ' at that feast he released 
 unto them one prisoner, whomso- 
 ever they desired. 
 
 7 And there was one named 
 Barabbas, which lay bound -with 
 them that had made insurrection 
 with him, who had committed mur- 
 der in the insurrection. 
 
 8 And the multitude, crying aloud, 
 
 a Ac. 2. 7. ' or, he wept abundantly : or, he 
 beiran to weep. A2Cor7.1U. c Ps.2.'2. Matt. 
 27.1,&;c. Lii.-23.1,&c- Jno.l8.23,&.c. Ac.3.13. 
 4.2(3. d ls.53.7. Jiio.19.9. e Matt.27.15. J.u. 
 43.17. Jiio. 18.39. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 See ll\''. principal events in tills chap- 
 ter explained in Matt. x.\vii. 
 
 IG. Called Pretorium. The hall of 
 the prcEtor, or Roman governor, when- 
 h(! fat to fidminister justice. ir IFAo/i 
 band. See Note on Matt, xxvii. 27 
 
 17. Wilih purple. Matthewsa 's e/tiT. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 405 
 
 began to desire him to do as he had 
 ever done unto them. 
 
 9 But Pilate answered them, say- 
 ing. Will ye that I release unto you 
 the King of the Jews'? 
 
 10 (For he knew that the chief 
 priests had delivered him for envy J) 
 
 11 But the chief priests moved 
 the people, that he should rather re- 
 lease s Barabbas unto them. 
 
 12 And Pilate answered, and said 
 •again unto them. What will ye then 
 that I shall do unto him whom ye 
 call the King * of the Jews'? 
 
 13 And they cried out again, 
 Crucify him. 
 
 14 Then Pilate said unto them, 
 Why, what evil ' hath he done ' 
 And they cried out the more exceed- 
 ingly. Crucify him. 
 
 15 And so Pilate, willing to con- 
 tent tiie people, released Barabbas 
 unto tiiem, and delivered Jesus, 
 when he had scourged him, to be 
 crucified. 
 
 16 And •* the soldiers led him 
 away into the hall called Pretorium ; 
 and they call together the whole 
 band. 
 
 17 And they clothed him with 
 purple, and platted a crown of 
 thorns, and put it about his head; 
 
 18 And began to salute him, 
 Hail, King of the Jews ! 
 
 I'J And they smote him on the 
 head with a reed, and did spit * up- 
 on him, and, bowing their knees, 
 worshipped hina. 
 
 20 And when they had mocked 
 ' him, they took off the purple from 
 /Pr.27.4. Ec.4.4. Ac.]3.45. Tit.3.3. g- Ac. 
 .3.14 A Ps.2.6. Je.23.5. Ac 5.31. i Is.5.).9. 
 7 Matt.27.27. Jno.18.28,33. 19.9. ftc.14.65. 
 / Job 13.9. Ps.-35.1(3. Matl.20.19. c.10.31. Lu 
 22.63. 2;<.H,36. 
 
 let. See Note on Matt, xxvii. 3*S. 
 ir AboiM liis head. In the form of a 
 garland, or diadem. The whole head 
 was not covered, but it was placed in a 
 circle round ihe temples. 
 
 ]^t. IVorsliipped liim. Mocked him 
 with the appeara7ice of homage. Ths 
 v.'ord worsfiip here denotes only the rn
 
 106 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 33. 
 
 him, am] put his own clothes on 
 hiin. and led him out to crucify him. 
 
 21 And ihcy compel one Simon 
 a Cyreiiian, who passed by, coming 
 out of the country, the father of 
 Alexander and Rufus, to bear his 
 3ros3. 
 
 22 And " they bring him unto the 
 place Golgotha, which is, being in- 
 terpreted. The place of a scull. 
 
 a .\latl.27.33,&c. Lu.23.33,&c. Jiio.l9.17,&;c. 
 
 spcct and honor done to princes and 
 kings. It does not refer to any reli- 
 irious homage. They regarded him as 
 foolishly and madly claiming to be a 
 kintr — not as claiming to be divine. 
 
 23. ^Vine mingled, &c. Matthew 
 says vinegar. It was probably nine 
 soured, so that it might be called either. 
 This was the common drink of the 
 Roman soldiers. If Myrrh. See Notes 
 on Matt, x.xvii. 34. 
 
 25. And il was the third hour, &c. 
 In John .\i.x. 14., if is said " and it w^as 
 the preparation of the Passover, and 
 about the sixth hour," &c. Much dif- 
 ficulty has been felt in reconciling these 
 passages ; and infidels have usually ad- 
 duced them to prove that the Evange- 
 lists have contradicted themselves. — In 
 re'^inciling them the following remarks 
 niHy perhaps make the matter clear. 
 (1.) The Jews divided both the night 
 and the day into four equal parts of three 
 hours each. See Note, Matt. xiv. 25. 
 The first division of the day commenced 
 at SIX o'clock in the morning, and ended 
 at nine ; the second commenced at nine 
 and ended at twelve, &c. 7'he third 
 hour mentioned by Mark would there- 
 fore correspond with our nine o'clock ; 
 the sixth hour mentioned by John, 
 would correspond with our twelve, or 
 noon. (2.) Mark professes to give the 
 time accurately ; John does noi. He 
 says "it was about the sixth hour," 
 without affirming that this was exactly 
 the time. (3.) A mistake in numbers 
 is easily made ; and if it should be ad- 
 mitted that such an error had crept into 
 the text here, it would be nothing more 
 than has occurred in many ancient 
 writings. It has been proved moreover, 
 that it was common not to write the 
 words indicating numbers at length, but 
 lo use letters. The Greeks designated 
 ounibeis by the letters of the alphabet; 
 
