THE author of this Gospel is the person mentioned (Matthew 9:9) as an officer of the customs under the Roman government, stationed at Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In Mark 2:14, and in Luke 5:27, 29, he is called Levi. His first interview with the Savior seems to have awakened a strong interest in his mind, and he began at once to employ his property, and his influence as a public officer, in favor of the Savior's ministry,--entertaining Jesus and his followers publicly at his house, where he invited a large circle of subordinate officers of his acquaintance to meet him and listen to his instructions. These circumstances indicate that he was a man of some standing and consideration, in the class of officers to which he belonged.

      Matthew was afterwards chosen one of the twelve apostles, but of his subsequent history nothing is known. From statements made by very early writers, it is generally supposed that he wrote his Gospel about thirty years after the death of Christ.

      1. The book of the generation; the account of the pedigree or ancestry. This genealogy differs in several respects from that of Luke. Matthew, it has been supposed, traces the lineal descent of Joseph; Luke, that of Mary. The son of David and, the son of Abraham; that is, descended from Abraham through the royal line of David. A certain degree of importance seems to be attached in the sacred Scriptures to the distinguished birth of the Savior. [7]

      16. Jesus, who is called Christ. Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning the anointed King. It was a title of dignity, often applied, in the early part of the Old Testament, to other monarchs. In Daniel 9:25, it is used to designate the coming Redeemer; and, subsequently, it seems to have been reserved exclusively for this use. It must be kept in mind, therefore, that the proper, personal name, by which the Savior was known during his life, was simply Jesus, (Matt. 1:21;) and that whether he was or was not the Messiah or Christ, was a question of fact for those who knew him to consider. On this distinction depend the point and meaning of such passages as John 1:41, 4:25, 9:22, and many similar expressions.

      17. Fourteen generations; that is, about fourteen generations; as enumerated above. Many of the actual generations are omitted in the catalogue.

      18. This wise; this manner.

      22. By the prophet. (Isa. 7:14.) This prediction was recorded more than seven centuries before its fulfilment. [8]

      1. Bethlehem; a small village, six miles from Jerusalem. The inhabitants still point out the place where they suppose the Savior was born. A church is erected over the spot.--Wise men; Magi,--a sort of religious philosophers, from Persia or Arabia.

      3. Was troubled. This was old King Herod, the father and founder of the Herod family, of which three generations appear in the sacred history. He was a man of great talents, but distinguished still more for his cruelties and crimes. In the course of his life, he had brought many persons to a violent death, whom he had suspected of conspiring against his reign; and among others, his wife and several of his own sons. And now, though quite an old man, his jealous and suspicious temper was aroused by hearing that an infant king of the Jews had been born,--supposing that he was to be a temporal prince, and of course that his own throne was in danger.

      4. Chief priests. The priests were divided into twenty-four classes; the leaders of these classes, and perhaps some others of particular distinction, were called chief priests. There was but one high priest.--Scribes; a class of men learned in theology and in the law, and often employed as writers. Of the chief priests and scribes, there was composed a council of seventy-two men, called the Sanhedrim which was the great council of the Jewish nation.--Where Christ should be born. Herod was a Jew, and a believer in the Old Testament Scriptures; and he wished that those who were best acquainted with the subject, should inform him where, according to the divine predictions, the Messiah should appear. His conduct, in this instance, was not, therefore, an ordinary case of political cruelty towards a human rival, but a high-handed and deliberate act of hostility against the of counsels of God. He calls upon the great religious tribunal of the nation to consult the sacred records, and inform him, with official solemnity, what God intended to do, in order that he might a adopt effectual measures, by means of violence and murder, to prevent its being done. That a man near seventy years of age and just ready to descend into the grave, should deliberately set himself at work to oppose by open violence, designs which he himself recognized as divine, and which had stood so recorded for seven hundred years, shows to what an extent human guilt and infatuation may sometimes proceed.

      5. The prophet. (Micah 5:2.) Quotations from the Old Testament, in the New, give the sense, but not exactly the words, of the original. [9]

      11. Worshipped him; prostrated themselves before him, according to the Eastern custom of doing homage to kings.--Frankincense; a gum which, when burnt, produced a very fragrant smoke.--Myrrh; a very valuable gum, used in embalming the dead.

      15. And was there, &c. The death of Herod took place two or three years after the birth of Christ.--By the prophet. (Hos. 11:1.) The declaration of God, in Hosea, was strikingly applicable to this event. The sacred writers quote from the Old Testament, not only those passages which predict the events at they are recording, but those also which may be aptly applied to them, though originally used with reference to other occurrences.

      16. Mocked; deceived.

      17. Jeremy; Jeremiah. (Jer. 31:15.)

      18. Rama; a small, town near Bethlehem. The king of Babylon overran Judea, assembled the Jewish captives in Rama, and thence drove them, in chains, into Babylonish captivity. The prophet Jeremiah, in the passage here referred to, represents Rachel, the mother of Benjamin, as rising from the weeping over the woes of her descendants. The words are quoted here, not as prophetic language, originally referring to this case, but as strikingly applicable to it. [10]

      22. After old King Herod's death, his kingdom was divided. His son Archelaus reigned in Judea, the southern part, and another son, Herod Antipas, in Galilee, the northern part. Another portion still was assigned to Philip. Archelaus was of a savage and ferocious disposition, like his father. Herod Antipas was more mild, addicted rather to pleasure than to bloodshed and cruelty. His whole treatment of John the Baptist shows this, except the last act,--beheading him,--and this was committed mainly at the instigation of others, and under the excitement of wine. It was natural, therefore, that the parents of Jesus, knowing the characters of these princes, should feel it to be safest for them to return to their old home in Nazareth, which was a retired village among the mountains, within the dominions of Herod Antipas, a few miles from the Sea of Galilee. We observe that Joseph was not warned by a dream against Archelaus, as this was a danger which the use of his own faculties enabled him to perceive. Divine interpositions are never to be looked for as a substitute for human prudence and forethought.

      23. A Nazarene; a proverbial term for one despised; because Nazareth an obscure and insignificant village. Thus Jesus, being of royal lineage, was a child of very high birth, but yet of very humble circumstances. In this twofold aspect of the Savior's worldly condition there may be a design to teach us, on the one hand, not to set too high a value upon the worldly advantages of wealth, rank, and station, and, on the other, not wholly to despise them.

      1. In those days; during the remaining period of his infancy and youth, Jesus resided at Nazareth. As John was but six months older than our Savior, and as Jesus was about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23) when he commenced his public ministry, a long period must have elapsed between the events mentioned at the close of the last chapter, and those described in this and the succeeding verses.--Wilderness; a solitary country region, remote from the villages and towns.

      2. The kingdom of heaven; the gospel dispensation,--the coming and kingdom of the Messiah.

      3. Esaias; the Greek form of the Hebrew word Isaiah. (Isa. 40:3.)--Prepare ye the way of the Lord. As monarchs, on their journeys, were preceded by a herald, summoning the inhabitants of the provinces through which they were to pass, to prepare, highway for the royal retinue, so John, the herald of the Messiah, called upon the people to prepare their hearts, by penitence and holy lives, for the spiritual religion of the Savior.

      4. This was food and clothing of the most humble kind. The idea of [11] the verse is, that, like his great prototype Elijah, John the Baptist led a life of extreme austerity and self-denial.

      5. Jordan. The River Jordan is about one hundred miles in length, forming the eastern boundary of Palestine.

      7. The Pharisees and Sadducees were two prominent religious sects among the Jews. The Sadducees maintained the doctrine that the soul of man perishes with the body.

      8. Fruits meet; conduct suitable to, or consistent with.

      9. The meaning is, Do not imagine that God regards you with favor because you are the descendants of Abraham. From the very stones of the Jordan, God is able to raise up servants and friends.

      11. The idea of the verse undoubtedly is, that John performed merely an external rite,--the symbol and pledge of repentance,--but that the reality of new spiritual life was to be bestowed by the coming Savior.

      12. Fan; a winnowing instrument.--Garner; granary.

      14. John did not yet know that Jesus was the Messiah. This fact was revealed to him by the descent of the Holy Spirit, after his baptism. (See John 1:31-34.) His remark, therefore, in this verse, is of great interest, as showing how strong an impression the private and personal character of the Savior had made upon his friends and acquaintances, before he had commenced his public ministry.

      15. To fulfil all righteousness; to carry into full effect every divine institution.

      16. Like a dove. But why in this form? The Scripture use of this emblem will be our best guide here. "My dove, my undefiled, is one," says the Song (6:9). This is chaste purity. Again, Be ye harmless as doves," [12] says Christ himself (Matt. 10:16). Further, when we read the Song (2:14) "O my dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs (see Isaiah 60:8), let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely,"--it is shrinking modesty, meekness gentleness, that is thus charmingly depicted. In a word, when we read (Psalm 68:13), "Ye shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold," it is beauteousness that is thus held forth. And was not such that "Holy, harmless, undefiled One," the "Separate from sinners"? And when with John 1:32-34 we compare the predicted descent of the Spirit upon Messiah (Isaiah 11:2), "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him," we cannot doubt that it was this permanent and perfect resting of the Holy Ghost upon the Son of God--now and thenceforward in his official capacity--that was here visibly manifested.

      17. In whom I am well pleased. This English is scarcely strong enough. "I delight" comes nearer, perhaps, to that ineffable complacency which is manifestly intended; and this is rather preferable, as it would immediately carry the thoughts back to that august Messianic prophecy to which the voice from heaven plainly alluded (Isa. 42:1), "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH." Was this voice heard by the bystanders? From Matthew's form of it, one might suppose it so designed, but it would appear that it was and probably only John heard and saw anything peculiar in the great baptism. Accordingly the words "Hear ye Him" are not added as at the Transfiguration.

