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 /Y 
 
 AN 
 
 Illustrated Commentary 
 
 ON 
 
 THE GOSPELS ACCORDING TO 
 
 Mark and Luke. 
 
 FOR FAMILY USE AND REFERENCE, AND FOR THE GREAT BODY 
 OF CHRISTIAN WORKERS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS. 
 
 By REV. LYMAN ABBOTT, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "LIFE OF CHRIST," "DICTIONARY OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE," ETC. 
 
 VOLUME II. 
 
 A. S. BARNES & COMPANY, 
 
 NEW YORK, CHICAGO, AND NEW ORLEANS. 
 1878.
 
 Copyright, 1877, by A. S. Barnes &■» Co.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO ALL THE VOLUMES OF THIS SERIES OF COMMENTARIES. 
 
 THE object of this Commentary is to aid in their Christian work those 
 who are endeavoring to promote the knowledge of the principles 
 which Jesus Christ came to propound and establish — clergymen, Christian 
 parents, Sunday-School teachers, Bible-women, lay-preachers. Intended 
 for Christian workers, it aims to give the results rather than the processes 
 of scholarship, the conclusions rather than the controversies of scholars; 
 intended for laymen as well as for clergymen, it accompanies the English 
 version of the New Testament, in all references to the original Greek gives 
 the English equivalent, and translates all quotations from the French, 
 German, Latin and Greek authors. 
 
 The introduction to Volume I contains a statement of those prin- 
 ciples of interpretation which appear to me to be essential to the correct 
 understanding of the Word of God. This Commentary is the result of a 
 conscientious endeavor to apply those principles to the elucidation of the 
 New Testament. 
 
 It is founded on a careful examination of the latest and best text ; such 
 variations as are of practical or doctrinal importance are indicated in the 
 notes. It is founded on the original Greek ; wherever that is inadequately 
 rendered in our English version, a new translation is afforded by the notes. 
 The general purpose of the writer or speaker, and the general scope of the 
 incident or teaching, is indicated in a Preliminary Note to the passage, or 
 in an analysis, a paraphrase, or a general summary at the close. Special 
 topics are treated in preliminary or supplementary notes. The results of re- 
 cent researches in Biblical archaeology have been embodied, so as to make 
 the Commentary serve in part the purpose of a Bible Dictionary. A free 
 use is made of illustrations, from antiques, photographs, original drawings, 
 and other trustworthy sources. They are never employed for mere 
 ornament, but always to aid in depicting the life of Palestine, which 
 remains in many respects substantially unchanged by the lapse of time. 
 Since the Commentary is prepared, not for devotional reading, but for 
 practical workers, little space has been devoted to hortatory remarks or 
 practical or spiritual reflections. But I have uniformly sought to interpret 
 the letter by the spirit, and to suggest rather than to supply moral and 
 spiritual reflections, a paragraph of hints is affixed to each section or topic, 
 embodying what appears to me to be the essential religious lessons of the
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 incident or the teaching ; sometimes a note is appended elucidating 
 them more fully. The best thoughts of the best thinkers, both exegetical 
 and homiletical, are freely quoted, especially such as are not likely to be 
 accessible to most American readers ; in all such cases the thought is 
 credited to the author. Parallel and contrasted passages of Scripture are 
 brought together in the notes ; in addition, full Scripture references are 
 appended to the text. These are taken substantially from Bagster's large 
 edition of the English version of the Polyglot Bible, but they have been 
 carefully examined and verified in preparing for the press, and some 
 modifications have been made. For the convenience of that large class of 
 Christian workers who are limited in their means, I have endeavored to 
 make this Commentary, as far as practicable, a complete apparatus for th 3 
 study of the New Testament. Maps and a Gazetteer give a condensed 
 account of all the principal places in Palestine, mentioned in our Lord's 
 life ; and an introduction traces the history of the New Testament from 
 the days of Christ to the present, giving some account of the evidence and 
 nature of inspiration, the growth of the canon, the character and history 
 of the manuscripts, the English version, the nature of the Gospels and 
 their relation to each other, a brief life of Christ, and a complete tabular 
 harmony of the four Gospels. 
 
 The want of all who use the Bible in Christian work is the same. The 
 wish is often for a demonstration that the Scripture sustains the reader's 
 peculiar theological tenets, but the want is always for a clearer and better 
 knowledge of Scripture teaching, whether it sanctions or overturns previous 
 opinions. I .am not conscious that this work is written in the interest of 
 any theological or ecclesiastical system. In those cases in which the best 
 scholars are disagreed in their interpretation, the different views and the 
 reasons which lead me to my own conclusions have been given, I trust, in 
 no controversial spirit. For the sole object of this work is to ascertain 
 and make clear the meaning of the Word of God, irrespective of systems, 
 whether ecclesiastical or doctrinal. 
 
 No work is more delightful than that which throws us into fellowship 
 with great minds ; of all work the most delightful is that which brings us 
 into association with the mind of God. This is the fellowship to which the 
 student of the Bible aspires. I can have for those who use this work no 
 higher hope than that they may find in its employment some of the happi- 
 ness which I have found in its preparation, and that it may serve them as 
 it has served me, as a guide to the Word of God, and through that Word 
 to a better acquaintance with God himself. 
 
 CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, LYMAN ABBOTT.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF MARK. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 introduction to the gospel of mark 3 
 
 Supplementary Notes in Mark — 
 
 Ceremonial Washings 32 
 
 Authenticity of Mark 16 : 9-20 65 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. 
 Introduction to the Gospel of Luke 3 
 
 Supplementary Notes — 
 
 On Luke's Preface 6 
 
 The Gospel of the Infancy 6 
 
 The Angel's Message 21 
 
 The Ministry of John the Baptist , 29 
 
 Parable of the Two Debtors 51 
 
 Commission of the Seventy 60 
 
 Parable of the Good Samaritan 66 
 
 Parable of the Fig-Tree 80 
 
 Parables of Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son 90, 94 
 
 Parable of the Unjust Steward 99, 102 
 
 Parable of Rich Man and Lazarus 103 
 
 Parable of Lord and Servant 107 
 
 The Penitent Thief 142
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Most of the engravings in this volume, especially those illustrating ancient manners and cus- 
 toms, have been drawn and engraved expressly for this work from sketches by Mr. A. L. Rawson. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Palestine in the Time of Christ Front 
 
 The Lake op Gennesaret 8 
 
 Christ Healing the Paralytic 9 
 
 The Grabattjs 10 
 
 Ancient Candle-stick 16 
 
 Ancient Skiff 19 
 
 Rock-cut Tomb at Gadaran 21 
 
 Ancient Mourning-Women 25 
 
 Tools of an Egyptian Carpenter. . . 26 
 
 Staff, Scrip, and Skin Bottle 28 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Sandals— Shoes 28 
 
 The Charger 29 
 
 Executioner 29 
 
 Modern Hand-washing 32 
 
 Loaves of Bread 37 
 
 Tower of Tiberias 37 
 
 Treasury Boxes 55 
 
 Diagram of Jewish Sepulchre 62 
 
 Plan of Tomb Door or Golal 63 
 
 Tomb Door 63 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Priest Offering Incense 8 
 
 Nazareth 12 
 
 Writing Tablet 15 
 
 Coin of Cesar Augustus 17 
 
 Swaddling Clothes 18 
 
 An Eastern Inn 19 
 
 An Eastern Manger 19 
 
 Master and Servant 18 
 
 Slave Loosing Shoe-latchet 29 
 
 Winnowing the Grain 29 
 
 Ancient Book 32 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Vicinity of Nazareth 34 
 
 Oriental Fishers 36 
 
 Red Wheat of Palestine 39 
 
 Mount of Beatitudes 40 
 
 Measuring Grain 43 
 
 Funeral Procession 45 
 
 Alabasters 49 
 
 Salutations 61 
 
 Tyre on the Mainland 62 
 
 Capernaum 62 
 
 Road to Jericho 65
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Scorpion 70 
 
 The Synagogue. — Showing Upper- 
 most Seats 72 
 
 An Eastern Porter 73 
 
 The Eastern Housetop 74 
 
 Sparrows in Marshes 75 
 
 Lily op Chalcedon 77 
 
 An Eastern Oven 78 
 
 Fig-Tree 81 
 
 Oriental Dining-Room 86 
 
 An Indiscriminate Group gathered 
 from Streets, etc., from Eastern 
 
 City 88 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Lost Sheep Saved 93 
 
 Drachma .' 94 
 
 Husks 96 
 
 Scribe and Writing Materials 101 
 
 Sycamine or Mulberry Branch 107 
 
 Lord and Servant 108 
 
 Group of Lepers 109 
 
 View of the Site of Jericho 116 
 
 An Eastern Beggar 117 
 
 A Sycamore Tree 118 
 
 The Temple Site 126 
 
 Ancient Sieve 133 
 
 Wailing Place of the Jews 140 
 
 MAPS AND PLANS. 
 
 Palestine in the Time of Christ 
 
 The Holy Land under the Sons of Herod the Great. 
 Triclinium 
 
 . Frontispiece 
 
 26 
 
 85 
 
 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Jesus Undaunted Mark x, 32 
 
 The Temple as Jesus found it Mark xi, 15 
 
 The Last Supper Mark xiv, 22-26 
 
 The Child Jesus Luke ii, 43 
 
 Jesus in the Synagogue Luke iv, 17 
 
 Mob at Nazareth Luke iv, 29 
 
 The Penitent and the Pharisee Luke vii, 37 
 
 Blessing Little Children Luke xviii, 16 
 
 Jesus Gtvtng Sight Luke xviii, 35 
 
 Zaccheus Invited Luke xix, 4
 
 The Gospel 
 
 ACCORDING TO 
 
 MARK, 
 
 NOTES AND COMMENTS.
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 By whom written. The author of this Gos- 
 pel has been universally believed to be Mark or 
 Marcus, designated in Acts 12 : 12, 25 ; 15 : 37 as 
 John Mark, and in chapter 13 : 5, 13, as John. For 
 some evidences of authorship see Intro., pp. 
 15-19. His mother's name was Mary (Act» is : is) ; 
 she was a sister of Barnabas (col. 4 : 10), and dwelt 
 in Jerusalem (Acts 12 : 12). Mark was converted to 
 Christianity through the instrumentality of Peter 
 (1 Peter 5 : 13) ; became the minister, i. e., the attend- 
 ant of Paul and Barnabas in their first missionary 
 journey (Acta 12 : 25) ; and was the cause of the con- 
 tention between those Apostles and their separa- 
 tion on their second journey (Acta 15 : 39), after 
 which Mark accompanied Barnabas (Acts 15 : 39). 
 Subsequently the estrangement between Paul 
 and Mark appears to have been removed ; so, at 
 least, we may infer from Paul's cordial references 
 to him in the Epistles— Col. 4 : 10 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 11 ; 
 Phil. 24. The N. T. gives no further information 
 respecting him, and subsequent tradition is un- 
 trustworthy. It represents him as the first 
 bishop of Alexandria and as a martyr there. He 
 has been identified with the young man, whom 
 he alone mentions, who barely escaped capture 
 at the time of Christ's arrest ( Mark 14 : 51, 52), with 
 one of those who turned back from following the 
 Lord at the hard saying in John, ch. 6 : 66, 
 and with one of the seventy mentioned in Luke 
 10 : 1 ; but these are mere hypotheses, unsup- 
 ported by evidence. 
 
 Sources of information. Mark was not one 
 of the twelve ; and there is no reason to believe 
 that he was an eye and ear witness of the events 
 which he has recorded ; but an almost unani- 
 mous testimony of the early fathers indicates 
 Peter as the source of his information. The 
 most important of these testimonies is that of 
 Papias, who says: "He, the presbyter (John), 
 said : Mark, being the interpreter of Peter, 
 wrote exactly whatever he remembered ; but he 
 did not write in order the things which were 
 spoken or done by Christ. For he was neither a 
 hearer nor a follower of the Lord, but, as I said, 
 afterward followed Peter, who made his dis- 
 courses to suit what was required, without the 
 view of giving a connected digest of the dis- 
 courses of our Lord. Mark, therefore, made no 
 mistake when he wrote down circumstances as 
 he recollected them. For he was very careful of 
 one thing, to omit nothing of what he heard, and 
 to say nothing false in what he related.'' Thus 
 Papias writes of Mark. This testimony is con- 
 firmed by other witnesses, the most important of 
 which are the following. Irenams: "Matthew 
 wrote a Gospel while Peter and Paul were 
 preaching the Gospel at Rome and founding a 
 
 church there. And after their decease, Mark, 
 the disciple and interpreter of Peter, delivered 
 to us in writing the things that had been 
 preached by Peter." Clement of Alexandria: 
 " The occasion of writing the Gospel accord- 
 ing to Mark was this : Peter, having public- 
 ly preached the word at Rome, and having 
 spoken the Gospel by the Spirit, many present 
 exhorted Mark to write the things which had 
 been spoken, since he had long accompanied Pe- 
 ter, and remembered what he had said ; and that 
 when he had composed the Gospel, he delivered 
 it to them who had asked it of him, which, when 
 Peter knew, he neither forbade nor encouraged 
 it." Tertullian: "Although that Gospel like- 
 wise which Mark published may be said to be 
 Peter's, whose interpreter Mark was." Origen, 
 as given by Eusebius : "The second Gospel is 
 that according to Mark, who wrote it as Peter 
 directed him ; who also calls him his son." 
 
 It is not at all certain, however, that these are 
 independent testimonies, and how far they are to 
 be accepted as true is a vexed question among 
 Christian scholars. It has even been denied 
 that the Gospel referred to by Papias is the 
 present Gospel of Mark, which it is claimed does 
 not correspond in character to his description. 
 For a discussion of this question the student is 
 referred to Alford's Greek Testament, Prolego- 
 mena, Mark's Gospel, Sec. II ; Smith's Bible Dic- 
 tionary, arts. Mark and Mark, Gospel of; David- 
 son's Intro, to the New Testament ; Westcott's 
 Notes to the Study of the Gospels, etc. It must 
 suffice here to say, (1 ) that there seems to me no 
 reason whatever for doubting that Papias refers 
 to our Gospel of Mark. I agree with Edward 
 Cone Bissel (Historic Origin of the Gospels, p. 192) 
 that "the description which he here gives of 
 Mark's method well accords with the charac- 
 teristics of the second Gospel, as being not a 
 complete record of the life of our Lord, chrono- 
 logically arranged, but a vivid and picturesque 
 arrangement of leading facts only, having a defi- 
 nite moral as well as historic end ; " (2) That, 
 while it must ever remain uncertain how far the 
 influence of Peter extended in the composition of 
 this Gospel, its character seems to me to confirm 
 this testimony, and to indicate that one of the 
 Twelve directly participated in its composition. 
 Remembering that the early teaching of the 
 Apostles consisted largely of a narrative of the 
 facts in the life, sufferings, death, and resurrection 
 of our Lord (see int™., Pt. ii, § 2, p. 3s), it is reasona- 
 ble to suppose that Mark derived his information 
 from these discourses of Peter, and perhaps also 
 from Peter's conversation, but embodied them in 
 his own language. In other words, he was a true
 
 MARK. 
 
 historian, not a mere amanuensis ; but as a his- 
 torian derived most of his information from 
 Peter. 
 
 Characteristics. Mark's Gospel is occupied 
 almost entirely with the ministry in Galilee and 
 the events of the Passion week ; it is the shortest 
 of the four Gospels, and contains almost no 
 incident or teaching which is not contained in 
 one of the other two Synoptists ; its report of the 
 teaching of our Lord is much less full and sys- 
 tematic than that of Matthew, but it is by far the 
 most vivid and dramatic in its narratives, and their 
 pictorial character indicate not only that they were 
 derived from, an eye and ear witness, but also from 
 one who possessed the observation and the graphic 
 artistic power of a natural orator, such as Peter em- 
 phatically was. As the systematic but inartistic 
 narrative of Matthew's Gospel harmonizes with 
 the character of its reputed author — a tax-gath- 
 erer, and the spiritual and even metaphysical 
 character of John's Gospel with such indications 
 as are afforded of his character by the few inci- 
 dents in his life and by his other writings, so the 
 graphic but external character of Mark's Gospel 
 harmonizes with the ardent, impulsive, oratori- 
 cal, but not deep or tender character of Peter, 
 to whose influence its composition is tradition- 
 ally imputed. "It is Mark who reveals to us 
 the comprehensive gaze of Christ (3 : 5, 34 ; 5 : 32 ; 
 10 : 23 ; ii : n) ; his loving embrace of the children 
 brought to him (9: 36; 10 : 16) ; his preceding his 
 disciples while they follow in awe and amaze- 
 ment (10 : 32) ; we see him taking his seat to ad- 
 dress his disciples (9 : 35) ; and turning around in 
 holy anger to Peter (8 : 33) ; we hear the sighs 
 which burst from his bosom (7:34; 8:12); and 
 listen to his very accents (5 •. 41 ; 7 : 34 ; 14 : 36) ; at 
 one time we have an event portrayed with a 
 freshness and pictorial power which places the 
 whole scene before us with its minute accesso- 
 ries — the paralytic (2 : 1-12), the storm (4 : 36-4i), the 
 demoniac (5 : 1-20), Herod's feast (6 : 21-29), the 
 feeding of the five thousand (6 : 35-45), the lunatic 
 child (9 : 14-29), the young ruler (10 : 17-22), Bar- 
 timeus (10 • 46-52), etc. ; at another, details are 
 
 brought out by a single word (1 : 7 ; 1 : 10 ; 1 : 41 ; 
 
 4 : 11 ; 6 : 63 ; 7 : 21, 23 ; 9 : 26 ; 10 : 22 ; 14 : 3 ; 14 : 6?) Or by the 
 
 substitution of a more precise and graphic word 
 
 for One leSS distinctive (l :12; 2 : 12; 4:37; 5:29; 
 
 6 : 46 ; 7 : 9 ; 14 : 33) ; it is to Mark also that we are 
 indebted for the record of minute particulars, 
 of persons, places, times, and number, which 
 stamp on his narratives an impress of authentici- 
 ty." — Kitto's Cyclopaedia. Further illustrations 
 of this character of Mark's Gospel will be found 
 on almost every page of this Commentary, and 
 generally referred to in the notes. The refer- 
 ences to Peter in this Gospel throw little or no 
 light on the question of his connection with it. 
 See them collated in SmitKs Bible Dictionary, 
 art. Mark, Gospel of. 
 
 Time and place of composition. This is 
 uncertain. Internal evidence indicates that it was 
 written before the destruction of Jerusalem. 
 Otherwise the omission of all reference to so sig- 
 nal a fulfilment of our Lord's prophecies would 
 be inexplicable. According to Irenseus it was 
 composed after the death of Peter and Paul, 
 which would place it as late as a. d. 63. The 
 place also is unknown. The traditions are con- 
 flicting and untrustworthy. 
 
 Object and language. As it is clear from 
 internal indications that Matthew's Gospel was 
 written for Hebrew readers, so it is evident that 
 Mark's Gospel was written for Gentile readers. 
 He omits the genealogical registers given by 
 Matthew and Luke ; he rarely cites from the 
 O. T., except in reporting discourses of our 
 Lord; he interprets Hebrew or Aramaic ex- 
 pressions (3 : 17; 5:40; 7; 11; 10:46; 14:36; 15:34) ; he 
 
 explains Jewish names and customs (7 : 3, 4; 
 12 : 42 ; 15 : 6) ; he contains no references to the 
 law of Moses ; even the word law (vduoc) does 
 not occur ; and matter that might offend or be 
 misapprehended by Gentile readers is omitted 
 (comp. Matt. io : 5, 6 with Mark 6 : 7, 8). There is every in- 
 dication, both external and internal, that this 
 Gospel was written originally in the Greek lan- 
 guage, and no reason to doubt this, which is the 
 almost universal opinion of scholars.
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 
 
 MARK. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the" 
 Son ofGod ; 
 
 2 As it is written in the prophets, b Behold, I send my 
 messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy 
 way before thee. 
 
 3 The c voice of one crying in the wilderness. Pre- 
 pare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 
 
 4 John" 1 did baptize in the wilderness, and preach 
 the baptism of repentance for the remission e of sins. 
 
 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, 
 and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized ot him in 
 the river of Jordan, confessing' their sins. 
 
 6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with 
 a girdle of a skin about his loins ; and he did eat lo- 
 custs * and wild honey ; 
 
 7 And preached, saying, There h cometh one mighti- 
 er than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not 
 worthy to stoop down and unloose. 
 
 8 I indeed have baptized you with water : but he 
 shall baptize ' you with the Holy Ghost. 
 
 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came 
 
 from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized > of Johu 
 in Jordan. 
 
 io And straightway coming up out of the water, he 
 saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit," like a dove, 
 descending upon him : 
 
 1 1 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou 
 art my beloved Son, 1 in whom 1 am well pleased. 
 
 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the 
 wilderness. 
 
 13 And" 1 he was there in the wilderness forty days, 
 tempted of Satan ; and was with the wild beasts; and 
 the angels ministered unto him. 
 
 14 Now alter that John was put in prison, Jesus" 
 came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the king- 
 dom of God, 
 
 15 And saying. The time" is fulfilled, and the king- 
 dom of God is at hand : repent 1 ye, and believe' the 
 gospel. 
 
 16 Now 9 as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw 
 Simon, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the 
 sea : for they were fishers. 
 
 17 And Jesus said unto them. Come ye after me, 
 and 1 will make you to become fishers of men. 
 
 aHeb. 1 : 1. 2....b Mai. 3 : 1....C Isa. 40 : 3....d Matt. 3 : 1 ; Luke 3 : 3 ; John 3 : 23. .. .e Acts 82 : 16.... f Lev. 26 : 40-42 ; P». 38:5; 
 Frov. 28 : 13; 1 John 1 :8-10....g Lev. 11 : 22....U Matt. 3 : 11 ; John 1 : -.7 ; Acts 13 : 25. . . .i Joel 2 : 28 ; Acts 1 : 5 ; 2:4; 10:45; 
 
 11 : 15, 16; 1 Cor. 12, 13.... j Matt. 3 : 13; Luke 3 : 21 k Isa. 42 : 1 ; John 1 : 32 1 Ps. 2 : T m Matt. 4 : 1, tic; Luke 4 : 1, etc 
 
 n Matt. 4 : ■-'.!.... o Luke 8 : l....p Dan. 2:44; 9 : 25 ; Gal. 4:4; Epbes. 1 : 10.... q Acts 2 : 38.... r Rom. 16: 26.... s Matt. 4 : 18, etc.; 
 Luke 5 : 4, etc. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 1-8. John the Baptist and his 
 Preaching. Matt. 3 : 1-12, notes ; Luke 3 : 1-18, 
 notes. See for a different phase of his ministry, 
 John 1 : 19-35, notes ; for his character, Matt. 
 11 : 3-19, notes ; for a brief account of his life, 
 Matt. 14 : 1-12, notes, and Mark 6 : 17-30, notes. 
 1 . This is a general introduction to the Gospel. 
 Matthew and Luke alone give any account of the 
 birth and childhood of Christ. Mark and John 
 begin with his baptism, which precedes and inau- 
 gurates his public ministry. Tischendorf omits 
 from this verse the words, "the Son of God." 
 Alford retains them. Observe that the preach- 
 ing of John the Baptist, the forerunner, is ac- 
 counted the beginning of the glad tidings of 
 Jesus the Messiah. 
 
 2, 3. The prophets. The better reading is 
 Isaiah the prophet. There are, however, two 
 references, the first to Mai. 3 : 1, the second to 
 Isaiah 40 : 3. "As Matthew, in chap. 21 : 4, 5, 
 quotes from Zachariah under the title of one 
 prophet, and adds something from Isaiah 68 : 11 ; 
 and as Paul also in Rom. 9 : 26, 27, mentions 
 Isaiah by name, and has added something from 
 Hosea 1 : 10, so Mark here refers to two proph- 
 ets, and yet names only one, the prophet Isaiah." 
 —(Bertgel.) As to the meaning of the two refer- 
 ences, see notes respectively on Matt. 11 : 10 and 
 3 : 3. — The voice of one crying in the wil- 
 derness. "A preacher should, if possible, be 
 nothing but a voice, which should be always 
 heard and never seen." — (Quesnel.) 
 
 4. In the wilderness. Of Judea (Matt. 3 : i). 
 —For the remission of sins. Not merely 
 
 for the pardon of sin, but for the putting away 
 of and cleansing from sin. See Matt. 20 : 28, note, 
 and references there quoted. This John declared 
 was necessary for all the children of Israel, not 
 merely for the heathen (Luke 3 : s), and was to be 
 obtained not by sacrifices, but by abandonment 
 
 Of Sin (Matt. 3 : 2, note). 
 
 8. With the Holy Ghost. Matthew and 
 Luke add, "and with fire." See Matt. 3:11, 
 note. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 9-11. The Baptism of Jesus. Matt. 
 
 3 : 13-17 ; Luke 3 : 21, 22 ; John 1 : 32-34. See 
 notes on Matthew. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 12, 13. The Temptation. Matt. 
 
 4 : 1-11 ; Luke 4 : 1-13. It is not mentioned by 
 John. Mark's account is briefest, but the state- 
 ment that Christ "was with the wild beasts" 
 is peculiar to him. The ministry of the angels 
 (ver. 13) was at the close of the temptation. (Matt. 
 4 : n.) See notes on Matthew. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 14-20. Beginning of Galilean 
 ministry. Between the baptism and the com- 
 mencement of Christ's public ministry in Galilee 
 occurred the events narrated in John, chaps. 2, 3 
 and 4. To this ministry belongs the Sermon and 
 consequent mob in Nazareth (Luke 4: 16-31), which 
 preceded the call of the four disciples here 
 narrated. For notes on this ministry, see Matt. 
 4 : 13-25 ; for notes on the call of the four Apos- 
 tles, Luke 5 : 1-11. 
 
 15. And believe in the Gospel. Peculiar 
 to Mark. John had already preached faith as well 
 as repentance (John 1 : 29, gs), though perhaps only 
 privately to his own disciples. Christ did not as
 
 G 
 
 MASK. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and fol- 
 lowed him. 
 
 19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he 
 saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, 
 who also were in the ship mending their nets. 
 
 20 And straightway he called them : and they left 
 their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired ser- 
 vants, and went after him. 
 
 21 And they went into Capernaum : and straightway 
 on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, 
 and taught. 
 
 22 And 1 they were astonished at his doctrine : for he 
 taught them as one that had authority, and not as the 
 scribes. 
 
 23 And" there was in their synagogue a man with 
 an unclean spirit ; and he cried out, 
 
 24 Saying, Let us alone ; what have we to do with 
 thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to de- 
 stroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holv One 
 of God. y 
 
 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, 
 and come out of him. 
 
 t Matt. 7 : 28 u Luke 4 : 33, etc. 
 
 yet preach faith in himself as the Messiah, but 
 only faith in the glad tidings that the time was 
 fulfilled and the kingdom of God (Matt. 3 : 2, note) 
 was at hand. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 21-38. THE MINISTRY OF A DAT.— Christ a 
 Saviour : He delivers the mind ; he heals the 
 body ; he saves the soul ; he carries the gospel 
 both to the awakened and to the indifferent. — 
 The busiest have time for prater. 
 
 Verses 21-38 give the record of a single day in 
 Christ's life. There is no reason to suppose it an 
 exceptional day. The account of the healing of 
 the demoniac (verses 21-28) is peculiar to Mark and 
 Luke (chap. 4 : 31-37). For a discussion of the phe- 
 nomenon of demoniac possession, see Matt. 8 : 
 88-34, note, p. 123. The harmonists are not agreed 
 as to the time and occasion of this and the other 
 contemporaneous incidents. Alford puts them 
 after the Sermon on the Mount, and the call and 
 ordination of the twelve Apostles. Robinson, 
 Ellicott, Andrews, and Townsend, with much 
 better reason, place all the incidents in this chap- 
 ter at the commencement of Christ's Galilean 
 ministry, and prior to the ordination of the Twelve 
 and the Sermon on the Mount. Christ had pre- 
 viously preached the sermon at Nazareth, which 
 led to the mob there and his final departure from 
 that city to take up his home in Capernaum (Luke 
 
 4 : 16-3l). 
 
 21. Into Capernaum. For description of 
 Capernaum see Matt. 4 : 13, note. It was situ- 
 ated upon the Sea of Galilee. — Straightway. 
 That is, probably, on the sabbath immediately fol- 
 lowing the call of the four Apostles. He goes to 
 give his disciples their first lessons in catching 
 men (verse 17), and to inspire them with faith in 
 him. Observe the rapidity of Christ's movement. 
 Apparently on his first sabbath in Capernaum he 
 preaches the Gospel. Compare the example of 
 J'aul, who preached the first sabbath after his 
 conversion (Acts 9 : 20). Observe, too, that Christ 
 preaches in the synagogues until he is driven out 
 of them. Corruption in the church is not a suffi- 
 cient reason for refusing to work in it. — The 
 synagogue. For description of the Jewish 
 synagogue, see Matt. 4 : 23, note. 
 
 22. Doctrine. Rather teaching ; not so much 
 the thing taught as the manner and spirit of the 
 
 teaching astonished the people. — As one hav- 
 ing authority. Matt. 7 : 28, 29, note.— As the 
 scribes. For description of Jewish scribes, see 
 Matt. 5 : 20, note. 
 
 23. A man in an unclean spirit. Luke's 
 description is still more explicit: '■'■Having the 
 spirit of an unclean devil,'''' rather demon. Ob- 
 serve the peculiar phraseology here ; not with 
 but in an unclean spirit. As Christ dwells in his 
 children and they in him, so the evil spirit dwells 
 in the children of the devil. That there is here 
 described not a case of physical and mental dis- 
 ease merely, but a real and actual possession of 
 the soul by a fallen spirit, I think clear, both from 
 the tenor of the narrative here, and from other 
 parallel passages in the N. T. How could a 
 lunatic know Christ to be the Holy One of God, 
 when as yet he was unknown even to his own 
 disciples ? How should be fear that Christ would 
 destroy him, who came to heal the sufferer but 
 destroy the devil ? How could lunacy be said to 
 "come out of him" and to "cry with a loud 
 voice ? " See the whole question discussed on 
 p. 123, Matt. 8 : 28-34, note. 
 
 24. Let alone. Some manuscripts omit this 
 exclamation here. But it is found in Luke, where 
 its authenticity is unquestionable. It is in the 
 original an exclamation rather than a request, 
 and answers nearly to our aivay. — What have 
 we to do with thee ? This is a common Jew- 
 ish phrase, signifying a wish not to be troubled 
 by the importunity or interference of another 
 (Matt. 8: 29, note). The customary demand of the 
 
 devil is tO be "let alone" (l Kings 18:17; Actsl6:20; 
 
 n:6). — Jesus the Nazarene.. The epithet 
 Nazarene can hardly be regarded here as other 
 than Opprobrious (Matt. 2 : 23; John 1 : 46). — Art 
 
 thou come to destroy us ? Observe, (1) an 
 unconscious and significant testimony to the true 
 mission of Christ, which is to destroy the devil 
 and his works (1 John 3: 8; Rev. 20 : 10). Comp. ex- 
 pression of the devil in Matt. 8 : 29. (2.) That 
 here there is no indication that Christ literally 
 destroyed the demon ; what he destroyed was 
 the demon's supremacy over the soul. (3.) That 
 Christ had not directly threatened to disturb that 
 supremacy ; but his mere presence is always a 
 disturbance and a destruction of the devil. (4.)
 
 Ch. L] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and 
 cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 
 
 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they 
 questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is 
 this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority 
 commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do 
 obey him. 
 
 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad through- 
 out all the region round about Galilee. 
 
 29 And' forthwith, when they were come out of the 
 synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and 
 Andrew, with James and John. 
 
 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever ; and 
 anon they tell him of her. 
 
 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and 
 lifted her up ; and immediately the lever left her, and 
 she ministered unto them. 
 
 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought 
 unto him all that were diseased, and them that were 
 possessed with devils. 
 
 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 
 
 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers dis- 
 eases, and cast out many devils ; and suffered not the 
 devils to speak, because they knew him. 
 
 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while be- 
 fore day, he went out, and departed into a solitary 
 place, and there prayed. 
 
 36 And Simon, and they that were with him, fol- 
 lowed after him. 
 
 37 And when they had found him, they said unto 
 him, All men seek for thee. 
 
 38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next 
 towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore w 
 came I forth. 
 
 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout 
 all Galilee, and cast out devils. 
 
 40 And * there came a leper to him, beseeching him, 
 and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If 
 thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 
 
 Matt. 8 : 14; Luke 4 : 38 w Isa. 61 : 1, 2; John 17 : 8 x Matt. 8:2; Luke 5 : 12. 
 
 That the demon speaks in the plural, Destroy 
 us. "The demons make common cause." — 
 (Bengel.)-I know thee who thou art, the 
 Holy of God. This demon had a better creed 
 about Christ than any one in the synagogue, but 
 no faith in him (james 2 : 19). The Holy, not a holy. 
 This word (o (<Yiogo) is employed, as here, as a 
 noun, to designate the Temple (Het>. 9 : 1, etc). In 
 a sense every Christian is a temple of God ; but 
 Christ was the temple of God, in whom dwelt the 
 fullness of the Godhead bodily (coi. 2 : 9). It was 
 the demon's sense of the God in Christ that 
 extorted from him this cry. 
 
 25. Hold thy peace. Christ seems to have 
 habitually forbidden the demons to testify to him 
 
 (verse 34 ; chap. 3:12; Luke 4 : 41 ; comp. Acts 16 : 16-18). Cal- 
 
 vin suggests what may be the true explanation : 
 " The devil dexterously acknowledges that Christ 
 is the Holy One of God, in order to insinuate into 
 the minds of men a suspicion that there was some 
 secret understanding between him and Christ." 
 And such appears to have been in part the effect. 
 Comp. Mark 3 : 11 with Mark 3 : 22. " The 
 devil and the world never praise but in order to 
 seduce. It is a necessary part of prudence not 
 to lay ourselves open to their commendations." 
 — ( Quesnel. ) 
 
 26. And when the unclean spirit had 
 torn him. Rather, thrown him into convulsions. 
 Comp. Mark 9 : 26. The man was not hurt 
 (Luke 4 : 35). The final outgoing of Satan or any 
 of his emissaries is almost always accompanied 
 with violence, which is the sign of his wrath 
 (Rev. 12 : 12). But this violence can do no perma- 
 nent harm. — Cried with a loud voice. This 
 was not in defiance of Christ's command. For 
 that forbade speech, and this was an inarticulate 
 cry. — He came out of him. The whole lan- 
 guage of this verse unmistakably shows that the 
 Evangelist believed in a real possession of the 
 soul by a personal evil spirit. 
 
 27. They were all amazed. That is, all 
 
 in the synagogue. What surprised them was, 
 not merely the cure of the demoniac, but that 
 the demon obeyed the simple voice of Christ. 
 For the Lord used no charm, or exorcism. 
 
 28. A fuller description of this widening fame 
 of Christ is given by Matthew. See ch. 4 : 25, 
 note. 
 
 29-34. The Healing of Peter's Mother- 
 in-law. See Matt. 8 : 14, 15, notes ; Luke 4 : 
 38-40. The only differences in the accounts are 
 verbal, Mark giving some graphic touches that are 
 not found in the other Evangelists, such as verse 
 29, " with James and John ; " verse 31, he " lifted 
 her up;" verse 33, "all the city was gathered 
 together at the door." The knowledge pos- 
 sessed by the devils (verse 34) is interpreted by 
 Luke, "They knew that he was Christ (Luke4:4i), 
 i. e., the Messiah. The time for the full disclo- 
 sure of that fact had not yet come. 
 
 35-39. Christ's First Circuit in Gali- 
 lee. Luke 4 : 42-44 ; Matt. 4 : 23, 25. 
 
 35. Rising a great while before day. 
 Matt. 8 : 17 intimates a reason why he could 
 not sleep, viz., the burden of others' sorrows 
 which he took upon himself. Observe, (1) the 
 rest for the restless here indicated — prayer ; (2) 
 the correction of a notion, popularly current in 
 these days, that one can pray equally well at all 
 times and in all places — Christ was accustomed 
 to seek solitude for special occasions of prayer 
 
 (Mark 6 : 46 ; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 22 : 4l). 
 
 36. Simon. More generally known in the 
 N. T. as Peter ; here, as throughout his career, 
 a leader. It is characteristic of him that he has 
 no fear of obtruding on the retirement of his 
 Master. On his character, see p. 147, Note on 
 the Twelve Apostles. 
 
 38. Towns. Literally, village-cities, i. e., un- 
 walled towns. Christ had no ambition to be a 
 metropolitan preacher. Having awakened spir- 
 itual desires in the people of Capernaum, he 
 went elsewhere that he might awaken them in
 
 8 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his 
 hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will ; be 
 thou clean. 
 
 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately 1 the 
 leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 
 
 43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent 
 him away ; 
 
 44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any 
 
 man : but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and 
 offer for thy cleansing those things 2 which Moses com- 
 manded, for a testimony 3 unto them. 
 
 45 But he went out, and began to b publish it much, 
 and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus 
 could no more openly enter into the city, but was 
 without in desert places ; and c they came to him from 
 every quarter. 
 
 y Ps. 33 : 9 ; John 15 : 3. 
 
 Lev. 14 : 2-32 a Rom. 15 : 4 ; 1 Cor. 10 : 11. ... b Ps. 77 : 11, 12 ; Tit. 1 : 10. 
 
 others also. His example does not require, but it 
 certainly justifies an itinerant ministry. — That I 
 may preach. As yet the Apostles did not 
 preach. Apparently four only had been called 
 — James, John, Andrew, and Simon. — I came 
 forth for this purpose. Not, I came forth 
 from the city — for his purpose in that had been 
 retirement and prayer ; but, I came forth from 
 the Father (John 16 : 28). His mission is here indi- 
 cated, viz., to herald the glad tidings of divine 
 love to all the world, a mission which he leaves 
 to his followers to complete (John 17 : is). 
 
 39. Throughout all Galilee. This de- 
 scribes the first missionary circuit in Galilee, 
 the same described in Matt. 4 : 23-25 (see notes 
 
 there). Galilee, the northernmost province of 
 Judea, was the scene of Christ's most abundant 
 labors ; all the Apostles except Judas Iscariot 
 were Galileans ; its inhabitants were simple- 
 minded, and comparatively free from the control 
 of the priestly class, which ruled in Judea, and 
 from the bigotry and intolerance of the Judeans. 
 
 (For history, see Matt. 2 : 22, note.) The immediate 
 
 vicinity of the Sea of Galilee was the home of a 
 crowded and busy population. This sea, or lake, 
 is 13 miles long, 4 to 6 miles wide, 165 feet deep 
 in the deepest part, and lies near 700 feet below 
 the surface of the Mediterranean. Its climate is. 
 and its productions were, those of an almost 
 tropical nature. Grapes and figs ripened on its 
 
 THE LAKE OF GENNESARET, SHOWING THE MIRACLES AND JOURNEYS OF OUB LORD IN ITS 
 
 NEIGHBORHOOD. 
 
 RuAteU $ Struthers, If. Y 
 
 shores ten months in the year. Its waters 
 abounded with fish, which supplied the country 
 for miles around. On the south-western shore 
 some warm mineral springs constituted a favorite 
 resort of wealthy Romans ; on the north and 
 north-western shore five cities of considerable 
 size were crowded along thirteen miles of coast- 
 
 1. Peter's draught of fishes, Matt. 4 : 18-22 ; Mark 
 1 : 16-20 ; Luke 5 : 1-11. 
 
 2. Stilling the waves, Matt. 8 : 23-27 ; Mark 4 : 35-41 ; 
 Luke 8 : 22-25. 
 
 3. Miracles with the Gergesenes, Matt. 8 : 28-34; 
 Mark 5 : 1-20 ; Luke 8 : 26-39. 
 
 4. Return to Capernaum, Matt. 9:1; Mark 2 : 1. 
 
 5. Journey to the Desert, Matt. 14 : 13 ; Mark 6 : 31 ; 
 Luke 9 : 10. 
 
 6. Feeding the 5,000, Matt. 14 : 14-21 ; Mark 6 : 3^41 ; 
 Luke 9 : 11-17 ; John 6 : 1-15. 
 
 7. Christ walks on the sea, Matt. 14 : 22-34 ; Mark 
 6 : 45-56 ; John 6 : 16-21. 
 
 8. Feeding the 4,000, Matt. 15 : 32-38 ; Mark 8 : 1-9. 
 
 9. Return to the parts of Dalmanutha, Matt. 15 : 39 ; 
 Mark 8 : 10. 
 
 10. Crosses to the East side, Matt. 16 : 5 ; Mark 8 : 13. 
 
 11. Reminds of the miraculous feeding, Matt. 16 : 6-10 ; 
 Mark 8 : 14-21 
 
 12. Heals the blind near Bethsaida, Mark 8 : 22-26. 
 
 line,— Tiberias, Magdala or Dalmanutha (see M«k 
 8 : 10, note), Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida. 
 It was on the direct route between Damascus 
 and the Mediterranean, and so was commer- 
 cially important. It was thus an appropriate 
 centre for Christ's Galilean ministry. It is now 
 utterly desolate ; there is only one boat on the
 
 Ch. II.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 A 
 
 CHAPTER IT, 
 
 ND again he entered into Capernaum after some 
 
 days ; and it was noised that he was in the house. 
 
 And straightway many were gathered together, 
 
 insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, 
 not so much as about the door: and lie preached ,J the 
 word unto them. 
 
 3 And* tlu-y come unto him, bringing one sick of the 
 palsy, which was borne of four. 
 
 d P«. 40 : 9 e Matt. 9:1, etc. ; Luke 5 : 18, etc. 
 
 lake; and of the populous cities only the town of 
 Tiberias and the little village of Migdcl (Mag- 
 dala) are left. The accompanying map and table 
 indicate the most .important miracles and jour- 
 neys of our Lord in the immediate vicinity of 
 this lake itself, the heart and centre of the prov- 
 ince. The greater part of Mark's Gospel is 
 devoted to an account of this Galilean ministry, 
 and to a graphic picture of the works rather 
 than a systematic account of the teachings of 
 our Lord. 
 4r-l. r >. Healing of the Leper. Matt 8: 
 
 2-4; Luke 5 : 12-15. See notes on Matthew. 
 The Leper's disobedience of Christ's command 
 (verse 45) is not stated by Matthew. 
 
 Ch. 2 : 1-12. THE HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC— 
 A PARABLE op redemption: the HELPLESSNESS and 
 the hope of the sinner. — the nature and the 
 efficacy of faith. — the power and the office of 
 Christ : the remission of sins. — The test of all 
 priestly claims to like office and authority : 
 are the priesthood able to remit the physical 
 penalty of transgression h 
 
 CHRIST HEALING THE PARALYTIC. 
 
 This account is also given in Matthew 9 : 2-8, 
 where nothing is said of letting the paralytic 
 through the roof, and in Luke 5 : 17-20, where 
 is one important addition (ver. n). The healing 
 probably took place at or about the time indi- 
 cated here and in Luke, that is, in the early part 
 
 of Christ's Galilean ministry, before the Sermon 
 on the Mount, and before the call of Matthew, 
 who was not, therefore, an eye-witness. The 
 evidence of this is the order indicated in Mark 
 and Luke. 
 1. Capernaum. For description see Mat-
 
 10 
 
 MAKK. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for 
 the press, they uncovered the root' where he was : and 
 when they had broken it up, they let down the bed 
 wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 
 
 5 When Jesus saw their faith/ he said unto the sick 
 of the palsy, Son, thy sins be lorgiven thee. 
 
 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, 
 and reasoning in their hearts, 
 
 f AcU 14 : 9 ; Ephes. 2 : 8. 
 
 thew 4 : 13, note.— It was noised that he 
 
 was in a house. Not necessarily his own 
 house, though this may have been the case. 
 His house, so far as he had one, was at Caper- 
 naum (Matt. 4 : 13). 
 
 2. Many were gathered together. Luke 
 (5 : n) says that among them were Pharisees and 
 doctors of the law from Galilee, Judea, and Je- 
 rusalem. He also intimates that other cures were 
 performed at this time. See note there. — No 
 room to receive them. One of the incidental 
 evidences of Christ's popularity as a preacher 
 at this stage of his work and in Galilee ; it 
 was doubtless increased by curiosity to witness 
 his miracles. — And he preached the word 
 unto them. That is, the word of the Kingdom 
 of God, that it was at hand, and that repentance 
 and faith were the necessary preparations for it 
 (Matt. 4 : n ; 13 : 19, 20). Observe how simple must 
 have been the preaching of Christ, a house-to- 
 house preaching ; and that there is no evidence 
 that it was accompanied with any formal order 
 of service or worship. But for public worship 
 other and abundant provision was made by the 
 Temple and the synagogues. 
 
 3. One palsied. The original Greek word 
 rendered here palsied signifies literally a loosen- 
 ing or relaxing. It is defined by Celsus, a writer 
 on medicine of about the time of Christ, as " a 
 weakness of the nerves, either throughout the 
 whole body or throughout the part diseased." — 
 {Rob. Lex., art. 7taQodvzix6c.) Mr. Barnes (note en 
 Matt. 4 : 24) classifies the infirmities included under 
 the general name of palsy in the N. T. as fol- 
 lows : 1st. The paralytic shock, affecting the 
 •whole body. 2d. The hemiplegy, affecting only 
 one side of the body — the most frequent form of 
 the disease. 3d. The paraplegy, affecting all 
 the system below the neck. 4th. The catalepsy, 
 caused by a contraction of the muscles in the 
 whole or a part of the body, and very dangerous 
 (Matt. 12: 10-13). 5th. The cramp, in eastern coun- 
 tries a fearful malady, and by no means infre- 
 quent. It originates from chills in the night. 
 The limbs, when seized by it, remain immovable, 
 and the person afflicted with it resembles one un- 
 dergoing a torture (Matt. 8:6; Luke 7 : 2). Death fol- 
 lows from this disease in a few days. It is evident 
 from the narrative that the patient in this case 
 was rendered utterly helpless by his palsy. The 
 disease in its worst forms is generally incurable. 
 
 4. And not being able to come nish 
 onto him for the throng, they unroofed 
 
 the roof where he was. To do this they 
 went up on the roof (Luke 5 : 19), possibly by out- 
 side stairs, which sometimes led up from the 
 street to the house-top, perhaps by a ladder 
 brought for that purpose, or perhaps by the 
 stairs in a neighboring house. As they were in 
 a city, the houses would adjoin, and it would be 
 easy to pass from one roof to another. What is 
 meant by uncovering the roof is not clear. Luke 
 says they "let him down through the tiling." 
 The roofs of Jewish houses were often made of 
 tile, i. e., burnt clay. The larger Jewish houses 
 were built around an open square. See picture 
 in note on Matt. 26 : 69, etc. This was some- 
 times protected from the rain and sun by an 
 awning or broad roofing, sometimes by a more 
 permanent roof supported on columns, with an 
 aperture in the centre, and a corresponding 
 basin below to receive the rain-water which 
 flowed through the opening. Into this court 
 opened the rooms of the house. It may be that 
 Christ stood in one of these rooms, and the 
 crowd in the court, and that the bearers of the 
 palsied man removed enough of the tiling, either 
 of the parapet of the roof proper, or of the roof 
 over the court, possibly by widening the aper- 
 ture in it, to let the sick man down ; or it may 
 be that Christ was standing in the room within, 
 and that the roof proper was broken up for the pur- 
 pose of reaching him. See in Dr. Thomson's Land 
 and Book, II : 7, a description of the modern roof 
 in Palestine, and of the method of uncovering it, 
 which he says he has often seen done. On either 
 hypothesis, the significance of the fact remains, 
 viz., that the sick man and his friends showed 
 their faith by overcoming great obstacles in 
 order to come to Christ for help. And this 
 showed their confidence both in his willingness 
 and his ability to help.— They let down the 
 bed. Mark specifies the kind of bed by the 
 
 THE GRABATUS. 
 
 word he uses (xoa/tf/?aroc), grabatus. This was a 
 small, low couch or bed of the commonest de- 
 scription, such as was used by poor people, hav- 
 ing a mere network of cords stretched over the 
 frame to support the mattress. The annexed
 
 Ch. II.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 11 
 
 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who 
 can forgive sins B but God only ? 
 
 8 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his 
 spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said 
 unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts ? 
 
 q Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy. 
 Thy sins be forgiven thee ; or to say, Arise, ana take 
 up thv bed, and walk ? 
 
 io fiut that ye may know that the Son of man hath 
 
 g Isa. i:: 2 ■ ; Dan. 9 : .9 
 
 engraving is from Rich's Dictionary. The graba- 
 tus could easily be carried about. 
 
 5. Aud when Jesus saw their faith. 
 
 As exemplified by their actions. And observe 
 the illustration of true faith, not a strong con- 
 viction of any doctrine about Christ, but a strong 
 trust and confidence in Christ. The term " their 
 faith " includes that of the sick man, for they 
 would scarcely have carried him to Christ against 
 his will. The conclusion of Quesnel, therefore, 
 though just, is hardly justilied by this incident : 
 " God willingly accepts the desires, prayers, and 
 good works which are offered for the conversion 
 of sinners, who are not themselves sensible of 
 their misery." Observe, too, that, apparently, 
 Christ answers the prayer before it is presented. 
 They say nothing ; he speaks to the silent prayer 
 of their actions. Indeed, the four were proba- 
 bly still on the roof, and could not, if they 
 would, well present a petition. The man's help- 
 lessness is his prayer. — He said unto the sick 
 of the palsy. To Mark's report Matthew adds 
 the words Be of good cheer ; the word here and 
 there rendered Son (tixvov) is a term of endear- 
 ing address nearly equivalent to "my child;" 
 and the verb, rendered in the English in the im- 
 perative, Thy sins be forgiven thee, is in the per- 
 fect tense, and signifies a forgiveness already 
 perfected. The spirit of Christ's address may, 
 therefore, be thus rendered : Be of good cheer, my 
 child, thy sins have been forgiven thee. There was, 
 on the part of the sick man, no request for for- 
 giveness, hut the Jews regarded disease as a 
 punishment for sin (John 9 : a), and while specific 
 disease is not always a punishment for specific 
 transgression, yet there is a deeper sense in 
 which all sickness and death is the fruit of sin, a 
 fact which Christ here and elsewhere recognizes 
 (John 5 : 14). Calvin's comment, therefore, is legiti- 
 mate : "The only way of obtaining deliverance 
 from all evil is to have God reconciled to us." 
 
 G, 7. Certain of the scribes. Among 
 them were those who had come up from Judea 
 and Jerusalem (Lute 5 : n), where Christ never had 
 the popularity he possessed in Galilee. — Rea- 
 soning in their hearts. Matthew says within 
 themselves. — Why doth this man thus speak ? 
 He blasphemes. This is the better reading ; 
 it is adopted by both Alford and Tischendorf. 
 By blaspheme the scribes do not mean, speaks 
 evil of God, nor, takes God's name in vain, but, 
 arrogates to himself the function and office of 
 
 God. On the nature of blasphemy under the 
 Jewish law see Note on Blasphemy against the 
 Holy Ghost, p. 108 (/), and Matt. 26 : '>7->\H, Prel. 
 Note. — Who can forgive sins except one — 
 (iod * Christ had not as yet assumed to forgive 
 sins ; he had simply declared that the man's sins 
 were forgiven. " Christ says nothing more than 
 the prophets frequently say when they announce 
 the grace of God." — (Calvin.) But he does now 
 assume the power which they have denied him, 
 and this without calling in question their princi- 
 ple, that only God can forgive sins. 
 
 8. And Jesus, immediately perceiving 
 in his spirit that they so reasoned within 
 themselves. Not, as in our English version. 
 when fie perceived, but instantly jxreeiving. The 
 knowledge was supernatural, and was itself as 
 great a testimony of his divine power as was the 
 
 healing which followed (Luke 7 : 39, 40 ; John 2 : 24, ■.' :. . — 
 
 Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 
 
 Matthew's report is, Wherefore think ye evil in 
 your hearts? Their reasonings therefore, it is evi- 
 dent, did not spring from a sincere reverence for 
 God, nor from an honest mental perplexity, but 
 from jealousy and ill-will. It was the beginning 
 of their opposition to Jesus as the Messiah, and 
 it affords an illustration of the spirit of theologi- 
 cal cavil in all ages. Chrysostom notes the gen- 
 tleness of Christ's rebuke : "He said not, O ac- 
 cursed and sorcerers, as ye are ; ye envious 
 and enemies of men's salvation, but, Wherefore 
 think ye evil in your hearts V " And he applies 
 Christ's example to the modern teacher: "We 
 must, you see, use gentleness to eradicate the 
 disease ; since he who has become better through 
 the fear of man, will quickly return to wicked- 
 ness again." 
 
 9. Whether is it easier to say, etc. 
 "In our Lord's argument it must be carefully 
 noted that he does not ask which is easiest, to 
 forgive sins or to raise a sick man — for it could 
 not be affirmed that that of forgiveness was 
 easier than this of healing — but, which is easiest, 
 to claim, this power or that, to say, Thy sins be 
 forgiven thee, or, Arise and walk. The former 
 is easiest ; and I will prove my right to say it by 
 saying with effect, and with an outward conse- 
 quent setting the seal to my truth, the harder 
 word, Arise and walk. By saying that which is 
 capable of being put to the proof I will indicate 
 my right and power to do that which in its very 
 nature is incapable of being proved." — (Trench.)
 
 12 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 power 11 on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick 
 of the palsy,) 
 
 ii I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and 
 go thy way into thine house. 
 
 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and 
 went forth before them all ; insomuch that they were 
 all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We' never saw 
 it on this fashion. 
 
 i John 7 : 31 ; 9 : 32. 
 
 Christ's argument here affords a fair test of all 
 priestly claims to absolve from sin. If the priest 
 lias power to remit the eternal punishment of sin, 
 fie should be able certainly to remit the physical and 
 temporal punishment of sin. This Christ did ; 
 this the priest does not and cannot do. 
 
 10. But that ye may know that the son 
 of man, i. e., the Messiah. The term Son of 
 man, when used in the Gospels, always refers to 
 Christ, and generally, if not always, to him as 
 the Messiah. It is his customary designation of 
 himself. It is borrowed from Daniel (Dan. 7 : 13), 
 where it is applied prophetically to the Messiah 
 (see Matt. to-. 23, note). Here, therefore, the claim is 
 a purely personal one ; it does not indicate a 
 power vested in man, or in the Apostles, or in a 
 hierarchy. Yet there is a significance in the fact 
 that both judgment (John 5 : 27) and forgiveness, 
 that is, all dealing with sin, is attributed to him 
 who, as the son of man, had full experience of 
 temptation (Hob. 2 : is ; 4: 15, ig).— Hath authority 
 on earth to forgive sins. Not merely, author- 
 ity while on the earth to forgive sins, nor, au- 
 thority to forgive sins committed on the earth, 
 but, authority to exercise the function of for- 
 giveness of sins upon the earth, i. e. , that ye may 
 know that this is the Messiah's earthly mission. 
 " Christ's meaning was, that forgiveness of sins 
 ought not to be sought at a distance ; for he ex- 
 hibits it to men in his own person, and as it were 
 in his hands." — (Calvin.) And here, as every- 
 where in the N. T., forgiveness of sins is really 
 the remission or putting away of sin as well as 
 its punishment. Only he who has power to do 
 the one has authority to do the other. 
 
 11. Arise, take up thy bed. This he 
 could easily do, the grabatus being light and 
 easily carried. Observe, (1) that the evidence of 
 the man's forgiveness did not follow immediately 
 after the forgiveness was declared, nor the dec- 
 laration of pardon immediately after forgiveness 
 was secured. He was forgiven the moment that, 
 with unfeigned penitence for his sins, he began 
 to seek the Lord (isaiah 55 : 7) ; forgiveness was de- 
 clared by Christ to be already perfected when he 
 came into Christ's presence (ver. 5, note) ; but the 
 evidence of the forgiveness, in the healing, was not 
 given until after the conflict with the Scribes. 
 Pardon and the personal assurance of pardon are 
 not always contemporaneous ; (2) there was no 
 natural ability in the paralytic to obey the divine 
 command ; his attempt to obey was an act of 
 faith, and with the faith that attempted obedi- 
 
 ence came the power to obey. The cure illus- 
 trates the principle of divine grace, as set forth 
 in Phil. 2 : 12. "Let us bring what is ours ; God 
 will supply the rest." — (Chrysostom.) It is not 
 faith to do nothing and leave all to God ; it is 
 faith to do what we can and leave all to God. 
 
 12. They were all amazed. Luke says, 
 Filled with fear ; Matthew, according to the best 
 readings, Were afraid. The immediate disclo- 
 sure of God at first awakens in the soul the feel- 
 ing Of fear (Matt, n : 7, note; Luke 5 : 8). — And glori- 
 fied God. The Scribes charged Christ with 
 blasphemy, i. e., derogating from the divine dig- 
 nity by claiming a divine function. In fact, his 
 act led the people to glorify God. And so, 
 whenever Christ has been accepted as God man- 
 ifest in the flesh, and as the One who forgives 
 sins on earth, the worship and glory of God, the 
 Father, has been increased, not lessened. — 
 Saying, We never saw it thus. Luke says, 
 We have seen strange things to-day ; Matthew con- 
 tains an important addition, "The multitude 
 glorified God, which had given such power unto 
 men.'''' To them Jesus was simply a man, a 
 rabbi, perhaps au inspired prophet ; and his 
 miraculous powers, like those possessed by cer- 
 tain of the O. T. prophets, were accounted 
 among God's gifts to the human race. 
 
 Of this whole incident it may be remarked, (1) 
 that it strikingly illustrates the difference in 
 spiritual authority between Christ and his Apos- 
 tles, none of whom assumed to forgive sins. 
 Compare Acts 8 : 22-24, where Peter refers Simon 
 to God for forgiveness ; (2) that it affords a test 
 for all claims by a hierarchy to pardon sin, or 
 even officially and authoritatively to promise 
 absolution of sin ; if they possessed power to ab- 
 solve from sin they should be able, as Christ, to 
 relieve from the temporal consequences of sin ; 
 (3) that it illustrates the gentleness of Christ in 
 his language of reassurance to the sick, Be oj 
 good cheer my child, and in his language of rebuke 
 to the Scribes, Why i o ye think evil? (4) that it 
 may be regarded as au enacted parable of sin and 
 redemption. The paralytic typifies the sinner, 
 
 by his Original helplessness (Isaiah 40: 30; John G: 44; 
 
 is : s) ; faith, by his earnestness to come to Christ 
 in spite of obstacle ( Psalms 25 : 15 ; 86 . 2, 7) ; a common 
 Christian experience, by the delay he suffers 
 between his repentance and faith, and his cure 
 (James 5 : 7, 8) ; arid the power of divine grace, in 
 the ability to obey Christ's command, received 
 in the very attempt to comply with it (rhu. 4 : u).
 
 Ch. III.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 13 
 
 13 And he went forth again by the sea side ; and all 
 the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 
 
 14 And J as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Al- 
 phaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, ami said unto 
 him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 
 
 15 And" it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in 
 his house, many publicans 1 and sinners sat also to- 
 gether with Jesus and his disciples: for there were 
 many, and tiiey followed liim. 
 
 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat 
 with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disc i- 
 ples, How is it that he eateth and dnnketh with publi- 
 cans and sinners ? 
 
 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They ra 
 that are whole have no need of the physician, but they 
 that are sick : I came not to call the righteous, but 
 sinners " to repentance. 
 
 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees 
 used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Whv 
 do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but 
 thy disciples fast not ? 
 
 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of 
 the bridechimber fas', while the bridegroom ° is with 
 them ? As long as they have the bridegroom with 
 them, they cannot fast. 
 
 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom 
 shall be taken away from them, and then t shall they 
 fast in those days. 
 
 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an 
 old garment : else the new piece that filled it up taketh 
 away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 
 
 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; 
 else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine 
 is spilled, and the bottles will be marred ;i but new 
 wine must be put into new bottles. 
 
 23 And' it came to pass, that he went through the 
 cornfields on the sabbath day; and his disciples be- 
 gan, as they went, to plui k ■ tin- ears of corn. 
 
 24 Ami the Pharisees Baid unto him, Behold, whv do 
 
 they on the sabbath uay that u bit h 1-, not law fill .- 
 
 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what 
 David did," when he had need, and was an hungred, 
 he, ami they that were with him .' 
 
 26 How he went into the house of God in the days 
 of Abiathar the high priest, and did cat the show- 
 bread," which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, 
 and gave also to them which were with him > 
 
 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made 
 for man,* and not " man for the sabbath : 
 
 28 Therefore x the Son of man is Lord also of the 
 sabbath. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 AND V he entered again into the synagogue; and 
 there was a man there which had a withered hand. 
 
 2 And they watched 2 him, whether he would heal 
 him on the sabbath day ; that they might accuse h 111. 
 
 3 And he saith unto "the man which had the withered 
 hand, Stand forth. 
 
 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on 
 the sabbath days, or to do evil ? to save life/ or to 
 kill ? But they held their peace. 
 
 5 And when he had looked round about on them 
 with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their 
 hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. 
 And he stretched it out : and his hand was restored 
 whole as the other. 
 
 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway 
 took counsel with the b Herodians against him. how 
 they might destroy him. 
 
 j Matt. 'J : i); Luke 5 : 27.... k Matt. 9 : 10, etc 1 I.uke 15 : 1-6... m Matt. 9 t 12, 13; Luke 5 : 31,35 n I*a. 1 : 18 ; 55 : 7 ; Matt. 18 : 11 
 
 Luke 19 : 10; 1 Cor. 6 : 9-11 ; 1 Tim. 1 : 15.... o Matt. 25 : l....p A.-ta 13 :2... q Jut) 38 : 19; Ps. 119 : 80, 83.... r Malt. 12: 1, e e. ; Luke 
 
 6 : 1, etc.... s Dent. 23 : 25. . . t 1 Sam. 21 : fi u Exod. 29 : 32, 33; Lev. 24 : 9 vNeh. 9:14; laa. 68 : 13 ; Ezek. 20 : 12, 20 w Col i; 
 
 16... 1 John 9 : 14; Ephes. 1 : 22 ; Rev. 1 : 10 y Matt. 12 : 9. eic. ; Luke 6 : 6, etc z Luke 14 : 1.. .a Hosea 6 : 6 b Matt 22 : 16. 
 
 The student will observe that there is no verbal 
 expression of either penitence or faith on the 
 man's part, and no demand by Christ for such 
 expression. However this may accord with our 
 method of dealing with sinful and suffering souls, 
 it accords with Christ's method, who customarily 
 by his insight perceived and by his gracious help- 
 fulness developed the first germs of repentance 
 and faith, not always waiting till they had wak- 
 ened even into Consciousness (Luke 7 : 47-50 ; 23:42, 
 41; John 5 : 8, 9, 11; 8:ll). It is the disclosure of 
 
 divine forgiveness that leads to repentance (Rom. 
 
 3:4). 
 
 13-22. The call of Levi (Matthew) and 
 Christ's consequent teaching. Matt. 9 : 9-17 ; 
 Luke 5 : 27-39. See Notes on Matthew. The 
 phrase here, In his house (verse 15) means the house 
 of Levi or Matthew (Luke 5 : 29), not the house of 
 Jesus, who had none (Matt. % •. 20). 
 
 23-28. Ch. 3 : 1-6. The Law of the 
 Christian Sabbath Illustrated. Matt. 12 : 
 1-8; Luke 6 : 1-11. See Notes on Matthew. 
 I treat here only one or two points, peculiar to 
 Mark. 
 
 20. In the days of Abiathar the high- 
 priest. The reference is to 1 Sam. 21 : 1-9. 
 There, however, Ahimelech is represented as the 
 high-priest, and elsewhere Abiathar is repre- 
 sented as his son. The most probable explana- 
 tion is that Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech 
 and ministered with his father, and perhaps per- 
 
 sonally gave the shew-bread to David, and being 
 subsequently high-priest is here given his title, 
 a title which did not, however, properly become 
 his until a later period. 
 
 27. Peculiar to Mark. It implies (1) the per- 
 petuity of a sabbath rest ; it was made for man, 
 not merely for the Jews, and the law requiring it 
 is written in man's physical and spiritual nature ; 
 (2) its universality ; it was made for man, not for 
 any single class, for man-servant and maid-ser- 
 vant, and the stranger within the gates (Exod. 
 20: 10) ; (3) its object, for man — man's day, there- 
 fore, as truly as the Lord's day ; hence, what- 
 ever is for man's highest and truest welfare, 
 whatever generally adopted, will tend to the phys- 
 ical, intellectual and spiritual development of 
 man, not of exceptional individuals, hut of the com- 
 munity or the race, is appropriate for the day 
 which was made/or man, and whose observance 
 is tested by its usefulness to man. 
 
 Ch. 3 : 3. Stand forth. His object ap- 
 parently, was to call attention to the cure and 
 make it prominent in order to emphasize his 
 teaching. 
 
 4. Is it lawful * * * 'to save life or to 
 kill ? "A terrible home-thrust. He was in- 
 tending to do good, to relieve a disabled fellow- 
 man — they were harboring murderous thoughts. 
 They would fain destroy Jesus. ' Which of us,' 
 he virtually asks, ' is breaking the sabbath, you 
 or I ? ' " — (Furness.)
 
 11 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 7 Rut Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to 
 the sea : and a great ' multitude from Galilee lollovved 
 him, and from Judaea, 
 
 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumsea, and from 
 beyond Jordan ; and they about Tyre and ^idon, a 
 great multitude, when they had heard what great 
 things he did, came unto him. 
 
 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship 
 should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they 
 should throng him. 
 
 10 For he had healed many ; d insomuch that they 
 pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had 
 plagues. 
 
 ii And* unclean spirit9, when they saw him, fell 
 down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son 
 ol God. 
 
 12 And he straitly charged them that they should not 
 make him known. 1 
 
 13 Ande he goeth up into a mountain and calleth 
 unto him whom he h would : and they came unto him. 
 
 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with 
 him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 
 
 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast 
 out devils : 
 
 16 And Simon' he surnamed Peter; 
 
 c Luke 6: 17.... d Matt. 12 : IB; 14 : 14.... e ch. 1 : 24 ; Matt. 14: 33; Luke 4 : 41 ; James 2 : 19. 
 
 h John 16»,16....i John 1 : 42. 
 
 .f ch. 1 :2B, 34.... g Matt. 10: 1... 
 
 5. With anger being grieved. Grief and 
 indignation are not inconsistent emotions. Only 
 that anger which grieves at sin is the Christian's 
 anger. — The hardness of their hearts. 
 
 Exemplified by their silence, as an evidence of 
 their obdurate persistence in their murderous 
 designs. 
 
 6. Pharisees. Matt. 3 : 7, note. — Hero- 
 dians. Matt. 22 : 1(5, note. 
 
 7-12. Christ's period of popularity in 
 Galilee. — Parallel to Mark's account here, is 
 Matt. 12 : 15-21. See notes there, especially on 
 verses 17-21, which are peculiar to Matthew. 
 Mark's account of the multitude which fol- 
 lowed Christ is more detailed. He also narrates 
 the incident of the boat kept for Jesus' disci- 
 ples (ver. 9). There appears to be no chrono- 
 logical order observed by Mark in this chapter. 
 The ordination of the twelve Apostles (verses 13-19) 
 and the Sermon on the Mount, which Mark does 
 not report, but which accompanied their ordina- 
 tion, preceded the teaching of Christ on the Sab- 
 bath question (ch. 2 : 23-28; 3 : 1-6) and the incidents 
 narrated here. For other evidences of Christ's 
 great popularity at this period of his ministry, 
 consult Matt. 14 : 13 ; Mark 5 : 24 ; 6 : 33 ; Luke 
 8:45; 12 : 1. 
 
 7. 8. To the sea, i. e., the Sea or Lake of 
 Galilee. See map and description, ch. 1 : 39. — 
 From Galilee. The northern province of Pal- 
 estine. On its character and inhabitants, see ch. 
 1 : 39 ; Matt. 2 : 22 ; 4 : 14-10, notes.— From Ju- 
 dea. Compare Luke 5 : 17. — And from Idu- 
 mea. A Greek word answering to the Hebrew 
 Edom. It was the region inhabited by the de- 
 scendants of Esau or Edom (Gen. 25 : 30), whence its 
 name. Originally the Edomites occupied a tract 
 of country extending from the Dead to the Red 
 Sea, about fifteen or twenty miles broad and one 
 hundred miles long ; but after the Babylonish 
 captivity they were permitted to settle in South- 
 ern Palestine, and subsequently, under the Macca- 
 bees, were subdued and compelled to submit to 
 the Jewish rites and Jewish government, and 
 were practically incorporated in the Jewish na- 
 tion. Herod the Great, the last king of the 
 
 Je\ns, was an Idumean. — They about Tyre 
 and Sidon. See note on Matt. 11 : 21. 
 
 9. A small boat. Probably a row-boat, used 
 for fishing, and perhaps also furnished with 
 a sail. See Mark 4 : 30 for illustration. Christ's 
 object was probably twofold, in part retirement, 
 for by the boat he could easily escape to the 
 eastern and comparatively solitary shores of the 
 sea (Matt. 14 : 13), in part labor, for from the prow 
 of the boat, he could preach to the people on the 
 shore, without being hindered by the throng 
 (Luke 5 : 3). We may fairly deduce Christ's fond- 
 ness for both the water and the mountains, from 
 this and analogous incidents in his ministry. 
 
 10. Pressed upon him. Literally, threw 
 themselves upon him. — As many as had 
 plagues. Literally, scourges. Disease was re- 
 garded by the Jews as a scourge from God. Not 
 any particular kind of contagious disease is 
 meant; all physical afflictions would be included 
 under the general word here rendered plagues. 
 
 11. 12. And unclean spirits, i. e., persons 
 possessed with them. See Note on Demoniacal 
 Possession, Matt. 8 : 28-34, p. 123. For the reason 
 of Christ's command to silence, see notes on Matt. 
 8:4; Mark 1 : 25. 
 
 13-10. The Call and Ordination of the 
 Twelve. — This occurred previous to the events 
 recorded in the preceding part of this chapter. 
 Immediately following this ordination Christ 
 preached the Sermon on the Mount. Mat- 
 thew gives the ordination of the twelve out of 
 its order, in connection with their first commission 
 to preach the Gospel (Matt. 10 : 1-4) ; Luke in its 
 proper order (Luke 6 : 13-16). On the ordination of 
 the twelve, see Matt. 10 : 1-4, and notes, and on 
 their individual lives and characters, Note on 
 the Twelve Apostles, Matt. chap. 10, p. 147. 
 
 14,15. Mark states more definitely than either 
 of the other Evangelists the office of the Apos- 
 tles. They were to be with Christ that they might 
 bear personal witness to what they had them- 
 selves seen (John 15 : 27 ; Acta i : 2i, 22), and Paul rests 
 his claim to be an Apostle on his having been an 
 eye-witness to Christ's resurrection (1 Cor. 9:1; 
 15 : 8, 9) ; this was their preparation for their work.
 
 Ch. III.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 15 
 
 17 And James the son of Zebedee. and John the 
 brother of James ; and he surnamed them Boanerges, 
 which is, The suns of thunder : > 
 
 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and 
 Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son Oi Alphjeus, 
 and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, 
 
 10 And Judas Iscariot, which alst) betrayed him : 
 ana they went into an house. 
 
 20 And the multitude cometh together again, so k 
 that thev could not so much as eat bread. 
 
 21 And when his friends heard 0/ it, they went out 
 to lay hold on him : for they said, He 1 is beside himself. 
 
 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusa- 
 lem said. He 1 " hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of 
 the devils casteth he out devils. 
 
 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them 
 in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan ? 
 
 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that 
 kingdom cannot stand. 
 
 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house 
 cannot stand. 
 
 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be di- 
 vided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 
 
 27 Neman can enter into a strong man's house, 
 and spoil his goods, unless he will first bind the strong 
 man • and then he will spoil his hou->e. 
 
 28 Verily I say unto you, All " sins shall be forgiven 
 unto the sons ot men, and blasphemies wherewith so- 
 ever they shall blaspheme : 
 
 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy 
 Ghost f hath never forgiveness, but is in danger ot 
 eternal damnation ; 
 
 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. 
 
 31 There 1 came then his brethren and his mother, 
 and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 
 
 32 And the multitude sat about him ; and they said 
 unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren with- 
 out seek for thee. 
 
 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my 
 mother, or my brethren i 
 
 34 And he looked round about on them which sat 
 about him, and said, Behold my mother and my breth- 
 ren ! 
 
 35 For whosoever shall do r the will of God, the same 
 is my brother, and my sister, and mother. 
 
 j Isa. 58 : 1 ; Jer. 23 : 29.... k ch. 6 : 31.... 1 Hosea 9 : 7 ; Jolin 10: 20.... m Matt. 9 : 34 ; 10 : 25 ; 12 : 24 : Luke 11 : 15 ; John 7 : 20 ; 8 : 43, 5* 
 
 ....n Isa. 49 : 24, 26 ; 61 : 1 ; Matt. 12 : 29 o Malt. 12 : 31 ; Luke 12 : 10. .. p Heb. 10 : 29 u, Matt. 12 : 46-48; Luke 8 : 19-21 r James 
 
 1 : 25; 1 John 2 : 17. 
 
 They were to preach, literally to herald, i. e., to 
 go before and proclaim the corning of the Mes- 
 siah, in person to the Jewish nation, in spirit and 
 in power to the whole world, and in his second 
 advent to his church ; this was their work. And 
 they were to have power to heal the sick and cast 
 out dei'ils, a power subsequently exercised by the 
 Apostles ; this was the divine seal and evidence 
 of their authority. In strictness of speech the 
 Apostles can have no successors, for none after 
 that generation can bear personal witness to 
 Christ's life, death, and resurrection, and none 
 can show the miraculous evidence they showed 
 of their authority. But every true minister of 
 the Gospel must be a successor to the Apostles, 
 and read his commission in this verse. lie must 
 have Christ with him (Matt. 28 : 20), and testify out 
 of his personal experience to the Christ he knows 
 
 (Acts 26 : 16 ; 1 Cor. 2 : 12; 1 John 4 : 14, 16) ; must act as a 
 
 herald of the Messiah and Saviour, preaching 
 not himself but the Lord Jesus Christ ; and he 
 must attest his divine authority by his power in 
 and through Christ to fulfill Christ's mission of 
 mercy. Luke 4 : 18, 19, with John 19 : 18. 
 
 16-19. Simon he surnamed Peter, i.e., a 
 rock. This he did previously (John i : 42), for 
 Peter and Cephas are different words with the 
 same meaning — the former Greek, the latter He- 
 brew. The reason for this title Christ explains 
 subsequently (Matt. 16 : is, note). — Boanerges. 
 This word is composed of two Hebrew words 
 signifying "sons of thunder.'' The reason of 
 this appellation, which appears only here, is not 
 given. It may signify the character and power 
 of James and John as preachers, though their 
 subsequent history does not justify this expla- 
 nation. More probably it referred to their nat- 
 ural fiery temperament, of which we see signs in 
 Mark 9 : 38 and Luke 9 : 54.— Judas Iscariot. 
 
 See Note on Character, etc., of Judas Iscariot, 
 Matt. 27 : 1-10, p. 303, 304. 
 
 19-35. AttempteuInterruptionofCiirist's 
 Preaching by both Friends and Foes. Comp. 
 Matt. 12 : 22-50 and Luke 8 : 19-21 ; 11 : 14-2(5. See 
 notes on Matthew for a consideration of the time, 
 p. 106, 172 ; for discussion of Blasphemy against 
 Holy Ghost, pp. 168, 109 ; for attempt by Christ's 
 mother to interrupt his preaching, p. 172. 
 
 19-21. And they went into a house. 
 Not, as one might suppose from the English ver- 
 sion here, immediately after the ordination by 
 the twelve. The incidents and teachings re- 
 corded here took place at a later period in 
 Christ's ministry. See Matt. 12 : 22-37, Prel. 
 Note, p. 106. — So that they could not so 
 much as eat bread. That is, Christ and his 
 apostles had no time or opportunity for their 
 ordinary meals. — And when his kinsfolk 
 heard of it. The original (of nur)<t avrov) is 
 ambiguous; it may mean either companions or 
 kinsfolk. The latter meaning is given by both 
 Robinson and Winer, and better suits the con- 
 text. The interference here referred to is that 
 attempted by Christ's mother and brethren (%-«-. 
 31-35), the intervening verses being parenthetical. 
 At the same time that the Pharisees were at- 
 tempting to put a stop to Christ's ministry by 
 their accusations, his mother and brethren, 
 thinking that he was carried beyond the bounds 
 of prudence by his religious enthusiasm, endeav- 
 ored to get him out of the crowd and away from 
 the enmity in which he had involved himself. 
 
 23. In parables. That is, with illustrations 
 or in figures. These are reported in verses 24, 
 25, 27, and another one is added in Matt. 12 : 
 43-45. 
 
 29. Is subject to eternal sin. The re- 
 ceived text has here eternal judgment (xgfene), but
 
 16 
 
 MAKK. 
 
 [Cn. IV. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AND " he began again to teach by the sea side : and 
 there was gathered unto him a great multitude, 
 so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea ; and 
 the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 
 
 2 And he taught them many things by parables,' and 
 said unto them in his doctrine, 
 
 3 Hearken ; u Behold, there went out a sower to sow : 
 
 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the 
 way side, and the v fowls of the air came and devoured 
 it up. 
 
 5 And some fell on stony™ ground, where it had not 
 much earth ; and immediately it sprang up, because it 
 had no depth of earth : 
 
 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched ; and * 
 because it had no root, it withered away. 
 
 7 And some fell among thorns ; ? and the thorns grew 
 up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 
 
 8 And other fell on good z ground, and did yield 
 fruit "that sprang up and increased ; and brought forth, 
 some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 
 
 9 And he said unto them. He that hath ears to hear, 
 let him hear. 
 
 io And b when he was alone, they that were about 
 him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 
 
 ii And he said unto them, Unto c you it is given to 
 know the mvstery of the kingdom of God ; but unto 
 them that are without, 11 all these things are done in 
 parables : 
 
 12 That e seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and 
 hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at 
 any time they should be converted, and their sins 
 should be forgiven them. 
 
 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this para- 
 ble ? and how then will ye know all parables ? 
 
 14 The sower ' soweth the word. 
 
 15 And these are they by the way side, where the 
 word is sown ; but when they have heard, Satan com- 
 eth* immediately, and taketh away 1 ' the word that 
 was sown in their hearts. 
 
 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on 
 stony ground ; who, when they have heard the word, 
 immediately receive it with gladness ; 
 
 17 And have no root' in themselves, and so endure 
 but J for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecu- 
 tion ariseth for the word's sake, immediately k they are 
 offended. 
 
 18 And these are they which are sown among 
 thorns ; such as hear the word, 
 
 19 And the ' cares of this world, and the deceitful- 
 ness™ of riches, and the" lusts of other things entering 
 in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 
 
 20 And these are they which are sown on good 
 ground: such as hear the word, and receive it, and 
 bring forth fruity some thirtyfold, some sixty, and 
 some an hundred. 
 
 21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be 
 put under a bushel, or under a bed ? and not to be set 
 on a candlestick ? 
 
 22 Fori there is nothing hid, which shall not be 
 manifested ; neither was any thing kept secret, but 
 that it should come abroad. 
 
 23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 
 
 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye 
 hear: with 8 what measure ye mete, it shall be meas- 
 ured to you ; and unto you that hear shall more be 
 given. 
 
 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given : and he 
 that hath not, from 1 him shall be taken even that which 
 he hath. 
 
 26 And he said. So" is the kingdom of God, as if a 
 man should cast seed into the ground, 
 
 x Ps 
 
 8 Matt. 13:1, etc. ; Luke 8:4, etc t ver. 34; Ps. 78 : 2 u ver. 9,23; ch. 7 : 16.... v Gen. 15: 11.... w Ezek. 11 : 19 ; 36 : ! 
 
 1:4; James 1 : 11 v Jer. 4 : 3....Z Heb. 6 : 7, 8.... a Col. 1 : 6....1) Matt. 13: 10, eir....c Ephes. 1 : 9 d Col. 4 : 5 ; 1 Thess. 4.: 1 
 
 1 Tim. 3: 7....e Isa. 6: 9, 10 ; John 12 : 40 ; Acts 28 : 26, 27; Rom. 11 : 8....f hn. 32 : 20 ; 1 Pet. 1 : 25.... g 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12: 9.. 
 h Heb. 2: 1....I Job 19 : 28.... j Job 27 : 10.... k 2 Tim. 1 : 15.... 1 Luke 14: 18-20; 1 Tim. 6 : 9, 17 ; 2 Tim. 4: 10.... m Prov. 23 :6.. 
 n 1 John 2 : 16, 17.... o Uh. 5 : 2, 4....p Rom. 7:4; Col. 1 : 10 ; 2 Pet. 1 :8....q Eccles. 12 : 14 ; Matt. 10 : 26 ; Luke 12: 2; 1 Cor. 4:5.. 
 r 1 Pet 2:2 3 Matt. 7:2 t Luke 8 : 18 u Matt. 13 : 24. 
 
 Alford and Tischendorf both have sin (upaorij.ua), 
 and this is undoubtedly the correct reading. 
 Interpreted by John 3 : 19 and Rev. 22 : 11, it 
 explains the nature of the penal consequences of 
 which Christ warns the Pharisees, viz., a charac- 
 ter given over to hopeless and irredeemable sin. 
 
 31-35. See notes on Matt. 12 : 46-50, for a 
 -consideration of the lessons of this incident. 
 
 Ch. 4 : 1-25. Parable of the Sower; its 
 explanation ; other instructions. The par- 
 able of the sower is found also in Matt. 13 : 1-23 
 and Luke 8 : 4-15. Matthew gives much the 
 fullest report of these parables by the sea. 
 See notes there. The phrases in verse 7, It 
 yielded no fruit, and in verse 8, That sprang up 
 ■and increased, are peculiar to Mark. On the 
 explanation by Christ of the reason he used par- 
 ables (ver. 10-12), see Prel. Note to Matt., ch. 13, 
 § 3, p. 173. The language here, "That seeing they 
 may see, and not perceive," etc., is from Isaiah 
 6 : 9, 10, but the passage is suggested, not 
 fully cited. The words of the prophet are : 
 "Make the heart of this people fat, and make 
 their ears heavy, and shut their eyes ; lest they 
 eee," etc., and this language, though in form a 
 command, is in fact simply a prophecy, equiva- 
 lent to, They will certainly make their own 
 hearts fat, etc. See Henderson on the passage. 
 
 Matthew, who repeats Christ's language more 
 fully, gives by his citation both the true mean- 
 ing of the prophecy and of our Lord's applica- 
 tion of it. His meaning is not, These things are 
 done in parables, lest they should be converted, 
 but, Their eyes they have closed, etc., lest at any 
 time they should be converted. That is, men 
 wilfully close their hearts to the truth lest they 
 should be led to repent- 
 ance and reformation ; 
 hence Christ speaks in 
 parables, that lie may gain 
 entrance for the truth into 
 hearts unwilling to re- 
 ceive it. 
 
 21-25. These verses 
 appear in the same con- 
 nection in Luke 8 : 
 10-18, but in Matthew 
 in various passages and 
 in different connections. 
 On verse 21 see Matt. 
 5 : 15, note ; on verse 
 22, Matt. 10 : 26, note; 
 on verse 23, Matt. 11 : 15, 
 note; on verse 24, Matt. 7 : 2, note; on verse 25, 
 Matt. 13 : 12, note. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion shows the candle and candlestick of the
 
 Oh. IV.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 17 
 
 27 And should sleep and rise, night and day, and the 
 seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 
 
 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself;" 
 first" the blade, then the ear; after that, the full corn 
 in the ear. 
 
 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately 
 he x puttetli in the sickle, because the harvest i 
 
 30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the king- 
 dom of God ? or with what comparison shall we com- 
 pare it ? 
 
 v Gen. 1 : 11, 12 w Eccles. 3:1,11 1 Rev. 14 : 16. 
 
 East; they are really a lamp and light-stand. The 
 connection of these verses with the rest of the 
 chapter is not very clear. I doubt whether they 
 were spoken at this time ; rather surmise that 
 they were incorporated here by Mark and Luke 
 on account of their parabolic character. If 
 they really belong in the discourse by the seaside, 
 their object may be to indicate that, though now 
 the mystery of the Kingdom of God was hid 
 from the people, the Apostles were not to keep 
 it to themselves, as the priests of heathenism 
 the sacred mysteries of their religions, but were 
 to measure it out to others. Observe the prac- 
 tical teaching of verse 24 : the way out of skepti- 
 cism is a ready and unprejudiced hearing of such 
 truth as is made plain ; all is not disclosed at 
 once. Observe the difference in phraseology 
 here and in Luke S : IS. In Mark, Take heed 
 what ye hear ; in Luke, How ye hear. Both ad- 
 monitions are important, and both apply to 
 1 fading as well as hearing. 
 
 Ch. 4 : 26-29. PARABLE OF THE SEFD GROWING SE- 
 CRETLY.— Diligence IN SOWING, PATIENCE IN WAIT- 
 ING, PROMPTNESS IN HARVESTING ARE THE CONDITIONS 
 OP A SUCCESSFUL SPIRITUAL HUSBANDRY. 
 
 This parable is peculiar to Mark, but belongs 
 with the parable of which Matthew (ch. is) has 
 given the fullest report. On its relations to those 
 parables, see Prel. Note, § 4, p. 174. It does not 
 exactly correspond to either of the parables 
 there, though analogous in part to those of the 
 tares and the mustard seed. Its general lesson 
 is enforced by parallel passages, e. g., Isaiah 55 : 
 10, 11 ; James 5 : 7, 8 ; 1 Pet. 1 : 23-25. In the 
 kingdom of grace as in nature, we are laborers 
 together with God, the results of our work de- 
 pend on him, and for the perfection of these re- 
 sults he takes his own time (icor. 3:6-9). Hence, 
 (1) it is ours to sow the seed (the truth), his to 
 give it growth ; (2) having sown, we are to wait 
 for time and God to perfect it ; (3) this he does 
 according to a definite order of development — 
 first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in 
 the ear; (4) not until there has been time for the 
 development and perfection of the truth are we 
 to expect to reap. The lesson is one of trust and 
 hope ; first, for ourselves in our own personal 
 experience ; second, for all ministers, Sabbath- 
 school teachers and parents, in working for 
 others. Gal. 5 : 22, 23, describes the fruits of the 
 spirit which grow thus secretly and require time 
 for development and perfection. Ephes. 4 : 15, 
 
 and Col. 2 : (5, 7, show the source whence this 
 growth is derived, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Phil. 2 : 12, and 2 Pet. 1 : 5, show thai though 
 the growth is the work of God, still diligence is 
 required of the spiritual as of the natural hus- 
 bandman. 
 
 2(>. As if a man should cast seed into 
 the ground. The man of the parable is not 
 Christ ; for, (1) it cannot be said of him that " he 
 knoweth not how " the seed springs and grows 
 up ; nor does he leave the seed to itself, and 
 "sleep and rise night and day," but, on the con- 
 trary, is continually with iiis church, ami by bis 
 presence and blessing germinates the truth (Matt. 
 28 : 18-20) ; (2) the very point of the parable is to 
 teach that we may throw off the care as to re- 
 sults upon him, not that he throws it off and 
 leaves it to itself. The point of the parable is the 
 growth, and the sower must be regarded as inci- 
 dental, either a mere necessary figure to give it 
 life-likeness, or perhaps the human sower, the 
 preacher, teacher, or friend. 
 
 27. And should sleep and rise uiuht 
 and day. Sleeping by night, and rising by day 
 to go about other work, leaving the seed to the 
 influences of nature, i.e., to God. But this is no 
 excuse for sleeping by day, i. e., for sloth and care- 
 lessness. — And the seed should spring, i. e., 
 germinate, and grow up, i. e., develop from 
 the germ into the plant. Often the truth, drop- 
 ped in the heart by a word in public teaching 
 or private conversation, seems to be lost, but 
 getting lodgment germinates in after months 
 or years, seeming to lie meanwhile dead, yet 
 never having lost its power. Often by our im- 
 patience to force an immediate growth, or to 
 examine for it, we frustrate our own work. — He 
 knoweth not how. Compare John 3:8; and 
 observe Christ's emphatic declaration that hoio 
 the truth in the heart produces the results cb 
 character we cannot tell. And yet by far the 
 fiercest theological discussions have been con- 
 cerning this, the unknown in theology, not con- 
 cerning the practical question, How shall we best 
 inculcate the truth and develop its results? But 
 because we cannot force immediate results from 
 the truth, it does not follow that we are not to 
 watch for results, nor that we are not to foster 
 and cultivate the seed. " We cannot do the 
 saving; but we can do the destroying." — (Arnot.) 
 And this either by our mismanagement or our 
 neglect. Compare Matt. 13 : 22. 
 
 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of
 
 18 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 31 It? is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it 
 is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in 
 the earth : 
 
 32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh 
 greater 2 than all herbs, and shooteth out great branch- 
 es ; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the 
 shadow of it. 
 
 33 And with many such parables spake he the word 
 unto them, as a they were able to hear it. 
 
 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them : 
 and when they were alone, he expounded all things to 
 his disciples. 
 
 35 And the same day, when the even was come, he 
 saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 
 
 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they 
 took him even as he was in the ship : and there were 
 also with him other little ships. 
 
 y Matt. 13 : 31, 32 ; Luke 13 : 18, 19 z Prov. 4 : 18 ; Isa. 11 : 9 ; Dan. 2 : 44 ; Mai. 1 : 11 a John 16 : 12. 
 
 herself. Literally, the spontaneous earth bring- 
 eth forth fruit. But the earth is not to be likened 
 to the heart and the conclusion drawn that the 
 latter has a natural power to receive and ger- 
 minate the truth. For " by nature," i. e., natural 
 growth "we are the children of wrath" (Ephes. 
 2 : 3). But, as in nature divine forces begin 
 to operate straightway on the seed, so in grace, 
 divine influences begin straightway to fructify 
 the truth. It is ours to study seeds and soils, 
 i. e., to adapt our teaching to the hearts of 
 those before us, and leave the rest to God. — 
 First the blade, etc. There is not only a 
 divine development but a definite order of devel- 
 opment. Some growths are quicker than others, 
 but in all there is growth. And we have no right 
 to look for the end at the beginning, the ripened 
 Christian experience in the young convert, the 
 full corn in the first appearance of the blade. 
 Observe, too, that we can know that there is a 
 growth by its results, though we know not the 
 how, and that each stage of the growth is more 
 apparent than the preceding stage. The germ is 
 unseen ; the blade of corn is not easily distin- 
 guished from that of an unfruitful grass ; the ear 
 is more apparent ; there is no mistaking the full 
 corn in the ear. " The growing is a secret thing ; 
 but the grown ripened grain is visible."— (Arnot.) 
 
 29. The harvest is come. Not here, as in 
 Matt. 13 : 39, the end of the world ; for (1) " he " 
 i. e., the sower, not Christ, puts in the sickle ; 
 and (2) the language of the verse implies that the 
 appearance of the fruit is the evidence that the 
 harvest has come, and a warrant to the sower 
 to reap (comp. John 4 : 35). I understand, then, that 
 this verse teaches that ichenever fruit is brought 
 forth (literally, presents itself) then is the harvest- 
 time, i. e., whenever the results of religious 
 teaching show themselves in character and con- 
 duct, then are the individuals to be gathered into 
 the church, the granary. We are not to wait for a 
 definite time as in nature, before we gather in, 
 but "when the fruit presents itself immediately " 
 we are to put in the sickle. Comp. John 4 : 35, 
 30 ; Matt. 9 : 37, 38, and Psalm 126 : 6. 
 
 30-34. Parable of the Mustard Seed. 
 Comp. Matt. 13 : 31-35, and notes, and Luke 
 13 : 18, 19. For illustration of Christ's expo- 
 sition of parables, see Matt. 13 : 36-43, 49, 50 ; 
 15 : 15-::0. 
 
 Oh. 4 : 35-41. STILLING OF THE TEMPEST.— Christ 
 the Lord over nature. " Faith is courageous ; 
 incredulity is fearful." 
 
 Compare Matt. 8 : 23-27, and Luke 8 : 22-25. 
 The narrative is most graphic here. Matthew 
 indicates for the incident a different point in 
 Christ's ministry. But Mark alone gives a defi- 
 nite note of time, and the best harmonists follow 
 him in placing it immediately after the parables 
 by the sea. 
 
 35. On that same day. Immediately pre- 
 ceding occurred the offer of certain persons to 
 follow Christ, and Christ's rejoinder (Matt. 8 : 18-22; 
 Luke 9 : 57-62, notes). — When the even was come. 
 The Hebrews reckoned two evenings (Exod. 12 : 6, 
 marg. reading) ; the first, according to Pharisaic 
 reckoning, began with the declining sun, hence 
 the hour of evening sacrifice was 3 p. M. ; the 
 second, with the setting sun. A like distinction 
 was made by the Greeks between the former and 
 the latter evening. Here, probably, the early 
 evening, i. e., late in the afternoon, is intended, 
 for, notwithstanding the delay occasioned by the 
 storm, Christ found the swineherds watching 
 their swine on the other side of the sea ; proba- 
 bly, therefore, it was then still daylight.— Let 
 us pass over unto the other side. That is 
 of the Sea of Galilee. Probably (see Matt. 8 : is) his 
 object was to escape from the multitude and ob- 
 tain rest. How wearied he was with his labors 
 is indicated by his sleeping through the storm. 
 
 36. They took him even as he was. 
 That is, without preparation. Under the mild 
 skies of Palestine it was no hardship to sleep out 
 of doors wrapped in the cloak answering to the 
 modern burnoose (Matt. 5 : 40, note). — In the ship. 
 Rather boat. In Mark 3 : 9 we are told that one 
 had been provided for Christ and his disciples by 
 Christ's direction, and it is there described 
 more definitely as a small boat (nloidqior). That 
 it was propelled by oars is evident from John 
 6 : 19. Josephus designates the fishermen's 
 boats on the sea of Galilee as skiffs, a name de- 
 scriptive of a vessel answering to our modern 
 pinnace, or perhaps launch. Our illustration of 
 the ancient skiff is from a Pompeian painting. 
 Observe the form of the stern, which afforded a 
 convenient rest for the head of the sleeper. 
 Doubtless the skiff in which Christ and his dis- 
 ciples embarked was larger than the one here
 
 Ch. IV.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 l'J 
 
 37 And b there arose a great storm of wind, and the 
 waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 
 
 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep 
 on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, 
 Master, carest thou not that we perish ? 
 
 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said 
 
 unto the sea, Peace, be still. And a the wind ceased, 
 and there was a great calm. 
 
 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful ? * 
 how is it that ye have no faith ? 
 
 41 And they feared 1 exceedingly, and said one to 
 another, What manner of man is this, thai even the 
 wind and the sea* obey him ? 
 
 b Mutt. 8 ; 24 ; Luke 8 : 23. . . .c Ps. 10 ; 1 ; Is 
 
 . 40 : 27; Lam. 3: 8....d Pa. S9 : 9 ; Lam. 3 : 31, 32. 
 I Juuuh 1 : 10, 16 ...g Job 38 : 11. 
 
 P». 46 : 1,2; I*n. 43: 2...- 
 
 ANCIENT SKIFF. 
 
 represented ; but the general character was 
 probably the same. — And there were also 
 with him other boats. Probably containing 
 some of his audience who embarked to follow 
 him. Compare for a similar following of Christ, 
 Mark (5 : 33. Perhaps in these boats were some 
 of those who had just offered to join the band 
 
 Of ApOStleS (Matt. 8 : IS-l 1 -' I. 
 
 37. And there arose a great storm of 
 
 wind. The Sea of Galilee lies six hundred feet 
 below the level of the Mediterranean. The snowy 
 peaks of Lebanon are directly to the north. The 
 heated tropical air of the valley is a constant in- 
 vitation to the cold and heavy winds from the 
 north, which sweep down with great fury and in 
 sudden storms through the ravines of the hills, 
 which converge to the head of the lake, and act 
 like gigantic funnels. See Thomson's Land 
 and Book, II : 33. Luke's language, " There came 
 down a storm of wind,''' 1 exactly corresponds to 
 the phenomena of these sudden storms as de- 
 scribed by modern travellers. Matthew describes 
 it as a "great tempest' 1 ' 1 or tornado (ffe/<xuoc), 
 literally a shaking or concussion. — And the 
 waves beat upon the ship, i. e., beat over it. 
 — So that it was now filling. Not full. In 
 Matthew the rendering should be, was getting 
 covered by the waves, and in Luke, was getting 
 filled. The process of filling was going on. 
 Luke adds that they were in Jeopardy. 
 
 38. And he was in the stern of the boat, 
 asleep on a pillow. Rather a cushion ; one 
 such as are used for passengers in our modern 
 row-boats. Bengel's statement that a part of 
 the boat is intended appears to be without any 
 adequate authority. Trench contrasts the sleep 
 of Jesus with that of Jonah (Jonah i : 5). " We 
 behold in him exactly the reverse of Jonah ; the 
 fugitive prophet asleep in the midst of danger 
 out of a dead conscience, the Saviour out of a pure 
 conscience ; Jonah by his presence making the 
 
 danger, Jesus yielding the pledge and the assur- 
 ance of deliverance from the danger." — And 
 they awake him and say unto him. It is 
 
 curious and significant that while each of the 
 three Evangelists reports the words with which 
 Christ was awakened, they do not agree. Mat- 
 thew's report is, Lord, save us, we perish ; Mark, 
 Teacher, carest thou not that we perish ? Luke, 
 Master, Master, we perish. The difference is not 
 merely verbal ; there is also a difference of tone 
 in the three appeals. The first is the language 
 of appeal, the second that of reproach, the third 
 that of importunity aroused by imminent dan- 
 ger. It seems to me impossible to reconcile 
 such variations with the doctrine of verbal inspi- 
 ration. Bnt they are just what we might expect 
 from honest and independent eye-witnesses. 
 Probably all three feelings were commingled in 
 the disciples, and perhaps all three had expres- 
 sion. Is it asked, Which Evangelist gives the 
 correct account '? The answer may be that each 
 gives, in dramatic form, that phase of feeling 
 which was most prominent to his own mind, but 
 neither of them the exact words. 
 
 39. And he arose. More literally, and 
 being awakened. Note the sudden change from 
 the deep sleep to the scene of confusion and 
 terror. " It is such cases as these — cases of sud- 
 den, unexpected terror, met without a moment 
 of preparation — which test a man, what spirit he 
 is of, which show not only his nerve, but the gran- 
 deur and purity of his whole nature." — (Trench.) 
 — And rebuked the wind and said unto the 
 sea, Peace, be still. Literally, Be muzzled. 
 I cannot see, with Trench, in this language "a 
 tracing of all the discords and disharmonies in 
 the outward world to their source in a person," 
 viz., Satan; rather a rebuke of that notion, and 
 a distinct implication that the winds and wave: 
 are the servants of God, and do his bidding. 
 Mark alone gives the words of command, / ' 
 
 be still. — And the wind ceased, and there 
 was a great calm. The command was ad- 
 dressed to both wind and wave, and both obeyed. 
 The stopping of the wind might have been 
 thought an accidental coincidence, for these sud- 
 den storms cease as suddenly as they arise. But 
 it always requires time for the sea to subside ; 
 here the calm was instant. 
 