 23 And they gave him to drinK 
 wine mingled with myrrh : but he 
 received it not. 
 
 24 And when they had crucified 
 him, they * parted his garments, 
 casting lots upon them, what everj 
 man should take. 
 
 25 And it was the third hour , 
 and they crucified him. 
 
 and this mode of computation is found 
 in ancient manuscripts. For example, 
 the Cambridge 1\IS. of the New Testa- 
 ment has in this very place in Mark 
 not the word third written at length, 
 but the letter y Gamma, the usual no- 
 tation for third. Now it is well knowii 
 that it would be easy to mistake this 
 for the mark denoting six, j. All error 
 of this kind in an early MS. might be 
 extensively prcpagated, and might have 
 led to the present reading of the text. 
 Such an error is actually known to ex- 
 ist in the " Chronicon" of Paschal, 
 where Otho is said to have reigned $ 
 six months ; whereas it is knowm that 
 he reigned but three, and in this place 
 therefore the y, three, was misiaker. 
 for s, six. (4.) There is some external 
 authority for reading "third" in John 
 xix. 14. The Cambridge MS. has thi.s 
 reading. Nonnus, who lived in tho 
 fifth century, says that this was the true 
 reading. i^Wetstein.) Peter of Alex- 
 andria, in a fragment concerning the 
 Passover, as quoted by Usher, says, 
 " It was the preparation of the Pass- 
 over, and about the third hour, as," he 
 adds, " the most accurate copies of the 
 Bible have it ; and this vi-as the hand- 
 writing of the Evangelist (John) which 
 is kept, by the grace of God, in his most 
 holy chm-ch at Ephesus." {Mill.) It 
 is to be admitted, however, that no 
 great reliance is to be placed on this ac- 
 count. That a mistake might have 
 occurred in the early MSS. is not im- 
 probable. No man can prove that il 
 did not so occur, and as long as this 
 cannot be proved, the passages should 
 not be adduced as conclusive proof of 
 contradiction. 
 
 After all, perhaps the whole difficulty 
 may be removed by the following state- 
 ments. (1.) Calvary was without th« 
 walls of Jerusalem. It was a coiP«ider-
 
 A.. D. 33.J 
 
 26 And the superscription of his 
 Bccusaiioii was written over, THE 
 KlNCi OF THE JEWS. 
 
 •27 And with hiiu they crucify 
 two thieves ; the one on his right 
 hand, and the other on his left. 
 
 CHAPTER KV. 
 
 40'J 
 
 thle distance from the place where Je- 
 9115 was tried a"rid condemned. Some 
 ■i:ne — more or less — would be occupied 
 in g'ling tht^re, and in the preparatory 
 measures for crucifying him. (2.) It is 
 not necessary to understand Mark as 
 saying that it was precisely nine o'clock, 
 according to our e.Kjjression. VVitii 
 the Jews, it was six. until seven ; ii 
 was the third hour until the fourth 
 commenced; it was the ninth until it 
 was the tenth. They included in the 
 tfiird hour the whole time from the 
 third to the fourth. The same mode 
 they adopted in regard to their days. 
 See Note, Matt. .\ii. 40. (3.) It is not 
 unduly pressing the matter to suppose 
 that Mark spoke of the time when 
 the process lor crucifi.xion commenced ; 
 i. e., when he was condemned; when 
 they entered upon it ; when they made 
 the preparation. Between that, and 
 the time when he was taken out of 
 Jerusalem to mount Calvary, and when 
 he was actually nailed to the tree, there 
 13 no improbability in supposing that 
 there might have been an interval of 
 more than an hour. Indeed, the pre- 
 sumption is that considerably more time 
 than that would elapse. (4.) John does 
 not profess, as has been remarked, to 
 be strictly accurate. He says '" it was 
 about the si.xth hour," &c. (5.) Now 
 supijose that John meanWo indicate the 
 time when he was actually suspended 
 on the cross ; that he spoke of the cru- 
 cifixion denoting the act of suspension, 
 as it struck him, and there is no diffi- 
 culty. Any other two men — any wit- 
 nesses might give just such an account 
 now. One man would speak ot the 
 time when the process for an execution 
 commenced, anotherperhapsof the very 
 act of the execution, aud would both 
 speak of it in general terms and say that 
 a man was executed at such a time. 
 And the circumstantial variation would 
 prove tliat there was no collusion — no 
 agreerrent to jwpose on a court — that 
 ihey were honest witnesses. That is 
 anved hero. (G.) Tliat this is the true 
 
