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Healing of a Leper.

MATTHEW, VIII.

Incidents Illustrative of Discipleship.

thew or by Luke in their proper place? NEANDER, SCHLEIERMACHER, and OLSHAUSEN adhere to Luke's order; while MEYER, DE WETTE, and LANGE prefer that of Matthew. Probably the first incident is here in its right place. But as the command, in the second incident, to preach the kingdom of God, would scarcely have been given at so early a period, it is likely that it and the third incident have their true place in Luke. Taking these three incidents, then, up here, we have

Person who stood before him, had assuredly that very faith in the germ which now casts its crown befere Him that loved us, and would at any time die for His blessed name. 3. And Jesus (or 'He,' according to another reading]-"moved with compassion," says Mark (1. 41); a precious addition, put forth his hand. and touched him. Such a touch occasioned ceremonial deflement (Leviticus, 5. 3); even as the leper's coming near enough for contact was against the Levitical reulations (Leviticus, 13. 46). But as the man's faith told him there would be no case for such regulations I. The Rash or Precipitate Disciple (v. 19, 20). 19. if the cure he hoped to experience should be accom- And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I plished, so He who had healing in His wings tran- will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20. And Jesus scended all such statutes. saying, I will; be thou saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the clean. How majestic those two words! By not assur-air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay ing the man of His power to heal him, He delightfully eets His seal to the man's previous confession of that power, and by assuring him of the one thing of which he had any doubt, and for which he waited-His will to do it-He makes a claim as divine as the cure which immediately followed it. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Mark, more emphatic, says (1 42. A "And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed" -as perfectly as instantaneously. What a contrast this to modern pretended cures! 4. And Jesus ("straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away," Mark, 1.45, and saith unto him, See thou tell no man. A hard condition this would seem to a grateful heart, whose natural language, in such a case, is, "Come, hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul" (Psalm 66. 16). We shall presently see the reason for it. but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded (Leviticas, 14.), for a testimony unto them-a palpable witness that the Great Healer had indeed come, and that "God had visited His people." What the sequel was our Evangelist says not; but Mark thus gives it 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." Thus-by an over-zealous, though most natural and not very culpable, infringement of the injunction to keep the matter quietwas our Lord, to some extent, thwarted in His movemeats. As His whole course was sublimely noiseless ca. 12. 19, so we find Him repeatedly taking steps to prevent matters coming prematurely to a crisis with Ham. But see on Mark, & 19, 20.) "And He withdrew Himself." adds Luke (5. 16), "into the wilderBess, and prayed;" retreating from the popular excitement into the secret place of the Most High, and thus coming forth as dew upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth (Psalm 72. 6). And this is the secret both of strength and of sweetness in the servants and followers of Christ in every age.

HEALING OF THE CENTURION'S SERVANT. =Lake, 7. 1-10.) This incident belongs to a later stage For the exposition, see on Luke, 7. 1-10. 14-17. HEALING OF PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND MANY OTHERS. (=Mark. 1. 29-34; Luke, 4. 38-41.) For the exposition, see on Mark, 1. 29-34.

1 INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF DISCIPLESHIP. Lake, 9 57-62) The incidents here are two: in the corresponding passage of Luke they are three. Here they are introduced before the mission of the Twelve: in Luke, when our Lord was making preparation for His final journey to Jerusalem. But to concinde from this, as some good critics do, as BENGEL, ELLICOTT, &c., that one of these incidents at lesat occurred twice-which led to the mention of the others at the two different times-is too artificial. Taking them, then, as one set of occurrences, the question arises, Whether are they recorded by Mat

his head. Few as there were of the scribes who attached themselves to Jesus, it would appear, from his calling Him Teacher,' that this one was a "disciple" in that looser sense of the word in which it is applied to the crowds who flocked after Him, with more or less conviction that His claims were well founded. But from the answer which he received we are led to infer that there was more of transient emotion-of temporary impulse-than of intelligent principle in the speech. The preaching of Christ had riveted and charmed him; his heart had swelled; his enthusiasm had been kindled; and in this state of mind he will go anywhere with Him, and feels impelled to tell Him so. Wilt thou?' replies the Lord Jesus, Knowest thou Whom thou art pledging thyself to follow, and whither haply He may lead thee? No warm home, no downy pillow has He for thee: He has them not for Himself. The foxes are not. without their holes, nor do the birds of the air want their nests; but the Son of man has to depend on the hospitality of others, and borrow the pillow whereon He lays His head.' How affecting is this. reply! And yet He rejects not this man's offer, nor refuses him the liberty to follow Him. Only He will have him know what he is doing, and count the cost.' He will have him weigh well the real nature and the strength of his attachment, whether it be such as will abide in the day of trial. If so, he will be right welcome, for Christ puts none away. But it secms too plain that in this case that had not. been done. And so we have called this The Rash or Precipitate Disciple,