 40. And he said unto them. There is an-
 
 20 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AND h they came over unto the other side of the 
 sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 
 
 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediate- 
 ly there met him out of the tombs a man with an un- 
 clean spirit, 
 
 3 Who had his dwelling 1 among the tombs: and no 
 man could bind him, no, not with chains : 
 
 4 Because that he hail been often bound with fetters 
 and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder 
 by him, and the fetters broken in pieces : neither could 
 any man tame him. 
 
 $ And always, night and day, he was in the moun- 
 tains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself 
 with stones. 
 
 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and wor- 
 shipped J him, 
 
 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I 
 to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God ? 
 I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 
 
 8 For he said unto him, Come k out of the man, thou 
 unclean spirit. 
 
 9 And he asked him, What is thy name ? And he 
 answered, saying, My name is Legion ; ' for we are 
 many. 
 
 h Matt. 8 : 28, etc. ; Luke 8 : 26, etc i Isa. 65 : 4 j Ps. 72 : 9 k Acta 16 : 18 ; Heb. 2 : 14 ; 1 John 3:8 1 Matt. 12 : 45. 
 
 other Instructive difference in the three reports of 
 the Evangelists here. According to Matthew, 
 Christ first rebuked the disciples ; according to 
 Mark and Luke, first the sea, then the disciples. 
 According to Matthew he characterizes them as 
 of '■'little faith;''' 1 according to Mark he asked, 
 How have ye no faith ? according to Luke, Where 
 is your faith ? The spirit of the rebuke is the 
 same in all the accounts ; very probably neither 
 has preserved Christ's exact words. That 
 he first stilled the tempest and then addressed 
 his admonition to the disciples seems to me 
 most probable ; for during the howling of the 
 storm his admonition could have had but little 
 effect. Observe that it is Matthew, whose repre- 
 sentation of the appeal of the disciples is, Lord 
 save, we perish, who reports his reply as "Ye of 
 little faith." There may have been a glimmering 
 hope in their call, that he who had wrought 
 other miracles could save them from this peril. 
 That they did not expect it is evident from the 
 next verse. Trench expresses well their mental 
 state. " They had it (faith) as the weapon 
 which a soldier has, but cannot lay hold of at the 
 moment when he needs it the most. Their sin 
 lay, not in seeking help of him ; for this indeed 
 became them well ; but in the excess of their ter- 
 ror." It must not, however, be forgotten that 
 the peril was, in seeming, imminent. Nothing 
 less would have terrified these fishermen, accus- 
 tomed to the perils of the sea. 
 
 41. And they feared exceedingly. Mat- 
 thew says, The men feared, which Alford inter- 
 prets as " the men who were in the ship, besides 
 our Lord and his disciples." But there is no in- 
 dication that there were any other men. See ver. 
 36. That his disciples should be astonished at the 
 miracle accords with what is said of them on other 
 
 Occasions (Matt. 16 : 6, 7 ; Mark 6 : 52 ; John 6 : 5-9 ; 20 : 2,5). 
 
 The direct lesson of this incident appears to 
 me to be that Christ is the Lord of nature, that 
 we may trust him in times of peril from wind, 
 or lightning, or wave, or earthquake. He does 
 not always deliver ; but always the winds and the 
 sea obey him. Compare the O. T. teaching of 
 Psalms 81) : 8, 9 ; 93 : 4. Contrast with his com- 
 
 mand to nature Elijah's prayer to the God of 
 nature (James s : 17, is). The commentators have 
 delighted to treat this incident allegorically. 
 Thus Augustine : " We are sailing in this life as 
 through a sea, and the wind rises, and storms of 
 temptation are not wanting. Whence is this, 
 save because Jesus is sleeping in thee. If he 
 were not sleeping in thee, thou wouldest live 
 calm within. But what means this, that Jesus 
 is sleeping in thee, save that thy faith, that 
 which is from Jesus, is slumbering in thine 
 heart V What shaft thou do to be delivered? 
 Arouse him, and say, Master, we perish. He 
 will awaken ; that is, thy faith will return to 
 thee, and abide with thee always. When Christ 
 is awakened, though the tempest beat into, yet 
 it will not fill thy ship ; thy faith will now com- 
 mand the winds and the waves, and the danger 
 will be over." So again Quesnel : "The ship in 
 the midst of the sea is an emblem of the church 
 in the midst of the world. We ought to expect 
 to meet with tempests in the church, and to see 
 it covered with waves." " The waves of heresy 
 toss it from without ; but the corruption of 
 manners within, like the water which beat into 
 this ship, puts it in much greater danger of per- 
 ishing." Carrying out this allegory, we may 
 observe, (1) Christ's presence does not prevent 
 our ship of life from being endangered ; but if 
 he is with us it cannot be wrecked. (2.) Our 
 unuttered but often heart-felt reproaches of a 
 seemingly indifferent Christ, " Carest thou not 
 that we perish?" are always unjust. (3.) To 
 timid disciples, who imagine, because of sudden 
 and serious storms, that all is lost, for them- 
 selves, their children, the nation, or the church, 
 Christ still says, Why are ye fearful ? How is it 
 that ye have no faith ? (4. ) He does not always 
 bring the help he might, nor as soon as he might 
 
 (comp. Mark 6 : 48 ; John 11 : 6). But he asks US to trust 
 
 him alike when he comes and when he tarries, 
 when he seems to be watching and when he seems 
 to be sleeping. 
 
 Ch. 5 : 1-21. Cure of the Gadaeene De- 
 moniac. Matt. 8 : 28-35 ; Luke 8 : 2(3-39. See 
 notes on Matthew, where I have discussed, briefly,
 
 Ch. V.] 
 
 MAKK. 
 
 21 
 
 10 And he besought him much, that he would not 
 send them away out ol the country. 
 
 ii Now there was there, nigh unto the mountains, a 
 great herd ot swine" 1 feeding. 
 
 12 And all the deviis besought" Hi in , saying, Stud us 
 into the swine, that we may enter into them, 
 
 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the 
 unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: 
 and tlicr herd ran violently down a sleep place into the 
 sea, (they were about two thousand,) and were choked 
 in the sea. 
 
 14 Ami they that fed the swine lied, and told it in the 
 city, and in the country. And they went out to see 
 what it was that was done. 
 
 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was 
 possessed with the devil, and ■> had the legion, sitting, 
 and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were 
 afraid. 1 
 
 I'. And they that saw it, told them how it befell to 
 
 him that wan possessed with the devil, and also con- 
 cerning the swine. 
 
 17 And they began to pray him to depart' out of 
 their < oasts. 
 
 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had 
 been possessed with the devil prayed him that he 
 
 might be with him. 
 
 19 Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto 
 him, Go home to thy friends, and • tell them how gn.it. 
 things the Lord hath dune tor thee, and hath had com- 
 passion on thee, 
 
 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapo- 
 
 lis how great tilings Jesus had done for him: and all 
 men did marvel. 
 
 21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship 
 unto the other side, mui h pi ople gathered unto him: 
 and he was nigh unto the sea. 
 
 11 : 7, 8; "Dent. 14 : 8....n Jut. 1 : 10, 12 1 
 q Jub 13: 11 ; Ps. 14 : 5 ; 3 1'iin. 1 : 1 
 
 : 5, 6....0 Rev. 13 : 7; 1 Pet. 8 : SSj Job 5 : 
 .r Job 21 : 14; Luke 5:8; Acls 16 : 39 8 
 
 .p ha. V.i 1 26 i Col. 1 : 13. 
 5 : 16 ; laa. 38 : 19. 
 
 the phenomena of demon hi cal possession, y. 12 '. 
 Matthew mentions two possessed of devils, .Mark 
 and Luke but one. Ou this discrepancy see 
 notes on Luke. 
 
 3-0. This description of the possessed is more 
 detailed, definite, and graphic 
 than is afforded by either of - -- ■"" 
 
 the other Evangelists. Mat- Jr -~ -',:;/..-. ''i- 
 
 thew attempts no descrip. 
 tion ; Luke's is briefer. The 
 great muscular strength, and 
 the habit of self-wounding 
 here referred to, are not un- 
 common in certain cases of 
 modern lunacy. Luke adds 
 that " he wore no clothes ; " • 
 and the propsnsity to go en- 
 tirely naked is also charac- 
 teristic of certain forms of 
 mental disease. The tombs 
 are not infrequently used in 
 Palestine by certain of the 
 poorer classes as dwelling- 
 places. Their character 
 (caves cut in the rock) makes 
 them a perfect shelter. 
 Tombs are found in the im- 
 mediate vicinity of Gersa., 
 the scene of this miracle. 
 The annexed cut of such a 
 tomb is from The New Testa- 
 ment Illustrated. 
 
 10. That he would not 
 send them out of the 
 country» Equivalent to, 
 "That he would not com- '■■•;':■ 
 
 mand them to go out into 
 the deep," that is, back into 
 their prison-house. See Luke 
 8 : 31, note. 
 
 18-20. On this request and Christ's reply, see 
 note on Luke 8 : 38, 30. It is not mentioned by 
 Matthew. — Decapolis. See note on Matt. 4 : 35. 
 
 Ch. 5 : 22-43. GORE OF THE W0MAB WITH AN IS- 
 SlIE OF BLOOD.- RAISING OF JAIRDS' DAUGHTER.— 
 
 Christ's cure of superstition.— Christ's inter- 
 pretation of DEATH 
 Compare Matt. 9 : 18-26, and Luke 8 : 41-56. 
 
 
 ROCK CUT TOMB AT GADARA. 
 
 Matthew gives a definite note of time, from which 
 it appears that these miracles immediately fol- 
 lowed the feast made by Matthew or Levi to Christ 
 (Matt. 9 •. is). But when that feast was given is not
 
 22 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. V. 
 
 22 And,' beholdj there cometh one of the rulers of 
 the synagogue, Jairus by name ; and when he saw hiin, 
 he fell at his feet, 
 
 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little 
 daughter lieth at the point" of death : 1 pray thee, come 
 and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed ; and 
 she shall live. 
 
 24 And Jesus went with him ; and much people fol- 
 lowed him, and thronged him. 
 
 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue' of 
 blood twelve years, 
 
 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, 
 
 and had spent all that she had, and was nothing™ bet- 
 tered, but rather grew worse, 
 
 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press 
 behind, and touched x his garment : 
 
 28 For she said, If 1 may touch but his clothes, I 
 shall be whole. 
 
 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was 
 dried up : and she felt in her body that she was healed 
 of that plague. 
 
 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that 
 virtue 1 had gone out of him, turned him about in the 
 press, and said, Who touched my clothes ? 
 
 t IVUtt. 9 : 18, etc.; Luke 8 : 41, etc u Ps. 107 : 18 
 
 13 : 21 ; Matt. 14 : i 
 
 Lev. 15 : 19, etc w Job 13 : 4 ; Ps 108 : 12: Jer. 30 : 12, 13 x 2 Kings 
 
 i ; Acts 5 : 15 ; 19 : 12. . . .y Luke 6 : 19. 
 
 60 Clear (see Matt. 9 : 9-13, Prel. Note, p. 127). There is 
 
 6ome difference in the accounts of the three 
 Evangelists, those of Mark and Luke being much 
 fuller than that of Matthew. The comparison 
 of these three accounts is instructive, and indi- 
 cates the independence of the narrators, while 
 their substantial accord sustains their trustwor- 
 thiness. The more important differences are 
 noted below. 
 
 22. One of the rulers of the synagogue. 
 That is, one of the board of presbyters or elders 
 who managed the affairs of the synagogue ; 
 probably the chief or president of the board. 
 See Matt. 4 : 23, note. — He fell at his feet. 
 Matthew's language, worshipped him, is inter- 
 preted by the language here and in Luke. See 
 Matt. 8 : 2, note. 
 
 23, 21. My little daughter. She was an 
 only daughter, twelve years old (Luke 8 : 42). — 
 Lieth at the point of death. Matthew re- 
 ports Jairus as saying, " My daughter is even 
 now dead." But Matthew makes no mention of 
 the delegation described here in verse 35, which 
 reported her death. He probably embodied 
 the two appeals in one, giving a summary of the 
 events which Mark and Luke more fully de- 
 scribe. Luke's language is, "She lay a dying." 
 — And she shall live. He speaks with an as- 
 surance of faith. — And much people follow- 
 ed him. Perhaps drawn by curiosity to see 
 whether he could heal the maiden. This would 
 furnish an additional reason for Christ's exclu- 
 sion of all from the room (ver. 40). 
 
 25-29. An issue of blood. A hemorrhage, 
 either from the bowels or the womb, probably 
 the latter. A private note from Dr. William H. 
 Thomson, of New York, to me, in reply to a 
 question on this subject, states the reasons for 
 this opinion to be, (1) that the latter disease is 
 much more common with females than the for- 
 mer; (2) that certain peculiar conditions produce 
 prolonged attacks of uterine hemorrhage, which 
 are still unmanageable by the most proficient 
 members of the profession, and that Lev., ch. 
 15, contains severe regulations concerning the 
 latter, but says nothing concerning the former 
 disease. He adds the noteworthy suggestion : 
 
 "I think the circumstances of the N. T. narra- 
 tive render the inference almost certain that this 
 account was meant for the consolation of those 
 multitudes of stricken women, in all ages, who 
 seem to be afflicted with sorrows in very unequal 
 measure, compared with the stronger, and so 
 generally also the more depraved, sex." — And 
 had suffered many things of many physi- 
 cians. Medicine was not in that age a science ; 
 disease was exorcised by charms ; the physicians 
 resembled in knowledge and practice the medi- 
 cine-man of the North American Indians. See 
 Abbott's Jesus of Nazareth, pp. 157, 158. Light- 
 foot gives an account of some of the prescrip- 
 tions contained in the Rabbinical books for this 
 disease. One will sulfice to illustrate the sort 
 of things she had suffered from the physicians : 
 "Let them dig seven ditches, in which let them 
 burn some cuttings of such vines as are not cir- 
 cumcised (i. e., are not yet four years old) ; let 
 her take in her hand a cup of wine ; let them 
 lead her away from this ditch, and make her sit 
 down over that ; let them remove her from that, 
 and make her sit down over another. In every 
 removal you must say to her, 'Arise for thy 
 flux.'" — But rather grew worse. Observe 
 her sorrowful condition, sick, impoverished, 
 helpless. — Touched his garment. Matthew 
 and Luke say, "The hem of his garment." This 
 was a peculiar fringe, required by the law (Numb. 
 15 : 37-40 ; Deut. 22 : 12). The Jews paid to it a super- 
 stitious reverence (Matt. 23: 5, note and nius.). Shar- 
 ing this superstition, and imagining that Christ 
 healed by a sort of magic, this woman touched 
 it in hope of cure. An ordinary teacher would 
 have rebuked her superstition : Christ used it to 
 teach her better. Observe that Christ complied 
 with Jewish law and Jewish usage in his attire. — 
 For she said. " Within herself " (Matt. 9: 21). — 
 She was healed. Compare Mark 6 : 56 ; Luke 
 : 19, for similar cases of healing, in all of which, 
 however, says Olshausen, "the cures plainly ap- 
 pear to be actions of his (Christ's) will." See, 
 also, Acts 5 : 15 ; 19 : 12. 
 
 30. Jesus immediately knowing that 
 power had gone out of him. According to 
 Luke, he said, "I perceive that power is gone
 
 Ch. V.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 23 
 
 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the 
 multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who 
 touched me ? 
 
 32 And he looked round about to see her that had 
 done this thing. 
 
 33 Rut the woman, fearing and trembling-, knowing 
 what was done in lur, came and fell down before him, 
 and told* him all the truth. 
 
 34 And lie said unto her, Daughter, tliv faith* hath 
 made thee whole: go b in peace, and be whole of thy 
 plague. 
 
 1 P». 30 : 2 a ch. 10 : 52 ; Acts 14:9 b 1 Sam. 1:17; 20 : 42 ; 2 Kings 5 : 19. 
 
 out of me." He consciously put forth the power 
 for her healing. The idea that the woman was 
 healed by the garment and without the conscious 
 will of Christ, repeats the superstition of the 
 woman, which this incident is recorded to cor- 
 rect. Christ, not his garment, healed. See 
 below, Lessons of this Incident. — A nd said, Who 
 touched my clothes ? Not because he was 
 ignorant, for his searching glance showed to the 
 woman that she was not hid from him (Luke 8 : 47), 
 but to draw out her confession of her faith. For 
 illustration of similar questions, see Gen. 3:9; 
 4:9; 2 Kings 5 : 25 ; Luke 24 : 19. Olshausen 
 and Trench compare the question to that of "a 
 father coming among his children, and demand- 
 ing, Who committed this fault? himself con- 
 scious, even while he asks, but at the same time 
 willing to bring the culprit to a free confession, 
 and so to put him in a pardonable state." 
 
 31. His disciples said unto him. Peter 
 was the spokesman (Luke 8: 45). The commentators 
 have noted the difference between thronging 
 Christ and touching him. " Many throng Christ ; 
 his in name ; near to him outwardly ; in actual 
 contact with the sacraments and ordinances of 
 his church ; yet not touching him, because not 
 drawing nigh in faith, not looking for, and there- 
 fore not obtaining, life and healing from Him." 
 — (Trench.) The contrasted notes of Words- 
 worth and Alford on this verse are so suggestive 
 that I transcribe them both. " A solemn warn- 
 ing to all who crowd on Christ ; who use his name 
 lightly and profanely ; who make familiar ad- 
 dresses to him in so-called religious hymns ; 
 who treat with carelessness and irreverence his 
 day, his house, his sacraments, his ministers ; or 
 who read his holy Scriptures in a carping spirit, 
 handling them as a common book. Although 
 such as these may crowd upon Christ in his 
 word, with a pressure of earthly labor and 
 learning, they never touch him." — (Wordsworth.) 
 " It is difficult to imagine how the miracle should 
 be, as Dr. Wordsworth, ' a solemn warning to all 
 who crowd on Christ ; ' or how such a forbidding 
 to come to him could be reconciled with ' Come 
 unto me, all ye that labor.' Rather should we 
 say, seeing it was one of those that thus crowded 
 on him who obtained grace from him, that it is a 
 blessed encouragement to us not only to crowd 
 on him, but even to touch him ; so to crowd on 
 him as never to be content untU we have grasped, 
 if it be but his garment, for ourselves ; not to de- 
 
 spise or discourage any of the least of those who 
 make familiar addresses to him in so-called 
 religious hymns, seeing that thus some of them 
 may touch him to the healing of their souls. I 
 much fear that if my excellent friend had been 
 keeping order among the multitude on the way 
 to the house of Jairus, this poor woman would 
 never have been allowed to get near to Jesus. 
 But I hope and trust that he and I shall rejoice 
 together one day in his presence, amidst a greater 
 crowd, whom no man can number, of all na- 
 tions and kindreds and peoples and tongues." — 
 (Afford.) 
 
 32. To see her who had done this thin?. 
 Observe, not to see who had done it, i. e., inquir- 
 ingly, but to see her who had done it. The impli- 
 cation is that she was already known to him. 
 
 33, 34. The woman fearing and trem- 
 bling. If the hemorrhage was from the womb, 
 the woman would be ceremonially unclean, and 
 whoever touched her would be unclean until 
 even (Lev. is : 25, 27). Perhaps the woman feared 
 Christ's anger, and his rebuke for polluting him 
 by her touch, or possibly, the indignation of 
 others in the crowd, in which she had joined, 
 without in any way indicating her uncleanness. 
 It thus showed a very considerable confidence 
 in him, to throw herself upon his compassion and 
 tell all, as she did. — Knowing what was done 
 in her. And that " she was not hid " (Luke 8 : 47). 
 — Thy faith hath made thee whole. — Be- 
 cause by faith she had laid hold on Christ who 
 had made her whole. Compare E plies. 2 : 8. 
 " More than once a person first learned that he 
 had faith when the Saviour told him of it."— 
 (Bengel.) — Go in peace. So the healing was to 
 mind as well as to body. Go, not fearing and 
 trembling, nor in uneasiness lest the trouble 
 return. — Be whole of thy plague, i. e., perma- 
 nently whole. These words are Christ's assur- 
 ance that the relief is not temporary but final. 
 
 Lesson of this incident. To suppose that vir- 
 tue resided in Jesus' garment, not in his will, 
 is to wholly miss the meaning of this incident. 
 The woman superstitiously reverenced the sacred 
 fringe and pressed forward to touch it, hoping 
 so to be healed. Christ knowing her approach 
 cured her, not by touch, or even word, but by a 
 mere act of will. Then, when she was healed, 
 he turned him about, fixed his eye upon her, 
 then made manifest to her that she was not 
 hid and by his question called forth a public
 
 24 
 
 35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of 
 the synagogue's house, certain which said, Thy daugh- 
 ter is dead : c why troublest thou the Master any tur- 
 ther? 
 
 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, 
 he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, 
 only d believe. 
 
 MAKE. [Ch V. 
 
 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save e Pe- 
 ter, and James, and John the brother of James. 
 
 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the 
 synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept 
 and wailed greatly. 
 
 ^9 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, 
 M hy make ye this ado, and weep ? the damsel is not 
 dead, but sleepeth.' 
 
 c John 6: 25; 11 : 25 (1 2 Chron. 20 : 20; Jobn 11 : 40 e ch. 9 : 2; 14 : 33 f John 11 : 11-13. 
 
 confession from her who, before the healing, 
 lacked the courage to make it. 80 interpreted 
 I find in it these lessons : (1.) It is not merely 
 intelligent faith which saves, but faith, even when 
 mated to and marred by superstition. The 
 superstitious reverence which regards the hem 
 of Christ's garment is better than the super- 
 cilious wisdom which rejects Christ himself. 
 "This is a most encouraging miracle for us to 
 recollect when we are disposed to think despond- 
 ingly of the ignorance or superstition of much 
 of the Christian world ; that he who accepted 
 this woman for her faith, even in error and weak- 
 ness, may also accept them." — (Alford.) (2.) 
 The proper method of dealing with and curing 
 honest superstition, viz., not by attacking the 
 superstition, but by encouraging the faith which 
 underlies it, and directing that faith from the 
 material object to the living Christ. Compare 
 Paul's course in Athens, Acts 17 : 22, 23, note, 
 and apply to our dealings with honest Romanists 
 whose faith in the hem of Christ's garment is 
 sometimes a rebuke to our doubt of Christ him- 
 self. (3.) Christ's tenderness with the weak and 
 the ignorant. "A bruised reed will he not 
 break. ' ' Ignorance and error need never keep the 
 soul from him. "It would have been too hard to 
 have required her, before her cure, to speak 
 openly in the presence of the people. Our gra- 
 cious Lord, therefore, softened the difficulty by 
 making this demand subsequent to the cure, and 
 thus helped her along the narrow way." — 
 ( Olshausen. ) (4. ) But he required an open con- 
 fession, a very striking illustration of the truth 
 that " Christ will have himself openly confessed, 
 and not only secretly sought ; that our Christian 
 life is not, as it is sometimes called, merely a 
 thins; between ourselves and God ; but a good 
 confession to be witnessed ' before all the people ' 
 (Luke s : 47)." — (Alford.) Comp. Matt, 10 : 32; 
 1 Tim. 6 : 12. 
 
 35, 3G. There came * * * certain. 
 According to Luke, a single messenger ; Mark's 
 language indicates more than one. Probably 
 others, volunteers, accompanied the messenger. 
 — Thy daughter is dead. It is clear, then, 
 that the immediate friends did not believe in the 
 modern theory that this was a case of syncope. 
 — Why troublest thou the Master? This 
 might be the language of those who truly recog- 
 
 nize in Jesus a Master. I should rather regard 
 it as an indication that only the ruler had faith 
 in Christ, and that his friends, who could not dis- 
 suade him from appealing to our Lord while his 
 daughter lived, hoped to do so by the report of 
 her death. The language of verse 40 confirms this 
 opinion. — As soon as Jesus had overheard. 
 The original in the best MSS. indicate that the 
 message was not intended for Jesus, but was over- 
 heard by him. Tischendorf renders it, Having 
 casually heard the word; Alford, Saving straight- 
 way overheard. It is noted that Christ anticipates 
 the ruler and speaks words of cheer, before the 
 latter can give expression to doubt and fear. — 
 Be not afraid; only believe. Luke adds, 
 "And she shall be made whole." 
 
 37. The whole multitude, doubtless, followed 
 Jesus to the house. It was after the exclusion of 
 the mourners (verse 40) that he suffered only the 
 three disciples and the parents to go with him 
 into the room where the dead lay. This is the 
 first time, but not the last, that peculiar honor 
 was conferred upon these three. Comp. Mark 
 9:2; 14 : 33. Why this choice among the chosen 
 twelve ? We can no more answer, than we can 
 tell why, in this day, Christ discriminates in his 
 gifts to his church. We can only say, It is his will. 
 
 38. Them that Avept and wailed greatly. 
 Including professional mourners, in Matthew 
 designated as "minstrels." "In the Orient, yet 
 more than with us, mourning customs are con- 
 ventional. Fashion dictates them. The friends 
 of the dead beat their breasts, make the house 
 resound with their lamentations, cover their 
 heads, cut their flesh, put on the habiliments 
 of grief, and rend their garments. There are 
 with them, as with us, various shades of grief 
 nicely expressed in external symbol. The length 
 of the rent in the garments is accurately deter- 
 mined by the relation of the deceased. Profes- 
 sional women, skillful in the simulation of grief, 
 are hired to swell the songs of lamentation on 
 these occasions (jer. 9 : n, is ; Amos 5 : 16). Acquaint- 
 ing themselves with the private sorrows of their 
 auditors, and interweaving in their chants the 
 story of their woes, they evoke their tears, and 
 thus add amateur to professional weeping. Such 
 was the scene which Christ found enacted in the 
 house of the prelate when he arrived." — (AbboWs 
 Jesus of Nazareth.) Playing of dirges on flutes
 
 Ch. V.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 25 
 
 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he 
 had put them all out, he taketh the father anil the 
 mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, 
 and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 
 
 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said 
 unto her, Talitha cumi : which is, being interpreted, 
 Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. * 
 
 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked ; 
 for she was of the a%e of twelve years. And they were 
 astonished with a great astonishment. 
 
 43 And he charged N them straitly that no man should 
 know it ; and commanded that something should be 
 given her to eat. 
 
 g Acts 9 : 40 h ch. 3 : 12 ; Matt. 8:4; 12:16-18; Luke 5 : 14. 
 
 or other instruments accompanied this profes- 
 sional mourning. Similar customs prevailed in 
 Greece and Rome, and to the present day exist 
 in Ireland. In France and Italy professional 
 mourners are also employed in the funerals of 
 the wealth}'. The annexed cut, from an ancienl 
 sarcophagus, represents three professional mour- 
 ners in the attitudes and actions of grief. 
 Christ's act in excluding these mourners from 
 the house, is a protest against conventional and 
 hypocritical grief. 
 
 ANCIENT MOURNING-WOMEN. 
 
 39» IVot dead but sleepeth. Even so 
 
 evangelical a writer as Olshausen has taken this 
 literally, and supposed the case of the maiden to 
 be one of syncope. But, according to Lightfoot, it 
 was a common thing among the rabbis to express 
 the idea of death by the metaphor of sleep. 
 Christ's language here is not more explicit than in 
 John 11 : 11. Comp. Deut. 31 : 16 ; 1 Thess. 4 : 13. 
 The whole account of this incident is inconsistent 
 with the idea that the maiden was simply raised 
 from slumber or a fainting fit. She is reported 
 dead by the messenger (ver. 35) ; is known to be 
 dead to the bystanders (Luke 8 : 53) ; on Christ's 
 taking her by the hand her spirit returns to her 
 
 again (Luke 8: 55; comp. 1 Kings 17 : 21, 2i), though this 
 
 does not of itself necessarily imply her death 
 (comp. judges is : 19) ; and the account of the cure 
 (ver. 42, note) implies, not a natural awakening from 
 sleep, but a miraculous resurrection from the 
 dead. It seems to me unquestionable that the 
 historian believed in the death, and the miracu- 
 lous resurrection from the dead, of this maiden. 
 40. And they laughed him to scorn. 
 Because they knew that she was dead (Luke 8 : 53). 
 Chrysostom suggests that it was Christ's object 
 
 to impress upon the minds of the people the 
 death of the maiden, that he might anticipate 
 the objection of subsequent unbelievers that she 
 was not dead; and he quotes as parallel the 
 cases of Moses and his rod (E10J. 4:2), and of 
 Lazarus (John 11 : 34, 39). — When he had put 
 them all out. From a comparison of the three 
 accounts, it would appear that the minstrels 
 were in an outer room ; Christ stops the mourn- 
 ing, orders the mourners to leave, and then en- 
 ters the inner room where the damsel is, accom- 
 panied only by the parents and the three 
 disciples. The reason of this exclusion, and of 
 the prohibition of verse 43, is, he will not have 
 the faith of the people rest on his miracle. 
 Meyer observes that Christ never forbids that 
 men should know his teaching. He has no mys- 
 teries in his doctrines which he hides from the 
 public. Observe the incidental evidence of th3 
 father's faith ; though the maiden is dead, he 
 allows the mourning to be stopped and the 
 mourners to be sent away. Christ is truly 
 " master " in this house. 
 
 41. Talitha cumi. This is Aramaic, the 
 language generally spoken by the common peo- 
 ple in Palestine at the t-ime of Christ. Its pres- 
 ence here, and in Mark 7 : 34 and 15 : 34, is an 
 indication that Christ used this language in his 
 ordinary intercourse with the Jews. But some- 
 times, as in his conference with Pilate, he must 
 probably have used the Greek. The indication 
 of verbal fidelity in this report is considered an 
 evidence that Mark derived his report from Pe- 
 ter, who was an ear-witness. — Damsel awake. 
 "I say unto thee" is properly put in paren- 
 thesis ; it is not in the original Aramaic phrase, 
 but is added as an interpretation by the Evan- 
 gelist. The word which I have rendered awake 
 is different from that translated arise in the fol- 
 lowing verse. 
 
 42, 43. And straightway; not after a 
 time, as if arousing from a trance, or as in the 
 case of the boy raised by the prayer of Elisha 
 (2 Kings 4: 34, 35). — The damsel arose; the verb 
 is the same used in the N. T. in describing un- 
 doubted resurrection from the dead (Luke 16 : 31 ; 
 John 6 : 54 ; ii : 23, 24 ; 20 : 9) ; and walked : an evi- 
 dence of the completeness of her restoration. 
 One who had been at the point of death (ver. 23), 
 and was simply aroused from syncope, could not 
 have walked, except by the miraculous imparta-
 
 2G 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Gh. VI. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 AND he went out from thence, and came into his 
 own country ; and his disciples follow him. 
 2 And ' when the sabbath day was come, he began to 
 teach in the synagogue : and many, hearing him, were 
 astonished, saying, From J whence hath this man these 
 
 things ? and what wisdom is this which is given unto 
 him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his 
 hands ? 
 
 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the 
 brother of James, k and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? 
 and are not his sisters here with us ? And they were 
 offended ' at him. 
 
 i Matt. 13 : 54, etc. ; Luke 4 : 16, etc j John 6 : 42 k Gal. 1:19 1 Matt. 11:6. 
 
 tion of strength. The command to give her 
 something to eat evidenced the reality of the 
 resurrection ; it was a tangible proof to the par- 
 ents that it was no apparition they saw. Comp. 
 Luke 24 : 30 ; John 20 : 27 ; 21 : 13. Perhaps it 
 was given in part to prevent too great revulsion 
 of feeling in the parents, by giving them some- 
 
 There are three specific cases of resurrection 
 from the dead wrought by Christ — this, that of 
 the son of the widow of Nain (Luke i ■. n-is), and 
 that of Lazarus (John, ch. h). In the first the 
 miracle is performed immediately after death ; in 
 the second, at least twenty-four hours after 
 death, and during the passage of the funeral 
 procession to the grave ; in the third, 
 four days after burial, and after corrup- 
 tion would naturally have commenced ; 
 in the first case privately, in the second 
 before the people, in the third before 
 embittered enemies ; in each case by 
 a word, with no effort, with no appeal 
 to God, though in the case of Lazarus 
 with a public acknowledgment to God. 
 Thus Christ shows his power to destroy 
 the last enemy, which is death. "Let 
 noman, therefore,beat himself any more, 
 nor wail, neither disparage Christ's 
 achievement. For indeed he overcame 
 death. Why then dost thou wail for 
 nought ? The thing is become a sleep. 
 Why lament and weep ? " ' —(Chrysostom.) 
 
 EGYPTIAN CARPENTER'S TOOLS. 
 
 1, 2,3, 4. Chisels and drills. 
 
 5. Part of drill. 
 
 6. Nut. of wood belonging to drill. 
 
 7. 8. Saws. 
 
 9. Horn of oil. 
 
 10. Mallet. 
 
 11. Bag for nails. 
 
 12. Basket which held the tools 
 
 thing to do. Comp. John 11 : 44. — They were 
 astonished. Luke says, "Her parents." — 
 That no man should know it. Matthew, 
 who describes this event from the position of 
 One without, and gives less details, says that the 
 fame of the miracle went abroad. 
 
 Ch. 6 : 1-0. Christ Rejected 
 again at Nazareth. Matt. 13 : 53-58. 
 See notes there. He had been rejected 
 by the Nazarenes once before (Luke 4: 
 
 14-29, and notes). 
 
 2, 3. Whence hath this man 
 these things? This question of the 
 Nazarenes uttered in contempt, we 
 may repeat in seriousness, to the un- 
 belief of to-day, which accounts Jesus 
 of Nazareth only a carpenter's son. — 
 The carpenter. The implication is, 
 that he actually worked with his father 
 at the trade ; and it is confirmed by 
 the fact that every father was required 
 by Jewish custom, to teach his son 
 a trade, that he might be able by his 
 industry to earn an independent live- 
 lihood. The fact is itself a rebuke of 
 the unchristian pride which despises me- 
 chanical employments. The Jews derived their 
 civilization largely from Egypt ; therefore the 
 annexed cut, representing the tools of an Egyp- 
 tian carpenter, the originals of which are now in 
 the British Museum (see Wilkinson's Egypt, II, 
 112), probably gives a just idea of the general
 
 Ch. VI.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 27 
 
 4 But Jesus said unto them, m A prophet is not with- 
 out honour, but in his own country, and among his 
 own kin, and in his own house. 
 
 5 And " he could there do no mighty work, save that he 
 laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 
 
 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. 
 And >' he went round about the villages, teaching. 
 
 7 Andi he called unto hint the twelve, and began to 
 send them forth by two and two, and gave them power 
 over unclean spii its ; 
 
 8 And commanded them that they should take noth- 
 ing for their journey, save a staff only ; no scrip, no 
 bread, no money in their purse : 
 
 9 But be shod 'with sandals;" and not put on two 
 coats. 
 
 io And he said unto them, In what place soever ye 
 enter into an house, there abide till ye depart t otn that 
 plai i . 
 
 ii And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear 
 you, wlun ye depart thence, shake 1 off the dust under 
 your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say 
 unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and <>o- 
 morrah in the day of judgment, than for that < ity. 
 
 12 And they went out, and preached that men should 
 repent. u 
 
 i j And they cast out many" devils, and anointed 
 with oil w many that were sick, and healed them. 
 
 n Malt. 
 
 13 : 
 
 57; 
 
 John 
 
 4 
 
 44 ...n 
 
 oh. 
 
 9 
 
 23 
 
 ; Gen 
 
 19 
 
 : 28.. 
 
 1 
 
 Ill 
 
 ; Jet 
 
 . '.» ! 12. . . 
 
 P 
 
 Kstl 
 
 9 
 
 35 ; 
 
 Luke 13 
 
 22 
 
 Acts 10 
 
 :38... 
 
 q ch. 
 
 Ii : 13, 
 
 -io 
 
 Mutt. 
 
 10 
 
 : 1 
 
 , etc. ; L 
 
 ike 
 
 9 
 
 1, 
 
 ICC. ; 10 : 
 
 3, etc. 
 
 ..r Euhc:. 
 
 6: 
 
 15... 
 
 9 Acts 12 
 
 :f 
 
 t 
 
 N« 
 
 b. S 
 
 13 
 
 Aci„ 1J 
 
 51. ...u 
 
 „uke M 
 
 : 47 ; 
 
 Ami 
 
 : 38 
 
 ; 3 
 
 19 
 
 
 v 
 
 Luke 10 
 
 17 
 
 
 .w 
 
 Juuie 
 
 5 
 
 14. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 nature of the tools used in Joseph's carpenter's 
 shop in Nazareth. 
 
 I. Not without honor but in his own 
 country. A superficial knowledge of Jesus 
 may prevent a truer and more spiritual acquaint- 
 ance with him. 
 
 5. And he could there do no mighty 
 work. Matthew states definitely the reason, 
 "because of their unbelief " (Matt. 13 : ss). Alford 
 6ays, "The want of ability here spoken of is not 
 absolute but relative. The same voice which could 
 still the tempest, could anywhere and under any 
 circumstances have commanded diseases to obey ; 
 but in most cases of human infirmity, it was our 
 Lord's practice to require faith in the recipient 
 of aid, and that being wanting, the help could 
 not be given." Similarly Theophylact, "Not that 
 he was weak, but that they were faithless." But 
 is this all ? May we not say that among the con- 
 ditions to which Christ subjected himself on earth 
 was this, that he put forth his powers of healing 
 only as a means of spiritual development, and only, 
 therefore, to those in whom at least a germ of 
 faith was awakened ; and that this being want- 
 ing, he could not heal, without violating the fun- 
 damental principle of his life ? Nay, may we not 
 go further and think it at least probable, since 
 Christ always called for the exercise of faith in 
 the patient, that his miraculous cures were not 
 wrought merely by the exercise of a physical 
 power on the body, but in a considerable meas- 
 ure through the connection of mind and body, 
 the healing power of Christ having, by the very 
 constitution of human nature, to act on the 
 mental or spiritual nature, before it could prove 
 effectual on the body, and hence it could not prove 
 effectual except as the sufferer exercised faith ? 
 And may we not say further, that this essential 
 principle still holds good, that, by its very nature, 
 his salvation can be made available only to such 
 as are willing in humble trust to accept it, and 
 that where that trust is wanting, it is still true 
 that Christ cannot do the mighty work of salva- 
 tion? The language employed here does not 
 necessarily imply a literal want of power, as is evi- 
 
 dent from the analogous expression in Gen. 32 : '2-5. 
 That the divine remedy is in fact efficacious only 
 where there is faith to receive it, is illustrated and 
 enforced by many passages of Scripture. See, 
 for examples, Isaiah 59 : 1, 2 ; Mark 9 : 23 ; He- 
 brews 4 : 2. 
 
 G. lie marveled. Their unbelief was a real 
 wonder to him. Compare Matt. 8 : 10, note. — 
 He went round about the villages. See 
 Matt. 9 : 35, note. 
 
 7-13. Christ's Commission of tiie Twelve. 
 Matt. 10 : 1-42; Luke 9 : 1-0. The account 
 is much the fullest in Matthew. See notes 
 there. According to Matthew they were not 
 to provide a staff; here one is permitted. The 
 true explanation is, that they were to go as they 
 were, without providing a staff for the journey, 
 but using one if they already possessed it. The 
 scrip was a bag used for carrying food, answer- 
 ing to the modern haversack. For bread, they 
 were to depend on the hospitality of the villages 
 (Matt, io : ii-u). The "money" here is, literally, 
 brass or copper; even the smallest money was not 
 to be provided by them. In Matthew they are 
 directed not to wear shoes ; here, to be shod with 
 sandals. The shoe of the ancients resembled the 
 modern shoe ; the sandal was simply a sole of 
 leather, felt, cloth, or wood bound upon the feet 
 by thongs, the shoe-latchet of Mark 1 : 7. The 
 former was for more delicate use. See Matt. 
 10 : 10, note. Our illustrations show the staff 
 and the scrip of the East, and the ancient shoes 
 and sandals. With the staff and scrip is also 
 represented a leather or skin bottle, such as 
 travelers often used for carrying liquids on jour- 
 neys where water was likely to be inaccessible. 
 The reference to anointing with oil (ver. is) is 
 peculiar to Mark. Oil was in the 0. T. a symbol 
 of divine grace, and anointing with oil a symbol 
 of the gift of the Spirit. See Matt. 25 : 1-18, 
 Prel. Note. Anointing with oil appears here to 
 have been used as a means of teaching the lesson 
 that the healing was wrought by the disciples, 
 not as necromancers — with whom they might 
 otherwise have been confounded, but as Apostles
 
 28 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 14 And* king Herod heard of him ; (for his name 
 was spread abroad ;) and he said, That John the Bap- 
 tist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty 
 works do shew forth themselves in him. 
 
 15 Others 1 said, That it is Elias. And others said, 
 That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 
 
 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, 
 whom I beheaded : he is risen from the dead. 
 
 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold 
 upon John, and bound him in prison, for Herodias' 
 sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married 
 her. 
 
 x Matt. 14 : 1, etc. ; Luke 9 : 7, etc y ch. 8 : 28 ; Matt, 16 : 14. 
 
 of the Lord, and through the gift of his grace. 
 It is evident from the general tenor of the in- 
 structions that the oil was not taken hy them, 
 but tvas such as they found at the houses. The 
 
 practice of using oil in this way was practiced 
 long after (James 5 : 14). There is nothing in this 
 passage to justify the extreme unction of the 
 Romish Church, for that is administered in the 
 
 STAFF, SCRIP, AND SKIN BOTTLE. 
 
 hour of death, to prepare the soul spiritually for 
 the last great change ; this in case of sickness, as 
 a symbol of the miraculous gift of restoration of 
 the body to health. 
 
 14-29. The Death of John the Baptist. 
 Matt. 14 : 1-12 ; Luke 9 : 7-9. See notes on Mat- 
 thew. Luke refers to, but does not describe the 
 death of John the Baptist. Mark gives some par- 
 ticulars not given in Matthew. From his account 
 we learn that it was Herodias who instigated the 
 imprisonment of John (ver. n), that Herod was 
 kept back from earlier putting John to death, 
 not only by a fear of the people (Matt. 11 : 5), but 
 also by a real regard for the prophet (ver. 20), that 
 the snare for the king was laid by the mother 
 (ver. si, note\ that the maiden went and asked 
 counsel of her mother before preferring her re- 
 quest for the head of the prophet, and that he 
 was beheaded by one of the Tctrarch's body-guard 
 (ver. 27, note). On the true chronology, see Matt. 
 11 :1. 
 
 14. And king Herod heard of him. In 
 strictness of speech he was Tetrareh, not king. 
 Matt. 14 : 1. — His name was spread abroad. 
 Increasingly so by the mission of the twelve. 
 
 15. A prophet, like one of the prophets. 
 
 The conjunction or is not in the original. AlforrJ 
 gives the meaning well : " He is not the Prophet 
 for whom all are waiting, but only some prophet 
 like those who have gone before." 
 
 17. Bound him in prison. This prison, 
 as we learn from Josephus, was in the fortified 
 citadel of Machaerus. See Matt. 11 : 2, note. 
 Recent investigations have brought to light the 
 ruins of this fortress, and even the dungeons 
 connected with it. Mr. Tristram (Land ofMoab, 
 p. 272) thus describes the citadel and dungeons 
 annexed to it : "The citadel was placed on the 
 summit of the cone, which is the apex of a long 
 flat ridge, running for more than a mile from west 
 to east. The whole of this ridge appears to have 
 been one extensive fortress, the key of which 
 was kept on the top of the cone, an isolated and 
 almost impregnable work, hut very small, being 
 circular and exactly one hundred yards in diam- 
 eter. The wall of circumvallation can be clearly 
 traced, its foundations all standing out for a 
 yard or two above the surface ; but the interior 
 remains are few. One well of great depth, a very 
 large and deep, oblong, cemented cistern, with the 
 vaulting of the roof still remaining, and — most 
 interesting of all- -two dungeons, one of them
 
 Cn. VI] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful 1 
 for thee to have thy brother's wife. 
 
 19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and 
 would have killed him ; but she could not. 
 
 20 For Herod feared " John, knowing that he was a 
 just man and an holy, and observed him ; and when lie 
 heard him, he did main- things, and heard him gladly. 
 
 21 And when a convenient day was come, that Her- 
 od on his b birthday made a supper to his lords, high 
 captains, and chief estates of Galilee ; 
 
 22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came 
 in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat 
 with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me 
 whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 
 
 23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever d thou shalt 
 ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my king- 
 dom. 
 
 24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother. 
 What shall 1 ask ? And she said, The head of John the 
 Baptist. 
 
 25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the 
 king, and asked, saving, I will that thou give me by 
 ami by, in a charger, the head' of John the Baptist 
 
 26 And the king was exceeding sorry : fet tor his 
 oath's sake, and fur their sakes which sat with him, he 
 would not reject her. 
 
 27 And immediately the king sent an execution r, 
 and commanded his head to be brought : and he went, 
 and beheaded him in the prison, 
 
 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to 
 the damsel : and the damsel gave it to her mother. 
 
 29 And when his disciples heard 0/ it, they ' came 
 andf took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 
 
 30 Ands the apostles gathered themselves together 
 
 z Lev. 18 : 16.... a Eiod. 11 
 
 13; Ezek. 2:6-7....b Gen. 40 : 20. ...c I»a. 3: 16.... d Eslher 5 : 3, 6 ; 7: 2....e Pa. 37: 15, 14.... 
 f Acts 8 : 2....g Luke 9 : 10. 
 
 deep and its sides scarcely broken in, were the 
 only remains clearly to be denned. That these 
 were dungeons, and not cisterns, is evident from 
 there being no traces of cement, which never 
 perishes from the walls of ancient reservoirs, and 
 from the small holes still visible in the masonry, 
 where staples of wood and iron had once been 
 fixed. One of these must surely have been the 
 prison-house of John the Baptist." But appar- 
 ently he was not, throughout his imprisonment, 
 kept in such close confinement as this would in- 
 dicate, since his disciples had access to him. 
 
 18. It is not lawful. See Matt. 14 : 4, 
 note, and Prel. Note to that chapter. 
 
 10. Therefore Herodias was angry with 
 him. More literally, held herself against him. 
 " Had a quarrel " indicates a personal controversy 
 between them, whereas there is nothing to show 
 that the two ever met. — She could not. On 
 account of her husband's opposition to her, de- 
 scribed in the next verse. 
 
 20. For Herod feared John. Matthew 
 6ays, "he feared the multitude." The two ac- 
 counts are not inconsistent. His conscience and 
 his fears supported each other. — And preserved 
 him. Not observed him, as in our English ver- 
 sion. The Greek verb (<ji -ln/oew) is elsewhere 
 rendered preserved (Matt. 9 : it ; Luke 5 : 38), and kept 
 (Luke 2: 19). He guarded John from his wife's 
 malice, and at the same time kept him in prison, 
 and so silenced his public rebuke. 
 
 21. A convenient day. Rather, a season- 
 able day, i. e., for the execution of Herodias' 
 plans. The implication is that Herodias watched 
 her opportunity to obtain by device from her hns- 
 band the death of her enemy, and seized this as 
 a favorable occasion.— Lords, high captains, 
 and first men of Galilee. The first were 
 princes, civilians but men of official rank, the 
 second military officers, the third, perhaps, 
 simply leading men, influential but without spe- 
 cial rank or office. 
 
 22»2>. Compare notes on Matt. 14 : G-0. 
 The word here rendered by and by (ver. 25) should 
 
 rather be rendered immediately. The charger or 
 platter (Luke 11 : 39) was a flat dish answering 
 somewhat to the modern waiter. Our illustra- 
 
 THE CHARGER. 
 
 tion represents this dish and its use, as seen at 
 the present day in Palestine. 
 
 26. For liis oath's sake and for theif 
 sakes that sat with him. His conscience, 
 which regarded his oath more 
 than his higher duty, and his 
 fear of public reproach, opera- 
 ted now to drive him on to the 
 murder, as before they had 
 kept him from it. 
 
 27. An executioner. Ra- 
 ther, one of his body-guard. 
 The Latin version renders it 
 " spicidator." 1 " Under the em- 
 pire, this name was given to a 
 select body of men retained for 
 
 the service of the prince's per- executioner 
 
 son, as a sort of detective force Spiculator. 
 and body-guard. They were 
 
 armed with a lance, and are frequently repre- 
 sented on the columns of Trajan and Antoninus,
 
 30 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had 
 done, and what they had taught. 
 
 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart 
 into a desert place, and rest a while : for there were 
 many coming and going, and they had no leisure so 
 much as to eat. 
 
 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship pri- 
 vately. 
 
 33 And the people saw them departing, and many 
 knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and 
 outwent them, and came together unto him. 
 
 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, 
 and was moved with compassion toward them, be- 
 cause h they were as sheep not having a shepherd ; and 
 he began to teach them many things. 
 
 35 And' when the day was now far spent, his disci- 
 ples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, 
 and now the time is far passed : 
 
 36 Send them away, that they may go into the coun- 
 try round about, and into the villages, and buy them- 
 selves bread : for they have nothing to eat. 
 
 37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them 
 to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we J go and buy 
 two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to 
 eat? 
 
 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye ? 
 go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and 
 two fishes. 
 
 39 And he k commanded them to make all sit down 
 by companies upon the green grass. 
 
 40 And they sat down in ranks by hundreds, and by 
 fifties. 
 
 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the 
 two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, 1 and 
 brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set 
 
 . before them ; and the two fishes divided he among 
 them all. 
 
 42 And they m did all eat, and were filled. 
 
 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the frag- 
 ments, and of the fishes. 
 
 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about 
 five thousand men. 
 
 45 And straightway" he constrained his disciples to 
 get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto 
 Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 
 
 46 And when he had sent them away, he ° departed 
 into a mountain to pray. 
 
 47 And when even was come, the ship was in the 
 midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 
 
 48 And he saw them toiling i> in rowing ; for the wind 
 was contrary unto them : and about the fourth watch 
 of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the 
 sea, and would have passed ' by them. 
 
 49 But when they saw him walking r upon the sea, 
 they 8 supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 
 
 50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And 
 immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, 
 Be of good cheer: ' it is I ; be not afraid. 
 
 51 And he went up unto them into the ship ; and the™ 
 wind ceased : and they were sore amazed in themselves 
 beyond measure, and wondered. 
 
 52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves : 
 for their heart v was hardened. 
 
 53 And w when they had passed over, they came into 
 the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 
 
 54 And when they were come out of the ship, 
 straightway they knew him, 
 
 55 And ran x through that whole region round about, 
 and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, 
 where they heard he was. 
 
 56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or 
 cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and 
 besought him that they might touch/ if it were but the 
 border 2 of his garment: and as many as touched him 
 were made whole. 
 
 b 1 Kings 22 : 17 . i Matt. 14 : 15, etc.; Luke 9 : 12, etc.; John 6 : 5, etc j Numb. 11 : 13, 22; 2 Kings 4 : 43 k ch. 8 : 6 ; Matt. 15 : 35 
 
 11 Sam. 9:13; Mutt. 26:26; Luke 24 : 30 m Deut. 8 : 3. . . » Matt. 14 : 22, etc. ; John 6 : 17, etc. . ..o ch. 1 : 35 ; Mall. 6:6; Luke 
 
 6 : 12.... p Jonah 1 : 13.... q Luke 24: 28 r Job 9 : 8 8 Luke 24 :37....t Isa 43 : 2....uPs. 93 : 3,4.. ..v Isa. 63 : 17.... w Matt. 14:34. 
 
 x ch. 2 : 1-3 ; Matt. 4 : 24 y ch. 5 : 27, 28 ; Matt. 9 : 20 ; Acts 19 : 12 z Numb. 15 : 38, 39. 
 
 in attendance upon the emperor, or keeping 
 guard before his tent, in the manner shown by 
 the example annexed." — {Rich's Dictionary.) 
 
 30-56. The feeding of five thousand. — 
 Walking on the sea. Of these incidents, the 
 first is narrated by all four of the Evangelists — 
 Matt. 14 : 13-21 ; Luke 9 : 10-17 ; John 6 . 1-14 ; 
 the latter is omitted by Luke, but narrated by 
 the other three. John's narrative is fullest. 
 Comp. especially John 6 : 5-8. But Matthew 
 alone narrates Peter's attempt to walk on the 
 6ea (Matt. 14 : 2«-32). Immediately after the return 
 of Christ and his Apostles to Capernaum followed 
 the sermon in the synagogue, which John alone 
 reports. On the chronological order, see note 
 on Matthew ; on the incidents themselves and the 
 subsequent sermon, see notes on John, ch. 6. 
 
 30, 31. These verses are peculiar to Mark. 
 By a desert place is meant merely an uninhabited 
 region of country, not necessarily a barren dis- 
 trict. Luke (9 : 10) identifies the spot as " a 
 desert plain belonging to the city called Beth- 
 saida," a city on the northern coast of the sea, 
 at the point where the river Jordan enters it. 
 Observe Christ's recognition of the need of sea- 
 sons as well as days or hours of rest. 
 
 45. To go before unto the other side 
 
 (els to TtiQar) in the direction of Bethsaida 
 
 (rtQog ptjd-aaidur). According to Luke, the mir- 
 acle of the feeding took place in the vicinity of 
 Bethsaida (Luke 9 : 10), and according to John (e : 1), 
 on the opposite shore of the sea from Caper- 
 naum. Hence it has been conjectured that 
 there were two cities called Bethsaida, one the 
 well-known place of that name, on the northern 
 shore of the sea, to which Luke refers, the other 
 a place now extinct, which is supposed to have 
 been situated somewhere on the western coast. 
 This theory was originated by Beland, and has 
 nothing whatever to sustain it but a laudable de- 
 sire to reconcile the accounts of the Evangelists, 
 which, however, require no such hypothetical 
 second city. If the reader will look at the map 
 of the Sea of Galilee, which accompanies this 
 work (page 342), he will see the site of the true 
 Bethsaida at the point where the River Jordan 
 enters the Sea of Galilee. East of this, on the 
 edge of the sea, is a grassy plain, shut in by the 
 mountains to the east and south, which is admi- 
 rably adapted to such a miracle as that of the 
 feeding of the five thousand, and answers to the 
 description of ver. 39 and John 6 : 10. The ship 
 which Jesus took in the morning, with the 
 twelve, at Capernaum, is properly described as
 
 Ch. VII.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 31 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THEN came ■ together unto him the Pharisees, and 
 certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 
 
 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread 
 with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, 
 they found fault. 
 
 3 Kor the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they 
 
 wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition b of 
 the elders. 
 
 4 And when they come from the market, except they 
 wash,' they eat not. And many other things there be, 
 which they have received to hold, as the washing of 
 cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and ol tables. 
 
 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why 
 walk not thy disciples according to the tradition ot the 
 elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands 1 
 
 a Matt. 15 : 1, etc b Gal. 1 : 14 ; Col. 2 : 8, 22, 23 c Job 9 : 30, 31. 
 
 going over the Sea of Galilee (john6:i) to "a 
 desert place belonging to the city called Beth- 
 said a " (Luke9:io), or even, in general terms, as 
 going "to Bethsaida," as Alford's reading gives 
 it. On the various readings see note on Luke 
 9 : 10. When the meal was ended, and the mul- 
 titude were dismissed, Christ directs his disci- 
 ples to take boat and " go away to the other (i. e., 
 the western) side " (ti: representing the final end 
 of their journey), in the direction of Bethsaida 
 (7iQi>; representing not the end, but the direc- 
 tion), which would lie in their course ; where, 
 after the multitude had* departed, Christ pur- 
 posed to rejoin them. And it is while the disci- 
 ples are rowing against the wind, which prevail- 
 ingly sweeps down upon the sea, from the 
 Lebanon range on the north through the valley 
 of the Jordan, that Christ comes on the waves to 
 meet them. 
 
 55, 56. Comp. Matt. 14 : 34-36, note. Observe 
 that -the people "besought him that they might 
 touch " his garment, an incidental evidence that 
 the healing was afforded, not by any magic in 
 the garment itself, but by the will of Christ, and 
 was so recognized by the people. Comp. notes 
 on Mark 5 : 35-34. 
 
 Oh. 7 : 1-23. OF EATING WITH UNWASHEN HANDS. 
 —Christ's teaching concerning the religion op 
 ritualism : its worship is vain (vers. 6, 7), its origin 
 is human (ver. 8), its effect is the displacement of 
 
 THE DIVINE LAW BY HUMAN CEREMONIES (vers. 9-13).— 
 
 Christ's teaching concerning purity: it is inter- 
 nal, NOT EXTERNAL (vers. 14-16.) 
 
 This discourse is recorded only by Mark and 
 Matthew (15 : 1-20). The former's report is fullest ; 
 but the timid remonstrance of the disciples, and 
 Christ's reply, are peculiar to Matthew (ch. 15 : 15-14, 
 and notes). The time is not certain ; probably the 
 summer of A. d. 29 (Andrews), immediately after 
 the sermon at Capernaum (John, ch. 6), and during 
 the missionary circuit briefly described in Mark 
 6 : 55, 56 ; Matt. 14 : 34-36. If so, it was near 
 the close of Christ's Galilean ministry. 
 
 1. Coming from Jerusalem. Probably 
 sent there, formally or informally, by the Sanhe- 
 drim, to investigate the character and mission 
 of Christ, as a previous delegation had been 
 sent to attend the ministry of John the Baptist. 
 See John 1 : 19. 
 
 2-5. And when they saw some of his 
 disciples. Not necessarily here any of the 
 twelve, but probably that is the meaning. — Eat 
 with defiled hands. The word here ren- 
 dered defiled, is rendered common in Arts 10 : 
 14, 28, and unclean in Rom. 14 : 14. — That is, 
 with unwashen hands. Not with dirty 
 hands, but with hands which had not been sub- 
 jected to the ceremonial process described be- 
 low. — They found fault. "The Pharisee 
 takes more pleasure in blaming another than 
 in amending himself." — (Quesnel.) — For the 
 Pharisees and all the Jews, i. e., the Ju- 
 deans, the inhabitants of Judea, the southern 
 province of the Holy Land, where the influence 
 of the ecclesiastics was very considerably greater 
 than in Galilee. — Except they wash their 
 hands oft. There is some uncertainty as to 
 the meaning of the word rendered oft. Some 
 critics give the rendering of our English version, 
 others, as Alford, render it "sedulously." It 
 is, literally, with the fist, and that appears to me 
 to be the better rendering. It is, then, a refer- 
 ence to the Rabbinical rules, which are said to 
 have required the rubbing of the open palm with 
 the closed fist. — Eat not, holding fast. Not 
 merely holding but holding firmly. See for 
 analogous use of the same word, Col. 2 : 19; 
 2 Thess. 2 : 15 ; Heb. 4 : 14 ; Rev. 2 : 13 ; 3 : 11. 
 And observe, by examining these references, 
 what the Christian should hold fast, — The tra- 
 dition of the elders. Alford, following Meyer, 
 renders this of the ancients, and Hebrews 11 : 1 is 
 an evidence that the Greek is capable of this 
 meaning. But the original (itosoflvTiQos), gen- 
 erally signifies, in the N. T., a certain class of 
 officials, partly ecclesiastical, partly political. 
 See Matt. 16 : 21, note. That it is used in this 
 ecclesiastical sense here, is indicated by Light- 
 foot's quotations from the Rabbinical writings : 
 "The words of the elders are weightier than the 
 words of the prophets." In fact, their "words" 
 were traditions derived from their ancestors, and 
 exalted above Scripture, as at a later day the 
 traditions of the church were exalted above 
 Scripture by the church of Rome.— And com- 
 ing from the market except they plunge; 
 literally baptize. The Greek word here is not 
 the same as that rendered wash in the previous, 
 verse. Apparently, in the ritual of the Pharisees,
 
 32 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias 
 prophesied 11 of you hypocrites, as it is written, This 
 people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is 
 far trom me. 
 
 7 Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teaching for 
 doctrines the commandments of men. 
 
 8 For laying e aside the commandment of God, ye 
 hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and 
 cups : and many other such like things ye do. 
 
 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the 
 commandment of God, that ye may keep your own 
 tradition. 
 
 1 : 13 e Isa. 1 : 12. 
 
 washing by the pouring on of water sufficed for 
 those who remained at home, while the immer- 
 sion of the hands in water was required for those 
 who had gone abroad. It was the hands, not 
 the whole body, nor the article brought from 
 market, that was required to be washed. — And 
 many other things there be which they 
 have received to hold, as the washing 
 (literally, baptizing) of cups and pots (or meas- 
 ures) and brazen vessels, wooden ones were 
 to be broken if unclean (Lev. 15 : 12), and couches : 
 not tables, but the couches on which the guests 
 
 reclined at the meal. (See Matt. 26 : 20, note and illustration.) 
 
 It is hardly credible that these lounges were im- 
 mersed ; we have, therefore, here an evidence 
 that the Greek word rendered in the N. T. bap- 
 tism or baptize, does not in the N. T. usage 
 always signify immersion. The ceremonial clean- 
 sing of the furniture in the room was probably 
 done by sprinkling ; while that of the person 
 appears to have been done by immersion. — Why 
 walk not thy disciples according to the 
 traditions of the elders ? — The common ques- 
 tion of ecclesiasticism in all ages, which makes 
 the traditions of the church, not the law of God, 
 the standard of life. 
 The law of Moses required ceremonial wash- 
 
 MODEKN HAND-WASHING. 
 
 ings : (1) of certain sacred persons, as the priests 
 
 at their Consecration (Exod. 40 : 12; Lev. 8:6; comp. Num. 
 
 8:6-7,21), and habitually before sacrificing (Exod. 
 
 30 : 18-21 ; 40 : 30-32 ; Lev. 16 : 4, 2l) ; (3) of all the peo- 
 ple on certain special occasions, as the leper oil 
 being pronounced clean of his leprosy (Lev. u : 8, 9), 
 the man with an issue, etc. (Lev. 15 : 5, 6, etc.) ; (3) 
 as a testimony to innocence (Deut. 21 : 1-9). Analo- 
 gous to the first of these is the modern practice 
 by the priests in the Romish and Greek churches 
 of washing the hands immediately before cele- 
 brating mass ; analogous to the second is the use 
 of holy water by all the worshippers. The Mo- 
 hammedan still washes five times a day that he 
 may approach God acceptably in prayer. Our 
 illustration, which is taken from actual life, 
 shows the practice as it is scrupulously observed 
 to the present day in Palestine. It is evident 
 that the Jewish requirements were partly sani- 
 tary ; this is clearly the case with certain of the 
 requirements in Lev. ch. 15 ; but they were partly 
 ceremonial. The Pharisees converted the Mosaic 
 ablutions into an elaborate and burdensome 
 ritual. They never entered their houses without 
 washing, lest they should have unknowingly 
 contracted defilement in the streets ; and as the 
 hands were held to communicate uncleanness 
 to the food, they never ate without a previous 
 ceremonial washing of the hands. This was 
 required to be done in a prescribed manner, by 
 plunging them three times up to the wrists, in 
 running water, which was fresh, and had done 
 no work. Whether water was ceremonially fresh 
 which had been kept so by the intermixture of 
 vinegar or lemon-juice, whether it had done no 
 work if in it fish had been bred or eggs boiled, — 
 these were serious theological problems. Such 
 a ceremonialism was not regarded by the com- 
 mon people, who were content simply to wash 
 their hands for the purpose of actual cleanli- 
 ness, before meals. The scribes condemned the 
 disciples, not for eating literally with unwashen 
 hands, but with hands which had not been 
 ceremonially washed, and this only as a means of 
 condemning Christ, who, as a religious teacher, 
 was expected to require the ritualism of his 
 day from his immediate followers. " Their 
 wonder was that Jesus had not inculcated this 
 observance on his followers, and not, as some 
 have fancied, that he had enjoined them to 
 neglect what had been their previous practice." 
 —(Kitto.) 
 6. Esaias. Isaiah 29 : 13. Observe the rest
 
 Ch. VII.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 33 
 
 10 For Moses said, Honour' thy father and thy 
 mother ; and, Whoso cursethe father or mother, let him 
 die the death. 
 
 ii Hut ye say, If a man shall say to his father or 
 mother, // is Corban, 1 ' that is to say, a gift, by whatso- 
 ever thou mightest be profited by me; lie shall be free. 
 
 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his 
 father or his mother ; 
 
 :3 Making the word of God of none effect through 
 
 your tradition, which ye have delivered : and many 
 such like things do ye. 
 
 i I And when he had called all the people unto him, 
 he said unto them, Hearken unto me, every one of you, 
 and understand : ' 
 
 15 There is nothing from without :i man that, enter- 
 ing into him, can defile him : but tin- things whi h come 
 out of him, those are they that defile tin- man. 
 
 16 If any J man have ears to hear, let him hear. 
 
 f Exod. 20 : 12; Deut. 5 : 16 
 
 . . .g Exod. 21 : 17 ; Lev. 20 : 9 ; Prov. 20 : 20. . . .h Matt. 15:5; 23 
 8:30....j Matt. 11 : 15. 
 
 18. . . .1 Prov. 8:5; km. 6:9; AcU 
 
 of the prophet's description of the formalists : 
 "Their fear toward me is taught by the precept 
 of men." 
 
 7-9. In vain do they worship me. Comp. 
 Isaiah 1 : 10-15. — Teaching as doctrines the 
 commandments of men. Not for, i.e., in lieu 
 of doctrines, but teaching doctrines which are of 
 human origin. — For laying aside the com- 
 mandment of God ; this the rigorous ceremo- 
 nialist generally does ; ye hold fast the tradi- 
 tions of men, literally, the things given by men. 
 That is, a tradition of men which is handed down 
 from father to son, is traceable only to a human 
 author, yet is cited by the ecclesiastic as an 
 authority, as though it came from God. — Excel- 
 lently well. The language is that of bitter 
 6arcasm. — Ye displace the commandment 
 of God, that ye may observe the traditions 
 of men. Literally, keep close watch over ; comp. 
 Matt. 19 : 17, note, latter clause. On the whole 
 passage, comp. Matt. 23 : 16-19 ; and Col. 2 : 18-23, 
 and observe here, (1) the nature of that which 
 Christ reprobates, the employment as an au- 
 thority in religion of systems of doctrine, ethics 
 or ritual, which are of human origin, a radical 
 vice, whether the system be a Protestant creed, 
 a Romish ritual, or a Jewish ceremonial ; (2) the 
 folly of all religion founded on such human au- 
 thority ; " In rain do they worship me," because 
 it substitutes allegiance to man for allegiance to 
 God ; (3) the effect of it, the displacement of 
 the divine laws which concern the heart-life, by 
 human rules, which require only external con- 
 duct, An unconscious desire to be rid of God's 
 spiritual law is the true secret of all additions to 
 the simple religion of the Bible. What follows 
 is an illustration taken from Jewish casuistry, 
 of the nature and effect of this substitution of 
 human for divine authority. 
 
 10-12. For Moses said. In Matthew (is : 4), 
 it is, "For God commanded." "A remarkable 
 testimony from our Lord to the divine origin of 
 the Mosaic law ; not merely of the Decalogue as 
 such, for the second commandment quoted is not 
 in the Decalogue." — (Afford.) — Honor thy 
 father and mother. See Exod. 20 : 12 ; Deut. 
 5 : 1(5. — And whoso cnrseth father or mother 
 let him die the death, i. e., let him be put to 
 death, literally, Let him end in death. The quo- 
 
 tation is from Exod. 21 : 17 ; Lev. 20 : 9.— But 
 ye say. The quotation which follows is from 
 the Rabbinical rules. There are two difliculties 
 in its interpretation: (1) Its grammatical con- 
 struction ; (2) the uncertainty respecting the law 
 to which it refers. As to its grammatical con- 
 struction, our translators have undoubtedly 
 given the sense correctly, but the addition of the 
 words he shall be free is not grammatically neces- 
 sary, though sanctioned by some of the critics. 
 The true meaning of the passage may be thus 
 rendered, If a man shall say to his father or 
 mother, That by which thou mightest be profited by 
 me is corban (that is, a gift, consecrated to God), 
 ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or 
 mother. So in the parallel passage in Matt. 15 : 
 5, 6, the verb honor not his father or his mother 
 is, according to the best readings, in the future, 
 and the passage reads, " Whosoever shall say to 
 his father or his mother, That by which thou might- 
 est have been profited by me is a gift, he shall not 
 honor his father or his mother.'''' For different 
 grammatical readings, see Schaff's Note on Matt. 
 15 : 5, G, in Lange on Matthew. As to the Rabbini- 
 cal law to which it refers, the facts appear to have 
 been as follows. The Mosaic law laid down 
 rules for vows both affirmative and negative. 
 By the former, persons, animals, and property 
 might be devoted to God ; by the latter, persons 
 interdicted themselves, or were interdicted by 
 their parents, from the use of certain things, 
 either temporarily or permanently (Lev. ch. ■.: ; 
 
 Num. ch. 30: Judges 13 : 7 ; Acts 18:18; 21 : 23, 24). On 
 
 these rules the rabbis enlarged, and laid down 
 that a man might not only interdict himself 
 from using for himself, but also from giving to 
 another anything. The thing thus interdicted 
 was considered as corban, that is, as consecrated 
 to God, yet the person making the vow might 
 use it for himself; his vow only bound him not 
 to give it to the other. So far was this doctrine 
 carried, that the contemptuous or angry use of 
 the language of a vow was held to exempt the 
 person making it from his obligations of assist- 
 ance, so that a child, on beui2: applied to for aid 
 by his parents, might even contemptuously re- 
 ply, Let it be corban whatever of mine might 
 profit you, and this simple expression freed him 
 from the filial obligation of supporting his par-
 
 3-1 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 17 And vvhen k he was entered into the house from 
 the people, his disciples asked him concerning the par- 
 able. 
 
 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without under- 
 standing also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever 
 thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot de- 
 file him ; 
 
 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but 1 into 
 the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all 
 meats ? 
 
 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, 
 that defileth the man. 
 
 21 P'or from m within, out of the heart of men, pro- 
 ceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 
 
 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lascivi- 
 ousness, an evil eye. blasphemy, pride, foolishness : 
 
 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile 
 the man. 
 
 24 And from" thence he arose, and went into the 
 borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, 
 and would have no man know it : but he ° could not 
 be hid. 
 
 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had 
 an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell b* 
 his feet : 
 
 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by na- 
 tion; and she besought him that he would cast forth 
 the devil out of her daughter. 
 
 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be 
 filled: forPit is not meet to take the children's bread, 
 and to cast it unto the dogs. 
 
 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord : 
 yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's 
 crumbs. 
 
 29 And he said unto her, For r this saying go thy 
 way ; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 
 
 30 And when she was come to her house, she found 
 the devil gone 8 out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. 
 
 31 And again,' departing from the coasts of Tyre and 
 Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the 
 midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 
 
 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and 
 had an impediment in his speech ; and they beseech 
 him to put nis hand upon him. 
 
 k Matt. 15 : 15, etc 
 1> Malt. 7 : 
 
 .1 1 Cor. 
 ; 10 ■:&, 6. 
 
 : 13.... m Gen. 6 : 5 ; Ps. 14 : 1, 3 ; 53 : 1, 3 ; Jer. 17 :9....n Matt. 16 : 21, etc....o ch. 
 .q Rom. 15 : 8, 9 ; Ephes. 2 : 12-14 r Isa. 66 : 2 s 1 John 3:8 t Matt. 15 : 29, etc. 
 
 ents. Such casuistry would be incredible were 
 not its parallel to be found in the Jesuitical casu- 
 istry of the seventeenth century. 
 
 13. Making the word of God of none 
 effect through your traditions. The con- 
 ference began by an accusation of illegal teach- 
 ing, brought by the scribes against Christ ; it 
 ends with an accusation of illegal teaching, 
 brought by Christ against the scribes. 
 
 14, 15. And when he had called all the 
 people. The previous conference was with the 
 scribes who had come up from Jerusalem for the 
 purpose of confounding Christ (ver. i ; Matt, is ; 1). 
 The teaching that follows was public. — There is 
 nothing from without a man that entering 
 in can defile him; but, etc. This verse is to 
 be interpreted by the subject-matter and by verses 
 18 and 19. Nothing that is and remains external 
 to man, and enters only into his body, not into 
 his heart to become a part of his character, can 
 defile. The Pharisees feared defilement from 
 their food ; it is of this defilement our Lord 
 speaks. Comp. Matt. 15 : 11. " Not that which 
 goeth into the mouth.' 1 ' 1 But underlying this is 
 the deeper truth, that nothing which is external 
 to character can defile the soul, so long as it re- 
 mains external, does not become incorporated in 
 the character. Evidently this verse is only a 
 brief epitome of a considerable discourse. 
 
 1 6. See Matt, 11 : 15, note. 
 
 17-19. His disciples asked him. By dis- 
 ciples is here meant, probably, the twelve. Ac- 
 cording to Matthew, Peter was the spokesman. — 
 Without understanding, i. e., without spirit- 
 ual appreciation of the truth.— Because itenter- 
 eth not into his heart. That which is from 
 without and does enter the heart can defile a man. 
 — Goeth out into the tlrausht, cleansing 
 all the food. Whatever food the body needs it 
 
 assimilates, and whatever it needs is not unclean 
 nor defiling. Whatever it does not need, it, by a 
 natural process, rejects from the system. Thus 
 nature provides for its own purification, and the 
 laws of health are the only laws of cleanness and 
 uncleanness which the Christian need recognize. 
 In this declaration is the germ of the doctrine 
 which Paul subsequently expounded more fully 
 
 (Rom. 14 : 2, 3, 14 ; 1 Cor. ch. 8). 
 
 20-23. Observe in these verses, (1) that the 
 defilement which Christ recognizes is one of the 
 soul, and consists, therefore, of something in 
 the heart, not foreign to it ; (2) that all the vices 
 here catalogued and described as evil thoughts, 
 the evil even of adultery, murder and theft, lie 
 primarily and chiefly in the thought, only second- 
 arily in the outward act and its visible effects ; 
 (3) that Christ refutes the idea, sometimes ex- 
 pressed, that if there is evil in a man he had 
 better let it out in expression rather than keep it 
 in ; our Lord declares that the coming out itself 
 defiles. The "evil eye "is not merely, as Lange, 
 an "envious eye," but an eye which is apt, in 
 any form, to evil, the eye here standing for the 
 desires which look through it and are inflamed 
 by it. Comp. Prov. 28 : 22 ; Matt. 6 : 22, 23 ; 
 18 : 9 ; 20 : 15 ; 1 John 2 : 16. 
 
 23. To thisverse Matthew makesthe significant 
 addition: "But to eat with unwashen hands," 
 i. e., with hands not subjected to a ceremonial 
 washing, "defileth not a man." 
 
 24-30. The Syrophxenician woman. Pecu- 
 liar to Matthew (is : 21-28) and Mark. See notes on 
 Matthew, whose account is fullest. Observe in 
 verse 24 here the incidental evidence of Christ's 
 extended fame and wide popularity among the 
 common people. 
 
 Ch. 7 : 31-37. HEALING OF THE DEAF AND DUMB.— 
 Christ's mission : to give power to receive and
 
 Ch. VIL] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 35 
 
 33 Anil he took him aside from the multitude, and put 
 his ringers into his ears, and he u spit, and touched his 
 tongue ; 
 
 34 And looking" up to heaven, he™ sighed, and saith 
 unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 
 
 35 And straightway x his ears were opened, and the 
 string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 
 
 36 And he charged them that they should tell no 
 man: but the more he < harged them, so uiu< h the 
 more a great deal they published it; 
 
 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying/ 
 lie hath done all things well: he maketh' both the 
 deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. 
 
 u ch. 8 : 23; Juhn 9 : 6....V ch. 6 :41 ; John 11 Ml ; 17 ; 1... w Juhn 11 : 33, 38... x Matt. 8 : 3, 15 y Pi. 139: 1-4: AcU 14: 11. 
 
 2 Exud. 4: 1U, 11. 
 
 POWER TO PROCLAIM THE TRUTH.— An ILLUSTRATION 
 OF HIS METHOD OF AWAKENING FAITII IN THOSE BE- 
 YOND THE REACH OF HIS SPOKEN WORD. 
 
 Peculiar to Mark. It is one of the miracles 
 described in general terms by Matt. 15 : 30, 31. 
 The chronological crder is the same in both Gos- 
 pels ; the miracle belongs to Christ's period of 
 retirement, subsequent to the close of his public 
 ministry in Galilee, and before his going up to 
 Jerusalem, I. <?., between John, chaps. and 7. 
 
 31. Tyre and Sidou. See Matt. 11 : 21, 
 note. — He came through the midst of the 
 territory of Decapolis. Matt. 4 : 25, note. 
 Probably Christ made a detour round the north- 
 ern shore of the Lake of Galilee (see map, p. 340), 
 coining thus into the region of the sea, but still 
 keeping in retirement by remaining in heathen 
 territory. That the word here rendered coast is 
 equivalent to territory see Matt. 2 : 16 ; 4 : 13 ; 
 8:31, etc. — They bring unto him, i. e., the 
 people bring; one that was deaf and had 
 an impediment in his speech. Literally, a 
 dumb stammerer. That he could speak, but not 
 plainly, is indicated by the effect of his cure, 
 "he could speak plain " (ver. 35). 
 
 33, 34. He took him aside. As he did 
 subsequently the blind man (ch. 8 : 23), because he 
 was seeking retirement with his disciples, and 
 wished to avoid publicity. The indications that 
 his public ministry in Galilee was at an end, and 
 that he sought retirement with his apostles for 
 rest and private instruction, are repeated con- 
 tinually in this portion of his life. See ver. 24, 
 ch. 8 : 27 and Matt. 15 : 29-39, note, p. 195, and 
 ref. there. But Trench's remark on our Lord's 
 course here is suggestive. " The Lord does now 
 oftentimes lead a soul apart, sets it in the soli- 
 tude of a sick-chamber, or in loneliness of spirit, 
 or takes away from it earthly companions and 
 friends, when he would speak with it and heal 
 it." — And put his fingers into his ears, and 
 having spit, *'. e., probably, touched his finger 
 with spittle, he touched his tongue, i. e., the 
 dumb man's tongue. I can only understand this 
 by supposing it was a chosen means of communi- 
 cating with the dumb man, and by sympathy 
 through the touch awakening his faith. For all 
 other media of communication were closed ex- 
 cept that of touch, unless we suppose the man 
 able to read writing and Christ provided with 
 implements of writing, neither of which is prob- 
 
 able. It was an appeal to the man's trust, like 
 that made in other cases by a word, and re- 
 quired of the man at least a tacit obedience, as a 
 requisite to the cure. — And sighed. Possibly 
 this expresses the idea of an inarticulate prayer, 
 as Robinson interprets it (Rob. Lex., oytvi - 
 more probably it is an expression of Christ's 
 deep-felt sympathy with the suffering of sin- 
 stricken humanity, as in the parallel case at the 
 r< surrection of Lazarus (johu 11 : 83-35). — And said 
 unto him, Ephphatha. An Aramaic expres- 
 sion. See note on Mark 5 : 41 . 
 
 35. And' straightway. Immediately. — 
 His hearing, not his ears ; the word is differ- 
 ent from that rendered ears in verse 33 (it is 
 uxuil, not ovc), and the language implies a deep- 
 seated difficulty. — Was opened : and the 
 string of his tongue, the hinderance, whatever 
 it was, which before prevented his speaking 
 plainly. — Was loosed. Evidently the imper- 
 fection in utterance was not merely a conse- 
 quence of loss of hearing, but there was a physi- 
 cal difficulty with the organs of speech. — And 
 he spake plain. Impliedly, both here and in 
 verse 32, he could speak before, but not so as to 
 be easily understood. 
 
 3G. Comp. Matt. 8 : 4, note. Here there was 
 special reason for the prohibition in that Christ 
 was seeking to avoid the public and to secure 
 quiet conference with his apostles. See verse 
 33, note. 
 
 37. He hath done all things well. Comp. 
 Gen. 1 : 31. " This work was properly and wor- 
 thily compared with that first one of creation— it 
 was the same Beneficence which prompted and 
 the same Power that wrought it." — (Aifonl.) — 
 He maketh both the deaf to hear and the 
 dumb to speak. Spiritually this characterizes 
 Christ's ministry, for still he opens the ears of 
 those deaf to spiritual truth, so that hearing they 
 hear and do understand, and unstops the tongue 
 of silent disciples, and teaches them to speak his 
 praise. Comp. Isaiah 35 : 5 ; Matt. 13 : 10. See 
 also 1 Cor. 2 : 10, 11-16. 
 
 Ch. 8 : 1-10. The Feeding of the Four 
 Thousand. This miracle is recounted only here 
 and in Matt. 15 : 33-38. It is not to be confounded 
 with the feeding of the five thousand, described 
 by all four Evangelists (Matt, u : is-si ; Mark c : ss-m : 
 Luke 9 : io-i7: John 6 : 1-14). "Every circumstance 
 which can vary, does vary, in the two accounts.
 
 3G 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VIIL 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 IN those a days the multitude being very great, and 
 having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto 
 him, and saith unto them, 
 
 2 I have compassion b on the multitude, because they 
 have now been with me three days, and have nothing 
 to eat : 
 
 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own 
 houses, they will faint by the way : for divers of them 
 came from far. 
 
 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence 
 can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wil- 
 derness ? 
 
 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? 
 And they said, Seven. 
 
 a Matt. 15 : 32, etc b Ps. 145 : 8, 15 ; Ikb. 5 : 2. 
 
 ch. 6 : 36, 37, etc. 
 
 The situation in the wilderness, the kind of food 
 at hand, the blessing and breaking and distribut- 
 ing by means of the disciples, these are common 
 to the two accounts, and were likely to be so ; 
 but here the matter is introduced by the Lord 
 himself, with an expression of pity for the mul- 
 titude who had continued with him three days ; 
 here, also, the provision is greater, the numbers 
 are less than on the former occasion." — (Alford.) 
 What is conclusive on this question, however, is 
 our Lord's reference to both miracles (Matt, ig : 9, 10), 
 which, as Alford justly says, "must have been 
 forged if the two are identical ; ' ' and his dis- 
 crimination there between the traveling baskets 
 employed on the one occasion, and the grain 
 baskets on the other, — a discrimination which 
 tallies exactly with the language of the two 
 narratives. In all four accounts of the first mir- 
 acle the baskets used in gathering up the frag- 
 ments are designated in the original by the word 
 cophinus (zucpivog), "traveling basket," while in 
 both the Evangelists the baskets used on the 
 occasion of the feeding of the four thousand are 
 designated by the word sporta (ff.Tio/c), grain 
 basket. This distinction is recognized by Christ 
 in his subsequent recall of the two miracles. 
 See Matt. 10 : 9, 10, note, where illustrations of 
 the two kinds of baskets are given. Unfortu- 
 nately, there is nothing in our English version to 
 indicate this difference. The only reason for 
 imagining the two miracles to be identical, is the 
 seemingly singular fact that the disciples, after 
 witnessing the feeding of the five thousand, 
 should be perplexed what to do for the provision 
 of the four thousand. But, (1) the disciples did 
 not on this occasion, as on the other, propose to 
 6end the people away (Matt, u : 15), though now 
 three and then but one day had passed ; they 
 waited for Christ to do as he would ; (3) their 
 question here (ver. 4) hardly indicates a doubt ; it 
 is elicited by Christ's previous question, and is 
 such as they might readily have proposed, if 
 they wished merely to leave all to Christ without 
 suggesting, as they never did throughout all his 
 ministry, the performance of a miracle ; (3) 
 even if the facts showed a failure to believe and 
 trust in divine power, similar instances are 
 common in Scripture history, and, unhappily, 
 not rare in the Christian experience of the disci- 
 ples of to-day. Coinp. Exod. 10 : 13 with Numb. 
 
 11 : 21, 22, and Exod. 17 : 1-7, following the 
 passage of Israel through the middle of the Red 
 Sea. With the account of this miracle should 
 be carefully compared that of the feeding of the 
 five thousand. The spiritual significance of the 
 two is the same ; and for that the reader is re- 
 ferred to the notes on John, ch. 0, especially 
 verses 1-14. 
 
 1,2. In those days. The time is apparently 
 during Christ's period of retirement, after his 
 withdrawal from Galilee as indicated by Matt. 
 15 : 21 ; the place, the high table-land east of the 
 Sea of Galilee (Matt. 15 : 29 with Mark 7 : 31), in the terri- 
 tory of Decapolis, which was occupied largely by 
 a Roman population. This ministry of feeding 
 does not then belong properly to Christ's Galilean 
 ministry. The former feeding was on the nor- 
 thern coast of the Sea of Galilee, among the Jews ; 
 this one was among the heathen. — Nothing 
 to eat. Not to be taken literally ; for this would 
 imply, either a three-days' fast, or a singularly 
 improvident consumption of their provisions. 
 They had with them no adequate supply for their 
 wants. Iu the East, meat is used much less 
 than with us. Milk, fruits, and various prepara- 
 tions of bread are staple articles of diet. Three 
 days' sojourn in the wilderness would not, there- 
 fore, require with them so great preparation as 
 with us. And the wilderness (ver. 4) was not a 
 true desert, but a country district, remote from 
 towns, and consequently from habitations, since, 
 on account of wild beasts and robbers, the people 
 lived almost wholly in towns and villages. 
 
 3-5. From afar. Comp Matt. 4 : 25, note. 
 — Bread — Loaves. The bread of the East is 
 baked in thin round cakes or sheets, like our 
 crackers in form. They were often baked by 
 spreading the dough, when prepared, on stones 
 previously heated, or throwing it on to the heated 
 embers itself, or placing it between layers of 
 dung, which burns slowly, and is therefore es- 
 pecially adapted to the purpose. Dr. Robinson 
 (Biblical Jtesearches, II, 490) describes such a 
 baking : " They had brought along some flour, or 
 rather meal, of wheat and barley filled with chaff, 
 of which they now kneaded a round, flat cake 
 of some thickness. This they threw into the 
 ashes and coals of a fire they had kindled, and 
 after due time brought out a loaf of bread as 
 black on the outside as the coals themselves, and
 
 Ch. VIIL] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 3? 
 
 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the | 
 ground : and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, 
 and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them ; 
 and they did set them before the people. 
 
 7 And they had a few small rislics: and he blessed," 1 
 and commanded to set them also belore tht vi. 
 
 8 So they did eat, and were 'filled: and they 'took 
 up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 
 
 9 And they that had eaten were about lour thousand : 
 and he sent them away. 
 
 io And straightway* he entered into a ship with his 
 disciples, and came into the part-, ot Dalmanutha. 
 
 d Matt. 14 : 19 e Ps. 107 : 6, 6 ; 145 : 16 f 1 Kings 17 : 14-16 ; 2 Kings 4 : 2-7, 42-44 g Matt. 15 : 39. 
 
 not much whiter within." Comp. note on John 
 6 : 9. The accompanying illustration represents 
 some loaves as they were discovered in a baker's 
 shop at Pompeii ; they are about eight inches in 
 diameter, and in shape and size resemble those 
 
 LOAVE3 OF BREAD. 
 
 then in use among the Jews. Besides the loaves 
 the disciples had "a few small fishes" (verse 7). 
 Fish, both fresh and salt, appear to have been a 
 common article of food, especially about the 
 Sea of Galilee. 
 
 6-9. Gave thanks and 
 brake. Christ's practice F 
 of giving thanks before 
 
 meal (comp. 6 : 41 ; 14 : 22 ; Luke \ 
 
 24 : 30) is a precedent for 
 the modern custom of 
 asking a blessing at meal 
 time. — And gave to his 
 disciples to set before 
 them. A symbol of the 
 truth that only as Christ's 
 ministers receive the truth 
 from Christ can they dis- 
 tribute the truth to the 
 people. For Christ, by his 
 sermon after the previous 
 feeding (John, ch. s), makes of 
 the miracle an enacted 
 parable. — So they did 
 eat and were tilled, 
 i. e., satisfied. Observe 
 the simplicity of the nar- 
 rative ; seven loaves and a 
 few small fishes blessed by 
 Christ, and four thousand 
 people adequately fed by 
 them- -of these two facts 
 the narrators are sure, for 
 they were eye-witnesses ; 
 the reader is left to draw 
 his own conclusions. — 
 — Seven baskets. See Prel. Note above, and 
 note on Matt. 16 : 9, 10, for illustration of backets. 
 10. Into the parts of Dalmanutha. Matt. 
 
 15 : 39 says Magdala, or, according to the better 
 reading, Magadan. The exact location is uncer- 
 tain ; it appears from the narrative to have been 
 on the western coast of the sea, though it is not 
 necessarily implied that Jesus crossed the sea. 
 Both Matthew (is : 39) and Mark here use indefinite 
 language, one saying he " came into the coasts of 
 Magdala," the other that he came " into the parts 
 of Dalmanutha." He may therefore have landed 
 at a point near two towns which were adjacent ; 
 and this is the ordinary view. The map, p. 342, 
 shows the general location. Dr. Howard Crosby, 
 however, has suggested the not improbable con- 
 jecture that the two may be identified. A private 
 note to me thus states this conjecture : "One of 
 the Levitical cities of Naphtali was Kartan (josh. 
 21 : 32), apparently in the southern part of Naph- 
 
 TOWER OF TIBERIAS. 
 
 tali. Kartan is not mentioned in Josh. 19 : 35-38, 
 as so prominent a Levitical city would naturally 
 be. The other Levitical cities, Kedesh and
 
 38 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 ii And the Pharisees' 1 came forth, and began to 
 question with him, seeking of him a sign trom heaven, 
 tempting him. 
 
 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why 
 doth this generation seek after a sign ? verily I say unto 
 you, There shall no sign be given unto this genera- 
 tion. 
 
 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again 
 departed to the other side. 
 
 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, 
 neither had they in the ship with them more than one 
 loaf. 
 
 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, be- 
 ware 1 of the leaven J of the Pharisees, and 0/the leaven 
 of Herod. 
 
 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It 
 is because we have no bread. 
 
 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, 
 Why reason ye, because ye have no bread ? perceive k 
 ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart 1 
 yet hardened ? 
 
 18 Having eyes, m see ye not ? and having ears, hear 
 ye not ? and do ye not remember ? " 
 
 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thou- 
 sand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? 
 They say unto him. Twelve. 
 
 20 And when the seven" among four thousand, how 
 many baskets full of fragments took ye up ? And they 
 said, Seven. 
 
 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not 
 understand ? 
 
 22 And he cometh to Rethsaida : and they bring a 
 blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him/* 
 
 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led 
 him out of the town; and when he had spit r on his 
 eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he 
 saw ought. 
 
 24 And he looked up, and said, I 8 see men as trees, 
 walking. 
 
 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, 
 and made him look up : and he was restored, and saw ' 
 every man clearly. 
 
 Ii Malt. 12 : 38 ; 16 : 1, etc ; John 6 : 30. ...i Prov. 19 : 27 ; 
 
 I . h. 3 : 5 ; 16 : 14. . . .m Isn. 44 : 18. . . .n 2 Pet. 1 : 12 
 
 1-9; Matt. 15 : 34-;:8....q Isa. 35 : 5, 6 j Matt. 11 ; 5. ... 
 4 : 18 ; Isa. 32 : 3 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 9. 
 
 ! : 1....J Exod. 12 : 20 ; Lev. 2 : 
 38, 44 ; Matt. 14 : 17-21 ; Luke 
 33 a Judges 9 : 36 ; Isa. 29 
 
 1 Or. 5 : 6-8.... k cli. 6: 52.... 
 
 12-17 ; John 6 : 5-13 |> ver. 
 
 ; 1 Cor. 13 : 11, 12 t Prov. 
 
 Hammatb, are. Migdal-el (josh. 19 : 38) I there- 
 fore conjecture to be Kartan. If so, it would be 
 naturally called Migdal-Manutba (Hebrew, Mig- 
 dal-Menath), 'tower of tbe portion,' i. e., the 
 Levitical portion." From this compound name 
 might easily come the two names Magdala and 
 Dalmanutha, the former being the original name, 
 Migdal-el ; the latter, an abbreviation of the ful- 
 ler name Migdal-Manutha. It is true that the 
 supposed site of Magdala is a little south of the 
 supposed boundary of Naphtali ; but neither can 
 be fixed with sufficient certainty to make this 
 conclusive. It would appear not improbable 
 that sites often received their name, as in the 
 case of Magdala, from a tower in connection with 
 them. The accompanying cut shows the ruins 
 of an ancient tower at Tiberias. The reader is 
 looking north ; before him is the Sea of Galilee ; 
 Mt. Hermon is in the distance ; to the left, hid- 
 den behind the town, is the site of Magdala or 
 Dalmanutha, which means tower. 
 
 11-13. Request of a Sign from Heaven. 
 See notes on Matt. 10 : 1-4. The statement here, 
 "He sighed deeply in his spirit," is peculiar to 
 Mark, and is a touching testimony to the pity of 
 Christ, which embraced even such captious and 
 cavilling spirits as these Pharisees. His depart- 
 ure again so soon to the eastern shore of the lake 
 is one of the many indications that he considered 
 his public ministry ended, and was seeking re- 
 tirement. See Matt. 15 : 29-39, note. 
 
 14-21. Warning against the Leaven of 
 the Pharisees and of Herod. Matt. 16 : 5-13, 
 notes. There are some graphic touches here not 
 in Matthew, as the statement that they had but 
 one loaf (ver. 14), the additional reproof (ver. is), 
 and the reference to the two miracles of feeding, 
 given here more at length (ver. 19-21). According 
 to Matthew, Christ's warning was against the 
 leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 
 
 Matthew adds the disciples' understanding of 
 Christ's admonition (Matt. 16 : 12). 
 
 Ch. 8 : 22-2(5. CURE OF A BLIND MAN.— Grace is 
 
 SOMETIMES GRADUAL. 
 
 This miracle is recorded only by Mark. It is 
 peculiar in that it represents, more distinctly 
 than any other miracle, a gradual cure, and its 
 successive stages. There is no reason to doubt 
 that the chronology is correctly indicated by 
 Mark, i. e., that it occurred after the close of 
 Christ's public Galilean ministry, and during his 
 period of retirement. 
 
 22. And they came to Bethsaida. This 
 is the better reading. Bethsaida was a town on 
 the northern shore of the sea of Galilee, at the 
 entrance of the river Jordan into the lake. See 
 Mark : 45, note. — And they bring a blind 
 man unto him. The people, not the disciples, 
 brought him. 
 
 23. And taking the hand of the blind 
 man, he led him out of the town. Rather, 
 village (*«,«>;). Bethsaida (house offish) was ori- 
 ginally a fishing village. The tetrarch Philip 
 enlarged it, raised it to the dignity of a town, 
 and gave it the name of Julias. This part of the 
 town was on the eastern bank of the Jordan, the 
 original fishing hamlet was on the western bank. 
 The language here implies that Christ was in the 
 fisherman's part of the town, the unwalled vil- 
 lage. Observe that Christ personally leads the 
 blind man, a mark of tenderness and condescen- 
 sion, and that the blind man entrusts himself, 
 apparently unquestioningly, to the leading of this 
 stranger, a mark of his confidence in Christ, and 
 a touching illustration of that peculiar attractive 
 power which Christ exercised over all men by 
 his personal presence. — And when he had spit 
 on his eyes. Spittle was regarded as medicinal 
 by the aucients. Why Christ used it here is not
 
 Cn. IX.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 89 
 
 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Nei- 
 ther go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. 
 
 27 And Jesus" went out, and his disciples, into the 
 towns of Cajsarea Philippi : and by the way lie asked 
 his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that 
 I am? 
 
 28 And they answered, John" the Haptist: but some 
 say, Eiias : and others, One of the prophets. 
 
 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I 
 am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou" 
 art the Christ. 
 
 30 And he charged them that they should tell no man 
 of nim. 
 
 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man 
 must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders. 
 and o/the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and 
 after three days rise again. 
 
 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter 
 took him, and began to rebuke him. 
 
 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his 
 disciples, he rebuked x Peter, saying. Get thee behind 
 me. Satan : 1 for thou savourest not the things that be 
 of God, but the things that be of men. 
 
 34 And when he had called the people unto him with 
 his disciples also, he said unto them. Whosoever" will 
 
 come after me, let him deny himself, and take up l|is 
 cross, and follow me. 
 
 35 For" whosoever will save his life shall lose it ; but 
 whosoever shall lose his life lor my sake and the gos- 
 pi Is, the same shall save it. 
 
 y> For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain tl ie 
 whole world, and lose his own soul ? 
 
 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his sou. } 
 
 38 Whosoever 1 ' therefore shall be ashamed of tm:, 
 and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful genera- 
 tion, of him also shall the Son ol man be ashamed, whi n 
 he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy 
 angels. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ND he said unto them. Verily c I say unto yoi/, 
 That there be some of them that stand lure, which 
 shall not 11 taste of death, till they have seen the king- 
 dom of God come with power. 
 2 And e after six days Jesus taketh with him Petei 
 
 A 
 
 u Matt. 16 • 13, etc. ; Luke 9 : 18, etc.. 
 
 .v Matt. 14 : 2....>v John 1 : 11-49 ; 6 : 69 ; 11 : 27 ; Acts 8 : 37 
 
 1 John 5 : 1....I Rev. 3 : 19 
 
 . ...v 1 Cor. S : 5....z Mutt. 10 : 38 
 
 16 : 24 ; Luke 9 : 23 ; 14 : 27 ; Tiiua 2 : 12.. ..a Eithei 4:11; 
 
 Matt, in : 89 ; h; : 25 ; Lul.. 
 
 9:21; 17 : :« ; John 12 : 25 j 2 Tin 
 
 . 2: 11; 4 : 6, 8; Rev. 2 : [0; 7 : 11 17.... b Luke 12 : 9 ; 2 Tim 
 
 1 : 8 c Malt. 16 : 28 ; Luke 
 
 9 : 27. . . .d John 8 : 52 ; Heb. 2:9.. 
 
 .ie Malt. 17 : 1, etc. ; Luke 9 : 28, ek'. 
 
 
 clear. Perhaps as the readiest means of strength- 
 ening the faith of the blind man (see Mark i ■. 33, 
 34, note) ; perhaps (this I am inclined to think the 
 true explanation) to make as little impression 
 with the miracle as possible, because he was 
 now seeking retirement, and wished to avoid the 
 throng and publicity which miracles always 
 brought upon him. 
 
 21, 25. And he looked up. In order to 
 make a trial of his eyes. — And said, I see 
 men ; for (things) like trees I see, walking. 
 This is the literal rendering of the Siuaitic, Alex- 
 andrine, and Vatican MSS., and is adopted by 
 Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf, and Alford. 
 The meaning appears to be this : I see men ; for, 
 though what I see resemble trees, they cannot 
 be so, for they are walking about. The very 
 vagueness of the language pictures forcibly the 
 groping of one through an uncertain vision tow- 
 ard the truth. To a blind man, who knew trees 
 only by feeling, that is, only knew the trunks, 
 men might well seem like trees, except for their 
 motion. — Then again he put his hands 
 upon his eyes; and he saw discriminat- 
 ingly, and was thoroughly restored, and 
 I saw all things plainly. There is some un- 
 certainty as to the reading here. That which I 
 have given is adopted by Alford, Tischendorf, 
 and Tregelles. The meaning is that the blind 
 man was at once able to distinguish objects, and 
 being perfectly restored, thereafter saw all things 
 clearly. 
 
 26. The double prohibition of this verse has 
 given the commentators needless perplexity. 
 How, they have asked, could he tell any man in 
 the town if he did not go into it ? The prohibi- 
 tion is simply emphatic. The reason is Christ's 
 desire to preserve his retirement. His public 
 ministry in Galilee is ended. 
 
