Luke · Chapter 9

V. 1. Matthew 10:1; Mark 6:7.

Verse 1. Power and authority] dunamin kai exousian. The words properly mean here, the power to work miracles; and that authority by which the whole demoniac system was to be subjected to them. The reader will please to observe: 1. That Luke mentions both demons and diseases; therefore he was either mistaken, or demons and diseases are not the same.

2. The treatment of these two was not the same:-the demons were to be cast out, the diseases to be healed. See Matthew 10:1.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

Verse 1. He called his twelve disciples together, privately, it would seem, and gave them power and authority to preach, and to heal diseases. Those powers must go together as was foretold in Isaiah 35. This divine commission was ground of confidence to all thus sent into the world. A minister of Christ without ministerial powers, would be like an ambassador at a foreign court without instructions. They have the keys of the church for the admission of converts, and power to deny the sacramental bread to profane persons; yea, by faith and prayer, they have power to shut and open heaven. Revelation 11:1-6.

1 Christ sendeth his apostles to work miracles, and to preach. 7 Herod desired to see Christ. 17 Christ feedeth five thousand: 18 inquireth what opinion the world had of him: foretelleth his passion: 23 proposeth to all the pattern of his patience. 28 The transfiguration. 37 He healeth the lunatic: 43 again forewarneth his disciples of his passion: 46 commendeth humility: 51 biddeth them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge. 57 Divers would follow him, but upon conditions.

CHAPTER 9. Verse 1. Then he called his twelve disciples. — See notes on the whole of Matthew 10.

Verse 2. To preach the kingdom of God] For an explication of this phrase, see Clarke on “Matthew 3:1”.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

Verse 3. Take nothing] See on Mark 6:7, 8. Neither money] See Clarke on “Matthew 10:9”. Neither have two coats] Show that in all things ye are ambassadors for God; and go on his charges.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

V. 4. There abide and thence depart-That is, stay in that house till ye leave the city.

Verse 4. There abide, and thence depart.] That is, remain in that lodging till ye depart from that city. Some MSS. and versions add mh, which makes the following sense: There remain, and depart NOT thence. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 10:11”.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

Verses 1-6. Then he called his twelve disciples — See notes on

Matthew 10:1; and Mark 6:7-12. There abide and thence depart — That is, Stay in that house till ye leave the city. See note on Matthew 10:11.

V. 7. It was said by some-And soon after by Herod himself. Matthew 14:1; Mark 6:14.

Verse 7. Herod the tetrarch] See on Matthew 2:1; 14:1. By him] This is omitted by BCDL, two others, the Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, and four of the Itala. It is probable that Luke might have written, Herod, hearing of all the things that were done, &c.; but Matthew says particularly, that it was the fame of Jesus of which he heard: Matthew 14:1.

He was perplexed;] He was greatly perplexed dihporei from dia emphat. and aporew, I am in perplexity. It is a metaphor taken from a traveller, who in his journey meets with several paths, one only of which leads to the place whither he would go; and, not knowing which to take, he is distressed with perplexity and doubt. The verb comes from a, negative, and porov, a way or passage. A guilty conscience is a continual pest:-Herod had murdered John, and he is terribly afraid, lest he should arise from the dead, and bring his deeds to light, and expose him to that punishment which he deserved. See Mark 6:16.

Verses 7-9. Now Herod heard of all that was done by him — The twelve apostles preaching in the towns of Galilee, and confirming their doctrine by many mighty miracles, raised the attention and expectation of all men more than ever. For they could not but think it a most extraordinary and marvellous thing, that Christ could not only work miracles himself, but impart the power of working them to others, even to whomsoever he pleased; a thing never heard of in the world before, and which evidently rendered him far superior to all the prophets, and certainly was an amazing and most convincing proof of his being the Messiah. This circumstance, it seems, aggrandized him more than any other thing, and spread his fame so far, that it reached the court of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, and occasioned many speculations there. And he (Herod) was perplexed. — Greek, dihporei, much perplexed, as the same word is rendered Luke 24:4; and by the Vulgate consternatum esse, to be in a consternation; and elsewhere, stupere, to be amazed, or dismayed. The word, says Grotius, signifies wonder and astonishment; or, according to Doddridge, “such a mixture of doubt and fear, as necessarily throws the mind into a very uneasy situation.” The sense here seems to be, that the fame of our Lord’s miracles, and the diversity of opinions concerning him, so astonished Herod that he knew not what to think or believe concerning him. Because it was said of some — And soon after by Herod himself; that John was risen from the dead — He thought he had got clear of John, and should never be more troubled with him; but he now begins to fear he was mistaken, and that either John was come to life again, or that another had arisen in his power and spirit. And of some (it was said) that Elias had appeared — They say appeared, because, as he did not die, he could not rise again: and of others, that one of the old prophets — Who had been persecuted and slain long since; was risen again — To be recompensed for his sufferings by this honour put upon him. It is probable that this conversation at the court of Galilee, concerning Jesus, and Herod’s perplexity thereupon, happened soon after the Baptist’s death. The murder of him, it seems, was recent. Hence the stings of conscience which that crime occasioned to Herod were bitter; and the rather, that he had committed it in an unguarded hour, contrary to the dictates of his own mind. Hence, in the confusion of his thoughts, he followed the multitude, though a Sadducee, in fancying that John was risen from the dead, and dreaded the punishment of his crime. It may seem strange that any person should have ascribed Christ’s miracles to John risen from the dead, who during his life-time performed no miracle, John 5:41. Perhaps they imagined the power of working miracles was conferred on the Baptist to prove both his resurrection and his innocence; to clothe him with greater authority than formerly; and to render his person inviolable for the future. Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this? — Is he carrying on John’s work, or is he come to avenge John’s death? John baptized, but he does not; John wrought no miracle, but he works many; and therefore appears more formidable than John. Observe, reader, those who oppose God will find themselves more and more embarrassed. And he desired to see him — Whether he resembled John or not; and if he found it was John, perhaps expecting to effect a reconciliation with him. “He might soon have got his doubts resolved, if he would have informed himself, as he easily might, of what thousands knew, that Jesus preached and wrought miracles a great while before John was beheaded, and therefore could not be John risen from the dead. He desired to see him — And why did he not go and see him, or send for him? Probably because he thought it below him to do either the one or the other. He had had enough of John, and cared not for having to do with any more such reprovers of sin. He desired to see him; but we do not find that he ever did till he saw him at his bar, and then he and his men of war set him at naught, Luke 23:11. Had he prosecuted his convictions now, and gone to see him, who knows but a happy change might have been wrought in him; but delaying it now, his heart was hardened; and when he did see him, he was as much prejudiced against him as any other.” — Henry.

Verse 7. Herod the tetrarch. — See notes on Matthew 14:1, &c., and Mark 6:20.

V. 8. That Elijah had appeared-He could not rise again, because he did not die.

Verses 7-9. Now Herod heard of all that was done by him — The twelve apostles preaching in the towns of Galilee, and confirming their doctrine by many mighty miracles, raised the attention and expectation of all men more than ever. For they could not but think it a most extraordinary and marvellous thing, that Christ could not only work miracles himself, but impart the power of working them to others, even to whomsoever he pleased; a thing never heard of in the world before, and which evidently rendered him far superior to all the prophets, and certainly was an amazing and most convincing proof of his being the Messiah. This circumstance, it seems, aggrandized him more than any other thing, and spread his fame so far, that it reached the court of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, and occasioned many speculations there. And he (Herod) was perplexed. — Greek, dihporei, much perplexed, as the same word is rendered Luke 24:4; and by the Vulgate consternatum esse, to be in a consternation; and elsewhere, stupere, to be amazed, or dismayed. The word, says Grotius, signifies wonder and astonishment; or, according to Doddridge, “such a mixture of doubt and fear, as necessarily throws the mind into a very uneasy situation.” The sense here seems to be, that the fame of our Lord’s miracles, and the diversity of opinions concerning him, so astonished Herod that he knew not what to think or believe concerning him. Because it was said of some — And soon after by Herod himself; that John was risen from the dead — He thought he had got clear of John, and should never be more troubled with him; but he now begins to fear he was mistaken, and that either John was come to life again, or that another had arisen in his power and spirit. And of some (it was said) that Elias had appeared — They say appeared, because, as he did not die, he could not rise again: and of others, that one of the old prophets — Who had been persecuted and slain long since; was risen again — To be recompensed for his sufferings by this honour put upon him. It is probable that this conversation at the court of Galilee, concerning Jesus, and Herod’s perplexity thereupon, happened soon after the Baptist’s death. The murder of him, it seems, was recent. Hence the stings of conscience which that crime occasioned to Herod were bitter; and the rather, that he had committed it in an unguarded hour, contrary to the dictates of his own mind. Hence, in the confusion of his thoughts, he followed the multitude, though a Sadducee, in fancying that John was risen from the dead, and dreaded the punishment of his crime. It may seem strange that any person should have ascribed Christ’s miracles to John risen from the dead, who during his life-time performed no miracle, John 5:41. Perhaps they imagined the power of working miracles was conferred on the Baptist to prove both his resurrection and his innocence; to clothe him with greater authority than formerly; and to render his person inviolable for the future. Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this? — Is he carrying on John’s work, or is he come to avenge John’s death? John baptized, but he does not; John wrought no miracle, but he works many; and therefore appears more formidable than John. Observe, reader, those who oppose God will find themselves more and more embarrassed. And he desired to see him — Whether he resembled John or not; and if he found it was John, perhaps expecting to effect a reconciliation with him. “He might soon have got his doubts resolved, if he would have informed himself, as he easily might, of what thousands knew, that Jesus preached and wrought miracles a great while before John was beheaded, and therefore could not be John risen from the dead. He desired to see him — And why did he not go and see him, or send for him? Probably because he thought it below him to do either the one or the other. He had had enough of John, and cared not for having to do with any more such reprovers of sin. He desired to see him; but we do not find that he ever did till he saw him at his bar, and then he and his men of war set him at naught, Luke 23:11. Had he prosecuted his convictions now, and gone to see him, who knows but a happy change might have been wrought in him; but delaying it now, his heart was hardened; and when he did see him, he was as much prejudiced against him as any other.” — Henry.

Verses 7-9. Now Herod heard of all that was done by him — The twelve apostles preaching in the towns of Galilee, and confirming their doctrine by many mighty miracles, raised the attention and expectation of all men more than ever. For they could not but think it a most extraordinary and marvellous thing, that Christ could not only work miracles himself, but impart the power of working them to others, even to whomsoever he pleased; a thing never heard of in the world before, and which evidently rendered him far superior to all the prophets, and certainly was an amazing and most convincing proof of his being the Messiah. This circumstance, it seems, aggrandized him more than any other thing, and spread his fame so far, that it reached the court of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, and occasioned many speculations there. And he (Herod) was perplexed. — Greek, dihporei, much perplexed, as the same word is rendered Luke 24:4; and by the Vulgate consternatum esse, to be in a consternation; and elsewhere, stupere, to be amazed, or dismayed. The word, says Grotius, signifies wonder and astonishment; or, according to Doddridge, “such a mixture of doubt and fear, as necessarily throws the mind into a very uneasy situation.” The sense here seems to be, that the fame of our Lord’s miracles, and the diversity of opinions concerning him, so astonished Herod that he knew not what to think or believe concerning him. Because it was said of some — And soon after by Herod himself; that John was risen from the dead — He thought he had got clear of John, and should never be more troubled with him; but he now begins to fear he was mistaken, and that either John was come to life again, or that another had arisen in his power and spirit. And of some (it was said) that Elias had appeared — They say appeared, because, as he did not die, he could not rise again: and of others, that one of the old prophets — Who had been persecuted and slain long since; was risen again — To be recompensed for his sufferings by this honour put upon him. It is probable that this conversation at the court of Galilee, concerning Jesus, and Herod’s perplexity thereupon, happened soon after the Baptist’s death. The murder of him, it seems, was recent. Hence the stings of conscience which that crime occasioned to Herod were bitter; and the rather, that he had committed it in an unguarded hour, contrary to the dictates of his own mind. Hence, in the confusion of his thoughts, he followed the multitude, though a Sadducee, in fancying that John was risen from the dead, and dreaded the punishment of his crime. It may seem strange that any person should have ascribed Christ’s miracles to John risen from the dead, who during his life-time performed no miracle, John 5:41. Perhaps they imagined the power of working miracles was conferred on the Baptist to prove both his resurrection and his innocence; to clothe him with greater authority than formerly; and to render his person inviolable for the future. Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this? — Is he carrying on John’s work, or is he come to avenge John’s death? John baptized, but he does not; John wrought no miracle, but he works many; and therefore appears more formidable than John. Observe, reader, those who oppose God will find themselves more and more embarrassed. And he desired to see him — Whether he resembled John or not; and if he found it was John, perhaps expecting to effect a reconciliation with him. “He might soon have got his doubts resolved, if he would have informed himself, as he easily might, of what thousands knew, that Jesus preached and wrought miracles a great while before John was beheaded, and therefore could not be John risen from the dead. He desired to see him — And why did he not go and see him, or send for him? Probably because he thought it below him to do either the one or the other. He had had enough of John, and cared not for having to do with any more such reprovers of sin. He desired to see him; but we do not find that he ever did till he saw him at his bar, and then he and his men of war set him at naught, Luke 23:11. Had he prosecuted his convictions now, and gone to see him, who knows but a happy change might have been wrought in him; but delaying it now, his heart was hardened; and when he did see him, he was as much prejudiced against him as any other.” — Henry.