 28 And the scripture " was ful- 
 filled, which saiih, And he was 
 numbered with the transgressors. 
 
 29 And '' they that passed by 
 railed on tiim, waguiiig their heads, 
 and saying, Ah, thou " that destroy- 
 
 (t Is.5:J.12. 6 Ps.2i.7. c c.l4.5d. Jiio.2.1i). 
 
 account of the matter is clear from the 
 Evangelists themselves ; and especially 
 from Mark. The three hrst Evange- 
 lisis concur in staling that there was a 
 remarkable darkness over the whole 
 land from the sixth to the nijith hour. 
 Matt, xxvii. 45. 3Iark xv. 33. Luko 
 xxiii. 44. This fact would seem to in- 
 dicate that the actual crucifixion con- 
 tirmed only during that lime — that he 
 was in fact suspended al about the sixth 
 hour, though the preparations for cruci- 
 fying him had been going on (Mark) 
 for two hours before. The fact that 
 Mark (xv. 33.) mentions this darkness 
 as commencing at ihe sixthand not at the 
 third hour, is one of the circumstances 
 undesignedly occurring that seems to 
 signify that the crucifixion then had act- 
 uallij taken place — though the various 
 arrangements for it (v. 25.) had been go 
 ing on from the third hour. 
 
 One thing is conclusively proved by 
 this, that the Evangelists did not con- 
 spire together to impose on the world. 
 I'liey are independent vv'itnesses ; and 
 they were honest men. And the cir 
 cumstance adverted to here is one thai 
 is allowed to be of great value in tes 
 limony in courts of justice — circum 
 stanlial variation with essential agree 
 ment. 
 
 2G. The superscription. The writing 
 over his head on the cross. IT The kiitg 
 of the Jews. See Notes on Matt, xxvii. 
 37. 
 
 2S. And the scripture was fulfilled, 
 &i,c. This passage of scripture is found 
 iti Isaiah liii. 12. This does not mean 
 that he teas a transgressor, but siinpl}- 
 that in dying, he had a place ivith trans 
 gressors. Nor does it mean that God 
 regarded him as a sinner; but that, at 
 his death, in popular estimation, or, by 
 the sentence of the judge, he was re- 
 ga-ded as a transgressor, and was treat 
 cd in the same manner as the others 
 put to death for their "ransgressions. 
 Jesus died, the just for the zinjust, and 
 in his death, as well as in his life, hf 
 was hol.y, harmless, undefiled.
 
 4D8 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A.O. 33 
 
 est the temple, and buildest tt in 
 three days, 
 
 30 Save thyself, and come down 
 from the cross. 
 
 31 Likewise also the chief priests, 
 mockiiifr, said among themselves 
 with the scribes, He saved others ; 
 himself he cannot save. 
 
 32 Let Christ the King of Israel 
 descend now from the cross, that 
 we may see, " and believe. And 
 they that were crucified with him 
 reviled him. 
 
 33 And * when the sixth hour 
 was come, there was darkness 
 over the whole land, until the ninth 
 hour. 
 
 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus 
 cried with a loud voice, saying, ' 
 Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani 1 which 
 is, being interpreted, My God, my 
 God, why hast thou forsaken me ] ^ 
 
 35 And some of them that stood 
 by, when they heard it, said. Be- 
 hold, he calleth Elias. 
 
 36 And one ran and filled a 
 
 spunge full of vinegar, and put it 
 
 on a reed, and ' gave him to drink, 
 
 a Ro.3.3. 2 Ti .2.13. 6 Matt.27.45. Lu.23.44. 
 c Ps.22.]. <ZPs.42.9 71.11. La.1.12. e Ps. 
 69.21. 
 
 43. Tlie even. The time after three 
 o'clock in the afternoon. ^ Ttie prepa- 
 ration, &,c. The following day was to 
 be a day of peculiar solemnity, called 
 the great day of the feast. More than 
 ordinary preparation was, therefore, 
 made for that sabbath on the day be- 
 fore. Hence the day was known as a 
 day of preparation. This preparation 
 consisted in food, &c., to be used on 
 .he sabbath. 
 
 43. Joseph, an lionorahle counsellor. 
 A distinguished man who probably held 
 d high office among tlie Jews, as one 
 of their great council or a Jewish sena- 
 tor. The word lionorahle here is not a 
 mere title of office, but is given in refer- 
 ence to his personal character, as being 
 R man of intcgrhy, and blameless life. 
 Il Waited for tlie liingdom of God. Wait- 
 ;d for, or expected, the coming of the 
 Messiah. But this e.xpression means 
 nore than an indefinite expectation that 
 
 saying, Let alone ; let us see wheth- 
 er Elias will come to take him 
 down. 
 
 37 And / Jesus cried with a loud 
 voice, and gave up the ghost. 
 
 38 And the vail of the temple 
 was rent in twain, from the top to 
 the bottom. 
 
 39 And when the centurion^ 
 which stood over against him, saw 
 that he so cried out, and gave up 
 the ghost, he saia, Twiy this man 
 was the Son of God. 
 
