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The Wise Men Worship Jesus.

MATTHEW, II.

tell Herod where Christ should be born, and could hear of these strangers from the far East that the Desire of all nations had actually come: but I do not see you trooping to Bethlehem-I find these devout strangers journeying thither all alone. Yet God ordered this too, lest the news should be blabbed, and reach the tyrant's ears, ere the Babe could be placed beyond his reach. Thus are the very errors and crimes and cold indifference of men all overruled. and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east-implying apparently that it had disappeared in the intervalwent before them, and stood over where the young child was. Surely this could hardly be but by a luminous meteor, and not very high. 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. The language is very strong, expressing exuberant transport. 11. And when they were come into the house-not the stable: for as soon as Bethlehem was emptied of its strangers, they would have no difficulty in finding a dwellinghouse. they saw. The received text has "found:" but here our translators rightly depart from it, for it has no authority. the young child with Mary his mother. The blessed Babe is naturally mentioned first, then the mother; but Joseph, though doubtless present, is not noticed, as being but the head of the house. and fell down and worshipped him. Clearly this was no civil homage to a petty Jewish king, whom these starguided strangers came so far, and enquired so eagerly, and rejoiced with such exceeding joy to pay, but a lofty spiritual homage. The next clause confirms this. and when they had opened their treasures, they presented-rather, 'offered'-unto him gifts. This expression, used frequently in the Old Testament of the oblations presented to God, is in the New Testament employed seven times, and always in a religious sense of offerings to God. Beyond doubt, therefore, we are to understand the presentation of these gifts by the Magi as a religious offering, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Visits were seldom paid to sovereigns without a present (1 Kings, 10. 2, &c.); cf. Psalm 72. 10, 11, 15; Isaiah, 60. 3, 6. Frankincense" was an aromatic used in sacrificial offerings; "myrrh" was used in perfuming ointments. These, with the gold which they presented, seem to show that the offerers were persons in affluent circumstances. That the gold was presented to the infant King in token of His royalty; the frankincense in token of His divinity, and the myrrh, of His sufferings; or that they were designed to express His divine and human natures; or that the prophetical, priestly, and kingly oflices of Christ are to be seen in these gifts; or that they were the offerings of three individuals respectively, each of them kings, the very names of whom tradition has handed down;-all these are, at the best, precari. ous suppositions. But that the feelings of these devout givers are to be seen in the richness of their gifts, and that the gold, at least, would be highly serviceable to the parents of the blessed Babe in their unexpected journey to Egypt and stay there-thus much at least admits of no dispute. 12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed-or withdrew'-to their own country another way. What a surprise would this vision be to the sages, just as they were preparing to carry the glad news of what they had seen to the pious king! But the Lord knew the bloody old tyrant better than to let him see their face again.

13-25. THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT - THE MASSACRE AT BETHLEHEM-THE RETURN OF JOSEPH AND MARY WITH THE BABE, AFTER HEROD'S DEATH, AND THEIR SETTLEMENT AT NAZARETH. (=Luke, 2. 39.) The Flight into Egypt. (v. 13-15.) 13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother. Observe this form of