      1. Led of of the Spirit; by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.--To be tempted of the devil. There is a certain mystery enveloping the subject Of the Savior's temptation, which all the efforts of commentators and theologians have not been able to remove. Attempts have been made to give the whole passage a metaphorical interpretation; but such a construction can hardly be given, without violence, to a passage like this, occurring in regular course, as a part of a plain, historical narrative. The sacred writer undoubtedly meant to be understood, and must have been understood at the time, as asserting literally that Jesus was assailed by an evil spirit, not human, but yet having a distinct personal existence.

      2. Fasted. It is not certain that this implies entire abstinence from food, but only an abstinence from all except such casual and uncertain sustenance as the wilderness afforded.

      3. The tempter came to him; whether in bodily form or by inward suggestions is uncertain; perhaps the latter, as we read (Heb. 4:15) that he was tempted in all points like as we are.--If thou be the Son of God; that is, the Messiah, as had been proclaimed by the voice from heaven, (Matt. 3:17.)--Command that these stones, &c.; to satisfy his hunger.

      4. It is written; Deut. 8:3.

      5. The holy city. Jerusalem was called the holy city, because the temple was there, and it was the scene of all the great religious solemnities of the nation.

      6. Perhaps to make a public display of his miraculous powers. [13]

      7. Deut. 6:16, and Ex. 17:7. By a comparison of these passages, the sin of tempting God would seem to be that of presumptuously, or with an improper spirit, calling for or expecting miraculous interpositions from him.

      11. Angels came; either in visible form, or by presenting, invisibly, consolation and support.

      12. It seems, from John 3:22-26, that Jesus had commenced his public ministry before this time in Judea. He now retired to Galilee, a place of greater seclusion and safety. Galilee was the northern province of Palestine, a retired, mountainous region, far less exposed to tumults and popular commotions than the region of Jerusalem; and it was very probably on this account that Jesus, who was constantly taking precautions to avoid occasioning public excitements, chose it as the scene of ministrations for some time after the imprisonment of John. The narrative of Matthew from this place to 20:17, gives an account of the Savior's journeys, discourses, and miracles among these quiet villages; and then it follows him to the more exciting scenes witnesses towards the close of his life, in Judea and Jerusalem.

      13. Capernaum. The largest city of Galilee, on the western shore of the sea. It was in this maritime city, that Peter and Andrew, James and John, dwelt in the occupation of fishermen.--In the borders of Zebulon and Nephthalim; within the borders, that is, somewhere in the country occupied by those two tribes.

      14. Esaias; Isaiah.

      15. Galilee of the Gentiles. This region was the outskirt of the Jewish territory. The population was much mixed with emigrants from the Gentile countries around, and, as usual in such cases, it was probably degraded and depraved. The designation was at any rate one of reproach, to the mind of a Jew.

      17. Kingdom of heaven; that spiritual kingdom of which Christ is the head, the establishment of which is commended in this world, and is to be perfected in the world to come.

      18. These disciples had previously [14] seen Jesus, on the banks of the Jordan, when attending upon the preaching of John. (John 1:35-42.)

      23. Synagogues; edifices erected in the principal cities and towns, and used for religious worship, and for other ecclesiastical purposes.

      24. Possessed with devils. Many have supposed that those possessed with devils were persons afflicted with insanity, epilepsy, and other natural diseases, which were attributed in those days to the agency of evil spirits. It is to be observed, however, that demoniacs are here spoken of as a distinct class from lunatics.

      25. Decapolis, a remote and wild region on the north-eastern border of Lower Galilee, inhabited by Gentiles.

      1. He went up into a mountain; not for the purpose of ascending to a conspicuous position, but of retiring to a secluded one. The mountain, in this and similar expressions, must not be pictured to the mind as a single elevation of land, but rather as a tract of varied scenery, in which elevations, valleys, forests, cliffs, precipices, and lofty summits, combine to form extended regions of solitude and seclusion. When, therefore, Jesus is spoken of as going up into a mountain, we must not conceive of him as ascending a simple eminence, for the sake of a commanding position for addressing his followers, but as retiring with them to a region of solitude, for the sake of seclusion and safety--Was set. It was the custom of the Jews to sit when teaching.

      3. Blessed; happy, highly favored--Poor in spirit; those who are humble; lowly in mind; conscious of ignorance and unworthiness.

      5. Inherit the earth. The secure and tranquil possession of Palestine was used by the Hebrew prophets as an image expressive of the greatest felicity. Hence the words inherit [15] the earth became a proverb, to denote the enjoyment of very great blessings.

      8. Pure in heart; those who are not merely externally moral, but whose motives and thoughts are pure.--Shall see God; shall dwell with him in heaven.

      11. Falsely. The reproach which professing Christians sometimes incur is deserved. The blessing is pronounced only upon those who are falsely calumniated.

      13. Lost his savor; if the Christian character loses the life and spirit of piety.

      15. Light a candle, &c. The idea is, that as men do not light a candle to conceal its light, but that it may shine around, so Jesus kindles the light of truth in the hearts of the disciples, not that it may be concealed there, but that it may be used to enlighten and benefit mankind.

      17. The law and the prophets; the religious system revealed in the books of the Old Testament.--But to fulfil. The Savior fulfilled the law of Moses, in respect to its moral requirements, by bringing out clearly to view, and strongly enforcing, their spiritual meaning and intents; and, in respect to its ceremonial provisions, by accomplishing, in his own person, the great reality which these rites and ceremonies were intended to prefigure. Thus, by his instructions and example on the one hand, and by his sufferings and death on the other, all was fulfilled.

      18. Jot; the name of the smallest Hebrew letter.--Tittle; point or corner of a letter. The idea is, not the smallest part. [16]

      22. Brother; any fellow-being.--The judgment; and inferior court of the Jews.--Raca; a term of opprobrious reproach, meaning worthless, senseless.--The council; the superior court of the Jews, called the Sanhedrim, which had jurisdiction over graver offences. This body is often alluded to in the New Testament. (Acts 5:27-41. 6:12. 22:30.)--Thou fool. The connection which this verse sustains to v. 21, shows that, in respect to all these expressions, the Savior speaks of them only as used under the influence of angry, malicious, or revengeful feeling. He himself sometimes employed this last term in just rebuke of folly and sin. (Matt. 23:19.) The meaning of the whole passage is, that the displeasure of God, and the terrible penalties of his law, are incurred by feelings of malice and anger, however slight may be the outward expression of them.

      23, 24. The meaning is, that we cannot offer acceptable worship to God, while cherishing unkind or hostile feelings towards a fellow-man, or neglecting to make reparation for any injury which we may have done him.

      25. That is, it is better to yield something of our rights than to incur the evils and dangers of contending for them.

      30. Offend thee; entice thee to sin. [17]

      32. Causeth her; tempts her, by placing her in a situation of exposure.

      33. Unto the Lord thine oaths; thine oaths taken in the name of the Lord.

      34. Swear not at all; that is, on ordinary occasions, in the common intercourse of society. All the precepts of this discourse relate to the conduct of individuals in the private relations of life; and as verses 39-42 do not forbid the resistance and punishment of wicked men, by civil governments, neither does this prohibit calling upon God to witness the truth of declarations made in the administration of public justice, or on other solemn occasions. For the example of the apostles, see Rom. 1:9.

      35. The great King; Jehovah.

      36. Thou canst not, &c. The human frame is the work of God.

      38. An eye for an eye, &c. This verse was the rule of law for the guidance of the magistrate in the punishment of offenders. The Savior does not condemn it in this point of view, (v. 18,) but only prescribe another rule for individual action, in the private relations of life.

      39. Resist not evil; bear injuries meekly, without retaliation. Like the foregoing precepts, this rule is intended to be applied to the private intercourse of society. The whole tenor of the Scriptures shows that it is the right and the duty of civil governments to exercise coercion, when necessary to restrain or punish the wicked. Paul appealed to the Roman government when in danger, and accepted the protection of an armed escort. (Acts 23:16-33.)

      41. Go with him twain. The officers of government, in transmitting despatches, could press any man into their service, to help them on their way. This often gave rise to great oppression. Our Savior teaches his disciples not to be eager to resist the authority of the government, even when it is unjustly exercised. [18]

      48. Be ye perfect; perfect in respect to the extent of your benevolence and kindness; let it include all, the evil and unthankful as well as the grateful and the good.

      1. This is intended as a general condemnation of ostentation and parade in acts of virtue and religion, there being subsequently three distinct applications of the principle; in v. 2-4, to the subject of charity to the poor; v. 5-15, to prayer; and v. 16-18, to fasting.--Before men; ostentatiously, seek applause.

      2. Sound a trumpet; make a parade, or endeavor in any way to attract the attention of others.--Synagogues. These edifices, and the courts connected with them, were used for various other purposes, besides public worship.--They have their reward; the praise of men, which is what they seek.

      6. Closet; any place of retirement.

      7. Vain repetitions; long prayers full of sameness and repetition, and made through ostentation or spiritual pride. Protracted seasons of devotion, in extraordinary emergencies, or in seasons of great trial or suffering when the soul is earnest and sincere are not condemned. Our Savior himself sometimes spent the night in prayer.

      9. Hallowed be thy name; may it be revered,--adored. [19]

      12. Debts; sins, offences. Cherish towards us, in view of our sins, the same feelings that we cherish towards those who offend us--a fearful prayer to be offered by those who indulge in an unforgiving spirit.