 Those who believe, as I do, that the ministry 
 of Christ's healing is a symbol of his redemption, 
 will easily trace the spiritual lessons in this mir- 
 acle. He who in his blindness consents to be led, 
 in the dark, by Christ, is led toward the light. 
 His sight may come to him gradually ; if so he is 
 not to be discouraged ; nor are those that see 
 clearly to be impatient at the delay. The end of 
 Christ's ministry of grace is that the blind not 
 only see, but see with discrimination, and clearly. 
 
 27-30. Peter's Confession. Matt. 16 : 
 13-20 ; Luke 9 : 18-21. Caesarea Philippi was in 
 Northern Palestine, and a heathen town. It 
 would appear as though Christ were finally 
 driven out of Galilee in his endeavor to obtain a 
 season of repose for the confidential instruction 
 of his apostles. The chronology is as given here. 
 It is the same in Matthew and Luke. Luke says 
 this colloquy took place when Christ and his dis- 
 ciples were alone and he was praying. Matthew 
 adds to the account here a blessing promised by 
 Christ on Peter for his faith. With this excep- 
 tion their accounts do not differ materially from 
 Mark's. For a full consideration of the passage 
 see notes on Matthew. 
 
 8 : 31 to 9 : 1. First announcement op 
 our Lord's passion and resurrection. Matt. 
 16 : 21-28; Luke 9 : 22-27. This prophecy, 
 as indicated by all three Evangelists, was uttered 
 immediately after the confession of Peter and 
 prior to the transfiguration. Luke omits the re- 
 buke of Peter. Mark alone (ver. 34) indicates the 
 presence of other than the apostles ; but Luke 
 (9: 23, "to all,") intimates it. Ver. 38 is also pecu- 
 liar to Mark in this connection ; but the same 
 utterance is repeated by Matthew in another con- 
 nection, and in a slightly different form (Matt. 10 ■ 
 32, 33, note). The language there, deny, is nearly 
 equivalent to the language here, be ashamed of;
 
 40 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high 
 mountain apart by themselves : and he was transfig- 
 ured before them. 
 
 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white f 
 as snow ; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 
 
 4 And there appeared unto them Elias, with Moses; 
 and they were talking with Jesus. 
 
 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it 
 is good for us to be here : e and let us make three tab- 
 ernacles : one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for 
 Elias. 
 
 6 For he wist h not what to say ; for they were sore 
 afraid. 
 
 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them : 
 and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This' is my 
 beloved Son ; hear ' him. 
 
 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, 
 they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with 
 themselves. 
 
 9 And as they came down from the mountain, he 
 charged them that they should tell no man what things 
 they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the 
 dead. 
 
 io And they kept that saying with themselves, ques- 
 tioning one with another what the rising from the dead 
 should mean. k 
 
 ii And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes 
 that Elias 1 must first come? 
 
 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily 
 comcth first, and restoreth all things ; and how it is 
 written '" of the Son of man, that he must suffer many 
 things, and be n set at nought. 
 
 13 Hut I say unto you, That" Elias is indeed come, 
 and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, 
 as it is written of him. 
 
 14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great 
 multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with 
 them. 
 
 f Dan. 7:9; Matt. 28 : 3 g Ps. 63 : 2 ; 84 : 10. 
 
 k Arts 17 : 18.... 1 Ma].4:B....m Pa. 22: 1, el 
 o Matt. 11 : 14; Luke 1 : 17. 
 
 1 : 17... i Ps. 2 : 7; Matt. 3 : 17 ; 2 Pet. 1 : 17.... j Dent. 18 : 15. 
 un. 9 : 26 ; Zech. 13 : 7. . . .n Ps. 74 : 22 ; Luke 23 : 11 ; Phil. 2 : 7. 
 
 the one represents the external manifestation, 
 the other the inward feeling. With this verse 
 comp. Hebrew 2 : 11 ; 11 : 10. On the whole 
 passage see notes on Matthew. 
 
 2-13. The transfiguration. Explanation 
 as to Elias. Matt. 17 : 1-13 ; Luke 9 : 28-3(5. See 
 notes on Matthew and Luke, especially former. 
 
 10. "Questioning one with another 
 what the rising from the dead should 
 mean." This is peculiar to Mark. The Jews 
 believed in a final resurrection (John n : 24 ; Acts 23 : s), 
 to be accompanied by a general judgment. 
 How, after such a resurrection, they were to tell 
 men of the transfiguration, they could not com- 
 prehend ; nor did they understand that Christ 
 was to be a first-fruits of them that slept, and 
 rise, straightway, from the dead. 
 
 11, 12. Why say the scribes and Phari- 
 sees that Elias {Elijah) must first come ? 
 As was prophesied in Mai. 4 : 5. — And he 
 answered and said unto them, Elias ver- 
 ily cometh first and restoreth all things. 
 The prophecy respecting Elijah was fulfilled in 
 the spirit by the coming of John the Baptist 
 (Matt. 17 : li-is). — And why is it written of the 
 Son of man that he must suffer many things 
 and be set at nought ? Christ answers the 
 question of the scribes with another. If they 
 can interpret prophecy and make it bear testi- 
 mony against the Lord's Messiahship, let them in- 
 terpret the prophecies which foretell his passion 
 and death. For the prophecies referred to, see 
 marg. ref. 
 
 Ch. 9 ; 14-29. HEALING OF THE LTOATIC BOY.— 
 
 THE HOPELESSNESS OF THE SIN-STRICKEN AND THE 
 SUFFERING WITHOUT CHRIST : ILLUSTRATED BY THE 
 FATHER AND HIS SON. — THE WEAKNESS OF THE 
 CHURCH WITHOUT CHRIST : ILLUSTRATED BY THE FAIL- 
 URE OF THE DISCIPLES. — THE LONG-SUFFERING OF 
 
 Christ (ver. 19).— The condition of receiving his 
 help: faith (ver. 23). — The prayer of the doubting 
 disciple : help my unbelief (ver. 24).— The condi- 
 
 tion of successful Christian work (vers. £8, 29; 
 Matt. 17 : 20, 21). 
 
 This miracle is reported also in Matt. 17 : 14-21 
 and Luke 9 : 37-42. The three Evangelists agree 
 in placing it immediately after the transfigura- 
 tion, and therefore during Christ's period of re- 
 tirement, subsequent to his Galilean and prior to 
 his principal Judean ministry. Its connection 
 with the transfiguration is intimate and instruc- 
 tive. Mark's account is the fullest and most 
 graphic. He paints more vividly than the others 
 the condition and sufferings of the boy ; he 
 alone gives the conference between Jesus and 
 the father (vers. 21-24), and his picture of the cure 
 is the most detailed. Most evangelical commen- 
 tators treat this as a case of real demoniacal pos- 
 session. That evil spirits do really sometimes 
 gain absolute control of men I believe and have 
 
 argued elsewhere (see Note on Demoniacal Possession, p. 123) ; 
 
 but that this is such a case is not so clear. The 
 father characterizes his son as taken by a spirit 
 (vers. 17, is ; Luke 9 : 39) ; Christ addresses the spirit 
 (ver. 25) ; Mark and Luke speak of him as con- 
 vulsed by the spirit (ver. 20 ; Luke 9 : 42) ; but in Mat- 
 thew he is described as a lunatic (Matt. 17 : 15) ; his 
 difficulty had existed from childhood (ver. 21), and 
 therefore, presumptively, before his own wilful 
 transgression could have given the devil control 
 over him ; the symptoms described are those of 
 epilepsy ; it is known that various diseases, es- 
 pecially those accompanied by convulsions, were 
 attributed by the Jews to evil spirits ; the word 
 here used in describing this sufferer's condition 
 is (except in Luke 9 : 42) spirit (jtvtv/ia), not devil 
 (daluoiv, datftoviov), and while the latter word is 
 used in the Gospels only to describe a distinct evil 
 spirit, the former is used also to describe the 
 
 spirit Of man himself (Matt. 26: 41 ; Mark 8: 12; Luke 
 
 1 :47). Accepting, as I do, the doctrine of demo- 
 niacal possession, I regard this as a case of that 
 description ; but if there were no other evidence of 
 real demoniacal possession, this might be inter
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 41 
 
 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld 
 him, were greatly amazed ; and running to him, sa- 
 luted him. 
 
 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with 
 them ? 
 
 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Mas- 
 ter, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a 
 dumb p spirit : 
 
 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him ; 
 and he foameth,'< and gnasheth with his teeth, and pin- 
 eth away ; and I spake to thy disciples, that they should 
 cast him OUt ; and they could DOt. 
 
 19 He answereth him. and saith, faithless' genera- 
 tion ! how long shall I be with you? how long shall 1 
 suffer you ? Bring him unto me. 
 
 20 And they brought him unto him : and when he 
 
 p Matt. 12 : 22; Luke 11 : 14 q Judc 13 r Deut. 32 : 20; Ps. 78 : 8 ; Heb. 3 : 10. 
 
 pretecl as simply a case of epilepsy, accompany- 
 ing or producing deafness and dumbness. 
 
 14. And when he came to his disciples. 
 
 Three of them, Peter, James, and John, were 
 with him on the Mount of Transfiguration 1 ver. 2). 
 The time was the day after the transfiguration 
 (Lnka 9 : 37) ; the place the foot of the mount, 
 which was probably not Mount Ilermon, for the 
 scribes would not have been in heathen territory, 
 nor Mount Tabor, the top of which was the site 
 of a fortified town. Observe the contrast be- 
 tween " the open heaven and the sons of glory 
 on the mount, and the valley of tears with its 
 terrible forms of misery, and pain, and unbelief." 
 — (Slier, in Alford.) This contrast illustrates the 
 greater change of scene between Christ in his 
 glory with the Father and Christ in the humilia- 
 tion of his earthly life (phu. 2 : 5-8 ). Compare, for 
 an analogous contrast, Moses on the mountain- 
 top and the people in their idolatry below (E*>d. 
 31:18; 32:i-j). Observe, too, that if Peter's re- 
 quest to abide in the mountain-top (ver. 5) had 
 bsen granted, the father's woe would not have 
 been relieved. It is not by abiding in ecstasy 
 with a transfigured Christ, but by following in 
 daily duty a healing Christ, that we show our 
 attachment to him. — Questioning with them. 
 The spirit of the scribes' questions can easily be 
 gathered from their language to Jesus on other 
 occasions, for example, Matt. 21 : 15, 10 ; Mark 
 2 : 6, 7 ; 3 : 22 ; Luke 5 : 30 ; 11 : 53, 51. Doubt- 
 less they were taunting the disciples with their 
 failure. The conference which follows indicates 
 a skilful, because an indirect defence of the disci- 
 ples, whom afterward, but in private, Christ re- 
 buked (vers. 2?, 29 ; Matt. 17 : 20 ). 
 
 15, 16. Were greatly amazed. Possibly 
 at his unexpected appearance upon the scene. 
 But, remembering how Moses' countenance glis- 
 taned on his descent from the mount ( Exod. 34 : 29, 
 30; 2 Cor. 3 : 7), the hypothesis is not unreasonable 
 that a similar glory irradiated Christ's face. 
 The former brightness awed the people ; this at- 
 tracted them. — Greeted him. An indication 
 of Christ's popularity. — And he asked the 
 scribes; "taking the baffled and hard-pressed 
 disciples under his own protection, and declar- 
 ing that whatever question there was more, it 
 must be with himself." — (Trench.) And observe 
 that both they and the disciples are silent, the one 
 
 from fear of Christ, the other from self-humilia 
 tion. It is the father who replies. 
 
 17, 18. According to Luke the son was an 
 only child (Luke 9 •. 38) ; according to Matthew a lu- 
 natic (Matt, n : is), literally moon-struck, it being a 
 notion with the ancients, and even in later times, 
 that the influence of the moon produced mental 
 disorder (Ps. 121 : 6). The symptoms here de- 
 scribed are those of epilepsy, and according to Dr. 
 Robinson (Lexicon of n. t.) the original in Matthew 
 translated lunatic (asxijiiatojuai) in Greek usage 
 indicates to be epileptic ; but for this statement he 
 cites but one authority. Comp. with Mark's de- 
 scription of the boy's condition Luke : 30. The 
 boy was deaf and dumb (ver. 25), and was subject 
 to convulsions. Matthew ( 17 : 15) says he suffered 
 severely, for this is the significance of the phrase 
 rendered " sore vexed." — Teareth him. Rather 
 throws him to the ground, as one wrestler throws 
 another ((5ijy«;fi(). — Pineth away. Perhaps, 
 becomes dry or stiff, a phenomenon often ac- 
 companying or following epileptic convulsions ; 
 either translation is admissible. Luke adds," he 
 suddenly crieth out," i. e., with an inarticulate cry, 
 and "it," i.e., the evil spirit," hardly," i.e., with 
 difficulty, "departeth from him." In other 
 words, the convulsions were sudden, severe, and 
 long-continued. — And they could not. "The 
 faith of the disciples wavered by the plain diffi- 
 culty of the thing which seemed impossible to 
 overcome, when so many evils were digested into 
 one, — deafness, dumbness, phrensy, and posses- 
 sion of the devil ; and all these from the cradle." 
 —(Lightfoot.) 
 
 19. O unbelieving race, how long shall 
 I be with you ? How long shall I sutler 
 you ? Literally, Hold up under you. The lan- 
 guage illustrates the sense in which Christ bears 
 our weaknesses, our woes, and our sins — how they 
 burden him. Comp. Matt. 8 : 17, note. The lan- 
 guage is not, as Calvin interprets it, that of indig- 
 nant invective, but of pity and soul-weariness (comp. 
 John 14 : 9). It is true that Matthew and Luke add to 
 the phrase unbelieving generation the adjective per- 
 verse, but this does not necessarily indicate invec- 
 tive or an indignant spirit, for the verb is in the 
 perfect passive, and the literal translation would 
 be perverted race, i. e., race turned aside from the 
 truth. Christ's indignation went out against 
 those who had perverted the people, their reli-
 
 42 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 saw him, straightway the spirit tare him ; and he full 
 on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 
 
 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since 
 this came unto him ? And he said, Of a child : » 
 
 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and 
 into the waters, to destroy him : but if thou canst do 
 anything, have compassion on us, and help us. 
 
 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all 
 things are possible to him that believeth. 
 
 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, 
 and said with tears," Lord, I believe ; help" thou mine 
 unbelief. 
 
 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running to- 
 
 gether, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him. 
 Ikon dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of 
 him, and enter no more into him. 
 
 26 And the spirit cried, and rent w him sore, and came 
 out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that 
 many said, He is dead. 
 
 27 But Jesus took him by the x hand, and lifted him 
 up ; and he arose. 
 
 28 And when he was come into the house, his disci- 
 ples asked him privately, AVhy could not we cast him 
 out? 
 
 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth 
 by nothing but by 1 prayer and fasting. 2 
 
 s Job. 5:7: Fa. 61:5:.. .t ch. 11 : 23 ; 2 Chron. 20 : 20; Matt. 17 : 20 ; Luke 17 : 6; John 11 : 40 ; Heb. 11 : 6... 
 12 : 2....W Rev. 12: 12. ...x I»a. 41 : 13. ...y Ephea. 6 : 18....Z 1 Cor. 9 : 27. 
 
 fs. 12C : 5....V Heb. 
 
 gious leaders ; his pity embraced those who were 
 perverted by a false education. And his lan- 
 guage here is called forth, not by the malig- 
 nance of the scribes, but by the unbelief of his 
 disciples. It is not directed, to either scribes, 
 disciples, or people alone, but to the Jewish 
 race, as a race, and even still to his church and 
 to humanity. On the Greek word (ytucc), here 
 rendered generation, see note on Matt. 24 : 31. — 
 Bring him unto me. The language of calm 
 assurance. The disciples could not cure him ; 
 bring him then to the Master. Often this is the 
 direction of Christ to the sin-stricken soul. The 
 minister has failed to give comfort ; the failure 
 is itself a call from the Lord to himself. Comp. 
 2 Kings 4 : 31-37, where the prophet's staff fails, 
 but the prophet does not. 
 
 20. And when he, the boy; saw him, 
 Christ ; straightway the spirit convulsed 
 him. " The kingdom of Satan in small and great 
 is ever stirred into a fiercer activity by the com- 
 ing near of the kingdom of Christ. Satan has 
 great wrath when his time is short." — {Trench.) 
 
 21-24. This instructive conference with the 
 lather is given only by Mark. The question and 
 the father's answer operates as a plea for the dis- 
 ciples, by showing how serious and deep-seated 
 is the disease. — Of a child. Literally, from 
 childhood, here probably equivalent to from in- 
 fancy. If this was a true case of demoniacal 
 possession, it is the only one in the N. T. in 
 which the possession was congenital, and hence 
 not possibly due to the victim's own wrong-do- 
 ing. Can a true demoniacal possession be inher- 
 ited ? — If thou canst do anything. A very 
 natural doubt, since the disciples had failed to 
 cure. — Help us. Come to our help. The Greek 
 (iJoij &k w) literally signifies to run up at aery for 
 help. See Josh. 10 : 6 ; Acts 16 : 9 ; 21 : 28. Ob- 
 serve how the father and the child are one in 
 their misery : help us is his prayer. Comp. the 
 similar language of the Syro-Phoenicim woman 
 (Matt. 15 : 22, not ■•). — Jesus said unto him this 
 (saying): if thou canst believe, all things 
 are possible to him that believeth. There 
 is some uncertainty as to the proper rendering of 
 
 the .original. That which I have given, adopted 
 by Alford, seems to me to accord best with the 
 grammatical construction of the sentence. It 
 indicates that the saying was one repeated by 
 Christ on other occasions, as we know its sub- 
 stance to have been. Comp. Matt. : 29, and 
 Christ's language to his own disciples (Matt. 17 :So), 
 subsequent to the cure here recorded. Christ's 
 answer implies, (1) that the difficulty of healing 
 was not and never is in any weakness of the Lord, 
 but in the want of faith of the supplicant ; and 
 this because, (2) the healing is to be wrought, if 
 at all, not in answer to the challenge "if thou 
 canst do anything,"' but in answer to a humble, 
 devout trust in him who can do all things. 
 "Hence may be learned a useful doctrine, which 
 will equally apply to all of us, that it is not the 
 Lord who prevents his benefits from flowing to 
 us in large abundance, but that it must be at- 
 tributed to the narrowness of our faith, that it 
 comes to us only in drops, and that frequently 
 we do not even feel a drop, because unbelief 
 shuts up our heart." — (Calvin.) — I believe. 
 Come to the help of mine unbelief. "The 
 little spark of faith which has been kindled in 
 his soul reveals to him the abysmal deeps of un- 
 belief which are there." — {Trench.) This is 
 always the true prayer of the doubting Christian. 
 It is noteworthy that in this case, where the child 
 is incapacitated, from the exercise of faith, he is 
 healed upon the faith of the father, or rather 
 upon the father's aspiration after faith. 
 
 25-27. This description of the cure, is much 
 fuller and more graphic than in either Matthew or 
 Luke. The miracle is wrought before the people 
 have crowded round the patient, that, as far as 
 possible, publicity may be avoided ; it is perma- 
 nent, being accompanied by the command, 
 " Enter no more into him ; " it is in seeming, at 
 first, no cure, for the boy is more terribly con- 
 vulsed than before, and at first taken to be 
 dead ; but the work begun by the word is fin- 
 ished by the touch of Christ, " Jesus took him 
 by the hand." The commentators note in the 
 frighlfulness of the last convulsion a symbol of 
 Satan's outgoing in the moral world, always with
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 43 
 
 30 And they departed thence, and passed through 
 Galilee ; and hv would not that any man should know it. 
 
 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto then], 
 
 The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and 
 
 they shall kill him ; and after that he is killed, he shall 
 rise the third day. 
 
 32 But they understood not that saying, and were 
 afraid to ask ■ him. 
 
 33 And b he came to Capernawm : and being in the 
 house, he asked them, What was it that ye disputed 
 among yourselves by the way? 
 
 a John 10 : 19. ... b Matt. 18 : 1, etc. ; Luke 9 : 46, etc. ; 22 : 24, etc. 
 
 seemingly destructive violence. In the quaint 
 words of Fuller, he is "like an outgoing truant 
 that cares Dot what mischief he does." Comp. 
 Mark 1 : 26, note. 
 
 28, 29. Matthew's report of the private con- 
 ference between Christ and his disciples is fuller 
 than Mark's. To their question, "Why could 
 we not cast him out ? " Christ replies : " Because 
 of your unbelief," and adds the promise to faith, 
 subsequently repeated at the time of the wither- 
 ing away of the fig-tree (Matt, n : 20). See note 
 on Mark 11 : 22-2(3. —Prayer and fasting. 
 Prayer, because it is only in and through the di- 
 vine power that the power of the devil can ever 
 be conquered (Ephes. e : 10, 11) ; fasting, because (1) 
 finis is the outward symbol of self-denial which is 
 a condition of following Christ, and therefore of 
 successful Christian achievement; (2) because 
 the most intense spiritual labor, as the most in- 
 tense intellectual labor, is naturally accompanied 
 by a cessation, for a time, of the bodily wants. 
 Comp. John 4 : 31-34. On the general subject of 
 Christian fasting, see Matt. 9 : 15, note. 
 
 In this miracle, as in nearly if not absolutely 
 all Christ's miracles of healing, the student may 
 easily trace a parable of redemption. The soul 
 is under the bondage of Satan (John 8 : 24 ; 2 Pet. 2:19); 
 it is deaf, ignorant of the glories of the divine 
 kingdom ; dumb, unable to speak God's praise 
 (1 Cor. 2 : u) ; no human helper is able to ransom, 
 no minister, no priest (Pssim49:7; Acts4:ia); the 
 disease is in the soul, as in the race, from its in- 
 fancy (Rom. 5 : 14; Ephes. 2 : 3) ; a deliverance is possi- 
 ble through faith to every one that believeth 
 (Rom. 3 : 22) ; even the unbelieving may have help 
 in their unbelief (Ephes. 2 : s) ; the first approach of 
 Christ to the soul often seems to aggravate the 
 evil (Exod. ch. 5) ; the command of Christ leaves 
 the soul dead, as to the world ; but the love of 
 Christ raises it from the dead to newness of life 
 in him (Rom. s : 11 j Gal. 2 : 20). Observe, also, that 
 faith is the essential strength of the Christian 
 (t John 5: 4); its lack subjects us to Christ's just 
 rebuke (ver. 19) ; it gives power not only with God, 
 but also, if rightly exercised, power over men 
 (Gen. 32:8); it is attainable only by prayer, i.e., 
 communion with God, and fasting, i. e., abstinence 
 from whatever impedes, permanently, or for the 
 occasion, the highest spiritual life. 
 
 Ch. : 30-32. PROPHECY OF OUR LORD'S DEATH AND 
 RESURRECTION. — Histort is the true interpreter 
 of rROPHECT. See Luke 9 : 43^5, notes. 
 
 Matt. IT : 22, 23 ; Luke 9 : 43-45. See notes on 
 Luke, who gives some particulars not given here. 
 Compare also previous prophecy of his Passion. 
 Matt. 10 : 21, notes ; Mark 8 : 31, notes. 
 
 30. And he would not that any man 
 should know. One of the numerous indica- 
 tions that this period was one of retirement, not 
 of public ministry. See Matt. 15:29-39, note. 
 The reason of this retirement is indicated in the 
 following verse. 
 
 31. For he was teaching his disciples, 
 i. e., the twelve. Not as in our English version, 
 In taught, but at this time he was teaching them, i. c, 
 concerning his passion and resurrection. He 
 went through Galilee secretly, because this 
 period of retirement was devoted to the confiden- 
 tial instruction of his Apostles. — Is delivered. 
 The present tense with the force of the future, 
 but expressing more impressively the near 
 and the certainty of the predicted event. Comp. 
 Matt. 26 : 2. 
 
 32. Understood not that saying. — That 
 even the twelve apostles had no understanding of 
 the Passion, and no correct apprehension of the 
 spirituality and universality of Christ's mission 
 until after Christ's resurrection, is evident from 
 many references. See Matt. 16 : 22 ; Mark 1U : 14 ; 
 Luke 18 : 34 ; 24 : 25-27, 44. That it was not 
 intended that they should clearly apprehend our 
 Lord's death or his resurrection, is indicated by 
 Luke 9 : 45. See note there. — Were afraid to 
 ask him. Perhaps simply from the awe with 
 which they regarded him (Mark 10 : 32 ; John ic : is, 19) ; 
 rather, I should think, because they dimly per- 
 ceived the terrible sorrow which was in store for 
 them, and shrank from knowing it more fully. 
 
 Ch. 9:33-50. DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE KING- 
 DOM OP HEAVEN. — True greatness: to forget self; 
 to serve others (33- fT). — Never thwart work done 
 for Christ, because it is done irregularly (38-40). 
 — The condemnation of the tempter (42-48).— Self- 
 sacrifice necessary in the Christian life (49, 50). 
 
 Of these instructions, Matthew (ch. is) gives a 
 fuller, and Luke (9 : 4&-60) a briefer account. They 
 may possibly be not a single discourse, but a sum- 
 mary of instruction afforded by Christ during the 
 period of retirement with the twelve, after the 
 close of his Galilean ministry, but this is not 
 probable. On the whole discourse, see notes on 
 Matt. 18 ; verses 1 to 9 are parallel to verses here. 
 I treat here only such expressions as aie not 
 found in Matthew.
 
 44 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Cii. IX. 
 
 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they 
 hlld disputed among tlii.-iiisv.lves who should be the 
 grer.test. 
 
 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saittl 
 unto them, If' any man desire to be first, the same 
 shall be last of all, and servant of all. 
 
 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of 
 them : and when he had taken him in his arms, he said 
 unto them, 
 
 37 Whosoever" 1 shall receive one of such children 
 in my name, receiveth me : and whosoever shall re- 
 ceive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. 
 
 38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw e 
 one casting o it devils in thy name, and he followeth 
 not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth 
 not us. 
 
 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there f is no 
 man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can 
 lightly speak evil of me. 
 
 40 Fors he that is not against us, is on our part. 
 
 41 For h whosoever shall give you a cup of water to 
 drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, ver- 
 ily I say unto you, he shall hot lose his reward. 
 
 42 And wiosoever shall offend' one of these little 
 ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a mill- 
 
 stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast 
 into the sea. 
 
 43 And J it thy hand olTend thee, cut it off: it is bet- 
 ter for thee to enter into lite maimed, than, ha\ ing two 
 hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be 
 quenched ; 
 
 44 Where 11 their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
 quenched. 
 
 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better 
 for thee to enter halt into life, than, having two leet, 
 to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be 
 quenched : 
 
 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
 quenched. 
 
 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is 
 better ior thee to enter into the kingdom of God with 
 one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire : 
 
 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire' is not 
 quenched. 
 
 49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every 
 sacrifice m shall be salted with salt. 
 
 50 Salt is good: but if the salt" have lost his ealt- 
 ness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in 
 yourselves, and have" peace one with another. 
 
 
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 40. 
 
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 5:29... 
 
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 Luke 
 
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 33. In the house. Possibly of Peter who 
 resided at Capernaum (Mark 1 : 29). — What was it 
 that ye disputed ? For seeming discrepancies 
 in the accounts of the three Evangelists and their 
 reconciliation, see notes on Matt. 18 : 1. 
 
 35. The same shall be last. Equivalent 
 So "last among you all" in Luke, and inter- 
 preted by, " Whosoever shall humble himself as 
 this little child " in Matthew.— And servant of 
 all. Peculiar to Mark. But the same proverb 
 is often repeated. See, on its meaning, Matt. 
 23 : 11, 12, note. It adds an element wanting in 
 Matthew's and Luke's reports. The two condi- 
 tions of greatness in Christ's kingdom are, (1) 
 voluntary humility, a willingness to take the 
 lowest and least place ; and (2) an enthusiasm of 
 love, showing itself in practical serving of others. 
 Observe, "servant of all.''' 1 The love which 
 serves only a class, a church, a sect, or especial 
 and congenial friends, cannot claim anything 
 under this declaration of our Lord's. Compare 
 Matt. 5 : 4o-43 ; Luke 10 : 29-37 ; Rom. 1 : 14. 
 This meaning is hest interpreted by his own 
 example. See Phil. 2 : 5-11. 
 
 37. Receiveth not me, i. e., not merely me. 
 — But him that sent me. God the Father 
 (iohn n : is). Compare John 5 : 23, and Matt. 
 10 : 40, note. 
 
 38-40. This interruption by John, and our 
 Lord's reply, are not reported by Matthew. The 
 disciples had shortly before returned to Christ 
 from their first missionary tour, in which they 
 were empowered to cast out devils (Matt. 10 -.s). 
 The man here referred to they probably met dur- 
 ing this tour. He must have been a disciple of 
 Christ, who was enabled by his faith, yet without 
 a commission, to cure the possessed. It is not 
 
 necessary to trace a logical connection between 
 John's question and Christ's preceding instruc- 
 tion. The Lord has rebuked the pride of the 
 disciples ; and exclusiveness is always the result 
 of pride. John feels, rather than sees, that his act 
 was inconsistent with the spirit of Christ's teach- 
 ing, and reports it for further instruction. The 
 force of Christ's reply is somewhat impaired by 
 our English version. — Forbid him not : for 
 there is no one (not merely no man) who 
 shall do a mighty work,(not merely a miracle, 
 not oijuttov but dvvetfiis) and shall be able 
 hastily to speak evil of me. The work he 
 has done in Christ's name, will itself prevent him 
 from forthwith using an influence against Christ. 
 The principle inculcated forbids discouraging 
 any work, by whomsoever undertaken, minister or 
 layman, man or woman, which is really accom- 
 plishing Spiritual results (comp. Numb. 11 : 26-29; 
 
 1 Cor. 12:3; phu. i : 16-18). " Let them heed this who 
 confine spiritual gifts to a canonical succession " 
 (Benyel) ; or, let me add, to a clerical office, for- 
 bidding either laymen or lay-women to cast out 
 devils in Christ's name. But, though doing 
 mighty works in Christ's name is never to be 
 forbidden, he who does them may not be a true 
 child of God (Matt i •. 22, 23). 
 
 40. He that is not against us is for us. 
 The converse of this proposition is true; "he 
 that is not with me is against me" (Matt. 12:30, 
 note). So far from being inconsistent, the two 
 sayings represent opposite poles of the same 
 truth. Every one is either for Christ or against 
 him ; neutrality is impossible. Therefore (1), let 
 him that is not consciously working for Christ, 
 beware lest he be found working against him ; 
 (2) let no one thwart or hinder any work that is
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 not clearly opposed to Christ, for it may prove to 
 
 be WOrk for llilll (comp. Acts 5 : 38, 39). 
 
 41. See Matt. 10 : 42, note. The connection 
 here is this : Even since the smallest service done 
 in and for Christ shall not be unrewarded, so 
 great an one as casting out of devils, should not 
 be prohibited. 
 
 42-49. The phraseology here is very nearly 
 the same as in the parallel passage in Matt. 18 : 
 (i-8. See notes there, and on Matt. 5 : 2:3. But 
 the solemn addition of verses 44, 40, 4S, " Where 
 their worm dieth not and the fire is not 
 quenched," is peculiar to Mark. There is some 
 doubt about the genuineness of verses 44 and 40, 
 but not about verse 48. There is some doubt, 
 also, as to the genuineness of the phrase in verse 
 .45, " into the fire that never shall be quenched." 
 Alford doubts, and Tischendorf omits it. The 
 phrase " where their worm dieth not, and the fire 
 is not quenched " (versus 44, 43 and 4s), is quoted from 
 Isaiah 0J : 2t It there unquestionably indicates, 
 not the torture, but the utter destruction of 
 transgressors. They, i. e. their corpses, should 
 be consumed with a fire like that of Gehenna, 
 which consumed the offal of Jerusalem (Matt. 5 : 22, 
 note), and eaten with worms, as the unburied on 
 the battle-field ; and this destruction should be 
 open, public, continuous, a warning to others ; 
 for Isaiah adds, " they shall be an abhorring to 
 all flesh." The symbol here, therefore, of the 
 worm and the fire, is not of ever-during torment, 
 but of a complete destruction from which there 
 would and could be no deliverance, and after 
 which no restoration. Whether the destruction 
 of the wicked here and elsewhere foretold (Matt. 
 i!:30; 2 Thess. i : 9) is to be literally or spiritually 
 interpreted, is another question, to be determined, 
 if at all, by reference to other passages of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 49, 50. These verses are confessedly difficult 
 of interpretation. They are peculiar to Mark. 
 In respect to the proper rendering of verse 49, I 
 remark (I) the substitution of in for with will 
 render the meaning somewhat clearer, and it is 
 grammatically justifiable. (The Greek student 
 will observe that the dative alone is sometimes 
 in the N. T. usage equivalent to the dative coupled 
 with !r. Compare in Greek Testament, 1 Pet. 
 4 : 1, first clause with last clause, and Tit. 1 : 13 
 with Tit. 2 : 2.) (2.) The clause, "And every 
 sacrifice shall be salted with salt," is not in the 
 Vatican or Sinaitic manuscript. It is omitted by 
 Tischendorf, but retained by Alford. I incline 
 to regard it as spurious. It is, however, true 
 that in the O. T. ritualism the meat-offerings 
 (Lev. 2 : is), and later the burnt-offerings (Ezek.43 : 24), 
 were required to be salted. To this law the 
 clause in question refers, whether it was uttered 
 by our Lord, or added by a copyist. The con- 
 junction and is equivalent to even as, and shall be 
 
 salted is equivalent to is required to be salted. The 
 future is used because the law is quoted, not 
 because futurity is referred to. Verse 49, then, 
 will read thus : For every one (under the N. T. 
 dispensation) shall be salted in fire, even as 
 every sacrifice (under the O. T. dispensation) 
 is required to be sailed with salt. The 
 proper rendering of verse 50 presents no difficul- 
 ties. In interpreting these verses, consider (1) 
 the Scripture meaning of the symbolism here 
 employed. Fire is sometimes a symbol of de- 
 struction (isaiab. 33 : 14 ; Obad. 18 ; Rev. 20 : 9 ; 21 : 8 ; vcreo 44 
 
 above), sometimes a symbol of purification by 
 
 trial (Jer. 23 : £9, and references below), Sometimes a Sym- 
 bol of God's presence, but always of his presence 
 to purify, either the individual sinner by con- 
 suming his sins, or the world by consuming the 
 irredeemable sinners (Deut. 4 : 24; Heb. 12 : 29 ; Mai. 3 : 2, 
 3 ; com P . Mutt. 13 : 40-12. 49, 50). Salt is employed by 
 Christ in a parallel passage (Matt. 5 : 13, nou), as a 
 symbol of Christians, who, because of their spirit 
 of willing self-sacrifice, exert a purifying and pre- 
 serving power upon a corrupt world — a power to 
 flavor it with divine grace. (2.) Notice the con- 
 nection. The conjunction for (ver. 49) connects 
 these aphorisms' with the previous exhortation 
 to voluntary self-sacrifice (ver. 43-48), and the 
 whole is connected closely with, and springs out 
 of the previous controversy among the twelve 
 as to which should be the greatest (ver. 33, 34). 
 These facts interpret the meaning of the passage 
 which may be' paraphrased thus : Cut off the right 
 hand or the right foot, or pluck out the right eye, 
 i. e., sacrifice what is dearest to you, rather than 
 suffer it to lead you or others into sin ; for every one 
 of my disciples must be salted in the fire of trial, 
 i. e., prepared to become a living sacrifice (Rom. 
 12 : 1) by fiery trial, even as under the O. T. dis- 
 pensation, every sacrifice is required to be salted 
 with salt. Yc arc, as I have before told you, the 
 salt of the earth. But if the salt hath lost its salt- 
 ness, i. e., the Christian the spirit of voluntary 
 self-sacrifice, by which alone his purifying influ- 
 ence is exerted, whence shall it derive its moral 
 power. Have salt in yourselves, have, that is, this 
 spirit of self-sacrifice, and you will have peace one 
 with another, there will be an end to unseemly 
 strife as to which shall be the greatest. The 
 passage as thus interpreted accords with the 
 declaration of John the Baptist concerning the 
 mission of Christ : He shall baptize you with the 
 
 Holy GhOSt and With fire (Matt. 3 : ll, note; comp. Matt. 
 
 20 : 22) with Christ's own declaration concerning his 
 mission. "lam come to send fire on the earth " 
 (Luke 12 : 49), and with the subsequent employ- 
 ment of the same symbol by the Apostles (1 Cor. 
 3 : is ; 1 Pet. i : 7 ; 4 : 12, is). It accords, also, with the 
 unsymbolic teaching of Christ, in other passages, 
 respecting the necessity of self-sacrifice in his 
 
 followers (Luke 9 : 23; 14 : 26, 27; John 12 : 25, etc.), and
 
 Ch. X.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 47 
 
 31 But h many that are first shall be last; and the 
 last first. 
 
 32 And' they were in the way going up to Jerusa- 
 lem; and Jesus went betore them: and they were 
 amazed ; and as they followed, they were afraid. And 
 he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what 
 things should happen unto him, 
 
 33 Saying; Behold, we ' go up to Jerusalem ; and the 
 Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, 
 and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to 
 death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles ; 
 
 34 And k they shall mock him, and shall scourge 
 him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him ; and 
 the third day he shall rise again. 
 
 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come 
 unio him, saying, Master, we would that thou shoulti- 
 est do lor us whatsoever we shall desire. 
 
 36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I 
 should do for you ? 
 
 37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may 
 sil, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy Iclt 
 hand, in thy glory, 
 
 h Matt. 20 : 16 j Luke 13 : 30. ... i Matt. 30 : 17, etc. ; Luke 18 : 31, etc j Acts 20 : 22. . . .k Ps. 22 : 0, 7, 13. 
 
 " He saddened at the saying and went away 
 grieved " (ver. 22). 
 
 23-31. Discourse concerning riches. 
 Matt. 10 : 33-30 ; Luke 18 : 24-30. See notes on 
 Matthew. Mark's report contains some import- 
 ant particulars not given by the others. To him 
 we are indebted for what is the key-note to the 
 entire discourse, and, indeed, to the whole 
 Scripture teaching on the subject of wealth. 
 " How hard is it for them that trust in riches to 
 enter into the kingdom of God " (ver. 24) ; to him 
 also for the explicitness of the language in which 
 Christ's promise of earthly prosperity is clothed, 
 the words "now in this time, houses, and 
 brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and chil- 
 dren, and laads, with persecutions," being pecu- 
 liar to Mark. On the promise see note on 
 Matthew, p. 230. After this discourse, and form- 
 ing an integral part of it, follows the parable of 
 the laborers in the vineyard, reported alone by 
 Matthew, ch. 20 : 1-16. 
 
 Ch. 10 : 32-34. PROPHECY OF CHRIST'S PASSION AND 
 RESURRECTION. — Christ's constancy the Chris- 
 tian's example (Heb. 12 : 2). 
 
 Matt. 20 : 17-19 ; Luke 18 : 31-34. The place 
 of this prophecy is the road leading to Jerusalem 
 (Luke 19 : 1) ; the time is intermediate the close of 
 the ministry in Perea (Matt. 19 : 1, 2, note) and the 
 Passion week, and, in the judgment of the best 
 harmonists, after the resurrection of Lazarus 
 
 (john.ch. 11). 
 
 32. This graphic description is found only in 
 Mark.— In the way. The public highway. — 
 Amazed * * * afraid. In a ministry of 
 three months in Jerusalem the Jews sought to 
 assassinate Jesus, twice mobbed him, and once 
 issued an order for his arrest (John 7 : 19, 32; 8: 59; 
 10 : 31, 39 ). Their enmity was increased by the res- 
 urrection of Lazarus (John 2 : 46-5o). The disciples 
 were amazed that Jesus should return to Jerusa- 
 lem in the face of this hostility. They were 
 afraid to follow, yet would not turn back (John 
 11 : 8 with 6:67, os). It is in answer to their unex- 
 pressed amazement and fear that Christ, who 
 would have all his followers count the cost (Luke 
 11 : 27, 2s), foretells his approaching death. There 
 may have been something in his determined gait 
 and mien, expressed here in the words, "Jesus 
 
 went before them," which enhanced their awe. 
 Wordsworth notes this as one of the indications 
 in the N. T. of the peculiar effect produced on 
 others by Christ's external appearance and de- 
 portment ; I should add, by the unconscious 
 manifestation of his moral and spiritual power. 
 See for other illustrations of this, Matt. 21 : 13 ; 
 Mark 9 : 15 ; Luke 4 : 20, SO ; John 7 : 44-4G ; 
 18 : 6. The spirit of Christ's going up to Jeru- 
 salem as described here by Mark illustrates and 
 is illustrated by Heb. 12 : 2. He " endured the 
 cross, despising the shame." — Began to tell. 
 More fully and clearly than ever before. This 
 was the third prophecy of his sufferings (Mat. 
 16:21; 17:22), but now for the first time he dis- 
 tinctly declares that he is to be crucified (mm. 
 
 20 : 10). 
 
 33, 31. Luke adds, "All things that are writ- 
 ten by the prophets concerning the Son of man 
 shall be accomplished," a clear recognition of 
 the truth that the Passion of the Messiah was a 
 
 distinct subject Of O. T. prophecy (Luke 18 : 31, note). 
 
 — Betrayed, by Judas Iscariot, unto the 
 chief priests and scribes, i. e., the Sanhe- 
 drim (see Matt. 2 : 4, note). — And they shall con- 
 demn him to death, etc. For the literal 
 fulfilment of these prophecies see Matt. 2G : 14-10, 
 47, 06 ; 27 : 2, 28-31, 35 ; 28. : 19. Luke adds that 
 the disciples did not understand Christ's prophe- 
 cy (Luke is : 33, note). This, too, is evident from the 
 incident that follows. 
 
 Ch. 10 : 35-45. AMBITIOUS REQUEST OF THE SONS OF 
 ZEBEDEE. — Illustrations of unanswered prater : 
 
 A UNITED PRATER OF FAITH DENIED.— The FALSE AND 
 
 the true aspiration for glort (ver. 3" with John 
 17 : 5 ; Rom. 2:7; 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8).— The answer of 
 Christ to the Christian's prater for glort (vers. 
 38, 39; Rom. 5: 3-5; 8 : 18).— Christ the administra- 
 tor of the Father's will (ver. 40).— The heathen 
 and the Christian ideas of greatness contrasted 
 (vers. 42-44). — The mission of the Messiah (ver. 45). 
 Comp. Matt. 20 : 20-28. There is no material 
 difference in the two accounts, except that Mat- 
 thew represents the request as preferred by 
 the mother, Salome. But in Matthew Christ's 
 reply is made to the sons. Probably the sons 
 brought their mother with them, as the modern 
 office-seeker seeks through the intervention of 
 another ; perhaps, too, they remembered the re-
 
 48 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 38 But Jesus sai<! unto them, Ye 1 know not what ye 
 ask. Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and ue 
 baptized with the baptism '" that I am baptized with ? 
 
 39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus 
 sad unto thein, Ye" shall indeed drink of the cup° 
 that 1 drink of: and with the baptism that I am bap- 
 tized withal, shall ye be baptized: 
 
 40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand, 
 is not mine to give ; but it shall be given to them lor 
 whom it is prepared.'' 
 
 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much 
 displeased with James and John. 
 
 42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto 
 them, Vei know that they which are accounted to rule 
 
 1 James 4 : 3. . . . m Lukj 12 : 50. . . u Matt. 10 : 25 ; John 17 : 14 o cli. 14: 
 
 . p Matt. 25 : 3-1 ; Ilcb. 11 : 10 q Luke 22 : 26. 
 
 bukes previously administered to the twelve for 
 their ambition (Mark 9 : 33-37). 
 
 36-3T. James and John. On the charac- 
 ter and lives of these apostles, see note on Mat- 
 thew, ch. 10, pp. 147-150. They thought the 
 kingdom of God would appear immediately 
 (Luke i9 : 11), and probably expected the immediate 
 realization of Christ's promise of kingly honor 
 (Matt. 19 : 28). The fact that John united in this 
 request does not tally with his traditional char- 
 acter, as one, by nature, humble and spiritually 
 minded. See Mark 8 : 17, note. Compare this 
 prayer with Christ's promiGes (Matt, is : io), and 
 observe that the denial here of a petition, hi 
 which two were agreed and which was apparent- 
 ly founded upon a faith in Christ as a Messiah, 
 whose reign was not distant, constitutes a divine 
 limitation of that promise. Comp. James 1 : 3. — 
 One on thy right hand and the other on 
 thy left. The places of special honor. In Jo- 
 pephus (Ant. G: n, o), Jonathan is represented as 
 [sitting at Saul's right hand and Abner at his left. 
 In the Rabbinical books God is represented 
 with the Messiah on his right and Abraham 
 on his left. Comp. 1 Kings 2 : 19 ; 22 : 19 ; 
 Heb. 1 : 13. Observe the promises of the Lord 
 are places of trust, power, and activity (Matt. 19 : 
 28 ; 25 : 21, 23) ; the request here is simply for 
 places of honor. — In thy glory. Compare 
 Christ's prayer, whose language is similar, but 
 whose spirit how different. John 17 : 5, 21. Ob- 
 serve that he asks to participate in the glory of 
 the Father after he has finished his work, the 
 disciples before they have done theirs. Comp. 
 Rom. 2 : 10 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8. 
 
 38. Ye know not what ye ask. An il- 
 lustration this of ignorant prayer. Within a 
 month they saw the places on his right hand and 
 his left occupied by the two thieves in the cru- 
 cifixion ; and they could not have failed to real- 
 ize then the solemn significance of Christ's dec- 
 laration and of the question which followed. — 
 Are ye able to drink of the cup * * * 
 and be baptized with the baptism ? * * 
 The cup and the baptism are Scriptural emblems 
 of sorrow ; it is not fanciful to regard the first 
 as a symbol of inner and spiritual bitterness, the 
 second as a symbol of outer persecution and 
 trial (isa. 5i:22; Matt. 26 : 42 ; 3: ii, note). There ap- 
 pears to be here a latent reference to the sacra- 
 ments. In that case the cup of the Lord's Sup- 
 
 per must be regarded by the communicant as a 
 rjledgc to share in the sorrows of him who was in 
 travail for the sins of the world, and baptism as 
 an admission to the kingdom whose perfected 
 glory is the harvest of a sowing of trials and 
 
 tears (Rom C : 6-8 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 12). 
 
 3i). >Ye can. The language of assurance ; 
 but assurance may be of faith or of ignorance ; 
 here it is of ignorance. They could say this be- 
 cause they knew not what it meant. When the 
 Master drank the cup they shared not his sor- 
 row, but slcjDt ; when he entered into the bap- 
 tism of his Passion they forsook him and fled 
 
 (Mark 14 : 33-37, E0). Ye shall. " One Of theSC 
 
 brethren was the first of the apoctles to drink 
 the cup of suffering and be baptised with the 
 baptism of blood (Acts 12 : 1, 2) ; the other had the 
 longest experience among them of a life of trou- 
 ble and persecution." — (Alford.) See Matt. 10, 
 pp. 147-150. 
 
 40. But to sit on my right hand and on 
 my left hand is not mine to give, but (is 
 for those) for whom it is prepared. Mat- 
 thew adds. By my Father. This declaration is 
 not to be interpreted away by translating it (u/.'/.d 
 oig) except (to those) "for whom it has been pre- 
 pared," as Owen and Alford, which is doubtful 
 Greek (see Winer, § 53 : 10, and Rob. Lex., art. 
 u/ud) ; nor by rendering it, "Is not mine to give 
 on the ground of private friendship'''' (Owen), 
 "in an arbitrary way'''' (James Morison), or, "It 
 is not mine to promise now " (Matthew Henry), all 
 of which are more than doubtful interpreta- 
 tions. The spirit of the original is correctly 
 rendered by our English version. The works 
 which Christ does are done by the power of the 
 Father dwelling in him (John 6: 36 j 9:4; io:sb); the 
 words which he speaks are his Father's words 
 (John 14 : io) ; his life is to do his Father's will 
 (Luke 2 : 49 ; John 4 : 34) ; the glory he had before the 
 foundation of the world he had with the Father 
 (John 17 : 5) ; the power of the present and the 
 glory of the future he derives from the Father 
 
 (Col. 1 : 19 ; Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1 : 2.. 4). So, the place which 
 
 he goes to prepare for his disciples (John 14 : 2), and 
 the crown which he will give his followers (2 Tim. 
 4 -. 8), are given as they have been willed by the Fa- 
 ther. In brief, in the final adjudication of 
 rewards and punishments ; as in all else, Christ 
 executes the Father's will. 
 
 41. They began to be much displeased.
 
 Ch. X.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 40 
 
 over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them ; and 
 their great ones exercise authority upon them. 
 
 43 But so shall it not be among you: but r whoso- 
 ever will be great among you, shall be your minis- 
 ter: 
 
 44 And whosoever oi you will be the chiefest, shall 
 be servant of all. 
 
 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered 
 unto, but s to minister, and to' give his life a ransom 
 for manv. 
 
 46 And" they came to Jericho: ind as he went out 
 of Jericho witni his disciples and a great number of peo- 
 
 Ele. blind Bartimzeus, the sou of Timaeus, sat by the 
 ighway side, begging. 
 
 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, 
 
 he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, ikou Son of Da- 
 vid, have mercy on me. 
 
 48 And many charged him that he should hold his 
 peace : but he cried the more v a great deal, Tkou 3on 
 of David, have mercy w on me. 
 
 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be 
 called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, 
 Be of good comfort, rise : he x calleth thee. 
 
 50 And he, casting 1 away his garment, rose, and 
 came to Jesus. 
 
 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt 
 thou that I should do unto thee ? The blind man said 
 unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 
 
 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way ; thy z faith 
 hath made thee whole. And immediately he received 
 his sighi, and followed Jesus in the way. 
 
 r ch. 9 : 35; Matt. 20 : 26, 08; Luke 9 : 48.... s John 13 : 14; Phil. 2 : 7....t I^a. 53 : 11, 12; Da 
 
 8 6 ; Tit. 2 : 14 u Matt. 20 : 29, elc. ; Luke IS : 35, elc v Jer. 29 : 13 w Ps. 62 : 12. 
 
 5 : 34 j Matt. 9 : 22. 
 
 : 26 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 21 ; Gal. 3 : 13 ; 1 Tim 
 Johu II : 28 y Phil. 3 : 7-9 z ch. 
 
 The same spirit of self-seeking which incited the 
 request of James and John incited the displeas- 
 ure and indignation (Matt. 20 : 24) of the ten. Christ 
 rebukes botn. 
 
 42-44. But Jesus called them. Their 
 controversy had been carried on aside, and apart 
 from Jesus. — They which are accounted to 
 rule over the Gentiles. "Not equal to, Those 
 who rule, which God alone does." — (Afford.) 
 Moreover, the apparent are rarely the real rulers. 
 — Lord it over them. The original verb, in 
 both cases, is compounded with a preposition 
 (xurd), which gives a peculiar tone to the lan- 
 guage, as of lordship and authority exercised 
 over and against the ruled. And this is the essen- 
 tial spirit of all despotism, whether civil or eccle- 
 siastical. See note below. — But Avhosoever 
 will be great anion? you. Primarily, in 
 the Christian church ; secondarily, in Christian 
 communities. — Shall be your servant. The 
 word {di&xoros) properly signifies one who waits 
 on guests at a table ; hence it is taken typically 
 in the N. T. to signify a preacher and pastor 
 (2 Cor. 11 : 23). Here it is not used in the ecclesi- 
 astical, but in the more general sense. Great- 
 ness is to be achieved in serving, not in com- 
 pelling the service of others. — And whosoever 
 of you will become first, shall be the 
 bondman of all. The original {Soiloc) never 
 signifies hired servant, but always slave. The 
 idea conveyed by the metaphor is not, however, 
 
 Submission to the authority of Others (see on the con- 
 trary Matt. 23 : 7-12, not.>s ; John 8 : 32 ; 1 Cor. 7 : 23 ; Gal. 32 : 5), 
 
 but subserviency to their real interests and needs. 
 It is interpreted by the verse succeeding. 
 
 45. For even the Son of man. The Mes- 
 siah. See Matt. 10 : 23, note.— Came not to be 
 ministered unto, but to minister. This is 
 still true, and he best serves Christ, not who 
 offers him the best service, but who hunger- 
 ingly seeks and humbly receives from him the 
 most. For illustrative interpretation of this say- 
 ing, see Luke 10 : 38-43. — And to give his life 
 a ransom for many. It is hardly possible to 
 
 misunderstand the meaning of this metaphor, 
 which clearly implies a true sacrificial offering 
 by Christ, in order to redeem from sin the souls 
 of those that trust in him. Comp. Isaiah 35 : 10 ; 
 51 : 10 ; Jer. 31 : 11 ; Ilosea 13 : 11 ; 1 Cor. 6 : 20 ; 
 Gal. 1:4; Titus 2 : 11 ; 1 Pet. 1 : 18, 19. The 
 ransom is offered for all, 1 Tim. 2 : C ; it is effica- 
 cious for the many who accept it, the great mul- 
 titude, which no man could number, of Rev. 
 7 : 9, 10. 
 
 The principles here inculcated (vers. 42 t- 45) do 
 not forbid classes in society, nor the exercise of 
 legitimate authority, by appointed officials in 
 church or state. But they do require that all 
 apparent rulers shall be the real servants of the 
 people, and shall use their place and authority 
 as a means of serving others, not of self-aggran- 
 dizement. Quesnel's notes on the parallel pas- 
 sage, Matt. 20 : 25-2S, should be read by those 
 who have the opportunity. His deductions con- 
 cerning the duty of the clergy, are the more 
 noteworthy, because he is a Roman Catholic. 
 The clergy are not to lord it over the laity, not 
 to assume the air and deportment of secular 
 princes ; they are to look upon their office as only 
 a service or ministry, to be, in service though 
 not in submission, the bondmen of the people, 
 and to be always ready to spend and be spent for 
 
 their flocks (John 10 : 11 ; 2 Cor. 12 : 15 ; 1 John 3 : 16). 
 
 46-52. Healing of blind Bartim^eus. 
 Matt. 20 : 29-31 ; Luke 18 : 35-44. See notes on 
 Luke, where the accounts are compared and the 
 variations noted. 
 
 Ch. 11 : 1-11. The triumphant entry 
 into Jerusalem. Of this entry we have four 
 accounts. Comp. Matt. 21 : 1-11 ; Luke 19 : 
 29-41 ; John 12 : 12-19. See notes on Luke for 
 all that is common to the four accounts and for 
 a consideration of the probable chronology. 
 Two or three details are peculiar to Mark. — 
 Straightway he will send him hither. 
 There is some uncertainty as to the correct read- 
 ing of this phrase. According to Origen, Lach- 
 mann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles, it should
 
 50 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AND" when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto 
 Bethphage, and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, 
 he senileth forth two of his disciples, 
 
 2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village 
 over against you : and as soon as ye lie entered into it, 
 ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat ; loose 
 him, and bring him. 
 
 3 And if any man say unto yon, Why do ye this? 
 say 'ye that the Lord hatli need ,; of him ; and straight- 
 way he will send him hither. 
 
 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied 
 by the door without, in a place where two ways met; 
 and they loose him. 
 
 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto 
 them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 
 
 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had com- 
 manded : and they let them go. 
 
 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their 
 garments on him : and ' he sat upon him. 
 
 S And many spread their garments in the way ; and 
 
 others rut down branches off the trees, and strawed 
 them in the way. 
 
 9 And they that went before, and they that followed 
 rncd, saying Hosanna ; Blessed" is he that cometh in 
 the name oi the Lord: 
 
 io Blessed be the kingdom » of our father David that 
 cometh in the name of the Lord : Hosanna in the high- 
 est.' 6 
 
 ii And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the 
 temple: and- when he had looked round about upon 
 all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out 
 into Bethany with the twelve. 
 
 12 And '■ on the morrow, when they were come from 
 Bethany, he was hungry : 
 
 13 And seeing a fig "tree afar off having leaves he 
 came, if haply he might rind anything thereon : and 
 when he came to it, he found nothing ' hut leaves • for 
 the time of figs was not yet. 
 
 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat 
 fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples 
 heard it. 
 
 aMi.lt. 21 : 1, etc. ; Luke 19 : 99, etc.; John 12 : 14, otc....b Acts 17 : 25.....' Zcch. 9 : 9....d Ps. 118: 2G e Isr 9 • 7 • Th.- 8.1 ■ 11 
 
 fPs. 148:1. ...gZeii. 1 : 12; Ezek. 8 : 9. .. .!■ Matt 21 : 18, etc.i..l Isn. 5 : 7. ' " ' " 
 
 read, Straightway he, i. e., the Lord, will send him 
 back again. That is, it is a promise to the owner 
 of a speedy return of the ass. Alford retains 
 our Snglish version, which interprets the words 
 as a prophecy to the disciples that the owner 
 will send the animal at once on receiving the 
 message, "The Lord hath need of him." — 
 Where two ways meet. Rather, "in the 
 roundabout way;'''' either, as Wordsworth, "in 
 the back way which led round the house ; " or, 
 as James Morison, "a topographical note that 
 could only be given by an eye-witness ; the like- 
 lihood is that the village would be straggled 
 along a road that deviated from the highway, 
 but came round to it again." — Cut down 
 branches off the trees. This corresponds 
 with the partulel passages in Matthew and John. 
 But the best reading here is, " And others twigs, 
 having cut them out of the fields.' 1 ' 1 The original 
 {nnriu:) indicates small twigs, such as are fit 
 for a lied or mattress, and might include rushes 
 or leaves." — And strawed them in the way. 
 This phrase is wanting in the best manuscripts. 
 It is borrowed probably from Matthew, and cor- 
 rectly describes the facts. Versa 11 is peculiar 
 to Mark. Matthew and Luke write as though 
 Jesus drove the cattle and dealers out of the 
 Temple that same day, though they do not ex- 
 plicitly say so. Greswell's supposition is a rea- 
 sonable cne, that the traders and their effects 
 had been removed for the day, but that Christ 
 saw the indications of their presence, and, re- 
 turning the next day, drove them out as de- 
 scribed by the three Evangelists. It would 
 appear from this verse and Matt. 21 : 17 and 
 Luke 21 : ?>7, that during the Passion week he 
 remained in Jerusalem only by day, spending 
 the nisht either at Bethany, just over the Mount 
 of Olives, or on the mount itself. In that cli- 
 mate and at that season sleeping in the open air 
 
 was no hardship. Probably two motives con- 
 spired to this course : safety from the machina- 
 tions of the priest and a desire for quiet for 
 devotion, and perhaps for private conferences 
 with his disciples, which he could not secure in 
 the now over-crowded city. 
 
 Ch. 11 : 12-26. CURSING OF THE BARREN FIG-TREE. 
 —CASTING OUT THE TRADERS FROM THE TEMPLE.— 
 The PRATER OF faith.— The punishment of fruit- 
 less PROFESSION IS DEATH.— TnE CONSECRATION AND 
 
 desecration of God's Temple : it is consecrated 
 to the use of all nations ; it is desecrated when 
 perverted to a means of pecuniary profit.— the 
 promise to the prater of faith and its conditions. 
 
 Parallel with this account is Matt. 21 : 12-22 
 and Luke 19 : 45-43. Luke does not mention 
 the cursing of the fig-tree. 
 
 12-14. Few passages in the N. T. have given 
 rise to more discussion or presented more diffi- 
 culties than this incident. The difficulties, and 
 what I believe to be the true solution, may be, 
 perhaps, best represented by embodying them 
 in the form of question and answer. I. How 
 can we reconcile Christ's ignorance of the fruitlcso 
 condition of this tree with his divine character? 
 (1.) It is not stated that he was ignorant of its 
 fruitless character, or that he expected to find 
 fruit upon it ; only that he went to it as if seek- 
 ing for fruit. (2.) He may, however, have been 
 ignorant ; and this is implied, though not as- 
 serted, in this narrative. Fo- it was a part of his 
 voluntary humiliation to subject himself to all 
 the ordinary conditions of humanity, and he did 
 not use his divine knowledge except for the sake 
 of others and in the execution of his divine mis- 
 sion. See ch. 13 : 32, note. II. How could he, 
 as a reasonable man, have expected fruit if " the 
 time of figs was not yet?" This difficulty has 
 led to various explanations; first, to proposed 
 emendations of the text, as, "Where he was it
 
 " JAy house shall he called of all nations the house of prayer ; but ye have 
 made it a den of thieves.'
 
 Cn. XL] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 51 
 
 15 AndJ they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went 
 into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold 
 and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of 
 the moneychangers, 11 and the seats of them that sold 
 doves ; 
 
 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry 
 any vessel through the temple. 
 
 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not writ- 
 
 ten, 1 My house shall be called of all nations the house 
 of prayer ? but ye have made it a den "' of thieves. 
 
 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and 
 sought how they might destroy him : for they feared 
 him, because all the people was astonished " at his doc- 
 trine. 
 
 19 And when even was come, he went out of the 
 city. 
 
 j Matt. 2] : 12, etc. ; Luko 19 : 45, etc. ; John 2 : 14, etc 
 
 . . m Jer. 7 : 1 1 . . . n ch. 1 : 22 ; Matt. 7 : 23 ; 
 
 was the season of figs," or, "Was it not the 
 time of figs? " but neither of these are admissi- 
 ble ; and, second, to different renderings of the 
 present text, as, "It was not a good season for 
 figs that year," or, "It was not the harvest sea- 
 son for figs," that is, the time for gathering 
 them ; hence our Lord might reasonably expect 
 to find figs there ; but neither of these accords 
 with the facts or with the text. The reader will 
 find a compact statement of these and the other 
 explanations in Trench's Notes on the Miracles. 
 The facts are that figs are produced in Palestine 
 at two or even three seasons of the year, viz., the 
 end of June, or sometimes a little earlier, the 
 middle of August, and the late fall ; the latter 
 figs remaining on the tree through the winter. 
 But the early fig usually appears before the leaf; 
 hence in this case (it was the beginning of April) 
 the leaf was precocious, and justified a hope if 
 not an expectation of finding precocious fruit, 
 and the language here, "If haply he might find 
 anything," indicates that it was only a bare pos- 
 sibility which he or his disciples had in mind. 
 Mr. Thomson (Land and Book, I, 538) says that 
 he has plucked the early figs as early as May on 
 the Lebanon, one hundred and fifty miles north 
 of Jerusalem ; a warm and sunny spot on the 
 slope of the Mount of Olives might have pro- 
 duced leaves as early as April on a specially 
 early fig-tree. III. Why should Christ have in- 
 flicted judgment on the tree, or been angry 
 with it for failing to furnish him with fruit V 
 Of anger there is not the slightest trace in the 
 narrative. This has been invented and imputed 
 to Christ by a cavilling criticism. Judgment, in 
 the true sense, there was none. For the tree, 
 without moral responsibility, was neither guilty 
 of sin nor capable of receiving punishment. But 
 it was a natural parable of the condition of the 
 Jewish nation, and the withering away which 
 ensued (vet. 20) was an enacted parable of the 
 punishment which divine providence would 
 bring upon that nation, which was morally re- 
 sponsible for its condition, and morally capable 
 of being judged and punished. The act here is 
 thus parallel to and interpreted by the parable 
 in Luke 13 : 0-9 ; comp. Matt. 3:8; 7 : 10 ; 
 21 : 43. " The tree, by its precocious leaves, 
 made a pretence of fruitfnlness, and thus exactly 
 symbolized the Jewish nation, whose sin was 
 
 not so much that it was without fruit, as that 
 it boasted of so much." " It (the tree) was pun- 
 ished, not for being without fruit, but for pro- 
 claiming by the voice of those leaves that it had 
 fruit ; not for being barren, but for being false." 
 — (Trench.) The present and personal applica- 
 tion of this incident is to all those who make a 
 fair show of religion, but bring not forth the 
 fruits thereof, as Paul describes them in GaL 
 5 • 22 23 
 
 15-19. Christ had, at the commencement of 
 his ministry, cast the traders out of the Temple. 
 That event, described by John (2 : ic-it) is not to 
 be confounded with the one described here and 
 by the other Synoptists. See Matt. 21 : 12, 13, 
 note. For description of the Temple, and notes 
 on the signification of the cleansing, see on John. 
 The part of the Temple occupied by the traders 
 was the Court of the Gentiles ; they were thus 
 practically excluded from all participation in 
 its benefits, since they were not allowed in the 
 inner courts. The priests winked at this dese- 
 cration, and probably participated in the profits. 
 "He would not suffer any vessel to be carried 
 through the Temple," indicates, not a prohibition 
 to carry through these outer courts the sacred 
 utensils of the Temple proper, but a prohibition 
 of the use of the outer court for the purpose of 
 a thoroughfare. The word here rendered vessel 
 is translated in Matt. 12 : 29 and Mark 3 : 27 
 goods, and in Luke 17 : 31 stuff. The references 
 in Christ's address which follow are to Isaiah 
 50 : 7 and Jer. 7 : 11. The peculiar language 
 here, " My house shall be called a house of prayer 
 for all nations,"' 1 reported only by Luke and 
 mistranslated in our English version, indicates 
 that this act was a rebuke, not only of the sacri- 
 lege put upon the Temple by converting it into 
 a market-place, but also of the Jewish bigotry 
 which, by thus using the only part of the Tem- 
 ple which was accessible to the Gentiles, ex- 
 cluded them from its benefits. The Tem- 
 ple was not merely for Jewish worshippers, 
 but for all nations. The language, " Yc hare 
 made it a den of thieres,' 1 ' 1 indicates that it 
 was a corrupt and fraudulent traffic which a 
 corrupt and fraudulent priesthood had permitted 
 to encroach on the worship of God. There is 
 scarcely anywhere in the N. T. a more striking 
 illustration of the marvellous moral power of
 
 52 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Cn. XL 
 
 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw 
 the fig tre-^ dried up from the roots. 
 
 21 And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto 
 him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedstis 
 withered away ! 
 
 22 And Jesus, answering, saith unto him, Have faith 
 in God. 
 
 23 For verily, I say unto you, That whosoever "shall 
 say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou 
 cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but 
 shall believe that those things which he saith shall 
 come to pass ; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 
 
 24 Therefore 1 say unto you, What 1 ' things soever ye 
 desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and 
 ye shall have them. 
 
 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, q if ye have 
 aught against any; that your Father also which is in 
 heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 
 
 26 Hut ' if ye do not forgive, neither will your Fa- 
 ther which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 
 
 27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and 8 as he 
 
 was walking in the temple, there come to him the 
 c ihief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 
 
 28 And say unto him, By' what authority doest thou 
 these things ? and who gave thee this authority to do 
 these things ? 
 
 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will 
 also ask of you one question, and answer me, and 1 will 
 tell you by what authority I do these things. 
 
 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of 
 men? Answer me. 
 
 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saving. If 
 we shall say, From heaven ; he will say, Why then 
 did ye not believe him ? 
 
 32 But if we shall say, Of men • they feared the peo- 
 ple : for" all men counted John, that he was a prophet 
 indeed. 
 
 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We * 
 cannot tell. And Jesus answering, saith unto them, 
 Neither do I w tell you by what authority I do these 
 things. 
 
 o Malt. 17 : 50 : Luke 17:6 p Malt. 7 : " ; Luke 11 : 9 ; 18 : 1 ; Jolm 14 : 13 ; 15 : 7 ; 18:21; Jas. 1 : 5, 0. . . q Matt. 0:14; Col. 3 : 13 
 
 r Matt. 18 : 35 s Man. 21 : 28, etc. ; Like 20 : 1, etc .. t Numb. 16 : 3 u ch. : 20j Ainu. 3 : 5, 6 ; 14 : 5 v Isu. 1:3; 1:9 : 14 ; 
 
 Jer. 8:7; Hu>. 4:6 w Luke 10 : 21, 22. 
 
 Christ than this act of his in cleansing the Tem- 
 ple, single-handed, of a corruption so entrenched. 
 Yet we must not forget that in it he was doubt- 
 less supported by the sympathies of the Gentiles 
 and the more pious Jews, as well as by the con- 
 sciences of the very men who were driven out; 
 and that while the priests winked at the traffic, 
 they would hesitate openly to sanction it. 
 
 20, 21. Observe that the effect to the. fruit- 
 tree exceeds the sentence ; that simply con- 
 demns it to fruitlessness. But both in nature and 
 in grace fruitlessness always issues in death. 
 It is only by and through fruit-bearing that life 
 is ever perpetuated. 
 
 22-26. Have faith in God. Comp. John 
 11:1; Heb. 11 : G. Here evidently faith in a 
 God who is master over nature. It is an exhor- 
 tation which in this age of naturalism the church 
 needs ever to recall. — To this mount. That 
 is, the Mount of Olives, on which they were 
 standing ; the language points out a particular 
 mountain. — And shall not doubt in his 
 heart. Literally, Shall not be at variance with 
 hlni.c'f in his heart. The original {diuzqlvm) is 
 rendered staggered in Rom. 4 : CO, and wavering in 
 James 1 : (J. — But shall have faith that 
 those things which he saith shall come 
 to pass. Not merely a general faith in God 
 or even in prayer, but a faith in God as then 
 present and hearing, and in that particular 
 prayer as then heard and to be answered. — He 
 shall have whatsoever he saith. The words 
 Whatsoever he saith are omitted by Tischendorf 
 and doubted by Alford. But the omission does 
 not materially modify the meaning of the prom- 
 ise. — For this reason I say unto you. Be- 
 cause the promise of blessing is only to the 
 prayer of faith (jamea i : 6, t ; 5:i5), therefore we 
 need to strengthen our faith in the time of 
 prayer. — And when ye stand. "To stand is 
 
 the attitude of praying with confidence ; to be 
 prostrate, of praying with deprecation." — (Ben- 
 gel.) — Forgive if ye have aught against 
 any. Comp. Matt. 5 : 23, 24. The connection 
 appears to me to be this : Christ's faith had 
 wrought itself out in a symbolical condemnation 
 of an unfruitful nation. The disciples were to 
 imbibe his faith, but not to imitate its exercise. 
 Their prayers were to be, not for the punish- 
 ment, but for the pardon of offenders. Comp. 
 John 9: 54-56. Only Mark contains verses 2b 
 and ~0° in this connection, and there is some 
 doubt as to the authenticity of verse 26. Alford 
 retains it; Tischendorf and Tregelles omit it. 
 
 There is a difficulty in these verses (22-26), 
 which probably every reader feels, and which 
 the commentaries do not help much to solve. 
 No one takes the promise here literally, " He 
 shall have whatsoever he saith," and, "Believe 
 that ye receive them and ye shall have them." 
 It is true that Christ sometimes taught by hyper- 
 boles, but he never employed mere exaggeration 
 to produce an effect. I confess, therefore, that 
 the largeness of the promise perplexes me ; I 
 can only note three facts in partial interpretation 
 of it. (1.) The promise is only to him who has 
 faith that those things which he saith shall come to 
 pass. But this faith must rest on some founda- 
 tion. It cannot be a mere baseless expectation. 
 The promise, therefore, carries some limitations 
 in its terms ; it is made only to such prayers as 
 are based on and accord with the revealed will 
 of God ; (2) it teaches emphatically that the ben- 
 efit of prayer is not wholly a spiritual benefit to 
 the one praying, but that it also is efficacious to 
 change or modify, by the divine intervention, 
 the course of natural phenomena ; (3) it in- 
 volved a promise of miracles in answer to prayer 
 in the apostolic age, when miracles were needed 
 to carry on God's work ; but it involves no such
 
 Cn. XII.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 AND he began to speak unto them by parables. A x 
 certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge 
 about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built 
 a tower, and lee u out to husbandmen, and went into a 
 far country. 
 
 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a ser- 
 vant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of 
 the) 1 fruit of the vineyard. 
 
 3 And they caught kirn, and beat him, and sent him 
 away empty. 
 
 4 And again he sent unto them another servant ; and 
 at him they cast stones, 2 and wounded him in the head, 
 and sent him away shamefully handled. 
 
 5 And again he sent another ; and him they killed, 
 and a many others ; beating some, and killing b some. 
 
 6 Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, 
 he c sent him also last unto them, saying, They will 
 reverence my son. 
 
 7 But those husban Imen said among themselves, 
 This is the heir ; come, 1st us kill him, and the inheri- 
 tance shall be ours. 
 
 8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him 
 out d of the vineyard. 
 
 9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do ? 
 He wiU come and e destroy the husbandmen, and will 1 
 give the vineyard unto others. 
 
 io And have ye not reid this scripture ; The g stone 
 which the builders rejected is become the head of the 
 corner : 
 
 ii This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in 
 our eyes? 
 
 12 And h they sought to lay hold on him, but feared 
 the people : for they knew that he hid spoken the para- 
 ble against them : and they left him, and went their 
 way. 
 
 13 And' they send unto him certain of the Pharisees 
 and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. 
 
 14 And when they were come, they say unto him, 
 Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no 
 man : for thou regardest not the person of men, but 
 teachest the way of God in truth : Is it lawful to give 
 tribute to Caesar, or not ? 
 
 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give ? But he, 
 knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt 
 ye me ? Bring me a penny, that I may sue it. 
 
 16 And they brought it. And he saich unto them, 
 Whose is this image and superscription ? And they 
 said unto him, Caesar's. 
 
 17 And Jesus, answering, said unto them, Render to 
 Caesar J the things that are Caesar's, and to God k the 
 things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. 
 
 18 Then ' come unto him the Sadducees, which say m 
 there is no resurrection ; and they ask him, saying, 
 
 19 Master, Moses wrote" unto us, If a man's brother 
 die, and leave his wife belrind him, and leave no chil- 
 dren, that his brother ° should take his wife, and raise 
 up seed unto his brother. 
 
 20 Now there were seven brethren : and the first 
 took a wife, and dying, left no seed. 
 
 21 And the second took her, and died: neither left he 
 any seed : and the third likewise. 
 
 22 And the seven had her, and left no seed : last of 
 all the woman died also. 
 
 23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, 
 whose wife shall she be of them ? for the seven had 
 her to wife. 
 
 24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not 
 therefore err, because ye know T not the scriptures, nei- 
 ther the power of God ? 
 
 25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they nei- 
 ther marry nor are given in marriage ; but f are z.s the 
 angels which are in heaven. 
 
 26 And as touching the dead, that they rise ; have ye 
 not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God 
 spake unto him, saying, q I am the God of Abraham, 
 and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? 
 
 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the 
 living : ye r therefore do greatly err. 
 
 28 And s one of the scribes came, and having heard 
 them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had 
 answered them well, asked him, Which is the first com- 
 mandment of all ? 
 
 2i And Jesus answered him, The firpt of all the com- 
 mandments is, 1 Hear, O Israel ; The Lord our God is 
 one Lord : 
 
 x Matt. 21 : 33 ; Luke 20 : 9, etc y Cant. 8:11; Micah 7 
 
 b Matt. 23 : 37 c Keb. 1 : 1, 2 d Heb. 13 : 12 t 
 
 II: IS; John 7: 30 i Matt. 22 : 15 ; Luke 20 : 20, etc. . 
 
 1 Matt. 2-' : 23; Luke 20 : 27, etc m Acts 23 : 8 u 
 
 i>4 3 Matt. 22 : 35 t Deut. 6 : 4, 5 ; Luke 10 : 27. 
 
 1 ; Luke 12 : 48 ; John 15:1-8....* Heb. 11 : 37. . . .a Neh. 9 : 30 ; Jer. 7 : 25. etc. 
 Prov. 1 : 24-31 ; Ish. 5:5-7; D,m. 9 : 26. . . .f Jei-. 17 : 3. . . .g P.-. 1 18 : 22. . . Ii ch. 
 ..i Mutt. 17 : 25-21 ; R.im. 13 : 7 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 17.... k E.-cl. 5 : 4. 5 ; Mai. 1 : 6.... 
 Deut. 25: 5 o Rulh 1 : 11, 13 p 1 Cor. 15 : 42 53 q Exi'l. 3:6 r ver. 
 
 promise now, since there is no ground on which 
 we can base a just expectation that God will 
 work miracles in answer to prayer, and cannot, 
 therefore, in accordance with the laws of the 
 human mind, believe that if we ask for them we 
 6hall have them. 
 
 27-33. Christ's authority questioned. 
 Compare Matt. 21 : 23-27, and Luke 20 : 1-3. The 
 accounts are almost verbally identical. See notes 
 on Matthew. 
 
 Ch. 12:1-12. Parable of the wicked 
 husbandmen. Narrated, also, in Matt. 21 : 
 33-4(5, and Luke 20 : 9-19. There is no material 
 variance in the reports, except that Mark gives 
 some details here in verses 4 and 5, not given by 
 the others, and their condemnation here ex- 
 pressed by Christ (ver. 9) in Matthew, he is repre- 
 sented as compelling his auditors to express 
 themselves. Both may well be true. For notes, 
 see Matthew. 
 
 13-17. Concerning tribute to Caesar. 
 Compare Matt. 22 : 15-22, and Luke 20 : 20-26. 
 Luke gives the object of the inquiry of the Phar- 
 
 isees, " That they might take hold of his words, 
 that so they might deliver him into the power 
 and authority of the government,'' and their 
 failure, " They could not take hold of his words." 
 Mark puts the question more directly than the 
 others : ••Shall we give, or shall we not give?" 
 Otherwise the accounts are substantially iden- 
 tical. See notes on Matthew. 
 
 18-27. TnE Sadducees silenced. Compare 
 Matt. 22 : 23-33, and Luke 20 : 27-40, and notes 
 in both places. 
 
 28-34. The great commandment. Peculiar j 
 to Matt. 22 : 34-40, and Mark here. See notes 
 on Matthew. There is a seeming but not real 
 discrepancy in their reports. According to Mat- 
 thew the scribe asks the question of our Lord, 
 " tempting him." Mark's language indicates no 
 such hostile purpose, and the scribe's response, 
 and Christ's commendation of him (tor. 33, 34\ 
 have been thought inconsistent with Matthew's 
 interpretation of his motives. He may have been 
 an honest inquirer whom Matthew classed with 
 the other inquirers " without entering into careful
 
 54 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Cn. XII 
 
 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
 heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and 
 with all thy strength. This is the tirst commandment. 
 
 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou" shalt 
 love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other com- 
 mandment greater than these. 
 
 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou 
 hast said the truth : tor there is one God ; and v there 
 is none other but he : 
 
 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all 
 the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all 
 the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is 
 more w than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 
 
 54 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, 
 he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom 
 of God. And no man after that durst ask him x any 
 question. 
 
 35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in 
 
 the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son 
 of David ? 1 
 
 36 For David himself said by z the Holy Ghost, The" 
 Lokd said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I 
 make thine enemies thy footstool. 
 
 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord ; and 
 whence is he then his son? And the common people 
 heard him gladly. 
 
 38 And he said unto them b in his doctrine, Reware c 
 of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and 
 love salutations in the market-places, 
 
 39 And d the chief seats in the synagogues, and the 
 uppermost rooms at feasts ; 
 
 40 Which devour widows' houses,' and for a pretence 
 make long prayers: these shall receive greater damna- 
 tion. 
 
 41 And r Jesus sat over against the treasury, and be- 
 held how the people cast money into the treasury : and 
 many that were rich cast in much. 
 
 11 
 
 Lev 
 
 19 
 
 : IS; 
 
 Mat' 
 
 . 22 : 39 
 
 Rom. IS 
 
 :9 
 
 
 . V 
 
 Deut 
 
 4 
 
 39 
 
 
 Isa. 45 : 
 
 5,6, 
 
 14 
 
 46 
 
 : 9.. 
 
 
 v 1 Sam. 
 
 15 
 
 22 ; 
 
 Hosea 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Mi 
 
 call 6 
 
 6-8. 
 
 
 
 X 1V1 
 
 nt 
 
 o.i . 
 
 4fi ,. 
 
 ,v Matt. 
 
 ■J 'J 1 41 J 
 
 Ltl 
 
 :^ 
 
 .'0 
 
 ■11) 
 
 etc 
 
 
 z 
 
 ■> San 
 
 23 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 Tim. 
 
 3 
 
 16. ...a 
 
 Ps 
 
 110 
 
 : 1... 
 
 .b 
 
 cli 
 
 4 
 
 2... 
 
 .c Mi 
 
 It. 
 
 
 23: 
 
 1 ; 
 
 Luke 20 : 
 
 J15, etc.. 
 
 .d Luke 
 
 11 : 
 
 43 
 
 
 b il'l 
 
 in. 
 
 3 : 
 
 6 
 
 ...fLuke 21 
 
 : 1 
 
 etc 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and accurate discrimination" (Alford) ; but this 
 is not a necessary hypothesis. He may have been 
 a caviller, not a disciple, and yet not so encased 
 in~ prejudice but that he could appreciate the 
 force of Christ's simple but eloquent response, 
 and acknowledge its truth and beauty. On ver. 
 34, Alford's comment is worthy of study by those 
 who are inclined to regard obedience, not faith, as 
 the root and foundation of a religious life. 
 "This man had hold of that principle in which 
 Law and Gospel are one. Pie stood, as it were, 
 at the door of the kingdom of God. He only 
 wanted (but the want was indeed a serious one) 
 repentance and faith to be within it. The Lord 
 shows us here that even outside his flock those 
 who can answer discreetly, who have knowledge 
 of the spirit of the great command of Law and 
 Gospel, are nearer to being of his flock than the 
 formalists ; but then as Bengel adds, ' If thou 
 art not far off, enter ; otherwise it were better 
 that thou vvert far off. ' ' ' Comp. Matt. 19 : 10-2:3. 
 
 33-37. The Pharisees baffled. See notes 
 on parallel passage in Matt. 22 : 41— t(i. Observe 
 in verse 30, here, Christ's testimony to the inspi- 
 ration of the O. T. Scripture, and in verse 37, 
 Mark's account of the effect of Christ's teaching 
 on the common people, they " heard him gladly; " 
 while according to Matthew (22 : 40) the Pharisees 
 and Scribes were confounded by it. Perhaps the 
 common people were not sorry to see their auto- 
 cratic teachers put to confusion. 
 
 33-49. Denunciation of the Scribes. 
 Mark's lan^ua^e here, " And he said unto them 
 in his teaching," indicates that these verses are 
 only a quotation from a longer discourse. Such 
 is the fact. The discourse occupies the whole 
 of Matt., ch. 23. The verses here and in Luke 
 20 : 45-17 are parallel to Matt. 23 : 5, 6, 14. See 
 notes there. The language here "love to go in 
 lon^c clothing" answers to "enlarge the borders 
 of their garments," in Matthew. The "Jong 
 clothing"(.Gr. 01 >h\, stole)was a long, flowing robe 
 
 reacning to the feet, and worn by king and 
 priests, and by the scribes, probably as a symbol 
 of sanctity, and as a means of attracting atten- 
 tion and securing the reverence of the common 
 people. The holy garments of Aaron, Exod. 28 : 
 2, and the white " robes " of Rev. 7 : 13, are both 
 in the Greek "stoles," the same word here ren- 
 dered " long clothing." Observe that here are 
 condemned, (1) the spirit that is more scrupulous 
 concerning the outward ceremonials than the in- 
 ward spirit of religion (ver. 38) ; (2) that which 
 covets the praise of men more than honor from 
 
 God (ver. 38 ; comp. Matt. 6 : 1-5, 16-18) ; (3) social pride 
 
 and vain-glory (ver. 39; comp. Lute 14 : 7-11); (4) the 
 concealment of practical selfishness by a pre- 
 tence Of piety (ver. 40 ; comp. Isaiah 1 : 10-15). 
 
 Ch. 12 : 41-44. THE WIDOW'S iMITES.— A rebuke to 
 
 TnE PROUD EICH ; AN INSPIRATION TO ME HUMBLE 
 POOR. 
 
 This incident is recorded only by Mark and 
 Luke (21 : 1-4). The report is fuller here. The 
 time and occasion are uncertain ; there is, how- 
 ever, no especial reason to doubt that it occurred 
 at this time and in conjunction with tiie discourse 
 against the Scribes and Pharisees. 
 
 41-42. And Jesus was sitting over 
 against the treasury. What this treasury was, 
 is uncertain. According to the Mishna there were 
 in the Temple thirteen treasure chests for the re- 
 ception of gifts of money, to be devoted to so 
 many special purposes, designated by the in- 
 scriptions upon them. These chests were called 
 "trumpets," probably from the shape of the open- 
 ings into which the contributions were dropped. 
 To such a chest there is a reference in 2 Kings 12 : 
 9, 10 ; comp. 22 . 4, 5. Posssibly the reference is 
 to these chests. It is, however, clear from John 
 8 : 20 that there was a room in the Temple calle< 
 the treasury. To such a room Josephus refers 
 in Antiq. 19 : 6, 1. That there were side-rooms of 
 the Temple used for receiving and keeping the
 
 Ch. XIII.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 42 And there came a certain poor widow and she 
 threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 
 
 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith 
 unto them, Verily I say unto you, Tuate this poor 
 widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast 
 into the treasury : 
 
 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance : h but 
 she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all ' 
 her living. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 A ND J as he went out of the temple, one of his disci- 
 _r~x pies saith unto him, Master, see what manner of 
 stones and what buildings are here ! 
 
 2 And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Seest thou 
 these gr^at buildings ? there k shall not bo left one stone 
 upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 
 
 3 And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, over 
 against the temple, Peter and James and John and An- 
 drew asked him privately, 
 
 4 Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what 
 shall be the sign when all these things shall be ful- 
 filled? 
 
 5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say, Take 1 
 heed less any man deceive you : 
 
 6 For many shall come m in my name, saying, I am 
 Christ : and shall deceive many. 
 
 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of 
 wars, be" ye not troubled: for such things must needs 
 be ; but the end shall not be yet. 
 
 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom 
 against kingdom ; and there shall be earthquakes in 
 divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: 
 these are the beginnings of sorrows. 
 
 9 But take heed to yourselves : for they shall ° de- 
 liver you up to councils ; and in the synagogues ye 
 shall be beaten ; and ye shall be brought before rulers 
 and kings for my sake, for a testimony aerainst them. 
 
 10 AndP the gospel must first be published among 
 all nations. 
 
 11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, 
 take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, nei- 
 ther do ye premeditate ; but whatsoever shall be given 
 you in that hour, that speak ye : for it is not ye that 
 speak, buti the Holy Ghost. 
 
 % 2 Cor. 8 : 2, 12 h 1 Clirun. 29 : 3, 17 ; 2 Chron. 
 
 29 : 8 ; E ih. 5:6; 2 Tlieis. 2 : 3 ; Rev. 20 : 7, 8. . 
 
 o Malt 10 : 17, etc.; Rev. 2 : 10. ...p Matt. 28 : 19; Rev. 14 : 6 q Acts 2 : 4 ; 4 : 
 
 I : 10 i Deul. 24 : 6....J Mutt. 24: 1, etc. ; Luke El : 5, 1 
 
 n Acts 5 : 36-89; 1 J.'lin 4:1 11 P. . -.7 : 3 ; 4G : 1, 2; P. 
 
 8, 31 ; 6 : 10. 
 
 .k Lake 19 : 44 1 Jer 
 
 : 25; John 14 : 1,27... 
 
 TREASURY BOXES. 
 
 tithes, both in money and kind, is evident from 
 Neb.. 10 : 33, 39 ; 1 Chron. 28 : 11, 13. I judge 
 the reference here to be to this treasury chamber, 
 in which, perhaps, Christ was teaching at the 
 time, and in which possibly the treasure chests 
 referred to in the Mishna, may have been kept. 
 Our illustration shows the treasury boxes used 
 in the East in the synagogues.— Was watching 
 howths people cast money into the trsas- 
 ury. The original indicates that he was pur- 
 posely observing the people, studying their action 
 and characters ; a hint to the preacher how to get 
 both subjects for discourse, and knowledge how 
 to treat those subjects. Christ still keeps like 
 watch in his church. See Rev. 1 : 13.— Two 
 mites. The mite was the least Jewish coin, 
 about equivalent to two mills of our money. 
 Observe, she had two ; she might have retained 
 one. 
 
 43. Calling his disciples. To direct their 
 attention to this woman and to emphasize the 
 lesson which he wished to inculcate. — This 
 poor woman hath cast more in. Because 
 God reckons not according to the gift, but ac- 
 cording to the giver ; not according to the value 
 of that which is bestowed, but according to the 
 self-sacrifice in the bestowal. Compare 3 Cor. 
 8 : 13. 
 
 Ch. 13. Christ's discourse on the Last 
 Days. This discourse is reported also in Matt. 
 ch. 24, and Luke 21 : 5-38. For the analysis of 
 this discourse, its general lessons, and all that is 
 common in the three accounts, see notes on Mat- 
 thew. Here I call the attention of the student 
 only to phraseologies peculiar to Mark. 
 
 1,2. The language here is more dramatic 
 than in Matthew, and more expressive of the 
 admiration of the disciples for the Temple struc- 
 ture. Matthew brings before us most vividly 
 the structure itself : " His disciples came for to 
 show him all the buildings of the Temple ; " 
 Mark, the substantial materials employed in the 
 structure: "What manner of stones and. what 
 maimer of buildings ; " Luke, the ornaments and 
 offerings: "How it was adorned with goodly 
 stones and gifts." 
 
 3. Peter etc. asked him privately. This 
 may either mean apart from the multitude, but 
 in the presence of the rest of the disciples 
 (James Morison), or apart from the other disci- 
 ples, and in a purely private conference (Lawe). 
 The language rather implies the latter ; the full- 
 ness of Matthew's report indicates, however, 
 that he was present. 
 
 5-8. The language here is almost verbally 
 identical with Matt. 24 : 3-8. Luke's language 
 (21 : 8-11 ) differs only in one or two respects. 
 
 9-11. These verses are not in Matthew. But
 
 50 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Cn. XIII 
 
 12 Now the brother' shall betray the brother to 
 death, and the lather the son : and children shall rise 
 u|> against their parents, and shall cause them to be 
 put to death. 
 
 13 And ye shall be hated * of all men for my name's 
 sake: but lie l that shall endure unto the end, the same 
 shall be saved. 
 
 14 Hut when ye shall see the abomination of desola- 
 tion, spoken of" by Daniel the prophet, standing where 
 it ought not, (let him that readeth understand), then let 
 them that be in Judaea tlee to the mountains: 
 
 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down 
 into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing 
 out of his house. 
 
 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again 
 for to take up his garment. 
 
 17 Hut woe to them that are with child, and to them 
 that give suck in those days ! 
 
 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 
 
 19 For" in those days shall be affliction, such as was 
 not from the beginning of the creation which God cre- 
 ated unto this time, neither shall be. 
 
 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those 
 days, no flesh should be saved : but for the elect's 
 sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 
 
 21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, w here /j 
 Christ; or, Lo, he is there : befieve him not: 
 
 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and 
 
 shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were pos- 
 sible, even the elect. 
 
 23 Hut * take ye heed ; behold, I have foretold you 
 all tilings. 
 
 24 But in those days, after that tribulation,*" the sun 
 shall be darkened, and the moon shall not jrivc her 
 light, 
 
 25 And z the stars of heaven shall fill, and the powers 
 that are in heaven shall be shaken. 
 
 26 And" then shall they see the Son of man corning 
 in the clouds, with great power and glory. 
 
 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall 
 gather together his elect from the four winds, from the 
 uttermost part of the earth, to the uttermost part of 
 heaven. 
 
 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree ; When her 
 branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know 
 that summer is near. 
 
 2) So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these 
 tilings come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the 
 doors. 
 
 30 Verily, I say unto you, that this generation shall 
 not pass, till all these things be done. 
 
 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but 1 ' my 
 words shall not pass away. 
 
 32 But of that day and thai hour knowcth no man, 
 no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the 
 Son, but the Father. 
 
 r Micah 7 : 6. . . .9 Luke 6 ; 22 ; John 17 : 14. . . .t Dan. 10:12; Rev. 2 : 10. . . .11 Dnn. 9 : 27. . . .v Dan. 12:1; Joel 2 : 2. . . .w Lul:o 17 
 x 2 Pet. 3 : 17... v Dan. 12 : 1 ; Zenh. 1 : 15-17.... 7. Isn. 13 : 10; 24 : 20, 23; Jer. 4:29; 2 Pet. 3 : 10, IS; Rev. 6 : 12-14 ; 30 : 11. 
 14 : 62: Dan. 7 : 9-14 ; Matt. 16 : '.'7; 81 : 30; Acts 1 ; 11 ; 1 Thess. 4 : 16 ; 2 1 Less. 1:7:10; Rev. 1 : 7 u la. 40 : 8. 
 
 analogous warnings and instructions are embodied 
 in Christ's first commission to the twelve. See 
 Matt. 10 : 18-20, notes. — Take heed to your- 
 selves. Not as a means of escaping from perse- 
 cution, but as a means of preparing for it, as 
 Christ bade Peter take heed against temptation 
 (Matt. 26 : 41). — They shall deliver you up to 
 councils. Jewish courts. There were, besides 
 the one national council or Sanhedrim (p. 25s, note), 
 smaller councils organized in all the principal 
 towns. — But when they shall lead you and 
 deliver you up, be not anxious before- 
 hand. The original verb here (iitQiuvum), is the 
 same as that translated in Matt. 6 : 23 ; 10 : 19, 
 "take no thought." It does not forbid fore- 
 thought, but an anxious and troubled spirit. 
 — Neither premeditate. A mistranslation ; 
 rather, Do not prepare your speech beforehand. 
 (soe on Luka 21 • u). — Ye Avho speak are noth- 
 ing, but the Holy Spirit. " The Greek is not 
 susceptible of the translation in our English 
 version. The contrast is between ' ye speaking ' 
 and ' the Holy Spirit.' The Holy Spirit is every- 
 thing. Everything depends on Him, not on you." 
 — (Crosby.) Observe that this direction affords 
 no countenance whatever to preaching the truth 
 without previous preparation. It is simply a 
 warning against allowing the mind to be divided 
 in time of danger, between the desire of personal 
 safety and the desire to be faithful to the truth. 
 Christ exemplifies his own directions in his course 
 before Pilate and Caiaphas (Matt. 26 : 84 ; John is : 37). 
 His direction is here enforced by promises which 
 Luke alone records (Luke 21 : 15, is) ; and it is less a 
 caution for their personal protection, than an 
 admonition to prevent them from proving false 
 
 to the truth, through self-reliance and lack of 
 trust in God. 
 
 12, 13. This warning is parallel to that of 
 Matt. 21 : 9, but is more specific. It interprets 
 Christ's repeated declaration that those who love 
 father or mother more than him, are not worthy 
 of him. It has been abundantly verified in the 
 history of religious persecution ; and this history 
 illustrates the power for evil of a depraved con- 
 science ; it overcomes even natural affection. 
 
 14-23. The language here is almost verbally 
 the same with that of Matthew (24: ls-as). Luke 
 is less full, but gives some directions and some 
 details of the sufferings, during the prophesied 
 period, not found in either Matthew or Mark. 
 
 24-31. The language of these verses is nearly 
 parallel to that of Matt. 21 : 29-35.— In these 
 days signifies not the days of the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, but the days of peril and persecution, 
 the tribulation and travail (ver. s) which must in- 
 tervene between the death and the future final 
 coming of Christ. Of this travail the destruction 
 of Jerusalem is only a part. See Prel. Note to 
 Matthew, ch. 21, and note on verse 29 there. 
 
 32. How to reconcile this declaration with the 
 ordinary theological doctrines concerning the 
 divinity of Jesus Christ, has greatly perplexed 
 orthodox commentators. The following are the 
 chief interpretations offered : (1. ) That it is an 
 addition by later heretical hands {Adam Clarke). 
 But there is no reason to doubt its genuineness ; 
 it is in all the manuscripts, and in the three oldest 
 manuscripts in the parallel passage in Matt. 
 24 : 36. It is more probable that the copyists 
 expunged it there. (2.) That the word know here 
 is equivalent to does not make known {MoxKnight,
 
 Ch. XIV.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 57 
 
 33 Take c ye heed, watch and pray : for ye know not 
 when the time is. 
 
 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far 
 Journey, .who left his house, and gave authority to his 
 servants, and to every man his work, and commanded 
 the porter to watch. 
 
 35 Watch ye therefore ; for ye know not when the 
 master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or 
 at the cock-crowing, or in the morning ; 
 
 36 Lest coming suddenly, he tind you sleeping.' 1 
 
 37 And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 AFTER two days was the feast of the passover,and 
 of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and 
 the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, 
 and put him to death. 
 
 2 But they said. Not on the feast day, lest there be 
 an uproar of the people. 
 
 3 And f being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the 
 
 leper, as he eat at meat, there came a woman having 
 an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very pre- 
 cious ; and she brake the box, and poured it on his 
 head. 
 
 4 And there were some that had indignation within 
 themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the oint- 
 ment made ? 
 
 5 For it might have been sold for more than three 
 hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. 
 And they murmured against her. 
 
 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone : why trouble ye 
 her ? she hath wrought a good work on me. 
 
 7 Fore ye have the poor with you always, and 
 whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but me ye 
 have not always. 
 
 8 She hath done what she could : she is come afore- 
 hand to anoint my body to thu burying. 
 
 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel 
 shall be preached throughout the whole world, this 
 also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a me- 
 morial of her. 
 
 c Matt. 24 : 42; 25 : 13 : Luke 12 : 40; 21 : 34; Rom. 13 : 11, 12 ; 1 Thess. 5:6; Rev. 16 : 15 d Matt. 25 : 5 e vers. 33, 35. 
 
 f Matt. 26 : 6, etc. ; Luke 7 : 37 ; John 12 : I, etc g Deut. 16 : 11. 
 
 Wordsworth, and others), and 1 Cor. 2 : 2 is cited 
 as an evidence that the original is capable of 
 such a translation. But the original (oldu) never 
 signifies to make known, and 1 Cor. 2 : 2 does 
 not sustain such a translation, which wrests the 
 language of Scripture to adapt it to theology. 
 (3.) That Christ knew the day, but that " the 
 knowledge was not lodged with him for the pur- 
 pose of being communicated to man " (Kenrick, 
 Chrysostom). But this again is not what Christ 
 says, and true reverence for his teaching will 
 accept his statements in humility, not interpret 
 them away in order to reconcile them with a sup- 
 posed reverence for his person; moreover, the 
 idea that knowledge was " lodged with him " is 
 no more congruous with the idea of his divinity 
 than his own declaration of ignorance. (4.) That 
 he knew as God, but not as man. This is the 
 most common interpretation, and is presented in 
 different forms by Bengel, Barnes, Owen, James 
 Morison, and others. We have, however, no 
 authority in the Gospels for drawing a metaphys- 
 ical line in Christ's nature, and saying that 
 certain things he did as man, and certain things 
 as God. He is always represented as one, and as 
 doing all things as the one God-man. (5.) I un- 
 derstand Christ literally, as do Calvin, Meyer, 
 Stier, Alford and Alexander. He did not know, 
 in the same sense in which men and angels do not 
 know. In his voluntary humiliation, in taking 
 upon him the form of a servant (phii. 2 : 6-s), he 
 laid aside, not only external glory, but also 
 knowledge and power (Matt. 20 : 23 ; Mark 10 : 40). The 
 declaration of ignorance here is no more inexpli- 
 cable than the declaration that he grew in 
 wisdom (Luke 2 : 52), learned obedience (Heb. 5 : s), 
 marveled (Matt. 8 : 10, note), was tempted (Matt. 4 : 1-11 ; 
 Prei. Note, § 6, p. 75), uttered desires in prayer (Luke 
 6 : 12, etc). Any theory of Christ which denies, or 
 interprets away these and similar significant 
 declarations of the limitations of his nature, is 
 
 unscriptural. It were better frankly to concede, 
 that in the mystery of his being, the full inter- 
 pretation of them is hidden from us, than to 
 make them clear by denying their force and 
 meaning. The practical lesson of the verse is 
 well put by Dr. Schaff: " His voluntarily not 
 knowing the day of judgment during the days 
 of His flesh, is a warning against chronological 
 curiosity and mathematical calculations in the 
 exposition of Scripture prophecy. It is not likely 
 that any theologian, however learned, should 
 know more or ought to know more on this point 
 than Christ himself, who will judge the quick 
 and the dead, chose to know in the state of His 
 humiliation." 
 