The Flight into Egypt. expression, repeated in the next verse-another indirect hint that Joseph was no more than the Child's guardian. Indeed, personally considered, Joseph has no spiritual significance, and very little place at all, in the Gospel history. and flee into Egypt-which, being near, as ALFORD says, and a Roman province independent of Herod, and much inhabited by Jews, was an easy and convenient refuge. Ah! blessed Saviour, on what a chequered career hast Thou entered here below! At Thy birth there was no room for Thee in the inn; and now all Judea is too hot for Thee. How soon has the sword begun to pierce through the Virgin's soul! (Luke, 2. 35.) How early does she taste the reception which this mysterious Child of her's is to meet with in the world! And whither is He sent? To "the house of bondage?" Well, it once was that. But Egypt was a house of refuge before it was a house of bondage, and now it has but returned to its first use. and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Herod's murderous purpose was formed ere the Magi set out for Bethlehem. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by nightdoubtless the same night-and departed into Egypt: 15. And was there until the death of Herod- which took place not very long after this of a horrible disease: the details of which will be found in JOSEPHUS (Antiquities 17. 6. 1, 5, 7, 8), that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying (Hosea, 11. 1). Out of Egypt have I called my son. Our Evangelist here quotes directly from the Hebrew, warily departing from the LXX., which renders the words. From Egypt have I recalled his children,' meaning Israel's children. The prophet is reminding his people how dear Israel was to God in the days of his youth; how Moses was bidden say to Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, my first-born: and I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born" (Exodus, 4, 22, 23); how, when Pharaoh refused, God, having slain all his first-born, "called his own son out of Egypt," by a stroke of high-handed power and love. Viewing the words in this light, even if our Evangelist had not applied them to the recall from Egypt of God's own beloved, Only-begotten Son, the application would have been irresistibly made by all who have learnt to pierce beneath the surface to the deeper relations which Christ bears to His people, and both to God: and who are accustomed to trace the analogy of God's treatment of each respectively. 16. Then Herod, &c. As Deborah sang of the mother of Sisera, "She looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Have they not sped?" so Herod wonders that his messengers, with pious zeal, are not hastening with the news that all is ready to receive him as a worshipper. What can be keeping them? Have they missed their way? Has any disaster befallen them? At length his patience is exhausted. He makes his enquiries, and finds they are already far beyond his reach on their way home. when he saw that he was mocked-was trifled with'-of the wise men. No, Herod, thou art not mocked of the wise men, but of a Higher than they. He that sitteth in the heavens doth laugh at thee; the Lord hath thee in derision. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the council of the froward is carried headlong. (Psalm 2. 4; Job, 5. 12, 13.) That blessed Babe shall die indeed, but not by thy hand. As He afterwards told that son of thine-as cunning and as unscrupu lous as thyself-when the Pharisees warned Him to depart, for Herod would seek to kill m-"Go ye,

The Return from Egypt,

MATTHEW, IL

and tell that far, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do enres to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem" Luke, 13.

So

and Settlement at Nazareth went thither when he found it unsafe to settle in Judea. but to "the land of Israel," in its most general sense; meaning the Holy Land at large-the particular province being not as yet indicated. Joseph and the Virgin had, like Abraham, to " go out, not knowing whither they went," till they should receive further direction. for they are dead which sought the young child's life-a common expression in most languages where only one is meant, who here is Herod. But the words are taken from the strikingly analogous case in Exodus, 4. 19, which probably suggested the plural here: and where the command is given to Moses to return to Egypt for the same reason that the Greater than Moses was now ordered to be brought back from it-the death of him who sought his life. Herod died in the seventieth year of his age, and thirty-seventh of his reign. 21. And he arose. and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel-intending, as is plain from what follows, to return to Bethlehem of Judea, there, no doubt, to rear the Infant King, as at His own royal city, until the time should come when they would expect Him to occupy Jerusalem, "the city of the Great King." 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod. Archelaus succeeded to Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; but Au