V. 10. Mark 6:30.

Verse 10. Told him all] Related distinctly-dihghsanto, from dia, through, and hgeomai, I declare: hence the whole of this Gospel, because of its relating every thing so particularly, is termed dihghsiv, Luke 1:1, a particular and circumstantially detailed narration. See Clarke on “Mark 6:30”.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Verse 11. The people-followed him] Observe here five grand effects of Divine grace. 1. The people are drawn to follow him. 2. He kindly receives them. 3. He instructs them in the things of God. 4. He heals all their diseases. 5. He feeds their bodies and their souls. See Quesnel. Reader! Jesus is the same to the present moment. Follow him, and he will receive, instruct, heal, feed, and save thy soul unto eternal life.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Verse 11. And he received them. — All the evangelists speak of the kindness and compassion with which our Lord treated these eager multitudes who followed him into the desert, to hear his words and to see his miracles; and to describe this they use various expressive phrases. Matthew says that “he was moved with compassion toward them.” St. Mark heightens this by adding, “because they were as sheep having no shepherd;” they had no spiritual guides: and St. Luke completes this picture of the benignity and mercy of him who pitied their destitution, and, as the good shepherd, took these thousands of the lost sheep of the house of Israel under his gracious charge. They had indeed intruded upon his solitude; but he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

On the miracle of feeding the five thousand, see the notes on Matthew 14:15-22, and Mark 6:35. St. John informs us that this miracle was wrought when the passover was nigh. This explains the reason why so great a concourse of people were passing through Capernaum at the time, and appear to have flocked to him in such numbers that he found it necessary to retire; and that five thousand should follow him into the desert, when it was ascertained in what part he was. At this season all the great roads were crowded with people going up to Jerusalem; and Josephus states that the number of persons who were present at one of these festivals was reported to Nero to have been upward of two millions and a half, collected from all parts. The officer who made the calculation reckoned ten persons to each passover lamb.

V. 12. Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:35; John 6:3.

Verse 12. Send the multitude away] See this miracle explained at large, on the parallel places, Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:36-44.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Ver. 13. Give ye them to eat. See note on John 6:5-13.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

Verse 16. Then he took the five loaves] A minister of the Gospel, who is employed to feed souls, should imitate this conduct of Christ:

1. He ought to exhort the people to hear with sedate and humble reverence.

2. He should first take the bread of life himself, that he may be strengthened to feed others.

3. He ought frequently to lift his soul to God, in order to draw down the Divine blessing on himself and his hearers.

4. He should break the loaves-divide rightly the word of truth, and give to all such portions as are suited to their capacities and states.

5. What he cannot perform himself, he should endeavour to effect by the ministry of others; employing every promising talent, for the edification of the whole, which he finds among the members of the Church of God. Under such a pastor, the flock of Christ will increase and multiply. See Quesnel.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

16. Blessed them—It was customary with the Jews at every meal to offer a prayer commencing with the thankful words “Blessed be God.” Hence the Hebrew to bless, which originally had for its object God as the author of the meal, took as its objective case the food itself, and thence arose the phrase to bless the food, or to ask a blessing on the food. § 73.—ENDOWMENT OF THE APOSTOLIC COLLEGE, 18-21.

See notes on Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30. PERIOD SIXTH.

TRANSFIGURATION, AND MINISTRY OF SORROW AND STRUGGLE. From Luke 9:22 to 10:42.

Historical Synopsis (vol. 1.) §74—§101.

§ 74.—JESUS FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND EXHORTS TO SELF-DENIAL, 22-27. (Matthew 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-38.) § 75.—TRANSFIGURATION AND DISCOURSE WHILE DESCENDING THE MOUNT, 28-36. Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13.

Verses 10-17. And the apostles being returned, told him all that they had done — See notes on Matthew 14:13-21; and Mark 6:30-44, where this whole paragraph is largely explained.

V. 18. Apart-From the multitude.

And he asked them-When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance. Matthew 14:13; Mark 8:27.

Verse 18. Whom say the people] oi ocloi, the common people, i.e. the mass of the people. See this question considered on Matthew 16:13, &c.

Verses 18-22. As he was alone praying — Or rather apart from the multitude, for the word katamonav, here rendered alone, excludes not his disciples, but the multitude, now sent away when they were filled, as appears from Mark 4:10, where the same word is used; and where we read, when he was alone, (katamonav, apart from the multitude,) they that were about him, with the twelve, asked him of the parable, Or the expression here, katamonav proseucomenov, may be rendered, as he was praying alone, or by himself; his prayer being ended, his disciples came to him. He asked them — When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance, Who say the people that I am, &c. — See this paragraph explained on Matthew 16:13-23; and Mark 8:27-33. He commanded them to tell no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer, &c. — As if he had said, Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verses 18-22. As he was alone praying — Or rather apart from the multitude, for the word katamonav, here rendered alone, excludes not his disciples, but the multitude, now sent away when they were filled, as appears from Mark 4:10, where the same word is used; and where we read, when he was alone, (katamonav, apart from the multitude,) they that were about him, with the twelve, asked him of the parable, Or the expression here, katamonav proseucomenov, may be rendered, as he was praying alone, or by himself; his prayer being ended, his disciples came to him. He asked them — When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance, Who say the people that I am, &c. — See this paragraph explained on Matthew 16:13-23; and Mark 8:27-33. He commanded them to tell no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer, &c. — As if he had said, Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verse 20. But whom say ye that I am?] Whom do ye tell the people that I am? What do ye preach concerning me? See also on Matthew 16:14; and see the observations at the end of this chapter.

The Christ of God.] The Coptic and later Persic read, Thou art Christ God. After this comes in Peter’s confession of our Lord, as related Matthew 16:16, &c., where see the notes; and see also the observations of Granville Sharp, Esq., at the end of this chapter. See Clarke on “Luke 9:62”

Verses 18-22. As he was alone praying — Or rather apart from the multitude, for the word katamonav, here rendered alone, excludes not his disciples, but the multitude, now sent away when they were filled, as appears from Mark 4:10, where the same word is used; and where we read, when he was alone, (katamonav, apart from the multitude,) they that were about him, with the twelve, asked him of the parable, Or the expression here, katamonav proseucomenov, may be rendered, as he was praying alone, or by himself; his prayer being ended, his disciples came to him. He asked them — When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance, Who say the people that I am, &c. — See this paragraph explained on Matthew 16:13-23; and Mark 8:27-33. He commanded them to tell no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer, &c. — As if he had said, Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verses 18-22. As he was alone praying — Or rather apart from the multitude, for the word katamonav, here rendered alone, excludes not his disciples, but the multitude, now sent away when they were filled, as appears from Mark 4:10, where the same word is used; and where we read, when he was alone, (katamonav, apart from the multitude,) they that were about him, with the twelve, asked him of the parable, Or the expression here, katamonav proseucomenov, may be rendered, as he was praying alone, or by himself; his prayer being ended, his disciples came to him. He asked them — When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance, Who say the people that I am, &c. — See this paragraph explained on Matthew 16:13-23; and Mark 8:27-33. He commanded them to tell no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer, &c. — As if he had said, Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

V. 22. Saying-Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-22. As he was alone praying — Or rather apart from the multitude, for the word katamonav, here rendered alone, excludes not his disciples, but the multitude, now sent away when they were filled, as appears from Mark 4:10, where the same word is used; and where we read, when he was alone, (katamonav, apart from the multitude,) they that were about him, with the twelve, asked him of the parable, Or the expression here, katamonav proseucomenov, may be rendered, as he was praying alone, or by himself; his prayer being ended, his disciples came to him. He asked them — When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance, Who say the people that I am, &c. — See this paragraph explained on Matthew 16:13-23; and Mark 8:27-33. He commanded them to tell no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer, &c. — As if he had said, Ye must prepare for a scene far different from this.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

V. 23. Let him deny himself, and take up his cross-The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places: the extent of it is specified here, daily-Therefore that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Verse 23. If any man will come after me] See Clarke on “Matthew 16:24”, and see Clarke on “Mark 8:34”, where the nature of proselytism among the Jews is explained.

Daily] kaq~ hmeran is omitted by many reputable MSS., versions, and fathers. It is not found in the parallel places, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34.

Verses 23-27. And he said to them all, &c. — Not only to his disciples, as mentioned by Matthew, but to the people also, whom, Mark observes, he called unto him, as well as his disciples, to hear the very important doctrine which he was about to deliver, contained in this paragraph, of which see the notes on Matthew 16:24-27; and Mark 8:34-38. Let him deny himself and take up his cross — The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places; the extent of it is specified here, daily — Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Ver. 23. If any man will come after me. See on Mark 8:34-38.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

V. 24. Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; John 12:25.

Verse 24. Will save his life] See Clarke on “Matthew 16:24”, &c.

Verses 23-27. And he said to them all, &c. — Not only to his disciples, as mentioned by Matthew, but to the people also, whom, Mark observes, he called unto him, as well as his disciples, to hear the very important doctrine which he was about to deliver, contained in this paragraph, of which see the notes on Matthew 16:24-27; and Mark 8:34-38. Let him deny himself and take up his cross — The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places; the extent of it is specified here, daily — Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verse 25. Lose himself] That is, his life or soul. See the parallel places, Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35, and especially the note on the former. Or be cast away?] Or receive spiritual damage h zhmiwqeiv. I have added the word spiritual here, which I conceive to be necessarily implied. Because, if a man received only temporal damage in some respect or other, yet gaining the whole world must amply compensate him. But if he should receive spiritual damage-hurt to his soul in the smallest degree, the possession of the universe could not indemnify him. Earthly goods may repair earthly losses, but they cannot repair any breach that may be made in the peace or holiness of the soul. See Clarke on “Matthew 16:26”.

Verses 23-27. And he said to them all, &c. — Not only to his disciples, as mentioned by Matthew, but to the people also, whom, Mark observes, he called unto him, as well as his disciples, to hear the very important doctrine which he was about to deliver, contained in this paragraph, of which see the notes on Matthew 16:24-27; and Mark 8:34-38. Let him deny himself and take up his cross — The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places; the extent of it is specified here, daily — Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verse 26. Ashamed of me] See Clarke on “Mark 8:38”.

Verses 23-27. And he said to them all, &c. — Not only to his disciples, as mentioned by Matthew, but to the people also, whom, Mark observes, he called unto him, as well as his disciples, to hear the very important doctrine which he was about to deliver, contained in this paragraph, of which see the notes on Matthew 16:24-27; and Mark 8:34-38. Let him deny himself and take up his cross — The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places; the extent of it is specified here, daily — Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

Verses 23-27. And he said to them all, &c. — Not only to his disciples, as mentioned by Matthew, but to the people also, whom, Mark observes, he called unto him, as well as his disciples, to hear the very important doctrine which he was about to deliver, contained in this paragraph, of which see the notes on Matthew 16:24-27; and Mark 8:34-38. Let him deny himself and take up his cross — The necessity of this duty has been shown in many places; the extent of it is specified here, daily — Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up.

Verses 18-27. Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 16:13-28.

V. 28. Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2.

Verse 28. About an eight days after] See the whole of this important transaction explained at large on Matthew 17:1-13.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

29. Glistering—The verbs to glister, to glisten and to glitter are but different forms of the same word, and have nearly the same meaning.

Verse 29. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance. — See the notes on Matthew 17:1, &c.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

V. 31. In glory-Like Christ with whom they talked.

Verse 31. His decease] thn exodon auton, That going out (or death) of his. That peculiar kind of death-its nature, circumstances, and necessity being considered. Instead of exodon, thirteen MSS. have doxan, glory. They spoke of that glory of his, which he was about to fill up (plhroun) at Jerusalem. The Æthiopic unites both readings. The death of Jesus was his glory, because, by it, he gained the victory over sin, death, and hell, and purchased salvation and eternal glory for a lost world.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Ver. 31. And spake of his decease: exodon, departure. See on Matthew 17:3. On what else should prophets speak, but of the accomplishment of prophecy? This vision gave the apostles rank with the first of seers.

31. Spake of his decease—The three evangelists tell us that the two talked with Jesus, but Luke alone informs us what was the topic of the conversation. They conversed about his approaching sufferings; and in what tone appears from the remarkable phrase which follows, namely, the decease which he should accomplish. His death was viewed as a great voluntary work to be achieved.

§ 76.—JESUS CASTS OUT A DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT, 37-43.

See notes on parallel sections, Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29. § 77.—JESUS FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND RESURRECTION, 43-45. Matthew 17:22-23; Mark 9:30-32;

also notes on parallel sections in Mark 9:10, and 16:10, 11. § 79.—THE DISCIPLES CONTEND WHO SHOULD BE GREATEST, 46-50. Matthew 18:1-35; Mark 9:33-50.

See notes on parallel sections.