 33-37. Parallel to this is Matt. 24 : 42-51. 
 See notes there. It is a briefer report, but not a 
 condensation. The independence of the two 
 writers is evident from a careful comparison of 
 them in the original. And this may be with 
 equal truth said of the two accounts of this dis- 
 course throughout. The verbal differences are 
 just such as would characterize two reports of 
 the same discourse by different hearers. " The 
 porter is the door-keeper (John is :ie, note), whose 
 office it would be to look out for approaching 
 travelers, answering especially to ministers of the 
 word (Ezek. ch. 33), watchmen to God's church." — 
 {Alford.) The four watches here mentioned 
 are those into which the Jews, after the Roman 
 supremacy, and following the Romans, divided 
 the night. The first or evening lasted till 9 p. St., 
 the second till midnight, the third till the early 
 cock-crowing, or 3 p. m., the fourth till about 
 sunrise, or 6 a. m. The language here is some- 
 what indefinite, but is that of the common people. 
 
 Ch. 14 : 1-9. The anointing at Bethany. 
 Recorded also by Matt. 26 : 6-16, and John 12 : 
 1-8. It is not to be confounded with the analo- 
 gous incident recorded in Luke 7 : 36-50. The 
 time of its occurrence is not certain, whether
 
 58 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. XIV 
 
 10 And h Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto 
 the chief priests, to betray' him unto them. 
 
 ii And when they heard it, they were glad, and 
 promised to give him' money. And he sought how 
 he might conveniently betray him. 
 
 12 And the first day ol k "unleavened bread, when 
 they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, 
 Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou 
 mayest eat the passover ? 
 
 13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and 
 saith unto them, Go' ye into the city, and there shall 
 meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow 
 him. 
 
 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the 
 goodman of the house, The Master 1 " saith, Where is 
 the guest-chamber, where I shall eat" the passover 
 with my disciples ? 
 
 15 And he will shew you a large upper room fur- 
 nished and prepared : there make ready for us. 
 
 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the 
 city, and found ° as he had said unto them : and they 
 made ready the passover. 
 
 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 
 
 18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I 
 say unto you, One of you which eatethP with me shall 
 betray me. 
 
 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto 
 him one by one, Is it I ? and another said. Is Ml} 
 
 20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one 
 of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 
 
 21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of 
 him : but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is 
 betrayed ! good 1 ) were it tor that man if he had never 
 been born. 
 
 22 And' as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and 
 blessed, and brake it. and gave to them, and said, 
 Take," eat ; this is my body. 
 
 23 And he took the cup ; and when he had given 
 thanks, he gave it to them : and they all drank cl it. 
 
 24 And he said unto them, This 1 is my blood of the 
 new testament, which is shed for many. 
 
 25 Verily 1 say unto you, I will drink no more of the 
 fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it" new in 
 the kingdom of God. 
 
 26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out 
 into the Mount of Olives. 
 
 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be of- 
 fended because of me this night: for it is writ- 
 ten,' I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be 
 scattered. 
 
 28 But™ after that I am risen, I will go before you 
 into Galilee. 
 
 29 But" Peter said unto him, Although all shall be 
 offended, yet will not I. 
 
 30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee. 
 That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow 
 twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
 
 31 But he spake the more vehemently. If I should 
 die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Like- 
 wise also said they all. 
 
 h Matt. 26 : 14, etc. ; Luke 22: 3, etc....i John 13: 2.... j 1 Kings 21 : 20 ; Prov. 1 : 10-16.... k Exod. 12 : 8, etc....l ch. 11 : 2, 3 ; Heb. 4 : 
 
 ....m John 11 : 28 ; 13 : 13.... n Rev. 3 : 20.... o John 16 : 4 p Ps. 41 : 9 ; 55 : 13, 14.... q Matt. 18 : 6, 7 r Mutt. 26 : 26, et 
 
 Luke 22 : 19 ; 1 Cor. 11 : 23, etc s John 6 : 48-58 t 1 Cor. 10 : 16 ; John 6 : 53 u Joel 3 : 18 : Amo89 ; 13, 14... v Zech. 13 : 7. 
 
 w ch. 16 : 7....X Matt. 26 : 33, 34 ; Luke 22 : 33, 34 ; John 13 : 37, 38. 
 
 two days or six days before the Passover. Com- 
 pare John, and note on Matthew. Bethany was a 
 village about two miles east of Jerusalem, on the 
 eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, and the 
 supper was given in the house of Mary and 
 Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Of the Simon 
 here mentioned nothing is known ; it is conjec- 
 tured that he was the father of the two sisters, 
 or the husband of one of them. He is not men- 
 tioned in the other accounts of the family, from 
 which it is presumed that he was not living. 
 The 300 pence (denarii) mentioned in verse 5, was 
 a sum equal to about $54 ; but as one penny was 
 a day's wages, we may regard it as equivalent to 
 at least $300. See Matt. 20 : 2, note. On the 
 entire incident, see notes on Matthew and John, 
 especially the latter. 
 
 10, 1 1 . The treachery of Judas Iscariot. 
 See Matt. 26 : 14-10, notes ; and on the character 
 of Judas, Matt. 27 : 3-10, p. 305. 
 
 12-16. Preparation for the Passover. 
 Compare Matt. 26 : 17-19, and Luke 22 : 7-13. 
 For notes, see Luke. For chronological order of 
 the events of this evening, see Matt. 24 : 1. The 
 omission of the names of the two disciples sent 
 by Christ, Peter and John, Alford regards as an 
 indication that this Gospel was not drawn up 
 under the superintendence of Peter. But why, 
 any more than John's habitual omission of his 
 own name from his Gospel indicates that he is 
 not its author ? 
 
 17-21. Prophecy of the betrayal. Com- 
 pare Matt. 26 : 21-25 ; Luke 22 : 21-23 ; John 
 
 13 : 21-35. For notes, see Matthew and John ; 
 the latter 's account is much the fullest. 
 
 22-26. Institution of the Lord's Supper. 
 Compare Matt. 26 : 20-29 ; Luke 22 : 19-21 ; 1 Cor. 
 11 : 23-25. John does not mention the Lord's 
 Supper. See notes on Matthew. The language 
 of ver. 23, "They all drank of it," does not prove 
 that Judas participated in the supper. The all 
 that were present are intended. 
 
 27-31. Prophecy of Peter's denial. See 
 Matt. 26 : 31-35, and Luke 22 : 31-38, notes. The 
 warning reported here, and in Matthew, was 
 given immediately after the Lord's Supper, ap- 
 parently on the way to the Mount of Olives ; 
 that reported in Luke and John (12 : 36-ss), was 
 given previous to the supper. 
 
 32-42. Christ's agony in Gethsemane. 
 Recorded also in Matthew 26 : 36-46, and Luke 
 22 : 40-46. Matthew's account is the fullest, 
 though Luke alone mentions the bloody sweat 
 and the appearance of an angel from heaven 
 strengthening Christ. See notes on Matthew. 
 The phrase " sore amazed " (ver. 33), is peculiar 
 to Mark, and implies that the experience of sor- 
 row, however it is to be interpreted, came upon 
 Christ, if not literally as a surprise, at least with 
 new and unexpected force; "the hour" (ver. Z5) y 
 is equivalent to the cup in the next verse, and 
 refers to the approaching Passion, with all its 
 accumulation of physical and mental anguish ; 
 the language of ver. 40, "and spake the same 
 words," appears to describe more accurately the 
 third than the second prayer. Matthew notices
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 *S
 
 Oh. XIV.] 
 
 MAEK. 
 
 59 
 
 32 And y they came to a place which was named 
 Gethsemane : and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, 
 while I shall pray. 
 
 33 And he t.tkcth with him Peter and James and 
 John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very 
 heavy ; 
 
 34 And saith unto them, My 1 soul is exceeding sor- 
 rowful unto death: tarry ye here, and wab h. 
 
 35 And he went forward a little, and lull on the 
 ground, and prayed » that, if it were possible, the hour 
 might pass from him. 
 
 36 And he said, 1 ' Abba, Father, all things are possi- 
 ble unto thee ; take away this cup from me : neverthe- 
 less c not what I will, but what thou wilt. 
 
 37 And he cometh, and tindeth them sleeping, and 
 saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not 
 thou watch one hour ? 
 
 38 Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into tempta- 
 tion. The a spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 
 
 39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake 
 the same words. 
 
 40 And when he returned, he found them asleep 
 again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they 
 what to answer him. 
 
 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto 
 them. Sleep on now, and take your rest : it is enough, 
 the e hour is come : behold, the Son of man is betrayed 
 into the hands of sinners. 
 
 42 Rise up, let us go ; lo, he that betrayeth me is at 
 hand. 
 
 43 And f immediately, while he yet spake, cometh 
 Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multi- 
 tude* with swords and staves, from the chief priests' 1 
 and the scribes and the elders. 
 
 44 And he that betrayed him had given them a to- 
 ken, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, 1 that same is he : 
 take him, and lead him away safely. 
 
 45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway 
 to him, and saith, MasterJ master: and kissed him. 
 
 46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him. 
 
 47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and 
 smote a servant of the high priest, and cut oft" his ear. 
 
 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye 
 
 come out, as against a thief, with swords and with 
 staves to take me .' 
 
 49 1 was daily with you in the temple, teaching, and 
 ye took me not: but the scriptures" must be lulullcd. 
 
 50 And ' they all forsook him, and tied. 
 
 51 And there followed him a certain young man. 
 having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and 
 the young men laid hold on him : 
 
 52 And he left 111 the linen cloth, and fled from them 
 naked. 
 
 53 And " they led Jesus away to the high priest : and 
 with him were assembled all the chief priests and the 
 elders and the scribes. 
 
 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the 
 palace of the high priest : and he sat with the servants, 
 and warmed himself at the fire. 
 
 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for 
 witness against Jesus to put him to death ; and lound 
 none. 
 
 56 For many bare false witness against him, but 
 their witness agreed not together. 
 
 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness 
 against him, saying, 
 
 58 We heard him say, I will destroy f this temple 
 that is made with hands, and within three days I will 
 build another made without hands. 
 
 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 
 
 60 And'' the high priest stood up in the midst, and 
 asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing ? What 
 is it which these witness against thee ? 
 
 61 But he r held his peace, and answered nothing. 
 Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, 
 Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 
 
 62 And Jesus said, I am : and ye" shall see the Son 
 of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming 
 in the clouds of heaven. 
 
 63 Then the high priest rent ' his clothes, and saith, 
 What need we any further witnesses ? 
 
 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? 
 And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 
 
 65 And some began to spit u on him, and to cover his 
 face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: 
 and the servants did strike him with the palms of their 
 hands. 
 
 y Matt. 26 : 36, etc. ; Luke 22 : 39, ete. ; Joun 13 : 1, etc 
 John 4 : 34 ; 6 : 30 ; 6 : 38, 39 ; 18 
 26 : 47 ; Luke 22 : 47, etc. ; J..lm 18 
 6:46....k Ps. 22 : 1, etc.; Isn. 53 : 3, e 
 22 : 54, etc. ; John 18 : 13, etc 
 
 Dan. 7 : 13 ; Matt. 24 : 30 ; 26 : 64 ; Luke 2 
 
 John 12: 27.... a Heb. 6:7.... b Rom. 8 : 15 ; Gal. 4 : 6....c Ps. 40 : 8 ; 
 Phil. 2 : 8....d Rom. 7 : 18-25 ; Gal. 5 : 17... e John 7 : 30 ; 8 : 20 ; 13 : 1....I Malt. 
 
 3, etc....g Ps. 3 : 1. a....b Ps. 2 : 2 i 2 Sam. 20 : 9 ; Ps. 55 : 21 ; Prov. 27 : 6....J Luke 
 
 ; Luke 24 : 44.... 1 ver. S7 ; Ps. 88 : 8 ; Isa. 63 : 3. . ..111 ch. 13 : 16. . . .n Matt. 26 : 57. etc. ; Luke 
 h. 15 : 29 ; John 2 : 19. . . .q Matt. 26 : 62, etc . . . r Pa. 39 : 9 ; Isa. 63 : 7 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 23. 
 
 1 ; Rev. 1 : 7....t Isa. 37 : 1....U ch. 15 : 19 ; Isi 
 
 60 
 
 a difference between the first and second prayers. 
 Compare Matt. 26 : 39 with 42, and see note on 
 ver. 42. 
 
 43-53. The betrayal and arrest of Jesus. 
 Compare Matt. 26 : 47-56 ; Luke 22 : 47-53 ; John 
 18 : 1-12. See notes on Matthew and John. The 
 language of ver. 44 is rather "lead him away 
 securely" and implies a fear of resistance, rescue, 
 i or flight ; see Matt. 26 : 48, note. Mark alone 
 ' mentions the young man in ver. 51. Nothing 
 else is known concerning him. Conjectures have 
 been busy, but are valueless. The incident ap- 
 pears to be introduced to show the wanton char- 
 acter of the motley crowd that arrested Jesus, 
 and to set forth more strongly the remarkable 
 escape of the disciples from arrest. The linen 
 cloth (sindon, aivdolv), was hardly, as Mr. Barnes, 
 a part of the bed-clothes, rather a night-dress, 
 answering to our own analogous night apparel. 
 
 53-65. Trial of Jesus before Caiaphas 
 and the Council. Of this, which I believe to 
 be the formal trial of Christ before the Sanhe- 
 
 drim, there are two other accounts, viz., Matt. 
 26 : 57-68 ; Luke 22 : 63-71. John narrates only 
 the preliminary hearing before Caiaphas (ch. i8 : 
 13-27). On the apparent discrepancies in these 
 accounts, see Matt. 26 : 57-68, Prel. Note. Mark's 
 account is nearly identical with Matthew's. See 
 throughout notes there. 
 
 GG-72. Peter's denial of our Lord. These 
 are narrated by all four Evangelists: Matt. 36 : 
 69-75; Luke 22 : 54-62; John 18 : 15-17, 25-37. 
 For a comparison of these accounts, their dis- 
 crepancies, and their harmony, and for the gen- 
 eral lessons of the incident, sec notes on Matt. 
 26 : 69-75. — Beneath in the courtyard. 
 That is, beneath the room in which the exami- 
 nation of Christ was going on. This, probably, 
 opened upon the courtyard and was raised above 
 it. — Warming himself. At a fire kindled in 
 the courtyard, probably in a brazier (John is : 18, 
 note). — She looked upon him. Earnestly < Lake 
 22:66); studying his countenance. — Neither 
 understand I what thou sayest. Not to bo
 
 GO 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 66 And v as Peter was beneath in the palace, there 
 cometh one of the mauls of the high priest : 
 
 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she 
 looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with 
 Jesus of Nazareth. 
 
 68 But he denied, saying,™ I know not, neither un- 
 derstand I what thou sayest. And he went out into 
 the porch ; and the cock crew. 
 
 69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to 
 them that stood by, This is one of them. 
 
 70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they 
 that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one 
 of them ; for thou art a Galilsean, x and thy speech 
 agreeth thereto. 
 
 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I 
 know not this man of whom ye speak. 
 
 72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter 
 called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Be- 
 fore the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
 And when he thought thereon, he wept.* 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 AND straightway in the morning the chief priests 
 held a consultation z with the elders and scribes 
 and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried 
 him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 
 
 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the 
 Jews ? And he, answering, said unto him, Thou 
 sayest it. 
 
 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things : 
 but he answered nothing. 
 
 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest 
 thou nothing ? Behold how many things they witness 
 against thee. 
 
 5 But Jesus a yet answered nothing; so that Pilate 
 marvelled. 
 
 6 Now b at that feast he released unto them one pris- 
 oner, whomsoever they desired. 
 
 7 And there was one named Barabbas, -which lay 
 bound with them that had made insurrection with him, 
 who had committed murder in the insurrection. 
 
 8 And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire 
 him to do as he had ever done unto them. 
 
 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I 
 release unto you the King of the Jews? 
 
 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered 
 him for envy. c 
 
 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he 
 should rather release d Barabbas unto them. 
 
 12 And Pilate answered, and said again unto them, 
 What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye 
 call the King e of the Jews ? 
 
 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 
 
 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil f hath 
 he done ? And they cried out the more exceedingly, 
 Crucify him. 
 
 15 Aud so Pilate, willing to content the people, re- 
 leased Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when 
 he had scourged him, to be crucified. 
 
 16 And the * soldiers led him away into the hall 
 called Prsetorium ; and they call together the whole 
 band. 
 
 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a 
 crown of thorns, and put it about his head ; 
 
 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews ! 
 
 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and 
 did spit h upon him, and bowing their knees, wor- 
 shipped him. 
 
 20 And when they had mocked' him, they took off 
 the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, 
 and led him out to crucify him. 
 
 T Matl. 26 : 69, etc. ; Luke 22 : 55, etc. ; John 18 : 16, etc w 2 Tim. 2 : 12, 13 x Acts 2:7 y 2 Cor. 7 : 10 z Ps. 2 : 2 ; Matt. 27 : 1, 
 
 etc. ; Luke 23 : 1, etc. ; John 18 : 28, etc. ; Acts 3 : 13; 4:26.. .a Isa. 53 : 7 ; John 19 : 9 b Matt. 27 : 15 ; Luke 23 : 17 ; John 18 : 39 
 
 c Pr. 27 : 4 ; Eccl. 4:4; Acts 13 : 45 ; Tit. 3 : 3 d Acts 3 : 14 e Ps. 2 : 6 ; Jer. 23 : 5 ; Acts 5 : 31 . . . f Isa. 53 : 9. ..g Matt. 
 
 27 : 27 ; John 18 i 28, 33; 19 ; 9 h ch. 14 : 65 i ch. 10 : 34 ; Job 13 : 9 ; Ps. 35 ; 16 ; Matt. 20 ; 19 ; Luke 22 : 63 ; 23 : 11, 36. 
 
 taken literally. It answers to our colloquial 
 expression, "I do not know what you are talking 
 about." — And the cock crew. See Matt. 26 : 
 74. Only Mark mentions this crowing of the 
 cock. — The maid saw him again. Not a 
 maid, as in our version. Mark's language clearly 
 implies that the same maid followed him to the 
 door; Matthew, that he was questioned by 
 another maid ; and Luke, by a man. Each may 
 be true ; evidently, suspicion of him was increas- 
 ing and widening. — For moreover thou art 
 a Galilean. The conjunction, moreover (*«!), 
 omitted in our English version, indicates that 
 his Galilean origin was only an additional ground 
 for the charge against him. — And thy speech 
 agreeth thereto. These words are omitted by 
 the best manuscripts, and by Lachmann, Tisch- 
 endorf, Tregelles, and Alford. — To curse and 
 to swear. Matt. 26 : 74, note. — When he 
 thought thereon. Much difficulty has been ex- 
 perienced in rendering the Greek word (litifiaXiav), 
 so translated. For a list of interpretations see 
 Alford. Our English version is probably the 
 best. "He thought thereon," is not synony- 
 mous with "he called to mind." "That was 
 the bare momentary remembrance, the word 
 occurred to him ; this is the thinking, or, as we 
 sometimes say, casting it over, going back step 
 by step over the sad history." — (Alford.) Comp. 
 
 Psalm 119 : 59 ; Lam. 3 : 40 ; Hag. 1 : 8. — He 
 wept. The verb is in the imperfect tense, and 
 signifies something more than a mere transient 
 outburst of tears. He wept, and continued 
 weeping. 
 
 Ch. 15 : 1-20. The trial of Jesus before 
 Pilate. Comp. Matt. 27 : 1, 2 ; 11-31 ; Luke 
 23 : 1-25 ; John 18 : 28-40 ; 19 : 1-16. Mark's 
 account differs but very slightly from Matthew's. 
 See notes there, where the differences are noted. 
 For consideration of Pilate's character, and the 
 lessons to be drawn from his course, see notes 
 on John. 
 
 21-41. The crucifixion. Comp. Matt. 27 : 
 32-56 ; Luke 23 : 26-49 ; John 19 : 17-30. Mark's 
 account is almost exactly parallel to Mat- 
 thew's. See notes there. The identification of 
 Simon as the father of Alexander and Kufus is 
 peculiar to Mark ; they are, perhaps, referred 
 to in Rom. 16 : 13 and 1 Tim. 1 : 20, or Acts 19 : 
 33. The wine mingled with myrrh, ver. 21, is the 
 same as vinegar mingled with gall (Matt. 27 : 4, note). 
 Mark alone mentions the hour of crucifixion, 
 the third hour (ver. 25), that is, 9 A. m. For re- 
 conciliation of this statement with John 19 : 14, 
 see note there. The reference in ver. 28 to the 
 O. T. prophecy is wanting in the best manu- 
 scripts, and is omitted by Tischendorf and Alford ; 
 the latter thinks it was borrowed from Luke
 
 Ch. XV.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 61 
 
 2i And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who 
 passed by, coming out of the country, the father of 
 Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 
 
 22 And they ' bring him unto the place Golgotha, 
 which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 
 
 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with 
 myrrh : but he received it not. 
 
 24 And when they had crucified him, they parted k 
 his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man 
 should take. 
 
 25 And it was the third hour ; and they crucified him. 
 
 26 And the superscription of his accusation was 
 written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
 
 27 And with him they crucify two thieves ; the one 
 on his right hand, and the other on his left. 
 
 28 And the scripture 1 was fulfilled, which saith, And 
 he was numbered with the transgressors. 
 
 29 And they m that passed by railed on him, wag- 
 ging their heads, and saying, Ah. thou " that destroy- 
 est the temple, and buildest it in three days, 
 
 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 
 
 31 Likewise also the chief priests, mocking, said 
 among themselves with the scribes, He saved others ; 
 himself he cannot save. 
 
 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from 
 the cross, that we may see," and believe. And they 
 that were crucified with him reviled him. 
 
 33 And p when the sixth hour was come, there was 
 darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. • 
 
 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud 
 voice, saying, Eloi, q Eloi, lama sabachthani ? which is, 
 being interpreted. My God, my God, why hast thou 
 forsaken me ? ' 
 
 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard 
 it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 
 
 36 And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, 
 and put it on a reed, and gave" him to drink, saying, 
 Let alone ; let us see whether Elias will come to take 
 him down. 
 
 37 And' Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up 
 the ghost. 
 
 38 And the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from 
 the top to the bottom. 
 
 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against 
 him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, 
 he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 
 
 40 There were also women looking on afar" off; 
 among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the 
 mother of James the less, and of Joses, and Salome ; 
 
 41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, 
 and ministered v unto him ;) and many other women 
 which came up with him unto Jerusalem. 
 
 42 And now when the even was come, because it 
 was the Preparation, that is, the day before the sab- 
 bath, 
 
 43 Joseph of Arimathrea, an honourable counsellor, 
 which also waited w for the kingdom of God, came, and 
 went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of 
 Jesus. 
 
 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead : 
 and calling unto kim the centurion, he asked him 
 whether he had been any while dead. 
 
 45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave 
 the body to Joseph. 
 
 46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, 
 and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepul- 
 chre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone x 
 unto the door of the sepulchre. 
 
 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of 
 Joses beheld where he was laid. 
 
 i Matt. 27:33, etc.; Luke 23 : 33, etc. ; John 19 : 17, etc k Ps. 22:18 1 Iss. 53 : 12. . . .in Ps. 22 : 7. . . .n ch. 1-1 : 58 ; John 2 : 19 
 
 o Rom. 3:3; 2 Tim. 2 : 13.... p Matt. 27 : 48 ; Luke 23: 44.... q Ps 22 ; 1 . . . .1 Ps. 42 : 9 ; 71 : 11 ; Lam. 1 : 12.... 8 Ph. 69 : 21.... t Matt. 
 27 : 50 ; Luke 23 : 46 ; John 19 : 30 u Ps. 38 : 11 v Luke 8 : 2, 3 w Luke 2 : 25, 38 x ch. 16 : 3,4. 
 
 22 : 37. The reference is to Isaiah 53 : 12. The 
 language of mockery in ver. 32, " that we may see 
 and believe," is peculiar to Mark. Observe that 
 this is the customary demand of infidelity, which 
 insists that faith shall rest always on sight. 
 Mark's account of the response to Christ's cry 
 (vers. 35, 36), Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, differs 
 slightly from Matthew's. For a comparison of 
 the four accounts, see notes on Matthew. Mark 
 does not mention the earthquake and resurrec- 
 tion, described by Matthew, and attributes the 
 awe of the centurion to the sublimity of Christ's 
 death, not, as Matthew, to the portents which 
 accompanied it. It was probably produced by 
 both. The words "He so cried out," in ver. 39, are 
 wanting in the Sinaitic and Vatican manuscripts, 
 and are omitted by Tischendorf and Alford. 
 Whether a part of the original text or not, they 
 correctly explain it. "Salome," ver. 40, is the 
 same as "the mother of Zebedee's children," 
 Matt. 27 : 56. The addition of "many other 
 women who came up with him unto Jerusalem," 
 in ver. 41, is peculiar to Mark. 
 
 42-47. The burial of Jesus. Compare 
 Matt. 27 : 57-61 ; Luke 23 : 50^56 ; John 19 : 
 36-42. See John for notes on what is common 
 to the four Evangelists. Nicodemus came with 
 Joseph of Arimathea (John) ; the tomb belonged 
 to Joseph (Matthew) ; and was in a garden near 
 the place of crucifixion (John). Mark and Luke 
 
 (23 : 53) describe the tomb. Only Mark narrates 
 Pilate's surprise at learning of the death of Jesus 
 (ver. 44). — The even was come. Here, evident- 
 ly, the first of the two evenings recognized in 
 Jewish reckoning, i. e., before sunset, because the 
 Sabbath began on sunset (Lev. 23 : 32). — The 
 preparation, that is, the fore-Sabbath; 
 or, as we should say, in analogy with our Christ- 
 mas-eve, Sabbath-eve. In the Syriac N. T. the 
 word "preparation" is rendered "eve." It 
 would appear that the close of Friday, perhaps 
 from the ninth hour, 3 p. m., was at first called 
 the "preparation," and that later the term ex- 
 tended to the whole of Friday, as in German the 
 usual name of Saturday is Sonnabend, i. e., 
 "Sunday-eve." See John 19 : 31, note. That 
 the bodies might not remain on the cross over 
 the Sabbath, the Jews had asked to have death 
 accelerated (John 19 : 31), and now Joseph asks per- 
 mission to give the body honorable burial. — 
 Joseph of Arimathea. On his character, see 
 notes on John. — An honorable counsellor, 
 i. e., a member of the Sanhedrim and occupying 
 some station of honor or dignity. Luke adds 
 the information respecting him, that he was a 
 "good man and just," and had not consented to 
 the condemnation pronounced against Christ by 
 the Sanhedrim. — Which also waited for the 
 kingdom of God. That is, he belonged to 
 that portion of the Pharisees (Matt. 3: 7, note) who
 
 G2 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 AND when f the sabbath was past, Mary Magda- 
 lene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, 
 had bought sweet spices,* that they might come and 
 anoint him. 
 2 And very early in the morning, the first day of the 
 
 week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the 
 sun. 
 
 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll 
 us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre ? 
 
 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was 
 rolled away : for it was very great. 
 
 y Matt. 28 : 1, etc. ; Luke 24 : 1, etc. ; John 20 : 1, etc. 
 
 were in expectation of the coming of a Messiah 
 to inaugurate the kingdom of God. Comp. Luke 
 2 : 25. — Went in boldly. Of course this ended 
 for him all position of honor in the Jewish court 
 and nation (John 9 : 22). Moreover it identified him 
 with a man crucified on a charge of sedition 
 against the Roman government. Mr. Farrar notes 
 a case in history in which such a request cost 
 the petitioner his life. — Pilate wondered if 
 he were already dead. Because crucifixion 
 is a lingering death, and rarely proves mortal 
 in so short a space. Christ had not been on the 
 cross more than six hours, probably not so long. 
 Comp. ver. 25 with 34. See note on Physical 
 Cause of Christ's Death, John 19 : 34, 35. — 
 Whether he had been any while dead. 
 Because he would make sure of his death. Ob- 
 eerve the incidental testimony that the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ was no arousal from a syncope or 
 fainting fit, as rationalistic criticism has some- 
 times regarded it. — He gave the body. Often 
 the privilege of burial was bought with a bribe 
 by the friends of the deceased. Pilate, as a 
 measure of relief to his conscience, gave the body 
 to Joseph. 
 
 Ch. 1G : 1-8. The resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ. See note on Matt. 28 : 1-17. Parallel to 
 the account here is Matt. 28 : 2-10 ; Luke 24 : 
 1-11 ; comp. John 20 : 1-10. For a comparison of 
 the different evangelical narratives of the resur- 
 rection of our Lord, and for the evidence of the 
 reality of that resurrection, see note on the Res- 
 urrection of Jesus Christ, p. 330. For notes on 
 what is common to Matthew and Mark, see 
 notes on Matthew. Mark here, as elsewhere, 
 furnishes some vivid details, which we should 
 not otherwise possess. — When the Sabbath 
 was past, Mary, etc., purchased aromat- 
 ics. It is not very clear when they were pur- 
 chased. The verb is in the aorist tense, not, as 
 in our English version in the pluperfect. The 
 indication here is, certainly, that this purchase 
 was made on the Sabbath, after sunset ; the in- 
 dication in Luke 23 : 55, 56, is that it was made 
 on Friday night, after the burial. It may be, 
 that the purchases were begun then, but not 
 completed, the evening coming on quickly, and 
 the shops being closed, so that the women had 
 to postpone the completion till the Sabbath was 
 past. — That they miulit come and anoint 
 him. An indication that they had no expecta- 
 
 tion of his resurrection. It was customary 
 among the Jews, as a mark of honor to the de- 
 ceased, after washing the corpse, to anoint it 
 with certain perfumes, or to enclose them in the 
 grave-clothes in which the body was wrapped. 
 They were sometimes also burned as an incense. 
 The hurried burial had not permitted this 
 anointing to be completed ; it had been com- 
 menced by Nicodemus at the time of the inter- 
 ment (John 19 : 39,40). Perhaps the women were 
 ignorant of that ; perhaps they wished to add 
 their own offerings. The aromatics employed 
 for this purpose appear from John to have been 
 aloes and myrrh. 
 
 2-4. They came unto the sepulchre at 
 the rising of the sun. Matthew says, "As it 
 began to dawn"; John, "When it was yet dark." 
 This discrepancy is only verbal ; the language 
 describes the same substantial time, and differs 
 only as we should expect the language of inde- 
 pendent writers would. At sunrise is in popular 
 language equivalent to dawn (judges 9 : 33 ; Ps. 104 : 22). 
 John's language is the most minutely accurate, 
 and he is the one most likely to have been accu- 
 rately informed. The women came probably 
 before the sun was fairly up. — Who shall roll 
 us away the stone? The language here ex- 
 
 
 Diagram of Jewish Sepulchre. 
 
 actly corresponds with the known structure of 
 the Jewish tomb and door, one of those incidental 
 evidences of the authenticity of our Gospels with 
 which they abound. The form of the ordinary 
 Jewish tomb will be best understood by the an- 
 nexed plan. It consisted of a chamber or cham- 
 bers, A, B, C, cut in the rock, from which openings
 
 Ch. XVI.] 
 
 MARK. 
 
 aa 
 
 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young 
 man sitting on tne right side, clothed in a long white 
 garment ; and they were atfrighted. 
 
 6 And he saith unto them, lie not affrighted : Ye seek 
 Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified : he is risen ; * 
 he is not here : behold the place where they laid him. 
 
 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that 
 he goeth before you into Galilee : there shall ye see 
 him, as he said unto you. 
 
 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sep- 
 ulchre ; for they trembled and were amazed : neither 
 said they any thing to any man ; tor they were afraid. 
 
 9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of 
 the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of 
 whom he had cast seven devils. 
 
 io A nd she went and told them that had been with 
 him, as they mourned and wept. 
 
 n And they, when they had heard that he wasalive, 
 and had been seen of her, believed not. 
 
 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two* 
 of them, as they walked, and went into the country. 
 
 13 And they went and told it unto the residue ; nei- 
 ther believed they them. 
 
 14 Afterward he c appeared unto the eleven as they 
 sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief' 1 and 
 hardness of heart, because they believed not them 
 which had seen him after he had risen. 
 
 15 And he said unto them, Go* ye into all the world, 
 and preach the gospel to every creature.' 
 
 . b Luke 24 : 13. . . c Luke 24 : 36; 1 Cor. 15 : 5. . . d Luke 24 . 
 
 . e Matt. 28 : 19 ; John 20 : 21. . . f Rom. 10 : 18 ; Col. 1 : B. 
 
 branched out, about two feet wide and three 
 feet high. These, called loculi, held the bodies 
 of the dead. Sometimes, but probably only at 
 a later period, they were found as indicated in B. 
 The interior of such a tomb is represented in 
 a cut illustrating the resurrection of Lazarus, 
 
 PLAN OF TOMB DOOR OB GOLAL. 
 
 and accompanying John, ch. 11. Sometimes, 
 doubtless, the tomb consisted simply of the 
 cave or larger chamber, without the accompany- 
 ing loculi. The door of the cave consisted, at 
 least in some cases, of a circular stone, like 
 a mill-stone, which could be rolled across the 
 
 DOOR OF TOMB. 
 
 doorway, closing the aperture, or rolled back 
 into a niche, cut in the adjoining rock to receive 
 it, so as to leave the doorway open. The accom- 
 panying plan and picture illustrates the method. 
 The picture is from the tombs of the kings, still 
 existing in the neighborhood of Jerusalem. The 
 opening of such tombs is generally low, so that 
 on entering them it is necessary to stoop (Luke 
 24: i2; John 20:5, n). In the case of Jesus, the 
 anointing had not been completed, and if there 
 were loculi, the body could hardly have been laid 
 away in one of them, for Mary Magdalene, with- 
 out entering the sepulchre, saw two angels sitting, 
 one at the head, and the other at the foot, where 
 the body of Jesus had lain (John 20 : 12), which 
 they could not have done, in the loculus. 
 The facts, then, would appear to be that the 
 women, coming to the sepulchre early in the 
 morning to complete the anointing, feared that 
 they could not roll back into its niche the golal 
 or circular stone, the groove into the niche gen- 
 erally inclining upwards, so that it required 
 considerable exertion of strength to roll back the 
 door ; that when they came they found it already 
 rolled back, and entering in they saw the 
 young man (ver. 5), the angel of Matthew (ch. 28 : 2). 
 Whether he was sitting in a partially reclining 
 attitude on the door when they entered, and was 
 not disclosed to them till after they entered, or 
 whether Matthew's statement of his sitting on 
 the stone is merely indicative of his previous 
 posture, as a symbolic act of victory over the 
 grave, is a matter of conjecture merely. — And 
 when they looked, etc. These words are 
 correctly placed in our English version in a ' 
 parenthesis. The narrator breaks in upon his 
 narrative to set in contrast with their anxiety 
 the unexpected and supernatural removal of the 
 stone. The moral has often and fairly been 
 drawn, that when Christian love undertakes a 
 difficult duty, God will remove the obstacles 
 which are too great for its own strength. 
 
 5-8. A young man. That there were two 
 is evident from John 20 : 12 ; that they were 
 angels, appears from Matt. 28 : 2 ; see note there. 
 —Clothed in a long white garment. Liter-
 
 64 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 16 He? that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; 
 but he 1 ' that believeth not, shall be damned. 
 
 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe : In 
 my ' name shall they cast out devils ; they shall speak J 
 with new tongues ■ 
 
 18 They shall take up serpents ; k and if they drink 
 any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they 1 shall 
 lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 
 
 19 So then m after the Lord had spoken unto them, 
 he was received up into heaven, and sat n on the right 
 hand of God. 
 
 20 And they went forth and preached every where, 
 the Lord ° working with them, and confirming the word 
 with signs following. Amen. 
 
 e 
 
 Jnr 
 
 n it • 
 
 IS, 
 
 3B 
 
 Arts 16 : 
 
 31-33 
 
 Rom 
 
 in 
 
 : 9 ; 1 Pet 
 
 .3 : 
 
 21... 
 
 h Joh 
 
 1 12 :48 
 
 2 Thess 
 
 2 : 12. 
 
 ..i Lu 
 
 ke 10 
 
 17 
 
 Acts 6 : 
 
 16- 
 
 8:7; 
 
 IB 
 
 : 18' 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 
 At- 
 
 ts 2:4; H 
 
 : 46; 
 
 1 Cor. 
 
 12 : 
 
 10,28.... 
 
 . 1, 
 
 ike 10 
 
 : 19; 
 
 Acts 28 . 
 
 5 1 Acts 5 : 
 
 15, 16 
 
 28 : 
 
 8; 
 
 James 6 
 
 . 14 
 
 15., 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 1 : 
 
 2, 3 
 
 , L 
 
 ike 
 
 24 : 61... 
 
 n Fs 
 
 110 : 
 
 1 ; 
 
 1 Pet. 3 : 
 
 22 
 
 Rev. 
 
 3 : 21 
 
 Acts 6 ; 12 
 
 14 : 3 
 
 ; Heb 
 
 2 : 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ally, a stole (Gr. otoXij). See ch. 12 : 38-40, note. 
 — Be not affrighted. The angel's reassuring 
 response to the women, who started back at the 
 unexpected apparition. — And Peter. Observe 
 that as Christ's first appearance is to Mary 
 Magdalene (John 20 : is), out of whom he had cast 
 seven devils, so his special message is to Peter 
 who had denied him. " Tell Peter, for it will be 
 news more welcome to him than to any of them, 
 for he is in sorrow for sin ; and he will be afraid 
 lest the joy of this good news do not belong to 
 him." — (Matthew Henry.) — They trembled and 
 were afraid. Rather, Were in an ecstasy or 
 in a maze; a commingled feeling of fear, awe, 
 hope, and strange expectation is indicated by 
 the language here and in Matthew. — Neither 
 said they anything to any man. That is, 
 on their way to tell the disciples. See Matt. 
 28 : 8, note. 
 
 Ch. 16 : 9-20. APPEARANCES OF JESUS AFTER HIS 
 RESURRECTION. — COMMISSION TO THE ELEVEN.— 
 ASCENSION. — Christ's first appearance is to the 
 woman to whom he has shown the greatest mercy 
 (9). — The mistake of mourning : it weeps at the 
 grave of the risen (10, 11). — the reproach of 
 Christ's church: its slowness to believe (14).— 
 The commission of Christ to his church : its field 
 is the world ; its work is to preach the gospel ; 
 its congregation embraces evert creature ; its 
 offer is a free and full salvation ; the con- 
 dition of salvation 18 faith in christ and con- 
 fession of and consecration to him i the conse- 
 quence of rejecting christ's proffered salvation 
 is eternal condemnation. 
 
 The question whether this passage properly 
 belongs to Mark's Gospel or is an addition by a 
 later hand, is one of the most difficult in Biblical 
 criticism. I shall here state briefly the reasons 
 for and against its authenticity, and then my own 
 conclusion. I. External considerations. It is 
 found in the Alexandrine, Ephraem and Cam- 
 bridge Manuscripts (see Intro., pp. 23,24), and in the 
 Vulgate, Ethiopic, Curetonian Syriac, Peshito, 
 Jerusalem Syriac, Memphitic and Gothic Ver- 
 sions. It is wanting in the two oldest and most 
 valued manuscripts, the Vatican and Sinaitic. If 
 not a part of the original Gospel, it must have 
 been added at a very early date, probably during 
 the first century. II. Internal considerations. 
 Verse 8 ends so abruptly as to forbid the idea 
 that this was the close of the original Gospel. 
 
 The last word in the Greek is a connective par- 
 ticle. "For they were afraid" is literally, They 
 were afraid for (icporlovvro yuo). If Mark's Gospel 
 really ends here, it must be either because he 
 was suddenly interrupted, or because his original 
 close has been lost. On the other hand, the lan- 
 guage in the Greek of the last eleven verses is 
 unlike the rest of Mark's Gospel. " No less than 
 twenty-one words and expressions occur in it 
 (and some of them several times) which are 
 never elsewhere used by Mark, whose adherence 
 to his own peculiar phrases is remarkable." — 
 (Alford.) To which add that the summing up of 
 verses 19, 20, is unlike Mark, who is pictorial 
 but unsystematic, and that the language of verses 
 15-18, compared with Matthew's account of the 
 same commission to the eleven (ch. 28 : 18-20), indi- 
 cates a less accurate and authentic report of this 
 legacy of our Lord to his church. See notes 
 below. III. Opinions of scholars. The genu- 
 ineness of this passage is affirmed by Mill, 01- 
 shausen, Eward, Lachmann, and Schaff; it is 
 doubted or denied by Griesbach, Ewald, Meyer, 
 Tischendorf, Tregelles, Lightfoot, and Norton. 
 For an elaborate discussion of these and other 
 conflicting testimonies, see James Morison's Com- 
 mentary on Mark ; he concludes that the passage 
 is genuine. The weight of authority internal and 
 external, appears to me to point to the other 
 conclusion, viz., that Mark's Gospel either was 
 abruptly broken off by some accident, or its close 
 was early lost, and that verses 9-20 were append- 
 ed at a very early day, probably during the first 
 century, to give completion to the book. The 
 question is one of secondary importance, since 
 all that is essential in spirit and substance in this 
 passage is to be found elsewhere in the Gospels, 
 in accounts whose authenticity is undoubted. 
 
 9-11. The details of this appearance are given 
 in John 20 : 11-18. See notes there. On the 
 character of Mary Magdalene, see Matthew 27 : 
 56, note. Of the fact here stated, that Christ 
 cast seven devils out of her, we have no informa- 
 tion except the statement here and in Luke 8 : 2. 
 
 12, 13. This is a brief recapitulation of an in- 
 cident recorded more fully in Luke 24 : 13-35. 
 See notes there. 
 
 14. This appearance is more fully described in 
 Luke 24 : 36-49, and John 20 : 19-23. See notes 
 there.
 
 Ch. XVI.] 
 
 MAEK. 
 
 65 
 
 15-18. This commission is repeated more 
 briefly, but I believe more accurately, by Matt. 
 28 : 18-20. See notes there. At least it appears to 
 me that they are identical, though all commen- 
 tators do not so regard them. Matthew indicates 
 that it was given in Galilee. Mark connects with 
 it the ascension, which took place from the 
 Mount of Olives (Acts i : is). But neither asserts 
 definitely the location. This can hardly be the 
 same interview reported by Luke (24 : 45-49). That 
 our Lord should have prepared the eleven for 
 the last commission, by previous instruction, is 
 what we might reasonably expect. — Into all 
 the world. Comp. Matt. 13 : 38. —Herald 
 the glad tidings. This was the first commis- 
 sion of the apostles (Matt. 10 : 7) ; they were now to 
 be more than mere heralds of a coming Gospel — 
 they were to be instructors of the people in the 
 principles of a Gospel which by his death Christ 
 had finished, which was no more coming but had 
 come (comp. Matt. 28 : 19, note). It appears to me that 
 the author of this passage has failed to recognize 
 this change in the apostle's work, which Mat- 
 thew's report clearly indicates. This variation 
 between Mark and Matthew, is one of the indi- 
 cations that we have not here an authentic 
 report of the original commission, but a sum- 
 mary made up by a later hand. — To all the 
 creation. This is equivalent to " all nations " in 
 Matthew. "True," asALford says, "all creation 
 is redeemed by Christ (coi. 1 : 15-23 ; Rom. 8 : 19-23) ; 
 but the Gospel can he preached only to man. — 
 He that believeth and is baptized shall be 
 saved. Believeth, i. e., has faith in and trusts 
 himself to Christ as preached in the Gospel ; and 
 is baptized, publicly acknowledges that faith, and 
 is consecrated to and enters upon a new life in 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (John 3 : 5, 6 ; 
 Matt. 28 : 19, note) ; shall be saved, from both the present 
 dominion and the future penalty of sin (Matt. 1 : 21 ; 
 Rom. 8:2). — But he that believeth not shall 
 be condemned. Not he that is in doubt or 
 perplexity, as the disciples in vers. 11, 13, but he 
 that refuses to open his heart to the influence of 
 a living and present Saviour. The declaration 
 here is parallel to and interpreted by John 3 : 
 18, 19 ; comp. John 15 : 22 ; Heb. 2 : 3. Observe, 
 then, that not every belief saves (James 2 : 19), nor 
 does every unbelief bring into condemnation (John 
 20 : 25-27). Observe, too, that by implication bap- 
 tism is not essential to salvation as faith is. One 
 may be baptized and yet not believe, as Simon 
 (acu 8 : 13 ; is : 23), or believe and not be baptized, as 
 the penitent thief (Luke 23: 43). — In my name 
 shall they cast out devils. For fulfillment 
 of this promise, see Acts 5 : 16 ; 8 : 7 ; 16 : 18.— 
 They shall speak with new tongues. See 
 
 Acts 2 : 4 ; 1 Cor. 14 : 22, and notes at these places. 
 —They shall take up serpents. See 
 38 : S-5.— If they drink, etc. Scripture af- 
 fords no illustration of the fulfillment of this 
 promise. But we may presume that at the mira- 
 cles wrought after Christ's resurrection, as of 
 those wrought by him in the body, many were 
 not recorded (John 20 : 30). — They shall lay 
 hands on the sick, etc. Comp. James 5 : 
 14, 15. With this whole promise compare that 
 of Matt. 10: 1-8 and Luke 10 : 19, from which 
 the unknown author of this passage may have 
 ilr rived it. Though the miracle-working power 
 remained in the church after the ascension of our 
 Lord, Christianity was made less dependent on 
 such external signs and tokens, and more and 
 more on the moral and spiritual power of the 
 word itself. Comp. 1 Cor. 2:4; 1 The6s. 1 : 5. 
 With this promise compare the still more general 
 one of Psalm 91. On its applicability to our 
 own time, Alford says : " This promise is gener- 
 ally without limitation to the first ages of the 
 church. Should occasion arise for its fulfillment 
 there can be no doubt that it will be made good 
 in our own or any other time. But we must re- 
 member that signs are not needed where Chris- 
 tianity is professed, nor by missionaries who are 
 backed by the influence of the powerful Christian 
 nations." This seems to me to be true, but only 
 a superficial truth. Such signs as are indicated 
 here are not needed in this age, when the divine 
 nature of Christianity is witnessed by such his- 
 torical evidences as are afforded by the moral, 
 the religious, the social, the political, and even 
 the commercial development which has every- 
 where attended on and resulted from its progress. 
 I can hardly conceive that occasion ever can arise 
 for the further fulfillment of this promise. 
 Christianity is itself a greater sign than any the 
 apostles wrought. 
 
 19, 20. Verse 19 epitomizes the fuller account 
 afforded by Luke 24 : 50-53, and Acts 1 : 9-12. 
 It is not necesarily implied that the ascension 
 followed immediately after this commission. 
 Rather, the language throughout is that of a 
 compend or summary of events more fully 
 recorded elsewhere, as known throughout the 
 church by means of tradition. Vcr. 20 indicates 
 in a sentence the work wrought out in subse- 
 quent years, and detailed in part in the Book of 
 Acts. — Amen. This word is not found in the 
 best manuscripts, but is the fitting response of 
 the church to the command and promise of its 
 Lord. The scribe who added it, did but give 
 voice to what should be the universal though 
 unuttered reception accorded to it by Christ's 
 church throughout all ages. Comp. Rev. 22 :20.
 
 The Gospel 
 
 ACCORDING TO 
 
 ST. LU KE, 
 
 WITH 
 
 NOTES AND COMMENTS.
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 By whom written. It is reasonably evident 
 from a comparison of Luke 1 : 1-4 with Acts 1 : 1, 
 that both books were by the same author ; and 
 the evidence that the Book of Acts was by Luke 
 I have collated in the Introduction to Acts. To 
 him a universal and unbroken tradition also at- 
 tributes this Gospel. For some account of the 
 chain of evidences connecting Luke and the va- 
 rious Gospels with the authors whose names they 
 bear, see Vol. I of this Commentary, Intro, to the 
 Study of the N. T., pp. 18-25. 
 
 Of Luke very little is known with any degree 
 of certainty. The only biblical references to him, 
 apart from such as he makes impliedly to him- 
 self, in his narrative in Acts, are Col. 4 : 14 ; 
 Philem. 34 ; 2 Tim. 4:11. From these passages, 
 coupled with those in Acts, we learn that he was 
 probably not of Jewish extraction, since in Col. 
 4 : 14 he is contrasted with those referred to in 
 ver. 11 as "of the circumcision ; " that he was 
 a physician, and therefore, presumptively, a 
 person of some education and culture ; and that 
 he was a friend and almost constant companion 
 of Paul in his missionary travels. See Intro, to 
 Acts and refs. there. An ecclesiastical tradition 
 of no great authority represents him as a painter ; 
 nothing is known as to his death. It has also 
 been surmised that he was one of the seventy ; 
 but the only indication in support of this surmise 
 is the fact that he is the only writer who men- 
 tions their appointment. (Luke 10:1.) 
 
 Sources of information. Luke himself ex- 
 pressly indicates these in the preface to his Gos- 
 pel (ch. l : 1-4). A careful examination of this 
 preface, which is in one or two respects incor- 
 rectly rendered in the English version,* indicates 
 (1) that Luke's sources of information were not 
 personal knowledge. He explicitly disavows 
 having been himself an eye-witness of the events 
 or an ear-witness of the teachings which he re- 
 cords. There is no evidence that he accom- 
 panied Christ in any of his ministry, or was a 
 personal disciple of Christ while the latter was 
 living, or indeed ever saw or heard him. (2.) 
 One source was written but fragmentary nar- 
 ratives prepared by those who were living wit- 
 nesses, and who had written down what they 
 had seen or heard. There is abundant evi- 
 dence in the po.tf-apostolic writings that there 
 were such narratives in existence in the primitive 
 churches, which, having been absorbed in the 
 now complete Evangelical narratives, have since 
 
 * For a consideration of the more important differ- 
 ences between the original Greek and the English 
 translation, see notes on Luke 1 : 1-4. 
 
 utterly perished. (3.) In addition to these frag- 
 mentary records, Luke availed himself of personal 
 investigation and inquiry of disciples and others 
 who were eye-witnesses, thus at once verifying 
 his material and adding to it. 
 
 Object. This also is indicated by his preface. 
 Whether, as I suppose, Theophilus be regarded 
 as an individual, or only, as some have thought, 
 as an ideal name for every lover of God, the ob- 
 ject of the Gospel is the same. Throughout the 
 apostolic age the basis of religious instruction 
 was an account of the important events in the 
 life, death, and resurrection of our Lord. See 
 Acts 2 : 30-33 ; 3 : 12-18 ; 5 : 28-31 ; 10 : 39 ; 1 Cor. 
 15 : 3-5. This instruction was imparted orally 
 in catechetical forms to the young converts. 
 The object of Luke was to gather up and embody 
 in one measurably systematic book the fragments 
 of history which were current in the church and 
 capable of verification, and so provide a surer 
 basis for the instruction of the catechumens of 
 the primitive church, in the life and death of 
 their Lord, than oral tradition afforded. In that 
 age the life of Christ, not dogmatic theology, 
 history not philosophy, was the basis of Christi- 
 anity and the Christian Church. 
 
 Influence of Paul. An ancient tradition re- 
 ports that the Gospel of Mark was written under* 
 the influence of Peter (see Intro, to Mark's Gos- 
 pel) ; and that of Luke under the influence of 
 Paul. No great weight is to be attached to the 
 mere tradition ; but there are some circumstances, 
 both internal and external, which give color to 
 this as a reasonable surmise. We know from 
 some allusions in Paul's Epistles, and from more 
 allusions in the Book of Acts, that Luke was 
 Paul's constant companion ; and from our knowl- 
 edge of Paul's character we may well surmise 
 that he would have put forth a powerful and 
 effective influence on the mind of his traveling 
 companion, and one that could hardly have failed 
 to affect materially the tone and spirit of his 
 writing. And when we turn to the Gospel of 
 Luke there are not wanting indications of that 
 influence. Of all the apostles Paul was the one 
 who must dwell upon the universality of the 
 Gospel of Christ, its adaptation to and its wel- 
 come for all men of all races, classes, beliefs and 
 conditions. And of all the Gospels, the Gospel 
 of Luke is the one in which this aspect of Christ's 
 life and teaching is the most predominant. 
 
 Its character. The character of Luke's Gos- 
 pel conduces to and confirms what we have said 
 of its authorship, object, and origin in these par- 
 ticulars.
 
 LUKE. 
 
 (1.) A history composed not by an eye-witness 
 but by one who gathered his material from frag- 
 mentary histories and oral traditions, would be 
 naturally less accurate in its chronology than one 
 prepared by a personal companion of our Lord. 
 This is the case with Luke's Gospel. He repeats 
 many aphorisms which are repeated by Matthew 
 in different connections, and sometimes takes 
 single verses out of a continuous discourse which 
 Matthew has reported, and gives them as solitary 
 thoughts in a quite different setting. It is true 
 that such scholars as Alford and Godet have en- 
 deavored in these cases to show that the same 
 thought or figure was twice used by our Lord on 
 different occasions ; and there are certainly some 
 cases where this hypothesis is sustained by in- 
 ternal evidence. But there are others where 
 only a forced and artificial connection can be 
 maintained between the thought and the context, 
 and where, I am persuaded, it is much more rea- 
 sonable to believe that Luke has inserted, out of 
 their original connection, epigrammatic utter- 
 ances of Christ, the occasion of which he did not 
 know and'does not indicate in his narrative. 
 
 (2.) But if Luke's Gospel is less to be followed 
 as a guide in questions of chronology and geo- 
 graphy, it is, as might be expected, a broader 
 and more comprehensive biography than either 
 of the other three Gospels. Matthew and John 
 describe chiefly what they personally saw and 
 heard ; and Mark does not purport to give a 
 complete biography of Christ, but only detached 
 incidents and teachings in his life. Luke, on the 
 other hand, whose work is a compilation from all 
 then accessible sources of information, traces 
 the life of Christ from his birth to his ascension ; 
 and includes much that the other Evangelists did 
 not record, probably because it did not lie within 
 their own personal knowledge. Thus Luke alone 
 records the vision to Zacharias and to Mary ; the 
 supernatural birth ; the raising of the son of the 
 widow of Nain ; the account of the forgiveness 
 of the woman that was a sinner ; the entertain- 
 ment at the house of Martha and Mary ; the ac- 
 count of the walk toEmmaus ; and the narrative 
 of the ascension. Still more notable is the fact 
 that it is Luke alone who gives us any full ac- 
 count of Christ's ministry in Perea, with its mar- 
 velous treasure of parables, including some of 
 those that are the dearest to the Christian 
 church, and have been so in all ages. Thus while 
 the Gospel of Luke is less systematic in its ar- 
 rangement of details, and less chronologically ac- 
 curate than that of Matthew, less dramatic than 
 that of Mark, and less tender and spiritual than 
 that of John, it is more comprehensive than 
 either. Luke's Gospel is like a carefully-com- 
 piled history of a campaign ; Matthew's and 
 John's Gospels are rather like the report of 
 single officers who participated in it ; Mark's 
 
 Gospel is like a series of dramatic incidents se- 
 lected from the story. 
 
 (3.) Partly, perhaps, because Luke's especial 
 object was to provide a book for the instruction 
 of converts, especially in the Greek churches 
 founded by Paul's missionary tours, in which 
 Luke accompanied him, but yet more,as I think, 
 because of Paul's personal influence on Luke, his 
 Gospel, more than any other, emphasizes the 
 catholicity and universality of Christianity. Mat- 
 thew makes predominant the fulfillment of pro- 
 phecy ; Mark the manifestation of power ; Luke 
 the welcome to all classes and all nations. At 
 the beginning the angels declare the advent to be 
 good tidings to all people. In the genealogy 
 Christ's parentage is traced back to Adam. The 
 ministry of Christ in Perea, a half-heathen dis- 
 trict of the Holy Land, is narrated. The appoint- 
 ment of the seventy, as well as of the twelve, is 
 given. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost 
 coin, and the prodigal son, and the story of the 
 forgiveness of the woman that was a sinner, are 
 all peculiar to Luke, and they all emphasize the 
 truth that Christ came to seek and save that 
 which was lost, wherever the lost may be found. 
 The parable of the marriage supper and the call 
 of Zaccheus are also found only in his Gospel ; 
 the one directly implies the calling of the Gen- 
 tiles, while the other strikingly illustrates the 
 universality of Christ's invitation. These truths 
 are to be found also in the other Gospels ; as the 
 power of Christ, and his fulfillment of prophecy, 
 are to be found in Luke ; but it is the catholicity 
 of Christianity which is predominant in Luke, 
 and this is the doctrine, or rather the spirit, 
 which we might expect to find predominant in a 
 book written by a companion and scribe of the 
 Apostle Paul. The parallel between Luke's and 
 Paul's accounts of the last supper (Luke 22 ■. 15-20 ; 
 1 Cor. 11 : 23-25) confirms this impression. 
 
 Time and place of writing. The Gospel of 
 Luke was certainly written before the Book of 
 Acts, and probably some time previous ; this is 
 implied by the language in Acts 1 : 1. The ma- 
 terial for it must have been gathered in Pales- 
 tine, and therefore presumptively during some 
 break in the apostolic journeys in which Luke ac- 
 companied Paul. Such a break occurred during 
 Paul's two years' imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts 
 24 : 26, 27), and though we cannot certainly fix upon 
 this as the time and place of writing, it is a reason- 
 able surmise that it was mainly prepared, if not 
 published, at this time. At all events, assuming 
 that the Book of Acts was published on or before 
 
 A. D. 70 (seeintro. to Book of Acts), the Gospel Of Luke 
 
 must have been completed and published so as to 
 have reached Theophilus, and probably to have 
 become somewhat known to the churches before 
 that time. The original language in which it w;:s 
 written was undoubtedly Greek.
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 
 
 ST. LUKE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to set 
 forth in order a declaration of those things which 
 are most surely believed among us, 
 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from 
 
 the beginning * were eye-witnesses, and ministers of 
 the 1 ' word ; 
 
 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect un- 
 derstanding of all things from the very tir^t, to write 
 unto thee in order, c most excellent Theophilus, d 
 
 4 That thou mightest know e the certainty of those 
 things wherein thou hast been instructed. 
 
 a John 15: 27: Heb. 2 .3; 1 Pet. 5 : 1; 2 Pet. 1 : 16 ; 1 John 1 : l....b Rom. 15 : 16 ; Ephcs. 3:7; 4 ; 11, 12... c Acts 11 : 4. 
 
 d Acts 1 : 1 e John 20 : 31. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 1-4. INTRODUCTION. The object and the 
 
 AUTHENTICITY OP LUKE'S GOSPEL. 
 
 1. Forasmuch as many have taken in 
 hand. Who are these many? Not the other 
 Evangelists, for Matthew and John were them- 
 selves eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, 
 and Luke in the next verse discriminates the lat- 
 ter from the authors with whom he ranks him- 
 self. This would leave only Mark to represent 
 the many ; and there is abundant evidence to be 
 seen as we proceed that Luke had not Mark's 
 Gospel before him when he wrote. The implica- 
 tion is that there were in the apostolic age writ- 
 ten narratives, more or less full, of Christ's dis- 
 courses and miracles, and that these narratives 
 furnished Luke in part with the material for his 
 history. This hypothesis is sustained by the post- 
 apostolic writings, which are largely occupied 
 with a simple account of Christ's life and teach- 
 ings. These fragments of history being absorbed 
 in the fuller narratives of our Evangelists were 
 not preserved ; but there are indications in the 
 patristic literature of the existence of such nar- 
 ratives. — To arrange the narrative of the 
 events fulfilled among us. Not of the things 
 most surely believed, as Alford, following our Eng- 
 lish version, but of the events fulfilled, as Van 
 Oosterzee and Godet. For (1) this latter mean- 
 ing better suits the original ; it is indeed capable 
 of either translation, but the verb (nXijQoqioQtw) 
 when applied to persons generally signifies full 
 persuasion, but when applied, as here, to things, 
 generally signifies complete fulfillment (2 Tim. 
 4:5). (2.) It better suits the context; it is be- 
 cause the things are not fully known to Theophi- 
 lus that Luke sets them forth, and the addition, 
 surely believed among us, weikens rather than 
 strengthens his language, and implies a question 
 rather than certainty. I believe then with Godet, 
 that Luke's language here implies that "these 
 events were not simple accidents, but accom- 
 plished a precise plan. ' ' Thus Luke, no less than 
 Matthew, represents the Gospel as a fulfillment 
 of prophecy, though he less frequently refers to 
 the prophets. Observe the character of these 
 lost documents ; they were narratives (Jn/yt/oic) 
 
 not declarations, and they were orderly, histori- 
 cal narratives, though not necessarily, and not 
 probably, complete. Presumptively, both Luke 
 and the other Evangelists made more or less use 
 of these fragments ; hence the verbal accord fre- 
 quently discerned in their accounts. 
 
 2. Even as unto us they delivered them 
 which were from the beginning, etc. A 
 second source of Luke's information — viz., 
 the eye-witnesses and ministers, including the 
 apostles, but not excluding others. Ministers 
 {vTZriQ&ttig) is a term applied to John Mark (Acts 
 13 : 5), a steward of Paul and Barnabas. It is lit- 
 erally under-rower, then under-servant of any de- 
 scription. Here, therefore, it signifies persons 
 holding position in the primitive church, subor- 
 dinate to that of the apostles, where time was 
 probably fully occupied in the work of preach- 
 ing, and perhaps organizing the churches, and 
 who left the work of reducing to writing the nar- 
 rative of Christ's life and teachings to the scribes 
 or other subordinates in the church. From the 
 beginning is, as in Acts 1 : 21, 22, from the begin- 
 ning of Christ's ministry, i. e., his baptism. 
 Luke, however, goes back of this beginning to 
 the events connected with Christ's birth. 
 
 3, 4. It seemed good to me also. He 
 cites their example as a support for his own 
 course. The words And to the Holy Spirit, added 
 in some unauthentic manuscripts, is recognized 
 by all scholars as unquestionably spurious. They 
 were probably added by some reverent, but not 
 scrupulous scribe, to enfore the doctrine of in- 
 spiration.— Having traced out accurately 
 all things from the first. Not, Having had a 
 perfect understanding, i. e., always known them, 
 but, Having by personal research examined into 
 the truth of every narrative made use of; the 
 language implies a careful historical research by 
 (1) a comparison of the different narratives, (2) a 
 personal inquiry of the eye-witnesses. From the 
 very first is, as in Acts 26 : 5, from his youth. It 
 implies that this Gospel is the product of a pro- 
 tracted investigation and of mature thought. — 
 To write to thee in order. In an orderly 
 narrative. This does not necessarily imply, how-
 
 <; 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 ever, that Luke followed the chronological order 
 with accuracy, or even that he always knew what 
 it was. When he differs in chronology from 
 Matthew, the presumption is in favor of the eye- 
 witnesses rather than of the scribe, who derived 
 his information from others. — Most excellent 
 Theophilus. Of him nothing is known with 
 certainty. The name is Greek, and the person 
 was probably of Grecian extraction. The appel- 
 lation Most excellent, implies rank as well as char- 
 acter. He is mentioned only here and in Acts 
 1 : 1. See note there. — That thou mightest 
 know the certainty of words concerning 
 which thou hast been orally informed. 
 Comp. this translation, which is literal, with the 
 English version above. The noun which I have 
 rendered words (koyog) is not to be rendered 
 things, a meaning which it never rightfully bears, 
 nor (as Alford) histories or accounts, but, liter- 
 ally, words, including both the direct teachings 
 of Christ and those instructions wbich are in- 
 volved in the narrative of his life and works. 
 Thou hast been instructed (*ar>;/sw) is not catechet- 
 ically taught (Alford, Oosterzee), for this ecclesi- 
 astical meaning belongs to a later period of 
 church history, but orally informed. See on 
 Acts 18 : 25. This Gospel then was written for 
 those who knew of the life and teachings of 
 Jesus only by tradition, and for the purpose of 
 giving them a fuller and more accurate knowl- 
 edge (hereof. 
 
 In respect to this preface, it is to be observed 
 (1) that its style is peculiar, the Greek is purer, 
 and the diction more labored and formal — facts 
 which " may be accounted for, partly because it 
 is the composition of the Evangelist himself, and 
 not translated from Hebrew sources like the 
 rest, and partly because prefaces, especially 
 when also dedicatory, are usually in a rounded 
 and artificial style." — {Alford.) (2.) It clearly im- 
 plies that Luke himself was not an eye-witness 
 of the events which he narrates ; and that the 
 sources of his information are (a) the narratives 
 of such eye-witnesses ; (&) documentary narra- 
 tives, existing in the apostolic churches, of iso- 
 lated teachings and events in Christ's ministry ; 
 (c) personal research. (3.) His object is to im- 
 part systematic instruction and trustworthy in- 
 formation to those whose knowledge was imper- 
 fect and derived from oral tradition. (4.) The 
 name Theophilus indicates that this Gospel was 
 written for the Greek rather than for the Jew. 
 We may thus expect from its genesis to find it less 
 dramatic and pictorial in detail but more calm 
 and copious in style than the other three Gos- 
 pels, more orderly in its historical arrangement, 
 but giving evidence of greater diversity in its 
 materials, less accurate in its chronology than 
 those of Matthew and John, but more so than 
 that of Mark, and of all the Gospels the one most 
 
 adapted to the Gentile world, the one in which 
 the Gospel is most prominently set forth as for 
 the whole human race. It is therefore fittingly 
 called by Oosterzee " The Gospel of Universal 
 Humanity," and by Godet, with less carefully 
 guarded discrimination, "A treatise on the right 
 of the heathen to share in the Messianic King- 
 dom founded by Jesus." 
 
 Ch. 1 :5-25. ANNUNCIATION OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN 
 THE BAPTIST. Answer to prater illustrated. — 
 The Gospel a message op good cheer. — True 
 greatness consists in self-denial, divine inspira- 
 TION, Christian work. — The child of prater and 
 piett mat receive the holt spirit at his birth. — 
 Zacharias and Abraham compared ; faith in one 
 mat be unfaith in another. — the unbeliever is 
 dumb.— Children are a gift from the Lord. 
 
 Preliminary Note. — The title Gospel of the 
 Infancy is appropriately given by Godet to the 
 first two chapters of Luke, which may be divided 
 as follows : (1) The annunciation of the birth of 
 the forerunner (1 : 6-25) ; (2) annunciation of the 
 birth of Jesus (1 : 26-38 ) ; (3) visit of Mary to 
 Elizabeth (1 : 39-56) ; (4) birth of the forerunner 
 (1 : 57-80) ; (5) birth of Jesus (2 : 1-20) ; (6) cir- 
 cumcision and presentation of Jesus in fulfill- 
 ment of the law (2 : 21-40) ; (7) development of 
 Jesus and first definite recognition of his mission 
 (2 : 41-52). This Gospel of the Infancy has become 
 the subject of special doubt because (1) only Mat- 
 thew and Luke refer to it ; Mark does not, 
 though of all writers the most minute and 
 graphic ; nor John, though made at the death of 
 Christ the custodian of his mother (John 19 : 26). 
 Nor are any of the incidents here narrated re- 
 ferred to in the subsequent books of the N. T., 
 the apostolic addresses in the Acts, or the Epis- 
 tles. Moreover, the accounts of Matthew and 
 Luke, though not inconsistent, are entirely dif- 
 ferent. (2.) In both accounts angelic appear- 
 ances are a pre-eminent feature, and the appear- 
 ance of angels is one of the most characteristic 
 features of legendary narrative. (3.) Neither of 
 the accounts are given by eye-witnesses. Luke's 
 was avowedly derived from others, either from 
 eye-witnesses or from documents already exist- 
 ing in the church (sec above), and Matthew's 
 must have been derived in the same way ; there 
 is no indication that he was looking for the Mes- 
 siah, or had any especial interest in the promised 
 kingdom of God before he was called by Jesus 
 from the receipt of custom (Matt. 9 : 9). On the 
 other hand, it is to be said (1) that the birth of 
 Jesus would naturally be inquired into by his 
 biographers, all biographers begin with the 
 birth ; Mark's narrative is the briefest, and 
 might therefore well omit this section ; John's 
 was written subsequently to the other three, and, 
 probably, with the three before him, he naturally
 
 Ch. L] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 5 T^HERE was, in the days of Herod r the king of 
 
 J. Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ot the 
 course of Abia : I and his wile was of the daughters 
 of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 
 
 6 And they weie both righteous h before God, walk- 
 
 ing in all the commandments and ordinances 1 of the 
 Lord, blameless. 
 
 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth 
 was barren, and they both were now well stricken in 
 years. 
 
 f Matt. 2:1 g 1 Chron. 24 : 10; Neh. 12 : 4, 17 h Gen. 7 : 1; 1 Kings 9:4; 2 Kings 20 : 3 1 1 Cor. 11 : 2; Phil. 3:6. 
 
 does not repeat what he finds in them, and, in 
 fact, there is very little of such repetition. (2. ) 
 The particularity of Luke's narrative, the full 
 reports of speeches, e.g., the psalms of Elizabeth 
 and Zacharias, the song of the angels, the pro- 
 phecy of Simeon, etc., all indicate that it was de- 
 rived from eye-witnesses, unless it is assumed to 
 be an absolute invention ; and the artless nature 
 of the narrative, as well as the character of the 
 writer, forbids the hypothesis that he invented 
 this account of the birth of his Lord, (o.) 
 Though dissimilar, Matthew and Luke agree in 
 the essential truth — the supernatural birth of 
 Jesus Christ of a virgin. Their accounts, there- 
 fore, had a common origin though derived 
 through different sources ; they agree also with 
 the spirit of the other two Gospels, which as- 
 sume the supernatural character and origin of 
 the subject of their biographies (Mark 1 : 1 ; John i : 
 
 14, 34; 3:13; 8 : 58, etc.), With that of the Epistles, 
 
 which, in language more or less explicit, assume 
 
 his superhuman Origin (Gal. 4:4; PhU. 2 : 6, 7 ; Heb. 
 
 ! : u), and with the distinct declaration of the 
 O. T. prophecy (isaiah 1 s 14). (4.) The appearance 
 of angels, however inconsistent with modern ra- 
 tionalism, which approximates the ancient Sad- 
 ducees in denying either resurrection or spirit 
 (Acts 23 : 8), is entirely in accordance with the 
 general teaching of the Scripture on this subject. 
 This is to the effect that there are both good and 
 evil angels (Matt. 25 : 31 ; 1 Tim. 5 : 31 ; juda 6) ; that the 
 former are clothed with the celestial body analo- 
 gous tO that Of man (Judg. 13 : 6 ; Mark 16:5; Acts 1 : lo) ; 
 
 that their numbers are great and that they pos- 
 sess great power (Psalm 88 : 17 j Matt. 26 : 53) ; that 
 they are holy, doing God's will (Heb. 1 : 7, 14) ; that 
 they continually environ his people, though only 
 at special times and as the result of special en- 
 dowment made visible to human eyes (Psalm 68 .- 17 ; 
 2 Kings 6 : h). The appearance of angels in this 
 narrative is in entire consonance with similar ap- 
 pearances in O. T. history (Gen. 18:2; 19 : 1; 22: 11-18 ; 
 28 : 12 ; 32 : i, 24) ; is also in entire accordance with 
 the general teaching of Scripture respecting the 
 reality and mission of angels. On the assump- 
 tion of the rationalist that there is neither angel 
 nor spirit, of course this narrative must be aban- 
 doned as not historical ; but on the assumption of 
 the Christian that angels are the messengers of 
 God, there is nothing remarkable in the fact that 
 they are employed to announce the advent of the 
 birth of Jesus and of his forerunner. For har- 
 mony of the two accounts of the birth of Jesus in 
 
 Matthew and Luke, see on Matthew, note on the 
 Birth of Jesus, p. 04. Luke precedes tin- ac- 
 count of the advent of the Messiah by an account 
 of the parentage of John the Baptist and the pro- 
 phecy of his birth, an account peculiar to his 
 Gospel. 
 
 5. In the days of King Herod. Herod the 
 Great. For account of the Ilcrodian family ;md 
 the character of this Herod see on Matt. 1:1. 
 If we could be sure of the exact year of Christ's 
 birth, the narrative here would fix approximately 
 its date. For the temple was destroyed on the 
 ninth day of the fifth month of a. d. 70, i. e., Au- 
 gust 4th, and according to the Talmud the first 
 priestly course was on duty then. The course of 
 Abia was the eighteenth of the twenty-four 
 courses in which the priesthood was divided. 
 Calculating back, and assuming that Jesus was 
 born four years before the date fixed by popular 
 chronology for his birth, mother words 4 b. c. (see 
 Matt, l : is, note), the course of Abia was in this year 
 b. c. 5, from 17th to 23d April, and from od to 9th 
 Oct., and John the Baptist would be born nine 
 months after, and Jesus probably six months still 
 later (ver. 36), which would bring the birth of Jesus 
 either in July or January. — Zacharias. Noth- 
 ing is known of him but the information given of 
 his character here. Belonging to the priesthood, 
 he possessed none of the priestly vices, but was a 
 man of simple and sincere faith, such as happily 
 are sometimes to be found in the hierarchy, even 
 in the most degenerate days of the church. — Of 
 the course of Abia. Or Abijah (1 chron. 24 : 10). 
 The priesthood were divided under David into 
 twenty-four courses or classes, which took turns 
 in administering the services of the temple, their 
 order being fixed by lot, and remaining thereafter 
 as thus established (1 chroD. 24 : 7— is). When after 
 the Babylonish captivity the people returned to 
 Jerusalem, there were found but four courses out 
 of the twenty-four, comprising about one thous- 
 and each (Ezra 2 : 36-39) ; but they were reorganized 
 under the old names into twenty-four courses, and 
 a new allotment of their services was made. The 
 heads of these courses were the "chief priests," 
 so often mentioned in the Bible. Each course 
 ministered for one week, from the Sabbath to the 
 Sabbath, beginning with the Sabbath morning 
 service. — And his wife was of the daughters 
 of Aaron. That is, of priestly extraction. 
 Observe that the celibacy of the clergy was un- 
 known to the ancient Jewish law, as to the prim- 
 itive Christian church (1 Cor. 9:s). — Elizabeth.
 
 8 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the 
 priest's office before God in the order of his course, 
 
 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his 
 lot was > to burn incense when he went into the temple 
 of the Lord. 
 
 io And the whole multitude of the people were pray- 
 ing without, k at the time of incense. 
 
 ii And there appeared unto him an angel of the 
 Lord, standing on the right side of the altar 1 of in- 
 cense. 
 
 j Exod. 30 : 7, 8 k Lev. 16 : 17 1 Exod. 30 : 1 ; Rev. 8 : 3, 4. 
 
 Mentioned only in the first chapter of Luke. 
 She was a relative of Mary (ver. 36). 
 
 6, 7. And they were both righteous in 
 the sight of God. For the meaning of this 
 phraseology, comp. Rom. 3 : 20 ; 2 Cor. 7 : 12 ; 
 Heb. 4 : 13; 13 : 21. It distinguished them from 
 the priesthood generally, who were corrupt, and 
 from the Pharisees, whose righteousness was in 
 the sight of men only (ch. ie : is ; Matt, s :'i, 2, 5, 16) ; 
 and it indicated simplicity of purpose and sincer- 
 ity of life. — The commands and ordinances. 
 The one indicates rather the moral, the other the 
 ceremonial laws. — Blameless. Relatively, not 
 absolutely. That absolute sinlessness is not in- 
 dicated is evident from the implied rebuke of 
 Zacharias in ver. 20. Paul uses the same word 
 in respect to himself in Phil. 3 : 6, " touching the 
 righteousness which is in the law blameless," in 
 describing his condition at the time when he was 
 the " chief of sinners " (1 Tim. 1 : 12, 13, 15). Zacha- 
 rias was righteous in the sight of God and blame- 
 less in the sight of the people. — Well stricken 
 in years. Their age is not known. See on 
 ver. 18. 
 
 8-10. Not only was the original assignment of 
 the time of service of the twenty-four courses 
 determined by lot, but the work of each priest 
 in each course was determined in the same man- 
 ner — who should kill the sacrifice, who sprinkle 
 the blood, who burn the incense, etc. This lot 
 was cast every week, the members of the course 
 meeting for the purpose in a room in the temple. 
 The lot had fallen to Zacharias to burn the in- 
 cense. The altar of incense in Solomon's temple 
 (and the structure was probably essentially the 
 same in Herod's temple), was cedar, overlaid 
 
 With gold (l Kings 6 : 20 ; 1 dron. 28 : 18) ; it Was a Cubit 
 
 (about two feet) in length and breadth, and two 
 cubits high ; it stood in the holy place before the 
 vail which separated the holy place from the 
 holy of holies. See plan of temple in notes to 
 John, ch. 2. The incense itself was a mixture of 
 sweet spices, described in Exod. 30 : 34-38 ; it 
 was a symbol of prayer (Psalm hi : 2 ; Rev. 5 : s), and 
 when offered by the priest a bell was rung as a 
 signal to the people in the courts without, who 
 all engaged in prayer in deep silence. To this 
 feature of the Jewish ritual reference is supposed 
 to be made in Rev. 8 : 1, 3. The whole scene is 
 illustrated by an account in Josephus of a vision 
 reported to have appeared toHyrcanus, the high- 
 priest, when he was alone offering incense, which 
 lie " openly declared before all the multitude on 
 
 his coming out of the temple." The incense was 
 burnt twice a day, at 9 a. m. and 3 p. m. (Exod. 
 so : 7, 8), in a censer, probably a pan for the car- 
 riage of the coals, rather than the vase-like ves- 
 sel, such as is now used in the Roman Catholic 
 
 PRIEST OFFERING INCENSE. 
 Churches (Lev. 10 : 1 ; 16 : 12 ; 2 Chron. 26 : 19). In the 
 
 accompanying illustration the altar is copied 
 from an ancient one found at Gebal ; the staves 
 were added to correspond to the description in 
 Exod. 30 : 1-5. The Roman Catholics, in support 
 of the modern practice of burning incense, cite 
 the example of the Jewish church and the fol- 
 lowing passages, Psalm 141 : 2 ; Sol. Song 3:6; 
 2 Cor. 2 : 14 ; Ephes. 5:2; Rev. 5 : 8-24. By 
 Protestant divines it is believed to have been 
 borrowed from the heathen churches, in which 
 burning incense was common ; and the early 
 Christian apologists, Tertullian, Lactantius, and 
 others, assert that Christians do not burn in- 
 cense. It is asserted by some to have been first 
 introduced in the Christian church in the subter- 
 ranean services in caverns and catacombs simply 
 to purify the air, and that similarly candles were 
 introduced to afford light ; but this appears to 
 me not probable. 
 
 11-14. There appeared unto him an 
 angel. This appearance is the first note in that 
 " overture of angels " which introduced Christ 
 to the world. An angel announces to Zacharias 
 the coming of John the Baptist ; to Mary the 
 advent of Christ himself ; then the character and 
 superhuman origin of Christ to Joseph ; then to 
 the shepherds that he is born ; then to Joseph
 
 Ch. L] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled,™ 
 and fear fell upon him. 
 
 13 But the an<4el said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias : 
 for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wile Elisabeth shall 
 bear thee a son, and thou slialt call his name John." 
 
 14 And thou shall have joy and gladness ; and many 
 shall rej ice ' at his birth. 
 
 15 For he shall be great p in the sight of the Lord, 
 and shall drink 1 neither wine nor strong drink ; and lie 
 
 shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even' from his 
 mother's womb. 
 
 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn 
 to the Lord their God. 
 
 17 And he" shall go before him in the spirit and 
 power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the 
 children, and the disobedient to the wisdom ' of the just ; 
 to make ready a people " prepared lor the Lord. 
 
 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall 
 
 m verse 29 ; Judges 13 : 22. 
 
 n vers. 60, 63... o verse 68 p ch. 7 : 98.... q Numb. 6: 3 r Jer. 1 : 6 s Mai. 4 : 6, 6 ; Matt. 11 : 14: 
 
 Mark 9 • 12, 13.... t P.. Ill : 10.... u 1 Pet. 2:9. 
 
 Herod's design ; then again to Joseph the death 
 
 Of Herod (ver. 26 ; ch. 2 : 9 ; Matt. 1 : 20 ; 2 : 13, 19). On 
 
 the general Scripture teaching respecting angels 
 and their appearances to men, see Prel. Note 
 above. — He was troubled, agitated ; — and 
 fear fell upon him. * * * Fear not. Ob- 
 serve how the appearance of the heralds of 
 Christ, both of his advent and of his resurrection, 
 awaken fear, and how the response to the fears 
 of man is always "fear not." Comp. ver. 30; 
 ch. 2 : 10 ; Mark 16 : G. The dispensation of awe 
 and fear is supplanted by that of love (i John 
 4 : is). — Thy prayer is heard. Favorably 
 heard (tiauzi/tw). For the meaning, see Matt. 
 6:7; Acts 10 : 31 ; Heb. 5 : 7, where the word 
 is the same. A prayer may be heard and yet re- 
 fused. The prayer referred to was not for the 
 advent of the Messiah, but for a son. This per- 
 sonal petition may have mingled with his prayers 
 for the people and the nation. That this was a 
 theme of his prayers, and the request to which 
 the angel refers, is evident from the completion 
 of the sentence. Nor is the surprise of Zacha- 
 rias any indication of the reverse. God's gener- 
 ous answers are perpetually a surprise to our un- 
 belief (Acts 12 : 14, is). — Joy and gladness. Joy 
 and rejoicing: one the inward experience, the 
 other the outward expression. Observe how 
 each annunciation of the advent of the Messiah 
 and of his presence is made the occasion for an 
 
 incentive to joy (ver. 32; ch. 2 : 10-14 ; Matt. 1 : 21). 
 
 Contrast the disclosure of Jehovah in the O. T. 
 to the people (Exod. ch. 19), and see this contrast 
 clearly set forth in Heb. 12 : 18-21. 
 
 15. Great in the sight of the Lord. So 
 the parents were righteous in the sight of the Lord 
 (ve:.s), who judgeth not according to outward 
 appearances, but by the heart (1 Sam. 16 : 7). The 
 nature of this greatness is indicated in what 
 follows; he should have dominion over his 
 own appetites, the animal nature being subordi- 
 nate ; he should be full of the Holy Spirit, 
 the spiritual nature being supreme ; and he 
 should be faithful in genuine Christian work, 
 preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. — 
 Neither wine nor strong drink. Theformer 
 the juice of the grape, the latter any fermented 
 liquor not made from grapes. Both were for- 
 bidden to priests during their service (Lev. 10 : 9), 
 and to Nazarites altogether (Numb. 6 : 3). The 
 
 special prohibition here shows the usage of the 
 day not to be total abstinence. See Matt. 11 : 18 
 for the contrast between John the Baptist and 
 Jesus Christ in this respect. — And he shall he 
 filled with the Holy Ghost even from his 
 mother's womb. From birth. Comp. Ephes. 
 5 : 18. The meaning here, as there, is that the 
 inspiration and stimulant to the human faculties 
 should come from above, not from below, 
 through the spiritual, not the animal nature. 
 Observe that here is at least one case in which 
 the Spirit of God, and therefore, presumptively, 
 regeneration is promised from infancy, and that 
 in this case the condition of it is (1) godly pa- 
 rentage ; (2) a son given in answer to prayer ; 
 (3) and by the Nazareth vow consecrated to God 
 from infancy. Why may we not believe that the 
 children of godly parents, given in answer to 
 prayer, and similarly consecrated, may be habit- 
 ually regenerated at birth, and from the mother's 
 womb, true children of God ? For he that is least 
 in the kingdom of God is greater than John the 
 Baptist (Matt. 11 : 11). Evidently here is at least 
 one Scripture case of "infant regeneration." 
 See also Jer. 1 : 15. 
 
 16, 17. Shall he turn to the Lord their 
 God. Of the success of John the Baptist's 
 ministry among the common people we have 
 abundant evidence in the direct testimony of 
 Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matt. 3 .5, 6; Mark 1 -5; 
 Luke 3 : 7, 10) ; in the incidental testimony of John 
 (John 1 : u) ; in the allusions of Christ to the 
 crowds that attended his ministry (Matt. 11 : 7, 12) ; 
 in the fear of the Pharisees to cast any reproach 
 upon it (Matt. 21 : 25, 26). — Go before him. That 
 is, before the Lord their God, in the person of 
 the Messiah, who is God manifest in the flesh 
 (1 Tim. 3 : i6\ Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1 .- ss). 
 — In the spirit and power of Elijah. The 
 reference is to and the quotation from Mai. 
 4 : 6, and the language seems to me to imply 
 clearly that John the Baptist fulfilled that 
 prophecy. Certain Biblical scholars, however, 
 regard his coming as only a partial fulfillment, 
 and look for a literal second coming of Elijah 
 before the second coming of Christ, which ap- 
 pears to me to be inconsistent with the angel's 
 language here, and with that of Christ in Matt. 
 11 : 14 and 17 : 11, 12. See notes there.— To 
 turn the hearts of the fathers unto the
 
 10 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 I know this ? for I T am an old man, and my wife well 
 stricken in years. 
 
 19 And the angel, answering, said unto him, I am 
 Gabriel,™ that stand in ihe presence of God • and am 
 sent x to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad 
 tidings. 
 
 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb,? and not able 
 to speak, umii the day that these things shall be per- 
 
 formed, because thou believest not my words, which 
 shall be fulfilled in their season. 
 
 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and mar- 
 velled that he tarried so long in the temple. 
 
 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto 
 them : and they perceived that he had seen a vision in 
 the temple ; for he beckoned unto them, and remained 
 speechless. 
 
 V Gen. IT : 17 .... w verse 26 ; Dan. 8 : 16 x Heb. 1 : 14 .... y Ezek. 3 : 26. 
 
 children. Either literally, To produce domes- 
 tic concord, the disruption of families being one 
 of the most common signs of the decay of reli- 
 gion in the community, and the beginning of 
 moral chaos ; or figuratively, To turn the hearts 
 of the fathers, the Israelites, to the Gentiles, the 
 children— apostate, prodigal, outcast, but still 
 children. This last interpretation, adopted by 
 Lightfoot and Oosterzee, is confirmed by Isaiah 
 29 : 2:2 and 63 : 16, in which the Gentiles are 
 treated as children, whom Israel, however, did 
 not recognize ; by the actual ministry of John 
 the Baptist, who preached to the Roman sol- 
 diers and the publicans, as well as to the ortho- 
 dox Jews (ch. 3 : 12, u) ; and by the ministry of 
 Elijah, which included prophetically the heathen 
 (i Kings n : 8-16; ch. 4 : 25, 26). This appears to me to 
 be the best interpretation. — And the disobe- 
 dient in (not to) the wisdom of the just. 
 The corresponding language in Malachi is, And 
 tlie heart of the children to their fathers. The 
 clause is responsive to the preceding one ; the 
 meaning is, He shall bring the Gentiles to accept 
 the wisdom of righteousness. This is their in- 
 heritance (Rom. 3 : l, 2) ; in accepting it they repu- 
 diate the folly of disobedience, which is the 
 source of heathenism. "In (&v) is joined to a 
 verb of motion (to turn), to express the fact that 
 this wisdom is a state in which men remain when 
 once they have entered it." — (Godet.) Observe 
 that righteousness is here, as elsewhere in the 
 Bible, accounted the course of wisdom or pru- 
 dence, and disobedience one of folly, and that 
 the only true basis of peace in the church or 
 community is the wisdom of righteousness. 
 "Accursed be the peace and unity by which men 
 agree among themselves apart from God." — 
 (Calvin.) — To make ready a people pre- 
 pared for the Lord. This was his mission, 
 but it was only partially successful. The com- 
 mon people, who heard him gladly, received 
 with gladness the Messiah ; the scribes and 
 Pharisees, who rejected the forerunner, rejected 
 also the King. Several of Christ's disciples 
 seem to have been selected from those of John 
 the Baptist (John, ch. 1) ; and after the latter' s 
 death his own immediate followers turned at 
 once to Chri-t for sympathy (Matt. 14 : 12). 
 
 18. Whereby shall I know this? Evi- 
 dently this was not the ecstacy of a visionary 
 man, who imagined simply what he desired ; for 
 
 when the promise was made he doubted and 
 questioned. His unbelief was not greater than 
 that of Abraham (Gen. is : 8; it : 7), whose faith is 
 eulogized by Paul (Rom. 4 : 19). But the circum- 
 stances were widely different. Abraham stood 
 at the beginning of the history of the Church, 
 before there had been vouchsafed any signs of 
 God's gracious power ; Zacharias at the end of a 
 long history of gracious interposition. Abraham 
 had just been called out of idolatry, and had yet 
 to learn the power and nature of the true God ; 
 Zacharias was a priest, and from youth up 
 trained in the knowledge and service of God. 
 That which was remarkable faith in one was 
 inadequate and culpable lack of it in the other. 
 What, then, shall be said of our lack of faith, 
 who stand unbelieving in this latter-day glory 
 of a ripened Christianity ? — For I am an old 
 man. The Levites were superannuated at the 
 age of fifty (Numb. 8 : 24, 25). According to Light- 
 foot, this was held by the rabbis not to apply to 
 the priests. It might apply, and still the won- 
 der of Zacharias be natural. For if he was ap- 
 proaching fifty and had no child, he would not 
 hereafter expect one, and there is nothing in the 
 narrative to imply that the birth of John the 
 Baptist was in any sense miraculous or super- 
 natural. 
 
 19-22. I am Gabriel. Only two angels are 
 mentioned by name in the Scripture, Gabriel and 
 Michael. The former is the revealer of messages 
 
 Of grace tO man (Dan. 8 : 15-18; 9 : 21-23; Luke 1 : 26-29) J 
 
 the latter appears rather in the attitude of ex- 
 ecutor of the divine judgments (Dan. 12 : 1 ; jude 9; 
 Rev. 12 : 7). Thus they represent the two aspects 
 in which God is presented to us in the Bible, as 
 Redeemer and Judge. It has been said that 
 Biblical angelology is derived from the Persians, 
 but it preceded the contact of the Jews with the 
 
 far East (Gen. 18 : 2, etc. ; 19 : 1, etc. ; 28 : 12 ; 32 : 24), and is 
 
 more simple ; and religious beliefs do not develop 
 from the complex and elaborate to the simple. — 
 Thou shalt be silent and not able to 
 speak. The first clause indicates a fact, silence ; 
 the second clause the cause of it, inability to 
 speak. There is not, therefore, exactly a repeti- 
 tion, though the form of the sentence gives in- 
 tensity to the prediction. The dumbness is a 
 sign rather than a punishment, though a sign 
 that is a punishment for unbelief. — Recause he 
 tarried so long in the Temple. Where
 
 Cu. I.] 
 
 LVKE. 
 
 11 
 
 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of 
 his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his 
 own house. 
 
 24 And after those days, his wife Elisabeth con- 
 ceived, and hid herself five months, sayingj 
 
 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days 
 wherein he looked on me, to take 1 away my reproach 
 among men. 
 
 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was 
 sent from God, unto a city of Galilee, named Naza- 
 reth, 
 
 27 To a virgin a espoused to a man whose name wai 
 Joseph, of the house of David ; and the virgin's name 
 aiaj Mary. 
 
 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, 
 thou that art highly Favoured, 11 the Lord' it with thee : 
 blessed art thou among women. 
 
 29 And when she saw kirn, she was troubled at fi is 
 saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation 
 this should be. 
 
 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary ; for 
 thou hast found favour wi}h God. 
 
 Gen. 30 : 23; 1 Sam. 1:6; Isa. M : 1, 4 a Matt. 1 ; 18 b Dan. 9 : 23.... c Judges 6 : 12. 
 
 probably the priest ordinarily remained only 
 long enough to burn the incense. The people 
 without were praying at the time, and this delay 
 made a delay in the public religious service. — 
 They perceived that he had seen a vision. 
 By some excitement in his manner or appearance 
 in his face. Perhaps his countenance shone like 
 that of Moses on descending from the mount, 
 and that of Christ after the transfiguration (Exod. 
 
 34: 29, 30; Mark 9 . 15). 
 
 23-25. The days of his ministration. 
 
 The week of his appointed temple service. This 
 indicates that he was not, as Ewald, Alford, and 
 others suppose from ver. 62, deaf as well as 
 dumb ; if so, he could hardly have continued his 
 ministrations. — Hid herself five mouths. 
 Lived in retirement, a natural course of conduct. 
 This was probably continued until the birth of 
 John the Baptist ; the five months are specified 
 to designate the time of the annunciation to 
 Mary (ver. 36).— To take away my reproach 
 anion:; men. To be qhildless was among the 
 Jews, and still is in the Orient, a special mark of 
 divine disfavor, and a disgrace as well as a mis- 
 fortune. The course of Sarah (Gen. 16 : 1-3) and of 
 Rachel (Gen. 30 : i, etc.) strikingly illustrates this 
 fact. 
 
 Oh. 1 : 26-80. THE ANNUNCIATION. THK BIRTH OF 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST. The character and the true 
 blessedness of the VntGiN Mart (vers. 28-30 ; 42-45 ; 
 48,49).— The character and mission of Christ : Sa- 
 viour ; Son of God ; King (vers. 31-33).— His super- 
 natural birth (ver. 35). — The past providence 
 of God the future hope of the godly (vers. 50-55). 
 — Man's obedience fulfills God's promise (vers. 
 59-64).— A psalm of redemption— The Gospel pro- 
 phetically preached (vers. 67-79). 
 
 Comparing the account with that in Matthew, 
 the course of events appears to have been as fol- 
 lows : First, the annunciation of the birth of 
 John the Baptist was made to Zacharias in the 
 temple ; then, five months later, the annuncia- 
 tion of the birth of Jesus to Mary here described ; 
 several months subsequent, and after conception 
 has taken place, the fact becomes known to 
 Joseph, who supposes his betrothed to have been 
 unfaithful, and is determined to put her away, 
 but is prevented by the revelation made to him 
 
 in a dream (Matt, i : 19-21) ; subsequent to which 
 revelation she makes the journey to Elizabeth re- 
 corded in this chapter. For fuller chronological 
 statement, see note on Birth of Jesus, Matt. ch. 2, 
 Vol. I., p. 04. 
 
 20, 27. In the sixth month. After the five 
 months referred to in ver. 24, and therefore a little 
 more than three months before the birth of John 
 the Baptist. — The angel Gabriel. See on ver. 
 19. — Named Nazareth. This village, about five 
 miles west of Tabor, reposes in a beautiful val- 
 ley, secluded by surrounding hills. Sheltered by 
 them from the bleaker winds of the north, it lux- 
 uriates in the fragrant blossoms and ripened 
 fruits, pomegranate, orange, fig, and olive. The 
 modern town stands on the site of the ancient 
 one, which has, however, been entirely destroyed. 
 The present population is about 3,000 — Greeks, 
 Latins, Maronites, and Moslems. The neighbor- 
 ing hill commands a magnificent view of the sur- 
 rounding country. From it the traveler may see, 
 on the north, the snowy peaks of Hermon ; on the 
 east, over the intervening hills, a glimpse of the 
 Sea of Galilee ; closer at hand, the Mount of Beati- 
 tudes ; and not far distant, Cana, where the water 
 was made wine ; Nain, where the widow's son was 
 raised ; Endor, where the witch appeared to Saul, 
 Jezreel, the famous residence of Ahab ; and 
 Mount Carmel, the retreat of the prophet Elijah. 
 "This valley (of Nazareth) was in Israel, just 
 what Israel was in the midst of the earth — a 
 place at once secluded and open ; a solitary re- 
 treat, and a high post of observation, inviting 
 meditation, and at the same time affording op- 
 portunity for far-reaching views in all direc- 
 tions." — (Godet.) — Espoused ton man named 
 Joseph. Espousal was a more formal act in 
 that age and country than with us. See Matt. 
 1 : 18.— Of the house of David. This fact is 
 only asserted of Joseph ; but that Mary was also 
 of the lineage of David is implied by vers. 32 and 
 69, and by Rom. 1 : 3. Comp. Psalm 132 : 11 ; 
 and see note on Matt. 1:1. 
 
 28, 29. And the angel came in unto her. 
 Perhaps while she was praying. That she was a 
 woman of piety is evident from the narrative 
 here.— Hail, highly favored; the Lord is 
 with thee. Or, The Lord be with thee. The
 
 12 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. L 
 
 31 And, behold, thou d shalt conceive in thy womb, 
 ami bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 
 
 32 He shall be great,* and shall be called the Son f of 
 the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him 
 the throne * of hi i father David : 
 
 33 And he shail reign over the house of Jacob for 
 ever -and of h his kingdom there shall be no end. 
 
 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this 
 be, seeing I know not a man ? 
 
 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The 
 
 d Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1 : 21 e Matt. 12:42 f Heb. 1:2-8 g 2 Sam. 7 :11,1s; Isa. 9 : 6,7 h Dan. 7 : 14,27: Micah 4 : 7. 
 
 NAZARETH. 
 
 passage may be rendered either as a declaration 
 or as a salutation. — Blessed art thou among 
 
 women. Not, Hum shalt be blessed, i. e., hon- 
 ored, by women ; but, Thou art selected from 
 among women to be especially blessed by God. 
 Throughout this colloquy there is no hint that 
 Mary is other than an ordinary woman ; no sug- 
 gestion that she was born without sin or pos- 
 sessed a supernatural character ; no basis for the 
 reverence paid to her by the Romish church or 
 for the dogma of Immaculate Conception. — 
 Troubled. Rather, agitated, which is the true 
 meaning of the original ; here not merely put in 
 trepidation or fear, but subjected to conflicting 
 emotions — awe, fear, hope, perplexity. 
 
 30-33. The message of the angel consists of 
 four parts : first, a reassurance, Fear not, etc. 
 This appearance is a sign of the divine gracious- 
 ness and favor, not of divine judgment. Second, 
 a promise, Thou shalt bring forth a son. This 
 promise is the same as that made to Elizabeth 
 through Zacharias, and yet, both in the circum- 
 stances of the women and the character of the 
 son, foretold how different ! Third, a command, 
 Thou shalt call his name Jesus, i. e., Saviour. This 
 command was afterwards repeated to Joseph, 
 
 and the reason for it given, "For he shall save 
 his people from their sins " (Matt. 1 : 21). Fourth, a 
 prophecy, concerning the character of the prom- 
 ised son. This last indicates (1) his character, 
 He shall be great, i. e., as John the Baptist, "in the 
 sight of the Lord " (ver. 15) ; (2) his name, He shall 
 be called Son of the Highest, i. e., of God, who is in 
 the N. T. often designated as Most High (Numb. 
 
 24 : 16; 2 Sam. 22 : 14 ; Psalm 7 : 17 ; 57 : 2, etc.) ; (3) the Ob- 
 ject of his birth, that he may become King, having 
 a kingdom without end. Before his birth he is 
 heralded as not only Jesus, *. e., Saviour, but as 
 King of Israel ; just before his death he declares 
 to Pilate that it was as King he came into the 
 world ; and the last glimpse which the N. T. af- 
 fords of him, in the prophetic vision of John, is 
 as King of kings. His own language to Pilate in 
 John 18 : 37, interprets the language of the angel 
 here, and indicates the nature, both of his king- 
 dom and of the allegiance that is due to him — the 
 allegiance of the heart and life to absolute truth. 
 It is possible that to Mary this prophecy meant 
 only that her son, the long-promised Messiah, 
 should be temporal King of the Jews, but the 
 language itself, "Of his kingdom there shall be 
 no end," implies much more. The case is one in
 
 Ch. I.J 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 13 
 
 Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
 Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore :iK. > that 
 holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called' 
 the'Son of God. 
 