3 Bitter satire! was exceeding wroth. To be made a fool of is what none like, and proud kings cannot stand. Herod burns with rage, and is like a will bull in a net. So he sent forth a band of hired murderers, and slew all the [male] children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts, or 'environs,' thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently-carefully-enquired of the wise men In this ferocions step Herod was like himself-as crafty as cruel. He takes a large sweep, not to miss his mark. He thinks this will surely embrace s victim. And so it had, if He had been there. But He is gone. Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away than thou shalt have that Babe into thy hands. Therefore, Herod, thou must be content to want Hi to fill up the cup of thy bitter mortifications, already full enough-until thou die not less of a broken heart than of a loathsome and excruciating dase. Why, ask sceptics and sceptical critics, is pot this massacre, if it really occurred, recorded by JOSEPHUS, who is minute enough in detailing the cruelties of Herod? To this the answer is not diffi-gustus refused him the title of king till it should be alt. If we consider how small a town Bethlehem seen how he conducted himself; giving him only the was, it is not likely there would be many male chil- title of Ethnarch (JOSEPHUS Antiquities, 17., 11, 4). tren in it from two years old and under: and when Above this, however, he never rose. The people, inwe think of the number of fouler atrocities which deed, recognised him as his father's successor; and so JOSEPHUS has recorded of him, it is unreasonable to it is here said that he "reigned in the room of his make anything of his silence on this. 17. Then was father Herod." But, after ten years' defiance of the filled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, Jewish law and cruel tyranny, the people lodged aying Jeremiah. 31. 15-from which the quotation heavy complaints against him, and the emperor bandiffers but verbally), 18. In Rama was there a voice ished him to Vienne in Gaul, reducing Judea again heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, to a Roman province. Then "the sceptre" clean Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be com- "departed from Judah." he was afraid to go thitherbred, because they are not. These words, as they and no wonder, for the reason just mentioned. notstand in Jeremiah, undoubtedly relate to the Baby- withstanding-or more simply, but'-being warned of Lash captivity. Rachel, the mother of Joseph and God in a dream, he turned aside-withdrew'-into the Benjamin, was buried in the neighbourhood of Beth-parts of Galilee, or the Galilean parts. The whole thema Genesis, 33. 19, where her sepulchre is still country west of the Jordan was at this time, as is well bown. She is figuratively represented as rising from known, divided into three provinces-GALILEE being the tomb and uttering a double lament for the loss of the northern, JUDEA the southern, and SAMARIA the her children-first, by a bitter captivity, and now by central province. The province of Galilee was unbloody death. And a foul deed it was. O ye der the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the brother of mothers of Bethlehem, methinks 1 hear you asking Archelaus, his father having left him that and Perea, why your innocent babes should be the ram caught on the east side of the Jordan, as his share of the in the thicket, whilst Isaac escapes. I cannot tell kingdom, with the title of tetrarch, which Augustus you; but one thing I know, that ye shall, some of confirmed. Though crafty and licentious, according you, live to see a day when that Babe of Bethlehem to JOSEPHUS — precisely what the Gospel History shall be Himself the Ram, caught in another sort of shows him to be see on Mark, 6. 14-30, and on Luke, thicket, in order that your babes may escape a worse 13. 31-35) he was of a less cruel disposition than doom than they now endure. And if these babes Archelaus; and Nazareth being a good way off from f yours be now in glory, through the dear might of the seat of government, and considerably secluded, that blessed Babe, will they not deem it their honour it was safer to settle there. 23. And he came and dwelt that the tyrant's rage was exhausted upon themselves in a city called Nazareth- a small town in Lower tead of their Infant Lord? 19. But when Herod was Galilee, lying in the territory of the tribe of Zebulon, -Miserable Herod! Thou thoughtest thyself safe and about equally distant from the Mediterranean fran a dreaded Rival; but it was He only that was sea on the west and the sea of Galilee on the east. safe from thee; and thou hast not long enjoyed even N.B.-If, from Luke, 2. 39, one would conclude that this fancied security. See on v. 15. behold, an angel the parents of Jesus brought Him straight back to the Lord. Our translators, somewhat capriciously, Nazareth after His presentation in the temple-as if reader the same expression "the angel of the Lord," there had been no visit of the Magi, no flight to 1.2, 2. 13; and "an angel of the Lord," as here. Egypt, no stay there, and no purpose on returning At the same angel appears to have been employed to settle again at Bethlehem-one might, from our all these high occasions-and most likely he to Evangelist's way of speaking here, equally conclude whom in Luke is given the name of "Gabriel," ch. 1. that the parents of our Lord had never been at Naza1.25-perhaps it should in every instance except the reth until now. Did we know exactly the sources from first be rendered "the angel." appeareth in a dream which the matter of each of the Gospels was drawn to Joseph in Egypt, 20. Saying, Arise, and take the young up, or the mode in which these were used, this apparchild and his mother, and go into the land of Israel-not ent discrepancy would probably disappear at once. to the land of Judea, for he was afterward expressly In neither case is there any inaccuracy. At the same warned not to settle there, nor to Galilee, for he only time it is difficult, with these facts before us, to con