II. The Procrastinating or Entangled Disciple (v. 21, 22). As this is more fully given in Luke, we must take both together. "And He said unto another of his disciples, Follow me. But he said," Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead-or, as more definitely in Luke, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." This disciple did not, like the former, volunteer his services, but is called by the Lord Jesus, not only to follow, but to preach Him. And he is quite willing: only he is not ready just yet. "Lord, I wal; but"'There is a difficulty in the way just now; but that once removed, I am Thine.' What now is this difficuity? Was his father actually dead-lying a corpse -having only to be buried? Impossible. As it was the practice, as noticed on Luke, 7. 12, to bury on the day of death, it is not very likely that this disciple would have been here at all if his father had just breathed his last; nor would the Lord, if He was there, have hindered him discharging the last duties of a son to a father. No doubt it was the common case of a son having a frail or aged father, not likely to live long, whose head he thinks it his duty to see under the ground ere he goes abroad. This aged father of mine will soon be removed; and if I might but delay till I see him decently interred. I should then be free to preach the kingdom of God wherever

The Irresolute or

MATTHEW, IX.

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Wavering Disciple. really done nothing to hinder him from going on with all his ordinary duties. But to us it seems clear that Elijah's intention was to try what manner of spirit the youth was of:- Kiss thy father and mother? And why not? By all means, go home and stay with them; for what have I done to thee? I did but throw a mantle about thee; but what of that? If this was his meaning. Elisha thoroughly apprehended and nobly met it. "He returned back from him. and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen the wood of his ploughing implements), and gave unto the people, and they did eat: then be arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him" (1 Kings, 19. 19-21). We know not if even his father and mother had time to be called to this hasty feast. But this much is plain, that, though in affluent circumstances, he gave up his lower calling, with all its prospects, for the

duty might call me.' This view of the case will explain the curt reply, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Like all the other paradoxical sayings of our Lord, the key to it is the different senses-a higher and a lower -in which the same word "dead" is used: "There are two kingdoms of God in existence upon earth: the kingdom of nature, and the kingdom of grace: To the one kingdom all the children of this world, even the most ungodly, are fully alive; to the other, only the children of light: The reigning irreligion consists not in indifference to the common humanities of social life, but to things spiritual and eternal: Fear not, therefore, that your father will in your 'absence be neglected, and that when he breathes his last there will not be relatives and friends ready enough to do to him the last offices of kindness. Your wish to discharge these yourself is natural, and to be allowed to do it a privilege not lightly to be foregone.higher, and at that time perilous office to which he But the Kingdom of God lies now all neglected and needy: Its more exalted character few discern; to its paramount claims few are alive; and to "preach" it fewer still are qualified and called: But thou art: The Lord therefore hath need of thee: Leave, then, those claims of nature, high though they be, to those who are dead to the still higher claims of the kingdom of grace, which God is now erecting upon earthing is not against bidding them farewell which were -Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God.' And so have we here the genuine, but Procrastinating or Entangled Disciple. The next case is recorded only by Luke:

III. The Irresolute or Warering Disciple (Luke, 9. 61. 62). 61. "And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house. 62. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." | But for the very different replies given, we should hardly have discerned the difference between this and the second case: the one man called, indeed, and the other volunteering, as did the first; but both seemingly alike willing, and only having a difficulty in their way just at that moment. But, by help of what is said respectively to each, we perceive the great difference between the two cases. From the warning given against "looking back," it is evident that this man's discipleship was not yet thorough, his separation from the world not entire. It is not a case of going back, but of looking back; and as there is here a manifest reference to the case of "Lot's wife" (Genesis, 19. 26; and see on Luke, 17 32), we see that it is not actual return to the world that we have here to deal with, but a reluctance to break with it, The figure of putting one's hand to the plough and looking back is an exceedingly vivid one, and to an agricultural people most impressive. As ploughing requires an eye intent on the furrow to be made, and is marred the instant one turns about, so will they come short of salvation who prosecute the work of God with a distracted attention, a divided heart. The reference may be chiefly to ministers; but the application at least is general. As the image seems plainly to have been suggested by the case of Elijah and Elisha, a difficulty may be raised, requiring a moment's attention. When Elijah cast his mantle about Elisha-which the youth quite understood to mean appointing him his successor, he was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, the last pair held by himself. Leaving his oxen, he ran after the prophet, and said, "Let me, I pray thee. kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee." Was this said in the same spirit with the same speech uttered by our disciple? Let us see. "And Elijah said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee.' Commentators take this to mean that Elijah had

was called. What now is the bearing of these two cases? Did Elisha do wrong in bidding them farewell with whom he was associated in his earthly calling? Or, if not, would this disciple have done wrong if he had done the same thing, and in the same spirit. with Elisha? Clearly not. Elisha's doing it proved that he could with safety do it; and our Lord's warn

at home at his house, but against the probable fatal consequences of that step: lest the embraces of earthly relationship should prove too strong for him, and he should never return to follow Christ. Accordingly, we have called this the Irresolute or Wavering Disciple.

23-27. JESUS, CROSSING THE SEA OF GALILEE, MIRACULOUSLY STILLS A TEMPEST. (=Mark, 4. 35-41; Luke, 8. 22-25.) For the exposition, see on Mark, 4. 35-41.

28-34. JESUS HEALS THE GERGESENE DEMONIACS. (Mark, 6, 1-20; Luke, 8. 26-39.) For the exposition, see on Mark, 6. 1-20.

CHAPTER IX.

Ver. 1-8. HEALING OF A PARALYTIC (=Mark. 2. 1-12; Luke, 5. 17-26.) This incident appears to follow next in order of time to the cure of the leper ch. 8. 1-4). For the exposition, see on Mark, 2. 1-12.

9-13. MATTHEW'S CALL AND FEAST. (=Mark, 2. 14-17; Luke, 5. 27-32) The Call of Matthew (v. 9. 9. And as Jesus passed forth from thence-i.e., from the scene of the paralytic's cure in Capernaum, towards the shore of the sea of Galilee, on which that town lay. Mark, as usual, pictures the scene more in detail, thus (2. 13: " And He went forth again by the sea-side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him. and He taught them"-or, 'kept teaching them." "And as he passed by" he saw a man, named Matthew the writer of this precious Gospel, who here, with singular modesty and brevity, relates the story of his own calling. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi, which seems to have been his family name. In their lists of the twelve apostles, however, Mark and Luke give him the name of Matthew, which seems to have been the name by which he was known as a disciple. While he himself sinks his family name, he is careful not to sink his occupation, the obnoxious associations with which he would place over against the grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle. (See on ch. 10. 3.) Mark alone tells us (2. 14) that he was the son of Alpheus"-the same, probably, with the father of James the less. From this and other considerations it is pretty certain that he must at least have heard of our Lord before this meeting. Unnecessary doubts, even from an early period, have been raised about the identity of Levi and Matthew. No English jury, with the evidence before them which we have in the Gospels, would

Matthew's Feast.

MATTHEW, IX.

besitate in giving in a unanimous verdict of identity. | sitting at the receipt of custom-as a publican, which Lake (27) calls him. It means the place of receipt, the toll house or booth in which the collector sat. Being in this case by the sea-side, it might be the ferry-tax, for the transit of persons and goods across the lake, which he collected. See on ch. 5. 46.) and he saith unto him. Follow me. Witching words these, from the lips of Him who never employed them with ent giving them resistless efficacy in the hearts of those they were spoken to. And he "left all" (Luke, &, arose and fllowed him.