We have now (verse 51) arrived at an extended passage, (including Luke 9:51-18:15,) which may be called THE GREAT LUKEAN SECTION; comprising Luke’s largest independent contribution to Gospel history. Commentators have generally looked upon this entire section as simply a miscellaneous collection of narratives and discourses, put in this place because the evangelist knew no better time and locality to assign them. Our Historical Synopsis (vol. i, pp. 9-16) is constructed according to the Harmony of Newcome, and we prefer to allow it to remain. But we incline to prefer, so far as this part of the Gospels is concerned, the later plan of Wieseler, by which the whole is brought into a beautiful harmony, especially with John, and a more spirited narrative life is infused into the entire passage.

There are in this section three notices of Jesus’s travels, (namely, Luke 9:51; 13:22; 17:11,) which divide the passage into three parts. Supposing the first to correspond with the going to the FEAST OF TABERNACLES, (John 7:14,) the second to the going, after the Feast of Dedication, from Perea to Bethany, to raise Lazarus, and thence to his retirement to Ephraim; and the third to his departing from Ephraim westward to the Jordan, to join the caravans, on their way TO HIS LAST PASSOVER at Jerusalem, and we shall have a beautiful harmony which will be verified by the details. These three points divide this whole Lukean section into three parts: first, the period before arriving at the Feast of Tabernacles, (Luke 9:51-x, 16;) second, the interval between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication, (x, 17-xiii, 21;) third, the interval between the Feast of Dedication and the Lord’s Last Passover. Hence we have the following:

HARMONY.

Before the Feast of Tabernacles

Jesus having been for some time driven from Judea into Galilee, John 7:1. being advised by his brothers to go to the Feast of Tabernacles, John 7:2-9. leaves Galilee for the last time Matthew 19:1.

and sets his face towards Jerusalem Luke 9:51.

Having secretly sent messengers to pioneer his way through Samaria Luke 9:52-56.

after rejecting some unsuitable candidates Luke 9:57-62. he selects and sends forth the SEVENTY Luke 10:1-16. and arrives at Jerusalem in the midst of THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES, John 7:14.

Between the Feast of Tabernacle and the Feast of Dedication Debates and discourses ensue at the Feast of Tabernacles John 7:15-10:21. On leaving he receives the return of the Seventy Luke 10:17-24. and prosecutes a ministry in Judea Luke 10:25-13:21. Again he is in Jerusalem at THE FEAST OF DEDICATION; John 10:22-38.

Between the Feast of Dedication and the Last of Passover but, driven by persecution, takes refuge in Peraea; John 10:39-42. whence, returning towards Jerusalem, Luke 13:22. he lingers, preaches, and travels three days, Luke 13:23-xvii, 10. and arriving at Bethany, raises Lazarus John 11:1-53. and retires to Ephraim for refuge John 11:54.

Thence travelling on the border land of Samaria and Galilee towards the Jordan, in order to join the Passover caravans for Jerusalem, Luke 17:11. teaching and working miracles he comes to Jericho, Luke 17:12-18:35. on his way to his last PASSOVER at Jerusalem.

We affirm not this Harmony to be (what no Harmony over yet constructed is) demonstrably a programme of the true order of facts; but it incurs, perhaps, no more difficulties, and produces far happier adjustments, than any we have as yet examined.

Verse 31. Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease. — This interesting circumstance is added by St. Luke. Because exodov, rendered here decease, in classical writers means a military expedition, a going out to war, some interpreters have indulged the fancy that the subject of conversation among these exalted personages was Christ’s going forth as it were to battle against the rebellious Jews, and destroying Jerusalem. But in addition to the critical reasons against this interpretation, the word is familiarly used by the Hellenists for death, as exitus and excessus by the Latins; and, as it has been well remarked, was one of those terms which handed down the tradition of the immortality of the soul; death not being the termination of being, but A DEPARTURE only into another state. “When the dead is at rest,” says the author of Ecclus., 38:23, “let his remembrance rest, and be comforted for him, en exodw pneumatov autou, in the departure of his spirit.” St. Peter also uses the same word, “That ye may be able after my decease, exodon, to have these things always in remembrance.” The phrase, to accomplish or fulfil a death or departure from the world, gives a strong peculiarity to the passage before us. No parallel phrase to express death is to be found in profane or sacred writers; and for this there is sufficient reason. To depart from life is the common lot; but to fulfil his decease or departure from the world was peculiar to Christ, because his death was the grand subject of prophecy, the event upon which the salvation of the world was suspended, and the accomplishment of which established for ever the plan of our redemption. With this event Moses and Elias, like the other prophets, had been familiar while upon earth: the former had set up types of it; and the latter, as a spiritual man, and the great restorer of the law, well enough understood their import. — The grand doctrine, “Without shedding of blood there is no remission,” was held by them all; and their faith had looked beyond the blood of lambs and goats which flowed from their typical altars. In that faith which rested solely upon the merit of the lamb which “God shall provide for a burnt-offering” they died; and now the shedding of the blood of Christ, the true propitiation, was about to confirm them and all the glorified in their title to those realms of light into which they had been admitted in anticipation of Christ’s sacrifice, as well as to open the same gate of salvation to future ages. — Who then can wonder, when such consequences depended upon the accomplishment of the predicted death of our Lord, that this should be the subject of their converse? The intention of which was not, as some have dreamed, to prepare our Lord’s mind for his sufferings; for what could he derive of knowledge or motive from them? But it was entered into by our Lord, no doubt, to instruct these exalted saints themselves more fully in that mystery “which angels desire to look into,” and which forms the subject of the loftiest songs, and the basis of the most transporting raptures, of the heavenly world, — redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

V. 32. They saw his glory-The very same expression in which it is described by St. John, John 1:14; and by St. Peter, 2 Peter 1:16. V.34. A cloud came and overshadowed them all. And they, the apostles, feared, while they (Moses and Elijah) entered into the cloud, which took them away.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Verse 32. And when they were awake. — They had been heavy with sleep; but now they were thoroughly awake, as the word signifies.

Verse 33. It is good for us to be here] Some MSS. add pantote, It is good for us to be ALWAYS here.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Verse 35. This is my beloved Son] Instead of o agaphtov, the beloved one, some MSS. and versions have eklektov, the chosen one: and the Æthiopic translator, as in several other cases, to be sure of the true reading, retains both.

In whom I am well pleased, or have delighted-is added by some very ancient MSS. Perhaps this addition is taken from Matthew 17:5.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

Verses 28-36. It came to pass about eight days after — Including the day on which the discourse, recorded in the preceding chapter, was delivered, and that on which the fact, here mentioned, took place: otherwise, exclusively of these two days, it was six days after, as Matthew has it. See the following account of our Lord’s transfiguration, explained at large in the notes on Matthew 17:1-8, with some additional observations on Mark 9:2-10. Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory — Like Christ, with whom they talked. They saw his glory — The very same expression in which it is described by John 1:14; and by Peter, 2 Peter 1:16, 17.

V. 37. Matthew 17:14; Mark 9:14.

Verse 37. Much people] See Clarke on “Matthew 17:14”.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Ver. 38. Look upon my son. See note on Mark 9:17.

Verse 38. A man of the company cried out, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 17:14, 15, and Mark 9:14.

Verse 39. A spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out] pneuma lambanei auton. This very phrase is used by heathen writers, when they speak of supernatural influence. The following, from Herodotus, will make the matter, I hope, quite plain. Speaking of Scyles, king of the Scythians, who was more fond of Grecian manners and customs than of those of his countrymen, and who desired to be privately initiated into the Bacchic mysteries, he adds:

“Now because the Scythians reproach the Greeks with these Bacchanals, and say that to imagine a god driving men into paroxysms of madness is not agreeable to sound reason, a certain Borysthenian, while the king was performing the ceremonies of initiation, went out, and discovered the matter to the Scythian army in these words: ‘Ye Scythians ridicule us because we celebrate the Bacchanals, kai hmeav o qeov LAMBANEI, and the GOD POSSESSES US: but now the same demon, outov o daimwn, has TAKEN

POSSESSION, LELABHKE, of your king, for he celebrates the Bacchanals, and upo tou qeou mainetai, is filled with fury by this god.” Herodot. l. iv. p. 250, edit. Gale.

This passage is exceedingly remarkable. The very expressions which Luke uses here are made use of by Herodotus. A demon, daimwn, is the agent in the Greek historian, and a demon is the agent in the case mentioned in the text, Luke 9:42. In both cases it is said the demon possesses the persons, and the very same word, lambanei is used to express this in both historians. Both historians show that the possessions were real, by the effects produced in the persons: the heathen king rages with fury through the influence of the demon called the god Bacchus; the person in the text screams out, (krazei,) is greatly convulsed, and foams at the mouth. Here was a real possession, and such as often took place among those who were worshippers of demons.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verse 42. The devil threw him down, and tare him.] See this case considered at large, on Matthew 17:15-18, and on Mark 9:14-27.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verse 43. The mighty power] This majesty of God, megaleiothti tou qeou. They plainly saw that it was a case in which any power inferior to that of God could be of no avail; and they were deeply struck with the majesty of God manifested in the conduct of the blessed Jesus.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

V. 44. Let these sayings sink down into your ears-That is, consider them deeply. In joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings. Matthew 17:22; Mark 9:31.

Verse 44. Let these sayings sink down into your ears] Or, put these words into your ears. To other words, you may lend occasional attention-but to what concerns my sufferings and death you must ever listen. Let them constantly occupy a place in your most serious meditations and reflections.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verses 44, 45. These sayings sink down into your ears. — A mode of solemnly enforcing a truth upon the attention; and such was the continual tendency of the disciples to expect that their Master would throw off the veil, and manifest himself in the glory of his regal character, that it was necessary again and again to repeat to them the unwelcome truth of his approaching sufferings and death. The effect of this might be to check in a great measure those extravagant hopes which they were prone to indulge, and hold them in some degree of suspense; but it is added, they understood not this saying. They could not indeed mistake the import of the words used; but they probably thought that Christ was speaking in a kind of parable, and was not to be understood literally. The true sense of his words was therefore hid from them that they perceived it not. It was hidden, not by any act of God, but by the force of their own prejudices, their wishes being the misleading interpreters. And they feared to ask him of that saying; either as remembering the severe reproof which Peter had received, and all of them through him when he said, on a similar occasion, “This be far from thee;” or rather, perhaps this expresses the deception which they practised upon themselves in reference to a subject on which they were most reluctant to be convinced. They hoped that he used figurative language when he so often and so emphatically spoke of his death; and they feared to ask him, lest this pleasing delusion should be dissipated, — a very natural feeling when all the circumstances in which they were placed are considered. We have the key to the great mystery of our Lord’s humiliations, which at that time they had not.

Verse 45. But they understood not] See Clarke’s note on “Mark 9:32”.

Verses 37-45. For a full elucidation of these verses, see notes on Matthew 17:14-23; and Mark 9:14-29. Let these sayings sink down into your ears — That is, consider them deeply; in joy remember the cross. So wisely does our Lord balance praise with sufferings.

Verses 44, 45. These sayings sink down into your ears. — A mode of solemnly enforcing a truth upon the attention; and such was the continual tendency of the disciples to expect that their Master would throw off the veil, and manifest himself in the glory of his regal character, that it was necessary again and again to repeat to them the unwelcome truth of his approaching sufferings and death. The effect of this might be to check in a great measure those extravagant hopes which they were prone to indulge, and hold them in some degree of suspense; but it is added, they understood not this saying. They could not indeed mistake the import of the words used; but they probably thought that Christ was speaking in a kind of parable, and was not to be understood literally. The true sense of his words was therefore hid from them that they perceived it not. It was hidden, not by any act of God, but by the force of their own prejudices, their wishes being the misleading interpreters. And they feared to ask him of that saying; either as remembering the severe reproof which Peter had received, and all of them through him when he said, on a similar occasion, “This be far from thee;” or rather, perhaps this expresses the deception which they practised upon themselves in reference to a subject on which they were most reluctant to be convinced. They hoped that he used figurative language when he so often and so emphatically spoke of his death; and they feared to ask him, lest this pleasing delusion should be dissipated, — a very natural feeling when all the circumstances in which they were placed are considered. We have the key to the great mystery of our Lord’s humiliations, which at that time they had not.

V. 46. And there arose a reasoning among them-This kind of reasoning always arose at the most improper times that could be imagined.

Verse 46. There arose a reasoning] eishlqe de dialogismov, A dialogue took place-one inquired, and another answered, and so on. See this subject explained on Matthew 18:1, &c.

Verses 46-48. And there arose a reasoning among them — According to our version here, this reasoning, or dispute, happened at the time when Jesus rebuked his disciples for it. But, Mark 9:33, we are expressly told, that it happened as they went into Capernaum. The evangelists, however, may be reconciled by translating Luke’s words, eishlqe de dialogismov en autoiv, Now there had arisen a reasoning among them — Namely, as they travelled to Capernaum. This kind of reasoning, it may be observed, always arose at the most improper times that could be imagined; which of them should be greatest — Thus they clearly manifested their ambitious views, and their carnal, worldly spirit; and how entirely they misunderstood the nature of Christ’s kingdom, which is not of this world; and Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart — For he perfectly knew all that passed within them; took a child and said unto them — If you would be truly great, humble yourselves to the meanest offices: he that is least in his own eyes shall be great indeed. For a full explanation of this occurrence, and of our Lord’s improvement of it, and lessons taught his disciples on the occasion, see the notes on Matthew 18:1-6; and Mark 9:33-40, where the two next verses also are explained.

