Imatges de pàgina
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cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in 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. 25 At that time Jesus answered and

[and heavy-laden.

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.

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour 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 lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (X)

EXPOSITION.

cately clothed? Such they might look for in the palace of Herod, But what was John? He was a prophet, and more than a prophet; for the prophets bare witness to Jesus only at a distance; he pointed to him in person" Behold the Lamb of God." (John i. 36.) Yet, nevertheless, "He that is least in the kingdom of heaven;" that is, the humblest of Christ's servants, or apostles, is declared greater than the Baptist, as being the minister of a superior dispensation, and more eulightened in the mysteries of divine truth.

Our Lord then declares unequivocally, that John was the prophet predicted by Malachi (ch. iv. 2.), in the name of Elias (or Elijah) as coming" in the spirit aud power" of that prophet. And certain it is, that the energy of his preaching had given such an impetus to his hearers, that they rushed, for a time, to his baptism, as if they were determined to take the kingdom

of heaven by storm. At the same time he reproves the Jews for their fickle and inconsistent conduct; and compares them to children playing in the market-place; and continually complaining of one another: for John came "neither eating nor drinking;" that is, leading a most solitary and abstemious life, and they said he had a demon. Jesus, on the contrary, came "eating and drinking;" that is, mixing in every class of society, that he might benefit all; and they said, behold "a glutton and a wine-bibber! a friend of publicans and sinners!" But "wisdom is justified of her children;" that is, those who are divinely instructed, will see, or at least admit, the propriety of all God's dispensations :"He hath done all things well."

(X) Ver. 20-30. Jesus upbraids the Galileans for their inattention to his ministry; offers thanksgiving to God his heavenly Fa

NOTES.

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Ver. 25. Jesus answering. This expression, in Scripture, does not always imply a previous question. Doddr. in this place renders it, "Took occasion to say," &.c.

Ibid. I thank thee-Campbell, "I adore thee;" .e. Every thing in which I discover thy will, I receive, not with acquiescence only, but with veneration," Thou hast hid-Camp. "That having

hidden." From the wise and prudent-Camp. "From sages and the learned."-- Unto babesDoddr. "Infants," i. e. in knowledge.

Ver. 27. All things are delivered unto me-that is, all things relative to Christ's mediatorial kingdom, which, at its completion, shall be delivered back unto the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 25-28. Among the all things here mentioned, must particularly be included, the revelation of the Father's will to man, which to the Son only is fully and confidentially intrusted.

Ibid. No man knoweth-Doddr. Fully knoweth." Dr. J. P. Smith says, "The word used by Matthew, signifies such knowledge as is peculiarly intimate and accurate, full and perfect." Messiah, vol. ii. p. 58, 59.

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S. MATTHEW.

T that time Jesus went on the sab bath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to

eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples 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 shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

[corn on the sabbath.

5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue :

10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 And he said unto them, What

EXPOSITION-Chap. XI. Continued.

ther, and encourages his own disciples.Our Lord, reminding the inhabitants of those cities of Galilee, in which most of his miracles had been wrought, of their folly and ingratitude, in not attending to his ministry, and receiving his word, warns them of the awful consequences of their neglect, as aggravating their guilt beyond that of the ancient cities here named, which had, for their flagitious crimes, been totally destroyed.

Our Lord then addresses his heavenly Father in a strain of the most fervent devotion; particularly thanking him for his gracious condesceusion, in revealing the mysteries of his gospel to the most simple of mankind; while, at the same time, they were concealed from "the wise and prudent;" that is, the scribes and lawyers among the Jews, and the philosophers among the Gentiles. These, being misguided by the pride of their own hearts, misled their disciples; and, in proportion to their influence, the common people.

To these burdened and misguided people, the last verses of the chapter appear to us particularly addressed. The Jews were burdened, not only with a heavy law of rites and ceremonies, but still more grievously with traditious of the elders,

which the scribes and lawyers bound upon their shoulders, though they themselves refused to "move them with one of their fingers." (Matt. xxiii. 4.)

The Gentiles were no less oppressed by their priests and philosophers, with idolatrous and superstitious ceremonies, with vain and idle theories respecting" the chief good" of man; respecting which, their notions were wonderfully numerous and contradictory.

Characters of the like description may be found in all ages, and among all nations and classes of mankind. All labour in the search after happiness; but they labour in vain, not seeking it in the right direction.

They vainly seek in the creature-in weak and sinful creatures-what only can be found in the Creator, in the Redeemer of mankind. He is the fountain from whom alone flow all the streams of wisdom and blessedness. His service is perfect freedom; the yoke of his religion alone confers peace and happiness.

NOTES.

CHAP. XII. Ver. 1. At that time. - See Luke, chap. vi. 1.Plucked the ears of corn-suflicient for their present necessity: dried corn was commonly eaten among the Jews.

Ver. 4. In the house of God- that is, the tabernacle.

Ver.5. On the sabbath-day, profane the subbath

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The withered hand]

CHAP. XII.

man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

CHAP. XII.

[cured on the sabbath.