The Feast (r. 10-13. 10. And it came to rass, as Jesus at at meat in the house. The modesty of our Evanist signally appears here. Luke says (r. 29) that "Levi made Him a great jeast," or 'reception,' while Matthew merely says, "He sat at meat:" and Mark and Lake say that it was in Levi's "own house," while Matthew merely says, "He sat at meat in the "Whether this feast was made now, or not tl afterwards, is a point of some importance in the orvier of events, and not agreed among harmonists. The probability is that it did not take place till a considerable time afterwards. For Matthew, who ought surely to know what took place while his Lord was speaking at his own table, tells us that the visit of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, occurred at that moment (r. 18). But we know from Mark and Luke that this visit of Jairus did not take place till after car Lord's return, at a later period, from the country of the Gadarenes. (See Mark, 6. 21, &c., and Luke, *#0, &c.) We conclude, therefore, that the feast was not made in the novelty of his discipleship, but after Matthew had had time to be somewhat established the faith, when, returning to Capernaum, his compassion for old friends, of his own calling and chararter, led him to gather them together that they ught have an opportunity of hearing the gracious Words which proceeded out of His Master's mouth, if haply they might experience a like change. behold, mary publicans and sinners-Luke says, "a great company 3. 29, came and sat down with him and his dis. In all such cases the word rendered 'sat' is "reclined,' in allusion to the ancient mode of lying a couches at meals. 11. And when the Pharisees"and scribes," add Mark and Luke. saw it, they "marmured" or 'muttered.' says Luke 5. 30), and aid unto his disciples-not venturing to put their question to Jesus Himself. Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners! (See on Luke. 15. 2.) 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them-to the Phareces and scribes; addressing Himself to them, though they had shrunk from addressing Him. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are -qd, 'Ye deem yourselves whole; My mission, therefore, is not to you: The physician's business is with the sick; therefore eat I with publicans and Enners' O. what myriads of broken hearts, of sinEk sal have been bound up by this matchless sayin 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth (Hosea, . I will have mercy, and not sacrifice-i.e., the one rather than the other. "Sacrifice," the chief part of the ceremonial law, is here put for a religion of teral adherence to mere rules; while "Mercy" express such compassion for the fallen as seeks to lit them up. The duty of keeping aloof from the polluted, in the sense of "having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," is obvious enough; but to understand this as prohibiting such intertoarse with them as is necessary to their recovery, is to abuse it. This was what these pharisaical religionists did, and this is what our Lord here exposes. for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance The words enclosed in brackets are of doubtful authority here, and more than doubtful

Jesus Healeth two Blind Men. authority in Mark. 2. 17; but in Luke, 5. 32 they are undisputed. We have here just the former statement stripped of its figure. "The righteous" are the whole; "sinners," the sick. When Christ "called” the latter, as He did Matthew, and probably some of those publicans and sinners whom he had invited to meet with Him, it was to heal them of their spiritual maladies, or save their souls: "The righteous." like those miserable, self-satisfied Pharisees, "He sent empty away."

14-17. DISCOURSE ON FASTING. See on Luke, 5. 33-39.

18-26. THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD HEALED.-THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS RAISED TO LIFE. (=Luke, 8. 40-56; Mark, 5. 21-43.) For the exposition, see on Mark, 6: 21-43.

27-34. Two BLIND MEN, AND A DUMB DEMONIAC HEALED. These two miracles are recorded by Matthew alone. Two Blind Men Healed (r. 27-31). 27. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him-hearing, doubtless, as in a later case is expressed, "that Jesus passed by" (ch. 20. 30), crying. and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. It is remarkable that in the only other recorded case in which the blind applied to Jesus for their sight, and obtained it, they addressed Him, over and over again, by this one Messianic title, so well known-"Son of David" (ch. 20. 30. Can there be a doubt that their faith fastened on such great Messianic promises as this, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened?" &c. (Isaiah, 35, 5); and if so, this appeal to Him, as the Consolation of Israel, to do His predicted office, would fall with great weight upon the ears of Jesus. 28. And when he was come into the house. To try their faith and patience, He seems to have made them no answer. But the blind men came to Him-which, no doubt, was what He desired, and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? they said unto him, Yea, Lord. Doubtless our Lord's design was not only to put their faith to the test by this question, but to deepen it, to raise their expectation of a cure, and so prepare them to receive it; and the cordial acknowledgment, so touchingly simple, which they immediately made to Him of His power to heal them, shows how entirely that object was gained. 29. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you-not, Receive a cure proportioned to your faith, but, Receive this cure as granted to your faith. Thus would they carry about with them, in their restored vision, a gracious seal of the faith which drew it from their compassionate Lord. 30. And their eyes were opened: and Jesus straitly charged them. The expression is very strong, denoting great earnestness. 31. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. (See on ch. 8. 4.)