Preaching and Ministry

CHAPTER III.

MATTHEW, III.

of John the Baptist. ceive that either of these two Evangelists wrote his | his son-in-law (John. 18 13; Acts, 4. 61. In David's Gospel with the other's before him-though many time both Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests think this a precarious inference. that it might be (2 Samuel, 15. 35), and it seems to have been the fixed fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be practice to have two (2 Kings. 25. 18. "the word of called a Nazarene-better, perhaps, Nazarene.' The God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the best explanation of the origin of this name appears wilderness." Such a way of speaking is never once to be that which traces it to the word netzer in used when speaking of Jesus, because He was himIsaiah, 11. 1-the small twig,' 'sprout,' or 'sucker,' self The Living Word; whereas to all merely creawhich the prophet there says, "shall come forth from ture-messengers of God, the word they spake was a the stem (or rather stump') of Jesse, the branch foreign element. See on John, 3. 31. We are now which should fructify from his roots." The little prepared for the opening words of Matthew. 1. In town of Nazareth-mentioned neither in the Old those days of Christ's secluded life at Nazareth. Testament nor in JOSEPHUS-was probably so called where the last chapter left Him. came John the from its insignificance-a weak twig in contrast to a Baptist, preaching-about six months before his Masstately tree; and a special contempt seemed to rest ter. in the wilderness of Judea-the desert valley of upon it "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" the Jordan, thinly peopled and bare in pasture, a (John, 1. 46)-over and above the general contempt in little North of Jerusalem. 2. And saying. Repent which all Galilee was held, from the number of Gen- ye. Though the word strictly denotes a change of tiles that settled in the upper territories of it, and, mind, it has respect here, and wherever it is used in the estimation of the Jews, debased it. Thus, in connection with salvation, primarily to that sense in the providential arrangement by which our Lord of sin which leads the sinner to flee from the wrath was brought up at the insignificant and opprobrious to come, to look for relief only from above, and town called Nazareth, there was involved, first, a local eagerly to fall in with the provided remedy. for the humiliation; next, an allusion to Isaiah's prediction kingdom of heaven is at hand. This sublime phrase, of His lowly, twig-like upspringing from the branch- used in none of the other Gospels, occurs in this peless, dried-up stump of Jesse; and yet further, a stand- culiarly Jewish Gospel nearly thirty times; and being memorial of that humiliation which "the pro- ing suggested by Daniel's grand vision of the Son of phets," in a number of the most striking predictions, Man coming in the clouds of heaven to the Ancient had attached to the Messiah. of days, to receive His Investiture in a world-wide kingdom (Daniel, 7. 13, 14), it was fitted at once both to meet the national expectations and to turn them into the right channel. A kingdom for which repentance was the proper preparation behoved to be essentially spiritual. Deliverance from sin, the great blessing of Christ's kingdom (ch. 1. 21, can be valued by those only to whom sin is a burden (ch. 9. 12. John's great work, accordingly, was to awaken this feeling, and hold out the hope of a speedy and precious remedy. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying (ch. 11. 3). The voice of one crying in the wilderness (see on Luke, 3. 2)-the scene of his ministry corresponding to its rough nature. Prerare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. This prediction is quoted in all the four Gospels, showing that it was regarded as a great outstanding one, and the predicted forerunner as the connecting link between the old and the new economies. Like the great ones of the earth, the Prince of peace was to have His immediate approach proclaimed and His way prepared; and the call here-taking it generally is a call to put out of the way whatever would obstruct His progress and hinder His complete triumph, whether those hindrances were public or personal, outward or inward. In Luke (3. 5, 6 the quotation is thus continued: "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Levelling and smoothing are here the obvious figures whose scuse is conveyed in the first words of the proclamation-"Prevare ve the way of the Lord." The idea is, that every obstruction shall be so removed as to reveal to the whole world the Salvation of God in Him whose name is the "Saviour." (Ci. Psalm 98, 3; Isaiah, 11. 10; 49. 6; 52. 10; Luke, 2. 31, 32; Acts, 13. 47.) 4. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair-that is, woven of it-and a leathern girdle about his loins-the prophetic dress of Elijah (2 Kings, 1. 8; and see Zechariah. 13. 4). and his meat was locusts-the great well-known eastern locust, a food of the poor (Leviticus, 11. 22). and wild honeymade by wild bees (1 Samuel, 14. 25, 26). This dress and diet, with the shrill cry in the wilderness, would recall the stern days of Elijah. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round