Verse 46. Which of them should be greatest. — See the notes on Matthew 18:1, &c., and Mark 9:36.

V. 47. Matthew 18:2; Mark 9:37.

Verses 46-48. And there arose a reasoning among them — According to our version here, this reasoning, or dispute, happened at the time when Jesus rebuked his disciples for it. But, Mark 9:33, we are expressly told, that it happened as they went into Capernaum. The evangelists, however, may be reconciled by translating Luke’s words, eishlqe de dialogismov en autoiv, Now there had arisen a reasoning among them — Namely, as they travelled to Capernaum. This kind of reasoning, it may be observed, always arose at the most improper times that could be imagined; which of them should be greatest — Thus they clearly manifested their ambitious views, and their carnal, worldly spirit; and how entirely they misunderstood the nature of Christ’s kingdom, which is not of this world; and Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart — For he perfectly knew all that passed within them; took a child and said unto them — If you would be truly great, humble yourselves to the meanest offices: he that is least in his own eyes shall be great indeed. For a full explanation of this occurrence, and of our Lord’s improvement of it, and lessons taught his disciples on the occasion, see the notes on Matthew 18:1-6; and Mark 9:33-40, where the two next verses also are explained.

Ver. 47. Jesus took a child, and set him by him. The narrative is more fully related in Matthew 18:3.

V. 48. And said to them-If ye would be truly great, humble yourselves to the meanest offices. He that is least in his own eyes shall be great indeed.

Verses 46-48. And there arose a reasoning among them — According to our version here, this reasoning, or dispute, happened at the time when Jesus rebuked his disciples for it. But, Mark 9:33, we are expressly told, that it happened as they went into Capernaum. The evangelists, however, may be reconciled by translating Luke’s words, eishlqe de dialogismov en autoiv, Now there had arisen a reasoning among them — Namely, as they travelled to Capernaum. This kind of reasoning, it may be observed, always arose at the most improper times that could be imagined; which of them should be greatest — Thus they clearly manifested their ambitious views, and their carnal, worldly spirit; and how entirely they misunderstood the nature of Christ’s kingdom, which is not of this world; and Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart — For he perfectly knew all that passed within them; took a child and said unto them — If you would be truly great, humble yourselves to the meanest offices: he that is least in his own eyes shall be great indeed. For a full explanation of this occurrence, and of our Lord’s improvement of it, and lessons taught his disciples on the occasion, see the notes on Matthew 18:1-6; and Mark 9:33-40, where the two next verses also are explained.

V. 49. Mark 9:38.

Verse 49. We forbade him] See this subject considered on Mark 9:38, &c.

Verse 49. And John answered, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils, &c. — See notes on Mark 9:38.

V. 51. The days are fulfilled that he should be received up-That is, the time of his passion was now at hand. St. Luke looks through this, to the glory which was to follow.

He steadfastly set his face-Without fear of his enemies, or shame of the cross, Hebrews 12:2.

Verse 51. That he should be received up] Bishop PEARCE says: “I think the word analhyewv must signify, of Jesus’s retiring or withdrawing himself, and not of his being received up: because the word sumplhrousqai, here used before it, denotes a time completed, which that of his ascension was not then. The sense is, that the time was come, when Jesus was no longer to retire from Judea and the parts about Jerusalem as he had hitherto done; for he had lived altogether in Galilee, lest the Jews should have laid hold on him, before the work of his ministry was ended, and full proofs of his Divine mission given, and some of the prophecies concerning him accomplished. John says, John 7:1: Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. Let it be observed, that all which follows here in Luke, to Luke 19:45, is represented by him as done by Jesus in his last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.”

He steadfastly set his face] That is, after proper and mature deliberation, he chose now to go up to Jerusalem, and firmly determined to accomplish his design.

Verses 51-53. When the time was come, &c. — En tw sumplhrousqai, when the time was fulfilled — That is, according to the Hebrew idiom, drew on, that he should be received up — The Greek word analhyiv, in this passage, signifies Christ’s being taken up into heaven; for we find analambanomai, from whence it is derived, applied expressly to his ascension, Mark 16:19; Acts 1:2, 11, 22; 1 Timothy 3:16. He had now continued on earth very near the whole period determined, and was soon to be taken up to heaven, from whence he had come down; he therefore resolved from this time forth to appear as openly as possible, and to embrace every opportunity of fulfilling the duties of his ministry. He steadfastly set his face — Without fear of his enemies, or shame of the cross; to go to Jerusalem — He did not travel thither privately, as he had often done before, but he declared his intention, and entered on the journey with great courage. And sent messengers before his face, &c. — The road to Jerusalem from Galilee lay through Samaria; wherefore, as the inhabitants of this country bare the greatest ill-will to all who worshipped in Jerusalem, Jesus thought it necessary to send messengers before him, with orders to find out quarters for him in one of the villages; but they did not receive him — The inhabitants of the village refused him entertainment, because his intention, in this journey, was publicly known. The Samaritans could not refuse lodging to all travellers that went to Jerusalem, for the high-road lay through their country; such travellers only as went thither professedly to worship, were the objects of their indignation; hence the expression, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem — It plainly appeared that he was going to worship at the temple, and thereby, in effect, to condemn the Samaritan worship at mount Gerizim.

§ 95.—THE SAMARITANS WILL NOT RECEIVE JESUS—JAMES AND JOHN REPROVED, 51-56.

51. Time… that he should be received up—The being received up signifies his being received or ASSUMPTION into heaven at his ascension. The phrase by implication takes in all his sufferings, death, and resurrection. The clause, time was come that he should be received up, is very erroneously translated. Owen well renders it, When the days were being fulfilled. That is, during the period or stage of our Lord’s earthly ministry, which was closed by his death. This was at the beginning of the last six months of his life. At this time he left Galilee for the last time. Matthew 19:1. His mission hereafter was in Peraea and Judea. And during this period Jerusalem was the centre towards which, how often soever he diverged, he must ever gravitate until his final hour there. His adjacent ministries should be temporary, for duty, like destiny, should be perpetually pointing toward the scene of his final suffering. Hence the different passages in Luke, with the corresponding ones in the other evangelists, which allude to Jerusalemite journeys, designate not one, but several. Set his face—With a firmness unshaken by foreseen suffering.

To Jerusalem—For some time, as we learn from John, (John 7:1-14,) Jesus had been driven by the rage of his enemies into Galilee, where he now had finished his mission, as the Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. To that feast his half-skeptical brothers advised him to go and display his miraculous powers before the world. He declines their advice, feeling bound to a different course. While they go to the feast by the caravan route, he prepares to pass to Judea secretly, and by a route and for special purposes of his own.

Verse 51. When the time was come that he should be received up. — There can be no question, but that analhyiv here signifies, not the elevation on the cross; nor his going up to Jerusalem, which is afterward expressed; but his being received up to God; for the verb is used of the ascension of Christ in several places. The word sumplhrousqai is not always used absolutely, for the completion of a period within which an event was to take place, but sometimes, as here, the commencement of it as in Genesis 25:24, LXX. Now that period had arrived for the commencement of a series of transactions which was to terminate in Christ’s being received up into his glory. The expression also takes its rise from St. Luke’s plan, which was not to follow so much the order of time, as to class events; and he now enters upon his last class, namely, that series which comprehends this last journey of Christ to Jerusalem, and various discourses and actions, ending with the death, resurrection, and receiving up of Christ into his glory.

He steadfastly set his face to go, &c. — A Hebrew phrase to denote a firm and resolved purpose, and not indeed wholly peculiar to Jewish writers. Such expressions, though brief, open to us large and interesting views. They show that our Lord was not, by virtue of his being Divine, exempted from the most serious anxieties, and painful anticipations, respecting his approaching sufferings. By virtue of his omniscience the whole scene was opened before him; but under its impression, the humanity felt that which required the renewal and repetition of strong and holy resolutions to overcome. It was this which called forth his earnest prayers, continued through whole nights; and this which rendered it necessary to him as “his hour” approached, steadfastly to set his face, to compose himself into a firm and settled resolve to go up to Jerusalem, and to meet that malignity of all his enemies to which he knew he must fall a victim. Such was the strength of that love which engaged him in the work of our salvation, the intensity of his desire to complete his glorious work, that he hastened to meet a torturing and an accursed death, to pay the lutrouv, our REDEMPTION PRICE, and then to surround himself with the trophies of his own mercy in the number which no man can number, rescued by his conquering arm from the power of Satan, and raised to the joys and immortality of heaven.

V. 52. He sent messengers to make ready-A lodging and needful entertainment for him and those with him.

Verse 52. Sent messengers] aggelouv, angels, literally; but this proves that the word angel signifies a messenger of any kind, whether Divine or human. The messengers in this case were probably James and John.

Verses 51-53. When the time was come, &c. — En tw sumplhrousqai, when the time was fulfilled — That is, according to the Hebrew idiom, drew on, that he should be received up — The Greek word analhyiv, in this passage, signifies Christ’s being taken up into heaven; for we find analambanomai, from whence it is derived, applied expressly to his ascension, Mark 16:19; Acts 1:2, 11, 22; 1 Timothy 3:16. He had now continued on earth very near the whole period determined, and was soon to be taken up to heaven, from whence he had come down; he therefore resolved from this time forth to appear as openly as possible, and to embrace every opportunity of fulfilling the duties of his ministry. He steadfastly set his face — Without fear of his enemies, or shame of the cross; to go to Jerusalem — He did not travel thither privately, as he had often done before, but he declared his intention, and entered on the journey with great courage. And sent messengers before his face, &c. — The road to Jerusalem from Galilee lay through Samaria; wherefore, as the inhabitants of this country bare the greatest ill-will to all who worshipped in Jerusalem, Jesus thought it necessary to send messengers before him, with orders to find out quarters for him in one of the villages; but they did not receive him — The inhabitants of the village refused him entertainment, because his intention, in this journey, was publicly known. The Samaritans could not refuse lodging to all travellers that went to Jerusalem, for the high-road lay through their country; such travellers only as went thither professedly to worship, were the objects of their indignation; hence the expression, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem — It plainly appeared that he was going to worship at the temple, and thereby, in effect, to condemn the Samaritan worship at mount Gerizim.

52. Sent messengers—The messengers were procured in Galilee; sent, doubtless, from Capernaum, being probably prepared before the conversation with his brothers in John 7. So that he could start upon his journey as soon as they had departed upon theirs, and, as he had the cross route, he might arrive first, if he had the same destination, namely, Jerusalem. Before his face—Though unknown to the world and secret from his brothers, there was, as Alford says, “something of state” in this procedure. The purpose was to secure a safe and rapid transit through Samaria; as well as to summon a select body of his followers to form the organization of the Seventy. To make ready for him—He had doubtless not a few adherents in Samaria, and these messengers would provide for him safety where there was danger, entertainment where there were friends, and means of instruction if there were ready hearers.

Verses 52-56. Sent messengers before his face. — They were sent to prepare necessary accommodations for him and his disciples for the night, in this Samaritan village. One of the ways from Galilee up to Jerusalem was through the country of the Samaritans. It is not probable that those Jews who regularly went up to Jerusalem at their great festivals would ordinarily spend a night in a country of the inhabitants to which they bore so great a hatred, and who returned it in equal measure; for they not only showed them no hospitality, but, because of the rivalry existing between their temple on Mount Gerizim, and that at Jerusalem, they were particularly provoked at the multitudes who flocked to Jerusalem at the passover, and, as Josephus states, sometimes endeavoured to hinder their progress. Our Lord probably chose that this bigoted churlishness of the Samaritans should, on this occasion, be made manifest, that he might teach his disciples a most important lesson as to their behavior in similar circumstances. They did not receive him, — they would not suffer him to lodge in their village; because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, — because it was plain from the direction he was taking, that he was travelling up to the metropolis to celebrate the passover. And James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias did? What was the reply of our Lord? Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Perhaps they knew not that in truth there was much more of Jewish hatred in their hearts to the Samaritans, than of zeal for the vindication of their Master’s honour; but, however that might be, they were obviously ignorant of the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which allows no retaliation of injuries, and inculcates the spirit of meekness and forgiveness of injuries; and perceived not that their zeal was evil, and that they were unworthy disciples of Him who came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And having so said, he went to another village.

They were not far from the place where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the two captains and their fifties, sent to apprehend him; and they might there wish to be revenged upon the Samaritans, justified by his example. But the cases were not in the least parallel. The Jews, under their theocracy, were subject to a system of temporal rewards and punishments immediately inflicted or bestowed by Jehovah, their governor. In this case the king had sent to apprehend God’s prophet and representative, and had been guilty of a crime against the Divine majesty, which was thus publicly punished. It was a case in which God himself interposed to defend his servant by a signal vengeance upon a wicked prince and his servants. But, in the case of these erring disciples, the matter was one of national prejudice and personal resentment; and into such hands God would not put his thunderbolts. The genius of the Gospel is also essentially different from that of the law. In the latter civil government was blended with religion, and God acted as Judge; but under the Gospel we stand only in spiritual relations, and the time of judgment is deferred to one day, to be executed by that one man whom God hath appointed. “Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation;” and, after the example of Christ, all his followers ought to be occupied only in the work of saving and blessing men, leaving vengeance to Him to whom it belongs, and to that future time when He who only can be an infallible judge in the case shall “give to every man according as his work shall be.”