      13. Lead us not into temptation; suffer us not to be exposed to heavy trials or afflictions, or to strong temptations to sin.--Amen; a Hebrew word, signifying, originally, so let it be.

      16. Fast. When oppressed with grief, we have little appetite for food. Hence fasting is the natural expression of grief. If unfeigned sorrow for sin do not accompany it, it is of no avail.--Hypocrites; false pretenders to piety.--Disfigure their faces. Paleness and emaciation, and an air of dejection, are the consequences of long abstinence from food. The hypocrites endeavored, in various ways, to assume such appearances.

      17. Anoint thine head; that is, as usual; this being then customary among the Jews. The meaning is, do nothing to make an outward display of penitence and mortification.

      19. Moth and rust. The treasures of wealthy persons, in ancient times, consisted of accumulations of property in their own hands, much of which was of a perishable nature. (Josh. 22:8. Luke 12:16-19.) Hence moths, rust, and thieves, were then the sources of insecurity. In modern times, the dangers to which property is exposed, are still greater, though of a different kind.

      22. The light of the body; that is, the instrument or organ on which the body depends for light.--Single; in a healthy and perfect state.--Full of light; fully supplied with light.

      23. Evil; defective or diseased.--If therefore, the light, &c. The meaning of the whole passage is this: As the whole body is in darkness if the light of the eye be extinguished, so, if the perception of divine truth is lost, the whole soul is involved in the deepest spiritual ignorance and danger. [20]

      24. Hate the one; that is, be indifferent to him. The word hate is frequently used in a sense analogous to this.--Hold to the one; be devoted to his service:--Despise; disregard.--Mammon; a heathen deity, supposed to preside over riches. The idea is, you cannot serve God and also fix your hearts upon this world.

      25. Take no thought; be not anxiously solicitous.

      27. Cubit; a measure of length, of about a foot and a half. The meaning of the expression is, that those hidden causes on which the growth and vitality of the body depend, are under God's control, not under ours.

      30. Cast into the oven; with other dried herb used as fuel.

      33. The kingdom of God and his righteousness; that holiness which will make you a member of Christ's spiritual kingdom.

      34. The morrow will take, &c.; add not to the cares of to-day by anxious solicitude for the morrow. Each day brings with it cares enough of its own.

      1. Judge not; that is, severely, censoriously.

      2. With what judgment ye judge, &c., that is, the calumniator will be calumniated; he who unjustly condemns others, must expect to be himself condemned.

      3. Beholdest thou the mote, &c. The mote represents the smaller faults of our neighbor; the beam, greater and more serious ones of ourselves. [21]

      6. By that which is holy, and pearls, are meant the truths and doctrines of the gospel; by dogs, and swine, debased and utterly profligate men. The sentiment is, that religious instruction is not to be urged upon men who are so sunk in depravity that they will receive it with imprecations and blasphemy.

      7. Ask; that is, ask of God. The whole passage (7-11) offers to the Christian a strong assurance of favorable answers to sincere prayer. According to the usual custom of our Savior in his instructions, the principle is stated in a broad and unqualified manner, on the presumption that the good sense and candor of the hearer would apply the qualifications to which all general statements are liable. The very illustration which the Savior uses, show that these limitations are implied. The great Father of all like human parents, sometimes finds best to deny the requests, of his children, and often to answer them unexpected ways.

      12. This is the law, &c.; that is, this principle is the foundation of all the detailed instructions of the ancient scriptures, in respect to the relative duties of man.

      13, 14. Strait; narrow, difficult to be entered. It requires watchfulness and a constant struggle to resist temptation, and to live in obedience to the precepts of Christ. And there are comparatively very few who do thus live, and they are consequently here represented as travelling in an unfrequented path. The great multitude give themselves up to sin. They are therefore represented as travelling the broad highway.

      15. False prophets; false teachers of religion--Who come in sheep's clothing; who assume the appearance of piety.--Ravening wolves. They take more than the life; they destroy the soul.

      16. Fruits; their conduct, and the effects of their preaching. The meaning is, that to expect that devout [22] and holy lives would be produced by false religious teaching, is like looking for grapes to grow upon a thorn bush. The universal truth of this criterion has been proved by the experience of the Christian world for eighteen centuries, and the test is now as certain as ever.

      19. Is hewn down and cast into the fire; that is, is to be terribly destroyed. This expression, as well as all the other language which the Savior uses in respect to the end of those who persist in impenitence and sin, shows that he looked forward, not to their ultimate restoration to God and to happiness, but to their hopeless and final ruin. Thus, in verse 13, the broad way is represented as leading to destruction. In this case, the awful denunciation seems to be particularly applied to false teachers; to those, who, to please their hearers, or for any other unworthy motive, preach what they secretly know is not true. They are trees producing corrupt and poisonous fruits, and they are destined to be hewn down and cast into the fire.

      24-27. That is, the faith which manifests itself in obedience is the only faith which can save the soul. Our Savior changed ceremonial observances, but he gave new force and authority to moral law. The strictness of our obedience to this law, as Jesus illustrated and enforced it, is the test by which we are to judge of the true character of the faith which we profess to exercise.

      28. Were astonished. This discourse seems to have made at the time, an impression upon those who listened to it, such as its character might have led us to expect. The clearness and simplicity of the aspects of truth which it presents, the force and elegance of its diction, and the beauty and appropriateness of its imagery, would combine to raise the sermon on the mount to the very highest rank, if we were to consider it simply as human composition. And vast has been the influence, too, which has exerted upon [23] all that portion of the human race, to which the pen and the press have yet made it known; as it has now, for sixty successive generations, stood conspicuously before mankind, holding up to view the true tests and characteristics of virtue,--exposing, hypocrisy, promoting feelings of filial affection towards God, and a calm and happy trust in his superintending providence,--quieting the anxieties of human life, and lightening its cares,--and, more than all, soothing the anguish of remorse for sin, by pointing out the means and the certainty of pardon. It is remarkable, too, that its principles, new and startling as they were, when first announced, and hostile as they have ever been to the received maxims and established customs of society have never been seriously assailed. They cannot be assailed; and there is a certain sublime confidence in the majesty of truth exhibited in the form of simple assertion, in which these great principles are left, unsustained by argument or authority. They are left to stand, self-supported, by the innate power of truth, and by the testimony of that incorruptible, witness, ever ready, in the human soul, to confirm, by its voice, the immutable and eternal distinctions between right and wrong.

      2. A leper. The disease here intended was one of the most loathsome maladies to which the human frame is subject. It was highly contagious; and, though patients sometimes recovered, the disease was considered generally incurable.--Worshipped him; prostrated himself before him, in token of respect and veneration.--Make me clean; heal me.

      4. Go show thyself to the priest. As the leprosy was a highly contagious disease the leper was forbidden, by the law of Moses, to mingle with the community, until he had obtained the testimony of the priest, that he was really cured, according to the directions given in Lev. ch. 14.

      5. Capernaum; his residence at this time. Matt. 4:13.--Centurion; a Roman officer, commanding about one hundred men.

      9. Under authority; subject to authority. The idea of the centurion was, that, as he obeyed his superiors, and was obeyed by his subordinates, so were diseases subject to the Savior's commands.

      10. Faith; confidence in the Savior's power.--In Israel; among the people of Israel. This centurion was a Roman,--a Gentile. [24]

      11. The east and west; from all countries.--And shall sit down, &c. shall share with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the happiness of heaven.

      12. The children of the kingdom, the Jews themselves, the actual children of Abraham, whom God had chosen as the founder and head of his kingdom.--Cast into utter darkness. The scene of the suffering here described is plainly the future world; for it is to be inflicted at the time when true believers are to be united in happiness, with patriarchs long since departed from this stage of being. The expression in the latter part of the verse implies not only the extreme of human anguish and woe, but also an angry and desperate resentment on the part of the sufferers.--Gnashing of teeth. Men sometimes attempt to make the threatened judgments of God against the wicked appear unjust, by representing the eternal sufferings which they incur, as inflicted solely for the sins of this life. But the Scripture view of the subject is, that they who persist in sin through this season of probation, will persist in it forever. They will become forever irreconcilable in their hostility, and so, necessarily forever miserable.

      15. Ministered; waited upon, performed the necessary duties of hospitality towards her guests.

      17. Esaias; Isa. 53:4.

      18. The other side; from Capernaum, which was upon the western side of the lake.

      20. The Son of man. The Savior very generally spoke of himself in this way; but commentators have found great difficulty in determining the import of the expression. The phrase is used in four different modes in the Scriptures. 1. It is often employed in the Psalms and other similar writings, meaning man generally, as in the passage, "Put not your trust in the son of man,"--and in many others. 2. It occurs frequently in the book of Ezekiel, as the mode by which the Divine Spirit addressed the prophet, when directing him in regard to his prophetic communications; as, "Thou, also, son of man, take thee a tile," &c. It is remarkable that this use of the expression is confined to the prophet Ezekiel. 3. It is used three times in prophetic writings as a mode of designating the Messiah. (Dan. 7:13. Rev. 1:13. 14:14.) 4. It was the common expression used by our Savior when speaking of himself; but it is noticeable that no instance [25] in which he was addressed or personally designated in this way, by any other individual, is on record. It is, on the whole, most probable that Jesus adopted the expression from its use in Dan. 7:13, as a mode of distinctly designating himself as the Messiah, and yet as one less likely than others to excite suddenly the public attention.

      21. Bury my father; that is, wait until the close of his life. It would seem that this was merely an excuse.

      22. Let the dead; that is, the spiritually dead--those indifferent to their salvation.

      23. A ship; a sort of boat used for fishing upon the lake.

      24. Sea; Sea of Tiberias, called also the Sea of Galilee and Lake of Gennesareth. It is about twelve miles long and five broad. Lying imbosomed among mountains, it was exposed to sudden and violent tempests.