 40 There were also women look- 
 ing on afar ^ off; among whom 
 was Mary Magdalene, and Mary 
 the mother of James the less, and 
 of Joses, and Salome; 
 
 41 (Who also, when he was in 
 Galilee, followed him, and minis- 
 tered * unto him;) and many other 
 women which came up with hiiti 
 unto Jerusalem. 
 
 42 And now when the even was 
 come, because it was the Prepara- 
 tion, that is, the day before the sab 
 bath, 
 
 43 Joseph of Arimathea, an hon 
 
 /Matt.27.50. Lu.23.46. Jiio.19.30. g- Pa 
 38.11. h Lu.8.2.3. 
 
 the Messiah would come, for all the 
 Jews expected that. It imphes that he 
 believed Jesus to be the Messiah, and 
 that he had waited for him to build up 
 the kingdom of God ; and this agrees 
 with what Johl^ says (xix. 38), that he 
 was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for 
 fear of the Jews. He had retained \\\a 
 sec -et belief in the hope that Jesus would 
 be proclaimed and treated as the Mes- 
 siah, and then he probably proposed 
 openly to acknowledge his attachment 
 to him. But God called him to a pub- 
 lic profession of attachment in a differ- 
 ent manner, and gave this distinguished 
 man grace to evince it. So men often 
 delay a profession of attachment to 
 Christ. They cherish a secret love; 
 fhey indulge a hope in the mercy of 
 God ; but they conceal it for fear ot 
 man. Whereas God requires that th( 
 attachment should be made known 
 He that is ashamed of me, said ttw
 
 «.. D. 33.J 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 409 
 
 ourable counselioi, which also wait- 
 ed • for the kingdom of God, came, 
 and went in boldly unto Pilate, and 
 craved the body of Jesus. 
 
 -14 And Pilate marvelled if he 
 were already dead : and calling un- 
 to kim the centurion, he asked him 
 vehether he had been any while 
 ■lead. 
 
 45 And when he knew it of the 
 
 a Lu.0.25,38. 
 
 Saviour, and of my words before it en, 
 of him shall the Son of man be ashamed 
 when he shall come in the glory of his 
 Father and of the holy angels. Those 
 who love the Saviour have no right to 
 hide their li^ht under a bushel. As 
 soon as they have evidence, satisfactory 
 to their own mind, that they are Chris- 
 tians, or have a prevalent belief, after 
 faithful examination, that they truly 
 love God, and depend on the Lord Je- 
 sus for salvation, so soon are they bound 
 to profess Christ before men. This is 
 the command of God, and this is the 
 way of peace. None have the prospect 
 of comfort in religion, who do not have 
 respect to all of the commandments of 
 God. ^r Went in holdly unto Pilate. 
 God had raised up this distinguished 
 counsellor and secret disciple for a spe- 
 cial and most important vocation. The 
 disciples of Jesus had fled, and if they 
 had not, they had no influence with 
 Pilate. Unless there had been a spe- 
 cial application to Pilate in behalf of 
 Jesus, hiE body would have been buried 
 that night in the comraoh grave with 
 the malefactors : for it was a law of the 
 Jews that the body of an executed man 
 should not remain on the cross on the 
 sabbath. At this critical juncture, God 
 called forward this secret disciple — this 
 friend of Jesus, though imknown as 
 such to the world, and gap/e him confi- 
 dence ; he dared to express sympathy 
 'or the Saviour ; he went in boldly, and 
 begged the body of Jesus. It needed 
 no small measure of courage to do this. 
 Jesus had just benncondeirined, mock- 
 ad, spit on, crucified — the death of a 
 slave, or the most guilty wretch. To 
 «vow attachment for him tiow was proof 
 3,''-jiEcereairection ; and the Holy Spirit 
 ko5^ thought this worthy of special 
 S5 
 
 centurion, he gave the body to Jo- 
 seph. 
 
 46 And he bought fine linen, and 
 took him down, and wrapped him 
 in the linen, and laid him in a se- 
 pulchre which was hewn out of a 
 rock, and rolled a * stone unto llie 
 door of the sepulchre. 
 
 47 And Mary Magdalene and 
 Mary the mother of Joses beheld 
 where he was laid. 
 
 6C.1G.3.4. 
 
 notice ; and has set down tliis bold ai 
 tachment of a senator for Jesus, for our 
 imitation. '^ Craved the body. Begged, 
 or asked. 
 
 44. A nd Pilate marvelled if. Won- 
 dered if he was dead ; or wondered 
 that he was so soon dead. It was not 
 common for persons crucified to expire 
 under two or three days, sometimes not 
 until the sLsth or seventh. Joseph had 
 asked for the body, implying that he 
 was dead. That he was, had been as- 
 certai-ned by the soldiers. See John 
 -xix. 33. 
 
 4j. When he knew it of the centurion. 
 Being informed by the centurion of the 
 fact tliat he was dead. The centurion 
 had charge of the soldiers who watched 
 him, and could, therefore, give correct 
 information. 
 