Ver. 1-12. PREACHING AND MINISTRY OF JOHN. (Mark, 1. 1-8; Luke, 3. 1-18.) For the proper introduction to this section, we must go to Luke, 3. 1, 2. Here, as BENGEL well observes, the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age is determined by it (r. 23). No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that he had traced down all things with precision from the very first' (ch. 1. 3). Here evidently commences his proper narrative. Ver. 1. "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar"-not the fifteenth from his full accession on the death of Augustus, but from the period when he was associated with him in the government of the empire, three years earlier, about the end of the year of Rome 779, or about four years before the usual reckoning. "Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea." His proper title was Procurator, but with more than the usual powers of that office. After holding it for about ten years, he was summoned to Rome to answer to charges brought against him; but ere he arrived Tiberius died (A.D. 35), and soon after miserable Pilate committed suicide. "and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee (see on Mark, 6. 14), and his brother Philip"-a very different and very superior Philip to the one whose name was Herod Philip, and whose wife, Herodias, went to live with Herod Antipas (see on Mark, 6. 17)-tetrarch of Iturea"lying to the North East of Palestine, and so called from Itur or Jetur, Ishmael's son 1 Chronicles, 1. 31), and anciently belonging to the half-tribe of Manasseh. "and of the region of Trachonitis"-lying farther to the North East. between Iturea and Damascus; a rocky district infested by robbers, and committed by Augustus to Herod the Great to keep in order. "and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene"-still more to the North East; so called, says ROBINSON, from Abila, eighteen miles from Damascus. Ver. 2. "Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests." The former, though deposed, retained much of his influence, and, probably, as Sagan or deputy, exercised much of the power of the high priesthood along with Caiaphas

John Rebuketh

MATTHEW, III.