      28. Gergesenes; called by Mark Gadarenes. It was a region on the eastern side of the lake, in which were two cities, Gergesa and Gadara.--Met him two. Mark speaks of but one, having reference, probably, to the principal speaker. There is no contradiction; but impostors, in fabricating accounts, would have guarded against such a difference.--The tombs. The sepulchres of the Jews were generally at some distance from the city, among the mountains, and in solitudes.

      29. The fact that the demoniacs so immediately recognized Jesus as the Messiah, when he had not yet publicly announced himself as such, and the strong fears which they felt, have been regarded as convincing evidence that they were not persons afflicted with ordinary diseases, but were really under a supernatural influence.

      32. And when they were come out, &c. The whole of this phraseology seems inconsistent with the supposition that the sacred writers regarded these as cases of insanity produced by ordinary causes, as some contend. And yet it must be admitted, that there are difficulties involved in the [26] other supposition. We should not have expected such a course of action as this from spirits which must have been ration, however depraved. But, notwithstanding these difficulties, it seems impossible to deny that the sacred writers mean to represent these effects as produced by the agency of spirit not human.

      1. His own city; Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where he then resided.

      2. Bed; a portable bed or mattress, on which the sick were borne.--Thy sins be forgiven thee. As all the sorrows and sufferings of human life are the effects and consequences of sin, our Savior, by this reply, announces to the wretched patient effectual relief from his miseries; and also calmly takes his position as one entitled to exercise, in his own name, the highest prerogatives of divinity.

      3. Blasphemeth. They justly considered the power of forgiving sins as the attribute of God.

      6. The meaning is, he wrought the visible miracle of healing, in attestation of his claim to the possession of the invisible power of forgiving sin.

      9. Receipt of custom; the office or place where he received the customs or taxes.

      10. Publicans and sinners. The publicans mentioned in the New Testament were persons employed by the government, or by farmers of the revenue acting under authority of the government, to collect customs and taxes. They were generally held in great detestation, not only on account their usual depravity of character but also because it was exceedingly humiliating to the proud spirit of the Jews, to be compelled to pay taxes to their heathen masters, whom they both hated and despised. The feeling, however, with which the publicans were regarded, was, in part, a prejudice, and in some cases, perhaps, as, for instance, in that of Matthew, wholly so. There is no evidence that he was not always a man of uprightness on integrity. That the office in itself [27] innocent, seems to be implied by the directions which John gave for the performance of its duties. (Luke 3:12, 13.)

      13. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; (Hosea 6:6;) that is, God is far better pleased with the exercise of kindness and good will between man and man, than by punctiliousness in the observance of rites and forms.

      15. The meaning is, that, as Jesus was yet with his disciples, expressions of mourning and sorrow would be inappropriate. Their days of mourning were to come.

      16, 17. Christians should have proper reference, in all their arrangements, to the proprieties of time and place. It would be unsuitable for the disciples of the Savior to mourn while he was with them, just as it would be unsuitable for the guests at a wedding to be gloomy and sad. The other illustrations are are merely striking cases of incongruity.--New cloth is unfulled cloth, which would shrink on being accidentally wet, and thus produce a degree of tension in the surrounding parts which would soon cause a more extended rent than the one which it was intended to repair.--Bottles were made of leather, and, when old and rigid, were easily ruptured by the fermentation of new wine.

      23. Minstrels and people; the friends, and the mourners employed to bewail the dead, as was the Eastern custom.

      24. Sleepeth. Our Savior often used language which seemed dark and [28] mysterious until a subsequent event explained it. For example, see Luke 9:45, John 2:19. In this instance, the event showed that he meant by his expression that the extinction of life was not final, but that, as in case of sleep, the lost animation was to be restored. The extraordinary assertion served to call the attention of the company strongly to what he was about to do, and the event immediately explained its meaning.

      25. He went in; with Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the maiden. (Mark 5:37, 40.)

      27. Son of David; one of the titles by which the Jews were accustomed to designate the Messiah. (Matt. 21:9.)

      30. The Savior seems often to have given directions with a view of limiting the publicity of his most remarkable miracles, in order to keep the popular excitement which they occasioned within due bounds. Since the Jews expected the Messiah to head their armies, and expel the Romans from their territories, there was danger, if he became suddenly known as the Messiah, before he had corrected their erroneous views of the nature of his reign, that popular insurrections and bloodshed might ensue. On one occasion, this result was narrowly escaped. (John 6:15.) And besides, even if no popular tumult should ensue, still the greater the publicity given to his movements and miracles, the greater was the danger of their attracting the attention of Herod's government in Galilee, or that of the Romans in Judea.

      35. The gospel of the kingdom; the gospel or good news of the kingdom of Christ.

      36. Fainted; were exhausted with fasting and fatigue.

      37. Many people were ready to receive the gospel, while there were but few to communicate it to them. [29]

      1. The manner in which the cases of demoniacs are here spoken of as entirely distinct from cases of disease of every kind, is important as evidence of the view in which this sacred writer regarded them.

      5. That is, they were not to go out of Palestine, but to confine their labors to the Jews.

      7. We observe that they were not to say that Jesus was the Messiah; this fact was very slowly and cautiously made known until after the Savior's resurrection. They were to say that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

      10. Scrip; a leathern bag, in which shepherds, and travellers of an humble class, carried their provisions. These particulars were not meant to be minutely insisted upon, but were only intended to convey more forcibly the general idea that they were to go without preparation, and to rely upon the spontaneous hospitality of the worthy.

      12. House; family.

      13. Your peace; your benediction.

      15. In the day of judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah had both been destroyed by fire from heaven, and the gloomy waters of the Dead Sea were spread over the place where these cities stood. Our Savior, therefore, instead of representing that the sorrows and sufferings of this life are the sole penalty of human guilt, taught that even Sodom and Gomorrah were awaiting a terrible retribution to come. [30]

      17. Councils; courts of justice. These directions, particularly those which follow, apply not peculiarly to the first mission of the apostles, but to their whole subsequent ministry,--especially to that exercised after our Savior's death, as is evident from the last clause of v. 28. They do not seem to have been arraigned before the civil authorities at all, upon their first mission.

      23. Till the Son of man be come; till the Messiah be come; that is, until his coming and kingdom shall be openly proclaimed to all, both Jews and Gentiles, and thus the whole world be opened as the scene of the apostolic labors. They were to preach not that the kingdom of the Messiah had come, but that it was at hand.

      27. In darkness; privately.--Upon the house-tops; in the most public manner.

      35, 36. That is, these will be the effects or consequences of my coming. [31]

      38. That is, he who is not ready to bear any privation or suffering, in which fidelity to the Savior's cause involves him.

      39. Findeth; seeketh unduly. The meaning is, He that sacrifices his duty to save his life, shall lose his soul.

      42. These little ones; these my disciples, men of humble station, not great in the estimation of the world. Any act of kindness towards them, as disciples, however small the benefit, shows a spirit of love to Christ, and shall not lose its reward.

      2. In the prison. The circumstances of John's imprisonment are stated Matt. 14:3, 4.

      3. He that should come; the promised Messiah.

      6. Be offended in me;--distrust or reject me,--intimating, apparently, that John was in danger of doing this. John had believed himself the forerunner of a mighty prince and Savior. But his career, which had commenced so auspiciously, had been suddenly brought to a close: his followers were scattered, he was suffering himself a wearisome and hopeless confinement, and the personage on whom his hopes had been resting, was apparently taking no steps tending to the open establishment of his reign. It was not surprising, therefore, that the faith of his disciples, and perhaps even his own, began to falter, and to gave place to feelings of despondency and mistrust.

      7. A reed, &c., representing a man of light and fickle mind. [32]

      8. A man clothed, &c.; a man of feeble and effeminate character, unable to bear trials and hardships.

      12. The meaning is, that, from the commencement of the preaching of John the Baptist, until the present time, great multitudes had come with the utmost zeal and ardor, desiring to be received into the kingdom of the Messiah.

      13-15. These verses perhaps contain the most direct intimation that Jesus was himself the Messiah which he had yet made. He always spoke of this subject with great reserve and caution.--That Elias which was for to come; that is, not Elijah himself in person, (John 1:21,) but the forerunner of Christ, who was designated by that name. (Luke 1:17.)

      16-19. The sentiment is, that the people of that generation were like wayward children, whom nothing would please. They were alike dissatisfied with the austere virtues and stern demeanor of John the Baptist, and with the mild and gentle character of the Savior.--Neither eating nor drinking; that is, practising rigid fasts and self-mortification.--Wisdom is justified, &c.; the truly wise would appreciate the wisdom of the course pursued both by John and by the Savior.

      23. Exalted unto heaven. Capernaum had been, more than any other city, the Savior's place of residence, and [33] the scene of his instructions and miracles.

      25. Babes; persons of humble character and station.

      29. Take my yoke upon you; submit to my authority. He speaks not as their Teacher merely, but as their Master and Lord.

      1. Of corn; of grain, such as barley or wheat.

      4. The house of God; the tabernacle, which preceded the temple.

      5. Profane the Sabbath; perform labor, which, under other circumstances, would be a profanation of the Sabbath.

      7. Mercy, and not sacrifice; mercy, rather than sacrifice; that is, the spirit of piety, rather than a rigid tenaciousness in regard to its forms.