 47. Beheld where he was laid. The 
 affection of these pious females never 
 forsook them, in all the trials and suf- 
 ferings of tiieir Lord. With true love 
 they followed him to the cross ; they 
 came as near to him as they were per- 
 mitted to come, in his last moments ; 
 they followed him when taken down 
 and laid in the tomb. The slrong, the 
 mighty, the youthful, had fled ; but fe- 
 male love never forsook him, even in 
 his deepest humiliation. This is the 
 nature of true love. It is strongest ir 
 such scenes. While professed attach 
 ment will abound in prosperity, and live 
 most in sunshine, it is only genuine love 
 that will go into the dark shades of ad- 
 versity, and flourish there. In scene? 
 of poverty, want, aflliction, and death; 
 it shows its genuineness. That which 
 lives there, is genuine. That which 
 turns away from such scene« <a spuri 
 ous.
 
 ^0 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 3* 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 iSlJ •* when the sabbath was 
 past, Mary Magdalene, and 
 Mary the mother of James, and Sa- 
 ome, had bought sweet spices,* that 
 they might come and anoint him. 
 
 2 And very early in the morning-, 
 the first day of the week, they came 
 unto the sepulchre at the rising of 
 the sun. 
 
 3 And they said among them.- 
 selves, Who shall r.)ll us away the 
 stone from the door of the sepulchre 1 
 
 4 (And when they looked, they 
 saw that the stone was rolled away,) 
 for it was very great. 
 
 5 And entering into the sepul- 
 chre, they saw a young man sitting 
 on the right side, clothed in a long 
 white garment; and they were af- 
 frighted. 
 
 6 And he saith unto them, Be 
 
 o Matt.28 l,&c. Lu.Q4.1,&:c. Jno.SO.l.&c. 
 b Lu 23.56. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1 — 8. See this passage explained in 
 Malt, xxviii. 1 — 8. 
 
 1. Svifet spices. Aromatics. Sub- 
 stances used in embalming. The idea 
 of sweetness is not, however, implied 
 in the original. Many of the substan- 
 ces used for embalming were bitter ; 
 as, e. g. myrrh, and none of them per- 
 haps could properly be called sweet. 
 The word spices expresses all that there 
 13 in the original, if Anoint him. Em- 
 balm him. Or apply these spices to 
 his body to keep it from putrefaction. 
 This is proof that they did not suppose 
 he would rise again. And the fact that 
 they did not expect he would rise, gives 
 more strength to the evidence for his 
 resurrection. 
 
 4. It was very ^reat. These words 
 belwng to the third verse : " Who shall 
 ifoll us away the stone from the door of 
 the sepulchre ?" for, the evangelist 
 adds, it was very great. 
 
 5. Sitting on the ri"ht side. As they 
 ntered. The sepulchre was large 
 
 enough to admit persons to go into it ; 
 not unlike, in that respect, our vaults. 
 
 7. And Peter. It is remarkable that 
 Peter is singled out tor special notice. 
 It was proofof the kindness and mercy 
 
 not aft'righted : Ye seek Jesus ol 
 Nazareth, which was crucified : ht 
 is risen ; ' he is not here : behold 
 the place where they laid him. 
 
 7 But go your way, tell his dis 
 ciples and Peter that he goeth be- 
 fore you into Galilee there shall 
 ye see him, as he said unto you. 
 
 8 And they went out quickly 
 and fled from the sepulchre ; foi 
 they trembled and were amazed : 
 neither said they any thing to any 
 man ,• for they were afraid. 
 
 9 Now when Jesios was risen 
 early the first day of the week, he 
 appeared first to Mary Magdalena 
 out of whom he had cast seven 
 devils. 
 
 10 Jlnd she went and told them 
 that had been with him, as they 
 mourned and wept. 
 
 11 And they, when they had 
 
 e Ps.71.20. 
 
 of the Lord Jesus. Peter, just before 
 the death of Jesus, had denied him. 
 He had brought dishonor on his profes- 
 sion of attachment to him. He hao 
 been brought to see the crime, and to 
 weep bitterly. It would have been right 
 if the Lord Jesus had from that momen . 
 cast him off, and noticed him no more. 
 But he loved him still. Having loved 
 him once, he loved unto the end. John 
 xiii. 1. As a proof that he forgave him, 
 and still loved him, he sent him this 
 special message — the assurance that 
 though he had denied him, and had 
 done much to aggravate his sufferings, 
 yet he had risen, and was still his Lord 
 and Redeemer. We are not to infer, 
 because the angel said, "tell his disci- 
 ples and Peter," that Peter was not 
 still a disciple. The meaning is, " tell 
 his disciples, and especially Peter:' 
 sending to him a particular message. 
 Peter was still a disciple. Before \v.i 
 fall, Jesus had prayed for him that hi» 
 faith should not fail (Luke xxii. 32) ; and 
 as the prayer of Je^us was always heani 
 (John xi. 42), so it follows that Pete? 
 still retained faith sufficient to be a dis- 
 ciple, though, like other disciples, bf 
 was suffered to fall into sin. 
 