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,

18 Behold my 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 in the streets.

20 A bruised reed shall he not break; and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Y)

EXPOSITION.

(Y) Ver. 1-21. Jesus and his disciples being charged with breaking the sabbath, he justifies both himself and them.-This chapter affords an instance of the strictness and malevolence with which the Pharisees watched Jesus and his disciples; even passing in their way from place to place, they were not exempt from the watchful eyes of these insidious enemies. It is probable, that the corn here referred to was barley, which, in that country, was generally ripe at, or before, the Passover, a sheaf of new barley being always offered on the close of this festival.

At this time, walking through the ripe but unreaped fields, the disciples, being hungry, plucked some of the ears, and rubbing them in their hands, ate the grain. Seeing the disciples do this, the Pharisees ran directly to their master, Jesus, and informed against them as sabbath-breakers; but he, knowing their hypocrisy, reproved them, and justified his disciples, upon the principle of necessity, as in the instance of David, who, in case of urgent hunger, ate the shew-bread: and as to the pretence of its being a breach of the sabbath to pluck and bruise the ears of corn, he reminds them, that the priests themselves far more profaned the sabbath every week, by the services which they performed in the temple; but which were justified by the circumstance, that they were thus engaged in the service of the

temple; so his disciples, being an hungred, were no less justified in plucking the ears of corn upon the sabbath, especially as they were employed in the service of "one greater than the temple."

Soon after this, they formed a similar charge against Jesus himself. A man with a withered hand applying to him for relief, they presume to ask him, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?" that they might ensnare him; but he answered that question by another. Supposing either of them to have a sheep fallen into a pit on that day, whether they would not release it? Not being able to return an answer that would not condemn themselves, they remained silent, and Jesus performed the cure; while they, alike aggravated and embarrassed, went out, and held a council against him, to destroy him.

The most important inquiry now before us, relates to the doctrine of the sabbath, on which our Lord lays it down as a first principle, that "it is lawful to do good upon the sabbath day;" which has been well explained by our old divines to mean, that works of mercy and necessity are at all times lawful. The first instance in illustration of this doctrine we have already given in the case of the disciples, who, on the sabbath, plucked and ate the ears of corn. On this we may remark, 1. That this was not done wantonly, but in a case of hunger, and for a supply of their daily bread. 2. The disciples took their food in

NOTES.

Ver. 14. Held a council-Marg. "Took counsel." Ver. 18. Behold my servant. See Isa. xlii. 1, 2. Judgment to the Gentiles-that is, the Gospel; "the great law (orale) of religion, righteousness, and truth." Dodár.

Ver. 20. Sming flax-" or lamp-wick."-Till he send forth Pidgment unto victory. Isaiah says, "unto truth;" that is, " till he make the cause of righteousness and truth completely victorious.' Doddr.

The blind and]

S. MATTHEW.

22 ¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

24 But when the Pharisees heard

[dumb healed. 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 city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he

EXPOSITION-Chap. XII. Continued.

the simplest manner, and without any costly preparation. This, therefore, will not sauction the luxurious meals in which many professors indulge on that sacred day, whereby they not only neglect its sacred duties themselves; but, in many cases, wholly prevent their servants from attending public worship; and even from reading the word of God at home.

The second instance is a case of mercy; Jesus healed on the sabbath day a man with a withered hand, an object, doubtless, of great commiseration; and his example will justify the practice of the healing art on this day in all cases of importance; but it will not justify medical men in wholly abstaining from public worship; nor, 2ndly, the idle excuse of those who absent themselves from the house of God on every trifling indisposition; nor, 3dly, those that make this their constant time for taking medicine, that they may not be hindered by it on the other days of the week.

Thirdly, Our Lord's allusion to the case of the priests under the law, who on this day offered sacrifices, and performed other laborious duties which Moses had enjoined upon them, shows that a general command may admit of exceptions, enjoined by the same authority: the general command is, to abstain from labour on God's holy day; the exception was, the performance of certain services in the tabernacle, or temple, which himself had commanded. A parallel case exists under the Christian dispensation. The Lord's day takes place of the Christian sabbath; and the duties of the Christian minister, like those of the Jewish priest, relate to the public worship of the Almighty; and, so far as his service requires it, they are justified in travelling

from place to place, which would be otherwise inconsistent with the morality of the fourth commandment. But this will no farther justify such travelling than as it may be necessary to the performance of their ministerial duties, in preaching the gospel, in visiting the sick, or in teaching the poor. The Son of man, who is Lord of the sabbath, sanctions every work neces sary to the fulfilment of our Christian duties, but nothing inconsistent with them.

Many of these observations will equally apply to the case of those very useful and benevolent classes of Christians, Sundayschool teachers, and visitors of the sick poor, who seem to bear the same relation to ministers of the gospel, as did the Levites to the Jewish priests. The duties of the former are, indeed, commonly confined to this day, and, in great measure, the latter; since their labours are gratuitous, and they are generally engaged in secular occupations throughout the week.