      8. The Savior seems to place his defence of the act of the disciples in travelling and gathering food on the Sabbath, on the ground of a dispensation from the usual obligations of the day, made on his authority, as the Messiah. [34]

      16. Make him known; make known the place of his retreat, and thus betray him to the anger and violence of his enemies.

      17. Esaias; Isa. 42:1-4.

      18. Show judgment; reveal truth.

      19. During the whole of our Savior's ministry, we observe the most constant efforts to allay the popular excitement, and to avoid every scene which could lead to tumult or commotion. On the occasion on which this passage is quoted, he had retreated from a threatened disturbance (v. 15) to the solitudes of the mountains, to teach quietly there those who were disposed to come to him.

      20. The bruised reed and smoking flax are emblems of helplessness, dejection, and sorrow. The images are expressive of the mildness and gentleness with which Jesus instils truth into the minds of his followers, and of the tender care which he exercises in sustaining the weak, restoring the fallen, and raising the dejected and desponding.--Till he send forth judgment unto victory; till the truth which he proclaims is victorious.

      23. The son of David; the promised Messiah.

      27. Your children; persons of your sect or party. It seems that there were such, who claimed the power of dispossessing evil spirits. [35]

      28. The Spirit of God; the power of God, in this case as is proved by the phraseology in Luke 11:20.

      29. The argument is, that to expel evil spirits from the places where they had established themselves, evinces a power stronger than that which those spirits ordinarily obeyed.

      31. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The sin which I the Pharisees had been committing was that of maliciously and stubbornly ascribing to Satan those works which they well knew could only be performed by divine power.

      32. Against the Son of man; against Jesus, considered as the Son of man. Such were the circumstances of his lowly birth and humble condition, that the ordinary worldliness and sin of the human heart might be sufficient to blind men to his claims; and consequently, the rejection of them, at that time, was not an unpardonable sin. But maledictions against the Holy Ghost, that is, against the divine power by which these miracles were performed, (v. 28,) implied an altogether extraordinary guilt. It was a direct, deliberate, and wilful opposition to the counsels and authority of God.--Neither in this world nor in that which is to come; a phrase plainly intended to express, in the strongest possible manner, the idea of eternal and hopeless ruin.

      33. They had attributed the Savior's efforts relieving the sick and the suffering, to the influence of Satan--the very personification of malice and wickedness. This was making good fruit come from a very bad tree.

      36. Idle word; malicious and unjust word, such as those which they had been speaking against him.

      37. By thy words; that is, as well as by actions. The meaning is that, though men express their feelings of anger and injustice only by words, they are guilty.

      38. A sign, a sign from heaven; some stupendous miracle to prove his divine mission, more imposing than the miracles which he had performed upon the sick. [36]

      42. Queen of the south; the queen of Sheba. (1 Kings 10:1.)

      43-45. The sentiment is, that guilt and sin may be suspended from action for a time, in the human heart, while they are not destroyed. And then, after a temporary respite, the disease returns with greater violence than ever. The application of the sentiment, in this conversation, is not obvious.

      46. Brethren. Compare Matt. 13:55, and 27:56. They were alarmed for his safety,--so great was the excitement against him,--and came, accordingly, to conduct him away (Mark 3:21, 31,) but could not get in to speak to him, on account of the crowd. [37]

      1. Sea-side; the shore of the Sea of Tiberias.

      11. Mysteries; truths before unknown.

      15. Lest at any time, &c., that is, their eyes and ears were wilfully closed against the truth. The sentiment of this answer of our Savior's, the meaning of which is rendered still more plain by the parallel passages, (Mark 4:11, 12. Luke 8:10,) is, that, while divine truth is so revealed that the docile and spiritually-minded, and all really desirous to learn of him, can easily understand it, yet it is so presented that the captious, the proud, and the evil-minded, may hear and not understand. A veil covers and conceals the spiritual meaning, though it is a veil easily to be removed by all who wish to remove it.

      18. Hear ye; hear ye the explanation.

      20. Anon; immediately.

      21. Are offended; take offence at the gospel, and apostatize. [38]

      31. Mustard-seed. The mustard plant of Palestine is said to have been of much larger growth than the one known by that name among us.

      33. The idea intended by both these similitudes is, that the Redeemer's kingdom, though destined to be great and widely extended at last, was to commence by small beginnings, and in a noiseless and unobtrusive manner,--entirely contrary to the prevailing expectations among the Jews.

      36. The house; the house in which he dwelt in Capernaum.--Declare unto us; explain unto us.

      38-43. It would seem impossible to teach more plainly than it is taught in this language, that there is day of [39] judgment and retribution to come, after this life is ended; and that those who shall then be condemned will find themselves involved in hopeless and eternal ruin.

      52. Every scribe instructed, &c.; every well-instructed teacher of the gospel.

      54. His own country; Nazareth.

      55. His brethren; near relatives, perhaps cousins. The words signifying the various degrees of relationship were used among the Jews with great latitude. The reason for supposing the persons here referred to to be the cousins of our Lord, is that apparently the same person who is named in John 19:25, as our Savior's mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, is mentioned, in Matt. 27:56, as the mother of James and Joses. [40]

      1. Herod the tetrarch; son of Herod the Great, the old king who reigned at the time of our Savior's birth. Upon his death, his kingdom was divided among his sons. Herod Antipas, here referred to, ruled over Galilee.

      3, 4. Herod had enticed away his brother Phillip's wife, and married her, while her lawful husband was still living. He was not of so cruel and bloodthirsty a disposition as his father, but it required great moral courage in John, to reprove any member of the Herod family for such a crime.

      13. He went over the Sea of Galilee, perhaps to some portion of its eastern shore, which was little inhabited, and where he was safe from Herod--On foot; that is, the people, went to the same place by land.

      15. The time is now past; the day is gone; night is at hand. [41]

      19. Blessed. It seems to have been often the custom of the Savior to implore the divine blessing upon food, before partaking of it.

      22. Constrained. There was but one boat, or ship, as it is called, (John 6:22,) and the disciples seem to have been unwilling to leave Jesus without any apparent means of rejoining them. But the crisis was one of considerable excitement and danger, and special precautions to effect the quiet dispersion of the people, seem to have been rendered necessary by the high state of excitement which prevailed among them, as is stated John 6:14, 15. John the Baptist, the great favorite of the people, had just been murdered by Herod; and Jesus himself was seeking, in these solitudes, a refuge from his cruelty. These facts, in connection with the miracle, produced such an excitement in this assembly, as to lead them to form the design of forcing Jesus to head them in an insurrection against Herod's authority. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the disciples were reluctant to leave their Master in such a place, and the object of such an excitement, and without any apparent means of returning across the lake to his friends.

      25. The fourth watch; near the morning.

      33. Worshipped him; prostrated themselves in homage before him.--Son of God; the expected Messiah. [42]

      2. Tradition of the elders; rules and precepts not recorded in the Scriptures, but handed down orally, or by tradition, from former times. The Pharisees had many such traditions, to which they attached ideas of great value; and by means of them, as our Savior shows, they often virtually annulled the requisitions of the written word of God.

      4. Let him die the death; a phrase of intensity,--let him surely die.

      5. It is a gift; that is, to God,--consecrated to his service. The tradition authorized a son to withdraw from his parents whatever they stood in need of from him, by going through such a form of consecrating it to God.

      7. Isa. 29:13.

      9. Doctrines; the duties of religion.--Commandments of men; these pretended traditions, which were merely human inventions.

      11. Referring to the charge made by the Pharisees in v. 2. The Pharisees taught that sin consisted mainly in the neglect of prescribed rites, and the contracting of outward and ceremonial impurities. Jesus shows that moral and spiritual corruption and impurity is what they ought to be most anxious to shun.

      13. Every plant, &c. These traditions were of human origin.

      14. Let them alone; do not regard their displeasure. [43]

      21. Went thence; from near Capernaum.--Tyre and Sidon; important cities on the coast of the Mediterranean, beyond the limits of the Jewish countries. He retired to this distant region for concealment and safety; but he could not be hid. (Mark 7:24.)

      22. Of Canaan; of Canaanitish descent, not a Jewess.--Thou son of David. By this address she seems to have expressed her belief that he was the promised Messiah.

      24. Of the house of Israel; the Jews. Our Savior's ministry was confined almost entirely to the Jews. This restriction of the gospel to them, made for reasons not revealed, was not removed until the time of our Savior's ascension, when the disciples were commanded to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

      26. Meet; suitable or proper. The blessings of the Savior's ministry were designed, specially, for the Jewish nation; and this woman was a foreigner.

      27. Crumbs; her idea was, that, as so slight an exercise of the Savior's goodness and power was required to save her daughter, she thought the favor might be bestowed, although it was asked by a sufferer who was not one of the favored descendants of Abraham. [44]

      39. Magdala; south of Capernaum.

      1. A sign from heaven; some great prodigy in the heavens, more stupendous and imposing than the miracles of healing which he was accustomed to perform. This was the second time that such a demand had been made. (Matt. 12:38-45.)--Tempting; that is, the proposal was made as a sort of challenge, with evil and unfriendly designs.

      3. The idea is, that, if they would pay the same careful and candid attention to the predictions of the prophets, compared with the character and ministry of Christ, which it had been necessary to exercise in regard to the weather, in order to learn that redness of the sky in the evening indicated serenity, while in the morning it portended rain, they would have easily been satisfied.