 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also 
 conceived a son in her old age : and this is the sixth 
 month with her who was called barren. 
 
 37 For ' with God nothing shall be impossible. 
 
 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid k of the 
 Lord ; be it unto me according 1 to thy word. And the 
 angel departed from her. 
 
 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the 
 hill country with haste, into a m city of Juda ; 
 
 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and sa- 
 luted Elisabeth. 
 
 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard 
 the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb ; 
 and Klisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 
 
 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, 
 Blessed " art thou among women, and blessed it the 
 fruit of thy womb. 
 
 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my 
 Lord ° should come to me ? 
 
 44 For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation 
 sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb 
 for joy. 
 
 i Mark 1:1; John 1 :34....j Matt. 19:26; Rom. 4 : 81.... k Ps. 116: 
 
 Josh. 81 : 9-11 n verse 88; Judges 5 : 21 
 
 which the historical fulfillment adds to the sig- 
 nificance of the prophecy ; this is not remark- 
 able, since God is always better than even his 
 word ; his performance outruns his promises. 
 
 34-37. How shall it be ? Not how tan, but 
 how shall it be. She does not doubt as Zacharias 
 (ver. is), but accepting the prophecy of the angel 
 as to the fact, inquires of him as to the man- 
 ner of its fulfillment.— The Holy Ghost shall 
 come upon thee, and the power of the 
 Highest shall overshadow thee. We are 
 not to seek an interpretation of this metaphor 
 either in the brooding of the bird, protecting her 
 eggs, nor in the descent of the Shcckinah upon 
 the mountain top, or in the tabernacle, but 
 simply to accept it as a delicate way of express- 
 ing the fact that the conception should be super- 
 natural and miraculous, the life being created by 
 the direct interposition of the Spirit of God. As 
 the new life in the individual is born of the Holy 
 Spirit (John 3 : 5), so is He that is the Life of the 
 world. — Therefore, also, that holy one 
 which shall be born of thee shall be called 
 Son of God. Not, Shall be, but Shall be 
 called. The supernatural birth does not consti- 
 tute Jesus the Son of God ; it only constitutes 
 the reason why he is recognized as such upon the 
 earth. He existed before this supernatural birth 
 (John 8 : 58 ; n : 5), and the general teaching of Scrip- 
 ture implies that the relationship between the 
 Father and the Son implied by the phrase " Son 
 of God," is not merely temporal and accidental, 
 but eternal and inherent. Thus God is here and 
 in other passages (pmi. 2:9; Hei>. 1 : 9) represented 
 as bestowing on the Son authority, and he is 
 represented as returning it to the Father when 
 his mediatorial work is ended (1 Cor. 15 : 24-28). 
 But in order that he dwell upon the earth, a phy- 
 sical body must be provided for his indwelling ; 
 and this was thus supernaturally begotten, be- 
 cause it was fitting that the Son of God should 
 tabernacle in a body itself born of God ; and thus 
 the supernatural birth became to men the evi- 
 dence that he was God's only beloved Son ; it did 
 not make him so, but it afforded their justifica- 
 tion for giving him this title. — Thy cousin 
 Elizabeth. The original only indicates a blood 
 
 relative, not the nature of the relationship. — 
 Hath conceived. Though Mary has not 
 asked for a sign, one is given her. The phrase 
 who was called barren indicates that among her 
 friends and relatives all hope of child-bearing for 
 her was past. Mary accordingly accepts it as a 
 sign from God in attestation of his word and in 
 support of her faith. — For with God nothing 
 shall be impossible. "The laws of nature 
 are not chains which the Divine Legislator has 
 laid upon himself ; they are threads which he 
 holds in his hand, and which he shortens and 
 lengthens at will." — (Oosterzee.) In respect to 
 the way in which his word to Mary was fulfilled, 
 and the time of the fulfillment, Scripture is 
 silent, and reverence for Scripture should be. 
 We know too little of the origin of life, which is 
 always a new manifestation of divine power and 
 grace, to undertake an explanation of the method 
 in which this life was imparted by the over- 
 shadowing of the Holy Spirit to the mother of 
 Jesus. 
 
 38. Not even the Bible affords a more striking 
 illustration of the simplicity of faith than Mary. 
 She attests her consecration to her Lord by sur- 
 rendering herself to his will and accepting the 
 sacred trust of maternity. She does this with 
 the knowledge that it must subject her to the 
 suspicion of her husband, and to possible es- 
 trangement from him, to scandal among her 
 neighbors, to the impairing of that fair fame 
 which is dearer to the maiden than life itself. 
 In fact, her husband did suspect her, and would 
 have divorced her but for a divine revelation 
 (Matt. 1 -. 19-21); the later rabbinical books accuse 
 Mary of a violation of her marriage vows ; and it 
 would appear from the innuendoes of Christ's 
 accusers that this charge was secretly whispered 
 in his own lifetime (John 7 : st ; 8 : 41). 
 
 39-41. This fact indicates that Mary was a 
 woman of no little force of character, for to take 
 such a journey alone was an exploit not unat- 
 tended with danger. — In those days. About 
 that time ; not necessarily immediately. — Into 
 the hill country. Of Judah ; the central part, 
 an elevated plateau from 1,5C0 to 2,500 feet above 
 the level of the sea, and here employed in dis-
 
 14 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 45 And blessed is she that believed : for there shall 
 be a performance of those things which were told her 
 from the Lord. 
 
 46 And Mary said, My p soul doth magnify the Lord, 
 
 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced 1 in God my Saviour. 
 
 48 For he hath regarded the low 1 estate of his hand- 
 maiden : for, behold, from henceforth all generations 
 shall call me 8 blessed. 
 
 49 For he that is mighty' hath done to me great 
 things ; u and holy v is his name. 
 
 50 And " his mercy is on them that fear him, from 
 generation to generation. 
 
 51 He" hath shewed strength with his arm; he 
 hath scattered the y proud in the imagination of their 
 hearts. 
 
 52 He 1 hath put down the mighty from their seats, 
 and exalted them of low degree. 
 
 53 He" hath filled the hungry with good things, and 
 the rich he hath sent empty away. 
 
 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in b remem- 
 brance of his mercy ; 
 
 55 As he spake c to our fathers, to Abraham, and to 
 his seed for ever. 
 
 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, 
 and returned to her own house. 
 
 57 Now Elisabeth's full time came, that she should 
 be delivered ; and she brought forth a son. 
 
 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how 
 the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her ; and they d 
 rejoiced with her. 
 
 p 1 Sam. 2: 1: Ps. 84 :' 4, 8. ...q Ps. 35 : 9 ; Hab. 3 : 18. .. .r Ps. 136: 23.... s ch. 11 : 27 ; Mai. 3 : 12.... t Gen. 17:1. 
 3- Ephes 3 ■ 20 v Ps. Ill : 9....W Gen. 17 : 7; Exod. 20 : 6 ; Ps. 103 : 17... .x Ps. 98 : 1 ; Isa. 61 : 9 ; 52 : 10 ; I 
 Dan. 4: 37 ..z ch. 18 : 14 ; Job 5 : 11. . . .a 1 Sam. 2: 5....b Ps.98: 3....C Gen. 17 : 19 ; Ps. 132 :ll....d verse 14. 
 
 .u Ps.71 : 21; 126 : 2, 
 1:5... y 1 Sam. 2:9; 
 
 tinction from the plains of Judah bordering the 
 sea and the desert. What city is unknown, 
 probably was unknown to Luke. The language 
 is indicative of his accuracy and truthfulness. 
 A writer of myths would have fixed on the site 
 of this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth. 
 There is no ground for reading The city of Juttah 
 instead of .-1 city of Judah. This is purely con- 
 jectural, and without support. — The babe 
 leaped in her womb. Possibly, though not 
 necessarily, the first manifestation of life. 
 
 42-45. In this ode the language of Elizabeth 
 is that of an inspired prophet ; this is evident 
 both from the language of the preceding verse 
 and from the fact that she had no ordinary 
 means of knowing the promise made to Mary. — 
 Blessed art thou among women. Among, 
 not by; see on ver. 28. — The babe leaped in 
 my womb for joy. A poetical expression, 
 not to be taken literally, as implying actual con- 
 sciousness or emotion in the unborn child. — 
 Blessed is she that believed. A character- 
 ization of Mary as one whose remarkable trait 
 was her faith. — For there shall be a per- 
 formance. This is a special prophecy respecting 
 Mary ; it is also the enunciation of the great law, 
 She that believes is always blessed, for the min- 
 istry of grace is upon the principle, " According 
 to your faith be it unto you " (Matt. 9 : 29). 
 
 46-55. This hymn of praise has the fragrance 
 of the O. T. poetry ; parts of it are probably un- 
 consciously borrowed from Psalms, with which 
 Mary was from her childhood familiar. Comp. 
 the passages cited in the marg. refs., and espe- 
 cially the analogous song of Hannah in 1 Sam. 
 21 : 1-10. But that belongs to the O. T. and this 
 to the N. T. ; in this, therefore, there is none of 
 that personal exultation over enemies which 
 characterizes the song of Hannah and most of 
 the triumphant odes of David. It is a hymn 
 only of grace and glory. It consists of three 
 clauses : in the first, Mary gives thanks for the 
 divine goodness to herself (vers. 46^19) ; in the sec- 
 ond, she magnifies the general power and grace 
 of God in the whole course of divine providence 
 
 (vers. 50-53") ; in the third, she emphasizes the re- 
 demption now afforded to Israel through her. — 
 God my Saviour. Her personal Saviour, be- 
 cause of her faith in the Jesus promised her. To 
 her he is already the One who saves from sin 
 those that trust in him (Matt. 1 : 21). — Shall call 
 me blessed. This does not justify paying any 
 peculiar reverence to the Virgin Mary ; for what 
 she declares is simply that all generations shall 
 recognize, not her holiness or influence in inter- 
 cession, but her happiness in being selected to 
 be the mother of the Messiah. — He that is 
 mighty. He whose might has no higher mani- 
 festation in nature than the creation of man, 
 affords the highest manifestation of that divine 
 might in the creation of the life of the perfect 
 man, Christ Jesus. — And his mercy is on 
 them that fear him. Verses 50-53 describe 
 God's character as illustrated by his dealings 
 with the nations, especially Israel. Analogous 
 are such Psalms as 105, 106, 107. "She ascribes 
 to the providence or judgments of God what 
 ungodly men call the game of fortune." — (Cal- 
 vin.) — He hath showed strength with his 
 arm. In all the history of Israel.— He hath 
 scattered the proud. As the Midianites be- 
 fore Gideon, the army of Sennacherib, etc. — He 
 hath put down the mighty. As Pharaoh, 
 Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar. — And exalted 
 them of low degree. As Joseph, Moses, Da- 
 vid. — He hath filled the hungry, * * * 
 the rich he hath sent empty aAvay. Lit- 
 erally true in such contrasts as that of Ahab and 
 the woman of Zarephath (1 Kings 17 : 1-14) ; spirit- 
 ually fulfilled by Christ in such instances as those 
 of the leper and the rich young ruler (Matt. 8 : 1-4 ; 
 19 : 16-22).— He hath holpen his servant Israel 
 in remembrance of his mercy. Literally, 
 He hath taken hold of Israel his child to remember 
 mercy; i. e., his visitation to Israel is one for the 
 purpose of mercy, not of judgment. The words 
 as he spake to our fathers should be in parenthe- 
 ses. This merciful visitation is in fulfillment of 
 ancient prophecy ; but the mercy itself is shown 
 to Abraham and to his seed forever. The birth
 
 Ch. I.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 15 
 
 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they 
 came to circumcise the child ; and they called him 
 Zacharias, after the name of his father. 
 
 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so: but 
 he shall be called John. 
 
 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kin- 
 dred that is called by this name. 
 
 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would 
 have him called. 
 
 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, say- 
 ing, His name is e John. And they marvelled all. 
 
 64 And his mouth' was opened immediately, and his 
 tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised (»<«f. 
 
 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about 
 them : and all these sayings were noised abroad 
 throughout all the hill country of Judaea: 
 
 66 And all they that heard them laid them up' in 
 their hearts, saying. What manner of child shall thi* 
 be ! And the hand b of the Lord was with him. 
 
 e verse 13 .... f verse 20 . . . . g ch. 2 : 19, 51 h Ps. 80 : 17. 
 
 of the Messiah was in fulfillment of a promise to 
 the patriarch (Gen. 12: 1-3 ; 17 : 1-8), as interpreted by 
 
 Paul (Gal. 8 : 16). 
 
 56-58. Now Elizabeth's full time came. 
 
 This would be about three months after Mary's 
 visit to her; and this would perhaps imply that 
 Mary remained till John was born, but the 
 phraseology which places the account of the 
 birth after Mary's departure, implies the re- 
 verse. — And they rejoiced with her. "Ori- 
 entals rejoice exceedingly over the birth of sons, 
 for he is not only to perpetuate the memory of 
 his father, but is expected to be the support and 
 dependence of his mother, and of the rest of the 
 family, in a country where unprotected woman 
 is most cruelly oppressed, and the widows and 
 the fatherless even of the wealthiest are often 
 reduced to penury and want." — {Van Lennep's 
 Bible Lands. ) For illustration, see Gen. 16 : 4-11 ; 
 21 : 8 ; 29 : 32. 
 
 59-64. They came to circumcise the 
 child. As enjoined upon all the descendants 
 of Abraham (Gen. n : 12). The name was given 
 then, as it is with us at christening ; the reason 
 alleged is that at the institution of circumcision 
 the names of Abram and Sara were changed to 
 Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 17 : 5, 15). Circumcision 
 is still practiced among the Jews on their chil- 
 dren at the age of eight days ; among the Arabs 
 at 13 years, probably from the fact that Ishmael, 
 their ancestor, was of that age when circumcised 
 (Gen. 17 : 25) ; among other Mohammedans when 
 they are able to repeat intelligently the Moslem 
 profession of faith, "There is no God but God, 
 and Mohammed is his prophet." Baptism ap- 
 pears to have been practiced among the Jews 
 only on converts from heathenism and their 
 families. — His mother answered, No; but 
 he shall be called John. Meyer thinks that 
 this fact had been supernatu rally communicated 
 to her ; Alford thinks not, and supposes that she 
 had learned it from her husband. But unless 
 her suggestion was the result of a supernatural 
 impulse, why should it be reported at all? — 
 They made signs to his father. An indica- 
 tion that he was deaf as well as dumb. If not, 
 he would have heard and understood the confer- 
 ence between his wife and his friends. — He 
 asked for a writing table. Writing tablets 
 
 among the ancients consisted of a thin piece of 
 wood, covered on one side with wax, on which 
 the writing was done by means of a stylus, an 
 iron instrument resembling a pencil in size and 
 shape, sharpened at one end to form the charac- 
 
 wkittng tablet. 
 
 ters, and made flat and circular at the other, to 
 obliterate what had been written when desired. 
 The ordinary tablet consisted of two or more 
 leaves like the modern school-slate, one side 
 only of each leaf being covered with wax, and 
 the wooden edge of each leaf being raised to 
 prevent the wax sides from rubbing against each 
 other. These tablets were used for accounts, 
 wills and legal documents, for letters, and by 
 pupils in school. Such tablets continued to be 
 used down to the middle ages. Another form is 
 still used in the East, made of wood ; the stu- 
 dents write on them with chalk or charcoal. — 
 And they marvelled all. Another indication 
 that Zacharias was deaf as well as dumb. 
 " There would be nothing wonderful in his ac- 
 ceding to his wife's suggestion, if he had known 
 it ; the coincidence, apparently without this 
 knowledge, was the matter of wonder." — .1 - 
 ford.) — And his mouth was opened imme- 
 diately. The angelic prophecy (ver. is) being 
 now fulfilled, and partly by the obedience of 
 Zacharias himself in naming the babe John. 
 
 65, 66. The supernatural character of John's 
 birth and the circumstances attending it, pre- 
 pare the way for his ministry. The people, in 
 consequence, were ready to believe him a pro- 
 phet, and to give heed to him when he began
 
 16 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. I. 
 
 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy 
 Gho.^t, and prophesied, saying. 
 
 68 Blessed l be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath 
 visited and redeemed his people, 
 
 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation ' for us, 
 in the house of his servant David ; 
 
 70 As lie spake k by the mouth of his holy prophets, 
 which have been since the world began : 
 
 71 That we should be saved 1 from our enemies, and 
 from the hand ot all that hate us ; 
 
 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, 
 and to m remember his holy covenant ; 
 
 73 The oath" which he swore to our father Abra- 
 ham, 
 
 74 That he would grant unto us, that we, being de- 
 livered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve 
 him" without fear, 
 
 75 lnP holiness and righteousness before him, alii 
 the days of our life. 
 
 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the 
 Highest : for thou shalt go r before the face ot the Lord, 
 to prepare his ways ; 
 
 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto the people 
 by the remission" of their sins, 
 
 i Ps 72 • 18 i P* 111:9 k Jer. 23 : 5, 6 ; Dan. 9 : 24. ...I Isa. 54: 7-17 ; .ler. 30 : 10, 11.... m Lnv. 26 : 42 ; Ps. 105 : 8-10;Ezek. 16: 60. 
 
 nOen. 22 : 16, 17.... o Rom. 6 : 22... .p Titus 2 : 11, 12; 1 Pet. 1 : 14, 15.... q Rev. 2 : 10. ..rMal. 3: l....s Acts 5 : 31. 
 
 preaching. Three elements are mentioned as 
 constituting his peculiar fame : (1.) Fear, i. e., 
 awe ; a recognition of the supernatural presages 
 which accompanied his birth. This is the mean- 
 ing often belonging to the word (tpopog), here 
 rendered /ear. (2. ) A wide-extended fame. The 
 story of his birth went throughout the hill 
 country of Judea. God employed especial means 
 to prepare for the Messiah the district most 
 prejudiced by its education and the influence of 
 its hierarchy against Him. (3.) An expectancy. 
 The people remembered these events and waited, 
 wondering what a child so born would become in 
 his manhood. — The hand of the Lord was 
 with him. The hand is a symbol of power in 
 the Bible ; here the meaning is that the fulfill- 
 ment of the promise of ver. 15 was seen even in 
 his childhood, and kept alive the wonder and ex- 
 pectation of the people. 
 
 67-71. Zacharias was filled with the 
 Holy Ghost and prophesied. These words 
 characterize the psalm of thanksgiving that fol- 
 lows. It is neither, on the one hand, the natural 
 exultation of a father and a patriot, who rejoices 
 because his son is to take an eminent part in 
 what he believes to be simply a political reform 
 and become the deliverer of an apostate and op- 
 pressed people, nor, on the other, an exposition 
 of the Gospel, the full significance of which not 
 even the immediate apostles of Christ compre- 
 hended till after their Lord's death. It is pro- 
 phecy, in which the speaker, inspired by the 
 Holy Ghost, uttered what he did not and could 
 not fully comprehend, and in which the hopes of 
 the temporal kingdom, which Zacharias shared 
 with all the best people of his age, mingled with 
 but became prophetic of that spiritual deliver- 
 ance which his words foreshadow, and of which 
 he must have had some conception. Like all 
 prophecy it is clearer to us in the light of its his- 
 toric fulfillment than it could have been to him 
 who uttered it. — Blessed be the I>ord God 
 of Israel. The Father who sends the Son, the 
 Horn of salvation, the Day-spring from on high, 
 and in him visits and redeems his people. — He 
 hath visited. The original (iximdntonai) in- 
 dicates a visit for succor, as in Matt. 25 : 36 ; 
 Acts 7 : 23, note ; James 1 : 27. — And redeem- 
 
 ed. Ransomed as from bondage; see John 
 8 : 32, 34-36. — And hath raised up a horn of 
 salvation for us. For the interpretation of 
 this favorite metaphor of power with the Hebrew 
 poets, see Deut. 33 : 17 ; Psalm 75 : 10 ; 132 : 17 ; 
 Jer. 48 : 25. The symbol is borrowed from the 
 animal kingdom, the horn of the bull, the uni- 
 corn, the ram, being a prominent weapon both of 
 offence and defence, (see Dan. ch. 8 : 3-12, 20-24). 
 Hence to " defile the horn in the dust " (job. ie : is) 
 presents a figure or a dying ox or stag, prostrate, 
 with his useless horns covered with dirt. Hence, 
 too, the horns of the altar were a refuge to those 
 fleeing from enemies, being a symbol of divine 
 power (1 Kings 1 : 60 ; 2 : 28). Jesus Christ is not 
 only the love and grace but also the power of 
 God (Rev. 5 : 12), but a power unto salvation (Rom. 
 1:16); the horn is a horn of salvation. — Which 
 have been since the world began. The ob- 
 ject of all prophecy is the same ; it points for- 
 ward through partial and incomplete fulfillments 
 to the life, the sufferings, the victory, and the 
 final coronation of Jesus as Lord of all. — Salva- 
 tion from all our enemies. This qualifies 
 and defines the salvation referred to in ver. 69, 
 the intermediate clause being parenthetical. 
 Thus the passage reads, "Hath raised up a horn 
 of salvation * * * (as he spake by the mouth 
 of his holy prophets * * *) salvation from our 
 enemies," etc. To Zacharias the salvation an- 
 ticipated undoubtedly included a deliverance 
 from Eoman misrule ; but that, even iu his 
 thought, it included much more is evident from 
 the language of vers. 74, 75, where it is combined 
 with anticipations of a holy and righteous service 
 of God. 
 
 72-75. The oath which he swore to our 
 father Abraham. Gen. 24 : 16-18, as interpret- 
 ed by Gal. 3 : 13-17.— Might serve him with- 
 out fear. See 1 John 4 : 18. Liberty to serve 
 God according to the individual conscience, i. e., 
 religious liberty in the largest sense, is one of 
 Christ's gifts to the world ; it does not date from 
 the Puritan settlement of this country. — In 
 holiness and righteousness. The one repre- 
 sents inward purity, the other outward activity ; 
 the one the inward but negative quality, the 
 other the outward but affirmative quality ; the
 
 Cn. II.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 17 
 
 78 Through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby 
 the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 
 
 79 To 1 give light to them that sit in darkness and in 
 the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way 
 of peace. 
 
 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, 
 and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto 
 Israel. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 AND it came to pass in those days, that there went 
 out a d-cree from Caesar Augustus, that all the 
 world should be taxed. 
 
 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius 
 was governor of Syria.) 
 
 t Isa. 9 : 2 ; 49 : 9. 
 
 one absence from stain, the other positive ser- 
 vice. 
 
 76-80. Called the Prophet of the High- 
 est. In contrast with ver. 32, where Jesus is 
 called Son of the Highest. The one is the prince, 
 the other only the herald. Called, indicates that 
 he should not only be a prophet but should be 
 recognized as one. See Matt. 14 : 5 ; 21 : 26. — 
 To prepare his ways. As indicated in the 
 next clause, viz., by giving a knowledge of sal- 
 vation, not only a prophecy of its advent but 
 also a description of its true nature. See ch. 
 3 : 1-18. Christ gives salvation, John only a 
 knowledge of salvation. Comp. Matt. 1 : 21. — By 
 the remission of their sins. The remainder 
 of the sentence embodies the Gospel in brief. It 
 promises (1) salvation, (2) not merely political 
 but spiritual, a remission of and redemption 
 from sin, (3) indicates the cause, the divine 
 mere}' (comp. John 3 : 16 ; Ephes. 2 1 4-8) ; (4) and prom- 
 ises the result, light to eyes in darkness, and 
 peace to feet straying in paths of sorrow and 
 perplexity. Wfiereby the day-spring hath visited 
 should rather be rendered, in which the dawn hath 
 visited. Tender mercy is the atmosphere in which 
 the Gospel of Christ has its birth and life, as 
 spring has its origin in the light and warmth of a 
 summer sun ; and it is a dawn to those in dark- 
 ness (lsaiah9 : 2 ; Matt. 4 : 15, 16, notes). Them that Sit in 
 
 darkness includes the whole human race. Comp. 
 Ephes. 2:3; and observe there what is implied 
 by the promise here " to guide our feet into the 
 way of peace." — The child grew and waxed 
 strong in spirit. Comp. ch. 2 : 52, note. The 
 one phrase refers to his physical, the other to his 
 intellectual and spiritual growth. — In the des- 
 erts. The desert of Judea, a sparsely inhabited 
 country bordering on the Dead Sea. The word 
 indicates an uncultivated, not necessarily sterile, 
 region. There is no ground for the surmise that 
 John joined the Essines or received his education 
 among or from them. Rather the reverse is im- 
 plied, namely, that from early youth his educa- 
 tion was that of studying and meditating in soli- 
 tude, and his only teacher God, interpreted to 
 him through nature, the Bible, and the direct in- 
 fluence of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Ch. 2 : 1-20. THT BIRTH OF JESUS. God uses all 
 
 INSTRUMENTS TO FULFILL HIS WILL. — C^SAR UNCON- 
 SCIOUSLY PREPARES FOR CHRIST.— TlIE EARTHLY HU- 
 
 MILIATION AND THE HEAVENLY GLORY OF THE INCAR- 
 NATION. — The first preaching of the Gospel. — Its 
 
 RECEPTION IN HEAVEN ; UPON EARTH. 
 
 1,2. Caesar Augnstus. Emperor of Rome, 
 and immediate successor of Julius Caesar. Ju- 
 dea, though not at this time a province of Rome, 
 was tributary to her. — That all the world 
 should be taxed. Rather, that a census of the 
 population should be taken, probably as a pre- 
 paration for taxation. By all the world is meant 
 not merely all the land of Judea, a meaning 
 which the Greek word (olxovntvtj) will not bear, 
 but the whole Roman Empire. A general survey 
 of the Roman Empire, commenced under Julius 
 Caesar, had been completed b. c. 12 ; it was fol- 
 lowed by Augustus with a more particular survey. 
 
 COIN OF CAESAR AUGUSTUS. 
 
 After his death there was found written by his 
 own hand a statistical account of the Empire, in- 
 cluding the tributary kingdoms, and embracing 
 the number of the citizens, of the allies under 
 arms, of the fleets, and of the tributes and taxes. 
 The enrollment here described was one prepara- 
 tory to some such census and survey of the Em- 
 pire. — And this taxing was first made 
 when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 
 Cyrenius or Quirinius was governor of Syria for 
 a period of five years, six to eleven years after 
 the birth of Christ. At that time he took a cen- 
 sus of the Holy Land for the purpose of taxa- 
 tion, referred to in Acts 5 : 37, and described in 
 Josephus's Antiq. 18 : 1. He was sent with Co- 
 ponius partly for that purpose. This fact pre- 
 sents a chronological difficulty, which has iriven 
 rise to prolonged discussions. Skeptical writers 
 argue from it the untrustworthiness of Luke's
 
 18 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own 
 city. 
 
 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the 
 city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, 
 which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the 
 house and lineage of David,) 
 
 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being 
 great with child. 
 
 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days 
 were accomplished that she should be delivered. 
 
 7 And she" brought forth her firstborn son, and 
 wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a 
 manger ; because there was no room for them in the inn. 
 
 narrative, on the ground that he puts the enroll- 
 ment six years before it really took place. And 
 the question of date is not unimportant, for, ac- 
 cording to Luke, this enrollment explains how 
 Christ, though of Galilean parentage, was horn 
 in Bethlehem, while Matthew fixes the date of 
 the birth during the reign of King Herod, who 
 died before the enrollment spoken of by Jo- 
 sephus. The principal explanations of this are 
 as follows: (1.) For this taxing was first made, 
 read This taxing ivas made before that Cyrenius was 
 governor. The Greek is capable of this transla- 
 tion, and the same phraseology (nnuJroe with 
 gen.) is used by John with this signification. 
 The Greek student will do well to compare 
 John 1 : 15, 30 ; 15 : 18 ; Luke 2 : 21. (2.) Some 
 scholars read, T7iis taxing was first completed when, 
 etc., but this translation (of the verb yhouui) 
 would hardly have been suggested but for the 
 purpose of escaping the chronological difficulty. 
 (3.) Others read, TJiis taxing itself was first made 
 when, etc.; this supposes that the account dis- 
 tinguishes between the enrollment at this time 
 and the taxing afterwards under Cyrenius. (4.) 
 Wordsworth suggests, This enrollment became the 
 first when, etc., i. e., after the more famous en- 
 rollment six years later ; this was designed to dis- 
 tinguish it as the first enrollment, an improbable 
 rendering. (5.) Dr. Woolsey (Smith's Bib. Diet., 
 art. Cyrenius) argues that the word rendered 
 governor, is one of a more general import, and that 
 Quirinius may have occupied some special office 
 as commissioner, sent on for the very purpose of 
 inaugurating this enrollment, and afterwards 
 made governor, and completing it. This is not 
 improbable. (G.) Zumpt has shown that there is 
 some reason to believe that Cyrenius was twice 
 governor. This view is maintained at length by 
 Alford and approved by Schaff, but doubted by 
 Godet. It is unnecessary definitely to decide be- 
 tween these various explanations ; it is certain 
 that Quirinius was active in an official capacity 
 in the East at this time ; there is nothing in his- 
 tory inconsistent with the probable supposition 
 that the enrollment began at this time, the first 
 enrollment ever made of the Jewish population 
 under the Roman government ; that it was sus- 
 pended owing to the death of Herod and the con- 
 sequent political changes ; that it was again in- 
 augurated and followed by taxation ; and that 
 this completion of it gave rise to the insurrection 
 
 under Judas. Whether the preliminary enroll- 
 ment here was under Cyrenius as governor or as 
 commissioner, or not under him at all, is a matter 
 of secondary importance. 
 
 3-5. And all went to be enrolled. The 
 Roman method of enrolling would have taken 
 the names, etc., at the place of residence. But 
 Judea was still an independent, though tributary 
 kingdom ; the enrollment was therefore taken 
 according to Jewish usage, which was adapted 
 to the ancient division of tribes and families. 
 The Jewish law aimed to preserve the family, 
 tribal, and local attachments. Mary naturally 
 accompanied him, for, under the Roman law, 
 women were subject to a capitation tax. The 
 fact that she accompanied him to Bethlehem 
 indicates that she too was of the house of David. 
 
 C, 7. Wrapped him in swaddling clothes. 
 "As soon as a babe is born it is washed in salted 
 
 SWADDLING CLOTHES. 
 
 water, clothed, and swathed in a long bandage 
 or swaddling cloth, three or four inches wide 
 and about ten feet long, which is firmly wound 
 around it from the neck downward, including 
 the arms, which are thus pinioned to its sides, 
 so that it can neither stir hand nor foot. This is 
 done with the idea of keeping the tender bones 
 motionless in a proper position until they ac- 
 quire sufficient strength to be allowed to move 
 about. It is, moreover, easier for the mother 
 to carry the little one on her arm or slung on 
 her back."— (Fan Lennep's Bible Lands.) The 
 modern and ancient Oriental customs are the 
 same. The accompanying illustration is from 
 an original sketch by A. L. Rawson. — And laid 
 him in a manger, because there was no 
 room for them in the inn. The Eastern inn 
 was ordinarily a caravanserai, more nearly re- 
 sembling a Western wagon yard than a modern
 
 Cn. II. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 19 
 
 tavern. The structure, built 
 of wood, sunburnt brick, or 
 stone, is of one or two sto- 
 ries, built around an open 
 square. There is a large gate 
 in the middle of one of the 
 sides, which is closed at 
 night. ■ Opposite the en- 
 trance is the stable, divided 
 into small compartments. 
 Drivers sleep here to take 
 care of their beasts ; in win- 
 ter others prefer the stable, 
 on account of the warmth 
 produced by the presence of 
 the animals. Feeding troughs 
 or mangers, as shown in 
 the accompanying illustration, are built against 
 
 *»0l l „ 
 
 AN EASTERN MANGER 
 
 ■j---K*if--~- 
 AN EASTERN INN. 
 
 the wall. In the inn proper are rooms for the 
 accommodation of guests. The yard is used for 
 loading or unloading the beasts. In this in- 
 stance, the rooms of the inn being all preoccu- 
 pied, Joseph and Mary took a place in the stable 
 with the drivers. — In a manser. I see no ade- 
 quate reason for not accepting this literally. 
 The child was born, and the manger was taken 
 for his crib in lieu of a cradle. That he was ex- 
 posed in the open court-yard as suggested by 
 Sc.i ( usner (Smith's Bib. Diet., art. Manger) is in- 
 herently incredible ; the ordinary interpretation 
 agrees with the customs of the Orient. An 
 ancient tradition fixes on a cave as the stable in 
 which Christ was born, and the spot is one of 
 the "holy places" of Palestine. The Church of 
 the Nativity marks the supposed site. There is 
 nothing incredible in the tradition, for caves 
 were used to house both men and beasts ; but it 
 is more probable that the stable was one of the 
 ordinary sort connected with an Eastern inn. 
 The identical manger in which the infant Jesus 
 was laid is carefully preserved in the basilica of 
 St. Maria Maggiore at Rome, and there displayed 
 under the auspices of the pope every Christmas 
 day ! The accompanying illustration is from a 
 sketch by A. L. Kawson of a manger at an inn 
 on the road from Ramleh to Jerusalem. The 
 women are carrying water and provisions into 
 an upper chamber for the supply of the trav- 
 elers, whose animals are feeding below. 
 
 8, 9. Shepherds abiding in the field, 
 keeping watch over their flocks. The 
 season of the year is unknown, though there are 
 indications (see ch. l : 5, note") that it was either July 
 or January. The sheep of Palestine are housed at 
 night only in the very coldest parts of winter, 
 not always even then. The shepherds watch 
 them at night, sleeping on the ground or on beds 
 made of branches of the trees, and wrapped in 
 the heavy cloak or burnoose. The dangers to 
 be guarded against are robbers, wolves, and sud- 
 den storms. — An angel of the Lord. Not the
 
 20 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 8 And there were in the same country shepherds 
 abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by- 
 night 
 
 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 
 and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, 
 and they were sore alraid. 
 
 io Arid the angel said unto them, Fear not : for, be- 
 hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall 
 be to all people. 
 
 ii For unto you v is born this day, in the city of Da- 
 vid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 
 
 12 And this shall be a sign unto you : Ye shall find 
 the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a 
 manger. 
 
 13 And suddenly there was with the angel" a multi- 
 tude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 
 
 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 1 
 good will toward men. 
 
 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone 
 away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one 
 to another. Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and 
 see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord 
 hath made known unto us. 
 
 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and 
 Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 
 
 17 And when they had seen it, they made known 
 abroad the saying which was told them concerning 
 this child. 
 
 v Isa. 9 : 6 w Ps. 103 : 20, 21 ; 1 Pet. 1:12. 
 
 angel, which signifies a definite person, and gen- 
 erally, as I believe, the Lord Jesus Christ. — 
 Came to them. Not necessarily nor probably 
 in the heavens. More probably in human form, 
 and as an earthly companion. This is the form 
 in which most angel appearances are represented, 
 both in the O. T. and the N. T. (Gen. is:2; 19 : 1, s; 
 
 Josh. 5 : 13 j Judges 6 • 11, etc. ; Mark 16 : 5, 6; Acts 27 : 23). — 
 
 And the slory of the Lord shone round 
 about. The 6hechinah, the most common 
 manifestation of the deity to Israel. See Matt. 
 17 : 5, note. — Sore afraid. Literally, Feared a 
 great fear. The universal consciousness of sin 
 and of unpreparedness for the eternal world 
 makes all mankind afraid of any unexpected 
 disclosure of the spiritual world or revelation of 
 the nearness of God. 
 
 10-12. Fear not. The first feeling of man 
 at the approach of God is fear (Gen. 3 : 10) ; the 
 message of the Gospel to him is, Fear not, alike 
 when Christ is first revealed to the soul as a 
 Saviour born, when he comes to him with succor 
 in his sorrow (Matt. 14 : 26, 27), and when he seems 
 to have departed and to have left the disciple 
 alone in the world (Mark 16 : 6) ; alike in the hour 
 of birth, of life-storm, and of death. — I bring 
 to you glad tidings of great joy. The 
 Greek verb (Lvuyytki:oiiai) rendered I bring glad 
 tidings is the one from which our word evan- 
 gelize is derived. This angel was the first evan- 
 gelist.— Which shall be to all the people. 
 Notice the definite article, erroneously omitted 
 in the English version. The people of Israel is 
 meant ; at least the message would be so under- 
 stood by the shepherds. A message to all classes 
 rather than to all nationalities is indicated. Yet 
 the universality of the Gospel is foreshadowed 
 in the language of this and the preceding chap- 
 ter (ver. 32; ch. 1 : 79, etc.). — For UlltO yOU is bom 
 
 this day. Unto you indicates the object of his 
 birth. He came into the world, not to do his 
 own will, but the will of his Father in heaven, 
 which is that not one should perish, but that all 
 should have eternal life (Ezek. 33 : 11 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 9). — 
 In the city of David. Bethlehem.— A Sa- 
 viour, which is Christ the Lord. A Saviour 
 
 because he saves his people from their sins (Matt. 
 1 : 21) ; Christ, i. e., the Anointed One, because 
 anointed by the Father to be the High-priest for 
 the human race (Heb. 1 : 9 ; 10 : 11, 12) ; the Lord be- 
 cause creator and king (cot. 1 : i6-is). This word 
 Lord (xvqiog) is used continually by Luke as a 
 designation of Jehovah (ch. 1 : 6, 9, 11, 15, 16, etc) ; 
 hence Alford, and following him Lange, Schaff, 
 and Wordsworth : "I see no way of understand- 
 ing this Lord (xvqioc), but as corresponding to 
 the Hebrew Jehovah." — And this shall be a 
 sign unto you. Not only should they find the 
 child cradled in a manger, but this would be the 
 sign of the Messiahship. The depth of Christ's 
 voluntary humiliation is the authentication of 
 his divine character and mission. Comp. 1 Cor. 
 1 : 23-25. The sign that he is king is the fact 
 that he is born in a stable. 
 
 13,14. With the angel. Though not neces- 
 sarily in immediate proximity to him ; the angel 
 may have appeared on earth as a man ; the host 
 in heaven, luminous and as angels. — Praising 
 Go:l. The incarnation is the theme of heaven's 
 praise to the Most High. Comp. Rev., ch. 5. — 
 Glory to God in the highest, i. e., in the 
 highest heavens. — And on earth peace. Be- 
 tween Jew and Gentile (Ephes. 2 : 14) ; between man 
 and God (2 Cor. 5: n-21 ). But this is the consum- 
 mation of Christ's kingdom, not the means by 
 which it is established. See Matt. 10 : 34-36 ; 
 James 3 : 17. — Good will toward men, i. e., 
 good will from God, shown to man in the Gos- 
 pel (John 3 : 16). This " good will " is the cause of 
 the peace which Christ confers on earth and the 
 glory which he inspires in heaven. There is, 
 however, a question whether good will is not in 
 the genitive (ivdoxlae instead of ivdoxla), and 
 governed by men, in which case the clause should 
 be read, men of good will. This reading is adopt- 
 ed by Schaff (see his note in Lange for his author- 
 ities) and Godet. With this reading, the passage 
 is interpreted by some scholars, Glory to God in 
 the highest and on earth ; peace among men of 
 good will ; by others, Glory to God in the high- 
 est, peace on earth among men of good will, i. e., 
 men of God's good pleasure, men chosen by him.
 
 Cn. II.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 21 
 
 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those 
 things which were told them by the shepherds. 
 
 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered 
 them in .her heart. 
 
 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and prais- 
 ing God for all the things that they had heard and seen, 
 as it was told unto them. 
 
 21 And when eight days were accomplished 1 for the 
 circumcising of the chiltl, his name was called J ESI S, 
 which was so named of ihe angel 1 before he was con- 
 ceived in the womb. 
 
 22 And when ■ the days of her purification, according 
 to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought 
 him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ; 
 
 y Lev. 12:3. 
 
 Ch. 1 : 31 ; Matt. 1 : 21 a Lev. 12 : 2, etc. 
 
 But in the uncertainty of textual criticism, the 
 received reading appears to me far preferable. 
 
 15-20. Let us now go * * * and see 
 this thing. They believe ; their belief leads 
 them to verify the message by seeking for the 
 promised sign. To go and see is always the cure 
 for doubt. (Ps. 34 : 8; John i:46). — They came 
 with haste. Observe their zeal. There is 
 nothing to indicate how the shepherds found the 
 manger from among all the mangers in Bethle- 
 hem. Oosterzee conjectures that it was their own 
 stable ; Olshausen that they were guided by di- 
 vine influence. But the fact of a babe born in a 
 stable would be noised abroad in Bethlehem, and 
 it could not be difficult to find the holy family 
 without supernatural guidance. — They made 
 known abroad. Not merely to Joseph and 
 Mary ; they published it generally as they had 
 opportunity. He that has received the Gospel 
 and been brought to his Lord, should make 
 known the news to others. Contrast, however, 
 the difference in the reception by the shepherds 
 and by Mary ; the one publishes, the other medi- 
 tates. Both are right ; they illustrate different 
 but not inconsistent phases of experience. Pon- 
 dering and publishing are both the Christian 
 duties. — Kept all these words, not things. 
 Guarded them in her memory ; an effort to retain 
 the story in the words in which it was given to her 
 is indicated. — And pondered them. Revolved 
 them ; comparing them with one another, that 
 she might comprehend the nature of the career 
 of the child entrusted to her keeping. May we 
 not fairly assume that it was from Mary that the 
 account of the angelic appearances in this and the 
 preceding chapter, to Zacharias, to herself, and 
 to the shepherds, was derived. "The oftener 
 we read the 19th verse, the more assured we feel 
 that Mary was the first and real author of the 
 whole narrative. This pure, simple, and private 
 history was composed by her, and preserved for 
 a certain time in an oral form, until some one 
 committed it to writing, whose work fell into the 
 hands of Luke, and was reproduced by him in 
 Greek." — (Godet.) This opinion is confirmed by 
 the Aramaic or Hebrew character, which all 
 scholars agree is born by the narrative, which 
 bears indubitable indications of having been 
 originally composed in Hebrew and translated 
 into Greek. 
 
 The Angel's Message.— The angel, who is 
 the first Evangelist, affords the first illustration 
 
 of Gospel preaching. His message is (1) Good 
 news. Christianity is not a mere re-enactment of 
 the moral law, either of the 0. T. or of the hu- 
 man conscience, but news of salvation to those 
 that have broken that law and are under its 
 penalty. (2.) Of great joy. Neither conviction of 
 sin nor admonition of punishment are the Gospel, 
 for these are not messages of great joy ; they are 
 the groundwork of preparation for the Gospel. 
 The message of salvation to an elect few is not 
 the Gospel, for it is the message of anguish to 
 many and of joy to none, since none are as- 
 sured that it is for them. Nothing is Gos- 
 pel that is not joy-producing in those that re- 
 ceive it. (3.) To all people ; all nations, all ages, 
 all classes in society ; this, though not neces- 
 sarily involved in the language of the angel here, 
 is implied in that of this and the preceding 
 chapter. See note on ver. 10. (4.) Tlic cause of 
 this jog; the advent of one who is a Saviour, 
 saving his people from their sins, the High- 
 priest of whom all previous high-priests were 
 types, and the incarnation of the unseen Je- 
 hovah, Lord as well as Christ. (5.) The attesta- 
 tion of his divinity ; the humiliation of his love, 
 witnessed by this that he is cradled in a manger. 
 The angel's song affords an illustration of the ef- 
 fect of the Gospel in heaven and on earth. An 
 inspiration of glory in heaven ; a source of 
 peace on earth, because a testimony of God's 
 good-will to sinners. The shepherd's course af- 
 fords an illustration of how the Gospel should be 
 received ; with faith, with obedience, with an 
 echo of the glad tidings to others who have not 
 heard it. 
 
 Ch. 2:21-52. THE CONSECRATION AND CHILDHOOD 
 OF .1 ESUS. Cheist is publicly consecrated to God 
 in his infancy. — tne christian's expectation op 
 death. — Christ revealed from the beginning as a 
 Saviour of all men.— TIe brings a sword as well 
 as peace. — a woman hails the advent of the de- 
 LIVERER OF WOMEN. — She becomes a preacher of 
 REDEMPTION. — CHRIST A PATTERN OF CniLDHOOD : THE 
 THEME OF HIS STUDY IS HIS FATHER'S WORK : HE IS 
 SUBJECT TO HIS EARTHLY PARENTS ; HIS THREE-FOLD 
 GROWTH. 
 
 The incidents recorded in the rest of this chap- 
 ter are peculiar to Luke, who alone gives any 
 account of Christ's childhood. The legends in 
 the apocryphal Gospels are wholly untrust- 
 worthy, and in striking contrast with the sim- 
 plicity of the Gospel narrative.
 
 22 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every '' male 
 that openetli the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ;) 
 
 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is 
 said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves, or 
 two young pigeons. 
 
 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 
 whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was just 
 and c devout, waiting for the consolation 11 of Israel: 
 and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 
 
 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, 
 that he should not see " death before he had seen the 
 Lord's Christ 
 
 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple : and 
 when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for 
 him after the custom of the law, 
 
 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed 
 God, and said, 
 
 29 Lord, now f lettest thou thy servant depart in 
 peace.s according to thy word : 
 
 30 For mine eyes have seen 11 thy salvation, 
 
 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all 
 people ; 
 
 32 A light to lighten the ' Gentiles, and the glory 
 of thy people Israel. 
 
 bExod. 13: 12; 22: 
 
 verse 38 ; Mark 16 : 43. . . .d Isa. 40 : 1 . . . .e Ps. i 
 h ch. 3 : 6 ; Isa. 52 : 10 ; Acts 4 : 12 i Isa. 4! 
 
 :48; Heb. 11 : . . . .f Gen. 46 : 30. . . .g Isa. 57 : 2 ; Rev. 14 : 13. 
 6 ; 49 : 6 ; 60 : 3 ; Acts 13 : 47, 48. 
 
 21. On the customs connected with circum- 
 cision, see ch. 1 : 59, note. That Christ sub- 
 mitted to circumcision affords no warrant for 
 the perpetuation of that ordinance, nor for the 
 substitution of another, as baptism, in its stead. 
 For he was made subject to the law, that he 
 might redeem those from their subjection who 
 are by nature under the law (g»i. 4 : 5). I find no 
 warrant in the N. T. for the supposed apostolic 
 substitution of baptism for circumcision. But 
 Christ's example here does seem to sanction the 
 custom of publicly consecrating our children in 
 infancy to God, and of receiving them publicly 
 into convenant relations with God and the 
 church. 
 
 22-24. And when the days of her purifi- 
 cation * * * were accomplished. The 
 Levitical law (Lev. ch. 12) provided that for a 
 month after the circumcision of a child — or for a 
 fortnight, in case the babe was a girl — the 
 mother was to be regarded as unclean. At the 
 end of that time she was to present an offering 
 to the Lord ; a lamb for a burnt-offering (i. e., an 
 offering of self -consecration), and a pigeon for a 
 sin-offering (an atonement). If the parties were 
 too poor to provide a lamb, a turtle-dove or 
 pigeon might be substituted. The dove-cot was 
 a common appendage of the dwellings of even 
 the poor, and he who was too poor to have a 
 dove-cot of his own might go to the rocky side of 
 a ravine and take as many young as he pleased 
 from the numerous nests of the wild doves in 
 the clefts (jer. 48 : 2s). In Mary's case, a dove or 
 pigeon appears, from the language of ver. 24, to 
 have been substituted for the lamb ; an indi- 
 cation of their poverty. The "churching of 
 women," a season of thanksgiving for the birth, 
 which is maintained in the Roman Catholic and 
 Episcopal churches, and is of very early origin, 
 is probably derived from this O. T. provision. — 
 To present him to the Lord. The original 
 law prescribed that the first-born male in every 
 family should be consecrated to God, as a priest 
 
 (Exod. 13 : 12 ; 22 : 29 ; Numb. 8 : n) ; then the LeviteS 
 
 were substituted for the first-born, but as they 
 were less in number, provision was made for re- 
 deeming the surplus (Numb. 3 : 4i-6i) ; but subse- 
 
 quently all the first-born were required to be 
 presented and redeemed from the priestly ser- 
 vice by an offering of five shekels (Numb, is : is, 16). 
 It was in accordance with this law that Jesus was 
 now presented to be redeemed in the Temple. 
 This redemption of the first-born is done away 
 with in Christ, since in his kingdom we are all 
 called to be priests unto God, made so by and in 
 
 Christ (l Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5 : lo). 
 
 25-32. Whose name was Simeon. Pos- 
 sibly the well-known person of that name, the 
 father of Gamaliel. But of this there is no other 
 evidence than the name, which is a common one. 
 — Just and devout. Just in his dealings with 
 his fellow-men ; pious in his feelings toward God 
 and in his observance of the ceremonial law, the 
 two elements recognized in Micah 6:8, as all 
 that the Lord requires for the perfection of 
 character. Comp. Christ's language in Matt. 
 22 : 37-40. — Waiting for the consolation of 
 Israel. The Messiah. Comp. Acts 28 : 20. The 
 phrase is a common one in Rabbinical literature, 
 and was used as a form of adjuration : "So let 
 me see the consolation of Israel, if I did not see," 
 etc. The whole nation was in a sense expecting 
 the advent of the Messiah, but not as Simeon, in 
 the maintenance of justice, loving-kindness, and 
 devout trust in God. The object of John's 
 preaching was to prepare for Christ's coming, 
 by bringing the people to ways of justice and 
 thoughts of piety (ch. 3: i-is). — And the Holy 
 Ghost was upon him. An evidence that the 
 Holy Ghost was not first given at Pentecost and 
 after the death and resurrection of Jesus. See 
 Acts 2 : 4, note. — And he came by the Spirit, 
 Led by the Divine Spirit. — Lettest thou thy 
 servant depart in peace. Literally, Let free 
 thy servant. He speaks as one to whom this life 
 is one of toil and bondage, and the other one of 
 rest and liberty ; and he waits for the day of his 
 emancipation— the true ideal of the aged Chris- 
 tian's anticipation of death. — According to the 
 word. A promise made to him, doubtless, by 
 the Spirit of God, that he should see the Messiah 
 before his death.— Before the face of all 
 peoples. The original is plural, not, as in our 
 English version, singular (roiv kuu'n). The con-
 
 Ch. II.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 23 
 
 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those 
 things which were spoken of him. 
 
 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his 
 mother. Behold, this child is set for the fall J and rising 
 again of many in Israel ; and for a sign which shall be 
 spoken k against ; 
 
 35 (Yea, a sword ' shall pierce through thy own soul 
 
 also,) that m the thoughts of many hearts may be re- 
 vealed. 
 
 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daugh- 
 ter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she wai of a ureal 
 age, and had lived with an husband seven yea 
 
 her virginity ; 
 
 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four 
 
 j Iaa. 8 : 14 ; Rom. 9 : 32, 33 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 23, 24 ; 2 Cor. 2:16; 1 Pet. 2 : 7, 8. 
 
 1 Cor. 11 : 19. 
 
 .k Acts 28 : 22 1 John 19 : 25 m Judges 5 : 16, 16; 
 
 ception of the Gospel as a provision, not for the 
 Jewish nation only, but for the whole world, 
 is evidently not a later idea, developed by Paul. 
 It belongs to and is seen in the germs and buds 
 of Christian truth. — A light to lighten the 
 Gentiles. See Isaiah 49 : G; Matt. 4 : 1G. — 
 The sjlory of thy people, Israel. We ought 
 not to forget that Christ is, according to the 
 Scripture, the glory of Israel ; that to the Jew- 
 ish nation, his peculiar people, God granted the 
 birth of the world's Saviour ; and that to it we 
 owe our Light. A superficial view covers the 
 Jews with odium because of their crucifixion of 
 their Lord ; a profouuder view recognizes in him 
 the glory of Israel. 
 
 33-35. And Joseph and his mother. 
 The best MSS. read, His father and his mother ; 
 and this is the reading sustained by Alford, Tis- 
 chendorf, Tregelles, and Schaff. The latter in- 
 terprets it, " The word is of course to be taken, 
 not in the physical, but in the legal and popu- 
 lar sense." See note on ver. 48. — Is set. Ap- 
 pointed by God. The N. T. throughout recog- 
 nizes Christ as fulfilling the Father's will, doing 
 the Father's business, sent by the Father's ap- 
 pointment ; a significant fact, and one not to be 
 ignored in any attempt to settle definitely the 
 problem of his life, character, and work. See 
 ver. 49 ; John 15 : 10 ; 17 : 18 ; Heb. 1 : 9 ; 2 : 9, 
 etc. — For the fall and rising again of many 
 in Israel. Not for the humiliation, because of 
 sin, and the exaltation, because of righteousness. 
 Such humiliation before God is not a fall, but a 
 rising. The word rendered fall (itttiioig) is 
 downfall, overthrow, as in Matt. 7 : 27. Christ 
 brought downfall to the hopes of those who ex- 
 pected a temporal prince and a political mil- 
 lennium, and ruin to those whose desire for the 
 kingdom of God was really a personal ambition 
 for place and power in it, as the Pharisees, and 
 notably Judas Iscariot among his own disciples. 
 He brought rising again to those who were will- 
 ing that God should overthrow their plans and 
 ambitions, and accepted from him the grander 
 gift of a universal kingdom, prepared for all 
 peoples. Both the fall and the rising are illus- 
 trated by the experience of the disciples who, 
 after the resurrection, met Christ on the road to 
 Emmaus (Luke 24 : 2i, 31, 35 1. — For a sign which 
 shall be spoken against. Because disap- 
 pointing all hope of political preferment and 
 
 national exaltation. See John 8 : 48 ; 1 Cor. 
 1 : 22, 23. — Yea, a sword shall pierce 
 through thine own soul also. Not, as 
 
 Lightfoot, a prediction of Mary's martyrdom; 
 nor as Schaff and Wordsworth, a reference to 
 her agony on beholding the crucifixion of her 
 son; nor as Alford, a foretelling that she also 
 must know the agony of sorrow for sin ; but, as 
 the connection implies, a declaration that she 
 must know, with others, a rising and falling. 
 Her hopes for the emancipation of the nation, the 
 reformation of the people, the immediate glorifi- 
 cation of God through the Son given unto her, 
 are destined to be overthrown ; she will hear his 
 unambiguous prophecy of the destruction of the 
 temple and the holy city, will see him rejected, 
 scorned, crucified, will see the nation given over 
 to increasing anarchy and corruption and the 
 wrath of God, and will rise from her desolation 
 in the destruction of all her anticipations only 
 when, in answer to the days of prolonged prayer 
 (Acts i : 14) the Spirit is poured out upon the 
 church, and she, with others, begins to see the 
 length and breadth of the kingdom that knows 
 no end. — That the thoughts of many hearts 
 may be revealed. The object and result of 
 this dispensation ; that the worldliness, the sel- 
 fishness, the personal ambition of the Jewish as- 
 pirations and ambitions may be discovered to 
 themselves and to the world ; and the hollowness 
 of what passed for piety, but was not, since it 
 only covered the spirit of trust in and consecra- 
 tion to self. The whole prophecy, then, may be 
 thus paraphrased : Behold this child is ap- 
 pointed by God to overthrow the hopes of many, 
 by disappointing their expectations of a tem- 
 poral kingdom ; and to give them resurrection 
 again by opening before them the vision of a 
 more glorious, a spiritual kingdom ; he will be a 
 sign not universally welcomed and accepted, but 
 despised and rejected of men ; you yourself shall 
 know the agony of withered hopes and a bitter 
 disappointment ; and thus by their disappoint- 
 ment in a suffering Messiah, by their rejection of 
 a Messiah that brings them no political prefer- 
 ment, the selfishness of what passes for pious 
 thoughts and expectations will be revealed. 
 
 30-3$. There was one Anna, a prophet- 
 ess. Recognized among the people as speaking 
 by the Spirit of God. Religions teaching was not 
 confined to the male sex either under the O. T.
 
 24 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. II. 
 
 years, which departed not from the temple, but served 
 God with tastings and prayers" night and day. 
 
 38 And she, coming in at that instant, gave thanks 
 likewise unto the Lord, and spake ot him to all them 
 that" looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 
 
 39 And when they had performed all things accord- 
 ing to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, 
 to their own city Nazareth. 
 
 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, 
 filled p with wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon 
 him. 
 
 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem everyi year 
 at the feast of the passover. 
 
 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up 
 to Jerusalem, after the custom of the feast. 
 
 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they re- 
 turned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; 
 and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 
 
 44 Hut they, supposing him to have been in the com- 
 pany, went a day's journey ; and tliey sought him 
 among their kinslolk and acquaintance. 
 
 45 And when they found him not, they turned back 
 again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 
 
 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they 
 found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doc- 
 tors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 
 
 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his 
 understanding r and answers. 
 
 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed : and 
 his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus 
 
 n Acts 26 : 7; 1 Tim. 5: 5....0 verse 55.... p verse 52; Isa. 11 : 2, 3 q Exod. 23 : 15; Deut. 16 : l....r ch. 4 : 22,32; Ps. 119 : 99; 
 
 Matt. 1 : 28 ; Mark 1 : 22 ; John 1 : 15, 46. 
 
 or under the N. T. dispensation, though, from the 
 nature of woman's general occupation and du- 
 ties, the cases in which she hecame a recognized 
 public teacher of religious truth were rare. See 
 2 Kings 22 : 14 ; Acts 18 : 26.— A widow of 
 about four score and four years. Or, until 
 four score and four ; this is the better reading. 
 The implication is, not that she had been a widow 
 eighty-eight years, which would make her a cen- 
 tenarian, but that eighty-eight was her present 
 age. — Which departed, not from the tem- 
 ple. Exod. 38 : 8, and 1 Sam. 2 : 22, indicates 
 that women were employed in some cases about 
 the temple ; but whether this was of a strictly 
 religious character or consisted in certain subor- 
 dinate services, such as washing, repairing of the 
 temple fabrics, etc., is not known. There were 
 chambers connected with the temple, for the 
 priests. One of these may have been assigned by 
 them to Anna, as a special mark of honor to a 
 recognized prophetess. — Gave thanks to the 
 Lord. For the gift of the Messiah. — And 
 spake of him. Not merely then. The verb is 
 in the imperfect tense, and implies a continued 
 habit. From this time she was accustomed to 
 speak of him to those who were looking for the 
 fulfillment of the divine prophecy of the redemp- 
 tion of Israel. 
 
 39, 40. On the growth of Jesus, see on ver. 
 52. Before this return to Nazareth occurred the 
 visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt, re- 
 corded only by Matthew. It is omitted by Luke, 
 possibly because recorded by Matthew, possibly 
 because he was ignorant of it. If this was the 
 case, however, he could hardly have derived any 
 of his information directly from Mary. 
 
 41, 42. Now his parents went every 
 year. According to the requirements of Exod. 
 23 : 14-17. The letter of the law there applies 
 only to males ; but according to the school of 
 Hillel women were required to go once a year to 
 the Passover. — When he was twelve years 
 old. A critical age for a Jewish boy. At twelve, 
 according to the Jewish legends, Moses left the 
 house of Pharaoh's daughter ; Samuel heard the 
 
 voice of God ; Solomon judged between the con- 
 tending women ; Josiah dreamed of his great 
 reformation. He was now required to begin 
 learning a trade, to wear his phylacteries, to re- 
 ceive the title of "son of the law," and first in- 
 curred legal obligations. This was probably the 
 first visit of Jesus to Jerusalem. 
 
 43-45. There is nothing incredible or even ex- 
 traordinary in the fact that they did not miss the 
 boy till the end of the first day's journey. The 
 Galilean pilgrims would travel together in a 
 caravan, including a large number. In such pil- 
 grim bands the women and elderly men are 
 mounted ; the younger men walk ; drums and 
 timbrels enliven the march ; the caravan stops at 
 every spring or well ; dates, melons, cucumbers 
 are passed around to refresh the pilgrims ; the 
 occasion is one of innocent mirth and festivity ; 
 the children walk and play by the side of their 
 parents, and wander from one group to another, 
 of ten getting a ride, when wearied, on some camel 
 or mule less heavily loaded than tbe rest. Thus 
 the supposition that Jesus was in another part 
 of the great caravan was a natural one. 
 
 40, 47. After three days. They had only 
 come one day's journey from Jerusalem ; they 
 must therefore have prolonged their search for 
 some time before going to the temple. See on 
 ver. 49. — Of the doctors. The rabbis of the 
 law. The great theological schools of Jerusa- 
 lem were in connection with the Temple. Such 
 an one was that in which Saul of Tarsus was 
 educated. (Acts 22 : 3) — Asking them ques- 
 tions. "It was the custom in the Jewish 
 schools for the scholars to ask questions of their 
 teachers ; and a great part of the rabbinical 
 books consists of the answers of the rabbis to 
 such questions."— (Alford.) The traditional ac- 
 count which represents Jesus as teaching the rab- 
 bis is neither consistent with the narrative nor 
 with Jewish sentiment, which was utterly averse 
 to all aspect of forwardness in childhood, nor 
 with the spirit of Jesus, which was one of humil- 
 ity, not of arrogance or self-assertion. Yet, re- 
 calling his questioning of the doctors in the tem-
 
 
 0) 
 P 
 
 TO 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 p 
 
 §
 
 Oh. II.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 ■ir> 
 
 dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I have sought 
 thee sorrowing. 
 
 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me f 
 wist ye not that I must be about " my Father's business ? 
 
 50 And they understood not the saying which he 
 spake unto them. 
 
 51 And he went down with them, and came to Naza- 
 reth, and was subject unto them : but his mother kept 1 
 all these sayings in her heart. 
 
 52 And Jesus increased u in wisdom and stature, and 
 in favour with God and man. 
 
 8 John S : IT ; 9 : 4 . . . . t verse 19 j Dan. T : 28 . . . . u veree 40 ; 1 Sam. 2 : 26. 
 
 pie years later (Matt. chs. si, 22), and remembering 
 that "the child is father to the man," we may 
 well believe that the spirituality of his questions 
 made them in fact, though not in form, a true 
 instruction. Even at twelve, his was not a mind 
 to be content with the literalism and superficial- 
 ity of Rabbinical interpretations of Scripture. 
 It was the depth of spiritual insight, indicated 
 by his questions, that astonished them. It is in- 
 dicative of his childhood character that the cen- 
 tral object of interest in the Temple was not its 
 architectural magnificence, its music, and its 
 ritual, but its schools, where he might study 
 more deeply than in the synagogical schools of 
 Nazareth the truths concerning the kingdom and 
 the word of God. 
 
 48, 49. Son, why hast thou thus dealt 
 with us ? A gentle reproach. The mother 
 now, as later, did not comprehend her son. 
 (Mark 3 : 21, 31 ; John 2 : 4). — Thy father and I have 
 sought thee sorrowing. An indication of the 
 historical fidelity of the narrative. A mythical 
 writer would not have suffered Mary to speak of 
 Joseph as the father of Jesus. Yet this would 
 have been her language. For though not his 
 true father, he stood in the place of one, and 
 would naturally have assumed the title, as 
 usually does the step-father, and not infre- 
 quently the guardian. But Christ's reply turns 
 his mother's thoughts from the seeming to the 
 real father. To him Joseph is not father. — 
 How is it that ye seek me ? Wist ye not 
 that in the affairs of my father I must 
 needs be ? Not, Engaged in doing my father's 
 business ; but Engaged concerning and interested in 
 it. That which, as a child, Jesus had to do with 
 his father's business, was to be engaged in study- 
 ing it. That which surprises him — for his ques- 
 tion indicates surprise — is not that they should 
 have sought him, but that they should have 
 spent three days in an anxious search along the 
 road and in Jerusalem, and not instantly and in- 
 tuitively known where to find him, namely, 
 studying the truths concerning his Father and 
 his Father's work. This very surprise of Jesus 
 indicates not only that he was conscious of his 
 supernatural birth, but also that he assumed that 
 his mother and father knew that he was aware of 
 it. 
 
 50, 51. They understood not that say- 
 ing. Not that it was meaningless to them ; but 
 they did not fully comprehend its meaning. 
 
 Nothing but his life, and death, and resurrection 
 could fully interpret either the spirit of self-con- 
 secration, implied in these words, or what was 
 that business to which he must needs devote 
 himself. Do any of us fully understand what it 
 is to be about the Father's business ? What this 
 implied in Christ? What it implies for us? — 
 Was subject unto them. Learning the car- 
 penter's trade and working at the carpenter's 
 bench (Mark 6 : 3). In this willing subjection of 
 Christ, despite his real superiority to his peasant 
 guardians, and in this cheerful abandonment of 
 the congenial life of a student for the uncon- 
 genial work of an artisan, is a lesson to the chil- 
 dren of our day, who find it difficult to yield, in 
 their fancied superiority, to the wisdom of their 
 parents. This was a part, not the least part, of 
 his chosen humiliation (Gal. 4:4; pmi. 2 -.;). — Kept 
 all these sayings in her heart. Treasured 
 them up and pondered them ; a hint of the 
 source whence Luke derived them, if not di- 
 rectly, at least through other hands. See on ver. 
 19. Joseph is not again in the Gospels. It is 
 generally believed, from this circumstance, that 
 he died before Christ's public ministry began. 
 
 52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and 
 in stature, and in favor with God and 
 man. This declaration is not to be modified 
 to suit any preconceived theological theories 
 concerning the person of Christ. He experi- 
 enced a fourfold growth — in stature or age, the 
 Greek word (rjltxla) is capable of either transla- 
 tion, in wisdom, in divine approval, and in popu- 
 lar favor. There is no difficulty in understand- 
 ing the growth in stature and in popular favor ; 
 little in comprehending the growth of wisdom — 
 for it was one of the elements in the infinite con- 
 descension of the Son of God, that he laid aside 
 his knowledge and entered into all the conditions 
 of mankind, including necessary growth. But 
 how should he, who shared the divine glory with 
 the Father before the creation of the world (John 
 17 : 5), grow in divine favor ? On the ordinary in- 
 terpretation of the doctrine of the incarnation 
 this is inexplicable to me ; it is equally so on the 
 Swedenborgian view, that Christ was the divine 
 soul in a human body, and subject to human con- 
 ditions. It is comprehensible on the theory 
 that Christ was divine because wholly and en- 
 tirely subject to the influence of the indwelling 
 Spirit of God, his Son, as we are his sons, 
 though with a perfection of allegiance and sub-
 
 26 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. III. 
 
 N 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius 
 Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, 
 
 and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother 
 Philip tetrarch oflturaea, and of the region of Tracho- 
 nitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abiline, 
 2 Annas v and Caiaphas being the high priests, the 
 
 v John 11 : 49, 61 ; 18 : 13 ; Acts 4 : 6. 
 
 ordination to his Father's will which we never 
 know. But to this interpretation of his charac- 
 ter there are grave, if not conclusive objections, 
 in the account of his supernatural birth, and in 
 the doctrine of his pre-existence. This much is 
 certain, from other representations of Scripture, 
 that he suffered real temptations ; won his vic- 
 tories only after real conflict ; and that in each 
 new victory he received anew the approval of his 
 Father's love. Comp. Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1 : 9. 
 
 Ch. 3 : 1-18. PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 The preparation for the Gospel is repentance. — 
 The work of the Christian church : to prepare 
 for the coming of her King. — The elements en that 
 preparation : exaltation ; humiliation ; rectifi- 
 cation ; cultivation.— The promise of the future : 
 a salvation universally recognized. — False hope : 
 in the virtues of the dead.— True life : in pres- 
 ent practical reform. — Repentance illustrated. 
 — The two baptisms : of man, of God. 
 
 This account of the preaching of John the Bap- 
 tist is much more fully given by Luke than by 
 
 TIE HOLT LAUD 
 
 ■under 
 
 THE SONS 
 
 of 
 
 HEROD THE GREAT 
 
 either of the other Evangelists. With the ac- 
 count here should, however, be compared that 
 in Matt. 3 : 1-12, and notes, and in Mark 1 : 1-8. 
 There is an instructive contrast between these 
 reports and that of John 1 : 15-30 ; for the rea- 
 son of the difference, see notes on the ministry 
 of John the Baptist, below. 
 
 1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of 
 Tiberius Caesar. The emperor of Rome at the 
 birth of Christ was Augustus Caesar (ch. 2: i) ; he 
 died August 19, 767, year of Rome, i. e., 14-15, 
 a. d. But Tiberius had, for two years previous, 
 shared with him his throne, and his reign here is 
 probably dated from the time of this joint sov- 
 ereignty. Christ was about twenty -nine years of 
 age (ver. 23), assuming, as we probably may do, 
 that the ministry of John the Baptist preceding 
 the baptism of Jesus, lasted for six months or a 
 year. A period, therefore, of seventeen or eigh- 
 teen years intervenes between the close of the 
 second and the beginning of the third chapter. 
 Of Christ's life during this time nothing is 
 known. He remained at home with his father, 
 learned the carpenter's trade, accord- 
 ing to an early tradition made plows 
 and yokes, probably attended the vil- 
 lage school which was connected with 
 eveiy synagogue, and where he was 
 instructed certainly in the Scripture, 
 and probably also in such elements of 
 natural science as were taught in the 
 ordinary course of education. That 
 he did not have any professional or 
 Rabbinical training is implied in John 
 7 : 15. But though the N. T. passes 
 by in silence this part of his life, it is 
 not one unimportant in his gracious 
 ministry. l ' We are apt to forget that it 
 was during this time that much of the 
 great work of the second Adam was 
 done. The growing up, through in- 
 fancy, childhood, youth, manhood, 
 from grace to grace, holiness to holi- 
 ness, in subjection, self-denial, and 
 love, without one polluting touch of 
 sin — this it was which, consummated 
 by the three years of active ministry, 
 by the Passion, and by the Cross, con- 
 stituted ' the obedience of one man,' 
 by which many were made righteous." 
 —(Alford.) Pontius Pilate being 
 governor, etc. During the time 
 which elapsed between Christ's child- 
 hood and his public baptism, the
 
 Ch. III.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 27 
 
 word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in 
 the wilderness. 
 
 3 And w he came into all the country about Jordan, 
 preaching the baptism of repentance * lor the remission 
 of sins ; 
 
 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias 
 the prophet/ saying, The voice ot one crying in the 
 
 wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his 
 paths straight, 
 
 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain 
 and hill shall be brought low ; and the crooked shall 
 be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made 
 smooth : 
 
 6 And » all flesh shall sec the salvation of God. 
 
 w Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:4 x ch. 1 : 77 y Isa. 40 : 3 z Ps. 98 : 2 ; Ua. 40 : 5 ; 49 : 6 ; 52 : 10 ; Rom. 10:12,18. 
 
 political constitution of Palestine had undergone 
 a radical change. On the death of Herod the 
 Great, his kingdom had been apportioned be- 
 tween his three sons : Archelaus, with the title 
 of ethnarch, received one-half of his father's do- 
 minions — Judea, Samaria, and Idumea ; but after 
 a reign of ten years was banished, in consequence 
 of complaints by his subjects, ami his dominions 
 were added to the province of Syria. Pontius 
 Pilate, its fifth governor, arrived there A. d. 
 25, 26, i.e., a little prior to the commencement of 
 John's public ministry. Herod Antipas remained 
 tetrarch of Galilee and Perea ; his reign lasted 
 forty-two years, and therefore throughout the 
 whole ministry of our Lord. Herod Philip re- 
 tained for thirty-seven years Iturea, a country 
 south-east of the Libanus and Trachonitis, sub- 
 stantially the same district as the Argob of the 
 O. T. The precise limits of Abilene are not 
 known. Its capital, Abila, was eighteen miles 
 north of Danrasensand, on the eastern slope of 
 the Antilibanus. The student will get a better 
 idea of these political divisions from the accom- 
 panying map than from any verbal description. 
 The Lysanius here mentioned is not to be con- 
 founded with the king of that name who was as- 
 sassinated thirty-six years before our era by An- 
 thony. It is true that neither Joseph us nor 
 classic history mentions any later Lysanius, and 
 skeptical writers have endeavored to prove that 
 Luke is here guilty of a palpable anachronism. 
 But recently deciphered inscriptions demonstrate 
 that a later Lysanius — probably a descendant of 
 the murdered king — was a tetrarch in the time of 
 Tiberius. On the life and character of Pontius 
 Pilate, see John 19 : 29, note ; on the Herodian 
 family, see Matt. 2 : 1, note. 
 | 2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high- 
 priests. High-priest (singular) is the better 
 reading. The Jews recognized but one high- 
 priest, who held his office originally for life ; his 
 functions were, however, sometimes divided, 
 one officer presiding over the Sanhedrim, the 
 other supervising the matters of religion ; and 
 some traces of this division are found in the 
 early history of the Jews (2 Kings 25 : is). Annas 
 was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and was re- 
 moved by the Roman government, and Caiaphas 
 appointed in his place. It is probable that the 
 Jews did not recognize this substitution, but 
 continued to regard Annas as their real high- 
 
 priest, a fact which would explain the language 
 here and in Acts 4 : 0. On the character of both 
 Annas and Caiaphas, see notes on John 11 : 47-7.' ; 
 18 : 18, etc. — A word of God came unto 
 John. That is, a special revelation of truth or 
 a special inspiration, prompting him to com- 
 mence his public ministry. See 1 Kings 12 : 22 ; 
 1 Chron. 17 : 3 ; Hosea 1:2; Jonah 1 : L— In 
 the wilderness. Of Judea; the mountainous 
 and broken country along the western borders 
 of the Dead Sea. 
 
 3-6. He came into all the country about 
 Jordan. The district on either side of the 
 river, especia' y near its mouth. His was ap- 
 parently an itinerant ministry. — The baptism 
 of repentance. Baptism as a symbol of re- 
 pentance. Certainly subsequently, probably 
 prior to this time, heathen proselytes were bap- 
 tized by immersion, as a sign that they were 
 washed of their old errors and entered on a new 
 life. John's preaching signified that the old 
 must be washed away for the Jew as well as the 
 Gentile. — The Avoids of Esaias the prophet. 
 Isaiah 40 : 3-5. On the interpretation of the 
 quotation, see Matt. 3 : 3, note. The meta- 
 phor is derived from the Oriental practice of 
 preparing the highway for the journey of a mon- 
 arch ; it is interpreted by the history of Chris- 
 tianity, which has lifted up the down-trodden 
 and oppressed, brought down the proud and 
 haughty, rectified the corrupt and crooked prac- 
 tices of society, and smoothed with a genuine 
 culture its rudenesses and roughnesses, all as a 
 preparation for the final coming of the Kin^. 
 When this work of preparation is completed, not 
 before, all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 
 Thus John the Baptist defines the duty of the 
 church throughout all ages, a duty of preparing 
 for the second and final coming of her Kin;,-. 
 For it is not said that John prepared the way. 
 but that he preached that the people should 
 prepare the way. The history of Christianity, a 
 preparation for the coming of Christ in society, 
 indicates also the preparation necessary in the 
 individual heart. The depression of ignorance 
 and superstition, the exaltation of power and 
 pride, crooked and corrupt ways deviating from 
 the straight lines of integrity, and rudenesses of 
 temper born of deficient human sympathy, are 
 all so many obstacles to the coiniug of the King 
 in the soul.
 
 28 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be 
 baptized of him, O" generation of vipers! who hath 
 warned you to tiee from the wrath to come ? 
 
 8 Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance ; 
 and begin not to say within yourselves, We have 
 Abraham to our lather : for I say unto you, That God 
 is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abra- 
 ham. 
 
 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the 
 trees : every b tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth 
 good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 
 
 io And the people asked him, saying, What shall we 
 do then ? 
 n He answereth and saith unto them, He ° that hath 
 
 two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and 
 he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 
 
 12 Then came also publicans' 1 to be baptized, and 
 said unto him, Master, what shall we do ? 
 
 13 And he said unto them, Exact e no more than that 
 which is appointed you. 
 
 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, say- 
 ing, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, 
 Do violence to no man, neither accuse any ' falsely ; 
 and be content » with your wages. 
 
 15 And as the people were in expectation, and all 
 men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were 
 the Christ or not ; 
 
 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed 
 
 a Matt. 3: 7....b ch. 13: 7, 9: Matt. 7 : 19.... c ch. 11 : 41 ; 2 Cor. 8 : 14 ; 1 John 3 : 17.... d ch. 7 : 29 ; Matt. 21 : 32.... e ch. 19 : 8; 1 Cor. 
 6 : 10. ...f Exod. 23 : 1 ; Lev. 19 : 11 g 1 Tim. 6 : 8. 
 
 7-9. Offspring of vipers. This was espe- 
 cially addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees 
 (Matt. 3 : 7), who came to be baptized, hut not to re- 
 pent ; they were ready for a new ceremonial, but 
 not for a new life. The phrase is perhaps inter- 
 preted by John 8 : 44, the serpent being a Jew- 
 ish symbol of the devil ; they are characterized 
 as offspring of vipers in contrast with their an- 
 cestral pride as children of Abraham. — Bring 
 forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repent- 
 ance. Practical reformation is the only evi- 
 dence which God recognizes of the genuineness 
 of repentance (isa. 1 : 10-20). — The axe is laid 
 unto the root of the trees. A metaphor in- 
 dicating that everything is ready for the execu- 
 tion of judgment. Comp. Isa. 52 : 10 ; 2 Pet. 
 3 :7. 
 
 10-14. This passage is not the report of a 
 single sermon, but a summary embodying the 
 spirit of John's teaching at this time. After the 
 baptism of Jesus the character of his ministry 
 changed, and he proclaimed the Lamb of God 
 that taketh away the sins of the world (John 
 1 : 29-36). Now, he was not proclaiming the Mes- 
 siah, but preparing the way for the Messiah ; 
 hence the difference between his answer here 
 and that of Jesus in John 6 : 29, and of Paul in 
 Acts 16 : 31, to the question, What shall we do ? 
 Theirs was the answer of the N. T. ; this was the 
 answer of the last of the O. T. prophets. Ob- 
 serve the three virtues which John commends, 
 generosity, honesty, justice. Comp. Micah 6:8; 
 Matt. 23 : 23.— Two coats. Two tunics. The 
 inner garment worn next the skin, generally 
 with sleeves, and reaching usually to the knees, 
 sometimes to the ankles. It answered to the 
 modern shirt or chemise. Two tunics indicates 
 but small wealth. Even the poor can spare 
 something for the still poorer. The accompa- 
 nying picture of a master and servant shows the 
 master wearing a girdle over his robe, and a coat 
 over all, illustrating the wearing of two coats — 
 a robe and coat — at the same time. The servant 
 has a coat, one only. — Also publicans * * * 
 exact no more than that Avhich is ap- 
 pointed you. The publicans or tax-gatherers 
 
 MASTER AND SERVANT. 
 
 purchased from the government the right for a 
 fixed sum to collect the taxes in a given province 
 or district ; their profit depended on what they 
 could extort from the people. See Matt. 9 : 9, 
 note. Observe how the mere presence of Christ 
 in the case of one publican (Luke 19 : b) secured 
 more than the preaching of John the Baptist re- 
 quired. John demanded only reform in the fu- 
 ture ; Zaccheus restored the ill-gotten gains of 
 the past. — The soldiers likewise * * * Do 
 violence to no man, neither accuse any 
 falsely, and be content with your wages. 
 Who these soldiers were is uncertain, whether 
 armed Jewish police, soldiers in the service of 
 King Antipas, or Roman soldiers from Judea. 
 In an age when the army looked with contempt 
 on the civilians, and the civil was subordinate to 
 the military power, acts of violence were com- 
 mon ; he whose office it was to protect became
 
 Ch. III.] 
 
 Ll'KK 
 
 29 
 
 baptize you with water ; but one mightier than I com- 
 eth, the latchet of Whose shoes 1 am not worthy to un- 
 loose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
 with fire: 
 17 Whose fan h is in his hand, and he will throughly 
 
 purge his floor, and will 1 gather the wheat Into his 
 garner; but the J chatt he will burn" with tire un- 
 quem liable. 
 
 18 And many other things, in his exhortation, 
 preached he unto the people. 
 
 h Jer. 15 : 7 i Mlcah 4 : 12; Matt. 13 : 30 j P«. 1 : 4 k Pi. 21 : 9 ; Mark 9 : 44, 48. 
 
 SLAVE LOOSING SHOE LATCHET. 
 
 an oppressor ; false accusations of disaffection 
 were made a means of extorting hush-money, 
 and that spirit of military insubordination was 
 already rising which ended in making the army 
 
 masters of the empire. John, like Paul, counsels 
 every man to abide in liis own calling, and to 
 work out Christian principles and the Christian 
 disposition therein. Sec 1 Cor. 7 : 21-24. If 
 all war were inconsistent with divine law, John 
 could not have given this counsel to soldiers. 
 
 15, 16. See Matt. 3 : 11, note. To unloose 
 the latchet of a sandal, the thong or strap by 
 which it was fastened, was a menial office be- 
 longing to a slave. 
 
 17, 18. Whose fan is in his hand. The 
 accompanying picture illustrates the Oriental 
 method of winnowing, from which this meta- 
 phor is taken. The fan was a spade, usually of 
 wood or iron, with which the laborer threw up 
 the threshed grain against the wind, which car- 
 ried away the lighter particles of chaff, leaving 
 the grain to fall back upon the floor or earth. 
 See further, Matt. 3 : 12, note. 
 
 On the Ministry of John the Baptist. — 
 For an admirable study of the character and 
 career of John the Baptist, the student is re- 
 ferred to a monograph by Dr. Reynolds, pub- 
 lished by A. S. Barnes & Co. For a considera- 
 tion of the nature and form of his baptism, see 
 Matt., ch. 3, p. 72, Note on the Baptism of Jesus 
 
 WINNOWING THE GRAIN.
 
 30 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 19 But' Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him 
 for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the 
 evils which Herod had done, 
 
 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in 
 prison. 
 
 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it m came 
 to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, 
 the heaven was opened, 
 
 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape 
 like a dove upon him ; and a voice came from heaven, 
 which said, Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am 
 well pleased. 
 
 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years 
 of age, being (as was supposed) the son " of Joseph, 
 which was the son of Heli, 
 
 24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son 
 of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the 
 son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 
 
 25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the 
 son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was 
 the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 
 
 26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son 
 of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was 
 the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 
 
 27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son 
 of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was 
 the son ot Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 
 
 28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son 
 of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the 
 son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 
 
 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of 
 Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son 
 of Matthat. which was the son of Levi, 
 
 30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son 
 of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the 
 son of Jonan, which was the son of Ehakim, 
 
 31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son 
 of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was 
 the son of Nathan," which was the son of David, 
 
 32 Which was the son of Jesse,P which was the son 
 of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son 
 of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 
 
 1 Matt. 14 : 3; Murk 6 : 17.... m Matt. 3 
 
 13, etc. ; John 1 : 32, etc n Matt. 13 
 
 p Ruth 4: 18,22. 
 
 55; John 6: 42 Zech. 12 : 12 ; 2 Sam. 6 : 14 
 
 by John. For account of his imprisonment and 
 death, see Matt. 14 : 1-12, notes. Here it must 
 suffice briefly to note the characteristics of the 
 man and his ministry. (1.) He was inspired 
 from his mother's womb (ch. l : 15). In the minis- 
 try here reported he is expressly described as 
 speaking as the word of God came unto him. 
 His ministry, therefore, was directly authorized, 
 and, if we comprehend aright its relations to the 
 past and the future, is instructive and authorita- 
 tive. (2.) His position is expressly stated by 
 Christ to be that of a prophet and more than a 
 prophet (Matt. 11 : 9). He was more, because a 
 forerunner who immediately preceded the King. 
 His character and his early preaching corre- 
 sponds with that of the O. T. prophets, of whom 
 he was the last ; between whom and the N. T. 
 apostles he was a connecting link. Like them, 
 he set the religion of a spiritual and moral life 
 in contrast with that of sacerdotalism, which the 
 priesthood had made the religion of the age. 
 He was the Martin Luther of the first century. 
 (3.) But, unlike Martin Luther, he knew nothing 
 of the free spirit of the Gospel. He was by na- 
 ture and by childhood association an ascetic. 
 He sought reform, not by a new and divine inspi- 
 ration, which he foretold, but which he could 
 not minister to others, since it could come only 
 through the Messiah, but by a resolute cut- 
 ting off of transgressions and of occasions of 
 transgression innocent in themselves. Hence he 
 preached repentance, not faith ; hence the Naza- 
 rite vow in his infancy ; hence his anchorite life 
 in the wilderness ; hence his abstinence from all 
 
 Social life and enjoyment (chaps. 1 : 15 ; 3 : 3 ; Matt. 3:4; 
 
 11 : is). In this respect his life was in striking 
 contrast with that of Jesus. (4.) But he was 
 not only the last of the O. T. prophets ; he was 
 also the first of the N. T. evangelists. The stu- 
 dent does not rightly apprehend his ministry 
 who does not study the contrast afforded be- 
 
 tween the reports in the Synoptists and the re- 
 port in John (John 1 : 15-36). The Synoptists report 
 the preaching of John before Jesus had been 
 revealed to him as the Messiah. He is, then, a 
 preacher of law, duty, moral obligation. He is 
 so represented here. He preaches not the Gos- 
 pel, but prepares for the Gospel. His preaching 
 in Luke exemplifies the declaration of Paul, "By 
 the law is the knowledge of sin." After Jesus, 
 in the hour of his baptism, is revealed to John 
 as the promised Messiah, the character of John's 
 preaching changes. He becomes an evangelist ; 
 the staple of his preaching is, " Behold the Lamb 
 of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." 
 In Luke he is a preacher of the O. T. ; in John a 
 preacher of the N. T. (5.) The effect on the 
 people was notable and marked, but apparently 
 not permanent. His preaching was attended by 
 crowds (Matt. 3:6); he was held in high honor by 
 the people, but was rejected by the priesthood 
 and the elders of the people (Matt. 21 : 25) ; and out 
 of his ministry grew no permanent social or poli- 
 tical reform. Its more enduring effect consisted 
 in the fact that from his disciples probably a 
 majority of Christ's apostles were chosen. Their 
 flrst spiritual impulse came from John. The 
 work which he began Christ completed. (6.) An 
 instructive lesson is afforded by a comparison of 
 the character and career of Elijah and John the 
 Baptist, who in character, preaching, practices, 
 and even external habits, so resembled each 
 other that John's coming was foretold as the 
 
 COming Of Elijah (Mai. 4 : 5, 6 ; Matt. 17 : 10-13). 
 
 Oh. 3:19-38. THE IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN. THE 
 BAPTISM OF JESUS. HIS GENEALOGY. 
 
 These subjects are treated in the other Evan- 
 gelists, where I have considered them at length. 
 See references below. 
 
 19, 20. See Matt. 14 : 1-12. Prel. note. Mark 
 6 : 14-18, notes.
 
 Ch. IV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 31 
 
 33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the 
 son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was 
 the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 
 
 34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son 
 of Isaac, which was ///,■ son of Abraham,'' which was 
 the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 
 
 35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son 
 of Ragau, which was the son of l'halec, which was the 
 son ol Heber, which was the son of Sala, 
 
 36 Which was Me son of Cainan, which was the son 
 of Arphaxad,' which was the son of Sem, which was 
 the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech.* 
 
 37 Whicli was the son of Mathusala, which was the 
 son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, whicli was 
 the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 
 
 38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of 
 Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son 
 of God.' 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AND u Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned 
 from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the 
 wilderness, 
 
 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And "in 
 those days he did eat nothing : and when they were 
 ended, he afterward hungered. 
 
 3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of 
 God, command this stone that it be made bread. 
 
 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It w is written, 
 
 That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
 word of God. 
 
 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high moun- 
 tain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world 
 in a moment of time. 
 
 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I 
 give thee, and the glory of them : lor ' that is delivered 
 unto me ; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 
 
 7 If thou, therefore, wilt worship me, all shall be 
 thine. 
 
 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee 
 behind me, Satan : lory it is written, Thou shalt wor- 
 ship the Lord thy God, and linn only shalt thou serve. 
 
 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on 
 a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, II thou be 
 the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence : 
 
 10 For it is written, He z shall give his angels charge 
 over thee, to keep thee ; 
 
 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest 
 at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 
 
 12 And Jesus, answering, said unto him, It is said, 
 Thou " shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 
 
 13 And when the devil had ended all the ''tempta- 
 tion, he departed from him for a season. 
 
 14 And Jesus c returned in the power of the Spirit 
 into Galilee : and there went out a fame of him through 
 all the region round about. 
 
 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glori- 
 fied of all. 
 
 16 And he came to Nazareth," 1 where he had been 
 
 qGen. 11 : 24-26.... r Gen. 11 : 12.... s Gen. 5 : 25.... t Gen. 1 : 26 ; 2:7; Isa. 64 : 8; 1 Cor. 15 : 45, 47... 11 verse 14; Matt. 4 ; 1, etc. ; Mark 
 1 : 12, etc....v Exod 34 : 28 ; 1 Kinga 19 : 8... w Deut. 8 : 3....X J..hn 12 : 31 ; 14 : 30 ; E|.hes. 2:2; Rev. 13 : 2, 7....JP Deut. 6 : 13 ; 
 10: 20.... 1 Pa. 91 : 11... a Deut. 6 : 16....bHeb. 2 : 17, 18 ; 4: IS. . ..c John 4 : 43 ; A ■ ■ 11 : 37 d Matt. 2: 23. 
 
 21, 22. See Matt. 3 : 13-17, notes. 
 
 23-38. This genealogical register differs wide- 
 ly from that given by Matthew (Matt, i : l-n). On 
 the differences and the most probable reconcilia- 
 tion, see notes there. Godet and Oosterzee, fol- 
 lowing Wiessler, regard Luke's genealogy as that 
 of Mary, and render verse 23 thus : Being, as was 
 supposed, the son of Joseph (in reality) the son of 
 Hell. They thus supposed Heli to have been 
 Mary's father, and put in the place of Mary, be- 
 cause the Jewish sentiment did not allow the 
 mention of the mother in the genealogical re- 
 gister. This view is controverted by Alford, 
 Meyer, and Lord Hervey, and is, I think, less 
 satisfactory on the whole than the explanation 
 suggested in the notes on Matthew, that the one 
 register gives the regal, the other the natural 
 descent — though both hypotheses are attended 
 with difficulties. 
 
 Ch. 4 : 1-13. Temptation of Jesus Christ. 
 — Matt. 4:1-11 ; Mark 1 : 13, 13. See notes on 
 Matthew. He did eat nothing, implies the sever- 
 ity of the fast, and is peculiar to Luke. The 
 order of the temptations here differs from that 
 in Matthew, which there is little reason to doubt 
 is the correct one. 
 
 Ch. 4 ; 14-32. CHRIST'S PREACHING AND REJECTION 
 AT NAZARETH. The power op Christ the power of 
 the Spirit.— Christ's practice op Sabbath observ- 
 ance. — The office and work of Christ epito- 
 mized. — The universality of Christianity. — 
 Words of grace hatefpl to the graceless. 
 
 Alford and Olshausen regard the incident here 
 
 identical with that recorded in Matt. 13 : 53-58 ; 
 in this they differ from most harmonists • and 
 though the chronology is difficult it seems to me 
 that the reasons for supposing that Christ was 
 twice rejected by the Nazareues, outweigh those 
 for identifying this rejection with that recorded 
 by Matthew. There is nothing incredible in the 
 supposition that Christ, once rejected, returned a 
 second time to bless his home ; that the first re- 
 jection should have been followed by a second, 
 less vehement, because tempered by a natural 
 pride in the increasing fame of their fellow- 
 townsman ; and that he marveled at their per- 
 sistence in unbelief (Mark 6 : e). On the other 
 hand, variations in the two accounts are so 
 considerable as to suggest two analogous inci- 
 dents. In Luke, Jesus appears to be alone ; in 
 Mark, (Mark e .- 1) his disciples accompany him ; in 
 Luke, he is attacked by a mob, and barely es- 
 capes threatened death; in Mark (Mark 6: 5), he 
 remains and heals some sick; in Luke, (he inci- 
 dent is apparently introduced, partly to explain 
 his change of residence from Nazareth to Caper- 
 naum, stated by Matthew, without explanation, 
 in ch. 4 : 13 ; in Mark, he leaves Nazareth only 
 to teach in the villages round about (Mark 6 : 6). 
 
 14, 15. For the events between the tempta- 
 tion and this Galilean ministry, see Matt. 4 : 12, 
 note. — In the power of the Spirit. The 
 power of Christ is represented in theN. T. as de- 
 rived from the indwelling of the Father or the 
 Spirit (John 14 : 9, 10; 17 : 2-22) ; no clear distinction 
 between the persons of the Godhead being main- 
 tained by the N. T. writers. — There went out
 
 32 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 brought up: and, as his custom was, he' went into 
 the synagogue on the sabbath clay, and stood up tor 
 to read. 
 
 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the 
 prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, 
 he found the place where it was written, 
 
 18 The ' Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he 
 hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he 
 hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, e to preach de- 
 
 liverance to the captives, and recovering h of sight to 
 the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,' 
 
 19 To preach the acceptable- 1 year of the Lord. 
 
 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to 
 the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them 
 that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 
 
 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this 
 scripture fulfilled in your ears. 
 
 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the 
 
 e Matt. 13: 64: John 18: -20; Acts 13 : 14 ; 17 : 2....f Isa. 61 : 1 g 2 Chron. 34 : 27 ; Ps. 34 : 18 ; 61 : 17 ; 147 : 3 ; Isa. 67 : 16. 
 
 h Ps. 146 : 8 ; Isa. 29 : 18. . . .i Isa. 42 : 3 ; Matt. 12 : 20. . . .j Isa. 61 : 2 : 63 : 4. 
 
 a fame of him ; the extent of it is indicated in 
 Matt. 4 : 25 ; the cause of it in John 2 : 2:i. — 
 And he taught in their synagogues. The 
 
 subject-matter of his preaching was a continua- 
 tion of John the Baptist's message: "Repent, 
 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand " (Matt. 4 : it). 
 On the synagogues, their government, and order 
 of service, see Matt. 4 : 23, note. — Being hon- 
 ored by all. At this time his ministry was 
 simply that of a herald announcing the glad 
 tidings of a coming kingdom ; later came the de- 
 claration of the truths that it was a spiritual 
 kingdom, wrought out through suffering and 
 self-sacrifice, for the whole human race — truths 
 unpalatable to Jewish prejudice and pride. 
 
 16, 17. As his custom was. Corrupt as 
 was the Jewish church Christ continued to wor- 
 ship and to preach in the synagogues till he was 
 driven out from them. — On the Sabbath day. 
 Note that Christ was accustomed to observe the 
 Sabbath as a day for religious worship and in- 
 struction as well as for rest. — Stood up for to 
 read. That is, stood up in the congregation to 
 indicate his desire to read and comment on some 
 passage of O. T. Scripture. It was customary to 
 allow any Jewish rabbi or recognized prophet to 
 take the synagogue service as an occasion for the 
 exposition of his views of Scripture. See Acts 
 13 : 15, note. The fame of Christ was a sufficient 
 reason for the permission accorded to him by the 
 rules of the synagogue. — Book of the prophet 
 Esaias. Isaiah. The quotation is from ch. 
 61 : 1-3, and agrees substantially with the septu- 
 agint version. " The meaning of this prophetic 
 citation may be better seen when we remember 
 that it stands in the middle of the third great 
 division of the book of Isaiah (chaps. 49-66), that, 
 viz., which comprises the prophecies of the per- 
 son, office, sufferings, triumph, and church of 
 the Messiah ; and thus, by implication, an- 
 nounces the fulfillment of all that went before, 
 in him who then addresses them." — (Alford.) 
 The book was undoubtedly a roll of parchment, 
 comprising Isaiah, either alone or with some of the 
 other prophetical books ; of its form the reader 
 may get a just idea from the accompanying il- 
 lustration. The O. T. is kept in this form in the 
 Jewish synagogues to the present day. No con- 
 clusion can be drawn as to the date of the inci- 
 dent here recorded, from the passage selected by 
 
 ANCIENT BOOK. 
 
 Christ, because, (1) though the O. T. was divided 
 into reading lessons, one for each Sabbath, analo- 
 gous to those of the Episcopalian ritual, it is by 
 no means certain that the present rabbinical di- 
 visions existed in the time of Christ ; (2) appa 
 rently the selection of Scripture was made by 
 Christ for a specific purpose, not by the ruler of 
 the synagogue. 
 
 18, 19. The language of Isaiah, here quoted, 
 is not by accommodation applied by Christ to 
 himself, but was originally employed by Isaiah 
 prophetically of the Messiah. This is evident, 
 because the mission here defined was not Isa- 
 iah's, and was Christ's. It is to be interpreted 
 both literally and spiritually. Christianity is a 
 gospel to the poor, whom it has elevated by stim- 
 ulating industry and by diffusing wealth ; it is 
 comfort to the broken-hearted, whom it bids not 
 to sorrow as others who are without hope ; it is 
 deliverance to the captives, having abolished 
 slavery throughout Christendom ; it is the re- 
 covery of sight to the blind, who were special 
 objects of Christ's earthly ministry of mercy ; it 
 set at liberty the bruised, I. e., the oppressed; 
 the religion of the N. T. having been always the 
 precursor of civil liberty and the basis of free in- 
 stitutions. But it is also glad tidings to the poor 
 in spirit (Matt. 6 ■. s), healing to the contrite in 
 heart (isaiah 66 : 2), deliverance to those who are 
 captives unto sin (John 8 : 34-36), spiritual sight to 
 the spiritually blind (John 9 : 39-11) ; and freedom 
 from bondage to the yoke of conscience and the 
 law, by that freedom wherewith Christ makes 
 free (Gai. 5 : 1). — To preach the acceptable 
 year of the Lord. Rather acceptable era ; i. e. y 
 the whole period of gracious ministry begun with
 
 JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 "Jind there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias."
 
 Cn. IV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 33 
 
 gracious 11 words which proceeded out of his mouth. 
 And they said, Is 1 not this Joseph's son ? 
 
 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto 
 me tins proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever 
 we have heard done in Capernaum," 1 do also here in 
 thy country. 
 
 24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No" prophet 
 is accepted in his own country. 
 
 25 But I tell you ol a truth, many" widows were in 
 
 Israel in the days of Rlias, when the heaven was shut 
 up i' three years and six months, when great tainine 
 was throughout all the land ; 
 
 26 Hut unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto 
 Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a 
 widow. 
 
 27 And 1 many lepers were in Israel in the time of 
 Eliseus the prophet ■ and none of them was cleansed, 
 saving Naaman the Syrian. 
 
 k ch. 2:47; Ps. 45 : 2 ; Isa. 50 : 4 ; Matt. 13:54; Mnrk B: 2....I John 6 : 48. . . .in Mntt. 4 : 13; 11 : 23, otc....n Matt. 13 : 67 ; John 4:44... 
 1 Kings 17 ;9....p Jmnes 5 : 17.... q 2 King» 5 : 14. 
 
 the advent of Christ, but not completed till his 
 second coining and final triumph. 
 20-22. Have it again to the minister. 
 