Prolix as this section of our Exposition may be thought, we cannot conclude it without an observation on the fine passage quoted by St. Matthew from Esaias (or Isaiah), chap. xlii. 1-4. The judgment Messiah was to "send forth" to the nations (or Gentiles), is very properly explained by Bp. Lowth of "the institution of the gospel," but we would particularly notice the intimations of Messiah's tenderness and gentleness, in not breaking" the bruised reed," the frailest of all objects; nor extinguishing "the smoking flax, "when ready to expire: that is, he will cherish the smallest spark of piety: he will preserve the humblest confidence in his name unbroken.

NOTES-Chap. XII. Con.

Ver. 22. With a devil-Greek," Demon." So the plurals in the following verses should be rendered "demons."

Ver. 21, 27. Beelzebub (Greek, "Beelzebul.") See 2 Kings i. 2, 3; Expos, and Notes on ver. 1.

Ver. 26. Satan-undoubtedly the same as Beelzebub, the prince of demons, ver.24. Comp. Rev. xii. 9; XX. 2. The demons here referred to are evidently "the angels of Satan," spoken of fatt. xxv. 41; Rev. xii. 9, just quoted. It is admitted, that by demons the heathens understood, the spirits of deceased heroes, &c., and hence those possessed by

them, were supposed to be possessed of the same talents or virtues; but the word is never used in this sense in the New Testament; but only for the angels or agents of Satan; hence for Satan to cast out demons, would be, as our Lord argues, to fight against himself.

We have stated, in page 20 of this volume, our full persuasion that the same agency of demons still takes place in many cases of lunacy, and other diseases; since writing which, the Editor has had the satisfaction to find, that the same opinion was adopted by the very learned Jos, Mede, as appears by the

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is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

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 his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh

:

[the Holy Ghost.

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 corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? 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 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 be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Z)

38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and

EXPOSITION.

(Z) Ver. 22-37. Jesus justifies himself from the accusation of the Pharisees, and charges them with blasphemy.-It is well known that the Jews expected their Messiah to work miracles, as had been predicted by the prophets; when, therefore, they saw the miracles of Jesus, they very naturally concluded that he must be "the

Son of David; that is, the Messiah. The Scribes and Pharisees, however, being predetermined to receive none but a temporal Messiah, would neither listen to his doctrine, nor regard his miracles. As to his casting out demons, they could not, indeed, deny the facts; but they were so perverse as to attribute them to a diabolical power,

NOTES.

following extract from the late Mr. Granville Sharp. It is plain (says Mr. S.) that Mr. Mede did not believe the demoniacs to be mere madmen, according to our modern ideas of madness; and his discourse plainly tends to a very different purpose; viz. to show that some madmen, even at this day, are really demonides, actuated by evil spirits, as much as those mentioned in Scripture! How far this opinion may be true, with respect to some modern madmen (adds Mr. S.), 1 am not able to determine: but that the demoniacs mentioned in Scripture were really possessed by evil spirits, .... I cannot possibly doubt, notwithstanding the Gentile opinion of demons may have been very different." Gran. Sharpe's case of Saul, &c. Note, p. 75, 76. The late Mr. Andrew Baxter, in his Essay on Dreaming, (vol. ii. of his "Inquiry into the Nature of the Human Soul"), Evidently adopted the same hypothesis; for, speaking of impressions made upon the brain in sleep, be adds (? xxxix.), "If the same vibrations are more Fowerfully excited in the optic nerves, while the eyes are open, than those excited by external objects then acting, the man pursuing with the drawn sword (as in a supposed dream) will appear, even though the eyes be open. And thus.... we see that dreamag may degenerate into possession; and that the cause and nature of both are the same, differing only in degree." This writer (who must be distinguished carefully from the pious puritan, Rd. Baxter) was equally admired and eulogized by Bp. Warburton

and Mr. Toplady! The latter, at least, adopted the same hypothesis.

Ver. 27. By whom do your children cast them out? -That some Jews practised exorcism, and pretended (at least) to cast out demons, appears from Mark ix. 38; Luke ix. 49; Acts xix. 13. See our Note on the last cited text.

Ver. 29. Spoil-Hamm. and Doddr. "Plunder." Ver. 30. He that gathereth not with me, in the Gospel harvest, may be considered as an enemy, who scatters abroad the grain; or, without metaphor, he that is not my friend, is my enemy.

Ver.31. Shall be forgiven-that is, are pardonable. Ver. 32. Neither in this world, neither (nor) in the world to come -- that is, shall never be forgiven. Mark iii. 29. Dr. Whitby remarks, that there are several passages in the Rabbins which show this to have been a proverbial expression, implying no forgiveness. There is, therefore, no ground to infer from hence the purgatory of the church of Rome. See Lect. on the Rom. Cath. Rel., by the Rev. Jos. Fletcher, M. A. (8vo. 1817), p. 244.

Ver. 33. Either make the tree good, &c.-Grotius understands this, as if our Lord had said, "Since you cannot but allow that my life, and the tendency of my doctrine are (morally) good, be not so inconsistent as to suppose I am a confederate with Beelzebub!" So Boothroyd.

Ver.37. And by-Doddr, and others, "Or by thy words," &c.

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