The clause, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, is rejected by Griesbach and some other editors, as an interpolation from a marginal gloss, and it is not found in many MSS. The context, however, appears to require it; and it bears strong internal evidence of being the genuine words of our blessed Saviour. They are equivalent to, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

V. 53. His face was as though he would go to Jerusalem-It plainly appeared, he was going to worship at the temple, and thereby, in effect, to condemn the Samaritan worship at Mount Gerizim.

Verse 53. His face was] They saw he was going up to Jerusalem to keep the feast; (it was the feast of tabernacles, John 7:2;) and knowing him thereby to be a Jew, they would afford nothing for his entertainment; for, in religious matters, the Samaritans and Jews had no dealings: see John 4:9. The Samaritans were a kind of mongrel heathens; they feared Jehovah, and served other gods, 2 Kings 17:34. They apostatized from the true religion, and persecuted those who were attached to it. See an account of them, Matthew 16:1. Those only who have deserted the truth of God, or who are uninfluenced by it, hate them who embrace and act by it. When a man has once decidedly taken the road to heaven, he can have but little credit any longer in the world, 1 John 3:1.

Verses 51-53. When the time was come, &c. — En tw sumplhrousqai, when the time was fulfilled — That is, according to the Hebrew idiom, drew on, that he should be received up — The Greek word analhyiv, in this passage, signifies Christ’s being taken up into heaven; for we find analambanomai, from whence it is derived, applied expressly to his ascension, Mark 16:19; Acts 1:2, 11, 22; 1 Timothy 3:16. He had now continued on earth very near the whole period determined, and was soon to be taken up to heaven, from whence he had come down; he therefore resolved from this time forth to appear as openly as possible, and to embrace every opportunity of fulfilling the duties of his ministry. He steadfastly set his face — Without fear of his enemies, or shame of the cross; to go to Jerusalem — He did not travel thither privately, as he had often done before, but he declared his intention, and entered on the journey with great courage. And sent messengers before his face, &c. — The road to Jerusalem from Galilee lay through Samaria; wherefore, as the inhabitants of this country bare the greatest ill-will to all who worshipped in Jerusalem, Jesus thought it necessary to send messengers before him, with orders to find out quarters for him in one of the villages; but they did not receive him — The inhabitants of the village refused him entertainment, because his intention, in this journey, was publicly known. The Samaritans could not refuse lodging to all travellers that went to Jerusalem, for the high-road lay through their country; such travellers only as went thither professedly to worship, were the objects of their indignation; hence the expression, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem — It plainly appeared that he was going to worship at the temple, and thereby, in effect, to condemn the Samaritan worship at mount Gerizim.

53. Did not receive him—As but a single village is mentioned as thus rejecting Jesus, it would seem that his journey was generally pleasant. Face… would go to Jerusalem—We have described the enmity between the Samaritans and Jews in our note upon Matthew 10:5. This religious hate was doubtless more intense at the Feast time, and upon those who were going to Jerusalem rather than to Gerizim. Hence the ordinary route of the Passover caravan was on the eastern side of the Jordan, avoiding Samaria.

Verses 52-56. Sent messengers before his face. — They were sent to prepare necessary accommodations for him and his disciples for the night, in this Samaritan village. One of the ways from Galilee up to Jerusalem was through the country of the Samaritans. It is not probable that those Jews who regularly went up to Jerusalem at their great festivals would ordinarily spend a night in a country of the inhabitants to which they bore so great a hatred, and who returned it in equal measure; for they not only showed them no hospitality, but, because of the rivalry existing between their temple on Mount Gerizim, and that at Jerusalem, they were particularly provoked at the multitudes who flocked to Jerusalem at the passover, and, as Josephus states, sometimes endeavoured to hinder their progress. Our Lord probably chose that this bigoted churlishness of the Samaritans should, on this occasion, be made manifest, that he might teach his disciples a most important lesson as to their behavior in similar circumstances. They did not receive him, — they would not suffer him to lodge in their village; because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, — because it was plain from the direction he was taking, that he was travelling up to the metropolis to celebrate the passover. And James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias did? What was the reply of our Lord? Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Perhaps they knew not that in truth there was much more of Jewish hatred in their hearts to the Samaritans, than of zeal for the vindication of their Master’s honour; but, however that might be, they were obviously ignorant of the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which allows no retaliation of injuries, and inculcates the spirit of meekness and forgiveness of injuries; and perceived not that their zeal was evil, and that they were unworthy disciples of Him who came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And having so said, he went to another village.

They were not far from the place where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the two captains and their fifties, sent to apprehend him; and they might there wish to be revenged upon the Samaritans, justified by his example. But the cases were not in the least parallel. The Jews, under their theocracy, were subject to a system of temporal rewards and punishments immediately inflicted or bestowed by Jehovah, their governor. In this case the king had sent to apprehend God’s prophet and representative, and had been guilty of a crime against the Divine majesty, which was thus publicly punished. It was a case in which God himself interposed to defend his servant by a signal vengeance upon a wicked prince and his servants. But, in the case of these erring disciples, the matter was one of national prejudice and personal resentment; and into such hands God would not put his thunderbolts. The genius of the Gospel is also essentially different from that of the law. In the latter civil government was blended with religion, and God acted as Judge; but under the Gospel we stand only in spiritual relations, and the time of judgment is deferred to one day, to be executed by that one man whom God hath appointed. “Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation;” and, after the example of Christ, all his followers ought to be occupied only in the work of saving and blessing men, leaving vengeance to Him to whom it belongs, and to that future time when He who only can be an infallible judge in the case shall “give to every man according as his work shall be.”

The clause, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, is rejected by Griesbach and some other editors, as an interpolation from a marginal gloss, and it is not found in many MSS. The context, however, appears to require it; and it bears strong internal evidence of being the genuine words of our blessed Saviour. They are equivalent to, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

V. 54. As Elisha did-At or near this very place, which might put it into the minds of the apostles to make the motion now, rather than at any other time or place, where Christ had received the like affront.

Verse 54. That we command fire] Vengeance belongs to the Lord. What we suffer for his sake, should be left to himself to reprove or punish. The insult is offered to him, not to us. See Clarke’s note on “Mark 3:17”.

Verses 54-56. When his disciples, James and John — Who attended him; saw this — When the messengers returned with the account of what had passed in the village, whither they had been sent, these two disciples, being exceedingly incensed at this rude treatment; said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven — To destroy these inhospitable wretches immediately; even as Elias did — After the example of the Prophet Elijah, who at, or near, this very place, thus destroyed the men who had evil-entreated him. Perhaps the place might put it into the minds of these apostles to make this motion now, rather than at any other time, or place, where Christ had received the like affront. “That these disciples, so remarkably distinguished by their Lord’s favour, should have some distinguished zeal and faith, may seem less wonderful, than that a person of so sweet a disposition as John should make so severe a proposal.” But he turned and rebuked them — Jesus, whose meekness on all occasions was admirable, sharply reprimanded his disciples for entertaining so unbecoming a resentment of this offence; and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of — Ye do not know the sinfulness of the disposition which ye have just now expressed, neither do ye sufficiently know your own hearts; which if you were more diligently to examine, you would soon find that there is a great deal of personal resentment and ostentation mingled with that zeal for me, which you so warmly express on this occasion. Add to this, you do not consider the genius of the gospel, so much more gentle than that of the law; nor the difference of times, persons, and circumstances. The severity which Elijah exercised on the men who came from Ahaziah to apprehend him, was a reproof of an idolatrous king, court, and nation, very proper for the times, and very agreeable to the characters both of the prophet who gave it, and of the offenders to whom it was given; at the same time it was not unsuitable to the nature of the dispensation they were under. But the gospel breathes a very different spirit from the law, (whose punishments were chiefly of a temporal kind,) and therefore it does not admit of this sort of rigour and severity. He told them, further, that to destroy men’s lives was utterly inconsistent with the design of his coming into the world, which was to save them — Alluding to his miracles, by which he restored health to the diseased bodies of men, as well as to his doctrine and death, by which he gives life to their souls. Having said these things, he went with them to another village, the inhabitants of which were men of better dispositions. This was a noble instance of patience under a real and unprovoked injury; an instance of patience which expressed infinite sweetness of disposition, and which, for that reason, should be imitated by all who call themselves Christ’s disciples.

54. His disciples—It does not appear that the twelve, besides James and John, were in this company. Nor, if this was a journey to the Feast of Tabernacles, is there anything to indicate that any one of these was there with Jesus. James and John were evidently not of the messengers, for they knew nothing of the opposition of this village till they arrive with Jesus. Wilt thou that we—They did not ask Jesus to command the fire, as if conscious that such would be a strange work for him. Nor do they imagine that they can perform the miracle without his permission. Nor do they doubt their own power, if done by his order. As Elias did—It was in this same Samaria, perhaps in some near locality, that Elijah the Tishbite called fire from heaven and consumed the fifties of the wicked king sent to take him. The suggestion of this example was not, then, as Olshausen says, an after thought, to protect themselves from the reproof expected from Jesus, but a forethought, awakened by both the circumstances and the place. There is a great temptation to suppose that this was a disposition to call down a thunderbolt upon the wicked, and that the name of sons of thunder given to these two apostles was a memento of their zeal. But, first, it may be doubted whether it was lightning or thunder which the words fire come down designate. Second, their name seems not so much to refer to the fire as to the roar of thunder. And, third, as Mark (Mark 3:16, 17) gives the surnames of the three principal apostles in connection as being bestowed by Jesus, we must hold the epithets not as bitter mementoes of sin, but as testimonies of honour.

Verses 52-56. Sent messengers before his face. — They were sent to prepare necessary accommodations for him and his disciples for the night, in this Samaritan village. One of the ways from Galilee up to Jerusalem was through the country of the Samaritans. It is not probable that those Jews who regularly went up to Jerusalem at their great festivals would ordinarily spend a night in a country of the inhabitants to which they bore so great a hatred, and who returned it in equal measure; for they not only showed them no hospitality, but, because of the rivalry existing between their temple on Mount Gerizim, and that at Jerusalem, they were particularly provoked at the multitudes who flocked to Jerusalem at the passover, and, as Josephus states, sometimes endeavoured to hinder their progress. Our Lord probably chose that this bigoted churlishness of the Samaritans should, on this occasion, be made manifest, that he might teach his disciples a most important lesson as to their behavior in similar circumstances. They did not receive him, — they would not suffer him to lodge in their village; because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, — because it was plain from the direction he was taking, that he was travelling up to the metropolis to celebrate the passover. And James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias did? What was the reply of our Lord? Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Perhaps they knew not that in truth there was much more of Jewish hatred in their hearts to the Samaritans, than of zeal for the vindication of their Master’s honour; but, however that might be, they were obviously ignorant of the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which allows no retaliation of injuries, and inculcates the spirit of meekness and forgiveness of injuries; and perceived not that their zeal was evil, and that they were unworthy disciples of Him who came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And having so said, he went to another village.

They were not far from the place where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the two captains and their fifties, sent to apprehend him; and they might there wish to be revenged upon the Samaritans, justified by his example. But the cases were not in the least parallel. The Jews, under their theocracy, were subject to a system of temporal rewards and punishments immediately inflicted or bestowed by Jehovah, their governor. In this case the king had sent to apprehend God’s prophet and representative, and had been guilty of a crime against the Divine majesty, which was thus publicly punished. It was a case in which God himself interposed to defend his servant by a signal vengeance upon a wicked prince and his servants. But, in the case of these erring disciples, the matter was one of national prejudice and personal resentment; and into such hands God would not put his thunderbolts. The genius of the Gospel is also essentially different from that of the law. In the latter civil government was blended with religion, and God acted as Judge; but under the Gospel we stand only in spiritual relations, and the time of judgment is deferred to one day, to be executed by that one man whom God hath appointed. “Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation;” and, after the example of Christ, all his followers ought to be occupied only in the work of saving and blessing men, leaving vengeance to Him to whom it belongs, and to that future time when He who only can be an infallible judge in the case shall “give to every man according as his work shall be.”

The clause, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, is rejected by Griesbach and some other editors, as an interpolation from a marginal gloss, and it is not found in many MSS. The context, however, appears to require it; and it bears strong internal evidence of being the genuine words of our blessed Saviour. They are equivalent to, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

V. 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit-The spirit of Christianity is. It is not a spirit of wrath and vengeance, but of peace, and gentleness, and love.

Verse 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.] Ye do not consider that the present is a dispensation of infinite mercy and love; and that the design of God is not to destroy sinners, but to give them space to repent, that he may save them unto eternal life. And ye do not consider that the zeal which you feel springs from an evil principle, being more concerned for your own honour than for the honour of God. The disciples of that Christ who died for his enemies should never think of avenging themselves on their persecutors.