 To the officer of the synagogue, who had charge 
 of the books as well as of the building. Ilis 
 duties were partly of a sacred, partly of a secu- 
 lar character ; his office corresponded with that 
 of the modern sexton ; but he was also often the 
 teacher of the synagogical school. — And sat 
 down. The Jewish rabbis taught sitting. — 
 And the eyes * * * were fastened on 
 him. An indication of that peculiar power 
 which secures to the true orator the attention of 
 his audience before he. begins to speak. Comp. 
 Acts 6 : 15. — And he began to say to them. 
 The report of this sermon is not verbatim. The 
 first part of his discourse was given to an exposi- 
 tion of his own ministry, as a fulfillment of this 
 prophecy, and probably occupied some time. 
 The narrator passes over this introduction 
 briefly ; his object is to give only so much fully 
 as is necessary to explain the expulsion of Christ 
 from his home in Nazareth. — And all bare 
 him witness. Bore unconscious witness to 
 the power of Christ, by their attention, and by 
 their whispered exclamations of wonder. So 
 later, even the soldiers sent to arrest Christ, 
 bore witness to his power (John 7 : 46). — And 
 wondered at the words of grace. The 
 reference is to his grace in manner, not to his 
 doctrine ; for the universality of divine grace 
 which he preached angered them. What they 
 were astounded at was that the " carpenter's 
 son " could speak with such ease and grace, hav- 
 ing never received the rabbinical education. So 
 the Jews were astounded at his teaching in Je- 
 rusalem, who had never learned in their prepar- 
 atory schools (John 7 : is). 
 
 23, 24. The meaning appears to be this. The 
 people had heard the fame of Christ's works in 
 Capernaum, as there they had heard of the fame 
 of his works in Jerusalem (John 4 : 45). They were 
 skeptical, because to them he was only a peas- 
 ant's son ; they knew him to be of obscure pa- 
 rentage ; his father was dead, and had, perhaps, 
 left his mother in poverty ; this suspicious skep- 
 ticism was aggravated by their jealousy of Caper- 
 naum. He read their thoughts and interpreted 
 them. They would have had him first improve 
 his own condition, and not claim to be the Prince 
 
 of Israel while living on the fare and wearing the 
 attire of the common class of laborers ; and they 
 would have had him confer fame on his own vil- 
 lage, not go away to confer it upon other towns 
 by working miracles, where he was little known. 
 He answered the proverb they would have emoted 
 to him by another, ■' No prophet is accepted in 
 his own country." He then proceeded to illus- 
 trate the truth, that grace follows faith, not 
 nationality, and is denied to the unbelieving 
 Jew and granted to the believing Gentile, by 
 two striking instances in O. T. history. 
 
 25-27. This is the first intimation of the ex- 
 tension of the Gospel to the heathen. Observe 
 how skillfully Christ presents this truth, so un- 
 palatable to the Jewish people. He does so by 
 implication, not by assertion, and by a simple 
 recitation of their own O. T. history, leaving 
 them to draw their own deductions. As Elijah 
 gave food by a miracle to the heathen widow of 
 Sarepta, and Elisha to the heathen captain of 
 Syria, so Christ will break to the Gentile the 
 bread of life, which the Jew rejects, and heal the 
 sinner who comes to him from outcast nations. 
 And it is still true that his grace is often rejected 
 by those who seem the nearest to it, and is ac- 
 cepted by those who seem the most remote. — 
 Three years and six months. So in Jas. 
 5 : 17. 1 Kings 17 : 1, and 1 Kings 18 : 1, have 
 been thought to imply that the drought lasted 
 less than three years ; but this is not a necessary 
 implication. In the former passage Elijah pro- 
 phesies to Ahab the coming drought, and in the 
 latter, "in the third year," is sent to foretell the 
 rain. But this phrase, "third year," may mean 
 either the third from the prophecy, or the third of 
 the drought ; and if the former there would be 
 no reason to believe that the drought had lasted 
 only three years, for the expression of Elijah in 
 giving the prophecy of the drought, is consistent 
 with the idea that it had already lasted some time 
 before the prophet warned Ahab of its continu- 
 ance. It is evident from Christ's language here, 
 and that of James, that the Jews generally under- 
 stood from the account that the drought lasted 
 over three years. — Sarepta. Same as Zarephath 
 (1 Kings 17 : 9, 10), the modern Surafend. It lay be- 
 tween Tyre and Sidon, on the Phoenician coast. 
 The modern village is about a mile from the 
 ruins of the ancient one. For good description
 
 34 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. IV. 
 
 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard 
 these things, were tilled with wrath, 
 
 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and 
 led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city 
 was built, that they might cast him down' headlong. 
 
 30 But he, passing B through the midst of them, went 
 his way ; 
 
 31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, 
 and taught them on the sabbath days. 
 
 32 And they were astonished at his doctrine : for his 
 word was with ' power. 
 
 33 And u in the synagogue there was a man, which 
 had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a 
 loud voice, 
 
 34 Saying, Let us alone ; what v have we to do with 
 thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy 
 us? 1" know thee who thou art; the" Holy One of 
 God. 
 
 35 And Jesus rebuked him. saying, Hold thy peace, 
 and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown 
 him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 
 
 36 And they were all amazed, and spake among 
 themselves, saying, What a word is this ! for with au- 
 thority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, 
 and* they come out. 
 
 37 And the fame of him went out into every place 
 of the country round about. 
 
 38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered 
 
 r Pa. 37 : 14, 32, 33. .. .a John 8 : 59; 10 : 39.... t Jer. 23 : 29; Matt. 7: 28, 29; Titus 2 : 15; Heb. 4 : 12.... u Mark 1 : 23. 
 w verse 41 x ch. 1 : 35 ; Pa. 16 : 10; Dan. 9 : 24 ; Acts i : 14 y 1 Pet. 3 : 22. 
 
 see Thomson's Land mid the Book, Vol. I., 
 234-236. 
 
 28-30. The rage of the people was the result 
 of their bigotry. To them it was intolerable that 
 Israel should be rejected and the heathen ac- 
 
 VICINITT OF NAZARETH. 
 
 cepted. Analogous was the Jews' treatment of 
 Paul when he preached a similar doctrine (Acts 
 22 : 22), and of Christ, when just previous to his 
 death in Jerusalem, he declared that the stone 
 
 which the builders refused would grind the na- 
 tion to powder. It was this teaching (Matt. 21 : 28 
 to ch. 22 : 13) which turned the enthusiasm into a 
 feeling of passionate hate, and the cry of " Ho- 
 sanna " into one of " crucify him." It illustrates 
 the declaration of John 1 : 11. 
 The accompanying illustration 
 shows the general character of 
 the environs of Nazareth, and 
 sufficiently explains the possibil- 
 ity of thrusting one off a preci- 
 pice in its immediate vicinity. 
 The traditional site is called the 
 Mount of Precipitation, and is 
 two miles away. That an in- 
 furiated mob should have under- 
 taken to conduct the victim two 
 miles before putting him to 
 death is so highly improbable 
 that the tradition would be un- 
 worthy of credence, even if it 
 were better authenticated. It 
 is, however, of no great antiqui- 
 ty. I do not believe that the 
 escape of Christ, here or in John 
 8 : 59, can be regarded as proper- 
 ly miraculous ; for there are no 
 other instances in which Christ 
 employed his divine power for 
 his own preservation ; the sug- 
 gestion to do this was one of the 
 temptations which he met and 
 overcame at the beginning of his 
 career (Matt. 4 : 3, 4) ; to have yield- 
 ed to it now, would have marred 
 the perfection of his incarnation, 
 by which he was made under the 
 law (Gai. 4 : 4), and in the condi- 
 tion of man (Phil. 2 : 7, s). I believe 
 with Godet, that " he passed 
 through the group of these in- 
 furiated people with a majesty 
 which overawed them." 
 
 31, 32. It is probable, though Alford thinks 
 otherwise, that this mob was the occasion of 
 Christ's change of residence from Nazareth to
 
 Ch. V.J 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 35 
 
 into Simon's house. And 1 Simon's wife's mother was 
 taken with a great fever ; and they besought him Un 
 her. 
 
 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever ; 
 and it left her : and immediately she arose, and minis- 
 tered unto them. 
 
 40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had 
 any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him : 
 and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healecl 
 them. 
 
 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, 
 and saying. Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he, 
 rebuking tketn, suffered them not to speak : for they 
 knew that he was Christ. 
 
 42 And when it was day, he departed, and went into 
 a desert place : and the people sought him, and came 
 
 unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart 
 from them. 
 
 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the king- 
 dom of God to other cities also ; for therefore • am I 
 sent. 
 
 44 And he preached in Uie synagogues of Galilee. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AND b it came to pass, that, as the people pressed 
 upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by 
 the lake of Gennesaret, 
 
 2 And saw two ships standing by. the hike : but the 
 fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing 
 their nets. 
 
 z Matt. 8 : 14, etc. ; Mark 1 : £9, etc a Mark 1 : S8 b Matt. 4 : IS, etc. ; Mark 1 : 10, etc. 
 
 Capernaum, referred to in John 2 : 1:3. Doctrine 
 is teaching ; not what he taught, but the manner 
 and spirit of the teaching. The power is that re- 
 ferred to in Matt. 7 : 29 (see note there), and illus- 
 trated in the Sermon on the Mount ; the power 
 of a direct appeal to the hearts and consciences 
 of his hearers, of his own spiritual earnestness 
 and consecration, and of the Spirit of God, speak- 
 ing in and through him. 
 
 33-37. Healing of the Demoniac— Peculiar 
 to Mark 1 : 21-27, and Luke. See notes on Mark. 
 The phrase "hurt him not," is peculiar to Luke, 
 whose description of diseases and their effects is 
 characteristic of the "beloved physician" (col. 
 
 4 : 14). 
 
 38, 39. The Healing of Peter's Mother- 
 in-law.— Matt. 8 : 11-17 ; Mark 1 : 29-31. See 
 notes on Matthew. Luke gives the peculiar 
 description of the fever as a "great fever." 
 Fevers, in the medical language of that day, 
 were simply divided into little and great fevers. 
 This was one of a serious character ; probably 
 malarious. Rebuked the fever is also peculiar to 
 Luke — a poetical expression, signifying that he 
 expelled it. 
 
 40-44. First Circuit in Galilee. — Mark 
 1 : 35-39 ; Matt. 4 : 23-25. See notes on both 
 Gospels. From Mark, it appears that Christ 
 arose before day, and that the people who fol- 
 lowed were led by Simon Peter. Matt. 8 : 17, 
 which belongs chronologically with this account, 
 gives a hint of the cause of Christ's sleeplessness, 
 viz., his intense sympathies. 
 
 Ch. 5 : 1-11. THE CALL OF FOUR DISCTrLFS. Christ 
 A POPULAR preacher.— The attraction and power 
 
 OF THE WORD OF GoD. — THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH IL- 
 lustrated.— the prater of fear: depart from 
 me. — Christ's call a call to work. 
 
 Alford regards this call of the four disciples as 
 distinct from and later than the similar incident 
 recorded in Matt. 4 : 18-22, and Mark 1 : 10-20. 
 In this opinion he stands almost alone. They are 
 generally regarded as different accounts of the 
 same event. There is small reason for regarding 
 
 them as different. To suppose that Christ called 
 these four disciples ; that they forsook their fish- 
 ing to follow him ; left him and went back to 
 their fishing, and were a second time called, 
 now, with the added emphasis of a miracle, 
 neither accords with Christ's character nor with 
 that of the four apostles. There is no inconsist- 
 ency in the three accounts. Matthew and Mark 
 omit the preaching from the boat and the mira- 
 cle, but narrate the call with greater detail than 
 Luke. Compare with the notes here those on 
 Matthew, and see below Alford's arguments in- 
 cidentally answered. 
 
 1,2. As the people pressed upon him to 
 hear the word of God. Christ was a populai 
 preacher. It was a local prejudice, stirred up by 
 an inimical priesthood, which crucified him. 
 The reason of his popularity is here indicated. 
 The people heard from him the word of God. 
 For the same reason he spake with authority 
 (Matt 7 : 29). The word of God has always had 
 power to attract as well as to convince and to 
 convert. It was the word of God which men 
 pressed to hear in fie days of Savanarola, Huss, 
 Luther, Wycliffe, Wesley, and which still, in our 
 own time, they press to hear from Bible preach- 
 ers, who always possess a power not their own. 
 Contrast Christ's teaching in Nazareth (eh. 4 : ic-;:) 
 and in Capernaum. Observe his example to the 
 unsuccessful preacher. Rejected by one city he 
 carries his message to another. Seeming failure 
 became to patient perseverance the precursor 
 of abundant success.— Lake of Gennesaret. 
 Otherwise called Sea of Galilee. For description 
 see note on Matthew.— Two ships. Fisher- 
 man's boats. They carried sail, but were not too 
 large to be propelled by oars (Mark 4 : 36, not*). — 
 The fishermen. Washing their nets. To 
 get the full significance of this incident the 
 reader must have some familiarity with Oriental 
 fishing. For detailed description see Thompson's 
 Land and the Book, Vol. II, p. 79. It is rarely done 
 with the hook ; generally with nets. These are 
 of various kinds. There is the hand-net, in shape 
 like the top of a tent, with a long cord fastened
 
 36 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Oh. V. 
 
 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was 
 Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a 
 little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the 
 people out of the ship. 
 
 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto 
 Simon, Launch c out into the deep, and let down your 
 nets for a draught. 
 
 5 And Simon, answering, said unto him. Master, we 
 have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:" 1 
 nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. 
 
 6 And " when they had this done, they inclosed a 
 great multitude of fishes : and their net brake. 
 
 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which 
 were in the other ship, that they should come and help' 
 them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so 
 that they began to sink. 
 
 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell downs at Jesus' 
 knees, saying, Depart from me ; for 1 am a sinful man. 
 O Lord. 
 
 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, 
 at the draught of the fishes h which they had taken: 
 
 c John 21 : 6 d Ps. 127 : 1, 2 ; Ezek. 37 : 11, 12 e Eccles. 11 : 6; Gal. 6 : 9 f Exoii. 23 : 5 ; Prov. 18 : 24 ; Gal. 6:2.. .g Judges 13 : 22- 
 
 2 Sam. 6 : 9 ; 1 Kings 17 : 18 ; Isa. 6 : 6. . . .h Ps. 8 : 6, 8. 
 
 ORIENTAL FISUEKS. 
 
 to the apex ; this is tied to the fisherman's arm, 
 and the net so folded that when it is thrown it 
 expands to its utmost circumference ; around 
 the bottom are beads of lead to make it sink sud- 
 denly to the bottom. The fisherman watches, 
 sees the fish in the surf, throws the net, which 
 encircles the victim, who is then drawn leisurely 
 to the shore. For illustration see Matt. 4 : 18, 19, 
 Vol. I., p. 81. There is the drag-net, worked by 
 several fishermen together ; some row the boat, 
 some cast out the rope, some on shore draw it in, 
 some at the ends beat the water to frighten the 
 fish from escaping. See Matt. 13 : 47-50, notes. 
 There are bag-nets and basket-nets of various 
 kinds, so constructed and worked as to enclose 
 the fish in deep water. It was such a net which 
 Dr. Thompson supposes was used here. The dis- 
 ciples were washing their nets to cleanse them 
 from mud or stones, or matter accumulated 
 from the bottom of the lake or along the shore. 
 
 3-5. It is evident that there was some pre- 
 vious acquaintance between Jesus and Simon, 
 from which Alford draws the conclusion that the 
 call of Simon, recorded in Matthew, had pre- 
 viously taken place. This does not follow. Peter 
 had met Jesus some time previous at the baptism 
 of John in the Jordan (John l : 40-42), and the ac- 
 quaintance then founded was sufficient to ac- 
 
 count for Peter's loan of the boat and subse- 
 quent obedience to the directions of Christ. Ob- 
 serve that Christ preached everywhere ; that no 
 ritualistic service, therefore, could have accom- 
 panied his service. We have no account of even 
 a prayer or a psalm. Certainly instruction was 
 the main element in these out-of-door services. 
 Observe, too, the childlike trustfulness of Si- 
 mon's obedience. He might not unnaturally 
 have refused, on the point that Christ, who was 
 a carpenter, knew nothing about fishing ; and 
 there was no promise and no apparent expecta- 
 tion of a miracle. 
 
 0, 7. That a miracle is intended is unques- 
 tionable. How wrought, whether by a divine 
 act drawing together at this time and place a 
 shoal of fishes, or by a divine knowledge per- 
 ceiving the shoal that was there, the narra- 
 tor does not indicate. It is enough for us that 
 Simon Peter, who was a fisherman, and was able 
 to judffe, accounted the event an evidence of su- 
 pernatural power. It produced the desired ef- 
 fect on him and his co-laborers. Tristram (Land 
 of Tsrael) says, referring to the fish of the Sea of 
 Galilee, "The shoals were marvelous; black 
 masses, many hundred yards long, with their 
 black fins projecting out of the water as thick as 
 they could pack. No wonder any net should
 
 Ch. V.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 37 
 
 ic And so was also James and John, the sons of Zeb- 
 edee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus 
 said unto Simon, l'"ear not ; from henceforth thou shalt 
 catch men. 
 
 ii And when they had brought their ships to land, 
 they forsook' all, and followed him. 
 
 12 And J it came to pass, when he was in a certain 
 city, behold, a man lull of leprosy ; who seeing Jesus, 
 fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou 
 wilt, thou canst make me clean. 
 
 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, say- 
 ing, I will ; be k thou clean. And immediately the lep- 
 rosy departed from him. 
 
 14 And he charged him to tell no man : but go and 
 shew thyself to the priest, and ofler for thy cleansing, 
 
 according as Moses commanded, 1 for a testimony unto 
 them. 
 
 15 But so much the more went there afameabro I 
 of him: and" 1 great multitudes came together, to hear, 
 and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 
 
 16 And n he withdrew himself into the wilderness, 
 and prayed. 
 
 17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was 
 teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors ol the 
 law sitting by, which were come out of every town of 
 Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem; and tlie power 
 of the Lord wa.^ present to heal them. 
 
 18 And," behold, men brought in a bed a man whirh 
 was taken with a palsy : and they sought means to 
 bring him in, and to lay him before him. 
 
 Matt. 4:20: 19: "7; Phil. 3 : 7, 8. . . J Mutt. 8 : S, etc. : Mark 1 :40, etc k 2 Kings E : 10, 14.. ..I Lev. 14:4.. t. .. 
 
 Ma.k 3:7; John 6 : 2....0 Malt. 14 : -J;; ; Mark 6 : 46.... o John 3 : 21.... p Matt. 9 : S.elc.; Mark -1 : 3, etc 
 
 Malt. 4 : 25 ; 
 
 break which should enclose such a shoal." 
 Peter refers to fishing all night. Night fishing is 
 common in the East, both with the spear and the 
 net. 
 
 8, 9. Compare Simon Peter's prayer with that 
 of the Gadarenes in Matt. 8 : 34 ; the language is 
 similar, the spirit is radically different. There 
 they desired Christ's departure because of the 
 injury to their property. Here, it is evident, 
 from Simon Peter's subsequent course in leaving 
 all to follow Christ, that he did not really desire 
 his departure. The language was a strong ex- 
 pression of his own unworthiness to be in the 
 presence of one whose divinity was even then 
 perceived by Peter's quick intuition. Compare 
 for an interpretation of Peter's expression, Exod. 
 20 : 18, 19 ; Judges 13 : 22 ; 1 Kings 17 : 18 ; Isa. 
 6:5; Dan. 10 : 17, "The deepest thing in man's 
 heart under the law is this sense of God's holi- 
 ness as something bringing death and destruc- 
 tion to the unholy creature. Below this is the 
 utterly profane state in which there is no contra- 
 diction felt between the holy and the unholy, be- 
 tween God and the sinner. Above is the state of 
 grace, in which all the contradiction is felt ; God 
 is still a consuming fire ; yet not any more for 
 the sinner, but only for the sin. It is still felt — 
 felt far more strongly than ever, how profound 
 a gulf separates between sinful man and a holy 
 God ; but felt no less that this gulf has been 
 bridged over, that the two can meet, that in One 
 who shares with both they have already met.'' — 
 (Trench, Notes on Miracles.) 
 
 10, 11. Compare Matt. 4 : 19. Combining the 
 two reports, it will appear that Christ said to 
 Peter, "Fear not, for thou shalt catch men;" 
 and afterward bid the four " follow me, and I 
 will make you fishers of men." 
 
 In studying this incident observe, (1) That 
 Christ employs familiar figures to illustrate the 
 truth, and draws each soul by that which gives 
 access to him. The magicians by a star (Matt. 
 » : l, a) ; the hungry people by a promise of bread 
 of life (John ch. 6) ; the Samaritan woman who 
 came to draw water, by a promise of the water 
 
 of life (John 4 : 7-i4) ; the fishermen, by the prom- 
 ise to make them fishers of men. (2.) His invi- 
 tation. He calls us to the life of work, to follow 
 him that so we may lead others to follow us in 
 our following of him (1 Cor. n : 1). (3.) That the 
 promised reward is success in that work. This 
 was the hope of which the Psalmist spoke, 
 "He shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, 
 bringing his sheaves with him"' (Ps. 126 : 6); 
 and this was the joy which Christ had set be- 
 fore him, and which enabled him to endure the 
 cross, despising the shame, since he propheti- 
 cally saw of the harvest of his life and was satis- 
 fied (isa. 53 : 11,12; comp. Isa. 55 : ll). (4.) That the 
 
 promise, as interpreted by this event, is a 
 catching of many souls. It is not individual 
 fishing, to be interpreted by the modern angling 
 with hook or fly, but net-fishing, in which great 
 numbers are brought into the net. It is a prom- 
 ise of revival scenes. Its first fulfillment was the 
 day of Pentecost, when Peter's net drew three 
 thousand souls into the kingdom of Christ. (5.) 
 Peter and his co-laborers are called from a pros- 
 perous business ; from a business which Christ 
 has just made, especially and miraculously, pros- 
 perous ; and the prosperity is the reason why 
 they leave it at his call. Compare their readi- 
 ness with that hesitancy and declination of those 
 to whom no harder test was proposed (ch. 9 : 57-62; 
 
 18 : 18-23). 
 
 12-16. The Healing of the Leper.— Comp. 
 Mark 1 : 40-15 ; Matt. 8:2-4. I have treated it 
 fully in Matthew ; see notes there. The phrase 
 here, "Full of leprosy,''' is peculiar to Luke, and 
 is an indication of the incurable character of the 
 disease. It had already affected the whole body. 
 
 17-26. The Healing of the Paralytic. — 
 Matt. 9:2-8; Mark 2 : 1-12, notes. This miracle 
 was wrought at Capernaum (Mark 2 • 1) at the time 
 indicated here and in Mark. Ver. 17 here is pe- 
 culiar to Luke. — From every town of Gali- 
 lee, etc. Not to be taken literally. The people 
 were simply from all quarters. The complaints 
 against Christ probably came from the Judeans, 
 who were jealous of the influence of one whom
 
 38 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 19 And when they could not find by what may they 
 wight bring him in because of the multitude, they went 
 upon the housetop, and let him down through the 
 tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. 
 
 20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto hiin, 
 Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 
 
 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to rea- 
 son, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies ? 
 Who can torgivei sins, but God alone ? 
 
 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he, an- 
 swering, said unto him, What reason ye in your hearts ? 
 
 23 Whether is easier, to say. Thy sins be forgiven 
 thee ; or to say, Rise up and walk ? 
 
 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath 
 power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick 
 of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and r take up thy 
 couch, and go into thine house. 
 
 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and 
 took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own 
 house, glorifying God. 
 
 26 And they were all amazed, and 8 they glorified 
 God, and * were filled with fear, saying, We have seen 
 strange things to-day. 
 
 27 And u after these things he went forth, and saw a 
 publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom : 
 and he said unto him, Follow me. 
 
 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 
 
 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own 
 house : and v there was a great company of publicans 
 and of others that sat down with them. 
 
 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against 
 his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with 
 publicans and sinners ? 
 
 31 And Jesus, answering, said unto them, They that 
 are whole need not a physician;" but they that are 
 sick. 
 
 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners x to 
 repentance. 
 
 33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of 
 John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the 
 disciples of the Pharisees ; but 1 thine eat and drink ? 
 
 3i And he said unto them, Can ye make the children 
 of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with 
 them ? 
 
 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom 
 shall be taken away from them, and then shall they 
 fast z in those days. 
 
 36 And ° he spake also a parable unto them : No man 
 putteth a piece of new garment upon an old : if other- 
 wise, then both the new inaketh a rent, and the piece 
 that W..S taken out of the new agreeth not b with the 
 old. 
 
 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles ; 
 else the new wine will burst the bottles and be spilled, 
 and the bottles shall perish. 
 
 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles ; and 
 both are preserved. 
 
 39 No man also having drunk old mine straightway 
 desireth new : for he saith, The old c is better. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 AND d it came to pass on the second sabbath after 
 the first, that he went through the corn fields; 
 and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, 
 rubbing them in their hands. 
 
 qP 
 
 : 5- 103 : 3: 130 : 4; Isa. 1 : 18 ; 43 : 25 r John 5 : 8, 12 s Acts 4 : 21 ; Gnl. 1 : 24 t verse 8 n Malt. 9 : 9, etc.; Mark 2:13 
 
 15 : J, etc- w Jer. 8 : 22 x ch. 15 : 7, 10 ; 1 Cor. 6 • 9-11 ; 1 Tim. 1 : 15; 2 Pet. 3:9 y ch. 7 : 34, 35. . . z Isa. 22 : 12 a Matt. 
 
 9 : 16, 17 ; Maik 3 : 21, 22 b Ley. 19 ■ 19 ; Deuu 22 : 11 ; 2 Cor. 6 : 16 c Jer. 6:16 d Matt. 12 : 1, etc. ; Mark 2 : 23, etc. 
 
 they regarded as a Galilean rabbi (John i -. 52). — 
 The power of the Lord was present to 
 heal them. Not specifically the Pharisees 
 and doctors, but whoever sought healing. The 
 meaning is that at this time the power of God was 
 manifest in and exercised by Jesus Christ in acts 
 of healing. That his teaching was not always ac- 
 companied by acts of healing is certain (Matt. 13 : 58 ; 
 Mark 6 : 5). Except for Luke we should not know 
 that any other cures than that of the paralytic 
 were wrought at this time. Ver. 19 also gives 
 gome particulars not given in Mark. For notes 
 on the narrative, see Mark 2 : 1-12. 
 
 27-39. The Call of Levi (Matthew) 
 and Christ's Consequent Teaching. — Matt. 
 9 : 9-17 ; Mark 2 : 14-22. This call occurred prior 
 to the Sermon on the Mount ; and I think the 
 better opinion regards the call and supper as con- 
 temporaneous events, though there is some 
 doubt on that point. See notes on Matthew. 
 Luke alone directly declares that the feast was 
 given by Levi (Matthew), but this is fairly im- 
 plied by Matthew and Mark. The expression in 
 ver. 36 is slightly different from the analogous 
 expression in Matthew and Mark. It should be 
 rendered thus : " Iff otherwise, then both the new he 
 rends," i. e., by taking out the patch for the old, 
 " and the patch from the new agrees not with the 
 oW," and so rends that also. Comp. note on 
 Matt. 9 : 16. The general lesson of the parable is 
 against all attempt to patch old and effete sys- 
 tems with partial reformations ; here, because 
 
 the attempt spoils them both. " The new loses 
 its completeness ; the old its consistency." — (Al- 
 ford.) The better reading of ver. 39 is, No man 
 also having drunk old wine desireth new; for lie 
 saith the old is good, omitting straightway and 
 substituting good for better. This verse is pe- 
 culiar to Luke. Its significance appears to be, 
 The Jews, who have been accustomed to the old 
 order of things, will not readily accept the new 
 wine of the Gospel ; its lesson is one of patience 
 to all Christian teachers, and to all reformers, 
 who must expect that men habituated to one 
 form of life, will not readily abandon it for a new 
 and better way. "The old is good enough," is the 
 common language of opposition to all reformers. 
 
 Ch. 6 : 1-11. THE LAW OF THE CHKISTAIK SABBATH 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 Matt. 12 : 1-14 ; Mark 2 : 23-28 ; 3 : 1-5. See 
 notes on Matthew. For illustration, see frontis- 
 piece. I here note only some matters peculiar 
 to Luke. 
 
 1-5. The second Sabbath after the first. 
 {dtvrtQonqiato)). There is great doubt and differ- 
 ence of opinion as to the meaning of the Greek 
 word so rendered. It occurs now here else, and 
 is thought by some critical scholars not to belong 
 here, but to be a gloss which has crept into the 
 account by a combination of two words added by 
 different scribes in the margin. Tischendorf, 
 after once rejecting, finally retains it ; Meyer re-
 
 Ch. VI.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 39 
 
 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them. Why 
 do ye that which e is not lawful to do on the sabbath 
 days ? 
 
 3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read 
 so much as this, what f David did, when himself was 
 an hungered, and they which were with him ; 
 
 4 How he went into the house of God, and did take 
 and eat the show bread, and gave also to them that 
 were with him ; which it is not lawful « to eat, but for 
 the priests alone ? 
 
 5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is 
 Lord also of the sabbath. 
 
 6 And h it came to pass also on another sabbath, that 
 he entered into the synagogue, and taught ; and there 
 was a man whose right hand was withered. 
 
 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, 
 
 whether he would heal on the sabbath day,' that they 
 might find an accusation against him. 
 
 a Hut he knew their thoughts,' and said to the man 
 which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth 
 in the midst. And he arose, and stood forth. 
 
 9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one 
 thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days k to do good, 
 or to do evil ? to save life, or to destroy it ? 
 
 io And looking' round about upon them all, he said 
 unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so : 
 and his hand was restored whole as the other. 
 
 ii And they were filled with madness ; and com- 
 muned ra one with another what they might do to 
 Jesus. 
 
 eExod. 20: 10; Isa. 58 : 13.... f 1 Sum. 21 : 6. . . .g Lev. 24 : 9. . . .h chaps. 13 : 14 ; 14:3; Matt. 12 : 10, etc. ; Mark 3 : 1, etc. .. .1 John 9 : 1«.... 
 j Job 42: 2...1 ch. 14: 3; Eiod. 20:10....! Mark 3: 5.... m Ps. 2 : 1, 2. 
 
 jects it ; Alford doubts and brackets it. It seems 
 to me more probable that it has been rejected 
 because of the difficulty it presented, than that 
 it has been invented and inserted. Among the 
 various explanations, which the curious student 
 will find at some length in Alford but still more 
 clearly expressed in Godet, two are suggested, 
 either of which is reasonable, but neither of 
 which is certain. The second day of the Pass- 
 over week was a Sabbath day (Lev. 23 : 6, 7), and 
 from that day seven Sabbaths were reckoned to 
 the Pentecost, which was the next feast, seven 
 weeks later. It is supposed by Lightfoot, Scali- 
 ger, De Wette, Brown, and others, that here is 
 meant the first of these seven Sabbaths, i. e., the 
 first Sabbath after the second day of the Pass- 
 over. This rendering places the incident imme- 
 diately after the incident and address recorded 
 in John, ch. 5 ; and the feast referred to there 
 (ver. 1) is assumed to be the Passover. The other 
 explanation, approved by Godet and adopted by 
 Oosterzee, is this : The Israelites recognized two 
 years ; a civil year commencing in autumn, the 
 month of Tisru (sept.), and the church year com- 
 mencing in the spring, the month of Nisan (March). 
 Thus there were two first Sabbaths, a first first, 
 and a second first. The reference will then be to 
 the second first Sabbath, i. e., to the first Sabbath 
 in the ecclesiastical year. And this explanation, 
 like the other, brings the incident in the first 
 Passover week. The barley harvest was in April, 
 the wheat harvest in May. Thus the incident un- 
 doubtedly occurred about the time indicated by 
 these two interpretations. The question is of im- 
 portance only as it serves to fix a date in Christ's 
 life, and the meaning is so doubtful that it can- 
 not be relied upon for that purpose. — Ears of 
 corn. Of grain ; probably wheat or barley. — 
 Why do ye ? According to Matthew and to 
 Mark they address the question to the Lord, 
 Why do thy disciples do that which is not lawful? 
 It may have been addressed first to the disciples, 
 and subsequently to the Lord. 
 
 0-1 1. The statement that this was on another 
 Sabbath, is peculiar to Luke. It was probably on 
 
 the Sabbath immediately succeeding. Matthew's 
 report is fuller than Luke's. The question of our 
 Lord, as there reported, if it be not lawful to save 
 a sheep from a pit, is repeated in Luke's account 
 
 KED WHEAT OF PALESTINE. 
 
 of a similar Sabbath day healing in ch. 14 : 1-5. 
 Hence, Alford concludes that Matthew has con- 
 founded and intermixed the two incidents. But 
 what reason is there for believing that Christ dirj
 
 40 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. VI. 
 
 not use the same illustration on a second occa- 
 sion ? That he did sometimes repeat, not only 
 the same substantial truths, but the same illus- 
 trations, and even the same forms of expression, 
 is very certain. The synagogue where this oc- 
 curred is described in Matthew as " their syna- 
 gogue," i. e., one in which the more rigorous of 
 the Pharisees predominated. 
 
 12-49. Christ s Sermon on the Mount. — 
 Of this sermon we have two reports : one in Mat- 
 thew, chaps. 5, 6, 7, and one here in Luke. Sev- 
 eral circumstances have led some critics to sup- 
 pose that they are two sermons, either delivered 
 at different periods in Christ's ministry or deliv- 
 ered twice on the same day ; the first sermon, as 
 
 reported in Matthew, being preached to the 
 disciples ; the second, as reported in Luke, being 
 delivered immediately after, on Christ's descent 
 from the mountain, to the multitude. The 
 reasons for this opinion are as follows : (1.) The 
 sermon in Matthew is expressly stated to have 
 been delivered in the mountain (Matt. 5 : l), in Luke 
 in the plain (ver. it). (2.) The sermon in Luke is 
 immediately connected with the call and conse- 
 cration of the twelve to an apostolic ministry. 
 This is not the case in Matthew. (3. ) The report 
 in Matthew is much longer, yet that in Luke is 
 not an abbreviation, for it contains some passages 
 (vers. 24-26) not elsewhere reported in the N. T., 
 and some others (vera. 39, 40), reported elsewhere, 
 
 mount of beatitudes. 
 
 hut not in Matthew's account of the Sermon on 
 the Mount, For reasons stated more fully in the 
 notes on Matthew, I regard the two as reports of 
 the same discourse. The only serious ground for 
 a different opinion is the conflict in statement as 
 to the place of delivery. And this is sufficiently 
 explained by the topography of the Mount of 
 Beatitudes, or Horns of Hattin. This mount or 
 hill, for it is only sixty feet above the plain, is 
 generally believed, partly from tradition but 
 more from the peculiar location and character of 
 the hill itself, to have been the place where this 
 sermon was delivered. On the summit of this 
 hill is a spot exactly answering to Luke's descrip- 
 tion here, which should be rendered, not plain, 
 
 but level place {ronov ntdirov) ; it is capable of 
 seating upwards of two thousand persons, and is 
 easily accessible from the plain below. On either 
 side of it rise the two horns, which give the hill 
 its present name. The accompanying illustration 
 will make this clear to the reader. Christ went 
 up from the shore of the Sea of Galilee to spend 
 the night in prayer with his disciples. The peo- 
 ple, as on so many occasions, followed him up in 
 the early morning. Descending to them from one 
 of the horns, where he had retired for prayer, he 
 chose from his avowed disciples the twelve to be 
 his constant companions, and then preached to 
 them and to all the people this memorable ser- 
 mon, as an explanation of the principles of the
 
 Ch. VI.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 41 
 
 12 And " it came to pass in those days, that he went 
 out into a mountain" to pray, and continued all night 
 in prayer to God. 
 
 13 And when it was day, he called unto him his dis- 
 ciples : and of them he chose twelve,? whom also he 
 named apostles ; 
 
 14 Simon (whom' he also named Peter) and Andrew 
 his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 
 
 15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphzeus, 
 and Simon called Zelotes, 
 
 16 And Judas 'the brother of James, and Judas Is- 
 cariot. which also was the traitor. 
 
 17 And he came down with them, and stood in the 
 plain, and the company of his disciples, and ' a great 
 multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, 
 and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came 
 to hear him, and to be healed ' of their diseases; 
 
 18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits : 
 and they were healed. 
 
 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch u him : 
 for" there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. 
 
 20 And™ he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and 
 said, Blessed be ye x poor : for yours is the kingdom of 
 ( rod. 
 
 21 Blessed are ye that hunger > now : for ye shall be 
 filled. 2 Blessed are ye that weep " now : lor ye shall 
 laugh. 
 
 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate h you, and 
 when they shall separate you from their company, 
 ami shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, 
 for the Son of man's sake. 
 
 23 Rejoice d ye in that day, and leap for joy : for, be- 
 hold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like 
 manner* did their fathers unto the prophets. 
 
 24 But woe unto you that are f rich ! lor ye have re- 
 ceived* your consolation. 
 
 25 Woe unto you that are full ! h for ye shall hunger. 
 Woe unto you that laugh 1 now! fur ye shall mourn 
 and weep. 
 
 26 Woe unto you when all men shall speak well' of 
 you ! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. 
 
 n Matt. 14 : 23.... n Matt. 6 : 6....|> Malt. 10 : l,el<\ ; Murk 3 : 18; 6 : 7 q J..hnl : 42. . . .r Jude 1....1 Matt. 4 : 25. etc.; Hark 3 : 7, etc. . . . 
 
 t Ps. 103 : 3; -107 : 17-20.... ti Numb. 21 : 8, 9 ; Matt. 14 : 36; John 3 : 11, l. r >....v ch. 8 :46; Mark 5 :30....w Malt. 5 : J, etc... .« 
 
 2: 5....V Isa. 55 : 1....Z Ps. 107 : 9. . . .a Isb. 61 : 3; R.-v. 21 :4....b X hn 17:14 c 1 Pel. 2: 19, 20; 3 : 14 ; 4 : 14. . . .d Acts 5 : 1 
 
 1 : 24; James 1 : 2 e Acts 7 : 52 : Heb. 11 : 32-39 f llab. 2:9: James 5:1 g ch. 16 : 25 h Isa. 28 : 7 ; 65 : 13.... i Pkjv. H : 13: 
 
 Euues. " 
 
 1 :.'... .e Acts 1 1 o£\ neo. 1 
 .j John 15 : 19 ; 1 John 4 : 5. 
 
 kingdom which he had come to establish. On the 
 sermon and on all that is common to both re- 
 ports, see notes on Matthew. 
 
 12-16. Of the twelve apostles there are four 
 lists, viz., Matt. 10 : 3-4 ; Mark 3 : 16-19 ; Acts 
 1 : 13 ; and Luke 6 : 13-16. On their differences 
 and their reconciliation, see Matt. 10 : 2, note ; 
 on the apostles themselves and their characters 
 see Vol. I, p. 147. Matthew gives the list, not in 
 connection with their call and consecration, but 
 with their subsequent commission to go out two 
 by two to preach the Gospel. He does not indi- 
 cate, however, that they were then first chosen. 
 Nor is it necessary to suppose that Christ first 
 exercised the choice at the time of the preaching 
 of this sermon. We know that several of them 
 had been heretofore called, and had attached 
 themselves to his service. Perhaps this was true 
 of all ; but now, for the first time, they were 
 publicly designated and set apart to their work. 
 Christ's example gives sanction to the custom of 
 public ordination and to the appointment of men 
 especially consecrated to the work of the minis- 
 try, abandoning all secular work for that purpose. 
 
 17-19. Stood in the plain. Rather, A 
 level place. See above. — They were healed. 
 We are not to understand that at the time of the 
 delivery of the sermon Christ performed the 
 miracles of healing [here referred to. None are 
 mentioned in Matthew as being performed at 
 this time. The account here is parallel to the ac- 
 count of Christ's work in Matt. 4 : 23-25, and 
 describes the general features of his ministry at 
 this time. This idea is conveyed in the original 
 by the peculiar form of the expression — the im- 
 perfect tense — which is not adequately expressed 
 in the English. It might be rendered thus : 
 They also that were vexed with unclean spints iverc 
 coming ; they also were being healed ; and the whole 
 
 multitude were seeking to touch him, for power was 
 going nut of him and he teas hading oil, i. <?., all 
 who came to him. That any were healed by 
 touching Jesus without the deliberate and con- 
 scious forth-putting of power there is no evi- 
 dence. In the only case narrated of such heal- 
 ing, it is evident, on a careful study of the narra- 
 tive, that Christ deliberately healed ; the woman 
 was not cured by the garment, but by the will of 
 the Lord. See Mark 5 : 30-34, notes. 
 
 20-23. These beatitudes are interpreted by a 
 fuller account of them given in Matt. 5 : 3-12. 
 The poor are poor in spirit, i. e., the humble and 
 contrite ; the hungry, those that hunger and thirst 
 after righteousness. If verses 20 and 21 stood 
 alone, one might perhaps regard them as refer- 
 ring only to earthly poverty and hunger (as De 
 Wette does), and Christ, as indicating that his 
 disciples should be poor and hungry in this life, 
 but should receive a compensation in wealth and 
 abundance in the life to come ; but (1) this does 
 not accord with Matthew's fuller report ; (2) nor 
 with the general course of Christ's instruction ; 
 
 (3) nor with the language of Luke in reporting 
 Christ's instructions elsewhere (see ch. 12 : 21 ; ie : 11), 
 
 (4) nor with the context here (ver. ::\ which speaks 
 of suffering for the Son of man's sake ; (5) nor 
 with the woes which follow, on which see notes. 
 We must not however forget that the majority 
 of Christ's hearers were poor, hungry, oppressed ; 
 and that poverty, hunger, and suffering are 
 blessings if we receive them aright and learn the 
 lessons which they are meant to teach. The 
 poor are blessed if they learn humility ; the 
 hungry, if they obtain a higher aspiration after 
 spiritual life ; the suffering, if they are drawn to 
 seek refuge in God. The kingdom of God here is 
 the same here as the kingdom of Heaven in Mat- 
 thew. One Evangelist describes it by its king ;
 
 42 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VI. 
 
 27 But I say unto you which hear, Love k your ene- 
 mies, do good to them which hate you, 
 
 28 Bless them that curse you, and ' pray for them 
 which despitetully use you. 
 
 29 And '" unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek 
 offer also the other; and him" that taketh away thy 
 cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 
 
 30 Give ° to every man that asketh of thee ; and of 
 him that taketh away thy goods ask tliem not again. 
 
 31 AndP as ye would that men should do to you, do 
 ye also to them likewise. 
 
 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank 
 have ye ? for sinners also love those that love them. 
 
 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, 
 what thank have ye ? for sinners also do even the 
 same. 
 
 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to re- 
 
 ceive, what thank have ye ? for sinners also lend to 
 sinners, to receive as much again. 
 
 35 But love ye your enemies,i and do good, and 
 lend/ hoping for nothing again ■ and your reward shall 
 be great, and 8 ye shall be the children of the Highest : 
 for he is kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil. 
 
 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is 
 merciful. 
 
 37 Judge 1 not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn 
 not, and ye shall not be condemned : forgive, and ye 
 shall be forgiven. 
 
 38 Give, and it shall be given" unto you; good 
 measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and run- 
 ning over, shall men give into your bosom." For w 
 with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be 
 measured to you again. 
 
 39 And he spake a parable unto them: Can* the 
 
 ; verse 35 ; Exod. 23 : 4, 5 ;.Prov. 25 : 21 ; Malt. 5 : 44 ; Rom. 12 : 20 1 ch. 23 : 34 ; Acts 7 : 60 m Matt. 5 : 39 n 1 Cor. 6:7 
 
 o Deut. 15 : 7,8, 10; Prov. 19 : 17 ; 21 : 26 ; Matt. 5 : 42, etc p Matt. 7 : 12 q verse 27 r Ps. 37 : 26; 112 : 5 s Matt. 5 : 45 
 
 t Matl. 7:1 u Prov. 19 : 17 ; Matt. 10 : 42 v Ps. 79 : 12 w Matt. 7:2; Mark 4 : 24; James 2 : 13 1 Matt. 15 : 14. 
 
 the other by its capital. On the spiritual mean- 
 ing and application of these beatitudes, see notes 
 on Matthew. 
 
 24-26. These woes have their place in the 
 complete sermon in Matthew, in ch. 5, between 
 verses 12 and 13. Why they were omitted there, 
 it is useless to conjecture. It is far more prob- 
 able that a later tradition dropped them, because 
 they were thought to be incongruous with the 
 prevailing spirit of that discourse, than that it 
 added them here, as Meyer has supposed. Tra- 
 dition seeks to increase the blessings but to di- 
 minish the warnings of Scripture. Nor are these 
 woes denounced against the rich and prosperous, 
 as if the prosperity were itself a crime. The 
 spirit is not that of the modern commune. Christ 
 is not an agrarian. Joseph of Arimathea and 
 Nicodemus are among his disciples. As in many- 
 other passages, if we would correctly under- 
 stand the real meaning of Christ, we must give 
 a careful study to the words themselves. The 
 word consolation in ver. 24 {nuQuy.hiaie) is de- 
 rived from a Greek verb, meaning, To call to 
 one's aid ; it is used in Luke 2 : 25 of the Mes- 
 siah. A different form of the same word is used 
 in John 14 : 16, 26 ; 15 : 26, etc., of the Holy 
 Spirit ; and throughout the N. T., of that spirit- 
 ual life, which comes from calling to one's aid 
 
 the Spirit Of God (Acts 9 : 31 ; Rom. 15 : 4 ; 2 Cor. 1:3-5; 
 
 Phil. 2 : i). The woe here, too, is denounced, not 
 merely against the rich, but against those who 
 have made riches their consolation, i. c, who 
 have chosen it as their chief good, as their Mes- 
 siah, Deliverer, Comforter, as the one thing need- 
 ful. It is interpreted by Mark 10 : 24, and Luke 
 12 : 19, 20. Comp. 1 Tim. 6 : 9, 10, 17, where the 
 warning is not against riches, but against the de- 
 termination to be rich, which may be as injurious 
 to him who fails as to him who succeeds. In ver. 
 25 the word full (iunlrrkiiui) signifies a state of 
 satiety, complete and entire satisfaction, want- 
 ing nothing more. To those who are filled to the 
 full with the things of this present world, there 
 
 will come a time of emptying ; death will come 
 to them as a thief (Matt. 24 : 43; Rev. 3 : 3), and then 
 they will hunger ; while those who have never 
 been satisfied, ever hungry and thirsty after 
 righteousness, as Paul (phii. 3: 12-14), will be filled. 
 They that laugh, in verse 25, is literally, The 
 laughing ones (o« ytlwvrtc), i. e., those who give 
 themselves up to a life of merriment and super- 
 ficial pleasure ; who will not perceive that life is 
 serious ; who are without the earnestness of pur- 
 pose that makes merriment an occasional relief, 
 not a constant aim. Parallel with this warning is 
 that of Prov. 14 : 13, and Eccles. 7:6; and in no 
 way inconsistent with it is the commendation of 
 the merry heart, that doeth good like a medicine 
 (Prov. 17 : 22 ; is : is, is). The fourth woe needs no 
 interpretation. All men cannot and will not 
 speak well of one who is faithful in following his 
 own convictions of duty, and whose life is thus a 
 rebuke to the recreant. Thus these four woes 
 are four warnings to four different classes — 
 those who make wealth their God ; those who 
 are satisfied with this present life, having no 
 hungering for inward peace or future glory ; 
 those who live for present enjoyment, devoid of 
 earnest purpose and serious thoughts ; and those 
 who sacrifice conscience to a popular adulation. 
 
 27-36. Nearly all these precepts have their 
 parallels in Matthew's report of this sermon. 
 The connection presented there is missed here, 
 where the verses stand rather as separated 
 aphorisms than as parts of one connected dis- 
 course. The variations are otherwise chiefly ver- 
 bal, and not important. See notes on Matthew. 
 
 37, 38. Parallel to these verses is Matt. 
 7 : 1, 2 ; but the difference is such as to give 
 color to Alford's hypothesis, that the saying as 
 reported here, was perhaps uttered by our Lord 
 on some other occasion ; " for the connection is 
 very strict in Matthew, and would hardly bear 
 this expansion of what is not in that place the 
 leading idea." Or, may it not be that Luke has 
 amplified the idea, explaining the command,
 
 Cii. VI.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 43 
 
 blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the 
 ditch ? 
 
 40 The y disciple is not above his master : but every 
 one that is perlcct shall be as his master. 
 
 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy 
 brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in 
 thine own eye ? 
 
 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Bro- 
 ther, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, 
 when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in 
 
 thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite ! cast ■ out first the 
 beam out of thine own eye, and then slialt thou see 
 clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. 
 4^3 For" a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt Iruit ; 
 neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 
 
 44 For b every tree is known by his own fruit: for 
 of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush 
 gather they grapes. 
 
 45 A c good man out of the good treasure of his heart 
 bringeth lorth that which is good ; and an evil man 
 
 y Matt. 10 : 24 ; John 13 : 16 ; 15 : 20 z Prov. 18:17; Rom. 2:1,21, etc a Matt. 7 : 16, 17 b Matt. 12 : 33 . 
 
 judge not, by the added one, condemn not. For 
 (see Matt. 7 : i, notes) the command, judge not, does 
 not prohibit the formation of judgments respect- 
 ing our fellow-men, but the exercise of the judi- 
 cial function, in a quasi trial, convicting and con- 
 demning them as though we were their judges. 
 The metaphorical language of ver. 38 is derived 
 from the usages of the Jewish grain market of 
 the East, as they may be seen at the present day 
 in Jerusalem. An official, appointed by the gov- 
 ernment, measures all the grain that is bought or 
 
 MEASURING GRAIN. 
 
 sold ; after he has filled the measure full to the 
 edge, he pours on more, presses it down, shakes 
 the measure, pours on again till no more can be 
 heaped up, and then, by a sudden movement, 
 with a dexterity which only long experience 
 could give, he empties the contents of the meas- 
 ure into the receptacle of the waiting customer, 
 and begins again. This receptacle is often the 
 "bosom" of the purchaser. The long robe, 
 skillfully gathered about the wearer, affords by 
 its ample folds a capacious pocket, easily ad- 
 
 justed to the carriage of a considerable burden. 
 A pocketfull of grain carried in this way in the 
 bosom is not an inconsiderable quantity. The ac- 
 companying cut, from an original drawing by 
 Mr. Rawson, sketched in Jerusalem in 1874, 
 serves to illustrate both phrases in the text. 
 The word men is added by the translators ; the 
 original is shall they give into your bosom. Al- 
 ford, following Meyer, supposes that angels are 
 meant rather than men ; angels being the minis- 
 ters of the divine purpose. But a comparison of 
 the language here with that of Matt. 7 : 2, and 
 Mark 4 : 24, in both of which cases the same 
 principle is enunciated, though with a different 
 application, indicates that it is primarily of men 
 that Christ is here speaking. As we treat them 
 we must expect to be treated by them. See 
 further, notes on Matt. 7 : 2. 
 
 39. On the meaning of this verse see Matt. 
 15 : 14, note, where the same saying is reported 
 in a different connection. The censorious spirit 
 of the Pharisees, begotten by their pride, makes 
 them blind. See also John 9 : 40, 41. The con- 
 nection forbids the supposition that the rest of 
 this chapter is simply a casual collection of say- 
 ings of our Lord, thrown together by Luke ; 
 though several of them (see below) are found re- 
 peated at different times during his ministry. 
 It is much more reasonable to suppose that Luke 
 has given a different report of the same dis- 
 course, as that more fully, and I believe more ac- 
 curately reported by Matthew, possibly inter- 
 weaving some cognate sayings not uttered at 
 this time. Alford gives the connection of the 
 following verses well. "The parabolic saying, 
 implying the unfitness of an uncharitable and un- 
 justly condemning leader (the Lord was speak- 
 ing primarily to His Apostles) to perform his 
 office, leads to the assertion (vcr. so) that no 
 Christian ought to assume in this respect an of- 
 fice of judging, which his Master never asmmed ; 
 but rather will every well-instructed Christian 
 strive to be humble, as his Master was. Then 
 follows the reproof of vers. 41-43 ; ami vers. 44, 
 45, and 46-49, show us, expanded in different 
 images, what the beam in the eye is, to which our 
 first efforts must be directed." — (Alford.) 
 
 40. Compare Matt. 10 : 24 ; John 13 : 16. The 
 language here, Every one that is perfect shall be as 
 his Alaster, is peculiar to Luke. The word ren-
 
 44 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that 
 which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his 
 mouth speaketh. 
 
 46 And why call ye me, d Lord, Lord, and do not the 
 things which I say ? 
 
 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my say- 
 ings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is 
 like: 
 
 48 He e is like a man which built an house, and 
 digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock ; and 
 when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon 
 that house, and f could not shake it ; for it was founded 
 upon a rock.s 
 
 49 But he h that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man 
 that without a foundation built an house upon the 
 earth : against which the stream did beat vehemently, 
 and immediately it fell;' and the ruin of that house 
 was great. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 NOW' when he had ended all his sayings in the au- 
 dience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 
 
 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear k 
 unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 
 
 3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the 
 
 elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come 
 and heal his servant. 
 
 4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him 
 instantly, saying, That he was worthy tor whom he 
 should do this : 
 
 5 For he loveth ' our nation, and he hath built us a 
 synagogue. 
 
 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was 
 now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends 
 to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble rn not thyself; 
 for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under 
 my roof: 
 
 7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to 
 come unto thee : but say" in a word, and my servant 
 shall be healed. 
 
 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having 
 under me soldiers: and I say unto one. Go, and he 
 goeth ; and to another, Come, and he cometh ; and to 
 my servant. Do this, and he doeth it. 
 
 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at 
 him, and turned him about, and said unto the people 
 that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so 
 great faith, no, not in Israel. 
 
 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, 
 found the servant whole that had been sick. 
 
 11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went 
 
 d ch. 13: 25; Mai. 1 : 6; Mutt. 7 : 21 ; 25 : 11 ; Gnl. 8:7... e Matt. 7: 95, 26.... f 2 Pet. 1 : 10; Jurte H....g Pa. 46 : 1-3; 62 : 2. . . .h James 
 
 1:24-26 i Prov. 28:18; Hosea 4 : 14 j Matt. 8 : 5, etc. . . k Jub 31 : 15 ; Prov. 29 : 21 1 1 Kings 5 : 1 ; Gal. 5 : 6 ; 1 Johu 3 : 14 ; 
 
 6 : 1, 2. . . .ui eli. 8 : 49. . . .n Ps. 107 : 20. 
 
 dered perfect (xaTi]oriciiiivoQ) means primarily 
 mended (see Matt. 4 : 21); i. e., it is commonly used 
 of that which has been injured and is repaired. 
 This I believe to be the meaning here. The 
 man that is restored by the divine grace to his 
 true condition, shall become as the Master. 
 Parallel to this declaration are 1 Cor. 15 : 49, 
 and 1 John 3:2. It affords at once an ideal, to- 
 ward which we are to strive, and a promise, by 
 which we may be inspired. 
 
 41-45. See Matt. 7 : 3-5, 15-20 ; 13 : 33, 35, 
 and notes there. 
 
 40-49. See Matt. 7 : 21, 24-27. The parable 
 is carried out with greater dramatic fullness by 
 Matthew's than by Luke's report ; digged deep, 
 literally, dug and deepened, is peculiar to Luke, a 
 significant addition. We come to the Rock, 
 Christ Jesus, as a life-foundation, not easily but 
 by deep-digging, in study of the truth and in 
 personal heart-searchings. See Prov. 2 : 4. 
 
 Ch. 7 : 1-10. HEALING QF THE CENTURION'S SER- 
 VANT. 
 
 Reported also by Matthew, ch. 8 : 5-13. The 
 account of the miracle itself is somewhat fuller 
 in Luke ; the account of Christ's instruction to 
 the people thereon is fuller in Matthew. See on 
 the whole account, notes on Matthew. There is 
 no just ground for believing that they are differ- 
 ent events. The probable time of occurrence is 
 that indicated here, viz., on Christ's descent 
 from the mount, after the ordination of the 
 twelve and the sermon thereon. 
 
 1, 2. When he had ended all his sayings 
 in the hearing of the people. The very 
 form of this expression indicates that Luke's re- 
 
 port of those sayings was not a complete one. 
 It thus confirms the opinion that Luke's and 
 Matthew's accounts are simply different reports 
 of the same sermon. — Ready to die. A more 
 definite statement of the immediate danger than 
 is given by Matthew. The disease was palsy, 
 and the sufferer was "grievously tormented." 
 
 3-5. Matthew says the centurion " came be- 
 seeching him ; " he says nothing of any delega- 
 tion. There is no real inconsistency ; what is 
 done by another is often said to be done by the 
 person who directs it. The elders are not the elders 
 of the synagogue (ch. 13 : 14 ; Acts 1.3 : 15, etc.), for which 
 a different Greek word is used (tty/tawcrycoyot), 
 but the elders of the people (nnMifivrtooi). The 
 intervention of these elders indicates that the 
 centurion was a proselyte ; and this is confirmed 
 by his second message to Jesus. No heathen 
 would have regarded himself unworthy to re- 
 ceive a Jewish prophet. Observe that the elders 
 put their request on the ground that the centu- 
 rion is worthy because of his attachment to the 
 Jewish nation, while Jesus esteems him above 
 Israel because of his faith. 
 
 6-8. In Matthew this message is reported as 
 the centurion's reply to Christ's promise, "1 
 will come and heal him." The promise was 
 probably one cf action, not of words. As Christ 
 went toward the house some ran before to tell 
 the centurion, and he sent forth this second 
 message. To enter the Gentile house would 
 have made Jesus ceremonially unclean. Possi- 
 bly the centurion refers to this ; rather, I think, 
 to the fact which this was intended to symbol- 
 ize, viz., that they who live out of covenant 
 relations with God are not suitable or worthy 
 companions for the children of God.
 
 Ch. VII. ] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 45 
 
 into a city called Nain ; and many of his disciples went 
 With him, and much people. 
 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, 
 
 behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son 
 of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people 
 of the city was with her. 
 
 9, 10. The additions in Matthew are impor- 
 tant. See Matt. 8 : 11, 12. 
 
 Ch. 7 : 11-IIJ. RAISING OF THE WIDOW'S SON AT 
 NAIN. The compassion op Christ.— Mercy is more 
 
 THAN RITUAL.— THE POWER OF THE LlFE-GIVER IL- 
 LUSTRATED.— The least faith suffices to justify 
 
 THE GREATEST MIRACLE. 
 
 This incident is recorded alone by Luke. This 
 casts no necessary discredit on it, since there is 
 abundant evidence in the Gospels of numerous 
 miracles performed by Christ of which no de- 
 tailed account is given (chaps. 4 : 40, 41; 6 : 18, 19 ; 
 
 7 : si ; John 2 : ss, etc). Three times Christ raised the 
 dead : Jarius's daughter, who was just dead ; 
 this young man, who was at the time borne 
 toward the burial ; Lazarus, who had been 
 buried four days. For a comparison of the 
 three, see Vol. I., p. 300. 
 
 11. He went into a city called Nain. 
 Not the place of the same name referred to by 
 Josephus ( Wars of the Jews, i : 9 ; 4). That was 
 on the borders of Idumea ; this was in Galilee. 
 The only remains are a squalid and miserable 
 village, containing nothing to justify its name, 
 which means "fair;" they occupy what was 
 once a beautiful location, on the north-west slope 
 of the Little Hermon, about twenty-five miles 
 
 from Capernaum. Almost the exact site of this 
 miracle Is determined by the locality. " No con- 
 vent, no tradition marks the spot. But, under 
 flic circumstances, the name is sufficient to guar- 
 antee its authenticity. One entrance alone it 
 could have had — that which opens on tin' rongh 
 hill-side in its downward slope to the plain. It 
 must have been in this steep descent, as, accord- 
 ing to Eastern custom, they 'carried out the 
 dead man,' that, 'nigh to the gate' of the vil- 
 lage, the bier was stopped, and the long proces- 
 sion of mourners stayed, and ' the young man 
 delivered back to his mother.' " — {Stanley's Si, mi 
 arid Palestine.) The time, too, may be fixed with 
 reasonable certainty. If Christ started, as Ori- 
 entals ordinarily do, in the early morning, and 
 sailed down the Sea of Galilee to the southern 
 end, and thence walked, he would have arrived 
 at the city of Nain in the early afternoon. — And 
 many of* his disciples * * * and much 
 people. It was the era of Christ's popularity ; 
 not yet had he made that discourse of the nature 
 of his kingdom and its demands on his disciples, 
 which subsequently estranged so many who were 
 now following him, in expectation of a temporal 
 and political redemption. 
 
 12. Nigh to the gate. The brief and sim- 
 ple picture of this funeral procession is illus- 
 
 I'UNEKAL PROCESSION. 
 
 trated by Oriental burial customs, and tallies 
 with them in the most minute particulars. Buri- 
 als were almost invariably without the city walls. 
 Immediately upon death the friends joined in 
 noisy, though not always sincere, demonstrations 
 
 of grief. In these they were often aided by pro- 
 fessional mourners (Mark 5 : 38, note). The body 
 was dressed in the ordinary garments, or was 
 wrapped in a long piece of cloth, answering to 
 
 the modem ShrOUd (Acts 5 : 5, 6, note and Uluitntion).
 
 46 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. VII. 
 
 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion 
 on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 
 
 14 And he came and touched the bier : and they that 
 
 bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say 
 unto thee,° Arise. 
 
 15 And he that was deadP sat up, and began to 
 speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 
 
 o ch. 8:54; AcU 9 :40; Rom. 4 : 17 p 2 Kings 4 : 32-37 ; 13:21; John 11 : 44. 
 
 The bier on which it was borne was, in the ease 
 of the poorer classes, a simple board supported 
 on two poles. There was no coffin ; the corpse 
 was simply covered with a large cloth. Mourn- 
 ers accompanied the body to the grave, chanting 
 a sorrowful refrain, broken in upon by the genu- 
 ine lamentation of friends, the sympathetic ex- 
 pressions of bystanders and acquaintances, and 
 the professional outcries of hired mourners. 
 Greater respect is paid to the funeral proces- 
 sions in the East than with us ; bystanders wait 
 reverentially as it passes, and often swell the lit- 
 tle cortege, following in the train as a mark of 
 sympathy. These features are illustrated in the 
 accompanying cut, from an original drawing by 
 Mr. A. L. Rawson. In accordance with these 
 usages is this narrative : The bier is met outside 
 the city walls ; it is accompanied by much peo- 
 ple ; and when Christ interferes there is no 
 coffin to be opened, no obstacle to prevent the 
 dead from rising up into a sitting posture at 
 once. — The only son of his mother, and 
 she was a widow. The peculiar grief of this 
 mother has made this story sacred to many a 
 heart. The bitterness of mourning for an only 
 son is illustrated by several passages in the Bible 
 
 (Jer. 6 : 26; Amos 8 : 10; Zech. 12 : lo). But Chiefest of 
 
 these is the fact that it is taken to symbolize and 
 interpret to us the Father's love for us, in that 
 he spared not his only begotten Son for our re- 
 demption (John 3 : 16). — Much people. Observe 
 that the miracle is performed in open day, with- 
 out secrecy, and before many witnesses. There 
 is no room for deception or mistake. As in the 
 case of Lazarus, we must believe either that the 
 incident never occurred, i. c, that it is a ficti- 
 tious narrative ; or that it was a deliberate fraud, 
 in which Christ and the widow conspired to de- 
 ceive the people ; or that it was a divine inter- 
 position, attesting in Christ that power over 
 death- which is the peculiar prerogative of divin- 
 ity (2 Kings 5 : 7). To suppose that the cases of 
 resurrection recorded in the N. T. were simply 
 restorations of suspended animation, as some 
 rationalistic critics have suggested, involves insu- 
 perable difficulties. We must then believe that, in 
 less than three years, three cases of suspended 
 animation occurred within the circle of Christ's 
 ministry, that in each criticism now discovers 
 what was hidden from the immediate friends, 
 and that Christ made the discovery in each case 
 without any examination of the supposed corpse, 
 and just at the fortunate moment when the re- 
 turning life was ready to respond to his voice. 
 
 This involves a perfectly incredible doctrine of 
 chances. 
 13-15. He had compassion on her. The 
 
 sacred narrative assigns no other reason for this 
 miracle than compassion for the weeping mother. 
 It is not for us to add other reasons, e. g., faith 
 in the young man about to be raised, or a con- 
 cealed purpose to restore him spiritually by 
 raising him from the dead. To see an indication 
 of such a purpose in the declaration of ver. 15, 
 He delivered him to his mother, is to add to the 
 Scriptural narrative, without improving upon its 
 simplicity. We neither know that he was not 
 before a child of God, nor that he became so 
 afterward. — Weep not. This is the message of 
 redeeming love. The end of redemption is even 
 in this life, glorying in tribulation (Rom. 5:3); 
 though our sorrow remains, it is not a hopeless 
 sorrow (1 Thess. 4:i3); and it is in the life to come 
 an experience of divine comfort, in which God 
 will wipe away all tears from our eyes (Rev. si : 4). 
 There is thus a deep spiritual meaning in this 
 incident, in which two processions meet — the one 
 led by death, the other by the Prince of life ; the 
 one a procession of mourners, the other one of 
 rejoicers ; the one a result of the fall, the other 
 a symbol of redemption — and in which life con- 
 quers death, joy sorrow, redemption the bitter 
 fruit of sin. — Touched the bier. This was 
 not necessary ; a word would have sufficed ; and 
 the ceremonial law rendered any one unclean 
 who touched the dead, for death was a symbol 
 and a result of sin. But to Christ the law was 
 made for man, not man for the law, and he never 
 hesitated to break over the letter of the ritual in 
 redeeming from the curse which made ceremo- 
 nial law needful (Matt. 8 ; 5, note). — They that bore 
 him stood still. Without any other command 
 than that of his presence or his gesture ; with- 
 out any other expectation than that vague hope 
 which his benignant divinity so often inspired in 
 men. There is scarcely conceivable a smaller 
 token of faith than this mere standing still to let 
 Christ do what he would ; but it was faith 
 enough. When we can do nothing for those 
 dear to us, we can at least stand, expectant and 
 submissive, for Christ to do his will. — 1 say 
 unto thee, Arise. Contrast the prayers and 
 efforts of Elijah and Elisha (i Kings n : 20-22; 2 Kings 
 4:33-35). "Elijah, it is true, raises up the dead. 
 But he is obliged to stretch himself out upon the 
 body of the child whom he recalls to life ; and it 
 is easily seen that he invokes a foreign power, 
 that he withdraws from the empire of death a
 
 Ch. VIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 47 
 
 16 And there came a fear on all : and thev glorified 
 God, saying, That a great prophet i is risen up among 
 us ; and, That' God hath visited his people. 
 
 17 And this rumour o( him went forth throughout all 
 Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 
 
 18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these 
 things. 
 
 19 And" John calling unto him two of his disciples, 
 sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should 
 come ? l or look we for another ? 
 
 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, 
 John Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he 
 that should come ? or look we lor another ? 
 
 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their 
 infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits ; and unto 
 many that were blind he gave sight. 
 
 22 Then Jesus answering, said unto them, Go your 
 way, and tell u John what things ye have seen and 
 heard; how* that the blind see, the lame walk, the 
 lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 
 to the poor" the gospel is preached. 
 
 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offend- 
 ed * in me. 
 
 24 And when the messengers of John were departed, 
 he began to speak unto the people concerning John, 
 What went ye out into the wilderness for to see ? A 
 reed shaken with the wind ? 
 
 25 But what went ye out for to see ? A man clothed 
 
 in soft raiment ? Behold, they which are gorgeously 
 apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings courts. 1 
 
 26 But what went ye out lor to see ? A prophet ? « 
 Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 
 
 27 This is he. of whom it is written,* Behold, I send 
 my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy 
 way before thee. 
 
 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born 
 of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the 
 Baptist : but he that is least in the kingdom of God is 
 greater than he. 
 
 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publi- 
 cans, justified b God, being baptized c with the baptism 
 of John. 
 
 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the coun- 
 sel d of God against themselves, being not baptized 
 of him. 
 
 31 And the Lord said, Whereunto c then shall I liken 
 the men of this generation ? and to what are they like ? 
 
 32 They are like unto children sitting in the market- 
 place, and calling one to another, and saying, We 
 nave piped unto you, and ye have not danced ; we 
 have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 
 
 33 For John the Baptist came ' neither eating bread 
 nor drinking wine ; and ye say, He hath a devil. 
 
 34 The 6 Son of man is come eating and drinking; 
 and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine- 
 bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners ! 
 
 35 But 11 Wisdom is justified of all her children. 
 
 q ch. 24 : 19... r rh. 1 : 68.... s Matt. 11 : 2. ...t Zech. 9 : 9....U John 1 :46....v Isa. 35 : 5, 6. . . .w ch. 4 : 18 ; James 2 : 5....X ch. 2 . 34 ; 
 
 Isa. 8 : 14, 15; Malt. 11:6; 13 : 57 ; John 6 : 66 ; 1 (or. 1 ; 21-88 y 2 Sam. 19 : 35 ; Esther 1 : 3, 11 i ch. 1 : 76.... a ch. 1 : 15-17; 
 
 Mai. 3:1... b Ps. 51 :4; Rom. 3 : 4.....-ch. 3 : 12 ; Malt. 3 : 5, 6 . . .d Acta 20 : 27.... e Matt. 11 : 16, etc. . . .fcb. 1 : 15; Matt. 3 : 4 ; Mark 
 1 : 6. . . .g verse 36 ; John 2:2; 12 : 2. . . .h Prov. 8 : 32-36 ; 17 : 16. 
 
 soul which is not subjugated to him, and that he 
 is not himself the master of life and death. 
 Jesus Christ raised up the dead as easily as he 
 performs the most common actions ; he 6peaks 
 as master of those who repose in an eternal 
 sleep ; and it is thoroughly felt that he is the 
 God of the dead as of the living, never more 
 tranquil and calm than when he is operating the 
 grandest things." — (Massillori 1 s Sermons, p. 448.) 
 Godet draws beautifully another and a sugges- 
 tive contrast, which hints not only, indeed, at 
 the manner in which the divine voice recalls the 
 dead from the long sleep, hut at an analogy 
 which helps our faith to accept the sublime fact. 
 "The interruption of the connection between 
 the soul and the body in death, as in sleep, is 
 only relative ; and as man's voice suffices to re- 
 establish this connection between the soul and 
 the body in any one who is wrapt in slumber, so 
 the word of the Lord has the power to restore 
 this interrupted connection even in the dead." — 
 Sat up and began to speak. An evidence of 
 the completeness of his restoration. — Delivered 
 him to his mother. A finishing act of grace. 
 The on-lookers were too awe-struck to act ; the 
 mother was overwhelmed by the sudden revul- 
 sion of feeling ; personally helping the son from 
 his bier, and conducting him to his mother, 
 Christ completed his merciful interposition, and 
 gave to the mother's feeling that opportunity 
 for action which was necessary for her own re- 
 lief. Comp. John 11 : 44, note. 
 
 16, 17. There came a fear on all. Not 
 that fear which is akin to terror, but that which 
 
 is akin to awe. — A great prophet. Only the 
 greatest prophets had raised the dead. As yet 
 there was no general belief, even among his own 
 disciples, that Christ was the promised Messiah. 
 — And this rumor of him went forth 
 throughout all Judea. That is, the glory of 
 this miracle and the consequent fame of him as 
 a great prophet. This, extending in widening 
 circles, was carried from Galilee even to and 
 throughout Judea, and so came to John the Bap- 
 tist, who was confined in the prison of Mackae- 
 rus, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, and led 
 to the inquiries reported in the following verses. 
 18-35. Message of John the Baptist, and 
 Christ's Discourse thereon. — Keported also 
 in Matt. 11 : 2-19. See notes there, where I 
 have treated it at length. The variations in the 
 accounts are mostly immaterial. The only ones 
 of consequence are the following. Matthew 
 places the incident after the commission of the 
 twelve, Luke shortly after the Sermon on the 
 Mount ; neither definitely indicates the time. 
 Luke's order is generally believed to be the cor- 
 rect one, for Herod beheaded John the Baptist 
 while the twelve were absent fulfilling their com- 
 mission (Mark 6 : 30 ; Matt. 14 : 13"). Luke reports a 
 
 little more fully John's message. Comp. vers. 
 19, 20, with Matt. 11 : 2. He alone reports the 
 important fact in ver. 21. The language in Mat- 
 thew, " Go show John again these things which 
 ye do hear and see," implies, however, that 
 John's messengers had personally witnessed the 
 miracles which they were to report ; but the lan- 
 guage here indicates that these miracles were
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 36 And 1 one of the Pharisees desired him that he 
 would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's 
 house, and sat down to meat. 
 
 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a 
 
 sinner,J when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the 
 Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of oint- 
 ment, 
 38 And stood at his feet behind hint weeping, and 
 
 i Matt. 26 : 6, etc. ; Mark 14:3, etc. ; John 11 : 2, etc j verse 34; ch. 6 : 32 ; 1 Tim. 1 : IE. 
 
 wrought at the time and for the purpose of giv- 
 ing a message to carry back to their Master. If 
 so, it is, I think, the only case reported where 
 Christ performed a miracle for the avowed pur- 
 pose of demonstrating his claims. Matthew, in 
 vers. 12-15, contains an important declaration 
 not reported by Luke ; on the other hand, vers. 
 29, 30, here are peculiar to Luke. Comp. with 
 them Matt. 21 : 25, 26. They are regarded by 
 Alford as an addition by Luke, giving the effect 
 of Christ's discourse on the multitude ; by De 
 Wette, Meyer, etc., as a part of Christ's dis- 
 course, in which he describes the effect of John 
 the Baptist's preaching prior to his imprison- 
 ment. The former interpretation appears to me 
 unquestionably the correct one. Observe the 
 comprehensive character of Luke's classification 
 of cures, in ver. 21, indicating, perhaps, the pro- 
 fessional accuracy of a physician. Infirmities 
 are those disorders which disable, as deafness, 
 dumbness, paralysis, the withered hand, etc. ; 
 plagues, lit., scourges, are the more painful forms 
 of sickness ; the 2 Mssesse d °f ev ^ spirits are dis- 
 criminated from the merely diseased. 
 
 Ch. 7 : 36—50. ANOINTING OF JESUS BY A PENI- 
 TENT WOMAN. The attractive power of Christ. — 
 The friend of publicans and singers. — The 
 Christian treatment of the abandoned.— A lov- 
 ing SINNER BETTER THAN A PROUD SAINT. — We HAVE 
 
 nothing to pay. — the sense of sin forgiven is the 
 inspiration of true love for christ. — love to 
 Christ in the life an evidence that Christ's for- 
 giveness is received in the heart. 
 
 There has been much discussion whether this 
 anointing is not merely a different account of 
 the same act reported by the other Evangelists 
 
 (Matt. 26 : 7 ; Mark 14 : 3 ; John 12 : 3). The identity is 
 
 maintained by the Latin fathers, by the later 
 Roman Catholic expositors, and by the modern 
 rationalistic interpreters. That they are different 
 events is the opinion of nearly all modern evan- 
 gelical scholars. The reasons for regarding them 
 as different accounts of the same event are as fol- 
 lows : (1) No Evangelist mentions two anointings ; 
 the one here described is the only one mentioned 
 by Luke ; the one described as occurring in the 
 Passion week is the only one mentioned by Mat- 
 thew, Mark, and John. (2.) The master of the 
 house in both cases is Simon (ver. 40 ; Matt. 26 : 6). 
 (3.) The homage paid by the woman in the two 
 cases is analogous. (4.) In both it is the subject 
 of misinterpretation and conflict. Against re- 
 garding them as different accounts of the same 
 events are the following considerations : (1) The 
 
 name Simon is a common one ; nine persons of 
 that name are mentioned in the N. T. (2.) The 
 time, place, and circumstances are widely differ- 
 ent ; that anointing was in Judea, just before 
 Christ's passion, by a disciple of Christ, whom 
 he especially loved, whose brother he had raised 
 from the dead. The Simon there mentioned was 
 a leper, and therefore could not well have been 
 present. The complaint came from a disciple ; 
 and was a complaint of extravagance. This 
 anointing was in Galilee, in the era of Christ's 
 great popularity, before the final conflict with 
 the Pharisees, by a recognized harlot, whose 
 name is unknown. It took place at the house 
 of a well-known Pharisee, who interposed the 
 complaint on the ground, not of extravagance, 
 but of the woman's sinful character. (3.) The 
 lessons are different ; that teaches that the offer- 
 ings of love to Christ are never wasted ; this that 
 penitence draws near to Christ, while pride re- 
 mains afar off. I have no doubt that there 
 were two anointings. There is no reason what- 
 ever for identifying this woman with Mary 
 Magdalene. The exact time and place of the in- 
 cident are unknown ; Meyer supposes Caper- 
 naum ; Wieseler, Nain. 
 
 3G-38. And one of the Pharisees de- 
 sired him that he would eat with him. 
 As yet then the breach between Jesus and the 
 Pharisees had not become irreparable. This 
 single fact is sufficient evidence that the incident 
 could not have occurred in Judea, and immedi- 
 ately previous to Christ's crucifixion. There is 
 no reason to doubt that this Pharisee had heard 
 of the fame of Jesus Christ as a prophet, and 
 knowing little of his character, really desired to 
 do him an honor by his invitation. The Pharisee 
 invites Christ to come to him ; the woman seeks 
 permission to come to Christ ; the Pharisee 
 thinks to confer honor ; the woman seeks salva- 
 tion. — Sat down to meat. Reclined in Ori- 
 ental fashion, with the feet extended behind. 
 See Vol. I., p. 282, for illustration. Thus the 
 woman, coming behind, easily and without ob- 
 servation, approached his feet. — Behold a 
 woman in a city Avhich was a sinner. 
 Or, possibly, so some read the passage, who teas a 
 sinner in that city, i. e., who had practiced her 
 unholy calling there. She was, not merely had 
 been, a sinner. Up to that time she had lived a 
 life of sin. The substitution of the pluperfect 
 for the imperfect tense by some expositors, 
 grows out of a desire, either to explain Christ's 
 treatment of the woman, whom they wish to
 
 Ch. VIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 49 
 
 began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them 
 with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and an- 
 ointed them with the ointment. 
 
 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him 
 saw it. he spake within himself, saying, This man, if k 
 he were a prophet, would have known who and what 
 
 manner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for she is 
 a sinner. 1 
 
 40 And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Simon, I 
 have somewhat to say unto thee. And lie saitli, Mas- 
 ter, say on. 
 
 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debt- 
 
 k John 9 : 24 1 ch. 15 : 2. 
 
 represent as already reformed, or to reconcile 
 the account here with that anointing at Beth- 
 any, reported in the other Gospels, with which 
 they confound it. For the same reason, some 
 have regarded the term sinner as a mere general 
 one, indicating not an unchaste life, but one of 
 vanity and worldliness. All such attempts to 
 conform Scripture to our prepossessions are ir- 
 reverent and misleading. The plain meaning of 
 the narrative is, that this woman had been lead- 
 ing the life of a prostitute up to this time, and 
 was recognized by Simon as such, either by some 
 characteristic feature in her dress or because her 
 character was well known. Her reform dates 
 from this hour. That she entered the house un- 
 invited is not strange. In the free life of the 
 East the presence of uninvited guests, not at the 
 table but in the room, is not uncommon. "At 
 dinner at the consul's house at Damietta we were 
 much interested in observing a custom of the 
 country. In the room where we were received, 
 besides the divan on which we sat, there were 
 seats all round the walls. Many came in and 
 took their places on those side seats, uninvited 
 and yet unchallenged."— (Narrative of a Mission 
 to tlie Jews, quoted in Trench's Notes on the Parables. ) 
 If, in this case, the meal was given in the guest- 
 room, which generally lies open to the court- 
 yard, the public would naturally have followed 
 Christ into the court-yard. This woman followed 
 in with them, drawn by his words of tenderness, 
 perhaps by the invitation of Matt. 11 : 38-30, 
 which was given at about this time in Christ's 
 life ; her heart was drawn toward him ; the tears 
 of an awakened sorrow, welling to her eyes, 
 dropped upon the feet of Christ ; she saw it, 
 knelt, and, obeying the impulse of the moment, 
 wiped them with her long hair ; unrepelled, she 
 softly kissed them ; and still unrepelled, took 
 the box of ointment which had ministered to her 
 in her unholy calling, used in adding to her se- 
 ductive, charms, and with it anointed his feet. 
 The first act of reverence was an unconscious 
 one ; each new act, in expressing her hunger, in- 
 tensified her feeling. — An alabaster box of 
 ointment. * * * Anointed them with 
 the ointment. The original is simply an ala- 
 baster. It was probably a vase rather than a box. 
 The accompanying illustration represents a col- 
 lection of alabasters from the British Museum. 
 Ointment was used in the East, and still is, not 
 only in religious consecration, but also in the 
 
 ALABASTERS. 
 
 toilet. The hair and face were both anointed ; 
 a shining skin being accounted an element of 
 
 beauty (Ruth 3:3; Eccles. 9:8; Amos 6 : 6). To be with- 
 out anointing was a 6ign of mourning (2 Sam. 
 14 : 2). Trench notes the fact that she wiped the 
 Lord's feet with that which is the especial crown 
 and glory of woman, the hair of her head ; kissed 
 him with the lips that had beguiled the simple 
 (prov. 5:3; 7 -. 13) ; and used, in holy expression of 
 reverence toward him, the unguent once used to 
 aid her own sinful life and gratify her vanity, 
 thus illustrating the principle enunciated by Paul 
 in Romans 6 : 19. 
 
 39. Spake within himself. Courtesy, or 
 perhaps a vague feeling of awe, kept him 
 from expressing his opinion. His conduct con- 
 trasts favorably with that of the inimical Phari- 
 see, whom we meet elsewhere in the Gospel nar- 
 ratives. See, for example, Matt. 12 : 2 ; Luke 
 11 : 53, 54 ; 16 : 14. Nor does Christ call Simon a 
 hypocrite ; the rebuke which he administers is 
 one of the severity of love, not of judgment. — 
 This man, if he were a prophet, would 
 have known. The dilemma in the Pharisee's 
 mind was this ; if Christ were an inspired man 
 he would have read the character of this woman ; 
 if he were a holy man he would not have suffered 
 her homage. Of the inspiration that reads pen- 
 itence in the heart, of the holiness that accepts 
 sorrow for sin and a promise of repentance, he 
 had no conception. 
 
 40, 41. Jesus answered. Not to any ex-
 
 50 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VII. 
 
 ors : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other 
 fifty : 
 
 42 And when they had nothing m to pay, he frankly 
 forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them 
 will love him most ? 
 
 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to 
 whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou 
 hast rightly" judged. 
 
 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Si- 
 mon, Seest thou this woman ? I entered into thine 
 house, thou gavest me no water for my feet : but she 
 hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with 
 the hairs of her head. 
 
 45 Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman, since 
 the time that I came in. hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 
 
 46 My head with oil thou didst noi anoint : but this 
 woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 
 
 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are 
 many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : but to whom 
 little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 
 
 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 
 
 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say 
 within themselves, Who? is this that forgiveth sins 
 also ? 
 
 50 And he said to the woman,' Thy faith hath saved 
 thee : go in peace. 
 
 m Ps. 49 : 7, 8: Rom. B: 6....n Ps. 116 : 16-18; 1 Cor. 15 :9; 2 Cor. 6 : 14 ; 1 Tim. 1 : 13-16. .. .0 Ps. S3:6....p Matt. 9 : 2,3; Maik2 : 7. 
 q chaps. 8 : 48 ; 18 : 42 ; Hab. 2:4: Matt. 9 : 22 ; Mark 5 : 34 ; 10 : 62 ; Ephes. 2 . 8. 
 
 pression by the Pharisee, though his counte- 
 nance may have indicated his thoughts, hut to 
 what he had said within himself. The case is 
 one in which Christ read the secrets of the heart. 
 Compare Matt. !J : 4 ; John 2 : 25. — Master, say 
 on. His language is that of respect. Evidently 
 this Pharisee is not to be confounded with those 
 that denied and persecuted the Lord. His per- 
 plexity was an honest one ; Christ treats it with 
 tenderness. — Two debtors. Compare the para- 
 ble in Matt. 18 : 23-35. There, also, are two 
 debtors ; but there, the difference between the 
 two debts is enormous ; one owes eighteen dol- 
 lars, the other a sum equivalent, at the lowest 
 estimate, to fifteen millions. The contrast there 
 represents the difference between our debt to 
 God and our neighbor's debt to us. Here the 
 difference is relatively small ; one owes fifty de- 
 narii, the other five hundred. The denarius was 
 about equivalent to eighteen cents of our money ; 
 the relative debts therefore were nine dollars and 
 ninety dollars. The contrast represents simply 
 the difference among men in their debts, i. e., 
 their unfulfilled obligations, toward God. Pre- 
 sumptively, this Pharisee was represented by the 
 smaller debtor, i. e. , not only in his own estima- 
 tion but also in reality he was a man of compara- 
 tively pure life. 
 
 42, 43. When they had nothing to pay 
 he frankly forgave them both. They had 
 nothing to pay, so that both were equally insol- 
 vent; moreover, they were both conscious of this 
 fact, so that they both accepted from the credi- 
 tor a full and free remission of the debt. The 
 contrast is not between two men, one of whom 
 claims divine consideration because he owes but 
 little, and the other accepts it without preferring 
 any claim ; but between two sinners, both of 
 whom are conscious of their utter inability to 
 meet the requirements of the divine law, but the 
 one of whom feels that inability more keenly 
 than the other. — I suppose that he to whom 
 he forgave most. The expression, / siippo.se, 
 does not imply doubt or hesitation. It is rather, 
 As I understand the matter. Did Simon perceive 
 the drift of our Lord's question ? Probably not 
 fully ; and yet, it appears to me, that he could 
 
 not have been wholly oblivious of the result to 
 which the parable tended. 
 
 44-10. It can hardly be doubted that Simon 
 had been deficient, if not in the courtesies ordi- 
 narily paid to a guest, at least in those due to a 
 distinguished prophet. Water for the feet (Gen. 
 
 18 : 4 ; Judges 19 : 2l), the kiss of peace (Gen. 45 : 15 j 
 
 Eiod. is : 7), and anointing the head with oil (p». 
 23 : 5), were marks of attention ordinarily paid 
 in the East. The contrasts are very noticeable 
 between the neglect of Simon and the homage 
 of the woman. No water — tears, the most pre- 
 cious of all water ; no kiss of greeting — kisses 
 for the feet; no oil for the head — precious 
 ointment for the feet. The Pharisee was decor- 
 ous but cold ; the woman, under the inspiration 
 of an ardent love, broke over the ordinary social 
 restraints. The one omitted even the customary 
 expressions of reverence ; the other, by her pe- 
 culiar use of them, emphasized the reverence 
 and love of her heart. 
 
 47. The difficulties which this verse has occa- 
 sioned, and the discussions to which it has given 
 rise, I have considered below. Here it must 
 suffice to say, that Christ does not say, "Where- 
 fore her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; " 
 but " Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins are for- 
 given." The manifestations of the woman's love 
 are not alleged by Christ to be the cause of the 
 forgiveness, but the occasion of his teaching. Nor 
 does the second clause of the sentence "for she 
 loved much," imply that her love elicited the 
 forgiveness. For indicates not the cause but the 
 evidence of her pardon. "We may say, It is light, 
 for the sun is risen ; but we may also say, The 
 sun is risen, for it is light. So in this passage, 
 for may, and according to what precedes, must 
 mean : ' I say unto thee that her many sins are 
 forgiven, as thou must infer from this, that she 
 loved much.' " — (Oodet.) 
 
 48-50. Thy sins are forgiven. The tense 
 is the perfect, not the present, and indicates not 
 a forgiveness, then first proffered, but already in 
 past time perfected. His language is, Thy sins 
 have been forgiven. Christ did not then forgive ; 
 he declared a forgiveness, before extended to 
 her. The spirit of forgiveness in Christ, which
 
 Ch. VII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 51 
 
 drew the publican and sinner to him, and made 
 him their friend, attracted this woman, and 
 elicited her penitence, purpose of reformation, 
 and love. The consciousness that he had for- 
 giveness for her and compassion on her, pre- 
 ceded and evoked her penitence. To suppose 
 that he forgave because she previously loved, 
 violates grammar here as well as the plain teach- 
 ing of Scripture elsewhere. See below. — Who 
 is this that forgiveth sins also ? Comp. 
 Mark 2:7; but there the language is that of open 
 opposition ; here, rather that of perplexity, not 
 unmingled with awe. — Thy faith hath saved 
 thee. As the instrument, not the cause of sal- 
 vation ; it had saved her, because it had led her 
 to accept in simplicity the saving grace proffered 
 to her by the Lord. Observe, too, the illustra- 
 tion of faith which this incident affords ; it is not 
 an intellectual opinion, for there is no reason to 
 suppose that the woman regarded Christ then as 
 more than a prophet ; nor an act of obedience, 
 nor always even illustrated by one, though al- 
 ways involving an obedient spirit ; but a trust 
 that accepts Christ, and believes in his grace, be- 
 cause he proffers it. — Go in peace. This was 
 the perfecting of her pardon ; it is always the 
 perfecting of Christian pardon ; peace from fear, 
 both of the past and the future (Rom. 8:1,38,39). 
 She had felt the forgiving love of Christ before ; 
 now, first she had an assurance in his own words, 
 that put to flight all doubts, and dried all tears 
 but those of gratitude and love. 
 
 Two difficulties are presented by this parable, 
 which have given rise to a voluminous discussion. 
 I. Does it represent that our love for God is the 
 cause of his forgiveness of our sins. That this is 
 the teaching is maintained by many Roman Cath- 
 olics, and some rationalistic divines, and by some 
 who confound love and faith. But (1) this view 
 is not required nor even justified by the gram- 
 matical construction of ver. 47. See note there. 
 (2. ) It does not accord with the groundwork of 
 the parable, since the forgiveness precedes and 
 produces the love in the story (vers. 41,42), and nei- 
 ther debtor has anything to pay, whereas love is 
 the pay that is pre-eminently due to God ; (3) nor 
 ' with Christ's language in the last clause of ver. 
 47. If our love causes God's forgiveness, Christ 
 would have said, not, To whom little is forgiven, 
 the same forgiveth little ; but, Who loveth little, 
 to the same little is forgiven. (4. ) Nor with ver. 
 50, Thy faith (not thy love) hath saved thee. (5.) 
 Nor with other teachings of Scripture, which 
 uniformly represent the divine love as the cause, 
 not the effect, of human love (John 3 : 16 ; Ephes. 
 2 : 4, 2 ; 1 John 4 : io, 19). (6. ) Nor with psychology, 
 for love is itself salvation ; it is that not by which 
 but unto which we are saved. "Sin is the dis- 
 ease. What is the remedy ? Charity ? Pshaw ! 
 Charity in the large, apostolic sense of the term 
 
 is the health, the state to be obtained by use of 
 the remedy, not the sovereign balm itself — faith 
 of grace — faith in the God-manhood, tin- cross, 
 the mediation, the perfected righteousness of 
 Jesus, to the utter rejection and abnegation of 
 all righteousness of our own." — (Coleridge.) 
 II. If he whose sins are many and to whom 
 much is forgiven, loves much, is sin a means of 
 grace V Is the greatest sinner prepared to be the 
 greatest saint ? If love is the chief grace (lCor. 
 ch. 13), and sin forgiven awakens it, shall we not 
 go on to sin that grace may abound V No ! for, 
 (1.) The love is not as the sin, but as the sense of 
 forgiveness. It depends not npon the actual 
 guilt, but upon our consciousness of it. One of 
 the evil effects of sin is that it dulls the moral 
 sense, and prevents that consciousness of guilt 
 and that appreciation of divine forgiveness which 
 is the inspiration of love. (2. ) The love of a fla- 
 grant transgressor, pardoned, may be more ar- 
 dent, but not more deep ; more impetuous, but 
 not more strong ; more demonstrative, but not 
 more healthy than that of the soul which has 
 grown up unto Christ without ever consciously 
 wandering away from him. "It is an unques- 
 tionable fact that the deepest penitents are, in one 
 kind of love for him who has forgiven them the 
 most devoted ; in that, namely, which consists in 
 personal sacrifice, and proofs of earnest attach- 
 ment to the blessed Saviour and his cause on 
 earth. But it is no less an unquestionable fact, 
 that this love is not the highest form of spiritual 
 life ; that such persons are, by their very course 
 of sin, incapacitated from entering into the 
 length, and breadth, and height, and being filled 
 with all the fullness of Christ : that their views 
 are generally narrow, their aims one-sided ; that 
 though love be the greatest of the Christian 
 graces, there are various kinds of it ; and though 
 the love of the reclaimed profligate may be, and 
 is, intense of its kind (and how touching and 
 beautiful its manifestations are, as here !) yet 
 that kind is not. so high nor complete as the sac- 
 rifice of the whole life — the bud, blossom, and 
 fruit — to his service, to whom in baptism we 
 were dedicated. "—(Alford. ) (3.) But we are not 
 to forget the deep truth of this parable, which 
 is forgotten, I fear, in much of the ministry of 
 the modern church, with the result of a shallow 
 love and an imperfect consecration. Christ's 
 love is always proportioned to the soul's sense 
 of its own unworthiness and its consequent 
 necessity of its divine love in redemption. 
 Hence, to deepen Christian love and strengthen 
 Christian consecration, it is always necessary to 
 deepen the conviction of sin. And I believe it is 
 true, as matter of history, that those forms of 
 theology which have treated sin lightly, have al- 
 ways issued in belittling Christ's divine nature 
 and work ; and that those experiences which
 
 52 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. VIII. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AND it came to pass afterward, that he went 
 throughout every city and village, preaching and 
 shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God : and 
 the twelve were with him ; 
 
 2 And 'certain women, which had been healed of 
 evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out* 
 of whom went seven devils, 
 
 a And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, 
 arid Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto 
 him ' of their substance. 
 
 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 ; w and as soon as it was 
 sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moist- 
 ure. 
 
 7 And some fell among thorns ; x 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. i And when he had 
 
 said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, 
 let him hear. 1 
 
 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might 
 this parable be ? 
 
 io And he said, Unto you it is given to know the 
 mysteries of the kingdom of God : but to others in 
 parables : that seeing a they might not see, and hearing 
 they might not understand. 
 
 ii Now b the parable is this: The c seed is the word 
 ol God. 
 
 12 Those by the way side are they that hear ; then 
 coineth the devil, and taketh away A the word out of 
 their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 
 
 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they 
 hear, receive " the word with joy ; and these have no 
 root/ which for a while believe, and in time of tempta- 
 tion fall away. 
 
 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, 
 when they have heard, go forth, and are choked withs 
 cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring 
 no fruit h to perfection. 
 
 15 But that on the good ground are they, which, in 
 an honest and good heart. 1 having heard the word, 
 keep it, and bring forth fruit with J patience. 
 
 16 No* man, when he hath lighted a candle, cover- 
 
 Matt. 
 
 13... 
 
 Jer. 
 
 r Matt. 27- 55 1 verse 30 ; Mark 16 : 9 t 2 Cor. 8:9... n Matt. 13 : 3, etc.; Mark 4:3, etc.... v Ps. 119: 118; a 
 
 5-3 x Jer. 4-3 y Gen. 26 : 12. . . .3 Prov. 50 : 12 ; Jer. 13:15; 25 : 4. . . .a Isa. 6 : 9. . . .b Matt. 13:18; Mark 4 : 14, etc. . . .c 1 Pet. 
 1 -23 "" d Prv 4 5 "Isa. 65: 11; James 1 : 23, 24.... e Ps. 106 : 12,13; Isa. 58 : 2 ; Gal. 3:1,4; 4 : 15. . . .1 Prov. 12:3: Hosea6:4.... 
 El Tim.'6 : 9, 10; 2Tim.4:10; 1 John 2 : 15-17. . . .h John 15 : 6. . . .i Jer. 32 : 39. . . .j Heb. 10:36; James 1 : 4.. . .k ch. 11 : 33 ; Matt. 
 5: 15; Mark 4: 21. 
 
 have not led to thorough heart- searchings and 
 penitence before God, have not led to a deep love 
 for Christ nor a thorough consecration to his 
 service. (4.) Nor are we to overlook another 
 lesson, which is frequently forgotten because it 
 lies upon the surface. This woman had as yet 
 been subjected to none of those tests by which 
 we are accustomed to measure the genuineness 
 of repentance. She had not yet reformed her 
 life, nor borne the taunts of her companions, nor 
 the scorn of the virtuous. But Christ declared 
 that the manifestation of her personal love for 
 him was an adequate evidence of her forgiveness 
 by him and its acceptance by her. A genuine, 
 simple, outspoken love for Christ is not the cause 
 of forgiveness, but it is always an evidence if not 
 always a demonstration that Christ's forgiving 
 love has been received and accepted, and always 
 justifies us in receiving the penitent to our own 
 hearts. 
 
 Ch. 8 : 1-3. CHRIST'S CIRCUIT OF GALILEE. The 
 
 MINISTRY OP WOMEN IN THE CHURCH. 
 
 This summary of Christ's tour of Galilee is pe- 
 culiar to Luke. It embraces, in a graphic out- 
 line, the period, of which some details are given 
 in the preceding chapters and some in the other 
 Gospels. 
 
 1. Throughout every city and village. 
 A very thorough missionary tour. Christ neither 
 dreaded the large places nor despised the small 
 ones. — Heralding and showing the glad 
 tidings of the kingdom of God. As a herald, 
 proclaiming the kingdom of God at hand ; as 
 an interpreter, explaining it as a kingdom of joy 
 and gladness to man because of grace from God. 
 
 2. And certain women. The addition of 
 
 these women made the sight still more strange. 
 For such admixture of the sexes was in utter vio- 
 lation of the customs of the country It would 
 hardly be tolerated there even now. " Promiscu- 
 ous assemblies of men and women are unknown ; 
 and even when a crowd collects to see some sight 
 or gaze at a show, the sexes are always grouped 
 in two distinct and separate portions. A man 
 never walks in the street by the side of his wife 
 or daughter, but, when he happens to be out in 
 their company, is sure to keep several paces in 
 advance of them. * * * In some parts of the 
 country, and even among the Christians, a 
 woman may not show herself unveiled before her 
 father-in-law, and even before her own husband. 
 She never speaks to the former except through 
 a third person, and should he ask her a question, 
 she must whisper her answer to some one who 
 will repeat it aloud to him." — ( Van Lennep's Bible 
 Lands.) To this add, that the Jewish rabbis did 
 not allow the law to be taught to women ; that 
 to the present day in the East women are not al- 
 lowed an education ; and that even in England 
 and America the education of women has been 
 accomplished only after much and bitter opposi- 
 tion, and the reader will have some conception 
 how radical was the movement which Christ in- 
 augurated in taking women with him as disci- 
 ples. They did not teach. Whether this was 
 because it was not Christ's will that women 
 should ever be public teachers in the church, or 
 because in that age and condition of society their 
 teaching would not have been received, and the 
 attempt would have been idle, is a question to 
 be determined by other passages of Scripture. 
 Little can be drawn from the mere negative fact. 
 Subsequently, women did become recognized re-
 
 Ch. VIII. j 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 53 
 
 eth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed ; but set- 
 teth 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 thinghid that shall not be known 
 and come abroad. 
 
 18 Take" 1 heed therefore how ye hear: for" whoso- 
 ever hath, to him shall be given ; and whosoever hath 
 not, from him shall be taken even that which he seeni- 
 eth to have. 
 
 19 Then" came to him kis mother and his brethren, 
 anci 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 the word of 
 God, and do it. 
 
 22 Now Pit 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, andi awoke him, saying, 
 Master, master, we perish ! Then he arose, and re- 
 
 buked the wind and the raging of the water: and they 
 ceased, and there was a calm. 
 
 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith ( 
 And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to an- 
 other, What manner ot man is this ! lor he command- 
 eth even the winds and water, and they obey him. 
 
 26 And 'they arrived at the country of the Gada- 
 renes, 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 he 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 be- 
 seech 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 let- 
 ters : 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 en- 
 tered into him. 
 