      4. The sign of the prophet Jonas; as it had been previously explained. (Matt. 12:40.)

      5. Had forgotten, &c. This and similar passages indicate that a regular and systematic, arrangement was made for supplying the wants of Jesus and his disciples when on their journeys, (see Matt. 15:34, John 12:6,) although the pecuniary means by which the supplies were obtained, were probably the gifts of friends. (Luke 8:3.) A different system was adopted for the twelve and the seventy who were sent out. (Matt. 10:9-11.) They went only two and two; and there was, therefore, a greater propriety in their relying upon the hospitality of friends, than in the case of the larger company that attended the Savior. We see, therefore, in the different arrangements made in the two cases, a delicate regard, on the part of Jesus, to the ordinary us usages and proprieties of life. [45]

      7. That is they supposed he might have meant that, by taking no supply, they had left themselves dependent, perhaps, upon the Pharisees and Sadducees for bread.

      13. Jesus had never openly and directly acknowledged himself as the Messiah. The time had not come. It would have led, probably, to an insurrection. His caution on this point is strikingly manifest in Matt. 11:2-6, 10:7, John 2:23, 24.--Cæsarea Philippi; a city in the northern part of Judea, near Mount Lebanon.

      14. Elias. The Jews understood Mal. 4:5, as predicting that Elijah would rise, in person, from the dead, as the forerunner of Christ. The prophecy was, however, fulfilled in John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah.

      16. The Christ; the promised Messiah.

      17. Bar-jona; the son of Jona. (John 21:15.)--Flesh and blood, man.

      18, 19. Peter is a Greek word, meaning rock. Peter held a very prominent and conspicuous place among the apostles, during our Savior's life; and he was afterwards foremost in counsel and action, in the early efforts made for the promulgation of the gospel. This continued until at length the apostle Paul entered the field; and from that time Peter disappears from the sacred history. His prominence while it remained, was due to the boldness and energy, of his personal character--qualities in which he excelled all others, until he was excelled himself by Paul, who united the boldness and energy of Peter with the calmness and steadiness of John.--The Romish church rely mainly on this passage, so far as they rely at all on [46] the direct authority of the Scriptures, for supporting the claims of the bishop of Rome to be the head of the church,--considering him the successor of the apostle Peter. That the apostles, however, did not understand these words as investing Peter with any official supremacy, is evident from the conversation in respect to precedency, which afterwards arose among them, (Matt. 18:1, stated more fully in Mark 9:33, 34,) and also from Salome's request. (Matt. 20:20, 21.) The preëminence of Peter was personal, not official; and accordingly we find him acting, after the Savior's ascension with boldness, promptness, energy, but without any traces of official authority over the other apostles.

      22, 23. The false positions into which Peter was continually placing himself by his forward and unreflecting, though prompt and energetic action, show very plainly that he did not possess a character to fit him for a post of preëminent authority. He had many excellent qualities for action; but he was not calm, patient, and trustworthy enough for command.

      28. The Son man coming in his kingdom; the open establishment and extension of Christ's kingdom in the world. At this time Jesus had not announced himself as the Messiah. (See v. 20.)

      1. Six days. Luke says, about a week. See Luke 9:28, and note.

      4. Tabernacles; tents, or booths. [47]

      5. Overshadowed them; was spread or diffused over them.

      10. The sublime and solemn scene which these disciples thus witnessed completed to their minds the proof that Jesus was the Messiah. They, however, knew not how to reconcile this truth with the fact that Elijah had not yet reappeared; as he, according to the general understanding of prophecy, was personally to precede Christ.

      11. Restore all things; recall the nation, to the faith and obedience of their fathers.

      12. Listed; chose.

      17. Suffer you; bear with you.

      18. The devil. It is observable that this sufferer is, in v. 15, called lunatic.

      20. As a grain of mustard-seed, that is, even a small degree of faith. [48]

      24. Came to Peter. This seems to have taken place at Peter's house, where our Savior probably resided. For after Jesus left Nazareth, at the commencement of his public ministry, he made Capernaum his residence, (Matt. 4:13;) and for some time afterwards he made this city the centre of his movements and operations; it became, consequently, the scene of very many of his instructions and miracles. (11:23.) Peter had a house in this city,--originally the dwelling of his wife's mother, (8:14,) he himself being formerly of Bethsaida. (John 1:44.) This house of Peter"s was probably the place which Jesus made his is home when at Capernaum, and is several times spoken of as "the house." (Mark 2:1. 9:33.) It was natural, therefore, that the officers should propose this question to Peter in respect to his master and guest.--Tribute. From the form of the expression used in the original, which is different from that employed in Matt. 22:17, where tribute due to Cesar is spoken of, this is supposed to have been a Jewish, not a Roman tax,--assessed for the payment of expenses connected with the worship of the temple.

      25. Peter's ready answer indicates that it was our Savior's custom to conform to the regulations of society, and to pay all the customary taxes. And yet he knew, in regard to this case, that the service of the temple, which his payment would sustain, had become exceedingly corrupt. The case must be extreme which will justify us in refusing to support any divine institutions, on account of dissatisfaction with the form or manner in which they are temporarily administered.--Prevented him; anticipated him in the question that he was about to ask, by asking one, himself, relating to the subject. The word prevent, which now means to hinder, originally meant to go before,--whether for the purpose of hindering or merely of anticipating. In this case, it evidently means anticipate. For other striking examples of this, see Ps. 88:13. Ps. 119:147. 1 Thess. 4:15.

      26. That is, Jesus, as. the Son of God, might justly have claimed exemption from taxes assessed for the service of his Father.

      1. Who is the greatest? They still supposed that the Messiah was about to establish a kingdom of great temporal splendor; and they wished to know which of his followers were to be elevated to the highest stations in it. They did not bring this subject before Jesus of their own accord, but, as appears from Mark 9:33, 34, and Luke 9:46, 47, in answer to a question from the Savior, after having been privately discussing the question by themselves.

      3. Be converted; be changed,--by laying aside such ambitious views, and becoming meek and lowly-minded like an humble and docile child. [49]

      6. This would seem, from Mark 9:42, to have been said in reply to a remark made by John, which is there given.--Offend; obstruct his course in seeking salvation.

      7. Offences; inducements to sin, and hindrances to salvation.

      8. Offend thee; lead thee to sin. The meaning is, that every enjoyment or indulgence which acts as an allurement to sin, must be resolutely rejected, at whatever sacrifice.--To enter into life halt or maimed; to be saved at last, after having endured suffering and privation here.

      10. Little ones; humble, lowly Christians.--Their angels, &c. God, by means of the angels, or messengers that do his will, watches over and guards every one.

      11-14. The special interest and compassion with which God regards the erring, the wretched, and the lost, are in these verses made the reason why the most humble of the followers of Jesus should be treated by others with tender consideration.

      15. Thy brother; thy fellow-Christians.--Trespass against thee; injure thee in any way.

      17. To hear them. This shows that one object of calling upon others, is to [50] obtain their mediation and influence to heal the difficulty.

      18, 19. This language is understood in various ways, and with various limitations and restrictions by different commentators. There is great difficulty in ascertaining with certainty the meaning intended to be conveyed. The Roman Catholics found upon it a strong argument in favor of the high ecclesiastical authority with which they suppose the church to be clothed.--Any thing; of course any thing suitable or proper to be bestowed.

      21. Peter's question refers to what Jesus had said v. 15.

      22. Seventy times seven; that is, as many times as he may offend; the spirit of forgiveness must be inexhaustible.

      24. Ten thousand talents; a very large sum of money.

      26. Worshipped him; prostrated himself before him in token of submission and entreaty.

      27. Loosed him; released him;

      34. Tormentors; keepers of the prison, or other officers of justice. [51]

      3. For every cause; that is, for any fault which the husband may consider a sufficient cause.

      5. Gen. 2:24.

      6. Twain; two.

      7. A writing; a certificate.

      8. The meaning is, that Moses, as a political legislator, attempted to regulate late an evil which he could not hope wholly to suppress.

      10. That is, if he is thus indissolubly bound to her.

      11. Receive this saying; live in a state of celibacy.

      17. Why callest thou me good? It [52] is difficult to understand the grounds of this reproof, unless we suppose that there was something in the circumstances of the case not fully described in the narrative. The words would seem to be a very respectful and proper mode of addressing even a human prophet and teacher, of such singular benevolence of heart and life.

      21, 22. We here encounter another difficulty in understanding this conversation between Jesus and the young man. Instead of explaining to him the spiritual nature of the moral law, that he might see that he had not really kept it, the Savior seems to acquiesce in his answer, and tacitly to admit his pretensions; and then proceeds to require of him a course of action, in regard to his property, which the Scriptures do not enjoin, and which, if adopted as a general rule of action, would not have a favorable effect on the welfare of society. The usual comments on this passage do not really meet these difficulties; and it is better to leave such difficulties unsolved, than to attempt to satisfy our minds with explanations which are forced and unnatural. If we were fully acquainted with all the circumstances, we should undoubtedly see that the Savior's directions were exactly adapted to the case. And though we cannot understand the exact moral bearing of the directions, in respect to the young man, the lesson which they convey to us, is perfectly clear; namely, that the service of God, and the salvation of the soul, must be the supreme end and aim of life, and that all other objects of interest or desire must yield to their claims.

      24. A strong mode of expressing extreme difficulty.

      26. With God, &c. The power of God alone can change the heart.

      28. In the regeneration,--ye shall sit, &c.; in the kingdom of Christ, ye shall be advanced to stations of high responsibility and honor. [53]

      30. That are first,--in their own estimation, or in that of the world,--shall be last, in receiving the rewards and honors promised.

      2. A penny a day; the common rate of wages.

      3. Third hour; that is, after three of the hours of labor had expired.

      5. About the sixth and ninth hour, at noon and in the middle of the afternoon.

      15. Is thine eye evil? are you dissatisfied and envious?

      16. Few chosen; that is, for eminent stations of trust and responsibility. This is a repetition of the sentiment with which the parable was introduced, (19:30,) and which it was intended to illustrate. [54]

      19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles; to the Roman government; not having authority themselves to put him to death. For the fulfilment, see 27:1, 2.