Verses 54-56. When his disciples, James and John — Who attended him; saw this — When the messengers returned with the account of what had passed in the village, whither they had been sent, these two disciples, being exceedingly incensed at this rude treatment; said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven — To destroy these inhospitable wretches immediately; even as Elias did — After the example of the Prophet Elijah, who at, or near, this very place, thus destroyed the men who had evil-entreated him. Perhaps the place might put it into the minds of these apostles to make this motion now, rather than at any other time, or place, where Christ had received the like affront. “That these disciples, so remarkably distinguished by their Lord’s favour, should have some distinguished zeal and faith, may seem less wonderful, than that a person of so sweet a disposition as John should make so severe a proposal.” But he turned and rebuked them — Jesus, whose meekness on all occasions was admirable, sharply reprimanded his disciples for entertaining so unbecoming a resentment of this offence; and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of — Ye do not know the sinfulness of the disposition which ye have just now expressed, neither do ye sufficiently know your own hearts; which if you were more diligently to examine, you would soon find that there is a great deal of personal resentment and ostentation mingled with that zeal for me, which you so warmly express on this occasion. Add to this, you do not consider the genius of the gospel, so much more gentle than that of the law; nor the difference of times, persons, and circumstances. The severity which Elijah exercised on the men who came from Ahaziah to apprehend him, was a reproof of an idolatrous king, court, and nation, very proper for the times, and very agreeable to the characters both of the prophet who gave it, and of the offenders to whom it was given; at the same time it was not unsuitable to the nature of the dispensation they were under. But the gospel breathes a very different spirit from the law, (whose punishments were chiefly of a temporal kind,) and therefore it does not admit of this sort of rigour and severity. He told them, further, that to destroy men’s lives was utterly inconsistent with the design of his coming into the world, which was to save them — Alluding to his miracles, by which he restored health to the diseased bodies of men, as well as to his doctrine and death, by which he gives life to their souls. Having said these things, he went with them to another village, the inhabitants of which were men of better dispositions. This was a noble instance of patience under a real and unprovoked injury; an instance of patience which expressed infinite sweetness of disposition, and which, for that reason, should be imitated by all who call themselves Christ’s disciples.

Ver. 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. When our Saviour was going to keep the passover at Jerusalem his company became great, and it was necessary for the villagers to be apprized that they might make larger preparations to lodge the worshippers. But by keeping the passover at Jerusalem the Samaritans supposed that Jesus decided their old controversy in favour of the Jews, and that his popularity would for ever fix the decision. This stirred up the animosity of their hearts not to receive him: and one wrong spirit being apt to produce another, it stirred up a spirit of vengeance in the breasts of the two brothers, James and John. Here we have to lament the bigotry of the human heart, which in all ages has been the disgrace of religion. It were indeed to be wished that the church of Christ was one in doctrine, in discipline, and communion in all nations, and genuine piety endeavours to make it so; but where pride and partiality prevail it cannot be. The church of Rome says she has effected this unity, and condemned the whole christian world which does not bow to Rome; and yet she never could be united within her own pale. Her schisms and controversies have subjected her to far greater inconveniences than protestant nations ever sustained from their religious sects. Besides, much good results from several religious denominations sharing in the worship of the nation. They vie with one another in preaching and in living; and they afford the human mind, impelled by instinct to love variety, an opportunity of cordially embracing those tenets and that mode of worship, which seem most congenial to its view. Yes, and where the government is wise, alike to protect the whole, they rival one another in loyalty and public spirit.

As to the peculiar tenets of religious sects, the weak minds of men are very much in the power of the books they read, and the doctrines they hear. A habit of listening to certain doctrines settles a kind of conviction on the mind, that we really cannot help our religious views. It is only the giants in intellect and genius that can trace all doctrines to their source, and distinguish error from truth. Hence our mental errors claim the same compassion as blindness and lameness in the body. Hence also the justness of our Lord’s rebuke of James and John, when they wished to consume a small town with fire from heaven, which simply rejected but did not persecute their master. This proposed vengeance was greater than the fault; it would have destroyed them in their sins, and left no time for repentance. Many of the Samaritans afterwards embraced the gospel, and the district abounded with churches. Acts 9:31. But this improper zeal would have frustrated all the glory which followed.

Mark how they sheltered this zeal under the high example of Elijah, who did indeed twice destroy fifty men. But this was under a most daring spirit of persecution, and these men were destroyed to save a nation from idolatry and error. The circumstances therefore were very dissimilar; and the two zealous brothers, by asking their master first, teach us that severity in such cases should never be indulged.

The rebuke which Jesus gave those brothers is highly instructive. Ye know not your spirit. It was a spirit of rash and unsanctified revenge; and the more dangerous, as they thought it was of God. And surely there is no truth more strongly and clearly demonstrated than that the persecutors of the church have been actuated by a wrong spirit. Posterity has therefore branded their memory as infamous. They have destroyed or banished the most peaceful subjects of the nation; they have caused their manufacturers to emigrate, and ultimately brought a recoil of vengeance from heaven on themselves, and on their less offending children. Let us therefore, instead of persecuting one another, cultivate the opposite virtues of harmony, peace and love, so shall we have joy at the appearing of our common Lord. See on Mark 9:38.

55. What manner of spirit—We do not understand by these words, that these apostles knew not the nature of their own temper or spirit; but that they knew not the spirit of the dispensation to which they belonged. When the fifties of the wicked king came to Elijah he said, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down;” thus demonstrating his prophetic character by a miracle of destruction. But the Son of man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. Miracles of wrath belong not to his and their mission. They forget the spirit of their dispensation. This was assigning a reason why they knew not the spirit to which they belonged; and not, as many interpret it, the spirit which belonged to them. At the same time it points to a fact too wonderful and too glorious for these apostles or the evangelists to invent, that the miracles of Jesus are throughout miracles of love and mercy. None but the great divine Original himself could have conceived such a character and thus have demonstrated its divinity forever.

Verses 52-56. Sent messengers before his face. — They were sent to prepare necessary accommodations for him and his disciples for the night, in this Samaritan village. One of the ways from Galilee up to Jerusalem was through the country of the Samaritans. It is not probable that those Jews who regularly went up to Jerusalem at their great festivals would ordinarily spend a night in a country of the inhabitants to which they bore so great a hatred, and who returned it in equal measure; for they not only showed them no hospitality, but, because of the rivalry existing between their temple on Mount Gerizim, and that at Jerusalem, they were particularly provoked at the multitudes who flocked to Jerusalem at the passover, and, as Josephus states, sometimes endeavoured to hinder their progress. Our Lord probably chose that this bigoted churlishness of the Samaritans should, on this occasion, be made manifest, that he might teach his disciples a most important lesson as to their behavior in similar circumstances. They did not receive him, — they would not suffer him to lodge in their village; because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, — because it was plain from the direction he was taking, that he was travelling up to the metropolis to celebrate the passover. And James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias did? What was the reply of our Lord? Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Perhaps they knew not that in truth there was much more of Jewish hatred in their hearts to the Samaritans, than of zeal for the vindication of their Master’s honour; but, however that might be, they were obviously ignorant of the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which allows no retaliation of injuries, and inculcates the spirit of meekness and forgiveness of injuries; and perceived not that their zeal was evil, and that they were unworthy disciples of Him who came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And having so said, he went to another village.

They were not far from the place where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the two captains and their fifties, sent to apprehend him; and they might there wish to be revenged upon the Samaritans, justified by his example. But the cases were not in the least parallel. The Jews, under their theocracy, were subject to a system of temporal rewards and punishments immediately inflicted or bestowed by Jehovah, their governor. In this case the king had sent to apprehend God’s prophet and representative, and had been guilty of a crime against the Divine majesty, which was thus publicly punished. It was a case in which God himself interposed to defend his servant by a signal vengeance upon a wicked prince and his servants. But, in the case of these erring disciples, the matter was one of national prejudice and personal resentment; and into such hands God would not put his thunderbolts. The genius of the Gospel is also essentially different from that of the law. In the latter civil government was blended with religion, and God acted as Judge; but under the Gospel we stand only in spiritual relations, and the time of judgment is deferred to one day, to be executed by that one man whom God hath appointed. “Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation;” and, after the example of Christ, all his followers ought to be occupied only in the work of saving and blessing men, leaving vengeance to Him to whom it belongs, and to that future time when He who only can be an infallible judge in the case shall “give to every man according as his work shall be.”

The clause, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, is rejected by Griesbach and some other editors, as an interpolation from a marginal gloss, and it is not found in many MSS. The context, however, appears to require it; and it bears strong internal evidence of being the genuine words of our blessed Saviour. They are equivalent to, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

Verse 56. And they went to another village.] Which probably did entertain them; being, perhaps, without the Samaritan borders. The words, Ye know not of what spirit ye are; for the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, are wanting in ABCEGHLS-V, and in many others. Griesbach leaves the latter clause out of the text. It is probable that the most ancient MSS. read the passage thus: But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not of what spirit ye are. And they went to another village. See the authorities in GRIESBACH.

Verses 54-56. When his disciples, James and John — Who attended him; saw this — When the messengers returned with the account of what had passed in the village, whither they had been sent, these two disciples, being exceedingly incensed at this rude treatment; said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven — To destroy these inhospitable wretches immediately; even as Elias did — After the example of the Prophet Elijah, who at, or near, this very place, thus destroyed the men who had evil-entreated him. Perhaps the place might put it into the minds of these apostles to make this motion now, rather than at any other time, or place, where Christ had received the like affront. “That these disciples, so remarkably distinguished by their Lord’s favour, should have some distinguished zeal and faith, may seem less wonderful, than that a person of so sweet a disposition as John should make so severe a proposal.” But he turned and rebuked them — Jesus, whose meekness on all occasions was admirable, sharply reprimanded his disciples for entertaining so unbecoming a resentment of this offence; and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of — Ye do not know the sinfulness of the disposition which ye have just now expressed, neither do ye sufficiently know your own hearts; which if you were more diligently to examine, you would soon find that there is a great deal of personal resentment and ostentation mingled with that zeal for me, which you so warmly express on this occasion. Add to this, you do not consider the genius of the gospel, so much more gentle than that of the law; nor the difference of times, persons, and circumstances. The severity which Elijah exercised on the men who came from Ahaziah to apprehend him, was a reproof of an idolatrous king, court, and nation, very proper for the times, and very agreeable to the characters both of the prophet who gave it, and of the offenders to whom it was given; at the same time it was not unsuitable to the nature of the dispensation they were under. But the gospel breathes a very different spirit from the law, (whose punishments were chiefly of a temporal kind,) and therefore it does not admit of this sort of rigour and severity. He told them, further, that to destroy men’s lives was utterly inconsistent with the design of his coming into the world, which was to save them — Alluding to his miracles, by which he restored health to the diseased bodies of men, as well as to his doctrine and death, by which he gives life to their souls. Having said these things, he went with them to another village, the inhabitants of which were men of better dispositions. This was a noble instance of patience under a real and unprovoked injury; an instance of patience which expressed infinite sweetness of disposition, and which, for that reason, should be imitated by all who call themselves Christ’s disciples.

56. They went to another village—Where the friends of Jesus may have been numerous.

Verses 52-56. Sent messengers before his face. — They were sent to prepare necessary accommodations for him and his disciples for the night, in this Samaritan village. One of the ways from Galilee up to Jerusalem was through the country of the Samaritans. It is not probable that those Jews who regularly went up to Jerusalem at their great festivals would ordinarily spend a night in a country of the inhabitants to which they bore so great a hatred, and who returned it in equal measure; for they not only showed them no hospitality, but, because of the rivalry existing between their temple on Mount Gerizim, and that at Jerusalem, they were particularly provoked at the multitudes who flocked to Jerusalem at the passover, and, as Josephus states, sometimes endeavoured to hinder their progress. Our Lord probably chose that this bigoted churlishness of the Samaritans should, on this occasion, be made manifest, that he might teach his disciples a most important lesson as to their behavior in similar circumstances. They did not receive him, — they would not suffer him to lodge in their village; because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, — because it was plain from the direction he was taking, that he was travelling up to the metropolis to celebrate the passover. And James and John said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them, as Elias did? What was the reply of our Lord? Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Perhaps they knew not that in truth there was much more of Jewish hatred in their hearts to the Samaritans, than of zeal for the vindication of their Master’s honour; but, however that might be, they were obviously ignorant of the spirit and genius of the Gospel, which allows no retaliation of injuries, and inculcates the spirit of meekness and forgiveness of injuries; and perceived not that their zeal was evil, and that they were unworthy disciples of Him who came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And having so said, he went to another village.

They were not far from the place where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the two captains and their fifties, sent to apprehend him; and they might there wish to be revenged upon the Samaritans, justified by his example. But the cases were not in the least parallel. The Jews, under their theocracy, were subject to a system of temporal rewards and punishments immediately inflicted or bestowed by Jehovah, their governor. In this case the king had sent to apprehend God’s prophet and representative, and had been guilty of a crime against the Divine majesty, which was thus publicly punished. It was a case in which God himself interposed to defend his servant by a signal vengeance upon a wicked prince and his servants. But, in the case of these erring disciples, the matter was one of national prejudice and personal resentment; and into such hands God would not put his thunderbolts. The genius of the Gospel is also essentially different from that of the law. In the latter civil government was blended with religion, and God acted as Judge; but under the Gospel we stand only in spiritual relations, and the time of judgment is deferred to one day, to be executed by that one man whom God hath appointed. “Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation;” and, after the example of Christ, all his followers ought to be occupied only in the work of saving and blessing men, leaving vengeance to Him to whom it belongs, and to that future time when He who only can be an infallible judge in the case shall “give to every man according as his work shall be.”