 31 And they besought him that he would not com- 
 mand them to go out into the deep.' 
 
 32 And there was there an herd of many swine feed- 
 
 1 ch. 12: 2; Eccles. 12 : 14 ; Matt. 10 : 26 ; 1 Cor. 4 : 5....m James 1 : 21-25. .. ,n ch. 19 : 26 ; Matt. 13: 12; 25: 29.... o Matt. 12 : 46, etc.; 
 
 Mark 3 : 32, etc p Matt. S : 23, etc.; Mark 4 : 35, etc q Ps. 44: 23; Isa. 61 : 9, 10 r Matt. 8 : 28, etc.; Mark 5:1, etc a Iaa. 
 
 27 : 1 ; James 2:19; Rev. 20 : 10 t Rev. 20 : 3. 
 
 ligious teachers, though never to any consider- 
 able extent (Acts 18 : 26 ; 21 : 9 ; Phil. 4 : 3). 
 
 3. Mary, called Magdalene. — Because of 
 Magdala. On her life and character see Matt. 
 27 : 56, note. Of the fact here stated, that seven 
 devils were cast out of her, nothing else is 
 known. She is not to be confounded with the 
 penitent woman referred to in the preceding 
 chapter. On demoniac possession, see Vol. I, p. 
 133. — Joanna, the wife of Chuza. Of whom 
 nothing else is known. It has been surmised 
 that Chuza was the court lord whose son Jesus 
 healed, and who believed with all his house (John 
 4 : 46-54). It is also noted as one of the coinci- 
 dences confirmatory of the truth of the N. T., 
 that Herod, the son of one of whose courtiers 
 was healed by Christ, and whose steward's wife 
 was a disciple, heard much of Christ, and was 
 perplexed by what he heard of his wonderful 
 works (Matt. 14 : 1, 2). — Susanna. Not mentioned 
 elsewhere. 
 
 4-15. Parable of the Sower. — This parable 
 was spoken, with others, on the shore of the sea 
 of Galilee. The whole series constituted one 
 discourse, and interpreted, by an allegory, the 
 nature of the kingdom of God. They are re- 
 ported more fully in Matthew (ch. 13), where I 
 have treated the particulars and noted the varia- 
 tions in expression between Matthew, Mark, and 
 Luke. See notes there. 
 
 16-18. Parable of the Candle. — This is 
 given in the same connection by Mark (ch. 4 : 21-25). 
 The same instructions are given by Matthew in 
 various passages and in different connections. 
 See Matt. 5 : 15 ; 10 : 26 ; 13 : 12, and notes thereon. 
 Observe the difference between Mark and Luke 
 
 in one important part. Mark says, Take heed 
 ichat, Luke, how ye hear. Both are needful 
 cautions ; yet what we hear depends in part on 
 how we hear ; i. e., the attention we give to the 
 word spoken. 
 
 19-21. Christ's Mother Attempts to In- 
 terrupt His Teaching. — That this was her ob- 
 ject appears in Mark 3 : 21. The true chrono- 
 logical order is doubtless given by Matthew. See 
 Matt. 12 : 46-50, notes. 
 
 22-25. Christ Stills the Tempest.— Comp. 
 Matt. 8 : 23-27, and Mark 4 : 35-41. Mark is the 
 fullest and most graphic ; he alone gives a defi- 
 nite note of time. His language shows that it 
 occurred on the evening following the parable by 
 the sea-shore. See notes on Mark, where I have 
 considered the variations in the language of the 
 Evangelists. 
 
 26-39. The Cure of the Gadarene Demo- 
 niac— Matt, 8 : 28-34 ; Mark 5 : 1-21. See notes 
 there, especially on Matthew, where I have con- 
 sidered briefly the question, what is the nature 
 of demoniacal possession. Matthew mentions 
 two demoniacs, Mark and Luke but one. Alford 
 thinks that there was but one, and that Mat- 
 thew's less circumstantial account is in error in 
 this. Such a supposition is at least needless. 
 The more violent may alone have been men- 
 tioned, or there may have been but one who ex- 
 pressed, after his cure, a desire to follow Jesus 
 (ver. 38), and therefore Mark and Luke may have 
 mentioned only him. Matthew, who refers to 
 two demoniacs, says nothing of this request. 
 
 30. Many devils were entered into him. 
 Luke's language is more explicit than that of 
 Matthew or Mark. I believe it is to be taken as
 
 54 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 ing 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 de- 
 parted, besought him that he might be with x him : but 
 Jesus sent him away, saying, 
 
 39 Return to thine own house,* and shew how great 
 things 2 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 return- 
 ed, 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 synagogue ; 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 peo- 
 ple thronged him. 
 
 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve 
 years, which had spent b all her living upon physi- 
 cians, neither could be healed of any, 
 
 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his 
 garment : and d immediately her issue of blood 
 stanched. 
 
 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me ? When all de- 
 nied, 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 
 1 perceive that virtue e is gone out of me. 
 
 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, f 
 
 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 com- 
 fort : thy faith hath made thee whole : go in peace. 
 
 49 While h he yet spake, there cometh one from the 
 ruler 1 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, say- 
 ing, 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. k 
 
 53 And they laughed him to scorn, 1 knowing that 
 she was dead. 
 
 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the 
 hand, and called, saying, Maid," 1 arise. 
 
 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straight- 
 way : and he commanded to give her meat. 
 
 56 And her parents were astonished ; but he charg- 
 ed" them that they should tell no man what was done. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 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 p nothing for your 
 journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, nei- 
 ther 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 1 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 every where. 
 
 7 Now Herod r 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 
 
 n Ads 19 : 16, 17.... v Ps. 51 : 10.... w Act 
 etc. ; Mark 5 : 22, etc. . . b 2 Chron "" 
 
 Mr 
 
 f Ps. 30 : 9; Hosea 5:3 g Isa. 66 : 2 ; Hosea 13 : 1 ; Acts 16 : 29 h Matt. 9 : 23, etc.; Mark 6 : 35, etc i vers. 41, 42... j John 
 
 11 :25; Rom. 4: 7....k John 11 : 11, IS 1 ch. 16 : 14 ; Ps. 22 : 7. . . .m ch. 7 : 14 ; John 11 : 43.... n Malt. 8:4; 9-30; Mark 5 :43.... 
 
 o Matt. 10 : 1, etc. ; Mark 3 : 13, etc. ; 6 : 7, etc p chaps. 10 : 4 etc. ; 12:22 q Neh. 5 : 13 ; Acts 13 : 51 ; 18:6 r Matt. 14 : 1, etc. ; 
 
 Mark 6 : 14, etc. 
 
 literally true, i. e., the demoniac was not under 
 the mastery of one evil spirit, but under the 
 anarchic control of several. 
 
 31. That he would not command them 
 to go into the deep. Parallel to Luke's lan- 
 guage is the expression in Mark, "That he 
 would not send them out of the country " (Mark 
 6 : 10). The word here rendered deep, more prop- 
 erly abyss, does not signify the sea, but the 
 abode of the lost. It means literally without 
 bottom, and is generally rendered "bottomless" 
 
 (Rev. 9 ; 1, 2, 11 ; 11 : 7 ; 17 : 8 ; 20 : 1, 3). It OCCUTS in the 
 
 N. T. only here, in the passages quoted from Rev- 
 elation and in Romans 10 : 7 ; in the latter passage 
 it signifies simply the place of departed spirits. 
 
 38, 39. Now the man * * * besought, etc. 
 The request of the man and Christ's reply are 
 narrated by Mark, but not by Matthew. They 
 are very significant. When Christ is rejected by 
 
 the Gadarenes, his compassion fails not, and he 
 will not leave himself without a witness. Though 
 he never returns to the land of the Gadarenes, 
 he leaves a preacher there. So rejected, outcast, 
 crucified, he bids every one from whom he has 
 cast out sin to remain upon the earth and tell 
 how great things God has done for him. And 
 this is the secret of all power in Gospel preach- 
 ing, which is potent only as it is made so by a 
 conscious personal experience. 
 
 40-56. Cure of the Woman witii an Issue 
 of Blood. Raising of Jairus's Daughter. — 
 Comp. accounts in Matt. 9 : 18-26 and Mark 
 5 : 22-43. For full treatment see notes in Mark, 
 where I have also noted the few additional de- 
 tails given here. The time of the events is fixed 
 by Matthew as immediately following the feast 
 in Matthew's house, but when that was given is 
 not certain.
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 :,:, 
 
 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, belonging to 
 the city called Bethsaida. 
 
 ii 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 w 
 of healing. 
 
 12 And « when the day began to wear away, then 
 came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multi- 
 tude away, that they may go into the towns and coun- 
 try 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 z them sit down by fifties 
 in a company. 
 
 15 And 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. 
 
 18 And it b came to pass, as he was alone praying, 
 his disciples were with him : and he asked them, say- 
 ing, Whom say the people that I am ? 
 
 19 They answering, said, John c the Baptist ; but 
 some 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, d answering, said. The Christ of God. 
 
 21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded 
 them t>> tell no man that tiling ; 
 
 22 Saying, The Son • of man must suffer many 
 things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests 
 and scribes, and be slain, and 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 lite for my sake, the same 
 shall save it. 
 
 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the 
 whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away ? 
 
 26 For whosoever e shall be ashamed of me and of 
 my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, 
 when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Fa- 
 ther's, and of the holy angels. 
 
 27 But I h tell you of a truth, there be some standing 
 here, which shall not taste ' of death, till they see the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 28 AndJ it came to pass, about an eight days after 
 these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and 
 went up into a mountain 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 : 
 
 8 ch. 23: 8.... I Rom. 10 : 14. 17. .. .11 John 6 : 37.... v Acts 28 : 31.... w 
 
 John 6 : 5, etc....; P-. 78 : 19, 20 j Ezek. 34 : 25; H..s<-<a 13 : 5 z 1 
 
 c vers. 7,8; Matt. 14 : 2 d John 6 : 69 e Matt. 16:21; 17 : 22 
 
 3 : 5. . . .g Matt. 10 : 33 ; Mark 8 : 38 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 12. . . .h Matt. 16 : •. 
 
 •J : 2, . ... 
 
 bap 
 
 31 ; Heb. 4 : 
 r. 14:40. ...a Ps. 107 : 9 
 f eh. 14: 27; Matt. 10 : 
 
 6 x Matt. 14 : 15, etc. ; Mark 6 : 35, etc. ; 
 
 . .b Matt. 16 : 13, etc. ; Mark 8 : 27, etc 
 
 16 : 24 ; Mark 8 : 34 ; Rom. 8 . 13 ; Col. 
 
 I; Mark 9:1 i John 8 : 52 ; Heb. 2:9 j Matt. 17 : 1, . 
 
 Ch. 9 : 1-6. The Commission of the 
 Twelve.— Comp. Matt. 10 : 1-42 ; Mark 6 : 7-13. 
 The account in Matthew is much the fullest ; see 
 notes there. Comp. with ver. 6 here Matt. 
 11 : 1, and observe that Christ went preaching 
 through the cities, while the disciples carried on 
 their mission at this time only in the villages, 
 i. e., unwalled towns. 
 
 7-9. Death of John the Baptist. — Comp. 
 Matt. 11 : 1-12, and Mark 6 : 14-29, who give a 
 full account of John's death and the circum- 
 stances that led to it. See notes there. 
 
 10-17. Feeding the Five Thousand. — 
 Comp. Matt. 14 : 13-27 ; Mark 6 : 30-44 ; John 
 6 : 1-21, notes. There is a difficulty in recon- 
 ciling ver. 10 here with Mark 6 : 45. Luke re- 
 ports Christ as going toward Bethsaida when de- 
 parting from the west to the east shore ; Mark 
 reports Christ as going toward Bethsaida when 
 departing, after the feeding, from the east to the 
 west shore. Hence two Bethsaidas have been 
 imagined, solely to satisfy the conditions of the 
 Evangelists' narrative ; for there is no geograph- 
 ical evidence of more than one. For the true ex- 
 planation of this difficulty see Mark 6 : 45, note. 
 The difficulty was early felt, and has probably 
 led to the variety of manuscript readings here, 
 some manuscripts reading, To a city called Beth- 
 saida, some, To a desert place belonging to the city 
 called Bethsaida, some simply, To a desert place. 
 If the explanation which I have given in Mark be 
 correct, these variations are immaterial, the fact 
 
 being that the feeding took place on a grassy 
 plain, near to and east of Bethsaida Julias. 
 
 18-21. Peter's Confession.— Matt.10 : 13-20 ; 
 Mark 8 : 27-30. Matthew fixes both the time and 
 the locality ; the time, during Christ's retire- 
 ment with his disciples at the close of his public 
 Galilean ministry ; the locality, near Caesarea 
 Philippi. The statement of ver. 18 here, that he 
 was alone, praying with his disciples, is peculiar 
 to Luke. Matthew alone gives the promise to 
 Peter (Matt. 16 : n-19). See notes on Matthew. 
 
 22-27. First Announcement of our Lord's 
 Passion and Resurrection. — Matt. 16 : 21-28 ; 
 Mark 8 : 31 ; ch. 9 : 1. All three Evangelists place 
 this prophecy immediately after the disciples' 
 confession of Christ as the Messiah, and immedi- 
 ately preceding the Transfiguration. The report 
 is fuller both in Mark and Matthew than here. 
 The greater part of this address was delivered to, 
 or at least in the presence of, other people. This 
 is evident from the language of ver. 23 here, " to 
 them all," and the language of Mark (s : m), " and 
 when he had called the people," a concurrent tes- 
 timony to the publicity of the latter part of this 
 address. With ver. 25 here comp. Matt. 16 : 26' 
 and Mark 8 : 36. The phrase here, "and lose 
 himself or be castaway," interprets the language 
 in Matthew and Mark, "lose his own soul." On 
 the whole passage see notes on Matthew. 
 
 28-36. TnE Transfiguration. — Compare 
 Matt. 17 : 1-9 and Mark 9:1-8. I have treated 
 the subject fully in Matthew. Luke gives some
 
 56 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 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 
 heavv k with sleep : and when they were awake, they 
 saw his glory, 1 and the two men that stood with him. 
 
 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, 
 Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is m 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 if 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 per- 
 verse * 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 un- 
 clean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him 
 again to his father. 
 
 43 And they were all amazed x 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. 2 
 
 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. 
 
 k Dan. 8: 18; 10: 9.... 1 John 1 : 14.... m Ps. 27 : 4 ; 73 : 28.... n Mark 10: 38.... o Matt. 3 : 17 : 2 Pet. 1 : 17, 18.... p Dent. 18 : 15 ; Acts 
 
 3 : 22 q Eccles. 3:7 r Matt. 17 : 14, etc. ; Mark 9 : 17, etc....s Zech. 12 : 10.... t Acts 19 : 13-16 u John 20 : 27 ; Heb. 4:2... 
 
 v Deut. 32 : 5; Ps. 78 : 8 w Mark 1 : 27 x Ps. 139 : 14; Zech. 8:6 y Matt. 17 : 22 1 2 Sam. 24 : 14 a chaps. 2 : 60 ; 18 : 34 ; 
 
 Mark 9 : 32. 
 
 additional particulars not given by either of 
 the other writers. He tells us the object of 
 going up into the mountain, "to pray;" that 
 the transfiguration of our Lord took place 
 "as he prayed;" the nature of the transfig- 
 uration, " the fashion of his countenance was al- 
 tered and his raiment was white and glistening ; " 
 the theme of conversation between Christ and 
 the two spiritual companions, " they spake of his 
 decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusa- 
 lem;" that the vision was seen by the Apostles 
 "when they were awake ; " that Peter spoke as 
 Moses and Elias "departed from him," and by 
 implication to restrain their departure ; that he 
 spake " not knowing what he said ; " and that the 
 apostles obeyed the command of Christ, which 
 Matthew alone reports, and "told no man in those 
 days any of those things which they had seen." 
 29. White and glistering. That is, flash- 
 ing. The idea conveyed, is of an appearance like 
 burnished metal flashing in the sun. Comp. 
 Ezek. 1 : 4, 7 ; Nahum 3 : 3. 
 
 31. Spake of his decease. More literally, 
 "of his departure " (Greek ilodv?). 
 
 32. But Peter and they that were with 
 him had been heavy with sleep, but hav- 
 ing kept fully awake they saw his glory. 
 Our English version implies that they fell asleep 
 and were wakened to see his glory, while the 
 original implies that though heavy with sleep 
 they kept fully awake. " The word (keep 
 awake dtuyQ^yoQiu) appears to be used expressly 
 here to show that it. was not merely a vision 
 seen in sleep." — (Alford.) 
 
 34. And they, the disciples, feared as the 
 others, Christ, Moses, and Elijah, entered 
 into the cloud. The original does not imply 
 that the disciples entered into the cloud. On the 
 
 contrary, in the Received Text, it distinguishes 
 between them and the others who did enter. 
 There is some doubt as to the reading, but the 
 whole course of the narrative here and in the 
 other Evangelists indicates that the cloud re- 
 ceived the three out of the sight of the disciples. 
 
 35. Beloved son. The best reading here is, 
 My son the elect or chosen. 
 
 36. And they kept it close * * * in those 
 days. Presumptively until after Christ's resur- 
 rection, in accordance with his command. Matt. 
 17 :9. 
 
 37-42. Healing op the Lunatic Bot. — 
 Matt. 17 : 14-21 ; Mark 9 : 14-29. The descrip- 
 tion is much the fullest and most graphic in 
 Mark. See notes there. Matthew calls this boy 
 a lunatic ; the symptoms as described here and 
 in Mark are those of epilepsy. — The next day. 
 The transfiguration was probably at night. The 
 scene here described took place on the following 
 morning. — Mine only child. Luke alone so 
 describes him. — Crieth out. Peculiar to Luke. 
 An inarticulate cry is intended ; for the boy was 
 both deaf and dumb (Mark 9 : 26). — Perverse 
 generation. Eather, perverted race. The lan- 
 guage is that of pity, not of indignation. See 
 note on Mark 9 : 19. 
 
 Ch. 9 : 43-45. TR0PHKCY OF OUR LORD'S PASSION. 
 The mystery of pbophbcy. 
 
 Comp. Matt. 17 : 22, 23 ; Mark 9 : 30-32 ; and 
 notes on Mark. This prophecy was uttered during 
 Christ's retirement, after the close of his public 
 ministry in Galilee, and before the commence- 
 ment of his principal public ministry in Judea. 
 Mark 9 : 30. See note on Matt. 15 : 29-39. 
 
 43. But while all were wondering. As 
 before he gave an intimation of his passion im-
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 51 
 
 46 Then b 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 him, 
 
 48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive 
 this child in my name, receiveth me ; and whosoever 
 shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me: for d 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 Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for' he 
 that is not against us, is tor 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, 11 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 t/n's. 
 
 b Matt. 18:1, etc. ; Mark 9 : 34, etc. .. .c Matt. 10 : 40; John 12:44; 13 : 20. . ..d cb. 14 : 11 ; Matt. 23 : 11, 12... .e Numb. 11 : 27-28. 
 f cb. 16:13; Matt. 12 : 30. . . .g Mark 16 : 19 ; Acts 1 : 2. . . .h John 4 : 4. 
 
 mediately after the apostles' confession of faith 
 in his Messiahship, so now after the expression 
 of their wonder at his miraculous power. Thus 
 he adapts the trial of their faith to its strength. 
 
 44. Matthew and Mark both add a prophecy 
 of the resurrection. 
 
 45. It was hid from them in order that 
 (iVa) they should not perceive it. "It was 
 the divine purpose that they should not at pres- 
 ent be aware of the full significance of these 
 words." — (Alford.) And this is implied not only 
 in the original, which our English version imper- 
 fectly renders, but also in the direction, "Let 
 these sayings sink down into your ears." They 
 were to treasure them up for future reflection 
 and comprehension, that when the death of our 
 Lord came, they might not be overwhelmed, and 
 when the resurrection took place, they might be 
 prepared to believe it. In this verse we have a 
 hint of the office of prophecy, viz., not to make 
 clear future events, but to give a ground of faith 
 in the divine word, after the fulfillment has 
 
 taken place (John 2 : 22 ; 12 : 16 ; 13 : 19 ; 14 : 29). So 
 
 still the full meaning of the prophecy of Christ's 
 second coming is, it seems to me, purposely hid- 
 den from his church. — They feared. See Mark 
 9 : 32, note. 
 
 46-50. Discourse Concerning Greatness 
 in the Kingdom of God. — Of this discourse 
 much the fullest report is given by Matthew, 
 chap. 18. Mark's briefer account contains some 
 particulars not given by Matthew (Mark 9 : 33-50). 
 See notes on Matthew and Mark. On the varia- 
 tions in the three accounts and their reconcilia- 
 tion, see Prel. Note in Matthew. The discussion 
 took place openly among the disciples, on the 
 road, and was stopped by the presence of Christ 
 (Mark 9 : 32), but the strife and debate remained in 
 their hearts (Lake 9: 47). The question of John, 
 and our Lord's reply (vera. 49, 50), is not reported 
 by Matthew, but is by Mark ; see notes there. 
 
 Ch.9 : 51-56. CHRIST REFUSED HOSPITALITY BY THE 
 SAMARITANS. Religious wrath and persecution 
 prohibited. — The spirit of Christianity one of 
 
 long-suffering. 
 
 The time of this incident is entirely uncertain, 
 except as it is fixed by ver. 51. It is not narrated 
 
 by either of the other Evangelists. It occurred 
 after the close of Christ's Galilean ministry, not on 
 the journey to the feast of Tabernacles, as indi- 
 cated in the Harmony (vol. 1, 45), for he then went 
 up to Jerusalem, "not openly, but, as it were, in 
 secret ( John 7 : io) ; " hardly on the journey to the 
 feast of Dedication (John 10 : 22, etc.), as suggested 
 by Alford, for there is nothing to indicate that 
 between these two feasts Jesus left Judea ; he 
 certainly did not go back to Galilee, and we have 
 no hint of any Samaritan ministry. The chronol- 
 ogy of all the weeks between the feast of Dedi- 
 cation (John 10 : 22-39) and the resurrection of Laz- 
 arus (John, ch. 11), including most of the events and 
 instructions in Luke, chaps. 10-18, is involved 
 in great uncertainty. See next chap., Prel. Note. 
 This incident probably occurred at some point 
 during this time, perhaps on Christ's way, at the 
 close of his Perean ministry, to the resurrection 
 of Lazarus, and probably at about the same gen- 
 eral period as the incident in Mark 10 : 33-34. 
 
 51, 52. And it came to pass when the 
 time was coming. Not come, i. e., fully come, 
 but approaching. — His face was steadfastly 
 set. In full knowledge of all that he was to 
 suffer. His steadfastness itself indicated the 
 conflict within, over which he triumphed in thus 
 going to Jerusalem. Compare the description in 
 Mark 10 : 32. — And sent messengers before 
 his face. It seems to me far more natural to 
 understand by this, messengers to prepare a place 
 for him and his disciples, than, with Alford, to 
 suppose that they were directed "to announce 
 the coming of Jesus as the Messiah." This he 
 seems never to have announced, either directly 
 or through others, in any public ministry, while 
 he lived. His announcement to the Samaritan 
 woman (John 4 •. 2g), is no exception, for that was in 
 a private conversation. But probably he chose to 
 be dependent, as his disciples were, on the hospi- 
 tality of the people (Matt. 10 : 9-14) ; this would 
 therefore involve his recognition by the people 
 as an honored religious leader, if nothing more. 
 
 53, 54. And they did not receive him. 
 The bitter hostility between Jews and Samari- 
 tans receives several illustrations in the N. T. 
 See especially John, ch. 4, notes, and Luke 
 10 : 25-37, notes. The refusal to receive Christ
 
 58 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. IX. 
 
 they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to 
 come down from heaven, and consume them, even as 
 Elias 1 did ? 
 
 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ve 
 know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 
 
 56 For J 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, 1 will follow 
 thee whithersoever thou goest. 
 
 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and 
 
 i 2 Kiug8 1 : 10, 12 j John 3:17; 12 : 47 k Matt. 8 : 19, etc. 
 
 was a distinct refusal to recognize him as a pro- 
 phet, or a leader worthy of reverence; it was 
 also a recognized indignity in the East, where 
 hospitality is a recognized duty, and where the 
 traveler is habitually welcomed as a guest, un- 
 less some distinct cause exists for refusing to 
 receive him. The act is interpreted by 2 John, 
 vers. 9 and 10 ; it was an emphatic repudiation of 
 him as a heretic, a teacher of falsehood. — Wilt 
 thou that we command fire to come down 
 from heaven and consume them ? There is 
 some doubt whether the added words, As Elias 
 did, is not a gloss added by a copyist, in explana- 
 tion of the proposition. There is no doubt, how- 
 ever, that there was a reference in the disciples' 
 minds, to 2 Kings 1 : 9-12. Their proposal indi- 
 cates their spirit ; they were full of zeal for their 
 Master ; believed that he was onhi3 way to Jeru- 
 salem to enter into his kingdom, remembered 
 the glory in which they had seen him with Moses 
 and Elijah, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and 
 were impatient for the disclosure of his power 
 and authority. It was the same spirit which led 
 Peter to rebuke the Lord for prophesying his 
 passion, and to draw his sword to resist the ar- 
 rest. It is still the 6ame spirit which seeks to 
 accomplish the triumphs of the Redeemer's king- 
 dom, not by long-suffering, patience, and love, 
 but by the exercise of authority and power. 
 
 55, 56. There is some doubt about the true 
 reading of these verses. The phrase, " The Son 
 of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save 
 them," is thought by many scholars to have been 
 interpolated, being a customary saying of our 
 Lord's (Matt, is : 11 ; Luke 19 : 10]. Tischendorf also 
 omits the other portion of the rebuke, " Ye know 
 not what manner of spirit ye are of," thus leaving 
 the narrative simply, '■'■He turned and rebuked 
 them, and they went to another village.' 1 '' But in 
 the uncertainty of the MSS., the internal evi- 
 dence may be accepted as decisive ; and that is in 
 favor of the ordinary reading. " The words have 
 such a weight of authority against them, that 
 they would be worthy of rejection if it were ex- 
 plicable how they came into the text. How 
 easily, on the other hand, out of regard to 
 Elijah, could an intentional omission take place. 
 Moreover, the brief, simple, and pregnant word 
 of rebuke is so unlike a copyist's interpolation, 
 and as worthy of Jesus himself, as it is, on the 
 other hand, hard to conceive that Luke, on an 
 occasion so unique, limited himself to the bare, 
 
 He rebuked them." — (Meyer.) There is also 
 some question as to the translation of the first 
 part of the rebuke. It may be rendered inter- 
 rogatively, " Know ye not what spirit ye are of? " 
 i. e., what is the spirit of Christianity, the 
 spirit of meekness and love ; or it may be ren- 
 dered positively, but with the same significa- 
 tion, " Ye know not what spirit ye are of," i. e., 
 Ye know not, do not comprehend, the true 
 spirit of Christianity ; or, more severely, " Ye 
 know not your own spirit, a spirit alien from 
 mine." This, I doubt not, is the true interpreta- 
 tion, but the others are grammatically possible, 
 and they have defenders. — And they went to 
 another village. In accordance with the in- 
 structions which Christ had himself given to the 
 twelve (Matt. 10 : 23). 
 
 This incident illustrates the Christian method 
 of meeting insult and indignity — not by penalty 
 but by patience, and, when possible, by avoid- 
 ance. But it illustrates much more. The anger 
 of the disciples was not aroused by a personal 
 affront, but by one offered to their Lord ; it was 
 excited, not by self-conceit or pride, but by love 
 and zeal for Christ. Zeal for him, when uniting 
 with the lower passions, produces not piety but 
 fanaticism ; such zeal, so uniting, is not a Chris- 
 tian spirit ; it may even result in a devilish 
 spirit. Christ condemns, impliedly, all attempts 
 to coerce respect for him, or to punish the want 
 of it ; and so, not only all religious persecution, 
 but also all that wrath and bitterness, which is 
 so unhappily common in religious controversies. 
 The office of Christianity is wholly remedial, not 
 unitive ; its instruments are the forbearance 
 and long-suffering of love, not judgment and 
 penalty ; lightand warmth, not fire from heaven. 
 We are to be patient, not merely with wrong per- 
 sonal to ourselves, but with the spirit of irre- 
 ligion and infidelity, and with affronts offered to 
 our Lord. We are not to hate even the enemies 
 of Christ. 
 
 Oh. 9:57-62. FOLLOWING CHRIST. Three persons 
 
 ALMOST PERSUADEH TO BE CHRISTIANS : THE SELF- 
 CONFIDENT AND IMPETUOUS DISCIPLE ; THE PROCRAS- 
 TINATING DISCIPLE ; THE IRRESOLUTE DISCIPLE.— THE 
 FIRST MUST COUNT THE COST ; THE SECOND MUST SUN- 
 DER THE MOST SACRED TIES ; THE THIRD MUST FOR- 
 GET THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND.— DUTIES TO 
 THE LIVING AND DUTIES TO THE DEAD. — DANGERS OF 
 
 even looking back (see note below). 
 This incident probably occurred immediately
 
 Ch. IX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 59 
 
 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 lather. 
 
 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their 
 dead ; but go thou and preach the kingdom ot 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 man, having put 
 his hand to the plough, and looking back, is tit tor the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 1 1 Kings 19 : 20. 
 
 after Christ's preaching of the parables concern- 
 ing the kingdom of God (Matt.,*, is). He desired 
 to escape from the throng, and bade his own disci- 
 ples, i. c, the twelve, to depart with him by boat 
 to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Comp. 
 notes on Matt. 8 : 18-22, and see Mark 4 : 35, 
 with Matt. 8 : 18. 
 
 57. A certain man. A scribe (Matt, s: io, 21), 
 and a disciple in the sense in which all were 
 termed disciples who were learners of Jesus 
 without having fully committed themselves to 
 his cause. To understand his spirit we must 
 consider both the circumstances and Christ's re- 
 sponse ; for here, as elsewhere, the heart of the 
 speaker is to be read, not so much from his own 
 words, which were perhaps contrived to hide 
 his real feelings, as from the reply of Christ, who 
 discerned the intents of the heart. Christ had 
 just been proclaiming the nature of the kingdom 
 which he had come to establish (Matt., ch. 13). He 
 now wishes to separate himself from the throng, 
 and seek retirement. This scribe demands to in- 
 trude himself on Christ's hours of seclusion, and 
 bases this demand on a promise to follow him 
 wherever he goes. Christ does not refuse his de- 
 mand, but tests the value of his offer. " ' What ! ' 
 saith he, ' dost thou look to gather wealth by fol- 
 lowing me ? Seest thou not then that I have not 
 even a lodging, not even so much as the birds 
 have.' " — (Chrysostom.) In a similar manner he 
 tries the rich young man (Matt. 19 : 21) In neither 
 case does he invent a peculiar and a hard condi- 
 tion ; he simply requires that those who join his 
 band shall share their poverty. The twelve have 
 
 left all tO follow him (Matt. 4 : 20, 22; 9 : 19 ; 19 : 27). 
 
 58. Son of man. A phrase borrowed from 
 the prophecy of Daniel, and indicating the Mes- 
 siah. See Matt. 10 : 23, note. — Hath not 
 where to lay his head. That is, no perma- 
 nent home. He was frequently the guest of dis- 
 ciples. Frequently he spent the night in the 
 open air ; no real hardship in Orient as in our 
 climate. "Night by night Jesus received from 
 the hand of his Father a resting-place, which he 
 knew not in the morning." — (Godet.) 
 
 59. GO. Another. Also a disciple (Matt. 8 : 21). 
 An ancient tradition says it was Philip; Alford 
 suggests that the command "follow me," was 
 occasioned by some slackness or symptoms of 
 decadence on the part of the disciple. It ap- 
 pears more probable that he was a disciple only 
 in a general sense of being a recipient of Christ's 
 
 teachings, not one of the twelve. — Bury my 
 father. "As it was the practice to bury on the 
 day of death, it is not very likely that this dis- 
 ciple would have been here at all if his father had 
 just breathed his last. * * * No duubt it was 
 the common case of a son, having a frail and 
 aged father not likely to live long, whose head he 
 thinks it his duty to see under the ground ere he 
 goes abroad." — {Dr. Brown.) — Let the dead 
 bury their dead. That is, Let those that 
 abide in the world attend to the duties and 
 fulfill the obligations which are supposed to be- 
 long to that state. For you there is no turning ; 
 a higher duty calls you to preach the Gospel. 
 During the midst of the battle the soldier canr.ot 
 leave ranks to bury the dead or even to succor the 
 dying. A seeming indifference to them is then 
 his duty. It does not follow that we are to 
 neglect what are called secular duties for those 
 that are termed religious. Nevertheless, life 
 presents many occasions in which duty to the 
 living is supreme over respect to the dead ; in 
 which duty to Christ requires that we should 
 forego works which otherwise would be sacred 
 duties. Compare for parallel teaching, Matt. 
 10 :37 ; for illustrative example, Mark 3 : 32-35. 
 
 61, 62. Compare Gen. 19 : 20, and 1 Kings 
 19 : 20, 21, where Elijah's language is satirical, 
 and where Elisha, by his acts, though not in 
 words, withdraws his request, leaves his cattle 
 and his labors, and slaying two of the oxen for a 
 feast in honor of Elijah, follows him without re- 
 turning to his home. — No man having put his 
 hand to the plough and looking back. 
 The figure is one the agriculturist will readily 
 appreciate. The ploughman must keep his eye 
 on the furrow to be made, and the Christian on 
 the life-duties to which he is called. Lookiitg back 
 spoils the furrow (comp. Phil. 3 : is). Dr. Brown says 
 that when Hindoos are converted and are about 
 to be baptized, their parents often plead with 
 them to pay them one more parting visit before 
 taking a step that will cut them off from home 
 altogether ; and that those who yield to these 
 parental entreaties to go home for a visit never 
 return, or do so only after a season, in which 
 they abandon Christianity and conform to the 
 heathen religion again. This fact is the best 
 possible commentary on and explanation of a 
 passage which has seemed to some a hard re- 
 quirement on Christ's part. 
 
 Dr. Brown's note on this entire passage
 
 60 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 (though he bases it on Matt. 8 : 18-22) is ad- 
 mirable. The first disciple is the self-sufficient, 
 and hence the rash and precipitate disciple. Like 
 the Galatiaus, he begins with an excess of zeal ; 
 like Peter he will follow Christ everywhere (Gal. 
 
 4 : 14, 15 ; 6:7; Matt. 26 : 33, 70-74). Such need to be 
 
 bidden to count the cost. The second is the 
 procrastinating or entangled disciple. He will 
 follow Christ, but — ; the answer is, No duty, how- 
 ever sacred or solemn, is an excuse for putting 
 off the claims of Christ to our full and unre- 
 served service. The third is, the irresolute or 
 wavering disciple. He halts between two opin- 
 ions. To him the word of Christ is, Now is the 
 accepted time. (Comp. Luke 14 : 18-20 and 
 Matt. 13 : 20-22.) 
 
 Ch. 10 ; 1-24. COMMISSION OF THE SEVENTY. The 
 work op the Christian ministry illustrated. See 
 on Matt., ch. 10. 
 
 Preliminary Note. — The chronology of the 
 events recorded in Luke 10 : 1 to 18 : 34, is very 
 uncertain ; the locality is also uncertain. With- 
 out entering into the unprofitable discussions of 
 the harmonists, I give briefly what appears to 
 me to be unquestionably the best opinion. 
 Christ's Galilean ministry, was brought to an 
 end by his rejection of the crown proffered to 
 him by the people (John 6 .- is), and was followed 
 by a brief period of retirement with his disciples, 
 devoted to their instruction in the things con- 
 cerning the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 16 •. 21 to ch. is). 
 He then went up to Jerusalem to the feast of the 
 Tabernacles, and in and about Jerusalem he 
 spent about three months, from the feast of the 
 Tabernacles to that of the Dedication. Of this 
 Judean ministry, John alone gives any account 
 (John, chaps. 7-io). Driven out of Jerusalem a 
 second time by a mob, he departed into the dis- 
 trict beyond Jordan, and taught there. Of this 
 fact we have an intimation in Matt. 19 : 1 and 
 Mark 10 : 1, but they give no full account of this 
 era in his ministry. The incidents and teachings 
 here recorded by Luke probably belong to this 
 period. This is indeed only an hypothesis ; but it 
 is a more probable one than the supposition that 
 after he had once gone over the cities and villages 
 of Galilee, he returned to a second ministry there. 
 It is borne out by a comparison of the character 
 of the ministry with that of the land and of the 
 people. Perea, so called from the Greek word 
 {nkau) pera, beyond, is a wild and romantic re- 
 gion, now but little visited by travelers to the 
 Holy Land, who practically regard the Jordan as 
 its eastern boundary. Even such writers as 
 Stanley, Robinson, and Putter, give but little in- 
 formation concerning it. To it belongs the 
 Bashan and the Gilead of the O. T. It was in 
 Christ's time a populous and prosperous district. 
 The flourishing cities gave to its southern por- 
 
 tion the name of Decapolis. Along the river Jor- 
 dan the ruins of one hundred and twenty-seven 
 villages have been counted. Its hill-sides were 
 famous for pasturage, and its cattle for their size 
 and fatness. Its population was not homoge- 
 neous. It formed a part of the Holy Land ; and 
 it was apart of Christ's mission to offer the Gos- 
 pel to the entire Jewish people before turning 
 from them to the Gentiles. But in Perea, the 
 Israelites were intermixed with a Gentile popu- 
 lation ; the cities of Decapolis were Roman 
 cities ; the sheep of Israel, in this heathen so- 
 ciety, were wandering 6heep — to the haughty 
 Judean, lost sheep. To this era of Christ's min- 
 istry naturally belong, therefore, the marvelous 
 trio of parables — the lost sheep, the lost coin, the 
 lost son ; it is here that, in the parable of the 
 good Samaritan, he rebukes pride of caste and 
 race ; and in the parables of the rich fool and 
 of Dives and Lazarus, the pride of wealth. This 
 Perean ministry extended, as I suppose, from the 
 feast of the Dedication, in December, a. d. 29, to 
 the time of Christ's going up for the last time to 
 Jerusalem, March, a. d. 30, though in this time 
 is included the resurrection of Lazarus and the 
 brief subsequent retirement to Ephraim. The 
 order of events is very uncertain. For a probable 
 order, see Tabular Harmony, Vol. I, p. 45. Of 
 this ministry, Matthew and Mark give a brief 
 
 aCCOUnt (Matt. 19 : 1 to 20 : 16 ; Mark 10 : 1-31 ). Some f eW 
 
 of the incidents and instructions recorded by 
 Luke as in this era, seem, from the parallel ac- 
 counts in Matthew and Mark, to belong to the 
 Galilean ministry ; of course they may have been 
 repetitions. See for examples, Luke 13 : 18-21 ; 
 11 : 14-2G ; 17 : 1, 2. 
 
 To this period probably belongs the commis- 
 sion of the seventy. Their mission is much like 
 that of the twelve (Matt.,ch. io) ; the difference is 
 just such as the difference in circumstances 
 would require. The seventy were to go two by 
 two ; they were endowed with the same super- 
 natural powers ; they were to depend wholly on 
 the hospitality of the people ; they were to 
 preach the same gospel, "The kingdom of hea- 
 ven is at hand." But they were seventy instead 
 of twelve, for the territory was larger and the 
 time shorter ; they were not forbidden from en- 
 tering into any Gentile city, for in Perea Gentile 
 and Jew were associated together in the same 
 cities ; their ministry was not confined to the 
 unwalled towns ; no instructions respecting per- 
 secution were given them, for the era of bitter 
 persecution did not come till after the death of 
 Christ, and their appointment was purely local 
 and temporary, while that of the twelve was for 
 lifelong service in the church. In the main, 
 however, the instructions given to the seventy 
 were similar to those given to the twelve, though 
 not covering as much ground. For the practi-
 
 Ch. X.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 61 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 AFTER" 1 these things the Lord appointed other 
 seventy also, and sent them two and two before 
 his face 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 la- 
 bourers into his harvest. 
 
 3 Go your ways : behold, I send you forth as lambs 
 among wolves. 
 
 4 Carry p neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and"" 
 salute no man by the way. 
 
 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, 
 Peace be to this house. 
 
 6 And if the son r of peace be there, your peace shall 
 rest • upon it : if not, it shall turn to you again. 
 
 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drink- 
 ing such things as they give: tor< the labourer is wor- 
 thy of his hire. Go not trom house" to house. 
 
 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they re- 
 ceive you, eat " such tilings as arc set before you : 
 
 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto 
 them, The w kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 
 
 io But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they re- 
 ceive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the 
 same, and say, 
 
 ii Even x the very dust of your city, which cleaveth 
 on us, we do wipe off against you : notwithstanding, 
 be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come 
 nigh unto you. 
 
 12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolera- 
 ble in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 
 
 13 Woe y unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Beth- 
 saida ! for 1 if the mighty works had been done in Tyre 
 
 m Malt. 10 : 1, etc.; Mark 6 : 7, etc n Matt. 9 : 37 ; John 4 : 35 o 1 Cor. 3:9; 1 Tim. 5 : 17 p ch. 9 : 3, etc q Gen 14-33 it- 
 
 2 Kings 4: 59; Prov. 4 : 25. . . .r Isa. 9 : 6. .. .a 2 Thess. 3 : 16 ; James 3 : 18. . . .t 1 Cor. 9 : 4-14 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 18. . . .u 1 Tim. 6 : 13 v 1 Cor' 
 10 : 27. . . .w Matt. 3 : 2. . . .1 ch. 9 : 5. . . .y Matt. 11 : H, ate 1 Ezek. 3 : 6. 
 
 cal and spiritual lessons, therefore, the reader is 
 referred to the parallel and prior commission of 
 the twelve, reported in Matthew, ch. 10. Here 
 I note only what is peculiar to this commission. 
 
 1. After these things. An indefinite note 
 of time, indicating clearly that the commission 
 here referred to was subsequent to the events 
 recorded in the preceding chapter. — Others 
 also, seventy in number. That is, others 
 than the twelve whose ordination is mentioned 
 in ch. 9 : 1. "It is well that Luke has given us 
 also the sending of the twelve, or we should 
 have had some of the commentators asserting 
 that this was the same mission. ' ' — ( Alford. ) As 
 the twelve had a clear reference to the twelve 
 tribes of Israel (Matt. 19 : 2s), so the seventy are sup- 
 posed to have reference to the seventy elders of 
 Israel (Exod. 24 • i ; Numb, ii : le). — Into every city 
 and place whither he himself would come. 
 In Galilee Christ himself preached in the cities 
 (Matt. 11 : l), and the apostles in the towns and 
 villages (ch. 9:6). In Perea, presumably, the 
 seventy preached both in the cities and the un- 
 walled towns, Christ following with his personal 
 ministry chiefly in the former. It is not proba- 
 ble that he went into every place where his her- 
 alds went. In this respect our age is better than 
 theirs, that Christ is always with his ministers, 
 and that their work is always to prepare for his 
 personal coming. 
 
 2. The harvest truly is great. The same 
 metaphor is used by Christ in Matt. 9 : 37. See 
 note there. There is no reason to think that 
 Luke has misplaced it ; more probably Christ in 
 this instance, as in many others, made use of the 
 6ame aphorism at different times. 
 
 3-12. These instructions are substantially the 
 same as those given to the twelve in Matthew, ch. 
 10. Some matters given there are omitted here ; 
 but there is nothing here not contained there ; 
 at least the differences are little more than ver- 
 bal. To the direction, Ise?ul you forth as lambs 
 among wolves, Christ adds in Matthew the direc- 
 
 tion, Be ye therefore wise as serpents, etc. The di- 
 rection, Salute no man by the loay, is peculiar to 
 Luke. The Jewish salutations, like those com- 
 mon in the Orient to-day, were elaborately for- 
 mal, and occupied so much time as to be a serious 
 hindrance when there was reason for haste. It is 
 said that a complete formal salutation between 
 
 SALUTATIONS. 
 
 two persons may consume from one to three hours. 
 The disciples were not to stop by the way for 
 these elaborate formal and insincere salutations. 
 The immediate lesson to them was that their 
 time was short and their business urgent. The 
 lesson to us is that we are not to allow the for- 
 malities of life to interfere with our Gospel min- 
 istry. Verses 5 and 6 are parallel to Matt. 10 : 12, 
 13. Race be to this house was a common form of 
 Jewish salutation. A son of peace (the article is 
 wanting in the original) is one who receives the 
 salutation, I. e., is ready to welcome the Gospel 
 message of peace. Verses 7 and 8 are equivalent 
 to Matt. 10 : 11. The direction simply empha- 
 sizes the instruction there given, There abidt till 
 ye go hence. On the one hand, the apostles 
 were not to hesitate from a false delicacy to re- 
 ceive the hospitality proffered them ; nor, on 
 the other hand, discontented with it, were they 
 to go from house to house seeking for better
 
 62 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a 
 great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and 
 ashes. 
 
 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon 
 at the judgment, than lor you. 
 
 15 And thou, Capernaum, which ° art exalted to 
 heaven, shalt be thrust b down to hell. 
 
 16 He c that heareth you, heareth me; and he d that 
 despiseth you. despiseth me ; and e he that depiseth 
 me, despiseth him that sent me. 
 
 a Isa. 14 : 13-15 ; Jer. 51 : 53 ; Amos 9 : 2, 3 b Ezek. 
 
 . . e John 6 : ! 
 
 TYKE ON THE MAINLAND. 
 
 accommodations or for social enjoyment. Verse 
 
 9 evidently imperfectly reports the authority 
 conferred upon the seventy ; from their account 
 of the result of their mission in verse 17, it is 
 clear that their power did not differ from that 
 conferred on the twelve in Matt. 10 : 8. Verses 
 10-13 amplify the instructions contained in Matt. 
 
 10 : 14, 15. Observe that, whether accepted or 
 
 rejected, the king- 
 dom of God draws 
 nigh, a power in us 
 or a power over us. 
 
 13-15. The same 
 woes against Cho- 
 razin, Bethsaida, 
 and Capernaum are 
 reported in Matt. 
 11 : 21-24. These 
 are Galilean cities ; 
 it is quite certain 
 that the woes 
 against them were 
 pronounced by our 
 Lord in Galilee, as 
 indicated by Mat- 
 thew ; but they may 
 have been repeated 
 by him in this con- 
 nection to give sol- 
 emn sanction to the 
 admonition of the 
 preceding verses. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion of the present ruins of the once prosperous 
 and flourishing city of Capernaum shows how 
 completely this prophecy has been fulfilled, and 
 affords a memorable and melancholy evidence of 
 the truth of Christ's words and the authority of 
 his mission. For description of Capernaum and 
 its probable site, see Matt. 4 : 13. 
 
 C'AIIKNAUM.
 
 Cil X.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 03 
 
 17 And the severity returned again with joy, saying, 
 Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy 
 name. 
 
 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan' as light- 
 ning fall from heaven. 
 
 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on ser- 
 pents e and scorpions, and over all the power of the 
 enemy : and nothing shall by any means hurt you/ 
 
 20 "Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the 
 spirits are subject unto you : but rather rejoice, be- 
 cause your names are written ■ in heaven. 
 
 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I 
 
 thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that 
 thou hast hid these tilings from the wise and prudent, 
 and hast revealed them unto babes : even so, Father, 
 for so it seemed good in thy sight. 
 
 22 All things ' are delivered to meed my father: and 
 no J man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father ; and 
 who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the 
 Son will reveal him, 
 
 23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said 
 privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things 
 that ye see : 
 
 24 For I tell you, that* many prophets and kings 
 
 f Rev. 12 : 8, 9. 
 
 .g Mark 16 : 18 ; Arts 58 : 5. . . .h Exod. 35 : 35 ; Ps. 69 : 58 ; Isn. 4:3; Dan. 15:1; Phil. 4:3; 11.1,. 15 : 33 ; Rev. 13 : 8 • 
 20: 12 j 21 : 27 1 Malt. 28 : 18; John 3 : 35.... j John 6 :44,46....k 1 Pet. 1 : 10. 
 
 16. Compare Matt. 10 : 40, note. There the 
 Lord declares that receiving Christ's messengers 
 is counted as receiving Him ; here He adds that 
 despising Christ's messengers, is accounted as 
 despising Him — a solemnly suggestive declara- 
 tion. 
 
 17-20. The seventy returned again with 
 joy. There is nothing to indicate how long 
 their mission lasted; very probably during most 
 of Christ's Perean ministry, in which ease this 
 return, though reported here, did not take place 
 until about the time of Christ's going up to 
 Jerusalem, recorded in ch. 18 : 31. — Even the 
 devils are subject unto us through thy 
 name. This was in accordance with the prom- 
 ise made to the twelve (Matt, to •. s), and probably 
 repeated substantially to the seventy. — I beheld 
 Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Of 
 this expression there are three interpretations : 
 (1) the historical, i. e., that Christ refers to the 
 original fall of Satan when cast out of heaven 
 (isa. u:i2) ; (2) the mystical, i. e., that Christ re- 
 fers to a vision or intuition of the fall of Satan, 
 he having realized, if not witnessed in a spiritual 
 vision, the overthrow of Satan, while his disci- 
 ples were casting the evil spirits out ; (3) the 
 prophetic, i. c, that Jesus beheld the final over- 
 throw of Satan (Rev. 12 : 9), of which the victories 
 won by his disciples were prophecies. In either 
 interpretation the overthrow of Satan includes 
 the overthrow of all his works and of all the 
 agencies which proceed from and co-operate with 
 him. I prefer the historical interpretation. The 
 disciples return exultant ; Christ moderates 
 their exultation, and at the same time deepens 
 their assurance of final victory, by telling them 
 that in the beginning he beheld Satan fall from 
 heaven, and that they are but aiding to complete 
 the work which God then began. We are co- 
 workers with God (1 Cor. 3:9), and are battling 
 against our already fallen foe. As lightning in- 
 dicates both the brightness of the fallen angel 
 and the suddenness of his fall ; as lightning 
 goes out in instantaneous and utter darkness, so 
 the fallen angel of light.— Power to tread on 
 serpents and scorpions. Comp. Ps. 91 : 13. 
 The language is here symbolical ; serpents and 
 
 scorpions typify the poison and sting of sin, 
 with all its dangerous and deadly effects. These, 
 the result of the fall, are conquered in redemp- 
 tion, being put utterly under foot (Gen. 3 : 15) 
 through him who makes us more than conquer- 
 ors in all things (Rom. 8 : 37). — Over all the pow- 
 er of the enemy. Of Satan. The Christian 
 has power over all evil, because by divine grace 
 it becomes an instrument of good (Rom. 5 : 1-5). So 
 is it literally true that nothing .shall by any means 
 hurt you. Comp. ch. 21 : 18 ; Rom. 8 : 28, notes. 
 — Rejoice not * * * but rather rejoice. 
 The Christian is not to rejoice in his own power, 
 but rather in this, that he is the subject of re- 
 deeming love. Judas Iscariot was one of the 
 twelve to whom power was given to cast out 
 devils, but his name was not written in heaven. 
 The most magnificent successes, the finest ef- 
 fects of eloquence, temples filled, conversions 
 by thousands, are no cause of real spiritual joy 
 to one who is not himself enrolled among the 
 redeemed. The figure of a register in which the 
 names of the redeemed are written is of frequent 
 occurrence in the Scriptures ( see marg. ref.). But 
 note that the name may be blotted out (Exod. 
 
 32 : 33 ; Jer. 17:13; Rev. 22 : 19). 
 
 21, 22. Comp. Matt. 11 : 25-27. With Alford, 
 "I am convinced that our Lord did utter on the 
 two separate occasions these weighty words ; 
 and I find in them a most instructive instance of 
 the way in which such central sayings were re- 
 peated by him." The immediate occasion of 
 the utterance here, is Christ's realization of the 
 fact, that to his unlearned disciples God has in- 
 trusted the revelation of that truth which is to 
 overthrow finally the kingdom of Satan. 
 
 23, 24. Comp. Matt. 13 : 16, 17. What there 
 he said to the disciples in Galilee he here repeats 
 to another circle, not necessarily the seventy 
 alone, in Perea. Of the kings who had desired to 
 see and hear, David is the most striking example 
 
 (See 2 Sam. 23 : 5 ; Ps. 42 : 2 j 73 : 25, 26). 
 
 Ch. 10 : 25-37. PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 
 Chbist's method op dealing with the self-right- 
 eous. — The catholicity of Christian charity. — 
 Spurious sympathy shuns suffering; real sym- 
 pathy RELIEVES IT. — The worst heresy is the want
 
 64 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 have desired to sec those things which ye see. and have 
 not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, 
 and have not heard them. 
 
 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and 
 tempted him, saying, Master, what ' shall I do to in- 
 herit" 1 eternal life ? 
 
 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law ? 
 how readest thou ? 
 
 27 And he answering said, Thou" shalt love the 
 Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
 
 and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and 
 thy ° neighbor as thyself. 
 
 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: 
 this do, and f> thou shalt live. 
 
 29 But he, willing to justify 1 himself, said unto Je- 
 sus, And who is my r neighbour ? 
 
 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went 
 down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among 
 thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wound- 
 ed him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 
 
 .p Lev. 18:5; Neh. 9 : 29 j Ezek. 20 : 11,21; Rom. 10 : 5 ; Gal. 3: 12... 
 "q ch. 16 : 15 ; Job 32 : 2 ; Rom. 4:2; Gat. 3 : 11 ; James 2 : 24 r Matt. 6 : 43, 44. 
 
 I Acts 16 : 30, 31 m Gal. 3 : 18 n Deut 6:5 o Lev. 19 : 18. 
 
 or love; the lovtng heretic is better than the 
 unloving orthodox.— The characteristics of true 
 charity. — Christ's word to the inquirer: Go and 
 do. — Redemption illustrated. 
 
 Neither the time nor the place of this teaching 
 is fixed by the narrative. It probably belongs to 
 Christ's Perean ministry. It is peculiar to Luke. 
 
 25. A certain lawyer. One versed in the 
 Jewish law, both the O. T. and the Rabbinical 
 comments thereon. The term theologian would 
 more nearly describe his character. — And 
 tempted him. More properly tried him. The 
 spirit of the inquirer appears to have been 
 neither malicious nor docile, but self-confident. 
 His language is respectful ; he addresses Christ 
 as Master, but his object was not to obtain guid- 
 ance for himself, rather to measure the ability of 
 the Nazarene Rabbi. Probably his conscience 
 had been aroused by the preaching of Jesus, 
 which Luke has not reported, but which every- 
 where included a demand for repentance. Fully 
 recognizing the appropriateness of this preaching 
 for the publicans and sinners, who were Christ's 
 principal auditors, he did not entertain the idea 
 that he needed repentance himself. Hence the 
 question, What shall / do to inherit eternal life ? 
 Christ answers him as he answered the rich 
 young ruler (Matt. 19 : 16-22), in such a way as 
 awakened in him a sense that he also needed to 
 be justified (ver. 29) ; and Christ's method here, as 
 there, is an example to the ministry iD dealing 
 with the self-righteous. A comparison of this 
 lawyer's question with that of the rich young 
 ruler (Luke is : is), and that of the lawyer in Jeru- 
 salem (Matt. 22 : 34-40) shows how, in Christ's minis- 
 try as in the ministry of his disciples at the pres- 
 ent day, the same experiences, expressed in al- 
 most identical language, were met with again 
 and again. 
 
 26, 27. What is written in the law? 
 Christ's principle of action in such cases is to 
 throw the inquirer back upon his own moral 
 sense, to require him to measure himself, not by 
 any new standard of righteousness with which he 
 is unfamiliar, but with that which his own con- 
 science already recognizes. Each soul must be 
 convicted by its own moral sense, not by that of 
 another. So Christ refers this lawyer to his own 
 
 understanding of the law. — How readest 
 
 thou ? If we read the law spiritually, recog- 
 nizing its purpose (1 Tim. 1 : 5), we shall realize that 
 whatever our outward life has been, we have not 
 in spirit and in character conformed to its re- 
 quirements. With Christ's question here com- 
 pare his admonition in ch. 8 : 18. — Thou shalt 
 love the Lord thy God. The lawyer quotes 
 from Deut. 6 : 4, 5, and Lev. 19 : 18. Meyer sup- 
 poses that the lawyer had before heard Christ 
 refer to this summary of the law ; and this is 
 certainly possible, though not, it seems to me, 
 probable. Among the Scribes and Pharisees 
 there were some who entertained and taught 
 spiritual views of the law of God, and this lawyer 
 appears to have belonged to that class. 
 
 28. Thou hast answered right : this do, 
 and thou shalt live. Christ dismisses him 
 summarily, almost abruptly, makes no attempt 
 to convict him of disobedience, throws him back 
 upon his own consciousness. Is this reply un- 
 evangelical ? Is it inconsistent with Rom. 3 : 20 ? 
 No. He that does this shall live ; he needs no 
 evangel ; they that be sick need a physician, not 
 they that are whole ; the Gospel is for those, and 
 only for those, who are conscious that they have 
 not done this, and still desire to enter into life. 
 The preaching of the law here and everywhere in 
 the N. T. is to produce conviction of sin and the 
 sense of the need of a Saviour (Rom., ch. 7). 
 
 29. Willing to justify himself. The ef- 
 fect of Christ's teaching shows the result at 
 which he aimed. The inquirer's own conscience- 
 became his accuser ; he knew that he had not ful- 
 filled this divine law. The question which fol- 
 lowed was put to cover his confusion, by leading 
 Christ away from the practical and personal 
 question to one that was theoretical and measur- 
 ably abstract. This second question Christ does 
 not answer ; he does not tell the lawyer who is 
 the neighbor to whom kindness should be shown, 
 but he depicts, in a dramatic form, an act which 
 illustrates the law of love, and bids the inquirer 
 measure his life by the law so interpreted. 
 
 30. A certain man. Presumably a Jew. 
 The whole course of the narrative implies this, 
 though it is not expressly stated. — Went down 
 from Jerusalem to Jericho. He "went," or 
 "was going down" because Jerusalem stood
 
 Ch. X.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 G5 
 
 31 And by chance t'.icrc came down a certain priest 
 that way ; and when lie saw him, he passed by" on the 
 other side. 
 
 32 And likewise a Levite, when he wis at the place, 
 came and looked l on him, and passed by on the 1 ither 
 side. 
 
 . t Ps. 109 : 25 ; Ptov. 27 : 10. 
 
 considerably higher than Jericho — the latter 
 lying nearly six hundred feet below the level of 
 the Mediterranean sea, so that the language has 
 its fitness in this respect — and because the going 
 to Jerusalem, which was the metropolis, was 
 always regarded as a going up (Acts is : 22). The 
 distance between the two cities was about one 
 hundred and fifty stadia — a little over eighteen 
 miles ; the road lying through a desolate and 
 
 rocky region; "the wilderness that goeth up 
 from Jericho" (Deut. S4 :3; Jonh. 16 : 1). — And fell 
 among thieves. Rather robbers. The original 
 indicates some of that class of brigands which 
 was so numerous in Palestine in the time of 
 Christ. The road is a narrow, dreary mountain 
 pass, notoriously dangerous then, and equally 
 dangerous still ; a considerable guard is always 
 necessary in traversing this piece of road. In 
 
 ROAD TO JERICHO. 
 
 ancient times it was called the " Path of Blood." 
 — Which stripped him. Not merely of his 
 raiment, but of all that he had. 
 
 31, 32. And by chance. Certainly there is 
 nothing in this language to justify the doctrine of 
 chance ; but neither does the original imply the 
 conjunction of two things, which "fell together, 
 according to the omniscient designer's plan." 
 The language is that of common life, and justi- 
 fies our use of like language in describing those 
 coincidences, which are a part of divine provi- 
 
 dence. Bengel well lays out the moral meaning 
 in the phrase by chance : " Many good opportuni- 
 ties are hidden under that which may seem acci- 
 dental." — There came down a certain priest 
 that way. Jericho was a city of priests ; the 
 chosen residence of many of them when not ac- 
 tually engaged in the performance of their 
 priestly functions at the temple. Mercy was 
 commanded by the law, even to a beast, and 
 consideration to a neighbor (Exod. 23 : 4, 5 ; Deut. 
 22 •. 1-4) ; in disregarding the claims of mercy, the
 
 G6 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. X. 
 
 33 But a certain Samaritan," as he journeyed, came 
 where lie was : and when he saw him, he had compas- 
 sion v Oil kill!, 
 
 34 And went to him, and bound" up his wounds, 
 pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, 
 and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 
 
 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took 
 
 out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said 
 unto him, 'Jake care of him ; and whatsoever thou 
 Spendesl more, when I come again, I will repay" thee. 
 
 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was 
 neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 
 
 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy* on him. 
 Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou'likewise. 
 
 u John 4 : y v Exod. 2:6 w Ps 
 
 Hosea 6:6; Micah 6 • 8 ; 
 
 priest and Levite violated the law. Yet excuses 
 were not wanting — there was danger in delay 
 from the same or other robbers ; it was not the 
 priest's business ; he was perhaps hastening to 
 the temple service, or from it to reach Jericho 
 before nightfall ; he was unfamiliar with wounds 
 and inapt in caring for them ; the man was very 
 likely too far gone to be recovered, and the priest 
 would then have a useless burden on his hands. 
 He was not without a certain common but spu- 
 rious compassion ; he passed by on the other side, 
 i.e., he had so much feeling that he was unwill- 
 ing to look on the suffering which he thought 
 that he was in no condition to cure. — And like- 
 wise a Levite. One of the inferior officers of 
 the temple, who had charge of its subordinate 
 ministries. The example of the preceding priest, 
 his superior, might have served as a plea to 
 6atisfy his own conscience. Worse than the 
 priest he " came and looked on him." Trouble 
 awakened his curiosity, but it did not awaken 
 his sympathy, or incite him to active help. 
 
 33-35. A certain Samaritan. On the his- 
 tory and character of the Samaritans, see notes on 
 John, ch. 4. They were a mongrel race, partly 
 Jewish, partly heathen, having the Bible, yet not 
 holding to its precepts. Christ himself expressly 
 implies his disapproval of their worship (John 4 : 22), 
 and in his commission of the twelve, classes them 
 with the Gentiles (Matt. 10 : 5). The Jewish pre- 
 judice against them, in which race and religious 
 enmity combined, was not unreasonable, except 
 as all prejudice is ever unreasonable. Christ 
 contrasts the Samaritan with the priest and 
 Levite, not to honor Samaria, nor to do despite 
 to priests and Levites, but to teach that the most 
 despised outcast who fulfills the law of love, is 
 better than the most honored minister of religion 
 who disregards it. — He had compassion on 
 him * * * bound up his wounds * * * set 
 him on his own beast * * * took care of 
 him * * * took out two pence and gave 
 them to the host. Incidentally Christ teaches 
 what are the manifestations and what the con- 
 stituent elements of a genuine charity. The Sa- 
 maritan has compassion, a feeling for and with 
 the sufferer ; his feeling leads him not to escape 
 the sight of suffering, but to succor the sufferer ; 
 he does this not through another, but by a per- 
 sonal and a disagreeable service ; at a real self- 
 sacrifice, too, for he sets the wounded man on 
 
 his own beast and walks himself; he enlists 
 others ; and he contributes money as well as 
 service, and service as well as money. Oil and 
 wine were usual remedies for wounds in the East. 
 On Eastern inns, see ch. 2 : 7, note. This, how- 
 ever, was evidently something more than a cara- 
 vanserai for the mere shelter of travelers, for 
 there was a host, to whose care the wounded 
 traveler he entrusted, and who was able to pro- 
 vide for him. Two pence (denarii) was two days' 
 wages of a laboring man (Matt. 20 : 9, 10). It was 
 therefore not an insignificant sum ; moreover it 
 was accompanied by a promise to give whatever 
 further sum might be necessary for the wounded 
 man's keeping. 
 
 36,37. Became neighbor. Not was neigh- 
 bor. By his spirit and his acts he that was a 
 stranger became neighbor. "It is not place, but 
 love, which makes neighborhood." — ( Words- 
 worth.) — He that shewed mercy. The law- 
 yer cannot bring himself to say " the Samari- 
 tan ; " he answers by a circumlocution ; yet, in 
 doing so, announces a principle, instead of 
 merely stating a fact. — Go and do thou like- 
 wise. There seems to me a significance in this 
 command to go. The lawyer is not to stay ques- 
 tioning about the theory of religion ; he is to go 
 out and practice it wherever human need calls 
 for human help. To all captious critics the di- 
 rection of the Lord is to go and do. 
 
 The primary lesson of this parable is so plain 
 that it cannot be missed. Whoever is in need is 
 my neighbor. True love knows nothing of sec- 
 tarian, or national, or race distinctions. Like the 
 love of God, it shines on the evil and the good, 
 the just and the unjust. Christ rebukes the spirit 
 of pride which despises the Samaritan and cher- 
 ishes only the Jew, the more effectively be- 
 cause indirectly. The second lesson has been 
 oftener overlooked. The spirit of genuine phi- 
 lanthropy is a Christian spirit, wherever found. 
 It is recognized by Christ in the Samaritan as 
 well as in the Jew, in the Gentile Cornelius as 
 well as in the orthodox Dorcas. It has often 
 happened in the history of the church that its 
 priest and its Levite have been over-busy with 
 the affairs of ecclesiasticism, and have left the 
 care of the afflicted or the oppressed to the 
 despised and the heretical. In every such case, 
 the church has cast Christ out of its own com- 
 munion. The heretic, who exercises self-deny-
 
 Ch. X.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 G7 
 
 38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he enter- 
 ed into ft certain village : and a certain woman, named 
 Martha," received him into her house. 
 
 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat" 
 at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 
 
 40 Hut Martha was cumbered about much serving, 
 and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care 
 
 that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her 
 tin refore that she belp me, 
 
 41 And Jesus answered ami said unto her, Martha, 
 Martha, thou art 1 ' careful and troubled aboul many 
 things : 
 
 43 Hut une thine;' is needful: and Mary hath cho en 
 that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 
 
 ; ; 12 : 2, 3. . . .0 ch. 8 : 35 ; Acta 2? ::!....!» eh. 21 : 34 ; Murk 4:10; 1 Cnr. 7 : 32, 35. . . 
 Eccles. IS : 18; Maik 8:36; 1 Cor. 13: 3. 
 
 ch. 18 : 22 ; P». 27 : 4 ; 73 : 25 ; 
 
 ing charity, is more Christian than the ministers 
 of the temple who refuse. The third lesson is 
 more doubtful. I do not think that this can 
 properly be regarded as a parable of redemption. 
 Certainly its primary object was not to teach 
 God's redeeming love. Yet it is not without sig- 
 nificance that it does illustrate that love so nota- 
 bly. Without altogether endorsing, I copy Al- 
 ford's parabolic interpretation of it : " All acts 
 of charity and mercy done here below, are but 
 fragments and derivatives of that one great act of 
 mercy which the Saviour came on earth to per- 
 form. And as he took on him the nature of us 
 all, being 'not ashamed to call us brethren,' 
 counting us all his kindred, — so it is but natural 
 that in holding up a mirror (for such is a para- 
 ble) of the truth in this matter of duty, we 
 should see in it not only the present and promi- 
 nent group, but also himself and his act of mercy 
 behind. And thus we shall not give up the in- 
 terpretation of the Fathers and other divines, 
 who see in this poor traveler, going from the 
 heavenly to the accursed city (josh. r. : cg ; 1 Kings 
 16 : 34), — the race of man, the Adam who fell ; — in 
 the robbers and murderers, him who teas a mur- 
 derer from the beginning (j hn 8 : 44) ; in the treat- 
 ment of the traveler, the deep wounds and 
 despoilment which we have inherited from the 
 fall ; — in the priest and the Levite passing by, 
 the inefficacy of the law and sacrifice to heal and 
 clothe us (Gal. 3; 21): — in the good Samaritan, 
 him of whom it was lately said, " Say we not well 
 that thou art a /Samaritan, and hast a devil:" 
 (John 8 . 43) — who came to bind up the broken- 
 hearted, to give them the < il of joy for mourning 
 (isa. 6i : 1-3.) ; who/o? 1 our salces became poor, that we 
 through, hi* poverty might become rich; who, 
 though now gone from us, has left with us pre- 
 cious gifts, and charged his ministers to feed his 
 lambs, promising them, when the chief Shep- 
 herd shall appear, a crown of glory that fadeth 
 not away (l Peter 5 : 2, 4)." 
 
 Ch. 10 : 3S-42. JESUS AT THE HOUSE OF MARTHA AND 
 MARY. Much care, little comfort. —To receive 
 from Christ is the best service to Christ. 
 
 There can be no reasonable question that the 
 Martha and Mary mentioned in this incident are 
 the sisters of Lazarus, and that the village is 
 Bethany, though Bengel supposes they are not 
 the sisters of Lazarus, and Greswell that they 
 
 had another residence in Galilee. There la noth- 
 ing in the language here to determine the time 
 of this incident ; but I think it more probable 
 that it belongs in the Judean than in the Perean 
 ministry. Wearied with his perpetual conflicts 
 with the priests and Pharisees in the temple, 
 Christ found in the quiet and docile listener far 
 sweeter rest and refreshment than in the pro- 
 vision for his physical wants made by the more 
 active sister. As they went, i. e., in their journey- 
 ing, implies that this occurred at some time in 
 Christ's itinerant ministry ; but it may have been 
 either as he was going up to Jerusalem, or as be 
 was leaving it. For the facts known respecting 
 this family, see notes on John, ch. 11. 
 
 38, 39. Martha received him into her 
 house. The indication here, and in John, chaps. 
 11, 12 : 1-9, is that Martha was the head of the 
 household, and therefore probably the elder 
 sister. Simon, perhaps the father, or possibly 
 the husband, was a leper (Matt. 26 : e), and either 
 dead or absent. — Who also sat at Jesus' 
 feet. Both sisters were disciples of Christ ; both 
 in this incident served him — one by preparing for 
 him a great supper, the other by listening to and 
 receiving with gladness his instructions. Comp. 
 John 11 : 5. This fact is important ; the failure 
 to note it has led to a frequent misinterpretation 
 of this incident. See below. 
 
 40. But Martha was cumbered about 
 much serving. Literally, was drawn off. That 
 is, her attention was drawn off from the presence 
 of her Lord by her very anxiety to prepare for 
 him a worthy entertainment. — Dost thon not 
 care that my sister hath left me to serve 
 alone? To Martha, this seemed selfishness. 
 She could not comprehend her sister's absorption 
 in the truth and the Teacher. The active may 
 be understood by the meditative ; but the medi- 
 tative are always an enigma to the active. With 
 Martha's conduct here compare the indication 
 of her character in John 11 : '20, and John V.' : .'. 
 
 41, 42. fllartha, Martha. This repetition 
 of the name gives solemnity to Christ's lan- 
 guage, fixes the attention of the listener, and 
 implies rebuke, or at least admonition. — Thou 
 art careful and troubled. To be careful 
 (usQiuvtita), is to be divided in mind between the 
 claims of the spiritual and the earthly (m 
 
 6 : 2.1, note) ; to be troubled, is to be roiled, stirred 
 up, agitated ; the opposite of peaceful. The first
 
 68 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XL 
 
 A 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ND it came to pass, that as he was praying in a 
 certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples 
 
 said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also 
 taught his disciples. 
 
 2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our d 
 Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 
 
 d Matt. 6 : 9, etc. 
 
 word, careful, implies the cause, the second, 
 troubled, the result. A mind divided between 
 concern respecting the inward and the outer 
 life, is always perturbed, never knowing the per- 
 fect peace of the mind that is stayed on God. 
 Christ does not rebuke Martha for serving, but 
 for being careful and troubled about much serv- 
 ing ; and he does not chide her till she asks him 
 to chide her sister. — And one thing is need- 
 ful. As in so many other instances, these words 
 of Christ have a twofold meaning. Primarily, 
 there was no need of the much serving ; Christ 
 did not care for bodily indulgence ; simple food, a 
 single dish, what was necessary for physical sup- 
 port, was all-sufficient for him. But, secondly, 
 one thing only is essential, viz., that bread of life 
 which Christ alone can give, and which Mary 
 was solicitous to receive. These interpretations 
 are not inconsistent ; the one is dependent on the 
 other. It is because spiritual good is the one 
 thing needful, that simple provision for the body 
 suffices, and that much serving is needless. 
 
 In studying this incident observe, (1.) Both 
 Martha and Mary were disciples of Christ. They 
 represent not the contrast between the follower 
 of Christ and the follower of the world, but be- 
 tween different types of piety in the church. 
 (2.) Martha's much serving was for her Lord. 
 She desired to prepare a worthy entertainment, 
 one worthy as an offering to him and worthy as 
 a manifestation of her own hospitality. Love and 
 pride combined to prompt her activity. (3.) A 
 social lesson lies on the surface of the incident. 
 Much serving is not the best serving. The house- 
 keeper is not always a homekeeper. Less sup- 
 per and more host, rather than less host and 
 more supper, give the best entertainment. (4.) 
 The religious lesson is one pre-eminently needed 
 in our era. Not he who works most for Christ, 
 but he who receives most from Christ, serves him 
 best. To sit at his feet and learn, is always more 
 acceptable than to be careful and troubled about 
 
 much serving. (5.) Both types, the meditative 
 and the active, are needed in the church ; both 
 are combined in the well-developed character. 
 Christ did much serving, going about doing 
 good, ministering to the body as well as to the 
 soul ; but he also sought opportunities for re- 
 tirement, solitude, and communion with God. 
 
 Cli. 11 : 1-36. VARIOUS TEACHINGS OF OUR LORD. 
 The spirit of prayer illustrated.— The .privilege 
 of intercessory prayer. — Tue duty of importu- 
 nity in prayer. — The promise to prayer. — The 
 evidence of christianity in the manifest power 
 of Christ. — The first instance of Mariolatry and 
 Christ's treatment of it.— The value of a cheer- 
 ful religion. 
 
 1-4. As he was praying in a certain 
 place. The time and place are wholly un- 
 known. The greater part of this chapter con- 
 tains teachings given probably at various times, 
 and presented here out of their connection. The 
 Lord's prayer is reported in two different forms 
 by Matthew and Luke. It is not reported by 
 the other Evangelists. Alford supposes that 
 Christ had once given it to his disciples in the 
 Sermon on the Mount ; that he was subsequently 
 asked by them to teach them to pray, and that 
 he then repeated substantially the form of 
 prayer previously given. The more general, and 
 it appears to me the better opinion, is that the 
 prayer was given in the first instance in response 
 to a request ; that it was given not as a form but 
 as an embodiment of the spirit of all true prayer ; 
 and that Matthew inserted it in the Sermon on 
 the Mount, because cognate to the instructions 
 there given. 
 
 For convenience of the 6tudent, I place here, 
 in parallel columns, the three forms of the 
 prayer in common use. Those of Matthew, of 
 Luke, and of the Episcopal prayer-book. That 
 of the latter differs from the gospels in phraseol- 
 ogy because taken not from the King James' 
 version, but from the earlier Cranmer's Bible. 
 
 Matthew 6 : 9-13. 
 
 Our Father which art in heaven, 
 Hallowed be thy name. Thy king- 
 dom come. Thy will be done in 
 earth, as it is in heaven. Give us 
 this day our daily bread. And for- 
 give us our debts, ns we forgive our 
 debtors. And lead us not into 
 temptation, but deliver us from 
 evil : For thine is the kingdom, 
 and the power, and the glory, for 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 Luke 11 : 2-4. 
 
 Our Father which art in heaven, 
 Hallowed be thy name. Thy king- 
 dom come. Thy will be done, as in 
 heaven, so in earth. Give us day 
 by day our daily bread. And for- 
 give us our sins ; for we also for- 
 give every one that is indebted to 
 us. And lead us not into tempta- 
 tion : but deliver us from evil. 
 
 Prayer Book. 
 
 Our Father who art in heaven, 
 Hallowed be thy name. Thy king- 
 dom come. Thy will be done on 
 earth as it is in heaven. Give us 
 this day our daily bread. And for- 
 give us our trespasses, as we for- 
 give those who trespass against 
 us. And lead us not. into tempta- 
 tion ; but deliver us from evil : For 
 thine is the kingdom, and the pow- 
 er, and the glory, for ever and ever. 
 Amen.
 
 Ch. XL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 09 
 
 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, 
 so in earth. 
 
 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 
 
 4 And forgive us our sins ; for c we also forgive every 
 one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into 
 temptation ; but deliver us from evil. 
 
 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a 
 friend^and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto 
 him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 
 
 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, 
 and I have nothing to set before him ? 
 
 7 And he from within shall answer and say. Trouble 
 me not: the door is now shut, and mv children are 
 with me in bed ; 1 cannot rise and give thee. 
 
 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give 
 him because he is his friend, yet because of his impor- 
 tunity' he will rise and give him as many as he need- 
 eth. 
 
 9 And I say unto you, Ask, * and it shall be given 
 you ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be 
 opened unto you. 
 
 io For every one that asketfa receiveth ; and he that 
 seeketh findeth ; and to him that knocketh it shall he 
 opened. 
 
 ii If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a fa- 
 ther, will he give him a stone ? or it he ask a fish, will 
 he lor a lish give liim a serpent ? 
 
 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scor- 
 pion ? 
 
 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good 
 gifts unto your children ; how much more shall your 
 heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask 
 him ? 
 
 14 And h he was casting out a devil, and it was 
 dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone 
 out, the dumb spake ; and the people wondered. 
 
 e Mark 11 : 25, 26 f ch. 18 : 1-8 g Matt. 7:7; 21 : 22 ; John 15 : 7 ; James 1 : 5 ; 1 John 3 : 22 h Matt. 9 : 32 ; 12 : 22, etc. 
 
 For notes on the Lord's Prayer, see Matt. 
 6 : 9-13. Forgive us our sins, includes less than 
 the phrase in Matthew, Forgive us our debts. 
 The one implies only positive transgressions, the 
 other all unfulfilled obligations. For we also for- 
 give every one that is indebted to us, implies more 
 distinctly than the language in Matthew, that 
 prayer can be only acceptably offered to God by 
 one who is living in allegiance to that law of love 
 which is the law of God. The doxology in Mat- 
 thew was probably added when the prayer came 
 into liturgical use in the church, but certainly at 
 an early date. 
 
 5-8. Friend, lend me three loaves. For 
 description and illustration of the Jewish loaf 
 see Mark 8 : 3-5, notes. Is there a hint of the 
 largeness permitted to us in prayer V He asks 
 one loaf for himself, one for his friend, the third 
 for a reserve. — I have nothing to set before 
 him. A suggestion of the truth, that as we have 
 nothing wherewith to pay our debts to God 
 (ch. 7 : 42) so nothing wherewith to supply the 
 deeper wants of others. The bread of life, 
 which we would impart, we must first ourselves 
 receive (Matt, u : 19). — Trouble me not * * * I 
 cannot rise and give thee. Cannot is equiv- 
 alent to will not. The features in this picture 
 have no allegorical significance ; there is no re- 
 luctance on the part of the Heavenly Father to 
 
 give to those that need (Matt. 6:8; Ephcs. 3 : 20). — 
 
 Importunity. Literally, impudence. The para- 
 ble implies that the petitioner, notwithstanding 
 the refusal, continues knocking and asking. 
 
 This parable must be read in the light of the 
 customs of the East, where inns are exceptional, 
 and where travelers are dependent upon hospital- 
 ity. It illustrates intercessory prayer ; the re- 
 quest being preferred by one, not for himself but 
 for another, whose need he feels but is unable to 
 supply. Like the parable of the unjust judge, 
 Christ here employs the lower to illustrate the 
 higher. If a selfish and indolent man, who will 
 not rise from his bed for the sake of benevo- 
 lence, will yield to importunity, and that the im- 
 
 portunity which approximates impudence, much 
 more will God, from sympathy and benevolence, 
 yield to the importunity of his children when in- 
 spired by spiritual earnestness. There is nothing 
 in this teaching inconsistent with Matt. <J : 7 ; for 
 repetitions that spring from intensity of feeling 
 are not "vain repetitions" (Matt. .26 : 44). If the 
 delay of a divine answer to prayer could be at- 
 tributed to God's disapproval of our request, 
 importunity would be impertinent ; but when 
 the delay is caused by our unreadiness to re- 
 ceive, importunity becomes a necessary condition 
 of the grant. Importunity for spiritual blessings 
 is never impertinent ; as the urgency of a child 
 for a mother's aid in learning to read ; or the ur- 
 gency of the child of God to receive the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost (ver. 13). With the lesson of this 
 parable, comp. Gen. 32 : 28 ; Ps. 55 : 17 ; 1 Thess. 
 3 : 10 ; 5 : 17 ; 1 Tim. 5:5; 2 Tim. 1 : 3. 
 
 9-13. These verses correspond with Matt. 
 7 : 7-11. I have shown there that they clearly 
 belong to the Sermon on the Mount, of which 
 they form an integral part ; it seems to me irra- 
 tional to suppose that Matthew borrowed and 
 incorporated them there ; and improbable that 
 Luke borrowed and incorporated them here. 
 More probably they were twice uttered by 
 Christ on different occasions, and in different 
 connections. Verse 12 is peculiar to Luke. 
 Scorpions are a pest in Palestine, well known by 
 every traveler, who often finds them under his 
 pillow, inside his dress, or wakes to find them 
 crawling over his face or hands. The natives 
 build a ring of fire with dry grass around the 
 scorpion, when in despair it stints itself and dies. 
 The white body resembles an egg. Alford notes 
 that the serpent and the scorpion are positively 
 mischievous. When we ask for good, God will 
 not give us evil ; we often ask for evil, and God 
 gives us good. In Matthew the promise is, that 
 the Heavenly Father will give good things ; in 
 Luke, that he will give the Holy Spirit, i. e., 
 Himself (Ephes. 3 : 15-19). This gift of himself neces- 
 sarily carries with it the gift of all good things ;
 
 70 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XI. 
 
 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils 
 through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 
 
 16 And others, tempting hint} sought of him a sign 
 from heaven. 
 
 17 Hut he, knowing J their thoughts, said unto them. 
 Every 11 kingdom divided against itself is brought to 
 desolation ; and a house divided against a house falleth. 
 
 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall 
 his kingdom stand ? because ye say that I cast out 
 devils through Beelzebub. 
 
 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom 
 do your sons cast them out ? therefore shall they be 
 your judges. 
 
 20 But if I with the finger 1 of God cast out devils, no 
 doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 
 
 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, 
 his goods are in peace : 
 
 22 But when a stronger m than he shall come upon 
 him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his ar- 
 mour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 
 
 23 He that is not with me is against me : and he that 
 gatnereth not with me scattereth. 
 
 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he 
 walketh through dry places, seeking rest ; and finding 
 none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I 
 came out. 
 
 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and 
 garnished. 
 
 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other 
 spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, 
 and dwell there : and the last state of that man is 
 worse ° than the first. 
 
 27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a 
 
 certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and 
 said unto him, Blessed ° is the womb that bare thee, 
 and the paps which thou hast sucked. 
 
 28 But he said, Yea, rather blessed Par? they that 
 hear the word of God, and keep it. 
 
 20 And when the people were gathered thick to- 
 gether, he began to say, This is an evil generation: 
 they seek a sign ; and 1 there shall no sign he given it, 
 but the sign ot Jonas the prophet. 
 
 30 For as Jonas r was a sign unto the Ninevites, so 
 shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 
 
 31 The queen" of the south shall rise up in the judg- 
 ment with the men of this generation, and condemn 
 them : lor she came from the utmost parts of the earth 
 to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and, behold, a greater 
 than Solomon is here. 
 
 32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment 
 with this generation, and shall condemn it : for l they 
 repented at the preaching of Jonas ; and, behold, a 
 greater than Jonas is here. 
 
 33 No" man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth 
 it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a 
 candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 
 
 34 The v light of the body is the eye : therefore when 
 thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light • 
 but when thine eye is evil, w thy body also is full of 
 darkness. 
 
 35 Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in 
 thee be not darkness. 
 
 36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, x hav- 
 ing no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as 
 when the bright shining 'of a candle doth give thee 
 light. 
 
 i Malt. 12:38; 16 : 1 . . . .j John 2 : 25. . . .k Matt. 12 : 25 ; Mnrk 3 : 94. . .1 Exor]. 8 : 19. . . .m Isa. 53 • 19 ; Col. 9 : 15.. ..n John 5 : 14 ; Heb, 
 
 6:4; 10: 26,27; 2 Pel. 2 : 20, 21.... o ch. 1 : 28,48 p oh. 8 : 21 ; Ps. 119 : 1, 2; Malt. 7 : 21 ; James 1 : 25.... q Matt. 12 : -10. elc. ; Murk 
 
 8 : 12 r Jonah 1 : 17 ; 2 : 10 si Kings 10 : 1, etc 1 Jonah 3 : 5, 10 u ch. 8 : 16; Malt. :. : 15, etc. ; Mark 4:21 v Malt. 6 : 22, 
 
 etc . . .w Prov. 28 : 22 ; Mark 7 : 22. . . .x Ps. 119 : 105 ; Prov. 6 : 23 ; Isa. 8 : 20 ; 2 C..r. 4 : 6. . . .y Prov. 4:18; 20 : 27. 
 
 if we are children of God, we are also his heirs. 
 
 ich. 15 : 31 ; Rom. 8 : 17, 32 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 21-23.) 
 
 THE SCORPION. 
 
 14-26. Parallel to these verses is Matt. 
 12 : 23-29 ; 43-45. See notes there. The phraseol- 
 ogy is almost identical, except in the parabolic 
 illustration of vers. 21, 22 (comp. Matt. 12 : 99), where 
 the difference is only verbal. According: to Mat- 
 thew's report, the possessed was both dumb and 
 blind ; the people, amazed at the cure, ask, Is not 
 this the son of David ? the complaints come from 
 the Pharisees ; the demand for a sign from 
 heaven (ver. 16) is made in connection with the 
 discourse on Jonah (vera. 29-32). T\x& finger of God 
 
 in ver. 20, is equivalent to the Spirit of God in 
 Matt. 12 : 28. It implies the ease with which 
 God subdues the powers of evil. I have no 
 doubt that this discourse was given in Galilee at 
 the time indicated by Matthew, and is reported 
 by Luke out of its chronological order ; the hy- 
 pothesis of two such discourses, at different 
 times and places, seems to me unnecessary and 
 improbable. 
 
 27, 28. Peculiar to Luke. Analogous in its 
 teaching is the incident in Matt. 12 : 46-50. 
 This unspiritual and unintelligent admiration of 
 the wonderful healer and teacher, is the first 
 instance of that spirit of Mariolatry which 
 crept into and corrupted the later church, and 
 which to-day in the city of Rome, and in many 
 Roman Catholic countries, places the Virgin 
 Mary above the Son whom she bore. Christ's 
 reply affords the divine corrective to this most 
 subtle form of hero-worship. An honor is re- 
 flected upon Mary by the divine choice of her to 
 be the Lord's mother ; but he is blessed, not be- 
 cause she bore and nursed him, but because she 
 believed (ch. 1 : 45), and this blessedness belongs to 
 all who accept and keep the word of God. 
 
 29-32. Comp. Matt. 12 : 39-42. See notes 
 there. The discourse is in answer to the demand 
 reported here in ver. 10. Luke alone tells us 
 that it was delivered before the people when 
 gathered "thick together." Jonah was a sign 
 unto the Ninevites because the judgment and the
 
 Ch. XL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 71 
 
 37 And as fie spake, a certain Pharisee besought him 
 to dine with him : and he went in, and sat down to 
 meat. 
 
 38 And " when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that 
 he had not first washed before dinner. 
 
 39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Phari- 
 sees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter ; 
 
 but" your inward part is full of ravening and wicked- 
 ness. 
 
 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is with- 
 out make that which is within also? 
 
 41 Hut' rather give alms of Such things as ye have ; 
 and, behold, all things arc (lean unto 
 
 42 But woe' 1 unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint 
 
 1 Mark 7 : 3 .... a Matt. 23 : '25 .... b Titus i : 15 c ch. 12 : 33 ; Isa. 68 : 7 d Matt. 23 : 23, 27. 
 
 deliverance which he had experienced was, at 
 least, in part the theme of his preaching. 
 
 33-36. These aphorisms are repeated from 
 the Sermon on the Mount. Comp. Matt. 5 : 15 ; 
 6 : 32, 33. See notes there. Ver.36 is peculiar to 
 Luke. Dr. Howard Crosby has suggested to me 
 an interpretation of this passage, different from 
 that which I have given in Matthew. It is cer- 
 tainly original and striking. It accords with the 
 Greek, and is sustained by ver. 30 here. He ren- 
 ders the word light (<jpwc) as equivalent to radi- 
 ance, and the word darkness (axutoc) as equivalent 
 to gloom. We have then the declaration : "The 
 eye gives radiance to the face and person — when 
 the eye is dark the whole person is gloomy and 
 forbidding ; so if the religion within us be one of 
 gloom and darkness, our whole life and influence 
 will be repellent ; but if thy whole body (nature) 
 be full of radiance (a religion of hope and love), 
 having no part dark, the whole (life and influ- 
 ence) shall be full of radiance, as when the bright 
 shining of a candle doth give thee light." 
 
 Ch. 11 : 37-51. DISCOURSE AGAINST THE PHARISEES. 
 See Matt., ch. 23. 
 
 The sentiments of this discourse, and in many 
 respects the language, correspond with Christ's 
 denunciation of the Pharisees in the temple at 
 Jerusalem, reported in Matt., ch. 23. We must 
 suppose either, (l)that Christ delivered no such 
 discourse as is there reported, but that Matthew 
 gathered up various denunciations of the Phari- 
 sees by our Lord, wove them into one discourse, 
 and gave it a place at that period in Christ's 
 ministry ; or, (2) that Luke was mistaken as to 
 the time and occasion of Christ's utterance of the 
 sentiments here reported, and borrowed them 
 from the temple- discourse, given in Matthew; 
 or, (3) that Christ repeated the same substan- 
 tial denunciations, and in similar language, at 
 different times and on different occasions. Either 
 of the first two hypotheses is utterly inconsistent 
 with the historical verity of the Gospels, for the 
 case is not one in which either of the Evangelists 
 leaves the occasion uncertain, and in which we 
 may suppose that they have presented in different 
 forms reports of the same discourse. The third 
 hypothesis is entirely rational. It accords with 
 the practice of other teachers, both religious and 
 secular ; and with the practice of Christ, as in- 
 dicated by the repetition of the same aphorisms 
 
 at different times. In the study of this passage 
 compare the notes on Matt., ch. 33, when- I have 
 treated the matters at length ; here I refer only 
 to what is peculiar to Luke. 
 
 37, 38. Christ, who was the guest of publi- 
 cans and sinners, did not refuse invitations from 
 Pharisees. He went into any company willing to 
 receive him, but made every social gathering an 
 occasion for religious instruction. "This meal, 
 as also that in John 3] : 13-15, was not what we 
 now understand by dinner, an afternoon meal, 
 but the first meal of the day, the breakfast or 
 dejeuner, in the prime of the morning." — (Alford. i 
 On the ceremonial washing practised by the 
 Pharisees, see Mark 7 : 2-5, notes. The word 
 washed here is baptizo (fianrl^aj), an indication 
 th it that word does not always signify in N. T. 
 usage complete submersion, for only the hands 
 and feet were washed before meals. Still, the 
 hands of those who had gone abroad were re- 
 quired to be immersed ; the pouring on of water 
 in such case was not sufficient. 
 
 39, 40. See Matt. 33 : 25, 36, note. There 
 Christ declares that cleansing that which is with- 
 in, makes clean that which is without ; here, 
 that if a real reverence for God induced the 
 ceremonial scrupulousness of the Pharisees they 
 would also be spiritually scrupulous, since the 
 same God made both soul and body. The term 
 fool is literally thoughtless ours. It is a different 
 word from that used in Matt. 5 : 33, and does 
 not imply bitterness or contempt. 
 
 41. But rather give in compassion those 
 things which are within, and behold all 
 things are clean unto you. This verse is 
 peculiar to Luke. There is some difficulty about 
 the proper interpretation, which is relieved by 
 noting the exact significance of the original, as I 
 have given it. Christ says not, give alms, the out- 
 ward gift, hut give compassion (JAeijjioHtVi;), the 
 inward feeling; he says not of such things as ye 
 have, but those things which are within i ta timrKi ; 
 thus he does not make mere alms-giving an 
 atonement and reparation for sin, but he de- 
 clares that works of mercy out of a sincere heart 
 area condition of true spiritual cleansing. Comp. 
 Hosea 6:0; Isa. 58 : 0-8. Speaking to the Phari- 
 sees, who were covetous (ch. u ■ ut, he declares that 
 a genuine compassion, bestowed on the needy, 
 from within, is more cleansing to the soul in God's 
 sight, than purification and lustration, or than
 
 72 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. XL 
 
 and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judg- 
 ment and the love of God : these ought ye to have 
 done, and not to leave the other undone 
 
 43 Woe unto you, Pharisees ! for e ye love the upper- 
 Is in tne 
 markets. 
 
 most seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the 
 
 44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! 
 for ye are as r graves which appear not, and the men 
 that walk over them are not aware of them. 
 
 45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto 
 him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. 
 
 46 And he said, Woe unto you also,^ lawyers ! for 
 
 ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye 
 yourselves touch not the burdens 1 * with one of your 
 bngers. 
 
 47 Woe unto you ! for ye build the sepulchres of the 
 prophets, and your fathers killed them. 
 
 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow h the deeds 
 of your fathers : for they indeed killed them, 1 and ye 
 build their sepulchres. 
 
 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will 
 send them prophets and apostles, and some of them 
 they shall slay and persecute : 
 
 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was 
 
 e Matt. 23 : 6 ; Mark 12 : 
 
 . g Isa. 58 : 6 h Ezek. 18 : 19 i Heb. 11 : 35, 37. 
 
 scrupulosity in giving tithes, down to the minor 
 garden herbs. The rendering of our English ver- 
 sion accords far better with Pharisaic than with 
 Christian teaching, since it implies that alms-giv- 
 ing compensates for all vices. The ironical ren- 
 dering, given by some commentators, Ye give alms 
 
 * * * and (think) aU things are clean unto you, 
 hardly accords with the original. 
 
 42. See Matt. 23 : 23, note. 
 
 43. See Matt. 23 : 6, 7, note. The accompany- 
 ing illustration, from a drawing by Mr. Rawson, 
 shows the "uppermost seats." These are to the 
 
 THE SYNAGOGUE. SHOWING UPPERMOST SEATS. 
 
 present day hired for the Sabbath by their occu- 
 pants. The price puts them beyond the reach of 
 a poor man. The reader also pays for the privi- 
 lege of holding the Roll of the Law. 
 
 44. See Matt. 23 : 27, note. 
 
 45. This interruption is peculiar to Luke, and 
 with vers. 37, 38, indicates clearly that the dis- 
 course is one different from that reported in Mat- 
 thew. The lawyer is not an advocate but a theo- 
 
 logian, whose special province was the interpre- 
 tation of the Mosaic law and the Rabbinical pre- 
 cepts 
 
 46. »ee Matt. 23 : 4, note. The metaphor is 
 taken from the custom of porterage in the East, 
 where men often do the work done by beasts of 
 burden with us. An Eastern porter will often 
 carry a barrel of flour or a bale of cotton, as 
 shown in the accompanying illustration.
 
 Ch. XL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 ;:j 
 
 shed from the foundation of the world, may be re- 
 quired J of this generation ; 
 
 51 From the blood of Abel k unto the blood of Zach- 
 arias, 1 which perished between the altar and the tem- 
 ple : verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this 
 generation." 1 
 
 52 Woe unto you, lawyers ! for ye have taken away 
 
 the key of knowledge : " ye entered not in yoursi Ives, 
 and them that were entering in ye hindered. 
 
 5j And as he said these things unto them, the 
 and the Pharisees began to uri^c him vehemently, and 
 to provoke" him to speak of many things : 
 
 54 Laying wait for him, and ( seeking to cat h some- 
 thing out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. 
 
 j Exod. 20 : 6; Jer. 61 : 66.... k Gen. 4:8.... 1 2Chron. 24 : 20. ...m Jer. 7 : 28, 29.... n Mai. 2: 7....0 1 Cor. 18 : 5....p Murk 19 : }:: 
 
 47, 48. Comp. Matt. 23 : 29, 30, notes ; ob- 
 serve, however, that there is a marked difference 
 between the language there and here. The fact 
 that the present generation builds the sepulchres 
 of the prophets, is alleged here as an evidence 
 that it approves their murder ; and the difficulty 
 thus presented is not met by such an explana- 
 tion as that of Adam Clarke, that the Jews were 
 about to show by their persecution of Christ and 
 
 AN EASTERN PORTER. 
 
 the apostles that they were worthy sons of such 
 fathers ; for though this is true, this is not what 
 Christ says ; nor by such an explanation as that 
 of Stier, " Instead of the penitent confession we 
 have sinned, we and our fathers, this last and 
 worst generation in vain protests against their 
 participation in their fathers' guilt, which they 
 are meanwhile developing to the utmost ; " for 
 although this is also true, this is not what Christ 
 says. The building of the sepulchres of the prophets 
 he charges upon the lawyers as a crime, and as a 
 
 continuation of and participation in the murder 
 of the prophets. I understand his meaning then 
 to be this, Your fathers killed the prophets, you 
 are burying them out of sight ; by your Interpre- 
 tations and Rabbinical additions and qualifica- 
 tions, making the word of God of none effect, 
 through your traditions (Mark j : is), you are 
 building their sepulchres ; so you are doing what 
 the fathers did. They silenced the prophets by 
 violence, you by your teachings. This interpre- 
 tation accords with ver. 52, and with the actual 
 facts ; for, as in the mediaeval ages, the Romish 
 church buried the Bible beneath its legends and 
 traditions, which they pretended to rear to its 
 honor, so in the time of Christ the lawyers took 
 the Bible away from the common people ; the 
 Talmud was a sepulchre reared above the buried 
 Word of God. Wherever the teacher covers and 
 conceals the Scripture by human tradition, creed 
 or philosophy, he is guilty of the crime here 
 charged by Christ upon the lawyers. 
 40-51. See Matt. 23 : 84, 83, notes. 
 
 52. See Matt. 23 : 13, note. The phraseology 
 there is different, but the meaning is the same. 
 Knowledge of the truth is represented as the key 
 to the kingdom of heaven ; knowledge, not mere 
 emotion, but this is not the knowledge of worldly 
 wisdom, but of spiritual apprehension, the pro- 
 duct of humility and docility. See chaps. 10 : 21 ; 
 11 : 28 ; 1 Cor. 2 : 0-12. The scribes and lawyers 
 had taught a kind of knowledge ; but they had 
 not themselves and they deprived the people of 
 spiritual apprehension of the truth. 
 
 53, 54. Peculiar to Luke. Their sriirit, and 
 the character of their questionings, are illus- 
 trated by Christ's experiences in the temple at 
 Jerusalem, as recorded in Matt., ch. 22, and in 
 John, chaps. 8, 10. 
 
 Ch. 12 : 1-12. WAilXING AGAINST HYPOCRISY. The 
 
 FOLLY OP AND THE REMEDY FOR HYPOCRISY. 
 
 This passage, which is intimately connected 
 with the preceding discourse, is composed of 
 aphorisms, nearly all of which are found ver- 
 batim in Matthew. They here form a continu- 
 ous discourse, inconsistent with the hypothesis 
 that they have been brought together by Luke 
 from other teachings at other times. Christ had 
 before been speaking to the scribes and Phari- 
 sees, his adversaries ; he now turns and addresses 
 his disciples — not the twelve merely, but all who
 
 74 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 IN i the mean time, when there were gathered to- 
 gether an innumerable multitude of people, inso- 
 much that they trode one upon another, he began to 
 say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the lea- 
 ven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 
 
 2 For r there is nothing covered, that shall not be re- 
 vealed ; neither hid, that shall not be known. 
 
 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness 
 shall be heard in the light ; and that which ye have 
 spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon 
 the housetops. 
 