the Phariseer. about Jordan From the metropolitan centre to the Though the stern speaker may have pointed as he extremities of the Judean province the cry of this spake to the pebbles of the bare clay hills that lay great preacher of repentance and herald of the ap- around (so STANLEY'S Sinai and Palestine), it was proaching Messiah brought trooping penitents and clearly the calling of the Gentiles-at that time stoneeager expectants. 6. And were baptized of him in Jor- dead in their sins, and quite as unconscious of it-into dan. confessing-probably confessing aloud-their sins. the room of unbelieving and disinherited Israel that This baptism was at once a public seal of their felt he meant thus to indicate. (See ch. 21. 43; Romans, reed of deliverance from sin, of their expectation of 11. 20, 30.) 10. And now also- And even already'the coming Deliverer, and of their readiness to the ax is laid unto-lieth at'-the root of the trees-as welcome Him when He appeared. The baptism it were ready to strike: an expressive figure of imitself startled, and was intended to startle them. pending judgment, only to be averted in the way They were familiar enough with the baptism of pro- next described. therefore every tree which bringeth stes from heathenism; but this baptism of Jews not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. themselves was quite new and strange to them. 7. Language so personal and individual as this can But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees scarcely be understood of any national judgment like came to his baptism, he said unto them-astonished at the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, with the such a spectacle-O generation of vipers-Viper-brood;' | breaking up of the Jewish polity and the extrusion expressing the deadly influence of both sects alike of the chosen people from their peculiar privileges upon the community. Mutually and entirely anta- which followed it; though this would serve as the ponistic as were their religious principles and spirit, dark shadow, cast before, of a more terrible retributhe stern prophet charges both alike with being the tion to come. The "fire," which in another verse poisoners of the nation's religious principles. In ch. is called "unquenchable," can be no other than that 12 34, and 23, 33, this strong language of the Baptist future "torment" of the impenitent, whose "smoke is anew applied by the faithful and true Witness to ascendeth up for ever and ever," and which by the the Pharisees specifically-the only party that had Judge Himself is styled "everlasting punishment" zeal enough actively to diffuse this poison. who hath (Matthew, 25. 46). What a strength, too, of just indigwarned you-given you the hint,' as the idea is-to nation is in that word "cast" or flung into the fire!" fee from the wrath to come? What can have brought The Third Gospel here adds the following imporyou hither? John more than suspected it was not so tant particulars, Luke, 3. 10-16: Ver. 10. "And the mach their own spiritual anxieties as the popularity people"-rather, the multitudes'-"asked him, sayof his movement that had drawn them thither. What ing, What shall we do then?'-that is, to show the an expression is this, "The wrath to come!" God's sincerity of our repentance. Ver. 11. "He answerwrath," in Scripture, is His righteous displeasure eth and saith unto them. He that hath two coats, let acainst sin, and consequently against all in whose him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath akirta sin is found, arising out of the essential and meat"-provisions,' 'victuals'-"let him do likeeternal opposition of His nature to all moral evil. wise." This is directed against the reigning avarico This is called "the coming wrath," not as being wholly and selfishness. (Cf. the corresponding precepts of future-for as a merited sentence it lies on the sinner the Sermon on the Mount, ch. 5. 40-42.) Ver. 12. already, and its effects, both inward and outward, are "Then came also the publicans to be baptized, and to some extent experienced even now-but because said unto him, Master," or "Teacher,' "what shall we the impenitent sinner will not, until "the judgment do?"-in what special way is the genuineness of our of the great day," be concluded under it, will not have repentance to be manifested? Ver. 13. "And he said sentence publicly and irrevocably passed upon him, unto them, Exact no more than that which is apwill not have it discharged upon him and experience pointed you." This is directed against that extortion its effects without mixture and without hope. In which made the publicans a by-word. (See on ch. 6. this view of it, it is a wrath wholly to come-as is im- 46; and on Luke, 15. 1.) Ver. 14. "And the soldiers" pued in the noticeably different form of the expres--rather, 'And soldiers'-the word means 'soldiers on son employed by the apostle in 1 Thessalonians, 1. 10. active duty'-"likewise demanded (or asked) of him, Not that even true penitents came to John's baptism saying. And what shall we do? And he said unto with all these views of "the wrath to come." But them, Do violence to," or 'Intimidate,' "no man." what he says is, that this was the real import of the The word signities to 'shake thoroughly,' and refers itself. In this view of it, how striking is the word probably to the extorting of money or other property. te employs to express that step-fleeing from it-as "neither accuse any falsely"-by acting as informers of one who, beholding a tide of fiery wrath rolling vexatiously on frivolous or false pretexts-"and be matedly towards him, sees in instant flight his only content with your wages," or 'rations.' We may take escape! 8. Bring forth therefore fruits-the true read- this, say WEBSTER & WILKINSON, as a warning ing clearly is 'fruit'-meet for repentance-that is, such against mutiny, which the officers attempted to supfruit as befits a true penitent. John, not being gifted press by largesses and donations. And thus the with a knowledge of the human heart, like a true "fruits" which would evidence their repentance were mister of righteousness and lover of souls, here di- just resistance to the reigning sins-particularly of the reets them how to evidence and carry out their re- class to which the penitent belonged-and the manipentance, supposing it genuine; and in the following festation of an opposite spirit. Ver. 16. And as the Verses warns them of their danger in case it were not. people were in expectation"-in a state of excitement, 9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have looking for something new-"and all men mused in Abraham to our father-that pillow on which the nation their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or so fatally reposed, that rock on which at length it not"-rather, whether he himself might be the Christ.' pht for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones The structure of this clause implies that they could to raise up children unto Abraham-q.d., Flatter not hardly think it, but yet could not help asking themyourselves with the fond delusion that God stands in selves whether it might not be; showing both how sucseed of you, to make good his promise of a seed to cessful he had been in awakening the expectation of Abraham; for I tell you that, though you were all to Messiah's immediate appearing, and the high estimaperish, God is as able to raise up a seed to Abraham tion, and even reverence, which his own character eut of those stones as He was to take Abraham him- commanded. Ver. 16. "John answered"-either to self out of the rock whence he was hewn, out of the that deputation from Jerusalem, of which we read hale of the pit whence he was digged' (Isaiah, 61. 1). in John, 1. 19, &c., or on some other occasion, to