 11. Believed not. '^\i\B ^ proof thr. 
 
 i
 
 A.D. <?3.J 
 
 ueard that re '^^s alive, and 
 been seen of lior celieved not. 
 
 12 After in-at he appeared in an- 
 other form unto " two of them, as 
 they walked, and went into the 
 country. 
 
 13 And they went and told it 
 unto the residue; neither believed 
 they them. 
 
 14 Afterward * he appeared unto 
 
 the eleven as they sat' at meat, and 
 
 o L'i.24.i:i. 6 Lu.24.36. 1 Cor.15.5. J or, 
 togelhcr. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 had 
 
 411 
 
 tliey did not expecl his resurrection ; 
 •jroof thai ihey were not easily de- 
 ceived ; and that nothing but the clear- 
 cat evidence could undeceive them. 
 
 12. He appeared m another form. In 
 a form unlike his ordinary appearance, 
 so much so that they did not at first 
 know him. See Notes on Luke xxiv. 
 13 — 31. IT As Ihc'i walked and went i7ilo 
 the country. To Emniaus. Luke .\xiv. 
 13. 
 
 13. The residue. The remainder. 
 Tliose who remained at Jerusalem. 
 
 14. See Notes on IVIatl. II As they 
 sat at meal. The word meat here means 
 food, or meals. As they were reclining 
 at their meals. H And upbraided them. 
 &c. Rebuked them, or reproached 
 Ihem. This was done because, after 
 all the evidence they had had of his re- 
 Bunection, still they did not believe. 
 This is a most important circumstance 
 in the history of our Lord's resurrec- 
 tion. Never were men more difficult 
 to be convinced of any thing, than they 
 were of that fact. And this shows, 
 conclusively, that they had not con- 
 spired to impose on the world ; that 
 they had given up all for lost when he 
 died ; that they did not expect his resur- 
 rection; and all this is the strongest 
 proof that he truly rose. They were 
 not convinced, until it was impossible 
 for them longer to deny it. Had they 
 e.xpected it, they would have caught 
 easily at the shghtest evidence, and 
 even turned every circumstance in fa- 
 var of such an event. It may be add- 
 ed, that it was impossible that eleven 
 men of good natural understanding 
 eiiould have been deceived in so plain 
 a case. They had been with Jesus 
 tliree years ; they perfectly knew his 
 (eaturcs, voice, manner. And it was 
 
 upbraided them with their unbelief 
 ' and hardness of heart, because 
 they beli(!ved not them whicii riad 
 seen him after he %vas risen. 
 
 15 And he said unto them, Go'' 
 ye into all the world, and preach 
 the gospel to every creature. ' 
 
 16 He i that believetli, and ia 
 
 baptized, shall he saved ; but * h« 
 
 that believeth not, shall be damned- 
 
 eLu.24.2.5. d Matt .28.19. Jiio.20.21. e Ro. 
 10.18. Col. 1.23. /Jiio.3.18,.m Ac. 16.31--J3. 
 llo.lO.O. 1 Pe.3.21. g Jiio.12.48. 2 Th.2.1i. 
 
 impossible that they should have been 
 deceived iiy any one who might have 
 pretended to have been the Lord Jesus 
 
 1;'). Into all the world. To the Gen- 
 tiles as well as the Jews. This was 
 contrary to the opinions of the Jews, 
 that the Gentiles should be admitted to 
 the privileges of the .Messiah's king- 
 dom, or that the partition wall between 
 them should be broken down. See 
 Acts x.xii. 21, 22. It was long before 
 the disciples coidd be trained to the be- 
 lief that the go.spel was to be preached 
 to all men ; and it was only by special 
 revelation, even after this command, 
 that Peter preached to the Gentile cen 
 turion. Acts x. Jesus has graciously 
 ordered that the preaching of the gospel 
 shall be stopped by no barriers. Wher- 
 ever there is man, there it is to be pro- 
 claimed. To every sinner he offers life ; 
 and all the world is mcluded in the mes- 
 sage of mercy, and every child of Adam 
 offered eternal salvation. ^ Preach. 
 Proclaim ; make known ; offer. To do 
 tlii.? to every creature, is to offer pardon 
 and eternal life to him on the terms of 
 the plan of mercy — througli repentance 
 and faith in the Lord Jesus. It The 
 gospel. The good news. The tidings 
 of salvation. The assurance that the 
 iWessiah is come, and that sin may be 
 forgiven, and the soul saved. IT To 
 every creature. To the whole creation. 
 That is, to every human being. Man 
 has no right to limit this offer to any 
 class of men. God commands his ser- 
 vants to offer the salvation to all men 
 U they reject it, it is at their peril. God 
 is not to blame if they do not choose to 
 be saved. His mercy is manifest ; his 
 grace is boundless in offering life to a 
 creature so guilty as man. 
 