      20. The mother of Zebedee's children; Salome, the mother of James and John.

      22. Drink of the cup, &c.; share the sufferings which I must endure.

      26. Your minister; your servant. The idea is that although, in the estimation of the world, greatness is considered as implying elevation above others, and the exercise of authority and power over them,--yet, in the kingdom of Christ, it consists in unostentatious and humble efforts to promote their happiness and welfare.

      29. Jericho; a large town west of the Jordan, about twenty miles northeast from Jerusalem.

      30-34. Luke, in describing apparently the same case, speaks of only one blind man and represents the occurrence as taking place on their [55] approach to Jericho, instead of when leaving it, (Luke 18:35-43.) Minute diversities in the circumstances of a narrative are not uncommon among the sacred writers, although this is one of the most striking instances. In the case of ordinary witnesses, such discrepancies are considered as proving the honesty and independence of the testimony.

      1. Bethphage; a small village.--Mount of Olives; a high but extended and cultivated eminence near Jerusalem.

      2. The village over against you; Bethany, a village near Bethphage.

      12. The temple. This was an edifice of great extent as well as magnificence, and one of its outer courts had gradually become a mart for buying and selling such articles as were used for sacrifices and other services of the place.

      13. It is written; Isa. 56:7. [56]

      19. This curse upon the barren fig-tree was perhaps intended as emblematic of the doom of the Jewish nation, or of all those who are unfruitful in the service of God.

      25. The baptism of John; that is, the public ministry of John.

      27. Neither tell I you, &c. They were thus referred to the testimony of John, whose authority they did not dare openly to reject.

      31. The publicans and harlots, who without making professions of sanctity repent and forsake their sins, go in before you, who are forward and zealous in your profession, but do not really obey the will of God. They were like the first son in the parable; the chief priests and elders like the second.

      32. In the way of righteousness; practising and teaching the way of righteousness. [57]

      33-41. The husbandmen, in this parable, represent the Jewish people; the vineyard, with all the conveniences attached to it, denotes the privileges and blessings which they enjoyed. The servants sent were the prophets; the son, Jesus Christ, who thus seems to be distinguished, in a marked manner, from all the mere human messengers sent from heaven to man.

      42. Did ye never read? (Ps. 118:22.) Christ is the stone, rejected by the Jews, but, in the councils of God, made the great foundation of the Christian temple.

      44. The two clauses of this verse constitute a sort of parallelism; and we are not to look for a distinction in the meaning of them. Both clauses express the idea that whoever sets himself in opposition to the cause of Christ only insures his own utter and remediless destruction. [58]

      3. And they would not come. The idea is, that this refusal to join in a celebration made in honor of the prince, was an expression of dislike and opposition to his own and his father's government and authority, and was punished as such. The parable represents the repeated invitations which were addressed at first to the Jews, to receive and honor Jesus, the Son of God,--their refusal, and their punishment,--and the subsequent admission of the Gentiles, in their stead, to the privileges of Christianity.

      11. By appearing in an unsuitable dress on such an occasion, he evinced an utter want of all real attachment and respect for his sovereign. He represents the insincere professor of religion, who intrudes into the church of Christ, without being clothed with the spirit of piety.

      14. Few are chosen; chosen and led to come.

      16. Herodians; the partisans of Herod.

      18. Their wickedness. Had he decided against paying tribute, the would have accused him of treason. [59]

      24. Moses said; Deut. 25:5, 6.--Seed; children.

      29. Ye do err; in imagining the future life to be similar, in its circumstances and relations, to the present.

      32. The argument is, that God would not have said, I am the God of Abraham, &c., if the persons referred to were no longer in existence.

      40. Hang; depend. All duties are included in these two principles of love to God and love to man.

      42-45. The Jews supposed that the Messiah would be an earthly monarch, making Jerusalem the metropolis of an empire of undefined extent and grandeur. This question was intended to show them how little they understood the real nature and the true dignity of the Messiah's kingdom. [60]

      2. Sit in Moses' seat; succeed him as teachers of the law of God.

      5. Phylacteries; strips of parchment, upon which were written passages of Scripture, and worn ostentatiously upon the forehead or arm.--Borders of their garments; as directed Num. 15:38, 39. The Pharisees made them very large, to impress the people with an idea of their great sanctity.

      6. Rooms; places. The subject of censure here is ostentation and parade, and excessive ambition. The language is not to be understood as condemning the just and proper distinctions of society, whether civil, social, or religious, as the whole tenor of the New Testament shows. In Luke 14:10, the honorable regard of our fellow-men, in the social intercourse of life, is represented as a good, and admirable directions are given to enable us to secure it.

      8. All ye are brethren; that is, in respect to authority. This meaning the context plainly requires, and the passage would seem to be decisive against the supposition that any one of the apostles was invested with supreme authority over the rest, as the Roman Catholic church contends.

      9. Call no man, father. This is to be interpreted on the same principles with the other verses. It forbids only an unreasonable and excessive subserviency to human authority, not a proper reverence for age and honorable standing. See 1 Tim. 5:1.

      13. Shut up, &c.; by opposing the instructions of Christ, and teaching false views of religion.

      14. Houses; estates. [61]

      15. Proselyte; convert to their opinions.

      16-22. By these subterfuges the Pharisees attempted to evade the sanctity of an oath.

      23. Tithe; tenth part, payable as a tax, according to the law of Moses (Lev. 27:30-33.)--Mint, anise, cumin; herbs of little value. [62]

      36. All these things; the judgments incurred by all these crimes.--Upon this generation; for by deeds similar to those committed by their fathers, they made the guilt and responsibility of them their own.--The whole of this denunciation is characterized by a tone of calm, yet stern and terrible displeasure, consistent only with the idea that Jesus looked upon these men as having reached their final decision, and as involved in hopeless and irreconcilable hostility to God. "Fill ye up, then, the measure of your fathers." It is the language of utter abandonment; such as would be addressed only to those to whom no hope remained of pardon and salvation.

      38. Your house, &c. A desolated house or home is a mournful and striking image of utter and irretrievable ruin.

      3. Mount of Olives; an extensive elevation of cultivated land situated east of Jerusalem, and commanding a view of the whole city.

      5. In my name; claiming to be the Messiah.

      6, 7. There was a literal fulfilment of these predictions just before the destruction of Jerusalem. [63]

      10. Be offended; apostatize, through fear of persecution.

      14. In all the world. Before the destruction of Jerusalem, the gospel had been preached through all the regions of the then known world.

      15. The abomination of desolation; the abominable and desolating armies of the Roman empire. (Dan. 9:27.)--The holy place; the precincts of Jerusalem.

      16-21. These expressions are figurative, representing, by lively images, the terrible urgency of the danger.

      22. The elect; the chosen people of God.

      26. The desert;--secret chambers. The false Christs would meet their followers in solitudes and secret chambers, for fear of the government.

      29-31. The connection in which [64] this passage occurs, and especially the statement in v. 34, which brings within short limits the time assigned for the fulfilment of the prophecy, indicates that it was intended only to describe, in sublimely figurative language, great political and social revolutions, which would attend and follow the destruction of the Jewish state, and the rapid spread of Christianity which would ensue. Some think, however, that the language can only be referred to the general judgment at the end of the world. By the word immediately, (v. 29,) they understand suddenly; and by the expression this generation shall not pass, (v. 34,) that the Jews, considered as a distinct people, shall not cease to exist. By this means the apparent limitation of time is removed.

      33. It is near; that is, the reign of the Messiah is near,--the open establishment of the Redeemer's kingdom on earth.

      37. Noe; Noah.

      41. Mill; hand-mill,--such as were used in those days.

      43. The good man of the house; the master of the house,--that is, of a house attacked by robbers. [65]

      1. Went forth; according to the custom in the marriage ceremonies of the East, to meet and escort the bridegroom, with lighted torches, to the house where the ceremony was to be performed.

      5. Tarried; from some cause of delay.

      6. There was a cry made; that is, it was announced.

      14. His goods; his property.

      15. A talent was a large sum of money. [66]

      21. Into the joy of thy lord; into his confidence and favor.

      24. It is noticeable that our Lord makes the man who had received the one talent, the unfaithful servant, in order to show us that, though our means of usefulness may be circumscribed, we are under an obligation, none the less imperious, faithfully to improve them.

      31. In his glory; to judge the world at the last day. [67]

      45. Our Savior teaches, by the preceding instructions, that a heart of kindness and compassion, and a sincere regard for the welfare and happiness of others, totally diverse from the spirit of unfeeling selfishness which reigns generally in the world, is necessary to prepare us for heaven. By what means past sins were to be remitted, and the human heart formed into the new image which he thus describes, was more fully explained by his apostles, after he had risen. In fact, in all our Savior's conversation and instructions, it seems to have been his design simply to bring this image of moral excellence to view, and to give it a permanent and conspicuous position before mankind. This was a necessary preliminary step. The way was afterwards revealed, through the writings and preaching of the apostles, by which this new spiritual condition was to be attained,--viz., by reliance upon the death of Christ, as an expiation for past sins, and upon the power of the Divine Spirit to work the great change in the desires and tendencies of the soul.

      46. Everlasting, punishment,--life eternal. The duration of the happiness of the righteous and of the misery of the wicked, is, in the original, expressed by the same word; and language has no stronger term with which to indicate limitless duration.

      2. Passover; a feast, celebrated by the Jews for one week, commencing at the 15th of their month Nisan, which was early in the spring. It was instituted to commemorate the passing over of the dwellings of the Israelites by the angel sent to destroy the first born among the Egyptians. (Ex. 12:3-17.)

