The parable]

[Omit, and pass to Chap. ix. 51.]

4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when

EXPOSITION-Chap.

action (says Bp. Hall) do necessarily evince each other. True love cannot long lurk unexpressed it will be looking out at the eyes, creeping out at the mouth; breaking out at the fingers' ends, in some actions of dearness, especially those wherein there is pain and difficulty to the agent, profit or pleasure to the affected;" that is, the object beloved. "O Lord! in vain shall we profess to love thee, if we do nothing for thee. Since our goodness cannot reach unto thee, who art our glorious head; O let us bestow upon thy feet (thy poor members here below) our tears, our hands, our ointment, and whatever our gifts or endeavours may testify our thankfulness and love to thee in them." (Contemplations, vol. iii. bk. iv. 16.)

[of the sower.

they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

18 Take heed therefore how ye hear for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

21 And

he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear

VII. VIII. Continued.

We have attached the first three verses of chap. viii. to this, to avoid making a distinct section. Indeed many think the Mary Magdalene here mentioned, the sinner who anointed our Lord's feet; but there is no proof of this, nor, indeed, much probability. The other females mentioned, appear to have been in respectable circumstances, and to have afforded the principal means of our Lord's support. Yes! he "who was rich, for our sakes became poor;" and though he never degraded himself to be a beggar, he condescended to receive, not alms indeed, but temporal support; and highly honoured are the females who, with much delicacy and affection, contributed to supply his wants. See Exposition of Matt. xxvii. 55-66.

Ver. 4-15. He spake by a parable-that is, the parable of the sower, which we have already considered, on Matt. xiii. 1-23.

Ver. 15. An honest and good heart is a heart prepared by divine grace; in allusion to the labour of the husbandman in preparing his ground for seed: this is, the ground that is ploughed and harrowed by the means of grace, in distinction from that which is rocky, or in the public path, or full of thorns and briars. And bring forth fruit with patience.Camp. says the Gr. word usually signifies" perseverance," or "a patient continuance in well-doing." See Rom. ii. 7.

Ver. 16. No man when he hath lighted a candle, &c. See Matt. v. 15, 16.

Ver. 17. Nothing is secret, &c.-See Matt. x. 26. Compare also Mark iv. 21, 22.

Ver. 18. Take heed, therefore, How ye hear-bat the parallel passage in Mark iv. 24 reads, “ Take care WHAT ye bear." Both precepts were probably connected in our Lord's discourse, as they are in the paraphrases of Dr. Doddridge. The one seems to refer to the spirit with which we hear, the other to the care with which we should retain it. The promise is, that in proportion as we receive and retain divine instruction, more will be communicated: for whosoever hath, &c. See Matt. xiii. 12, and N.

Ver. 19-21. Then came to him his mother. - See the parallel texts, Matt. xii. 46–51); Mark iii. 31–35.

The tempest stilled.]

the word of God, and do it.

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 28 When be saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. 29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) 30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. 31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. 32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. 33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. 34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 36 They also which saw it, told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the

Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. 38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him for they were all waiting for him. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the syna. gogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. 49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not believe only, and she shall be made whole. 51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called,

Ver. 22-25. Now it came to pass, &c.-Compare Matthew viii. 23-27.

Ver. 26-39. And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes.-We have already considered this miracle in the narrative of Matthew, chap. viii. 28-34. Compare also Mark v. 1-20.

THEN he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. 3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. 4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. 5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. 6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere.

:

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; 8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. 9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. 10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belong ing to the city called Bethsaida. 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. 12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. 13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company, 15 And

[his apostles.

they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

21 And be

18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the peo ple that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist, but sonie say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God, straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and be slain, aud be raised the third day. 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the away? whole world, and lose himself, or be cast

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of ine and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashained, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 27 But

I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a moun

tain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the

fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus,

Ver. 5. For a testimony-How so? When their feet were covered with dust on leaving a town, it proved that no one had received them, and washed their feet.

Ver. 7-9. Now Herod.-See Matt. xiv. 1, 2. Ver. 7. Of some-Doddr. " By some." So ver. 8. Ver. 10-17. And the apostles.-This miracle of feeding the 5000 was considered, Matt. xiv. 3-21.

Ver, 18-22. And it came to pass.-This conver sation has occurred, Matt. xvi. 13-16, and 20, 21. Ver. 23-27. And he said to them all. The parallel passage to this occurs, Matt. xvi. 24-28,

Ver. 27. There be some standing here, &c.-See Note on Matt. xvi. 28.

Ver. 28-36. And it came to pass.-This account of our Lord's transfiguration very nearly corresponds with that of Matthew, xvii. 1–9. Compare also Mark ix. 2-10.

Ver. 28. About an eight days-Modern translators omit the article "an."

The Transfiguration.]

Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias not knowing what he said. 34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. 37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. 38 And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child. 39 And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him. 40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not. 41 And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring thy son hither. 42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, 44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered

into the hands of men. 45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by bim, 48 And said unto them, Whoso ever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And

[James and John reproved.

Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

51 ¶ And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem,

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No

Ver.31. Of his decease-Gr. Exodus ; i. e. departure or decease. See 2 Pet. i. 15.

Ver. 37-42. And it came to pass, that on the next day. This miracle has been considered, Matt. xvii. 14-18.

Ver. 41. O faithless-Doddr. "Incredulous."

Ver. 43-45. And they were all amazed.--What Jesus here relates of his approaching sufferings, occurs before, Matt. xvii, 22, 23.

Ver. 45. It was hid from them-Camp., "It was veiled to them."

Ver. 51. When the time was come-Doddr. (more literally) "As the days were fulfilled" (or nearly so), that he should be received up; i. e. into heaven. See Witsius on the Creed (by Fraser), vol. ii. p. 531.

Ver. 62. No man having put his hand to the plough. A passage in Hesiod strikingly illustrate this: of the ploughman he says,

"Let him attend his charge, and careful trace The right-lin'd farrow; gaze no more about, But have bis mind intent upon the work." Orient. Lit. No. 1293.

CHAP. IX.

[sent forth,

into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth

labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

(Q) Ver. 51-62. The evil of intolerance; and the danger of irresolution in religion.Jesus going to Jerusalem, sends some of his disciples forward to a village of the Samaritans in the road from Galilee to Judea, to prepare supper and lodging by the way. The narrow-miuded Samaritans, however, finding he was going to the temple of Jerusalem, refused to afford him the necessary accommodations, which greatly offended James and John, two of the disIciples deputed on this occasion, and who were justly called "sons of thunder;" (Mark iii. 17.) for their resentment kindled like a flash of lightning, and they instantly applied to their Master, to know if they should not call fire from heaven to destroy these bigotted, inhospitable Samaritans; and to countenance their application, they produce the example of Elijah under the old dispensation, on a very different occasion. But Elijah was not an example for Christ, who is himself the pattern of all his disciples.

Jesus reproves the intemperate and misguided zeal of his disciples: "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." Your zeal is not of God, because it is not according to knowledge. "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." "It is far from the good Spirit of God (says Bp. Hall) to stir up any man to private revenge, or thirst of blood. Not an eagle, but a dove, was the shape in which he chose to appear. Neither wouldest thou, O God, be in the whirlwind, or in the fire, but in the soft voice. O Saviour, why do we seek for any precedent but thine, whose name we challenge?

Thou camest to thine own, thine own received thee not. Didst thou call for fire from heaven upon them? Didst thou not rather send down water from thy compassionate eyes, and weep for them for whom thou must bleed? Better had it been for us never to have any spirit, than any but thine. We can be no other than wicked if our mercies be cruelty.

"O Saviour, when we look into those sacred acts and monuments of thine, we find many a life which thou preservedst from perishing; some that had perished, by thee recalled; never any by thee destroyed: only one poor fig tree, as the real emblem of thy severity to the unfruit ful, was blasted and withered by thy curse. But to man how ever-favourable and indulgent wert thou! So repelled as thou wert; so reviled, so persecuted, laid (wait) for, sold, betrayed, apprehended, crucified: yet what one man didst thou strike dead for these heinous indignities? Yea, when one of thine enemies lost an ear in that ill quarrel, thou gavest that ear to him, who came to take thy life from thee. I find some whom thou didst scourge and cor rect, as the sacrilegious money-changers; none whom thou killedst." (Contemp. bk. iv. Con. 10.)

Jesus is not so easily disconcerted as his disciples finding the people of one village object to receive him, he goes to another. Our tempers are often ruffled, and our peace disturbed, by circumstances in themselves of no consequence, which, had we either more humility, or more enlarged views, would only excite our pity, and our prayers.

The following incidents seem to be the same as are mentioned by Matthew, chap. viii. but being there (for brevity sake) passed over, demand here an observation. The "certain man" mentioned by Luke (ver. 57) appears by Matthew to have been a scribe, who volunteered his service to follow our Lord; but when he found the indifferent accommodation be was

likely to meet with, we hear no more of him. "The Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Foxes can burrow in the ground, and birds can build their nests on high; but he who "came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister," hath no settled habitation, no home of his own, where he can lay his head; but is constantly be holden for a lodging either to the affection of his disciples, or to the hospitality of

Doddr. and

CHAP. X. Ver. 1. Other seventy Camp. "Seventy other;" i. e. beside the twelve apostles. These "seventy were, however, pro

bably 72. So we call the Septuagint version "The LXX," though it is generally admitted to have been the work of 72; i, e, twelve from each tribe of Israel.