The clause, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, is rejected by Griesbach and some other editors, as an interpolation from a marginal gloss, and it is not found in many MSS. The context, however, appears to require it; and it bears strong internal evidence of being the genuine words of our blessed Saviour. They are equivalent to, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

V. 57. Matthew 8:19.

Verse 57. A certain man] He was a scribe. See on Matthew 8:19-22. It is probable that this took place when Christ was at Capernaum, as Matthew represents it, and not on the way to Jerusalem through Samaria.

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

Verse 57. A certain man, &c. — See notes on Matthew 8:19, 20.

V. 58. But Jesus said to him-First understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me.

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

Verse 59. Suffer me to go first and bury, &c. — See notes on Matthew 8:21.

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

V. 61. Suffer me first to bid them farewell that are in my house-As Elisha did after Elijah had called him from the plough, 1 Kings 19:19; to which our Lord's answer seems to allude.

Verse 61. Another also said] This circumstance is not mentioned by any of the other evangelists; and Matthew alone mentions the former case, Luke 9:57, 58.

Let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home] epitreyon moi apotaxasqai toiv eiv ton oikon mou-Permit me to set in order my affairs at home. Those who understand the Greek text will see at once that it will bear this translation well; and that this is the most natural. This person seems to have had in view the case of Elisha, who made a similar request to the Prophet Elijah, 1 Kings 19:19, 20, which request was granted by the prophet; but our Lord, seeing that this person had too much attachment to the earth, and that his return to worldly employments, though for a short time, was likely to become the means of stifling the good desires which he now felt, refused to grant him that permission. That which we object to the execution of God’s designs is sometimes the very thing from which we should immediately disengage ourselves.

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

V. 62. Is fit for the kingdom of God-Either to propagate or to receive it.

Verse 62. Put his hand to the plough] Can any person properly discharge the work of the ministry who is engaged in secular employments? A farmer and a minister of the Gospel are incompatible characters. As a person who holds the plough cannot keep on a straight furrow if he look behind him; so he who is employed in the work of the ministry cannot do the work of an evangelist, if he turn his desires to worldly profits. A good man has said: “He who thinks it necessary to cultivate the favour of the world is not far from betraying the interests of God and his Church.” Such a person is not fit, euqetov, properly disposed, has not his mind properly directed towards the heavenly inheritance, and is not fit to show the way to others. In both these verses there is a plain reference to the call of Elisha. See 1 Kings 19:19, &c.

1. CONSIDERING the life of mortification and self-denial which Christ and his disciples led, it is surprising to find that any one should voluntarily offer to be his disciple. But there is such an attractive influence in truth, and such a persuasive eloquence in the consistent steady conduct of a righteous man, that the first must have admirers, and the latter, imitators. Christianity, as it is generally exhibited, has little attractive in it; and it is no wonder that the cross of Christ is not prized, as the blessings of it are not known; and they can be known and exhibited by him only who follows Christ fully.

2. It is natural for man to wish to do the work of God in his own spirit; hence he is ready to call down fire and brimstone from heaven against those who do not conform to his own views of things. A spirit of persecution is abominable. Had man the government of the world, in a short time, not only sects and parties, but even true religion itself, would be banished from the face of the earth. Meekness, long-suffering, and benevolence, become the followers of Christ; and his followers should ever consider that his work can never be done but in his own spirit. Since the notes on Matthew were published, I have received from Granville Sharp, Esq., a short Treatise, entitled, Remarks on an important Text, (viz. Matthew 16:18,) which has long been perverted by the Church of Rome, IN SUPPORT OF HER VAIN AND BANEFUL PRETENSIONS TO A SUPERIORITY OR SUPREME DOMINION OVER ALL OTHER EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

As I should feel it an honour to introduce the name of such a veteran in the cause of religion, liberty, and learning, into my work, so it gives me pleasure to insert the substance of his tract here, as forming a strong argument against a most Anti-christian doctrine.

“And I also say unto thee, That thou art PETER; and upon this ROCK I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18.

“The Greek word petrov (Petros or Peter) does not mean a rock, though it has, indeed, a relative meaning to the word petra, a rock; for it signifies only a little piece of a rock, or a stone, that has been dug out of a rock; whereby the dignity of the real foundation intended by our Lord, which he expressed by the prophetical figure of Petra, (a rock,) must necessarily be understood to bear a proportionable superiority of dignity and importance above the other preceding word, Petros; as petra, a real rock, is, comparatively, superior to a mere stone, or particle from the rock; because a rock is the regular figurative expression in Holy Scripture for a Divine Protector: y[ls hwhy Jehovah (is) my rock, ( 2 Samuel 22:2, and Psalm 18:2.) Again, yrwx yhla, my God (is) my rock; ( 2 Samuel 22:2, and Psalm 18:2;) and again, wnyhla מבלעדי rwx ymw, and who (is) a rock except our God? 2 Samuel 22:32.

“Many other examples may be found throughout the Holy Scriptures; but these six alone are surely sufficient to establish the true meaning of the figurative expression used by our Lord on this occasion; as they demonstrate that nothing of less importance was to be understood than that of our Lord’s own Divine divinity, as declared by St. Peter in the preceding context-‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!’

“That our Lord really referred to this declaration of Peter, relating to his own Divine dignity, as being the true rock, on which he would build his Church, is established beyond contradiction by our Lord himself, in the clear distinction which he maintained between the stone (petrov, petros) and the rock, (petra, petra,) by the accurate grammatical terms in which both these words are expressly recorded. (For whatsoever may have been the language in which they were really spoken, perhaps in Chaldee or Syriac, yet in this point the Greek record is our only authoritative instructer.) The first word, petrov, being a masculine noun, signifies merely a stone; and the second word, petra, though it is a feminine noun, cannot signify any thing of less magnitude and importance than a rock, or strong mountain of defence. The true meaning of the name was at first declared by our Lord to be Cephas, a stone; and a learned commentator, Edward Leigh, Esq., asserts that petrov, doth always signify a STONE, never a rock. Critica Sacra, p. 325. “With respect to the first.-The word petrov, petros, in its highest figurative sense of a stone, when applied to Peter, can represent only one true believer, or faithful member of Christ’s Church, that is, one out of the great multitude of true believers in Christ, who, as figurative stones, form altogether the glorious spiritual building of Christ’s Church, and not the foundation on which that Church is built; because that figurative character cannot, consistently with truth, be applied to any other person than to God, or to Christ alone, as I have already demonstrated by several undeniable texts of Holy Scripture. And though even Christ himself is sometimes, in Holy Scripture, called a stone, (loqov, but not petrov,) yet, whenever this figurative expression is applied to him, it is always with such a clear distinction of superiority over all other figurative stones as will not admit the least idea of any vicarial stone to be substituted in his place; as, for instance: He is called ‘the head stone of the corner,’ (Psalm 118:22,) ‘in Zion a precious corner stone,’ (Isaiah 28:16,) by whom alone the other living stones of the spiritual house are rendered ‘acceptable to God;’ as St. Peter himself (previous to his citation of that text of Isaiah) has clearly declared in his address to the Churches dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; wherein he manifestly explains that very text of Isaiah, as follows:-‘Ye also,’ (says the apostle,) ‘as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, BY’ (or through) ‘JESUS CHRIST.’ (1 Peter 2:5.) Thus plainly acknowledging the true foundation, on which the other living stones of the primitive catholic Church were built, in order to render them ‘acceptable to God,’ as ‘a holy priesthood.’

And the apostle then proceeds (in the very next verse) to his citation of the above-mentioned text from Isaiah:-‘Wherefore also,’ (says he, 1 Peter 2:6,) ‘it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a CHIEF CORNER STONE, elect, precious; and he that believeth on him’ (ep~ autw, on him, that is, on Jesus Christ, the only CHIEF CORNER STONE) ‘shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe’ (he) ‘IS PRECIOUS,’ (or, an honour; as rendered in the margin,) ‘but unto them which be disobedient’ (he is, de, also) ‘the stone which the builders disallowed, the same’ (outov, for there is no other person that can be entitled to this supreme distinction in the Church) ‘is made the HEAD OF THE CORNER.’

“From this whole argument of St. Peter, it is manifest that there cannot be any other true head of the Church than Christ himself; so that the pretence for setting up a vicarial head on earth, is not only contrary to St. Peter’s instruction to the eastern Churches, long after Christ’s ascent into heaven; but also (with respect to the inexpediency and impropriety of acknowledging such a vicar on earth as the Roman pretender) is equally contrary to our Lord’s own instruction to his disciples (and, of course, also contrary to the faith of the true primitive catholic Church throughout the whole world) when he promised them, that, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name’ (said our Lord JESUS, the true rock of the Church) ‘there am I in the midst of them,’ Matthew 18:20.

“So that the appointment of any ‘vicar on earth,’ to represent that rock or eternal head of the Church whose continual presence, even with the smallest congregations on earth, is so expressly promised, would be not only superfluous and vain, but must also be deemed a most ungrateful affront to the benevolent Promiser of his continual presence; such as must have been suggested by our spiritual enemies to promote an apostasy from the only sure foundation, on which the faith, hope, and confidence of the true catholic Church can be built and supported!

“Thus, I trust that the true sense of the first noun, petrov, a stone, is here fairly stated; and also, its relative meaning to the second noun, petra, a rock, as far as it can reasonably be deemed applicable to the Apostle Peter.

“And a due consideration also of the second noun, petra, a rock, will produce exactly the same effect; that is, it will demonstrate that the supreme title of the rock, which, in other texts of Holy Scripture, is applied to Jehovah, or God, alone, (as I have already shown,) most certainly was not intended by our Lord to be understood as applicable to his disciple Peter; but only to that true testimony which St. Peter had just before declared, concerning the Divine dignity of the Messiah-‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

“I have already remarked that petra (a rock) is a feminine noun; and a clear distinction is maintained between petrov, the masculine noun, in this text, and the said feminine noun petra, the rock, by the grammatical terms in which the latter, in its relatives and articles, is expressed, which are all regularly feminine throughout the whole sentence; and thereby they demonstrate that our Lord did not intend that the new appellation, or nominal distinction, which he had just before given to Simon, (viz. petrov, the masculine noun in the beginning of the sentence,) should be construed as the character of which he spoke in the next part of the sentence; for, if he had really intended that construction, the same masculine noun, petrov, must necessarily have been repeated in the next part of the sentence with a masculine pronoun, viz. epi toutw tw petrw, instead of epi tauth th petra, the present text; wherein, on the contrary; not only the gender is changed from the masculine to the feminine, but also the figurative character itself, which is as much superior, in dignity, to the Apostle Simon, and also to his new appellative petrov, as a rock is superior to a mere stone. For the word petrov cannot signify any thing more than a stone; so that the popish application to Peter, (or petrov,) as the foundation of Christ’s Church, is not only inconsistent with the real meaning of the appellative which Christ, at that very time, conferred upon him, and with the necessary grammatical construction of it, but also with the figurative importance of the other word, petra, the rock; epi tauth th petra, ‘upon this rock;’ the declared foundation of the Church, a title of dignity, which (as I have already shown by several texts of Scripture) is applicable only to God or to Christ. “And be pleased to observe farther, that the application of this supreme title (the rock) to Peter, is inconsistent (above all) with the plain reference to the preceding CONTEXT; made by our Lord in the beginning of this very verse-‘AND I ALSO say unto thee’-which manifestly points out (both by the copulative ‘and,’ and the connective adverb ‘also’) the inseparable connection of this verse with the previous declaration of Peter, concerning our Lord’s Divine dignity in the preceding sentence-‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God;’ and thereby demonstrates that our Lord’s immediate reply (‘AND I ALSO SAY unto thee, &c.) did necessarily include this declaration of Peter, as being the principal object of the sentence-the true foundation, or rock, on which alone the catholic Church can be properly built; because our faith in Christ (that he is truly ‘the Son of the living God’) is unquestionably the only security or rock of our salvation.

“And Christ was also the rock even of the primitive Church of Israel; for St. Paul testifies, that ‘they’ (i.e. the hosts of Israel) ‘did all drink of that spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them, and that ROCK was CHRIST,’ 1 Corinthians 10:4. And the apostle, in a preceding chapter, (1 Corinthians 3:11,) says, ‘Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST.’

“In the margin of our English version of 1 Corinthians 10:4, instead of ‘followed them,’ we find, ‘went with them;’ which is not only the literal meaning of the Greek, ‘followed them,’ but it is also unquestionably true that Christ was, in a more particular manner, the ROCK of their defence, when he ‘followed them,’ than when he ‘went before them,’ as related in Exodus 13:21, ‘And the Lord’ (in the Hebrew, expressly, Jehovah) ‘WENT BEFORE THEM by day in a pillar of a cloud to LEAD THEM the way, and by night in a pillar of fire,’ &c. Yet, afterwards, a necessary change was made by the Protector of the hosts of Israel, in his military manoeuvres with the two marching armies, as we are informed in the next chapter, Exodus 14:19. For though, at first, ‘he went BEFORE the camp of Israel,’ yet he afterwards ‘removed, and went BEHIND them; and the pillar of the cloud removed from before them, and stood’ (or rather, was stationed in the order of marching) ‘behind them.’ Which is properly expressed by St. Paul (in the above-cited text, 1 Corinthians 10:4) as ‘the rock that followed them.’ For Christ was more particularly ‘a rock of defence to Israel,’ by this changed manoeuvre in following them; because he thereby prevented the pursuit of their cruel enemies, the standing armies of the Egyptian tyrant.