Birth of Christ.

MATTHEW. II.

Birth of Christ.

applied, in its most sublime and comprehensive sense, to the promised Deliverer, inasmuch as He was to be consecrated to an office embracing all three by the immeasurable anointing of the Holy Ghost Isaiah, 61. 1; cf. John, 3. 34) 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away (or migration into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into the migration of') Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. That is, the whole may be conveniently divided into three fourteens, each embracing one marked era, and each ending with a notable event, in the Israelitish annals. Such artificial aids to memory were familiar to the Jews, and much larger gaps than those here are found in some of the old Testament genealogies. In Ezra, 7. 1-5, no fewer than six generations of the priesthood are on itted, as will appear by comparing it with 1 Chronicles, 6, 3-15. It will be observed that the last of the three divisions of fourteen appears to contain only thirteen distinct names, including Jesus as the last. LANGE thinks that this was meant as a tacit hint that Mary was to be supplied, as the thirteenth link of this last chain, as it is impossible to conceive that the Evangelist could have made any mistake in the matter. But there is a simpler way of accounting for it. As the Evangelist himself (e. 17) reckons David twice-as the last of the first fourteen and the first of the second-blood out of every kindred and people and tongue so, if we reckon the second fourteen to end with Josiah, who was coeval with the "carrying away into cap tivity" (v. 11), and the third to begin with Jechoniah, it will be found that this last division, as well as the other two, embraces fourteen names, including that of our Lord.