 16. Ifc 'Mt believeth. That ia, be
 
 412 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 IT And tlicse signs sball follo-w 
 «hem that believe : In « my name 
 aLu.10.17. Ac.5.16. 8.T. 16.18. 19.12. 
 
 lieveth the gospel. Credits it to be true, 
 and acts as if it v:cre true. This is the 
 whole of faith. Man is a sinner. He 
 should act on the belief of this truth, 
 and repent. There is a God. Man 
 should believe it, and fear and love him, 
 and seek his favor. The Lord Jesus 
 died to save him. To have faith in him, 
 is to believe tliat this is true, and to act 
 accordingly ; i. e., to trust him, to rely 
 on him, to love him, to feel that we 
 have no merit, and to cast our all upon 
 him. There is a heaven and a hell. 
 To believe this, is to credit the account, 
 and act as if it were true : to seek the 
 one, and avoid the other. We are to 
 die. To believe this, is to act as if this 
 were so : to be in readiness for it, and 
 to expect it daily and hourlj'. In one 
 word, faith is feeling and acting as if 
 there were a God, a Saviour, a heaven, 
 a hell ; as if we were sinners, and must 
 die ; as if we de-erved eternal death, 
 and were in danger of it; and in view 
 of all casting our C'-nal interests on 
 the mercy of God in Clirist Jesus. To 
 do this, is to be' a Christian ; not to do 
 it, is to be an infidel. ^ Is baptized. 
 Is initiated into the church by the appli- 
 cation of water, as significant that he is 
 a sinner, and needs the purifying influ- 
 ences of the Holy Ghost. It is worthy 
 of remark that Jesus has made baptism 
 of so mach importance. He did not 
 say, indeed, that a man coxdd not be 
 saved without baptism, but he has 
 strongly implied that where this is ne- 
 glected, knoiving it to be a command of 
 the Saviour, it endangers the salvation 
 of the soul. Faith ^wd baptism are the 
 beginnings of a Christian life : the one 
 the beginning of piety in the soul, the 
 other of its manifestation before men, or 
 of a profession of religion. And ever}' 
 man endangers his eternal interest by 
 being ashamed of Christ before men. 
 See Mark viii. ,38. ^ Shall be saved. 
 Saved from sin (Matt. i. 21), and from 
 eternal death (John v. 24 ; iii. 35), and 
 raised to eternal life in heaven. John 
 v. 28 ; xvii. 2, 24 ^f Shall he damned. 
 That is, condemned by God. and cast 
 off from nis presence 2 Thes i. 6 — 9 
 It implies that they wil! be adjudged to I 
 be guilty by God in the day of judg i 
 ment fRoai ii- ]2. 1(3 Matt, xxv 41) 
 
 shall they east out devils ; they shall 
 speak ' with new tongues; 
 
 & Ac.2.4. 10.4G. 1 Cor.10.12.28. 
 
 that they will deserve to die for ever 
 (Rom. ii. 6, 8) ; and that they will be 
 east out into a place of woe to all eter- 
 nity. Matt. XXV. 4G. It may be asked 
 how it can he just in God to condemn 
 men for ever for not believing the gos- 
 pel. I answer : 1st. God has a right to 
 appoint his own terms of mercy. 2d. 
 Man has no claim on him for heaven. 
 3d. The sinner rejects the terms of sal- 
 vation knowingly, deliberately, and per- 
 severingly. 4th. He has a special dis- 
 regard and contempt for the gospel. 
 5th. His unbelief is produced by the 
 love of sin. 6th. He shows by this that 
 he has no love for God, and his law, 
 and for eternity. 7th. He slights the 
 objects dearest to God, and most like 
 him ; and, 8th. He m.ust be miserable. 
 A creature who has no confidence in 
 God, who does not believe that he is 
 tnte or worthy of his regard, and'who 
 never seeks his favor, must be wretched. 
 He rejects God, and he must go into 
 eterziity without a Father and \vithout a 
 God. And he has no source of comfort 
 in himself, and must die for ever. There 
 is no being in eternity but God that can 
 make man happy ; and without his fa 
 vor, the sinner must be wretched. 
 
 17. And these signs. These mira 
 cles. These evidences that they are sent 
 from God. ^ Them that believe. The 
 apostles and those in the primitive age 
 who were endov^'ed with like power. 
 The promise is fulfilled if it can be 
 shown that these signs followed in the 
 case of any who believed, and it is not 
 necessary to suppose that they would 
 follow in the case of all. The meaning 
 is, that they should be the result of 
 faith, or of the belief of the gospel. It 
 is true that they were. Tliey were 
 shown in the case of the apostles and 
 early Christians. The infidel cannot 
 say that the promise has not been ful- 
 filled, unless he can show that, it never 
 occurred ; the Christian should be sat- 
 isfied that the promise was fulfilled 
 if these miracles were ever actually 
 wrought, though they do not occar 
 now ; and the believer now should not 
 expect a miracle in his case. Miracles 
 were necessary for the establishmnn" 
 of religion in the world , they are not 
 necessai'y now 11 In my Tiame. By
 
 \.D. 33.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 4U 
 
 18 They shal. take up "serpents; 
 4nd if they drink any deadly thingf, 
 it shall not hurt iheni; they * shall 
 Say hands on the sick, and they 
 shall recover. 
 
 aLu.lO.ia. Ac.28.5. i Ac.5.15,t6. 28.8. 
 Ja.i>..4,15. 
 