      6. Bethany; a small village near Jerusalem, where Lazarus resided,--The leper; that is, so designated,-- [68] probably one whom our Savior had cured of leprosy.

      7. Alabaster; a species of stone resembling marble.--Ointment; a fragrant oil.

      12. According to the customs of the Jews, it was a suitable preparation, though not so intended by Mary.

      15. Thirty pieces of silver. This sum is usually estimated at between fifteen and twenty dollars. The value of money was, however, so very different then from what it now is, that it is impossible to estimate with accuracy the real value of the bribe. If labor was then but a penny a day, (Matt. 20:2,)--the word penny designating, as it does in that case, a Roman coin of about the size of an English sixpence, or an American dime,--and fall other things were in proportion,--fifteen dollars, in those days, might have been equal to fifty or one hundred now.

      16. Sought opportunity. They did not dare to take him openly, by day, for fear of the people; and at night, he was accustomed to retire to places which were unknown to the persons whom they wished to send, to arrest him.

      17. Feast of unleavened bread. During the eight days set apart for the solemnities connected with the celebration of the passover, bread made without leaven was to be used, in commemoration of the haste and confusion attending the flight from Egypt, when there was no time for the proper preparation of the bread (Ex. 12:33, 34. 13:5-10.) [69]

      25. Thou hast said; it is so.

      28. The new testament; the new covenant in the gospel. The Mosaic dispensation was the old covenant.--Remission of sins; release both from the power and from the penalties of sin.

      36. Gethsemane; a garden or grove on the western declivity of the Mount of Olives.

      37. Sons of of Zebedee; James and John.

      38, 39. These manifestations of suffering indicate something mysterious and peculiar in the mental anguish thus expressed. The nature of it is veiled, in a great measure, from our view; but it has been always supposed by the Christian church, that here commenced those sufferings by which the dying Redeemer made expiation for human sin.

      40. It is shown, in a very striking manner, how entirely human was the nature with which the Divine Word was clothed, in becoming flesh, (John 1:14,) by the strong desire of the [70] sufferer to relieve the sense of loneliness and terror that oppressed him, on this dreadful night, by the feeling that friends were near, watching against the impending danger, though he well knew that it was a danger which there was no hope or possibility of averting. To find, in the mere presence and sympathy of friends, an illusion of safety, which beguiles and soothes the heart, while the reason sees too clearly that this presence and sympathy can be of no real avail, is peculiarly and distinctively human. And when we consider thus the nature of the support which the vigilant interest of his friends would have afforded the solitary sufferer, a deep and melancholy meaning is imparted to the gentle reproach, "Could ye not watch with me one hour?"

      48. Kiss; according to the customary mode of salutation.

      51. One of them; Peter. (John 18:10.) It is remarkable that any of the disciples of Jesus should go armed, though it was not an uncommon practice among the Jews in their day. Robbers infested the passes in the neighborhood of Jerusalem. [71]

      57. Were assembled; for preliminary consultation and the examination of the prisoner. The regular meeting of the council took place some hours afterwards, in the morning, (27:1. Luke 22:66,) and was held probably in the temple. (27:5.)

      60. None; none that agreed together, so that they could found a conviction upon their testimony.

      61. This was a false interpretation put upon his language, as recorded John 2:19. That they knew very well what the Savior's real meaning was, is rendered probable from their acknowledgment, in the next chapter, v. 63.

      67. They; the soldiers and attendants who had the prisoner in charge.

      69. Without; that is, without that part of the hall, appropriated to the priests and the prisoner, but still in the same apartment, as appears from Luke 22:55, 61.

      73. Thy speech. They meant that his provincial dialect betrayed him to be a Galilean. [72]

      2. Pontius Pilate. Thus far Jesus had been in the hands of the Jewish authorities. In conquered countries, the native tribunals are generally preserved, though they are restricted to the exercise of subordinate functions. Thus the Sanhedrim, the great Jewish council, before which Jesus was first taken, though they had power to arrest and to try him, could inflict upon him only inferior punishments. The instance of Stephen, whose life was taken by a Jewish court, (Acts 6:12-7:60,) and some other cases, have led to a doubt whether the power to inflict capital punishments was absolutely and entirely taken away from the Jews. At any rate, the Jewish authorities seem to have considered that, in this case, the assent of the Roman governor, alone, could sanction crucifixion. (See John 18:31.)

      5. It has been supposed that the consternation which Judas manifested when he saw the fruits of what he had done, proves that he did not anticipate these fatal consequences, when he conducted the officers to the retreat of the Savior. But this is by no means certain. It is the very nature of crime, that a deed should be undertaken deliberately, and with hardened unconcern, Which, when done, overwhelms the so with remorse and horror.

      9. Jeremy. The only passage now extant in the the prophetical writings of the Old Testament, to which this allusion can refer, is found, not in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah. (Zech. 11:12, 13.) Many ingenious explanations of this difficulty have been offered by the learned, but they are merely conjectural.

      11. Art thou the King, &c. They had changed the accusation. Pilate, they knew, would pay no attention to the charge of blasphemy which they had brought against Jesus before the [73] Sanhedrim. They, therefore, changed the issue, and accused him now of treasonable designs against the Roman government. John (18:33-38) records the Savior's triumphant defence against this charge, by which defence Pilate was satisfied of his innocence.

      18. Envy; envy of his popularity and religious influence among the people.

      21. Whether of the twain; which of the two.

      24. A tumult. Popular tumults were always greatly dreaded by Roman officers. They feared not only the danger which they themselves, personally, and their immediate administration, incurred, but also the displeasure of the imperial government at Rome, by which the rulers of the provinces were held to a very severe responsibility for the preservation of public order. Pilate, therefore, after resisting the popular animosity against Jesus, till he found himself upon the eve of a tumult, dared to go no farther, but yielded, though solemnly protesting against the injustice of the decision.

      28. A scarlet robe; in mockery of his claims as king. One of the emblems of royalty among the Romans was a peculiar purple color, of a light and brilliant hue, and hence sometimes called scarlet. The word purple is used by Mark and John. [74]

      32. Simon; very probably known as a friend of Jesus. At first, Jesus himself bore the cross. (John 19:17.) Why they compelled this stranger to relieve him does not appear,--unless we suppose that Jesus was so exhausted with his sufferings, that he could bear the heavy burden no farther.

      34. Mark says wine mingled with myrrh; but the difference is not material. Vinegar was wine in an advanced stage of fermentation.

      36. They watched him; to prevent his being released by his friends.

      42. He saved others; by his miracles of healing.

      45. The ninth hour; about the middle of the afternoon.

      46. Eli, &c.; Hebrew words.

      47. Either misled by the sound, and not understanding the Hebrew tongue, [75] or purposely misinterpreting his words, in derision.

      50. When he had cried again with a loud voice; saying, "It is finished,"--a shout of exultation and victory, not the expiring cry of pain.--Yielded up the ghost; died.

      51. The veil was rent; in token of the final abrogation of the sacred solemnities which that veil had concealed, by consummation of the great sacrifice for sin, which they had foreshadowed.

      53. The holy city; Jerusalem.

      55. Followed Jesus from Galilee; that is, had been his companions on his last journey to Jerusalem.

      56. James. This was James surnamed the less.--Zebedee's children, James the greater and John. Their mother is called Salome, in Mark 15:40.

      57. Joseph. He was a member of the council by which Jesus had been condemned; although he had himself opposed his condemnation. (Luke 23:50, 51.)

      61. The other Mary; the mother of James and Joses.

      63. This indicates that they had understood what Jesus meant, by the language recorded, (John 2:19,) on which they founded their false accusation of blasphemy. (Matt. 26:61.) [76]

      66. They little thought that by these precautions they were only taking measures for putting beyond question the reality of the subsequent resurrection.

      1. As it began to dawn; that is, as it was growing light, for Mark says that it was about sunrise;--unless, in fact, there were two several parties to the sepulchre, as has sometimes been supposed. There were several others besides the two named here, who visited the sepulchre. (Luke 24:10.) They went to anoint the body. They had never understood the predictions which the Savior had uttered respecting his resurrection.

      2. There was; that is, there was before they came; for the other evangelists say that they found the stone rolled away.

      4. The keepers; the watch mentioned 27:66.

      6. The Lord. This form of expression seems to imply that the angels recognized Jesus as their Lord, as well as the Lord of the disciples.

      8. There is a very remarkable diversity in the accounts given by the several evangelists of the circumstances attending the announcement to the disciples if the Savior's resurrection--a diversity extremely perplexing to those who cannot trust the sacred writers any further than they can scrutinize and prove their testimony. (Compare Matt. 28:1. Mark 16:1-8. Luke 24:1-12. John 20:1-18.) Many ingenious attempts have been made to harmonize these accounts, and to combine them, by means of conjectural emendations and additions, into one self-consistent narrative. The results, however, afford the mind but little satisfaction. Unbelief does not feel itself answered by them, and is not silenced; and faith, having other ground to rest upon, which is of the most solid character, prefers, in regard to such difficulties, [77] to wait for future and complete solutions, rather than to rely upon explanations that are, after all, forced and unsatisfactory. See note on John 20:18.

      14. The governors; Pilate's.

      16. Into Galilee. Jesus had several other interviews with his disciples, both in Galilee and in the vicinity of Jerusalem, as is related by the other evangelists.--Into a mountain; into a secluded place among the mountains.

      17. Some doubted. Thomas was one who doubted. He was uncertain whether it was really Jesus in bodily presence, or an apparition. [78]

[AINT 7-78]