A Dumb Demoniac Healed (v. 32-34). 32. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil-'demonized.' The dumbness was not natural, but was the effect of the possession. 33. And when the devil-or 'demon'-was cast out, the dumb spake. The particulars in this case are not given; the object being simply to record the instantaneous restoration of the natural faculties, on the removal of the malignant oppression of them, the form which the popular astonishment took, and the very different effect of it upon another class, and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel-referring, probably, not to this case only, but to all those miraculous displays of healing power which seemed to promise a new era in the history of Israel. Probably they meant by this language to indicate, as far as they thought it safe to do so, their inclination to regard Him as the promised Messiah. 34. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils-the demons through the prince

Jeous gireth the Apostles

MATTHEW, X.

of the demons.' This seems to be the first muttering of a theory of such miracles which soon became a fixed mode of calumniating them-a theory which would be ridiculous if it were not melancholy, as an outburst of the darkest malignity. (See on ch. 12. 24. &c.)

35-X. 5. THIRD GALILEAN CIRCUIT-MISSION OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES. As the Mission of the Twelve supposes the previous Choice of them-of which our Evangelist gives no account, and which did not take place till a later stage of our Lord's public life-it is introduced here out of its proper place, which is after what is recorded in Luke, 6. 12-19.

Third Galilean Circuit (v. 35)-and probably the last. 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 people) The bracketed words are of more than doubtful authority here, and were probably introduced from ch. 4. 23. The language here is so identical with that used in describing the first circuit (ch. 4. 23), that we may presume the work done on both occasions was much the same. It was just a further preparation of the soil, and a fresh sowing of the precious seed. (See on ch. 4. 23.) To these fruitful journeyings of the Redeemer, "with healing in His wings," Peter no doubt alludes, when, in his address to the household of Cornelius, he spoke of "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with Him" (Acts, 10. 38).

Power to Work Miracles. CHAPTER X.

Ver. 1-5. Mission of the Twelve Apostles (=Mark. 6. 7-13; Luke, 9. 1-6). The last three verses of ch. 9. form the proper introduction to the Mission of the Twelve; as is evident from the remarkable fact that the Mission of the Seventy was prefaced by the very same words. (See on Luke. 10. 2.) 1. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power. The word signifies both 'power,' and 'authority' or 'right.' Even if it were not evident that here both ideas are included, we find both words expressly used in the parallel passage of Luke (9. 1) — "He gave them power and authority"-in other words, He both qualified and authorized them-against -or 'over'-unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease. 2. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The other Evangelists enumerate the Twelve in immediate connection with their appointment (Mark, 3. 13-19; Luke, 6. 13-16). But our Evangelist, not intending to record the appointment, but only the Mission of the Twelve, gives their names here. And as in the Acts 1. 13) we have a list of the Eleven who met daily in the upper room with the other disciples after their Master's ascension until the day of Pentecost, we have four catalogues in all for comparison. The first, Simon, who is called Peter (see on John, 1. 42), and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother-named after James, as the younger of the two. 3. Philip and Bartholomew. That this person is the same with "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee," is justly concluded for the three following reasons: First, because Bartholomew is not so properly a name as a family surname; next, because not only in this list, but in Mark's and Luke's, he follows the name of "Philip," who was the instrument of bringing Nathanael first to Jesus (John, 1. 45); and again, when our Lord, after His resurrection, appeared at the sea of Tiberias, "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee” is mentioned along with six others, all of them apostles, as being present (John, 21. 2. Matthew the publican. In none of the four lists of the Twelve is this apostle so branded but in his own one, as if he would have all to know how deep a debtor he had been to his Lord. (See on ch. 1. 3, 5, 6; 9. 9.) James the son of Alpheus-the same person apparently who is called Cleopas or Ciopas (Luke, 24. 18; John, 19. 25; and as he was the husband of Mary, sister to the Virgin, James the less must have been our Lord's cousin. and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeusthe same, without doubt, as "Judas the brother of James," mentioned in both the lists of Luke (6. 16; Acts. 1. 13), while no one of the name of Lebbeus or Thaddeus is so. It is he who in John (14. 22; is sweetly called "Judas, not Iscariot." That he was the author of the Catholic Epistle of "Jude," and not "the Lord's brother" (ch. 13. 55), unless these be the same, is most likely. 4. Simon the Canaanite; rather Kananite,' but better still, the Zealot,' as he is called in Luke, 6. 15, where the original term should not have been retained as in our version