 my authority, and using the power thot 
 / would in such cases, if bodily present. 
 This was done : and in this they difi'ered 
 essentially from the manner in which 
 Jesus himself wrought miracles. He 
 did it in his ovm name. He did it as 
 possess' ng original, underived authority. 
 See the account of his stilling the sea 
 (Matt. viii. 26, &c.); of his healing the 
 sicii (Matt. L\. 5, 6) ; of his raising Laza- 
 rus. John xi. The prophets spoke in 
 the name of the Lord. The apostles did 
 ikewise. Acts iii. 6, &c. There was, 
 therefore, an important difTerence be- 
 tween Jesus and all the other messen- 
 gers that God has sent into the world. 
 He acted in his own name ; they in the 
 name of another. He wielded his oxun 
 power; they were the instruments by 
 v.'hich God put forth the omnipotence 
 of his arm to save. He was, therefore, 
 God; they were men. of like passions 
 as other men. Acis xiv. 15. "IT Shall 
 they cast out devils. See Note on Matt, 
 iv. 24. Compare Acts xvi. 16 — 18. 
 ^ Shall speak with new tongues. Shall 
 speak other languages than their native 
 language. This was remarkably ful- 
 filled on the day of Pentecost. Acts ii. 
 4 — 11. It existed also in other places. 
 See 1 Cor. xii. 10. 
 
 18. TVteij shall take up serpents. 
 When it is necessary for the sake of 
 fistabhshing religion, they shall handle 
 Joisonous reptiles without injury : — thus 
 flowing that God was with them, to 
 keep them from harm. This was lite- 
 rally fulfilled when Paul shook the viper 
 from his hand. See Acts xxviii. 5, 6. 
 T Any deadly thing. Any poison usual- 
 ly causing death. ^ Shall not hurt them. 
 There is a similar promise in Isa. xliii. 
 2. H They shall lay hands on the sick, 
 &c. See instances of this, in the Acts 
 of the Apostles, ch. iii. 6, 7 ; v. 15, &c. 
 
 id. He was received up into heaven. 
 In a cloud from the mount of Olives, 
 see Acts i. 9 'il The rigid hand of God 
 We are no' 'o suppose (hat God has 
 hands, or that Jesus sits in any particu- 
 «i direction from God. This phrase is 
 33* 
 
 19 So then ' after the Lord had 
 spoken unto them, he was received 
 up into heaven, and sat "* on the 
 right hand of God. 
 
 20 And they went forth, and 
 
 c Ac.l.'J,3 Lu.24.51. dPs.llO.l 1 Pe.3. 
 22. Re.3.21. 
 
 taken from the manner of spealdng 
 among men, and means that he wai 
 e.xalted to honor and power in the hea- 
 vens. It was esteemed the place of the 
 highest honor to be seated at the right 
 hand of .a prince. So, to be seated at 
 the right hand of God, means only that 
 Jesus is exalted to the highest honor of 
 the universe. Compare Eph. i. 20 — 22. 
 
 20. They went forth. The apostles. 
 ^ Every where. In all parts of the world. 
 See the account in the Acts and the 
 Epistles. If The Lord working with them 
 By miracles; by removing obstacles; 
 by supporting them, and by giving the 
 gospel success, and making it effectual 
 to saving men. f Confirming the icord. 
 Showing it to be the word of God, or a 
 revelation from heaven. H By signs 
 following. By attending miracles. By 
 raising the dead, healing the sick, &c., 
 as signs that God was with them, and 
 had sent them forth to preach. If Amen. 
 Truly, verily. So be it. This word 
 here is of no authority. There is no 
 reason to think that it was added by 
 Mark. 
 
 Mark is more concise than any other 
 of the evangehsts. In most instances 
 he coincides with Matthew, though he 
 has added some circumstances which 
 Matthew had omitted. There is no 
 evidencefiiowever, that he copied from 
 Matthew', The last chapter in Mark 
 contains some things omitted in Mat- 
 thew, and some things of fearful import. 
 We learn from it that the gospel is to 
 be preached to all mankind. Every 
 man is to be offered eternal Kfe ; and 
 he rejects it at his peril. The condition 
 of the man who will not believe, is fear 
 lully awful. The Son of God has so- 
 lemnly declared that he shall be damn- 
 ed. He will judge the world ; and there 
 is none that can deliver out of his hand. 
 No excuse will be allowed for n«t be- 
 lieving. Unless a man has faith, he 
 must be lost foi- ever. This is the so- 
 lemn assurance oi the whole Bible, and' 
 in view ot this awiul declaration of the 
 merciful Rcdesmer, how sad is the co'n
 
 414 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [A. D. 33 
 
 preached every where, the " Lord j ing the word with signs following, 
 working with them, and confirm- j Amen. 
 a Ac.5.12. 14.3. He.2.4. j 
 
 dition of him who has no confidence in that without delay he should make his 
 Jesus, and who has never looked to him peace with God, and possess that faith 
 for otenip.1 life I And how important | which is connected with eternal Ufn' 
 
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