making itself up to the painful step, yet planning how to do it in the way least offensive- at the last extremity the Lord Himself interposes. behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David. This style of address was doubtless advisedly chosen to remind him of what all the families of David's line so early coveted, and thus it would prepare him for the marvellous announcement which was to follow. fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: q. d., Though a dark cloud now overhangs this relationship, it is unsullied still.' for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21. And she shall bring forth a son. Observe, it is not said, 'she shall bear thee a son,' as was said to Zacharias of his wife Elizabeth (Luke, 1. 13). and thou as his legal father shalt call his name JESUS-from the Hebrew meaning 'Jehovah the Saviour: in Greek JESUS-to the awakened and anxious sinner sweetest and most fragrant of all names, expressing so melodiously and briefly His whole saving office and work! for he shall save. The "He" is here emphatic-'He it is that shall save:' He personally, and by personal acts (as Webster and Wilkinson express it. his people - the lost sheep of the house of Israel, in the first instance; for they were the only people He then had. But, on the breaking down of the middle wall of partition, the saved people embraced the "redeemed unto God by His and nation." from their sins-in the most comprehensive sense of salvation from sin (Revelation, 1. 5; Ephesians, 5. 25-27). 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet (Isaiah, 7. 14), saying, 23. Behold, a virgin-it should be the virgin;' meaning that particular virgin destined to this unparalleled distinction. shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which, being interpreted, is, God with Not that He was to have this for a proper name (like "Jesus"), but that He should come to be known in this character, as God manifested in the flesh, and the living bond of holy and most intimate fellowship between God and men from henceforth and for ever. 24. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, (and all his difficulties now removed) did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. With what deep and reverential joy would this now be done on his part; and what balm would this minister to his betrothed one, who had till now lain under suspicions of all others the most trying to a chaste and holy woman-suspicions, too, arising from what, though to her an honour unparalleled, was to all around her wholly unknown! 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son: and he called his name JESUS. The word "till" does not necessarily imply that they lived on a different footing afterwards as will be evident from the use of the same word in 1 Samuel, 16, 35; 2 Samuel, 6. 23; Matthew, 12, 20); nor does the word "first-born" decide the much disputed question, whether Mary had any children to Joseph after the birth of Christ; for, as LIGHTFOOT says, 'The law, in speaking of the first-born, regarded not whether any were born after or no, but only that none were born before.' (See on ch. 13. 65, 56.) CHAPTER II

us.

Ver. 18-25. BIRTH OF CHRIST. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, or 'thus: When as his mother Mary was espoused rather, 'betrothed' - to Joseph, before they came together, she was found (or discovered to be) with child of the Holy Ghost. It was, of course, the fact only that was discovered: the explanation of the fact here given is the Evangelist's own. That the Holy Ghost is a living conscious Person is plainly implied here, and is elsewhere clearly taught (Acts, 5. 3, 4, &c.; and that, in the unity of the Godhead. He is distinct both from the Father and the Son, is taught with equal distinctness Matthew, 28. 19; 2 Corinthians, 13. 14). On the Miraculous Conception of our Lord, see on Luke, 1. 35. 19. Then Joseph her husband: cf. v. 20, "Mary, thy wife." Betrothal was, in Jewish law, valid marriage. In giving Mary up, therefore, Joseph had to take legal steps to effect the separation. being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example-or to expose her' (see Deuteronomy, 22. 23. 24)-was minded to put her away privily (privately-by giving her the required writing of divorcement Deuteronomy, 24. 1, in presence only of two or three witnesses, and without cause assigned, instead of having her before a magistrate. That some communication had passed between him and his betrothed, directly or indirectly, on the subject, after she returned from her three months' visit to Elizabeth, can hardly be doubted. Nor does the purpose to divorce her necessarily imply disbelief, on Joseph's part, of the explanation given him. Even supposing him to have yielded to it some reverential Ver. 1-12. VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM assent-and the Evangelist seems to convey as much, AND BETHLEHEM. The Wise Men reach Jerusalemby ascribing the proposal to screen her to the justice The Sanhedrim, on Herod's demand, pronounce Bethof his character-he might think it altogether unsuit-lehem to be Messiah's predicted Birth-place (v. 1-6). able and incongruous in such circumstances to follow out the marriage. 20. But while he thought on these things. Who would not feel for him after receiving such intelligence, and before receiving any light from above? As he brooded over the matter alone, in the stillness of the night, his domestic prospects darkened and his happiness blasted for life, his mind slowly

1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea-so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun, near the sea of Galilee (Joshua, 19. 15): called also Beth-chem-judah, as being in that tribe Judges, 17. 7); and Ephrath (Genesis, 35. 16); and combining both, Beth-lehem Ephratah (Micah, 5. 2). It lay about six miles south-west of Jerusalem. But

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