“I must remark, however, that in the text, which is parallel to St. Paul’s testimony that Christ was the ROCK which followed, viz. Exodus 14:19, 20, Christ is not mentioned under the supreme title of Jehovah, (as in the preceding chapter, Exodus 13:21,) but only as ‘an angel of God.’ But the angel appointed to this most gracious and merciful purpose of the Almighty was really of a supreme Divine dignity, infinitely superior to all other angels, For (in another parallel text on the same subject, wherein the title of angel is also given, viz. Exodus 23:20-23,) God declared, saying, ‘My name is in him,’ (viz. the name Jehovah, signifying all time, past, present, and future, or the eternal Being.) ‘Behold,’ (said God to the hosts of Israel,) ‘I send AN ANGEL’ (or a messenger) ‘before thee, to keep thee in the way,’ (the object of intention before described,) ‘and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him,’ [or rather, watch, (thyself,) or be respectful before him, Ëynpl or in his presence,] ‘and obey his VOICE,’ (i.e. the WORD of God, the true character of Christ, even before the creation;) ‘provoke him not,’ (or rather, murmur not, against him,) ‘for he will not pardon your transgressions, for MY NAME IS IN HIM,’ (not placed upon him, as the outward tokens of mere temporary authority are given, to be exhibited like the insignia of nobility, or robes of magistrates, but really ‘in him,’ wbrqb ‘within him,’ i.e. thoroughly included in his personal existence.) ‘But if thou shalt indeed obey HIS VOICE,’ (i.e. ‘the word of God,’ the true figurative character of the Son of God,) ‘and shalt do all that I SPEAK,’ (for it is Jehovah, the Lord God, that speaketh in Christ,) ‘then I will be an enemy to thine enemies,’ &c. It is therefore unquestionably evident, from the examination of all these texts, that Christ, whom St. Paul has declared to be ‘the rock that followed’ the Israelites, was also the Lord, or Jehovah, (as he is expressly called in the first text here cited, Exodus 13:21,) that ‘went before’ the Israelites ‘by day,’ in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in ‘the way, and by night in a pillar of fire,’ &c., as expressly declared in the first text cited in this note; and, therefore, an attempt to set up any mere mortal man, as the rock or foundation of the true catholic Church, must be attributed either to extreme ignorance of the Holy Scriptures, or to extreme wickedness; but certainly, also, to the delusions of spiritual enemies.” That the power of the keys, or of binding and loosing, belonged equally to all the apostles, the author goes on to prove.

“But there is a testimony of high authority, which renders it unquestionable that this declaration of our Lord respecting the power of ‘binding and loosing,’ related ‘to them,’ (the other disciples,) ‘as well as to him:’-even another declaration, made by our Lord himself, ‘to his disciples,’ respecting the same identical power, which our Lord attributed equally to all the disciples then present.

“The particular discourse of our Lord to which I now refer seems to have been made at Capernaum, after the miracle of the fish (bearing the tribute money in his mouth) which Peter was sent to catch; as related in the 17th chapter of St. Matthew. {Matthew 17:1 &c.} And in the beginning of the very next chapter {Matthew 18:1} we are informed as follows:-‘At the SAME TIME came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Our Lord’s answer to this question (wherein he urges the necessity of a humiliation like that of little children, as the proper disposition to qualify mankind for the kingdom of heaven) is continued from the 2d verse to the 14th verse of this chapter; {Matthew 18:2-14} which shows that the disciples, in general, were still present, as they would certainly wait for the desired answer to their own question; and then our Lord immediately afterwards proceeded to instruct them (from the 15th to the 17th verse) {Matthew 18:15-17} in the general duty of behaviour towards a brother that has trespassed against us. After which our Lord added, (in the 18th verse,) {Matthew 18:18} ‘Verily I say unto YOU, (umin, a plural pronoun, which must refer unto all the disciples that were then assembled,) ‘Whatsoever YE SHALL BIND on earth,’ (dhshte, a verb in the second person plural, plainly including all the disciples that were then present,) ‘shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever YE SHALL LOOSE on earth,’ (lushte, another plural verb,) ‘shall be loosed in heaven.’ “This is exactly the power of the keys, which the Church of Rome has, most absurdly, attributed to St. Peter alone, in order to invest the bishops of Rome (on the vain pretence of their being St. Peter’s successors) with an exclusive claim to all these ecclesiastical privileges of binding and loosing, which our Lord manifestly, in this parallel text, attributed to all his faithful apostles, without any partial distinction.

“But the importance of examining, not only parallel texts, but also more particularly the context, of any difficult sentence in Holy Scripture, for a more easy comprehension of the true meaning, is clearly exemplified in the examination of the first text in question, viz. Matthew 16:18, 19; for we are informed in the very next verse, the 20th, {Matthew 16:20} that our Lord ‘THEN charged his disciples,’ (tote, then, that is, immediately after his discourse about the rock and keys,) ‘that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ;’ manifestly referring to the first circumstance of the context concerning himself, viz. the declaration of Peter, ‘Thou art the Christ,’ &c. (Matthew 16:16,) in answer to his own question to all the disciples-‘Whom say ye that I am?’

“That this question was not addressed to Peter alone is manifest by the plural pronoun and verb, (umeiv legete,) ‘Whom say YE that I am?’ And therefore St. Peter’s answer must be considered as intended not merely for himself, but also for his brethren, the other faithful witnesses of Christ’s miracles and doctrines; so that the substance of this answer-‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God’-must necessarily be understood as the true foundation or rock of the Catholic Church, revealed to Peter by our heavenly Father, as stated in the 17th and 18th verses. {Matthew 16:17, 18} “This declaration, therefore, that he was the Christ, was manifestly the subject of our Lord’s charge to the disciples, that ‘they should tell no man;’ that is, not until after the time of his sufferings and death, which were the next topics in the continuation of his discourse. The declaration of Peter, therefore, demonstrated the true foundation, or rock, of the Church, which (as Christ himself testified) our heavenly Father had revealed to Peter. And it is also remarkable, that the very next discourse of our Lord to his disciples, recorded in the context, (Matthew 16:21,) should produce that severe censure against Peter, which still farther demonstrated that Peter could not be the rock on which Christ’s Church was to be built. (Matthew 16:21.) ‘From that time forth’ (apo tote) ‘began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and SUFFER many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and BE KILLED,’ (all the predicted consequences of his being the CHRIST, the character which Peter himself had declared,) ‘and’ (that he should) ‘be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him,’ (Matthew 16:22,) ‘and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord,’ (or, rather, according to the Greek original, as rendered in the margin-‘Pity thyself, Lord’)-‘this shall not be unto thee. But he’ (Christ, Matthew 16:23) ‘turned and said unto Peter,’ [tw petrw, the same appellative (signifying a stone, or a small part of a rock) which was given to Peter by our Lord, in the 18th verse:-‘Get thee behind me, Satan, (said our Lord,) thou art an offence unto me; for thou savourest not the things that be of God; but those that be of men.’ {Matthew 16:18}

“Thus a fair examination and comparison of the whole context, completely sets aside the vain supposition of the Romish Church, that Peter was the rock of Christ’s Church. And I sincerely hope that a similar attention to this whole context may prevent any future attempts, that might otherwise be prompted by the prejudices of Roman Catholics, to bring forward again this long-disputed question, on which they have vainly set up the pretended supremacy of the Romish Church above all other episcopal Churches; and that it may be silenced, and set at rest, for ever hereafter.”

ST. LUKE

Verses 57-62. And it came to pass as they went in the way — This and the following seem to be the same occurrences with those mentioned by Matthew, which took place as Christ was in the neighbourhood of Capernaum, going from that town to the shore, where he proposed to embark, in order to cross the lake, and not on his way to Jerusalem through the country of the Samaritans. See notes on Matthew 8:19-22. And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, &c. — Jesus, knowing that the man proposed to himself riches and honours in the expected kingdom of the Messiah, thought fit to make him sensible of his mistake. As if he had said, Understand the terms: consider on what conditions thou art to follow me. He said to another, Follow me — About the same time, our Lord meeting with one who had often attended him, and thereby showed an inclination to become his disciple, he ordered him to disengage himself altogether from worldly affairs and follow him; but he said, Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father — The man excused himself on pretence that he was bound in duty to wait on an aged father, till he should pay him the last office in his burial. Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead — Let those who are dead in sin, or who are so immersed in worldly affairs that they are dead to God and divine things, employ themselves in committing to the dust their deceased friends and relatives. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God — It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, that, “as our Lord called him now to follow him, we must conclude that this commission which he gives him to preach was not directly to be put in execution. The circumstance was plainly extraordinary, and might turn on reasons unknown to us. Christ might, for instance, foresee some particular obstruction that would have arisen from the interview with his friends at his father’s funeral, which would have prevented his devoting himself to the ministry; to which he might refer in saying, Let the dead bury their dead.” And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee — Unto a third, who of his own accord offered to follow him, if he would allow him to go home and take leave of his family, Jesus gave such an answer as teaches us that no domestic affair should hinder the care of our salvation; that the calls of religion are so very pressing, that they admit of no delay or excuse whatsoever; and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they neglected what they were doing. He said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, &c., is fit for the kingdom of God — Either to receive and become a subject of it, or to preach it. “Hesiod has given it as the character of a good ploughman, that, ‘he keeps his mind intent on his work,’ that he may make ‘a straight furrow,’ and does not allow himself ‘to gaze about on his companions.’ Our Lord, on the like obvious principles, may use the phrase of one that looks behind him while his hand is on the plough, as a kind of proverbial expression for a careless, irresolute person, who must be peculiarly unfit for the Christian ministry. How happy had it been for Christ’s church had this lively admonition been regarded, without which it is impossible, orqotomein ton logon thv alhqeiav, to divide, or rather direct the word of truth aright,” 2 Timothy 2:15.

§ 50.—SELECTION OF CANDIDATES, 57-62.

Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41.

A fuller study of this passage induces us to think that Luke preserves its true place. We can scarce doubt that between the sending forth the messengers above described, the selection and rejection of candidates in this paragraph, and the commissioning of the Seventy, which follows, there is an important connection. If we may suppose that one part of the business of the messengers was to enlist and gather the Seventy, and that these colloquies are part of the examination of Jesus into their qualifications we may easily infer the time and nearly the place at which the Seventy were sent forth. The time must have been just before the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and the place must have been on the route to Jerusalem from Capernaum. The address to the cities of Galilee in Luke 10:13-15 could have scarce been further away than the boundary line of Judea on his last departure from those cities. The place would therefore be not far from Shiloh or Ephraim. See our notes on the parallel passage in Matthew.

62. Put his hand to the plough—The eastern plough is made of two poles, one of which serves for the horizontal beam drawn by the oxen; and the other, crossing it, serves as a share, being sharpened at the lower end, to penetrate the ground, and as a handle at the upper end, upon which the ploughman grasps with one hand, while with the other he holds, the long goad with which he pricks and spurs his team forward. He must place his whole weight upon the share, in order to force it into the soil, otherwise no furrow will be produced. The Saviour uses the term hand in the singular, because the plough is held with but a single hand. And the inclination of the whole body utterly forbids the looking back so as to prevent the devotion of the entire man, with all his force, to the onward work. Such is the image by which the Christian’s zeal, not only as a minister, but as a private man, is pictured by Christ himself. The spiritual ploughman who applies not hand, body, and eye to the work, will make no furrow, will sow no seed, will gather no harvest. He is not fit for the kingdom of God. It is not merely that he may not turn back or withdraw his hand. There must be no back glances of his eye, no turning of his head, but the forward throw of the man with all his might. It was by such a winnowing that our Lord selected his Seventy. How hardly did even they fulfil the high office.

Verse 62. No man, having put his hand to the plough. — To put the hand to the plough is a proverbial expression for undertaking any work, and is used also by Greek writers. A man engaged in ploughing, if he looks back or behind, being careless at his work, is unfit for the occupation of ploughing. He must look steadily down upon his plough and the soil, that he may make straight furrows, and effectually turn up the ground. The allusion teaches that all worldly regards turn the attention of ministers from their proper work, on which they ought to be intently fixed, as a good ploughman upon the direction of his plough, and the course of his furrow. He who has observed how constantly the attention is fixed in the act of ploughing, so that nothing diverts the ploughman from his occupation, will perceive the force of this powerful and admonitory comparison. The minister of Christ must be a man of one business; and he that looks back, either from carelessness or love of the world, in other words, he that suffers his attention and affections to be distracted, is not fit for the kingdom of God, not fit for its service, not fit to preach it; for the words were spoken to one whom our Lord had called to follow him, that he might employ him in preaching.