Jesus, Compassionating the Multitudes, Asks Prayer for Help (v. 36-38). He had now returned from His preaching and healing circuit, and the result, as at the close of the first one, was the gathering of a vast and motley multitute around Him. After a whole night spent in prayer, He had called His more immediate disciples, and from them had solemnly chosen the Twelve: then, coming down from the mountain, on which this was transacted, to the multitudes that waited for Him below, He had addressed to themas we take it-that Discourse which bears so strong a resemblance to the Sermon on the Mount that many critics take it to be the same. (See on Luke, 6. 12-49; and on ch. 5., Introductory Remarks.) Soon after this, it should seem, the multitudes still hanging on Him, Jesus is touched with their wretched and helpless condition, and acts as is now to be described. 36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted. This reading, however, has hardly any authority at all. The true reading doubtless is, were harassed,' and were scattered abroad-rather, lying about,' 'abandoned,' or neglected -as sheep having no shepherd-their pitiable condition as wearied and couching under bodily fatigue, a vast disorganized mass, being but a faint picture of their wretchedness as the victims of Pharisaic guidance; their souls uncared for, yet drawn after and hanging upon Him. This moved the Redeemer's compassion. 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous. His eye doubt-("Simon, called Zelotes"), but rendered 'Simon, less rested immediately on the Jewish field, but this he saw widening into the vast field of "the world" (ch. 13. 38), teeming with souls having to be gathered to Him. but the labourers-men divinely qualified and called to gather them in-are few; 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest-the great Lord and Proprietor of all Cf. John, 15. 1-"I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman." that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. The word properly means thrust forth;' but this emphatic sense disappears in some places, as in v. 25, and John, 10. 4- When He putteth forth His own sheep." (See on ch. 4. 1.)

called the Zealot.' The word "Kananite" is just the Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldaic, term for 'Zealot.' Probably before his acquaintance with Jesus, he belonged to the sect of the Zealots, who bound themselves, as a sort of voluntary ecclesiastical police, to see that the law was not broken with impunity. and Judas Iscariot-.e., Judas of Kerioth, a town of Judah (Joshua, 15. 25); so called to distinguish him from "Judas the brother of James" (Luke, 6. 16). who also betrayed him-a note of infamy attached to his name in all the catalogues of the Twelve.

6-42. THE TWELVE RECEIVE THEIR INSTRUC TIONS. This Directory divides itself into three dis

Jesus Commissions

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maintenance; a principle which, being universally recognised in secular affairs, is here authoritatively applied to the services of the Lord's workmen, and by Paul repeatedly and touchingly employed in his appeals to the churches (Romans, 15. 27; 1 Corinthians, 11; Galatians. 6. 6), and once as "Scripture" (1 Timothy, 5. 18). 11. And into whatsoever city or town-town or village' ye shall enter carefully] enquire who in it is worthy-or 'meet' to entertain such messengers; not in point of rank, of course, but of congenial disposition. and there abide till ye go thence -not shifting about, as if discontented, but returning the welcome given them with a courteous, contented, accommodating disposition. 12. And when ye come into an house-or 'the house,' but it means not the worthy house, but the house ye first enter, to try if it be worthy. salute it-show it the usual civilities. 13. And if the house be worthy-showing this by giving you a welcome- let your peace come upon it. This 18 best explained by the injunction to the Seventy, "And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house" (Luke, 10. 5). This was the ancient salutation of the East, and it prevails to this day. But from the lips of Christ and his messengers. it means something far higher, both in the gift and the giving of it, than in the current salutation. (See on John, 14. 27.) but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. If your peace finds a shut instead of an open door in the heart of any household, take it back to yourselves, who know how to value it, and it will taste the sweeter to you for having been offered, even though rejected. 14. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city-for possibly a whole town might not furnish one "worthy," shake off the dust or your feet-"for a testimony against them," as Mark and Luke add. By this symbolical action they vividly shook themselves from all connection with such, and all responsibility for the guilt of rejecting them and their message. Such symbolical actions were common in ancient times, even among others than the Jews, as strikingly appears in Pilate (ch. 27. 24). And even to this day it prevails in the East. 15. Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable-more bearable, for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Those cities of the plain, which were given to the flames for their loathsome impurities, shall be treated as less criminal, we are here taught, than those places which, though morally respectable, reject the Gospel message and affront those that bear it.

tinet parts. The first part-extending from r. 5 to 15 | for the workman is worthy of his meat-his food' or -contains directions for the brief and temporary mission on which they were now going forth, with respect to the places they were to go to, the works they were to do, the message they were to bear, and the manner in which they were to conduct themselves. The second part-extending from r. 16 to 23-9. contains directions of no such limited and temporary nature, but opens out into the permanent exercise of the Gospel ministry. The third part-extending from 7. 24 to 42-is of wider application still, reaching not enly to the ministry of the Gospel in every age, but to the service of Christ in the widest sense. It is a Erong confirmation of this threefold division, that each part closes with the words, “VERILY 1 SAY UNTO YOU" Inrections for the Present Mission (r. 5-15). 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. The Samaritans were Gentiles by blood; but being the descendants of those whom the king of Assyria had transported from the East to supply the place of the ten tribes carried captive, they had adopted the religion of the Jews, though with admixtures of their own; and, as the nearest neighbours of the Jews, they occupied a place intermediate between them and the Gentiles. Accordingly, when this prohibition was to be taken off, on the effusion of the Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles were told that they should be Christ's witnesses first "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea," then "in Samaria," and lastly, "unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts, 1. 8. 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Until Christ's death, which broke down the middle wall of partition (Ephesians, 2. 14), the Gospel commission was to the Jews only, who, though the visible people of God, were "lost sheep" not merely in the sense in which all sinners are (Isaiah, 6; 1 Peter. 2. 25; with Luke, 19. 10), but as abandoned and left to wander from the right way by faithless thepherds Jeremiah, 50. 6, 17; Ezekiel, 34. 2-6, &c.. 7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (See on ch. 3. 2.) 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, (raise the dead, I cast out devils. The bracketed Cause- raise the dead"-is wanting in many MSS. Here we have the first communication of supernatural power by Christ Himself to his followers thus anticipating the gifts of Pentecost. And right royally does he dispense it. freely ye have received, freely give. Divine saying, divinely said! (cf. Deuterosomy, 15. 10. 11: Acts, 3. 6)- an apple of gold in a setting of silver (Proverbs, 25. 11. It reminds us of that other golden saying of our Lord, rescued from obavion by Paul, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts, 20, 35). Who can estimate what the world owes to such sayings, and with what beautiful foliage and rich fruit such seeds have covered, and wil yet cover, this earth! 9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in-'for' your purses-lit., 'your belts,' in which they kept their money. 10. Nor scrip for your journey-the wallet used by travellers for holding provisions-neither two coats-or tunics, worn next the skin. The meaning is. Take no change of dress, no additional articles. neither shoes-i.e., change of them - yet staves. The received text here has a staff,' but our version follows another reading, staves,' which is found in the received text of Luke (9. 3). The trae reading, however, evidently is a staff' meaning that they were not to procure even thus much expressly for this missionary journey, but to go with what they had. No doubt it was the misunderManding of this that gave rise to the reading "staves" in so many MSS. Even if this reading were genuine, it could not mean more than one;' for who, as ALFORD well asks, would think of taking a spare staff?

Directions for the Future and Permanent Exercise of the Christian Ministry (r. 16-23). 16. Behold, I send you forth. The "I" here is emphatic, holding up Himself as the Fountain of the Gospel ministry, as He is also the Great Burden of it. as sheep-defenceless, in the midst of wolves-ready to make a prey of you (John, 10. 12). To be left exposed, as sheep to wolves, would have been startling enough; but that the sheep should be sent among the wolves would sound strange indeed. No wonder this announcement begins with the exclamation, "Behold." be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Wonderful combination this! Alone, the wisdom of the serpent is mere cunning, and the harmlessness of the dove little better than weakness: but in combination, the wisdom of the serpent would save them from unnecessary exposure to danger; the harmlessness of the dove, from sinful expedients to escape it. In the apostolic age of Christianity, how harmoniously were these qualities displayed! Instead of the fanatical thirst for martyrdom, to which a later age gave birth, there was a manly combination of unflinching zeal and calm discretion, before which nothing was able

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