 4 And I say unto you my B friends, 1 Be not afraid of 
 
 them that kill the body, and after that have no more 
 that tliey can do. 
 
 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall (ear : Fear 
 him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into 
 hell • yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 
 
 o Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and 
 not one of them is lorgotten before God ? 
 
 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all num- 
 bered. Fear not therefore : ye are of more value than 
 many sparrows. 
 
 8 Also I say unto you, u Whosoever shall confess me 
 before men, him shall the Son of God also confess" be- 
 fore the angels of God : 
 
 q Mall. fB: 6, etc. ; Mark 8 : 15, etc....r ch. 8:17; Matt, in : 26 : Mark 4 : 22.... s John 15 : 14.... t Isa. 51 : 7-13; Matt. 10: 28, etc... 
 u 1 Sam. 2 :3i); Ps. 119 :46; 2 Tim. 2 : 12; Rev. 2 : 1U....V Judc 24. 
 
 are willing to learn of him. The connection of 
 the discourse may be indicated as follows : The 
 Christian must make it his first care to guard 
 against hypocrisy (ver. 1), which is always in vain 
 (ver. 2) ; and against concealment of the truth 
 (ver. 3), the cause of which, ungodly fear, is correct- 
 ed by the fear of God (vers. 4, 5), and by trust in 
 God (vers. 6, 7), whom the disciples must publicly 
 confess (ver. 8) ; to deny him (ver. 9), still more to 
 attribute his works to the evil one (ver. 10), involves 
 divine condemnation. In making this confession 
 trust not to prudent preparation, but to the in- 
 spiration of the Holy Ghost (vers. 11, 12). 
 1. Insomuch that they trod one upon 
 
 another. One of the many indications of the 
 popularity of Christ as a preacher. Comp. Mark 
 1 : 33 ; 2:2; 3:9; G : 31, etc.— First of all. 
 This belongs with the following, not with the 
 preceding clause : Beware ye first of all of (he leaven. 
 Hypocrisy is the greatest danger which threat- 
 ens the Christian, the one most to be guarded 
 against. On the warning, see Matt. 16 : 0. 
 
 2-5. See notes on Matt. 10 : 20-28. The fiat 
 housetop is the resort of the inmates, and the 
 place where many household operations are 
 carried on in Eastern cities, where the streets 
 are narrow and private yards and gardens are 
 but a few feet square. It is also the most con- 
 
 THE EASTERN HOUSETOP. 
 
 spicuous, and therefore a usual place for the 
 promulgation of any news, public or private. 
 People in the streets below and on all the neigh- 
 boring housetops compose an audience. The 
 roof is ordinarily enclosed with a low parapet of 
 masonry or a higher one of lattice-work, as in 
 the accompanying illustration. Vines are often 
 trained for shade, or in their absence matting is 
 used. Sleeping on the housetop in dry weather 
 
 is a common custom. — Fear him. That is, 
 God, not Satan. 
 
 6-9. See Matt. 10 : 29-33. Little birds (spar- 
 rows, white-throats, and others) are sold in the 
 market in the Eastern' cities at the present day, 
 in bunches of five or more. When very plenty, 
 two farthings a bunch would be an adequate 
 price. In Matt. 10 : 29 it is said that two spar- 
 rows are sold for a farthing. Here, in accordance
 
 Cii. XII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 ;:> 
 
 9 But he that denieth w me before men shall be de- 
 nied before the angels x of God. 
 
 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the 
 Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but unto him 
 that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not * 
 be turgiven. 
 
 n And when they bring you unto the synagogues, 
 and unto magistrates, and powers, take 2 ye u>> thought 
 how or what thing ye shall answer, or "what ye shall 
 say: 
 
 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach * you in the same 
 hour what ye ought to Bay. 
 
 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, 
 speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance 
 with me.' 
 
 14 And he said unto him, Man,' who made me a judge 
 
 or a divider over you ? 
 
 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and DCT 
 
 of covetousness : d for a man's life 1 consisteth not in the 
 
 abundance of the things which he possesseth. 
 
 Acts 8: 13,14 1 Rev. 3:8.... x Matt. 85:81... y Matt. 18 : 31 ; 1 John 5 : 16... .1 eh. 81 : 14; Matt.l0:19j Murk 13:11. 
 Acts, ch. -16 b Ezelt. ;;:s : 31 c J. ,lm 18 :SS....d I Tim. li : 7-lu a Job •■> : 4 ; Mull. 6 : 86. 
 
 with the custom still universal in the East of 
 throwing in something extra iu consideration of 
 a larger purchase, there are live for two farthings. 
 Sparrows are caught for market mostly by chil- 
 
 SPAKEOWS IN MABKET. 
 
 dren, by means of little cages with a door which 
 closes with a spring, or by twigs besmeared with 
 bird-lime. They bring the lowest price of any 
 game, and were the smallest living creatures 
 offered in sacrifice under the Mosaic dispensa- 
 tion. It was the cleansed leper, usually reduced 
 by his separation to great poverty, who was per- 
 mitted to bring this small offering (Lev. u : 4). 
 The accompanying illustration of a sparrow 
 vendor is from an original sketch by Mr. Raw- 
 son. — The very hairs of your head. They 
 have been estimated to number 140,000. 
 
 10. See Matt. 13 : 31, 32, notes. 
 
 11, 12. See Matt. 10 : 19, 20, notes. 
 
 Ch. 12 : 13-21. THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL. 
 The office of Christ and the church not to 
 judge, but to teach. — the subtle danger of 
 covetousness. — true and false riches. — the 
 three follies of the wealth-seeker ! he hoards 
 instead of using ; he anticipates life, but not 
 death : ne thinks to satisfy the soul without 
 soul-food. 
 
 Peculiar to Luke. Time and place uncertain. 
 
 The instructions which follow (Ten. ss-tg) are most 
 of them not peculiar to Luke. The connection 
 is, however, so intimate as to justify the pre- 
 sumption that in this, as in many other cases, 
 Christ repeated substantially the same instruc- 
 tions previously, given on different occasions and 
 in different connections. 
 
 13, 11. There has been some unprofitable 
 discussion whether this man's claim was just or 
 not. There is nothing to indicate that even 
 Christ knew. Covetousness may be indicated 
 by an inappropriate as well as by an unjust 
 claim. The man perceives Christ's moral power 
 over men, and proposes to use it for his own 
 personal benefit. It is this attempt to use Christ 
 for a personal and pecuniary benefit which he 
 rebukes. The fault, iu a different form, is com- 
 mon in our own day. "We cannot cast the first 
 stone at this poor simpleton, who had no other 
 use for the Redeemer's word than to gain by 
 means of it a few more acres of the earth for 
 himself; in every age some men maybe found 
 who hang on the skirts of the church for the 
 sake of some immediate temporal benefit." — 
 (Arnot.) Christ's reply is that it is not his busi- 
 ness, and therefore impliedly not the business of 
 the church, to undertake the settlement of per- 
 sonal secular disputes. The attempt to do this 
 in the middle ages brought corruption within 
 and oppression without. His work and that of 
 his followers is to instil such principles and pro- 
 duce such a spirit among men that they will 
 peaceably settle their own disputes. There is 
 nothing in 1 Cor. G : 1-8 inconsistent with this 
 view, for Paul there neither assumes to be judge 
 nor advises the church to do so, but admonishes 
 the members to settle their controversies by 
 amicable arbitration. 
 
 15. Take heeil and beware. This double 
 admonition indicates the dangerously subtle 
 character of covetousness. It is a weed which 
 checks the best grains in the best soils (Matt. 
 1; ..). — For a man's life consisteth. etc. 
 This clause, which is assigned as a reason for the 
 caution, implies that the cause of all covetous- 
 ness is a deteriorated moral sense, which regards 
 possession as more than character, having as more 
 than being. For a comparison of the two kinds 
 of wealth, that of property and that of eharac-
 
 76 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XII. 
 
 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The 
 ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully : 
 
 17 And lie thought within himself, saying, What 
 shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow 
 my fruits ? 
 
 18 And he said, This will f 1 do : I will pull down my 
 barns, and build greater ; and there will I bestow all 
 my fruits ami my goods. 
 
 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul,e thou hast much 
 goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, h 
 drink, and be merry. 
 
 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool ! this night thy' 
 soul shall be required of thee : then whose shall those 
 things be, which thou hast provided ? ' 
 
 21 So is he that laveth up treasure for himself, k and 
 is not rich 1 toward God. 
 
 f James 4 : 15, 16. . . .g Pa. 49 : 18. . . .h Eccles. 11:9; 1 Col 
 j Ps. 39 : 6; 49 : 16, 17 j Jer. 17 : 11. 
 
 . .i Job 20 : 20-23 : 27 : 8 ; Ps. 
 se 33 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 18 ; James 2 
 
 52 : 7 ; James 4 : 14. 
 
 ter, see 1 Tim. 6 : 9-11. The commonDess of this 
 disease among men is indicated by the question 
 so often asked, What is he worth? as though 
 man's worth were measured by the value of the 
 purse. 
 
 10-19. The ground * * * brought forth 
 plentifully. No intimation here of any unjust 
 or iniquitous acquisition ; none of oppression of 
 laborers, or unfair dealing, or extortion. But, 
 on the other hand, there is a plain intimation 
 that his wealth was evidently the gift of God, as 
 in truth all wealth is ; it was because the ground 
 brought forth plentifully that he was rich. — What 
 shall I do? A common perplexity of the 
 wealthy. He did not know how to invest his 
 surplus. — I have no room where to bestow 
 my fruits. "Thou hast barns — the bosoms of 
 the needy, the houses of the widows, the mouths 
 of orphans and of infants." — {Ambrose.) — There 
 will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 
 He would hoard, not use ; the first element in the 
 rich fool's folly. For rot, and rust, and vermin, 
 and decay, in innumerable forms, begin their 
 work with nimble and busy fingers on unused 
 property. Every scholar knows that dust and 
 mildew deteriorate books faster than careful 
 use : many a mill-owner keeps his factory going 
 at a loss, to save a greater loss of idleness. All 
 mere hoarding — a form of covetousness more 
 common in the ignorant East than in intelligent 
 America — is folly. — Thou hast much goods 
 laid up for many years. He counted on a 
 long life ; the second element in his folly. To do 
 as though life is to continue, is right ; to enjoy as 
 though life^ is to continue, is wrong. We may 
 rightly forecast ; but in all our forecasting 
 should consider the uncertainty of life as one of 
 the contingencies to be estimated and allowed 
 for in our plans. This man was such a fool that 
 he did not even know that he must die. — Take 
 thine ease ; eat, drink, and be merry. He 
 thought to satisfy his soul with granaries and 
 their contents : the third element in his folly. 
 He expected to satisfy that which is immortal 
 with mortal things, that which was made in the 
 divine image, with the food of beasts. 
 
 20, 21. But God said unto him. Not by 
 any special revelation, but by the mortal disease 
 which attacked him. The language is simply a 
 dramatic form of expression, indicating the com- 
 
 munication to him, in the ordinary way, of ap- 
 proaching death. — Thou fool. As in ch. 11 : 40, 
 unthinking one. See note there. The man whom 
 all the world praises as shrewd and sagacious, is 
 often the one whom God calls "fool ;" the man 
 whom all the world calls rich and prosperous, is 
 the one whom God calls poverty-stricken (Rev. 
 3:n). — This night thy soul they shall re- 
 quire of thee. TJicy are God's ministering 
 angels, whose demands the poor rich fool cannot 
 resist. — Then where shall these things be ? 
 The dissipation of wealth on the death of the 
 possessor, is one of the common experiences of 
 life. To guard against it has been one of the 
 great objects of men ; the most successful 
 method being by the law of primogeniture and 
 entail. This dissipation of wealth is elsewhere 
 in Scripture urged as an argument against set- 
 ting the heart on earthly accumulation (Eccles. 
 
 2 : 18-21 ; Ps. 39 : 6 ; Jcr. 17 : ll). — So is he, etc. That 
 
 is, he is just such a fool, and is sure to come at 
 last to a like result. — That layeth up treas- 
 ure for himself, and is not rich toward 
 God. Not all accumulating is condemned ; 
 Joseph accumulated ; but all laying up treasure 
 for self i. e. , in selfish oblivion of others ; and 
 this is sure to be accompanied by poverty toward 
 God, that is, with the absence of those qualities 
 that tend to bring the soul into fellowship with 
 God. It is not the desire of wealth which the Bible 
 here or anywhere condemns, but the putting of 
 wealth above godliness. The lesson of this para- 
 ble needs no elucidation ; but it needs constant 
 application to modern life, and nowhere more 
 than in money-getting and money-ruling America. 
 
 Ch. 12 : 22-59. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. TRUSTFUL- 
 NESS, CHRISTIAN COURAGE, WATCHFULNESS, COM- 
 MENDED. The rewards of fidelity. — The charge 
 of indifference and unbelief.- The responsibil- 
 ity OF THE PRIVILEGED. — THE CONFLICTS OF CHRIS- 
 TIANITY FORETOLD. — THE DUTY OF STUDYING PROVI- 
 DENCE IN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 Nearly all the teachings which follow in this 
 chapter are found in Matthew in other connec- 
 tions, but with more or less difference in phrase- 
 ology. There is nothing in Luke's language 
 here, as there was in ver. 1, to indicate the time 
 or place of these sayings of our Lord, and 
 Whether they belong to his Perean ministry, and 
 were repetitions of what he had previously
 
 Ch. XIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 77 
 
 22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say 
 unto you, Take" 1 no thought for your life, what ye 
 shall eat ; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 
 
 23 The life is more than meat, and the body it more 
 than raiment. 
 
 24 Consider the ravens:" for they neither sow nor 
 reap ; which neither have storehouse nor barn ; and 
 God feedeth them : how much more are ye better than 
 the fowls ? 
 
 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to 
 his stature one cubit ? 
 
 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is 
 least, why take ye thought for the rest ? 
 
 27 Consider the lilies, now they grow ; they toil not, 
 they spin not : and yet I say unto you, that Solomon 
 in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 
 
 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day 
 in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, how 
 much more zviU he clothe you, O ye of little laith ? 
 
 29 And seek not ye what ye shall cat, or what ye 
 shall drink, neither be ye oi doubtiul mind 1 
 
 30 For all these things do the nations of the world 
 seek after : and your Father knowclh that ye have 
 need of these things. 
 
 31 Hut" rather seek ye the kingdom ofGod ; and all' 
 thi.su tilings shall be a ,ded unto you. 
 
 32 Fear not, little flock.' for it is your Father's 
 pleasure to give you the kingdom.' 
 
 33 Sell" that ye have, and give alms: provide your- 
 selves bags which wax not old, a treasure 1 in the hea- 
 vens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, 
 neither moth corrupteth. 
 
 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart 
 be also. 
 
 35 Let u your loins be girded about, and your lights* 
 burning ; 
 
 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for 
 their lord, when he will return from the wedding ; that, 
 
 111 Malt. 6 : 25, etc.... n Job 38 : 41 ; Ps. 147 : 9... o Matt. 6 : S3 p Ps. 34 : 10; Isa. 33 : 16; Rom. 8 : 31, -.:.... .) ha. 40 : II ; John 10 : 27 
 
 28. ..r Mutt. 26 : :A ; John IS : 36 : Heb. 12 : 28 ; Jamei 3:5; 2 Pet, 1:11; Rev. 1:6; 22 : 5. . . s Matt. 19 : 21 ; A.CU 2 : 4:, ; 4 : M 
 
 I Matt. 6: 20; 1 Tim. 6: 19.... u Ephes. 6 : 14 ; 1 Pet 1 : 13.... v Matt. 25: 1, 13. 
 
 taught in Galilee, or whether Luke, in ignorance 
 of or indifference to the time and place of their 
 utterance, has put them here, is a question 
 neither easy nor important to be determined in 
 respect to most of them. 
 
 22-:) 1. Almost exactly parallel is Matt. 
 (5 : 24-31. See notes there. — Consider the 
 ravens. In Matthew, Behold the fowls of the air. 
 The ravens are often spoken of in Scripture as 
 objects of the divine care. See Job 38 : 41 ; Ps- 
 147 : 9. The term raven includes the crow, rook, 
 jackdaw, and the like. There is special signifi- 
 cance in these references, since " every raven 
 after his kind" was unclean (Lev. ii:is). — The 
 lilies of the field. Probably a general term 
 
 LILT OF CIIALCEDON. 
 
 for the wild flowers. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion of the lily of Chalcedon gives, as well as can 
 be done without color, an idea of this, which is 
 the most brilliant scarlet lily of all Palestine. — 
 The grass which is to-day in the field and 
 to-morrow is cast into the oven. The an- 
 
 cient oven was of various kinds, sometimes made 
 of brick, sometimes of clay, sometimes simply a 
 hole in the ground, clay- plastered. The accom- 
 panying illustration represents one of the most 
 common forms of Eastern ovens. Dried grass 
 was a customary fuel in Palestine, where there 
 was little wood, and where coal, other than char- 
 coal, was unknown. — Neither be ye of doubt- 
 ful mind. Literally, raised in theair i fietftoQl^oi). 
 The same metaphor is common in the English ; 
 the phrase might well be rendered, Be not in sus- 
 pense. Religious indecision Christ condemns. 
 
 32-34. Ver. 32 is peculiar to Luke. A little flock 
 is a striking symbol of helplessness. The power of 
 the church is not in itself, but in the Giver who 
 bestows the kingdom upon it. Parallel in 
 spirit is Matt, 10 : 16-19, 23. Parallel to vers. 
 33, 34 is Matt. 6 : 19-21. See notes there. The 
 bag is the same as the scrip in Matt. 10 : 10 
 and Mark 6 : 8. See notes in both places for 
 illustration. 
 
 35-48. This discourse on watchfulness con- 
 tains the same admonitions, the same metaphors, 
 and to some extent the same language employed 
 by Christ in the discourse delivered in Jerusa- 
 lem in the last days; but the variations are 
 such that it is not probable that this is simply 
 a different report of that address. Compare 
 Matt. 24 : 42-51, where I have treated fully all 
 that is common to the two discourses. 
 
 35-38. The metaphor of the wedding feast 
 here suggested is elaborated by Christ in Matt. 
 25 : 1-13, which see for account of marriage cer- 
 emonies in the East, and for spiritual applica- 
 tion. — Let your loins be girded about. The 
 long Oriental robe requires to be taken up and 
 the skirt fastened under the girdle to allow free- 
 dom in walking. The lesson is that he is best 
 prepared for death who is always ready for 
 Christian work. — And th« lights burning. 
 As interpreted by Matt. 25 : 3-8, the lesson is 
 that only he is prepared for either death or work
 
 78 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Oh. XII. 
 
 when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto 
 him immediately. 
 
 37 Blessed w are those servants, whom the lord, when 
 he cometh, shall find watching : verily I say unto you, 
 that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down 
 to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 
 
 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come 
 in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those 
 servants. 
 
 30 And this know, that if the goodman of the house 
 had known what hour the thief" would come, he would 
 have watched, and not have suffered his house to be 
 broken through. 
 
 40 Be ye therefore ready 1 also : for the Son of man 
 cometh at an hour when ye think not. 
 
 41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou 
 this parable unto us, or even to all ? 
 
 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and 
 wise steward, 2 whom his lord shall make ruler over 
 his household, to give them their portion of meat in 
 due season ? 
 
 43 Blessed " is that servant, whom his lord, when he 
 cometh, shall find so doing. 
 
 44 Ot a truth I say unto you, that he will make him 
 ruler over all that he hath. 
 
 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord 
 delayeth his coming ; and shall begin to beat' 1 the men- 
 servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be 
 drunken ; 
 
 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when 
 he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not 
 aware, and will cut him in sunder, c and will appoint 
 him his portion with the unbelievers. 
 
 47 And that servant which d knew his lord's will, and 
 prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, 
 shall be beaten e with many stripes. 
 
 48 But he f that knew not, and did commit things 
 worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few strifes. 
 Fore unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be 
 much required: and to whom men have h committed 
 much, of him they will ask the more. 
 
 w Malt. 24 :4S,e;<s....x 1 Thess. 5 : 2; 2 Pet. 3 : 10; Rev. 3:3; 16 : 15. . . .y ch. 21 : 34,36....?. 1 Cnr. 4 : 2. . . .a verse 37. . . .b Matt. 22: 6. 
 c- Pi. 37 : 9 ; 94 : 14 q James 4 : 17 e Deui. 25 : 2 f Ads 17 : 30 g Lev. 5 : 17 ; John 15 : 22 ; 1 Tim. 1 :'13 h 1 Tim. : 20. 
 
 £2 
 
 AN EASTERN OVEN. 
 
 who is supplied with the oil of divine grace. — 
 May open unto him immediately. The 
 
 Christian must be ready for the summons when- 
 ever it comes ; he must, need no special prepara- 
 tion for death.— He shall jjird himself and 
 make them sit down to meat. Comp. Kev. 
 
 3 : £0, 21 ; contrast ch. 17 : 8, where see note for 
 illustration of Oriental lord and servant. In the 
 earthly wedding the lord expects to find the 
 table prepared for him by his servants ; in the 
 heavenly, he prepares the feast for his servants. 
 —Second watch * * * third watch. The 
 Greeks and Romans divided the night into four 
 
 equal watches, termi- 
 nating respectively at 
 9 p. M., midnight, 3 
 a. m., andG a. m. The 
 first watch is not 
 named, because the 
 marriage itself occurs 
 at that time ; nor the 
 fourth watch, be- 
 cause that would 
 postpone the return 
 beyond the usual 
 time. 
 
 39, 40. Christ 
 changes the meta- 
 phor. He compares 
 his coming to that of a 
 thief in the night. See 
 i Matt. 24: 43, 44, notes. 
 41-4G. Peter's 
 question is reported 
 only by Luke, but 
 our Lord's answer to 
 it here is repeated 
 almost verbatim in 
 his discourse in Mat- 
 thew. See Matt- 
 24 : 45-51, notes. 
 47, 48. The last clause of ver. 48 affords the 
 key to the interpretation of this confessedly dif- 
 ficult passage. The principle which Christ here 
 annunciates as that on which God will act in the 
 day of judgment is that which men recognize as 
 just, and upon which they act in their dealings 
 with one another. This principle is that guilt is 
 according to the knowledge of the criminal. 
 The language of the whole passage is relative. 
 No one perfectly comprehends his Lord's will ; 
 no one is without some knowledge of it ; abso- 
 lute ignorance would be a perfect palliation, but 
 ignorance never is absolute. That servant which
 
 Ch. XIL] LUKE. 
 
 40 I am come to send fire on the earth ; and what 
 will I it it be already kindled ? 
 
 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with ; and 
 how am I straitened till it be accomplished ! 
 
 51 Suppose I ye that I am come to give peace on 
 earth ? I tell you, Nay ; but rather division : 
 
 52 For from henceforth there shall be rive in one 
 house divided, three against two, and two against three. 
 
 53 The father J shall be divided against the son, and 
 the son against the father; the mother against the 
 daughter, and the daughter against the mother • the 
 mother in law against her daughter in law, and the 
 daughter in law against her mother in law. 
 
 54 And he said also to the people, When* ye see a 
 cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There 
 cometh a shower ; and so it is. 
 
 55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, 
 There will be heat : and it cometh to pass. 
 
 56 Ye hypocrites ! ye can discern the face of the sky, 
 and of the earth : but how is it that ye do not discern 
 this time ? 
 
 79 
 
 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not 
 what is right ? 
 
 58 When" 1 thou gocst with thine adversary to the 
 magistrate, as thou art in" the way, give diligent e that 
 thou mayest be delivered from him: lust he hale thee 
 to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, 
 and the officer cast thee into prison. 
 
 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou 
 hast paid the very last mite. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THERE were present at that season some that told 
 him of the ° Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had 
 mingled v with their sacrifices. 
 
 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye 
 that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Gali- 
 laeans, because they suffered such things ? 
 
 3 I tell you, Nay : but except ye repent, q ye shall all 
 likewise perish. 
 
 i Matt. 10 : 34.... j Mioah 7 : 6....k Matt. 16: 2, etc 1 1 Cor. 11 : 14 m Matt. 5 : '. 
 
 q Acts 3 : 19 ; Rev. 2 : 21, 22. 
 
 .n Isa. 65 : 6 o Acts 6:3? p Lam. 2 : 20 
 
 knew his Lord's will is, primarily, he that lives in 
 the light of revelation ; he that knew not, the 
 heathen ; but there are degrees of knowledge in 
 Christendom, and he that knows is the educated, 
 he that knows not, he that has been brought up 
 in an atmosphere of ignorance, superstition, and 
 crime. The whole passage is interpreted by 
 Rom. 2 : 6-23. The passage certainly teaches 
 that there are degrees of punishment in the fu- 
 ture life ; and it seems to me, therefore, neces- 
 sarily to imply that all who are punished in the 
 future are not eternally punished. 
 
 49-53. In spirit this prophecy compares with 
 Matt. 10 : 34-37. See notes there. Vers. 49 and 
 50 are peculiar to Luke, and there is some diffi- 
 culty both in construction and interpretation. — 
 I am come to send fire. I think it clear that 
 fire here symbolizes, not, as Alford, following 
 the older commentators, the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost, but conflict and persecution. This is in- 
 dicated (1) by the connection ; Christ is speak- 
 ing here, not of the coming of the Holy Ghost, 
 but of the divisions which were not merely an 
 incident, but one of the objects of his ministry, 
 the fan by which he is ever separating the wheat 
 from the chaff, and which is one of the "all 
 things" that work together for the good of 
 them that love God ; (2) by the peculiar force of 
 the language, which is not lam come to send fire, 
 but lam come to cast (pakSiv) fire, or, as Godet, 
 to throw a firebrand ; (3) by the very passages to 
 which Alford refers in support of the other in- 
 terpretation. In Matt. 3 : 16, John the Baptist 
 speaks of the Holy Ghost and fire, a clear indica- 
 tion that the fire was not, as used by him, a 
 symbol for the Holy Ghost, but for the persecu- 
 tion and the trial which would consume the 
 dross and purify the gold. — And what will I 
 if it be already kindled ? The utterance is 
 broken in the original, and betokens a conflict of 
 soul, like that in John 12 : 27, 28. In the oppo- 
 
 sition by the Pharisees (ch. n : 53, 54) Christ per- 
 ceives the beginning of this fire ; conflicting 
 emotions, of sorrow in the present and prospec- 
 tive conflicts, and joy in their final result, find an 
 utterance in this language of perplexity. What 
 willl, i. e., what more would I, since it is already 
 kindled? This interpretation is confirmed by 
 the language of the next verse. — I have a bap- 
 tism to be baptized with. The same bap- 
 tism of fire which he was to minister to his 
 church through the ages that waited for his 
 coming. — And how am I straitened till it 
 be accomplished. Either urged on or dis- 
 tressed, perplexed. The original (avri/ouui) will 
 bear either translation. The latter seems to me 
 to be preferable. Every glimpse into the future, 
 every view of that load of sin and sorrow which 
 was laid on him for us all, produced in a measure 
 that inexplicable experience of anguish which 
 was consummated in Gethsemane, and in the cry 
 upon the cross, " My God, my God, why hast 
 thou forsaken me ? " We must never forget 
 that he bore our sins and sufferings, not in his 
 body only or chiefly, but in his heart. 
 
 54-56. Comp. Matt. 16 : 2, 3, notes. On the 
 cloud in the west, see 1 Kings 18 : 44 ; on the 
 effect of the south wind, see Psalm 103 : 16. 
 
 57. Peculiar to Luke. Alford connects it with 
 the request made to Christ to act as judge (ver. 
 13) ; but this seems to me far-fetched. The con- 
 nection appears to me to be as follows : If you 
 were wise you would see the signs of destructive 
 storm gathering to overwhelm this nation, and 
 would avoid the impending doom. But why, 
 apart from these considerations, do you not of 
 yourselves judge and do what is right ? 
 
 58, 59. See Matt. 5 : 25, 26, notes. But the 
 phraseology, and I think the application, is dif- 
 ferent in the two passages. Here the adversary 
 is the Roman government ; it brings the Jewish 
 nation really to the bar of God, who is the mag-
 
 80 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam I hold, these three years 1 come seeking fruit on this fig 
 11, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners | tree, and find none : cut it down ; ' why cumbereth it 
 
 fel , 
 
 above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ? 
 
 5 I tell you, Nay : but except ye repent, ye shall all 
 likewise perish. 
 
 6 He spake also this parable : A ' certain man had a 
 fig tree planted in his vineyard ; and he came and 
 sought fruit" thereon, and found none. 
 
 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Be- 
 
 the ground ? 
 
 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it 
 alone" this year also, till I shall dig about it, and 
 dung it ; 
 
 9 And if it bear fruit, well : and if not, then after that 
 thou v shalt cut it down. 
 
 Isa. 5 : 1, etc. ; Matt. 21 : 19. 
 
 John IS : 2; 
 
 istrate ; wisdom would dictate that the Jews 
 should seek diligently to be delivered from him, 
 in this case not, as in Matthew, by agreeing with 
 the adversary (Matt. 5 : 25), but by securing the ap- 
 proving judgment of the Divine magistrate, by 
 of their selves judging and doing what is right. 
 If this interpretation be correct, the passage 
 points out the true way of national safety in all 
 times of national danger. 
 
 Ch. 13:1-9. TEACHING ON INCIDENTS OF THE DAY. 
 PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG-TREE. The Great 
 Teacher takes texts from life. — Misinterpreting 
 Providence. — The doom of the unrepentant.— The 
 long-suffering of God. — Fruitfulness the test 
 
 of CHARACTER. 
 
 The time and occasion of this teaching are un- 
 known. The language of ver. 1, at that season, 
 indicates only that it belongs in the Perean min- 
 istry. 
 
 1-3. The incident of the slaughter of the Gali- 
 leans is not mentioned in secular history. But 
 disturbances in Jerusalem, precursors of the final 
 outbreak, were common. The slaughter of a few 
 Galileans would not be deemed an event of suf- 
 ficient importance to justify the attention of the 
 historian. The mingling of their blood with their 
 sacrifices is mentioned partly as a graphic method 
 of telling their fate, partly as an expression of 
 added horror, partly, perhaps, as an indication of 
 their peculiar guilt. It was the Jewish theory of 
 special providence, and it has survived Judaism, 
 that special misfortunes or disasters were in- 
 dications of the divine displeasure. This both 
 
 Christ (Matt. 5 : 4, 10, 11 ; John 9 : g) and his apOStleS (Rev. 
 
 3 : 19 j i Cor. ii : 32 ; Heb. 12:6) declare to be f alse. The 
 language of the narrators here, or their manner, 
 implied that they so interpreted this tragedy. 
 Christ rebukes this mis-reading of Providence, 
 while he makes it an occasion to re-enforce the 
 doctrine and duty of repentance. The prophecy, 
 Ye shall all likewise perish, was notably fulfilled in 
 the case of the Jewish nation, who perished forty 
 years later in Jerusalem, largely in the temple 
 itself, by the sword of Titus. Christ's custom 
 of taking the events of the day for his text is an 
 example to his followers in the ministry. 
 
 4, 5. Jesus transfers the minds of his hearers 
 from the massacre of the Galileans to the fall of 
 the tower of Siloam, probably because Judeans, 
 
 not despised Galileans, perished by the latter ca- 
 tastrophe. The fact that the good, as well as 
 the wicked, perish by disasters, is conclusive 
 against the theory which interprets the special 
 disaster as a special judgment. The lesson of 
 warning is, as before, a prophecy fulfilled in the 
 experience of the nation ; the admonition to re- 
 pentance is the same. In both instances, Christ 
 elucidates the truth that temporal death is a 
 symbol of spiritual death, and that every great 
 disaster is a warning, not of special judgment, 
 but of impending doom on all who do not escape 
 it by repentance.. Nothing is known of this 
 tower of Siloam or of its fall, here mentioned. 
 For description of Siloam and its pool and aque- 
 duct, see John 9 : 7, note. 
 
 6-9. This parable is closely connected with 
 what precedes ; its object is to teach the same 
 lesson, viz., the necessity of repentance, and the 
 alternative, utter destruction. — A certain man 
 had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard. 
 His fig-tree, because in his vineyard, planted by 
 himself, and dependent for its existence on food 
 gathered from his soil. In all this, it is an appro- 
 priate and significant type of man, who, by 
 every consideration, belongs to God. The plant- 
 ing of trees in the vineyard, which is not common 
 in Europe, is so in Palestine. — Unto the dress- 
 er of his vineyard. The gardener. There has 
 been some unprofitable discussion whether the 
 owner represents Christ and the dresser the Holy 
 Spirit, or the owner the Father and the dresser 
 Christ. Unprofitable I call it, because all such 
 attempts to press a literal interpretation of each 
 feature of the parable is usually unprofitable, 
 and generally distracts from the central lesson. 
 The N. T. nowhere recognizes any such clearly 
 drawn lines of distinction between the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as were evolved in 
 the later scholastic theology. Under the guise 
 of a discussion between the owner and the dress- 
 er, is dramatically and forcefully represented the 
 problem presented to divine love by human ob- 
 duracy.— These three years I come seeking 
 fruit. It is unquestionably a significant fact, 
 that three years was probably the duration 
 of Christ's ministry among the Jews. During 
 this three years, he came seeking fruit and find- 
 ing none ; his second coming will be to destroy 
 the unfruitful and to gather the fruitful into his
 
 Ch. XIII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 si 
 
 10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on 
 the sabbath. 
 
 ii And, behold, there was a woman which had a 
 spirit of infirmity" eighteen years, and was bowed to- 
 gether, and could in no wise lnt up herself. 
 
 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, 
 and said unto her, Woman, thou x art loosed from thine 
 infirmity. 
 
 i | \ml be? laid his hands on her : and immediately 
 she was made straight, and glorified God. 
 
 w Ps. 6 : 2 . . . . i Joel J 
 
 , . y Mark 16 : 18 j AcU 9 : 17. 
 
 garner. — Why cumbereth it the 
 ground ? " Why, besides bearing no 
 
 fruit, is it import rishi/Kj the soil. ,y — ( Al- 
 ford.) No man is merely useless. Like 
 the unfruitful tree, he is a despoiler if 
 he be not a fruit-bearer.— Till I shall 
 dig about it, and dung it. That is, 
 "hollow out the earth from about the 
 6tem, filling up the space with manure, 
 as one may now see done to the orange 
 trees in the south of Italy." — {Trench.) 
 A symbol of the special means of grace, 
 provided always for the same purpose, 
 to make fruitful that which is unfruit- 
 ful (2 Pet. 3 : 9). The object of all this 
 gracious work is "good works, which 
 God hath before ordained that we 
 should walk in them" (Ephes. 2 : 10). — 
 After that, thoushaltcutit down. 
 The period of grace is also one of pro- 
 bation ; if the divine grace proves in- 
 efficacious, the unfruitful shall be de- 
 stroyed. It seems to me impossible to 
 reconcile Christ's language in the pre- 
 ceding instruction and in this parable, 
 with the idea of a universal restora- 
 tion. 
 
 The attempt to answer specifically the 
 question, what is the fig-tree, what 
 the vineyard, who the owner, who the 
 dresser of the vineyard, etc., is worse than in 
 vain. The beauty of the allegory is destroyed 
 by this attempt to press to a literal inter- 
 pretation all its details. But the following 
 hints are clear: (1.) The imagery is borrowed 
 from the parable, familiar to Christ's auditors, 
 in Isaiah 5 : 1-7, and from other uses in the O. T. 
 of the same figure, likening God's people to a 
 ■ tree in a vineyard. (2.) The fig-tree in a vine- 
 yard points rather to an individual in a favored 
 community, enjoying the means of grace and 
 spiritual culture, than to a nation (the Jewish) in 
 the world. (3.) It is therefore primarily an ad- 
 monition to the individual Jew, who was planted 
 in the midst of God's special people, prided him- 
 self on that fact, and yet brought forth no fruit ; 
 but, secondarily, and with equal force, it applies 
 to the individual of our own day, in the midst 
 of a Christian community, enjoying Christian 
 advantages, but bringing forth in life and char- 
 acter no Christian fruit to God's glory or man's 
 benefit. (4.) It emphasizes the truth, so often 
 
 inculcated by Christ, that the test, and the only 
 test of character, is fruit-bearing ; and though 
 Christ does not here indicate what are Christian 
 fruits, they are abundantly aud clearly indicated 
 elsewhere. See especially Gal. 5 : ~~, 23. (5. 1 It 
 illustrates the patience and long-sufferitnr of 
 God toward us. his waiting to be gracious, and 
 it emphasizes this truth by its solemn close : If 
 not, then after that, thou shalt cut it down. For 
 the divine grace is not ignorance, indifference, or 
 unconcern, as is shown by the certainty of divine 
 judgment on the finally unfruitful. 
 
 Ch. 13 : 10-17. (TRE OF THE INFIRM WOMAN. The 
 
 USE ANB ABUSE OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 The account of this miracle is peculiar to 
 Luke. The object of the healing appears to me 
 to have been to afford an occasion for a rebuke 
 of the Pharisaie abuse of the sabbath ; in that 
 respect the spiritual teaching is analogous to 
 that of Matt. 12 : 10-18 ; Mark 3 : 1-5. The time 
 and place of the incident are unknown.
 
 82 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIII. 
 
 14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with in- 
 dignation, because that Jesus had healed 1 on the sab- 
 bath day, and said unto the people, There n are six 
 days in which men ought to work: in them therefore 
 come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. 
 
 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou 
 hypocrite !'' doth not each one of you on the sabbath 
 loose c his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead hint 
 away to watering ? 
 
 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter" 1 of 
 Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen 
 years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 
 
 17 And when he had said the9e things, all his adver- 
 saries were ashamed ; e and all the people rejoiced for 
 all the glorious' things that were done by him. 
 
 18 Then said he, Unto" what is the kingdom of God 
 like ? and whereunto shall I resemble it ? 
 
 ig It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man 
 took and cast into his garden ; and it grew, and waxed 
 a great tree ; and the fowls of the air lodged in the 
 branches of it. 
 
 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the 
 kingdom of God ? 
 
 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in 
 three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 
 
 22 And he went through the cities and villages, 
 teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 
 
 23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that 
 be saved ? And he said unto them, 
 
 24 Strive h to enter in at the strait gate : for many,' 
 
 chaps. 
 
 6 
 
 :7 
 
 14:3 
 
 j Matt 
 
 1" 
 
 in 
 
 Mark 3: 
 
 5; 
 
 Jnhn 
 
 5:18.. 
 
 .a 
 
 Ksnd 
 
 20 
 
 :9. 
 
 ..b ch. 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 Prov. 
 
 11 
 
 9; 
 
 Matt. 7:5; 
 
 23 
 
 13, 
 
 28 
 
 . . .c ch 
 
 14: 5. 
 
 
 .rl 
 
 li. 19 : 
 
 9....e 
 
 ls« 
 
 45 
 
 24 ; 1 Pet 
 
 3 
 
 16... 
 
 f Exod. 
 
 15 
 
 : 11 j 
 
 P». 
 
 Ill 
 
 3; Isa 
 
 4 
 
 2. 
 
 ..g Matt. 
 
 13 
 
 31 ; Mark 4 
 
 : 30 
 
 etc 
 
 
 h Matt 
 
 7 : 13. 
 
 
 .i J 
 
 uhn7 
 
 34; S 
 
 SI 
 
 Roin. 9 : 31. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10, 11. He Avas teaching in one of the 
 synagogues on the sabbath* One of the 
 
 many indications that Christ was accustomed to 
 employ the sabbath, the Jewish sabbath not our 
 Sunday, for purposes of religious worship and in- 
 struction. For account of the synagogues, see 
 Matt. 4 : 23, note. — A woman which had a 
 spirit of infirmity. Apparently the case was 
 one of paralysis. 
 
 12, 13. He called to her, and said to 
 her. This miracle is peculiar, in that there is 
 no evidence of any act of faith on the part of the 
 woman. It can hardly be inferred, from ver. 14, 
 that she came for the purpose of being healed. 
 
 14-10. The ruler of the synagogue. The 
 president of the college of elders, who answered 
 in some respects to the pastor of a modern 
 church, but was more an executive officer and 
 less a teacher. — Answered with indigna- 
 tion. We need not suppose, because Christ 
 called him a hypocrite, that this indignation was 
 feigned. The Rabbinical laws forbade works of 
 healing, though the Mosaic law did not. See 
 Matt. 12 : 10, note ; and his indignation was that 
 of an ecclesiastic, whose church regulations had 
 been openly set at defiance. — There are six 
 days, etc. His argument is this : This healing 
 is Tiot a work of necessity, since the woman 
 might have been healed on the week day. If, as 
 some have contended, only necessary works of 
 mercy can be done on the sabbath-day, there 
 would be no answer to his argument. He ad- 
 dresses it to the people, because too much awed 
 by the miracle to address Jesus directly. — Hyp- 
 ocrite. Literally, stage-player. See Matt. 6 : 2, 
 note. "The Lord saw the real thoughts of his 
 heart ; that they were false, and inconsistent 
 with his pretended zeal. A man hardly could 
 give forth a doctrine so at variance with com- 
 mon-sense and common practice, without some 
 by-end, with which he covered his violation of 
 truth. That by-end here was enmity to and 
 jealousy of Jesus." — (Alford.) — Loose his ox 
 or his ass. That motives of self-interest should 
 be more powerful than motives of humanity, 
 
 arouses the indignation of our Lord. He implies 
 the manifold contrast between the dumb beast 
 and the daughter of Abraham ; the one bound to 
 the stall, the other bound by disease ; the one for 
 safe-keeping, the other by Satan ; the one for a 
 few hours, the other for eighteen years. — Whom 
 Satan hath bound. It was a popular belief 
 that disease was inflicted by evil spirits. Christ 
 employs the language of the people in character- 
 izing this woman's affliction. I see no reason for 
 thinking that it was a case of demoniacal posses- 
 sion, though this view is entertained by some 
 commentators. Beneath his words, however, 
 there is a deeper meaning; disease, as well as 
 death, is a part of the wages of sin — one of the 
 consequences of the bondage of Satan ; to release 
 from it, is always legitimate sabbath work. 
 
 17. All his adversaries were ashamed. 
 Rather, brought to shame, i. e. , shamed before the 
 people. — All the people rejoiced. In this 
 controversy between Christ and the ecclesias- 
 tics, as in the later one between Luther and the 
 church of Rome, the people were on the side of 
 the reformer. 
 
 18-21. Parables of Mustakd Seed and 
 Leaven. — See Matt. 13 : 31-33, notes. Whether 
 the parables were repeated by Christ in this con- 
 nection, as Alford supposes, or whether they are 
 reported by Luke without reference to their con- 
 nection, is not certain ; neither is it important. 
 
 Ch. 13 : 22-35. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS OF OUR LORD. 
 Conditions op salvation. — Degrees in salvation. — 
 An illustration of the Christian use op satire. 
 
 22-25. And he was going through the 
 cities and villages. The location and limits 
 of this journey are not definitely fixed, but it is 
 generally believed to have been through Perea, 
 and to have been concluded when, in answer to 
 the summons from Bethany, Christ reached the 
 house of Lazarus (John n : 3-7). — Are there few 
 that be saved ? The Jewish doctrine of Last 
 Days, included a belief in the destruction of all 
 who were not admitted to the Messianic king- 
 dom. To a devout Jew then, as to many Chris-
 
 Ch. XIIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 83 
 
 I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be 
 able. 
 
 25 When once J the master of the house is risen up, 
 and hath shut k to the door, and ye begin to stand with- 
 out, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, 1 Lord, 
 open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, 
 1 know you not whence ye are : 
 
 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and 
 drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our 
 streets. 
 
 27 But he™ shall say, I tell you, I know you not 
 whence ye arc ; depart from me a\lye workers 11 of in- 
 iquity. 
 
 28 "There ° shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, 
 
 when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and 
 all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you 
 yourselves thrust out. 
 
 29 And they i' shall come from the east, and front the 
 west, and from the north, and from the south, and 
 shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 
 
 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, 
 and there are first which shall be last. 
 
 31 The same day there came certain of the Phari- 
 sees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence : 
 for Herod will kill thee. 
 
 32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox,' 
 Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to- 
 morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.* 
 
 j Pa. 32 : 6 ; lsa. 55 : 6. . . .k Matt. 25 : 10. . . .1 ch. 6 : 46. . . .m Matt. 7 : 22, 23 ; 25 ■ 12, 41 . . . .n Ps. 6 : 8 ; 101 : 8. . . .0 Matt. 8 : 12 ; 13 : 42 ; 
 24: 51.... p Rev. 7 ; 9, 10.... q Matt. 19 : 30.... r Zepb. 3 : 3.... a Heb. 2 : 10. 
 
 tians now, it seemed as though there were very 
 few who had complied with the conditions of sal- 
 vation. The question was analogous to one often 
 asked in our day, respecting the salvation of the 
 heathen. Christ never answers questions in the- 
 oretical theology. To the questioner he replies, 
 in effect, Never mind ; do you strive to enter in 
 to the heavenly kingdom. Similar in spirit is his 
 answer to the question of the lawyer in ch. 
 10 : 29, to that of Peter in ch. 12 : 41, and to that 
 of Judas (not lscariot), in John 14 : 22. — 
 Strive to enter in. The word rendered strive 
 (uywii^wuai, agonizomai) is the one from which 
 comes our word agonize, and is employed in 
 describing the combats in the public games (l Cor. 
 9 : 25). The striving to enter in must be in accord 
 with the mighty working of God in us (col. l : 29) ; 
 it must be fervent and with prayer (coi. 4 : 12) ; it 
 is characterized by Paul as the good fight or 
 strife, in contrast with the strife after secular re- 
 wards (l Tim. 6 : 12 ; 2 Tim. 4:7); to Oppose US in this 
 
 strife are the world, the flesh, and the devil 
 
 (2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 5 : 17 ; Eph. 6 : 12) ; to Conquer in it 
 
 we must put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 
 6 : 13). The lesson which Christ inculcates, is 
 that though always a dimple, it is not always an 
 easy thing, to enter into Christ's kingdom. — 
 The strait gate. That is, narrow gate. The 
 spirit of real hearty allegiance to Jesus Christ, 
 by which we enter in to him. Matt. 7 : 13, 14, 
 note. — Many will seek to enter in, and 
 shall not be able when once the Master of 
 the house is risen up, etc. If this passage be 
 read, not with a period at the close of ver. 24, 
 but with a comma, much of the difficulty which 
 has been felt in the interpretation of the passage 
 vanishes. There is a triple contrast, (1) between 
 striving and mere seeking, many who desire never 
 becoming Christians, because they are not willing 
 to take up their cross to follow Christ (ch. 14 : 33) ; 
 (2) between entering in at the strait gate and 
 attempting to climb up some other way ; (3) be- 
 tween striving to enter now and waiting until the 
 Master of the house has risen up and shut to the 
 door. This door is shut either when there is no 
 more space for repentance (Matt. 12 : 32 j Heb. 6 : 4-e), 
 
 or when death calls the soul to judgment. Thus 
 Christ teaches in this passage the threefold con- 
 ditions of salvation : an earnest spirit, the way of 
 self-sacrifice, the present time. — Ye besjin to 
 stand Avithout and to knock at the door. 
 The figure is drawn from the customs of the 
 wedding feast, and is elaborated in Matt. 
 25 : 1-13 ; see notes there. — I know you not. 
 Whence are ye ? This punctuation appears to 
 me preferable to the one ordinarily adopted. 
 Ver. 26 is an answer to this question. 
 
 26, 27. We have eaten and drunk in 
 thy presence, and thou hast taught in our 
 streets. Compare Matt. 7 : 22. There, reli- 
 gious work for the Lord, here the enjoyment of 
 Christian privileges and the receipt of Christian 
 instruction on earth, are made the ground of a 
 claim for admission to Christ's eternal kingdom. 
 Both are disallowed: neither enjoying religion, 
 receiving religious instruction, or engaging in 
 so-called religious work, is an entering into the 
 strait gate. All these may coexist with practical 
 injustice in the daily life. See further, notes on 
 Matt. 7 : 21-23, and comp. Eph. 5 : 6. 
 
 28, 29. See Matt. 8 : 11, 12, notes. The con- 
 nection here is, There are many that shall be 
 saved ; beware lest you are cast out. 
 
 30. See Matt. 20 : 16, note. The meaning here 
 is primarily, Many now last, i. e., Gentiles, shall 
 be first then, and many now first, i. e., Jews, shall 
 be last then; but, secondarily, as in Matthew, Of 
 those entering in to the kingdom, many who hold 
 the highest place now, will begin with shame to 
 take a lower seat, and many occupying the lower 
 places will be bidden to go up higher (ch. 14 : 9, 10). 
 As in the kingdom of darkness (ch. 12 : 47,4s) so in 
 the kingdom of light, there are degrees and 
 ranks ; in reward as in punishment. 
 
 31-33. There came certain of the Phari- 
 sees. Their object was to induce Christ to de- 
 part from their territory ; probably the Perean 
 district, of which, as well as of Galilee, Herod 
 was ruler. It is very possible that they were 
 moved to this message by intimations directly 
 received from Herod ; a little later we know that 
 the Pharisees and the Herodians combined under
 
 84 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 33 Nevertheless, I must walk to-day, and to-mor- 
 row, and the day following : for it cannot be that a 
 prophet perish out of Jerusalem, 
 
 34 O Jerusalem, 1 Jerusalem, which killest the pro- 
 phets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee ; now 
 often would I have gathered thy children together, as 
 a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye 
 would not ! 
 
 35 Behold, your" house is left unto you desolate: 
 
 and verily I say unto you. Ye shall not see me, until 
 the time come when ye shall say, Blessed v is tie that 
 cometh in the name of the Lord. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of 
 one of the chief Pharisees, to eat bread on the 
 sabbath day, that they watched " him. 
 
 t Matt. 23 : 37. 
 
 Lev. 56 : 31, 32 ; Ps. 69 : 25 ; Isa. 1:7; 5 : 5, 6 ; Dan. 9 : 27 ; Micah 3:12.. 
 37 : 32; Isa. 29 : 20, 21 ; Jer. 2U : 10, 11. 
 
 the influence of a common enmity to Christ (Matt. 
 22 : 15, 16). The Herod here mentioned is the one 
 who had imprisoned and killed John the Baptist 
 (Matt, u : i-i2, note), whose assassination took place 
 in Maeherus, a fortress in Perea. Neither Herod 
 nor the Pharisees were willing to take measures 
 to assassinate Jesus, for his popularity was 
 too great (chaps. 12: 1; 13 : 17 ; 15 : 1). They there- 
 fore resorted to this subterfuge to get rid of 
 him. — Tell that fox. An appropriate charac- 
 terization of Herod, whose history is one of in- 
 trigue and cunning. It is almost the only case in 
 which Christ applies an opprobious epithet to 
 an individual. The fact is no less significant than 
 this one remarkable exception to the general 
 principle of his life. In this case, by a single 
 word, he indicated to the people, the Pharisees 
 and Herod, that he understood the design ; and 
 the word was one sure to be remembered and 
 repeated. By his undisguised contempt he de- 
 feated the attempt to overawe the people by this 
 unholy combination between an apostate church 
 and a wicked king. — I do cures to-day and 
 to-morrow, and the third day I shall be 
 perfected. The language is enigmatical ; there 
 is difficulty in its interpretation. I believe, how- 
 ever, (1) that the word days is to be taken in its 
 literal signification. The attempt to interpret the 
 first day as equivalent to Christ's present work- 
 ing, to-morrow as the time intermediate the 
 present and his passion, and the third day as the 
 passion week, seems to me forced and unnatu- 
 ral ; (2) / shall be perfected, clearly refers to the 
 finishing of Christ's career by his passion and 
 death. The same Greek word is used in this 
 sense in John 4 : 34 ; 5 : 36 ; 17 : 4 ; comp. Acts 
 20 : 24. I believe then that we are to understand 
 Christ's reply to the Pharisees to be, that he will 
 remain but two days longer in that district, and 
 that then will begin that passion at Jerusalem, 
 which was the perfecting of his ministry. May 
 these two days be those referred to in John 
 11 : 6 ? It is true Christ tarried, after the resur- 
 rection of Lazarus, in Ephraim (John n : 54) ; but 
 this was only with his disciples. His public min- 
 istry, except as it was perfected in the Passion 
 week, came to an end when he left Perea to go 
 to Bethany. — It cannot be that a prophet 
 perish out of Jerusalem. Not literally true ; 
 John the Baptist was himself an exception. 
 
 34, 35. See Matt. 23 : 27-39, notes. The dis- 
 course in which it there appears, is not reported 
 by Luke, who gives barely a brief suggestion of 
 it. It seems to me more probable that Luke has 
 here inserted this apostrophe to Jerusalem out 
 of its place, than that Christ repeated it on this 
 occasion ; because, (1 ) an appeal to Jerusalem, in 
 Perea, seems not probable, though it might have 
 been suggested by the close of the previous sen- 
 tence ; (2) it is not true that Jerusalem did not 
 see Christ until his second coming, and to sup- 
 pose that the close of ver. 35 refers to the greet- 
 ings given him on his triumphal entry into Jeru- 
 salem (Matt 21 : 9) deprives it of its significance, 
 and gives to the same words here and in Matt. 
 23 : 39, a radically different meaning. 
 
 Ch. 14 : 1-14. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS AT THE HOUSE 
 OF A PHARISEE. Lawful to do good on the sab- 
 bath day. — The Christian koad to preferment. — 
 The law of Christian hospitality. 
 
 The time and place of the incident and teach- 
 ings here recorded are unknown. They are all 
 peculiar to Luke. The parable of the Great Sup- 
 per (vers. 15, 24) follows immediately after, and is 
 directly connected with the semi-social instruc- 
 tions contained in the first part of the chapter. 
 
 1. To eat bread on the sabbath day. 
 The Pharisaic sabbath was a festival. " The day 
 was one of festal rejoicing. Social entertain- 
 ments were part of its religious observance. 
 Every week the pious Jew repeated that Thanks- 
 giving day which New England enjoys but once 
 a year. Walking, social visiting, even games 
 and dancing, were a part of the Pharisaic observ- 
 ance of the sabbath day. * * * ' Meet the sab- 
 bath with a lively hunger ; let thy table be cov- 
 ered with fish, flesh, and generous wine.' 'Let 
 the seats be soft, and adorned with beautiful 
 cushions, and let elegance smile in the furniture 
 of the table.' 'Assume all thy sprightliness.' 
 ' Utter nothing but what is provocative of mirth 
 and good humor.' 'Walk leisurely, for the law 
 requires it, as it does also longer sleep in the 
 morning.' 'Be resolute and merry, though 
 ruined in debt. ' Such are some of the Rabbini- 
 cal precepts concerning the sabbath. Whatever 
 else may be said of them, they certainly do not 
 sustain the popular conception of the Jewish 
 sabbath as a day of rigorous asceticism. On the
 
 Ch. XIV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 85 
 
 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him, 
 which had the dropsy. 
 
 3 And Jesus, answering, spake unto the lawyers and 
 Pharisees, saying, Is x it lawful to heal on the sabbath 
 day ? 
 
 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and 
 healed him, and let him go ; 
 
 5 And answered them, saying/ Which of you shall 
 have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not 
 straightway pull him out on the sabbath day ? 
 
 6 And they could not answer him again to these 
 things. 
 
 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were 
 bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief 
 rooms ; saying unto them, 
 
 8 When thou z art bidden of any man to a wedding, 
 sit not down in the highest room ; lest a more honour- 
 able man than thou be bidden of him ; 
 
 9 And he that bade tliee and him come and say to 
 thee. Give this man place; and thou begin with shame 
 to take the lowest room. 
 
 io liut when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the 
 lowest room ; that when lie thai "bade thee Cometh, he 
 may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then siia.lt 
 thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at 
 meat with thee. 
 
 n For whosoever a exalteth himself shall be abased ; 
 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 
 
 12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When 
 thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy Iriends, 
 
 z ch. IS : 14 y ch. 13 : 15 z Prov. 25 : 
 
 ,7.... a ch. 18: 14; 1 Snm. 15:17; Job 22 : 
 23: 12; James 4 : 6; 1 Pet. 5 : 5. 
 
 Ps. 18 : 27 ; Prov. 15 : 33 ; 29 : 23 ; Mall. 
 
 contrary, if we may believe the not altogether 
 impartial testimony of the early Christians, it 
 was too often wasted in idleness, and degraded 
 by sensuality and drunkenness." — (AbboW s Jesus 
 of Nazareth.) It is noteworthy that Christ, who 
 rebukes the legalism and asceticism with which 
 the Pharisees hedged about the sabbath, and the 
 spirit of inhumanity which they concealed under 
 a pretence of sabbath observance, utters no 
 word of condemnation of the social freedom 
 which characterized the day. Observe, too, that 
 while he accepts all invitations, he makes every 
 social gathering an occasion of direct religious 
 instruction. — They were watching him. 
 What sort of hospitality was this which invited 
 him to a feast of suspicion ? 
 
 2, 3. There was a certain man before 
 him. In the free social life of the East, 
 strangers often entered into the court-yard of 
 the house where such an entertainment was given. 
 See chap. 7 : 37, note. This dropsical man may 
 have been a guest ; more probably he was a 
 stranger. It is reasonable to surmise that he 
 came to seek healing. — Is it lawful ? The 
 Pharisees were watching Christ ; Christ tries the 
 Pharisees. According to Kabbinical law it was 
 unlawful. On several occasions Christ con- 
 demned and repudiated this traditional addition 
 to the Sabbath laws of the O. T. (chaps. 13 : 11-17, 
 
 notes ; Matt. 12 : 9-14, notes). 
 
 4-6. Some manuscripts, and these the better 
 ones, for ass read son (for Svog, viog). The verse 
 will then read, Which of you shall have a son, or 
 even an ox, fallen into a pit ? The argument here 
 is precisely the same as in Matt. 13 : 11. 
 
 7-10. The language, He put forth a parable, 
 implies that we are to look in this teaching for a 
 spiritual meaning beneath the social instruction 
 which lies on the surface. See below. The word 
 room is used in the original sense of the word, as 
 equivalent to space or place. In the East, in the 
 time of Christ, tables were ordinarily arranged 
 around an open square, in the manner indicated 
 in the annexed diagram ; see also Matt. 26 : 20, 
 note, for illustration. The middle place on each 
 
 couch of the triclinium was considered the place 
 of honor, here designated as the chief room, 
 (7iQa>To/.'/.iala). In our democratic society we can- 
 not well appreciate the bitterness of the conten- 
 tion which often took place among guests for 
 these places of honor. It was probably such a 
 strife that Luke refers to in ch. 22 : 24. A strife 
 for ecclesiastical pre-eminence, not in real power, 
 but only in title and dignity, between the Arch- 
 bishops of Canterbury and York, agitated all 
 England for a long time, and was finally settled 
 by making the one Primate of England and the 
 other Primate of all England. In the interpreta- 
 tion of this parable 
 observe, (1) Christ 
 does not condemn 
 social ranks and 
 grades ; he does not 
 demand even the 
 abolition of first 
 and second places 
 at the table. (2.) 
 He addresses him- 
 self to the motive 
 of approbativeness. 
 O. T. and in the N 
 
 1 
 
 ( : 
 
 in 
 
 II 
 
 11 
 
 III 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 11 
 
 in 
 
 
 TRICLINIUM. 
 
 The Bible, both in the 
 T., repeatedly does so. 
 It is not an evil motive ; it is evil only when made 
 the master motive. It is not unchristian to seek 
 honor among men ; but it is Christian to obtain it 
 by deserving and receiving, not by demanding it. 
 (3. ) The superficial lesson of the parable is not to 
 be forgotten ; in our earthly relations in so- 
 cial, business, and political life, as well as in 
 Christian work, we are to be content, as was our 
 Master, with the lowest place, and obtain exalta- 
 tion, as did he, through humiliation (E P h. 2 : 5, 9). 
 (4.) The spiritual lesson is not inconsistent with 
 the social ; but simply carries it out in a larger 
 and higher sphere. He that is willing to take the 
 lowest place in work for God, is the one whom 
 God most delights to honor. Of this truth, Paul 
 affords a notable example (1 Cor. 4: 12, 13; Phu. 
 1 : 12, 13). 
 
 11. Whosoever exalteth himself, etc. 
 This is the enunciation of a general law of abso-
 
 86 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich b 
 neighbours ; lest they also bid thee again, and a recom- 
 pence be made thee. 
 
 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the 
 maimed, the lame, the blind : 
 
 14 And thou shalt be blessed ; for they cannot rec- 
 
 b Prov. 22 : 16 c Neh. 8 : 10, 12. 
 
 lutely universal application ; but the final abase- 
 ment or exaltation may not come until the future 
 life. In addition to marg. ref., see Isaiah 
 5 : 13-15, etc. 
 
 12. When thou makest a dinner or a 
 supper. The people of the East take ordinarily 
 two regular meals a day ; the first, a hearty 
 breakfast ; the second, a late dinner, usually al- 
 luded to in the O. T. under the name of supper. 
 The lunch in the middle of the day, is generally 
 an informal meal, and by working people is 
 
 taken in the fields. The late dinner, here desig- 
 nated supper, is the principal meal of the day, 
 and that to which guests are usually invited. — 
 Call not thy friends * * * nor thy rich 
 neighbors. Social entertainments in the East 
 are often occasions, as with us, of great display. 
 Each course consists of a single dish ; sometimes 
 as many as forty or fifty courses are given. The 
 drawing-room is ordinarily one that opeDS di- 
 rectly upon the court-yard. The flowers and 
 fountain in the yard, where there is often music, 
 
 ORIENTAL DINING ROOM. 
 
 and sometimes dancing, add to the attractions of 
 the scene. In the richer mansions, the room itself 
 is often elaborately decorated. The practice of 
 reclining at meals is no longer in vogue. The ac- 
 companying picture represents a modern Eastern 
 dinner-party. The intimation here certainly is, 
 that this sabbath entertainment was one at which 
 there were many distinguished guests. We are 
 not to consider Christ's language here as an ab- 
 solute prohibition of the interchange of hospital- 
 ities and courtesies ; but, (1) there is nothing 
 characteristically Christian in such hospitality ; 
 there is no special merit in a feast from which 
 the host expects any personal return to himself 
 in enjoyment, social consideration, or the like ; 
 (2) to give these only is characteristically un- 
 christian ; for (3) the disciple of Christ is to use 
 
 his social advantages, not for mere personal en- 
 joyment or benefit, but to elevate and to bless 
 those beneath him. 
 
 13, 14. Thou shalt be recompensed at 
 the resurrection of the just. For interpreta- 
 tion of this declaration, see Matt. 25 : 31^0 ; 
 Luke 16 : 9. 
 
 Ch. 14 : 15-24. PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUITER. A 
 sermon to the peocrastinatrng.— many excuses ; 
 one cause— Three great hindrances to religion : 
 property, business, domestic ties.— how to fill 
 empty churches. — the christian ministry is a mis- 
 sionary ministry.— he that rejects christ is re- 
 JECTED by Christ. 
 
 This parable is not to be confounded with the 
 somewhat analogous one in Matt. 23 : 1-14. Both
 
 Ch. XIV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 87 
 
 ompense thee : for thou shalt be recompensed at the 
 resurrection of the just. 
 
 15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him 
 heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed d is he 
 that shall eat bread in the kingdom o( God. 
 
 16 Then said he unto him, A e certain man made a 
 great supper/ and bade many : 
 
 17 And sent his servant al supper time to say to them 
 that were bidden, Come ; for all « things are now ready. 
 
 18 And they all with one consent began to make ex- 
 cuse. The first 11 said unto him, I have bought a piece 
 of ground, and I must needs go and see it : fpray thee 
 have me excused. 
 
 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of 
 
 oxen, and I goto prove them: I pray thee have me 
 excused. 
 
 20 And another said, I have married' a wife, and 
 therefore I cannot come. 
 
 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these 
 things. Then the master ol the bouse, being angry,' 
 said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets " 
 and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, 1 and 
 the maimed, and the halt, 1 " and the blind. 
 
 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast 
 commanded, and yet" there is room. 
 
 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into 
 the highways and hedges, and compel ° them to come 
 in, that my house may be nlled. 
 
 d Rev. 19 : 9. . . .e Matt. 22 : 2, etc f Isa. 25 : 6, 7 g Prov. 9 : 2, 5 ; Ca. 6 : 1 ; Isa. 55 : 1, 2 h ch. 8 : 14 i verse 26 ; 1 Or. 7 : 33 
 
 j Pa. 2 : 12.... k Rev. 22: 17.... 1 1 Sam. 2:8; Pa. 113 : 7, 8 m Pa. 38 : 7; Isa. 33 : 23; 35 : 6....U Pa. 103: 6; 130 : 7. .. .0 Pa. 110: 3, 
 
 are alike in representing the kingdom of heaven 
 by a feast, to which many are invited, and from 
 which many turn away ; but there the parallelism 
 ends. In Matthew, the feast is given by a king ; 
 the invitations are scornfully rejected ; the act is 
 one of rebellion, and is consummated by the mur- 
 der of the servants ; it is punished by the death 
 of the rebels ; the good and bad are gathered 
 into the feast ; and finally one of the guests is 
 cast out because, though he had accepted the in- 
 vitation, he had not provided himself with or ac- 
 cepted the king' s provision of a wedding garment. 
 Here the feast is given by a private citizen ; the 
 invitations are declined with some show of re- 
 spect ; the declination is an indication of indif- 
 ference rather than of open antagonism ; the 
 punishment is the utter exclusion of those first 
 invited ; there is no intimation that both good 
 and bad are brought in ; no incident analogous to 
 that of the guest without a wedding garment oc- 
 curs, and the foundation is not even laid for it. 
 
 15. Blessed is he that shall eat bread in 
 the kingdom of God. The utterance of a de- 
 vout Jew, who was anticipating the coming and 
 perfection of the kingdom of God, and who 
 looked forward to it as a time of blessedness to 
 all permitted to see and share in it. Correspond- 
 ing to it is the universal feeling of even irreligious 
 men, that it will be a blessed thing to be a child 
 of God in the future heavenly state. Christ's 
 parable is responsive to this sentiment of imagi- 
 native piety. He shows that men do not really 
 regard it as blessed to be a guest of God, but re- 
 ject the invitation when it is given to them. The 
 practical lesson of the parable is rather to the 
 procrastinating than to the indifferent or the re- 
 bellious. 
 
 1G, 17. The sending a second invitation to 
 guests when the feast was ready was, and still is, 
 usual in the East (Esthers: 8; 6:14). The invita- 
 tion of the O. T. bade the whole Jewish nation to 
 God's kingdom ; John the Baptist and Jesus, with 
 the message, The kingdom of God is at hand, 
 brought the second invitation. " Come, for all 
 things are now ready," was the burden of their 
 ministry (uai. 4 : 4). But it is also the Gospel mes- 
 
 sage to-day. On God's part all is ready ; the 
 guest has simply to accept the invitation and 
 come. 
 
 18-20. And they all with one (mind) be- 
 gan to make excuse. The translators supply 
 the word consent, but this implies combined ac- 
 tion, and that is not indicated by the original. 
 The spiritual lesson is that all excuses for neglect 
 of religion and rejection of Christ have one com- 
 mon cause, a disrelish of spiritual things. — The 
 first said unto him, etc. The first pleads 
 property, the second business, the third domes- 
 tic duties ; the first necessity, the second his 
 plans, the third simply his will ; the first is in 
 language respectful, the second less so, the third 
 is abrupt and almost insulting. Neither of them 
 is kept away by anything intrinsically sinful. 
 Neither of them proffers a good excuse ; for the 
 farm and the oxen could have waited, and the 
 wife could have come with her husband; the 
 claims of this life and the other are not incon- 
 sistent. Comp. 1 Cor. 7 : 29 for the Christian 
 spirit respecting property, business, and domes- 
 tic ties. 
 
 21-23. The master of the house being 
 angry. Such an intimation, dropped inciden- 
 tally in the teaching of Christ, is very significant. 
 The references elsewhere in the Bible to the 
 "wrath of God" are not human misinterpreta- 
 tions of the divine character. — Go out quickly 
 into the streets and lanes of the city. 
 Those in the streets and lanes are interpreted by 
 many of the commentators to mean the Jews; 
 those in the highways and hedges, the Gentiles. 
 — The poor, the maimed, the halt, and 
 the blind. The picture is one impossible for 
 us to realize in our land. In the East, rich in 
 beggars, opulent in misery, without poor-houses 
 or hospitals, or other organized means of caring 
 for and lessening misery, and with laws and so- 
 cial organism multiplying it, such a throng as fa 
 here described may be often seen in the city 
 streets or squares, and sometimes gathered to- 
 gether by the rich and generous to receive in fit- 
 ful gifts that charity which in Christendom is 
 bestowed in a colder, but more systematic and
 
 IB- Wn ' 
 
 ■lis 
 
 iilllll 
 
 ■IB 111 
 
 ■ ■ ■ 
 
 Ill 
 
 • ' T ^i4'
 
 Ch. XIV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 24 For I say unto you, That none? of those men 
 which were bidden shall taste ot my supper. 
 
 25 And there went great multitudes with him : and 
 he turned, and said unto them, 
 
 26 It any man come to me, and hate' 1 not his father, 
 and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and 
 sisters, yea, and his own lite' also, he cannot be my 
 disciple. 
 
 27 And whosoever" doth not bear his cross, and 
 come alter im:, cannot be my dia iple, 
 
 28 1- >>r which ot you, intending' to build a tower, 
 sitteth not down first, and countetb. the cost, whether 
 he h&vcsuj/ic/eut to finish it f 
 
 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and 
 is not able to linish it, all that behold it begin to mot k 
 him, 
 
 p Prov. 1 ; 
 
 Matt. 21 : 43; Heb. 12 : 25 ) Unit. .::! : ;i ; Mull. In : 37 r Acts 20 : V. 
 
 Mark 8 : 34 ; 9 Tun. a : 12 t Prov. 24 : 27. 
 
 Rav. 19:U. ...I ch. 9:23; Mall. 16 : 24 ; 
 
 more helpful way. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion, from the pencil of Mr. Rawson, portrays an 
 actual, not an ideal scene. The spiritual Lesson 
 to the Christian is twofold: (1) that it is the 
 spiritually poor, maimed, halt, and blind that are 
 worthy, since need is worth in love's eyes ; 
 (2) that when the Gospel is rejected by the rich 
 and prosperous, guests for Christ's kingdom 
 may always be found among the poor and unfor- 
 tunate. This truth was amply illustrated by the 
 ministry of Wesley and Whitefield, and is again 
 in our own day by that of Mr. Moody. Directly 
 opposed to Christ's method is that of soliciting 
 those that refuse, by luxurious churches, fine 
 choirs, and proffers of social consideration. The 
 Gospel, as Christ preached it, never goes beg- 
 ging. — Yet there is room. "Neither nature 
 nor grace suffers a vacuum." — (Bengal.) — Com- 
 pel them to come in. A curious illustration 
 of what a comment should not be is Alford's re- 
 mark here : " Is there not here an allusion to in- 
 fant baptism ? " Hardly more reasonable is the 
 deduction of some Roman Catholic commenta- 
 tors that this justifies religious persecution. 
 For (1) there is no power in a single servant of a 
 private citizen to drive a crowd of unwilling 
 guests from the country ; (2) the reluctance to 
 be overcome is that of the poor to enter the rich 
 man's dwelling and share his feast, and it is to 
 be conquered by persuasion, not violence. The 
 compelling is that of love. When pride declines 
 the Gospel the Master is angry, and no further 
 invitation is sent ; when humility hesitates, love 
 compels. 
 
 24. I say unto you. You is in the plural, 
 not the singular. This is not, then, the address 
 of the lord to his servant, but rather of Christ to 
 his audience. So Stier and Alford understand it. 
 "Our Lord speaks here with his usual 'For I 
 say unto you, ' to the company present ; and half 
 continuing the parable, half expounding it, sub- 
 stitutes himself for the master of the feast, leav- 
 ing it hardly doubtful who ' these men that were 
 bidden' are." Whichever way interpreted, the 
 passage equally implies the impossibility of fu- 
 ture restoration of those who have received and 
 refused the Gospel invitation in this life. 
 
 Ch. 14 : 23-35. DISCOURSE TO THE MULTITUDES. 
 What it costs to be a Christian. — The necessity 
 
 OP COUNTING THE COST. — CHRIST'S INSTRUCTIONS TO 
 THOUGHTLESS ENTHUSIASTS. 
 
 There is no reason to suppose that this dis- 
 course is connected with the preceding. On the 
 contrary, the language of ver. 25, Tliere were 
 going with him, implies that it was given during 
 one of Christ's journeys, and was addressed to 
 the throng which so customarily accompanied 
 him. The contrast between the many who flock 
 to hear the Gospel, especially in a time of reli- 
 gious excitement, as under the ministry of a 
 Whitefield or a Moody, and the few who count 
 the cost and deliberately follow Christ, is as ap- 
 plicable to our day as to the time of Christ. 
 
 25-27. And hate not his father and 
 mother, * * * and his own life also. 
 Comp. Matt. 10 : 37, 38, notes. In the interpre- 
 tation of this enigmatical language, (1) we must 
 not take hate father, etc., as equivalent to love 
 father less than Christ ; Christ uses language 
 not always literallj', but always accurately. (2.) 
 The word rendered hate (ulaiio) is never used in 
 the N. T., unless this passage and Matt. 6 : 24 be 
 regarded as exceptions, to mean merely a dimi- 
 nution of love ; it always signifies a positive 
 aversion. (3.) To Jtate is not unchristian ; on the 
 contrary, hate is predicated of God, and required 
 
 Of his children (Isa. 61 : S; Jer. 44:4; Amos 5 : 21 ; Rom. 
 
 12 : 9; Rtv. 2:6). I believe, then, that the meaning 
 is this, that in order to follow Christ acceptably, 
 or indeed at all, the soul must have such an en- 
 thusiasm for him, and for that purity, beauty, 
 and truth which he embodies and sets before his 
 followers as their possible attainment (Ephes. 5 : 1), 
 that whatever and whoever becomes an obstacle 
 to this attainment is, in so far, to be abhorred as 
 an evil thing, an enmity to the soul and to God, 
 and to be abhorred just in the measure in which 
 the natural affection makes the obstacle great 
 and the temptation severe. So Christ abhorred 
 Peter when Peter became a tempter to him ; be- 
 cause he loved the disciple, the disciple as a 
 tempter was to him as Satan (Matt. 16 : 22, js}. This 
 hate of the world and the things that are in the 
 world (1 John 2 : 15) may be dormant in the Chris- 
 tian experience, but it must be there, to spring 
 into activity, as protection against temptation,, 
 whenever even the most sacred earthly rela- 
 tions become instruments of temptation. — Bear 
 his cross. Take it up ; a willing assumjh
 
 90 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIV. 
 
 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not 
 able to finish." 
 
 31 Or what king, going to make war against another 
 king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth v whether 
 he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh 
 against him with twenty thousand ? 
 
 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way ofF, he 
 sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 
 
 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsak- 
 eth not all w that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 
 
 34 Salt x is good : but if the salt have lost his savour, 
 wherewith shall it be seasoned ? 
 
 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung- 
 hill ; but men* cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, 
 let him hear. 
 
 a Heb. 6:11 v Prov. 20 : 18 w Phil. 3 : 7, 8 x Matt. 5:13; Mark 9 : 50 y John 15 : 6. 
 
 tion, not a patient submission, is implied. See 
 Matt. 10 : 38, note. 
 
 28-30. To interpret aright this and the suc- 
 ceeding parable, it is necessary to bear in mind 
 the circumstances under which and the audience 
 to which they are addressed. Christ speaks it to 
 a crowd who are following him, drawn by curi- 
 osity and interest, not unmingled with personal 
 enthusiasm. His example is to be pondered 
 and followed by all religious teachers in times of 
 religious revival, when many are liable to mis- 
 take their enthusiastic admiration for Christ and 
 his precepts, born of a holiday's enjoyment, for 
 a deliberate and well-considered purpose to be 
 Christ's, and to follow him in the double work 
 of self-building and of warring against the world 
 without and against wickedness within one's 
 own nature. Building is in the N. T. a common 
 metaphor to express the process by which char- 
 acter is formed, little by little, until the whole 
 soul becomes a temple of God, for the indwelling 
 of his Spirit. See Matt. 7 : 24 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 11-16 ; 
 8 : 1, where edifieth is equivalent to buttdeth ; and 
 1 Pet. 2:5. In framing the resolution to begin 
 a Christian life, it is necessary to consider what 
 it will cost, of self-renunciation, to maintain a 
 consistent Christian character. The result of 
 this counting the cost is always the discovery, I 
 have not sufficient to finish ; then comes either 
 the abandonment of the plan, before it is fairly 
 undertaken, or a going unto Christ, who is our 
 only and our complete sufficiency in and for all 
 
 things (2 Cor. 3:5). 
 
 31, 32. There are two interpretations of this 
 parable. One is that of Alford : "The two kings 
 here are, — the man desirous to become a disciple, 
 to work out his salvation, and God, with whose 
 just and holy law he is naturally at variance; 
 these two are going to engage in war ; and the 
 question for each man to sit down and ask him- 
 self is, ' Can I, with my ten thousand, stand the 
 charge of him who cometh against me with 
 twenty thousand.' " The other interpretation is 
 that of Godet : "The Christian is a king, but a 
 king engaged in a struggle, and a struggle with 
 an enemy materially stronger than himself. 
 Therefore, before defying him with a declaration 
 of war by the open profession of the Gospel, a 
 man must have taken counsel with himself, and 
 become assured that he is willing to accept the 
 extreme consequences of this position, even to 
 
 the giving up of his life if demanded." The les- 
 sonis therefore "a warning, which Jesus gives to 
 those who profess disciplesbip, but who have not 
 decided to risk everything, to make their submis- 
 sion as early as possible to the "world and its 
 prince. Better avoid celebrating a Palm-day than 
 end after such a demonstration with a Good 
 Friday. Rather remain an honorable unknown, 
 religiously, than what is sadder in the world, an 
 inconsistent Christian." The latter seems to me 
 the better interpretation. Christ enforces the 
 alternative of Matt. 6 : 24. As Joshua, in Josh. 
 24 : 15, and Elijah, in 1 Kings 18 : 21, Christ 
 compels a choice. In effect he bids those who 
 are not willing to take up their cross in order to 
 follow him, to abandon all thought of becoming 
 his disciples, and go back to their allegiance to 
 the world. Underlying this, as the other para- 
 ble, is the deep truth of the soul's need of God ; 
 no man can enter upon the life-campaign against 
 the world, the flesh, and the devil, without alli- 
 ance with and reinforcements from an Almighty 
 Saviour. 
 
 33. Forsaketh not all that he hath. Lit- 
 erally, Doth not separate himself from all. How 
 this is to be done Paul interprets in 1 Cor. 
 7 : 29-31. 
 
 34, 35. Comp. Matt. 5 : 13, note ; Mark 
 9 : 50, note The Christian is the salt of the 
 earth ; the savor is the spirit of self-sacrifice, by 
 which Christ's disciples are to purify and save the 
 world ; if this spirit of self-sacrifice be wanting, 
 they are utterly worthless. 
 
 Ch. 15 : 1-32. THE PARABLES OF THE LOST SHEEP, 
 THE LOST COIN, THE LOST SON. The spirit of Christ : 
 
 BY SELF-SACRIFICE HE SEEKS THE LOST; ACCOUNTS 
 THEM HIS OWN; PARDONS THEIR PAST SINS ; WELCOMES 
 THEIR RETURN ; CONFERS ON THEM FREE GIFTS OF 
 GRACE, HONOR, AUTHORITY, FREEDOM, ABUNDANT 
 SPIRITUAL FOOD.— THE SPIRIT OF THE CHRISTIAN : HE 
 SHOULD SEEK, SEARCH FOB, LOVE, WELCOME THE 
 WANDERER.— THE SPIRIT OF THE PHARISEE : PROUD, 
 PASSIONATE, JEALOUS, LEGAL.— THE EXPERIENCE OF 
 SIN : ESTRANGEMENT FROM GOD ; WASTEFUL LIVING ; 
 SPIRITUAL WANT ; SPURIOUS REFORM.— THE EXPERI- 
 ENCE OF repentance: thoughtfulness, conscious- 
 ness OF SIN, SORROW FOR IT, ABANDONMENT OF IT, RE- 
 TURN to God. — The experience of redemption : Di- 
 vine COMPASSION, WELCOME, PARDON, RESTORATION. — 
 THE SORROWFULNESS OF SIN ; THE JOYFULNESS OF RE- 
 LIGION. 
 
 Preliminary Note. — These three parables,
 
 Ch. XV.j 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 91 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THEN drew 2 near unto him all the publicans and 
 sinners tor to hear him. 
 
 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, 
 This man receiveth sinners, and eateth " with them. 
 
 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 
 
 4 What man b ol you, having an hundred sheep, if 
 
 z Matt. 9 : 10, etc. ... a Acts 11:3; 1 Cor. 5 : 9-11 ; Gal. 2 : 12 b Matt. 18 : 12. 
 
 like the seven of the thirteenth chapter of Mat- 
 thew, form one discourse ; they were delivered at 
 one time and with one object. The time and 
 place are wholly uncertain ; but their position in 
 the evangelical narrative indicates that they be- 
 long to the Perean ministry ; they are peculiar 
 to Luke, and Luke alone gives any extended ac- 
 count of that ministry. The direct object, indi- 
 cated by the introductory verses (1, 2), and by 
 the culmination of the three parables in the 
 father's declaration to the elder son (ver. 32), is to 
 point out the spirit which the saved should man- 
 ifest toward the lost, a spirit seeking to reclaim 
 them, and toward the repentant, a spirit ready 
 to welcome them. To accomplish this object, 
 Christ portrays the spirit in which divine love 
 seeks the lost and receives the repentant. This, 
 which may be called incidental, has so far ab- 
 sorbed the attention of the church, that it has 
 too generally forgotten the direct and immediate 
 lesson of the chapter. This forgetfulness is indi- 
 cated by the fact, that in the innumerable ser- 
 mons on the parable of the Prodigal Son, the 
 elder brother is either lost sight of altogether or 
 treated as an incidental figure, and his sullenness 
 an episode, employed to set off in more striking 
 contrast the love of the father. Of these three 
 parables, looked at as a representation of re- 
 deeming love, the first two may be called Calvin- 
 istic, the third Arminian ; the first two represent 
 regeneration, the third conversion ; the first two 
 God seeking the sinner, the third the sinner seek- 
 ing God. The three must be taken together in 
 order to understand the change wrought in the 
 human soul in redemption. The prodigal son 
 never, in fact, returns to his father's house un- 
 less the father comes after him ; the lost sheep 
 and the lost coin are never recovered without 
 voluntarily returning to the shepherd and owner. 
 Looked at as a representative of human duty, the 
 first two parables represent the duty of the 
 church to seek and to save the lost, the third the 
 duty to welcome the repentant to a full, free, 
 and unreproachful pardon. All represent the 
 joyfulness of religion, both as an earthly experi- 
 ence and in the heavenly state. Continuing the 
 comparison we may note the progression and 
 climax in the series ; in the first, the shepherd of 
 a hundred sheep misses the one out of the hun- 
 dred ; in the second, the woman, owning but ten 
 pieces of money, loses a tenth of her property, 
 and searches for it with greater concern ; in the 
 third, the father of two sons loses one, who be- 
 comes to him by sin and separation as dead, and 
 
 in whose death is the keenest conceivable loss the 
 heart can suffer. "Thus we find ourselves mov- 
 ing in ever narrower, and so intenser, circles of 
 hope, and fear, and love, drawing, in each suc- 
 cessive parable, nearer to the innermost centre 
 and heart of the truth." — (Trench.) We may 
 also perhaps with Trench see a climax in sin as 
 well as in grace — in the first, sin is represented 
 by a silly, wandering sheep, error rather than 
 willfulness ; in the second, by a piece of money, 
 utterly lost to its owner, and useless in itself, be- 
 cause castaway ; in the third, by a son, knowing 
 the love of a father and the sweetness of his 
 home, and yet despising and forsaking both. 
 Thus we may perhaps say that the first represents 
 erring, the second vice, the third crime ; the 
 first sins of ignorance, the second of self-abase- 
 ment, the third of willful disobedience and re- 
 bellion ; and, finally, the first two, sins of original 
 estrangement and separation from God, the third 
 of backsliding. But these contrasts must not be 
 pressed too closely. We must not forget that all 
 sin is folly, vice, and crime, a blunder, a self- 
 abasement, and a rebellion ; and that all sin is a 
 backsliding, the original state of nature being 
 also a state of grace, and depravity being in very 
 truth, not natural, but unnatural, depravity. 
 
 1,2. And there were drawing near to 
 him all the publicans and sinners for to 
 hear him. The original implies, not that at this 
 particular moment they drew near, but that at 
 this period in Christ's ministry they were draw- 
 ing near. The verb is in the imperfect tense, and 
 implies habitual action. Christ was, in the best 
 sense of the term, an attractive preacher. He 
 drew. For other illustrations of his drawing 
 power, see Mark 1 : 33-36 ; 2 : 1, 2 ; 3 : 8, 9. Nor 
 can it be said that the people were merely at- 
 tracted by curiosity to see him and his miracles ; 
 for the language is explicit, that they drew near 
 "to hear him." This was the beginning of that 
 power to draw all men unto him, which ever 
 since his death he has increasingly manifested as 
 the years have rolled on. The publicans are the 
 tax-gatherers of Palestine, a necessarily corrupt 
 and a universally detested class. For some ac- 
 count of their character and occupation, see 
 Matt. 9 : 10, 11, note. The sinners are persons no- 
 toriously criminal and outcast in consecmence, not 
 merely such as disregarded the ceremonial regu- 
 lations of the stricter sect of the Pharisees. That 
 this is the meaning is evident from the use of 
 the term (ujiaqttaXos) elsewhere in the Gospels. 
 See, for example, Matt. 11 : 19 ; Luke 7 : 37 ;
 
 92 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine 
 in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until 
 he find it ? 
 
 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his 
 shoulders, rejoicing. 
 
 6 And when he cometh home, lie calleth together his 
 
 18 : 13, etc. — And the Pharisees and 
 
 Scribes. The Pharisees were the orthodox 
 Jews ; see Matt. 3 : 7, note, for account of their 
 history and character ; the Scribes were pri- 
 marily writers of any kind, then copyists of the 
 Scripture, then writers of glosses and commen- 
 taries thereon. See Matt. 5 : 20, note.— This 
 man receiveth sinners and eateth with 
 them. The substance of their charge was not 
 that he taught sinners, but that he ate with them, 
 that is, mingled with them on terms of social 
 equality. The modern Christian, who mingles 
 socially and freely with modem sinners, is always 
 liable to the same criticism from modern Phari- 
 sees. The pride of propriety never understands 
 the liberty of love. Observe how in this sentence, 
 as in a similar accusation at another time, the 
 Pharisees unconsciously told a sublime truth. It 
 is the glory of Christ that he " receiveth sinners 
 and eateth with them." Rev. 3 : ~0. 
 
 3-G. And he spake this parable. In 
 reading and interpreting it bear in mind its 
 double application. (1.) It is a parable of re- 
 deeming love. As such, it is borrowed from and 
 to be interpreted by the O. T. (Ezek. si : 12, 13 ; isaiah 
 40 : 17 j Psalm 23). Christ comes to seek and to 
 save that which was lost (Matt, is : n) perseveres 
 until he finds it, patiently bears it back himself 
 through the weary way to the fold again, re- 
 joices in the labor and weariness, because recom- 
 pensed by his own love, and seeks to have the 
 church on earth and in heaven rejoice with him. 
 (2.) It parabolically illustrates what the spirit of 
 Christ's church should be ; it should go out 
 after the lost (Matt. 28 : 19), should persevere 
 despite failure and rebuff (Gai. 4 : 10-20), should 
 hear patiently with the weakness and failures 
 of the recovered, bearing them and forbear- 
 ing with them (Gal. 6 : 2), and should do this 
 work of redeeming love with joy, transfiguring 
 all sorrow and making jubilant all fatigue. — 
 Which man of you. The parable is an argu- 
 mentum ad hominem, as in Matt. 12 : 11, 12. If 
 men will take such pains for a lost sheep, how 
 much more should the disciples of Christ for a 
 lost soul. — If he lose one of them. A natu- 
 ral and apt type of the sinner is a lost sheep, 
 without wisdom to return to the protection of 
 the shepherd, and without any means of protec- 
 tion in himself from the dangers of the wilder- 
 ness. — Doth not leave the ninety and nine 
 in the wilderness. The term wilderness signi- 
 fies not necessarily a desert place, but simply 
 wildness, i. e., an uninhabited place, and there- 
 fore presumptively good pasture land. The same 
 word (^oij.uoc) is applied by Matthew (Matt. 14 : 15) 
 
 to a place in which John (John 6 : 10) tells us there 
 was much grass. No conclusion as to the relative 
 number of the holy that need no salvation and 
 the sinners, can be drawn from the numbers here 
 mentioned, for in the next parable the propor- 
 tion is one to ten, and in the third one of two. 
 The argument of this verse, however, furnishes 
 a conclusive answer to what is called the astro- 
 nomical objection to the doctrine of redemption 
 — the objection that God would not have chosen 
 so insignificant a planet for the manifestation of 
 his greatest love. To love, there is nothing 
 strange in his leaving the innumerable host who 
 have never sinned, and who may dwell in othei 
 worlds, to seek on this those that have sinned 
 and need his saving grace. The duty of the 
 church is clearly indicated. How often, instead 
 of obeying the lesson here inculcated, it leaves 
 the ninety and nine to stray away, while it cod- 
 dles and cares for the one who is left in the fold. 
 Its missionary work should be not its incidental 
 but its great work. — Go after that which is 
 lost. The Good Shepherd goes himself ; he 
 does not 6end another— man, angel, or arch- 
 angel. It is by personal work, not by proxy, we 
 are to seek and to save that which is lost. — Un- 
 til he find it. A hint of what is the patience 
 and perseverance of Christ, and what should be 
 the patience and perseverance of the Christian. 
 It is one of the passages from which the Resto- 
 rationists claim a hope that all at last will be 
 found. It is true that Christ always finds his 
 sheep ; but he does not always recover them. The 
 possibility of the lost refusing to accept the prof- 
 fered succor does not enter into this parable ; the 
 fact that it always is proffered, always brought 
 to the consciousness of the soul, I believe is im- 
 plied here and elsewhere in the N. T. — lie lay- 
 eth it on his own shoulders. A type of 
 Christ's method of dealing with the reclaimed 
 sinner after he is reclaimed. All the after-life, 
 all the providential care and guidance, the " all 
 things that work together for good," are Christ's 
 labor of love in bringing the found back to the 
 fold. He bears our burdens and our sorrows as 
 well as our sins ; we are ourselves his burden, 
 carried, not on his shoulders, but in his heart. 
 It is a type too of what should be the spirit in 
 which the church should deal with those whom 
 it has found and is seeking to reclaim ; no blows, 
 no reproaches, no driving back, no entrusting, 
 even to an underling. The figure is true to Ori- 
 ental shepherd life. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion, from the pencil of Mr. A. L. Rawson, is 
 from nature, and represents a scene often witness- 
 ed at the present day in Palestine, where the pas-
 
 Ch. XV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice 
 with me; for 1 have found my sheep c whirl] was lost. 
 
 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven 
 over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety 
 and nine just persons, which need d no repentance. 
 
 8 Either what woman having ten pieces ot silver, if 
 
 she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep 
 the bouse, and seek diligently till she find itf 
 
 9 And when she hath found ft, She calleth Act- friends 
 and ker neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with 
 
 ine ; for I have found the pine win. h 1 had lost. 
 
 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there' is joy in the prcs- 
 
 c Pa. 119 : 176 j 1 Pet. 2: 2C 
 
 . c Eiek. 18 : 23, 32 ; 33 : 11 ; Act* 11:18; Philemon 15, 16. 
 
 THE LOST SHEEP SAVED. 
 
 tures are frequently wild, rocky regions, in which 
 the sheep are often lost, or caught in some nar- 
 row cleft, where the rocks form a trap, from 
 which a goat would escape, but where the less 
 agile sheep, cumbered with its fleece, is hopeless- 
 ly lost unless succored by the shepherd.— Re- 
 joicing. See Heb. 12 : 2. In this spirit the 
 Christian should carry those that are entrusted 
 to his keeping, the pastor his flock, the teacher 
 his class, the parent his children.— He calleth 
 
 together his friends and neighbors. The 
 
 great harvesting will be a great rejoicing 
 i2u:6 ; Rev. 6:9-14). So every harvesting in the 
 earthly church should be a time of thanksgiving. 
 Praise should be as plentiful as prayer. 
 
 7. I say unto you. Christ applies the para- 
 ble. There is a significance in this dignified, ami 
 even majestic, utterance. "I, who know; I 
 who, when I tell you of heavenly things, tell you 
 of mine own (John 1 : si), announce to you this."— 
 (Trench.) — Over one sinner that repenteth 
 more than over ninety and nine just per- 
 sons which need no repentance. This 
 utterance has given some perplexity, needless, as 
 it seems to me, to the commentators. (1. ) The 
 just persons, which need no repentance, are not 
 "the majority which has remained outwardly 
 faithful to the law " in contrast with publicans 
 and sinners; the just, "LeviticaUy and ecclesiasti- 
 cally speaking."— ( Cadet.) This kind of external 
 and legal righteousness is nowhere recognized in 
 either the O. T. or the N. T. as a true righteous- 
 ness ; on the contrary, the need of repentance is 
 urged upon such by the O. T. prophets (isaiah 
 1 : 10-17), by John the Baptist (Matt. 3 : 7, b), and by 
 Jesus (Matt. 5 : 20). Nor are they " the worlds that 
 have not fallen " (Alford) ; for though the lan- 
 guage would apply to them, yet they are not 
 directly referred to throughout the parable. 
 Christ here, as in many other instances, takes 
 the Pharisees at their own estimate. Assuming, 
 he says in effect, that you are what you think 
 yourselves to be, just persons that need no re- 
 pentance, there would be more joy in heaven over 
 these repentant publicans and sinners than over 
 you. The case is analogous to and illustrated by 
 that of Luke 7 : 30-17. (2.) Those who are en- 
 gaged in Gospel work will have no difficulty in 
 understanding Christ's declaration when so in- 
 terpreted. The joy of the pastor is greatest in 
 the young converts of his ministry ; and among 
 these, greatest in those who have been reclaim- 
 ed from the lowest depths. This experience of 
 joy in saving the lost is the highest joy of which 
 the soul is capable, as the redeeming work is 
 the highest exercise of love ; and it is a reflection 
 of the divine joy, as the Christian's love for 
 sinners is a spark caught from Christ's love. 
 
 8-10. Either what woni.au having ten 
 drachma?, etc. As an illustration of what inter- 
 pretation should not be, I may refer to a fanciful 
 allegorizing borrowed from the old writers, and
 
 94 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 ence of the angels of God over one sinner that re- 
 penteth. 
 ii And he said, A certain man had two sons: 
 
 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Fa- 
 ther, give me the portion of goods that ialleth to me. 
 And he divided unto them his living/ 
 
 f Mark 12 : 44. 
 
 transferred to the pages of such sober and 
 thoughtful commentators as Trench and Alford. 
 According to this method of interpretation the 
 money, coined with the image of the king upon 
 it, represents man, on whom is impressed the 
 image of his Creator ; the woman is the Spirit of 
 God in the church ; the house is the church ; the 
 candle is the word of God ; the sweeping of the 
 house is that cleansing and purifying process, 
 always disturbing at the time, by which the 
 Spirit seeks for backsliders in the visible exter- 
 nal church. This interpretation is sometimes 
 varied ; Trench, for example, making the woman 
 the church, and her expression, "the piece which 
 I had lost," an acknowledgment of her fault in 
 not keeping that which had been entrusted to 
 her. All such attempts to literalize the figure 
 seem to me to destroy its beauty. An illustra- 
 tion of its unnaturalness is afforded by the fact 
 that the coin to which Christ refers, " a piece of 
 silver," or drachma (Jou/ita), did not have any 
 royal image upon it, but 
 some device as of an owl, a 
 tortoise, or the head of Mi- 
 nerva. Christ's teaching 
 abounds in illustrations. In 
 the first parable he employs 
 a figure which addresses it- 
 self to the minds of the men 
 in the audience, Palestine, 
 and especially Perea, being 
 a pastoral country ; then he uses one which ad- 
 dresses itself to the women ; finally, one which 
 addresses itself to the universal heart. The les- 
 son of the first two parables is the same, except 
 that the former brings out more clearly the self- 
 sacrifice of the Saviour, a sacrifice involved in all 
 successful labor for the salvation of souls ; this 
 one brings out more clearly, by the lighting of 
 the candle and the sweeping, the thoroughness 
 of the search made by Christ and to be made by 
 us. The former again implies the Saviour's pity 
 for the wandering and perishing, the latter 
 God's personal ownership in the soul and his 
 sense of personal loss in its loss, a phase of truth 
 which interprets the woman's language, "I have 
 found the piece which I had lost." The piece of 
 money, or drachma, was worth about eight 
 pence, and was equivalent to a day's wages. 
 
 11-32. The Parable of the Prodigal 
 Son. — So universally called, though the term 
 prodigal son does not appear in the narrative. 
 The story is peculiar to Luke. Those who ob- 
 ject to all use of fiction must explain as best they 
 
 drachma. 
 
 may this story, for such it is. There is not even 
 an application attached to it ; the reader is left 
 to make that for himself. As a representation 
 of redeeming love, it has been well called the 
 Gospel in the Gospel (evangelium in evangelio) ; in 
 comparison with others, " the crown and pearl 
 of all his (Christ's) parables." Merely in an 
 artistic view, this is true, every detail being at 
 once true to the external life and true to the 
 spiritual experience which our Lord would por- 
 tray. As a disclosure of divine love, we can 
 hardly realize how truly it was a revelation. 
 Contrast with it that conception of God which 
 prevailed in the nominally Christian church in 
 the days of the Inquisition. As a representation 
 of human duty, we still do not realize its mean- 
 ing. Contrast with it the ordinary feeling in a 
 so-called Christian community toward the erring 
 and the fallen. It may be regarded as consisting 
 of five facts: vers. 11-13, sin; vers. 14-16, its re- 
 sults ; vers. 17-20, repentance ; vers. 20-24, the 
 divine forgiveness ; vers. 25-32, the Pharisaic re- 
 ception of the repentant. It has been maintained, 
 on the one hand, that this parable is inconsistent 
 with the doctrine of mediation or atonement, 
 since it indicates a free forgiveness, not a pur- 
 chased redemption ; on the other, the attempt 
 has been made to find some analogy for Christ's 
 sacrifice, e. g., in the killing of the fatted calf 
 {Melancthon), or the coming out of the father to 
 meet his son ( Von Oerlach). The parable cer- 
 tainly is inconsistent with that view of media- 
 tion which represents God as loving and forgiv- 
 ing the human race because Christ died for it ; 
 but this view is at variance (1) with direct Scrip- 
 ture teaching, which declares that God so loved 
 the world that he gave his only begotten Son ; 
 (2) with the general representations of the divine 
 love as inherent, uncaused, unpurchased, and 
 unpurchasable ; (3) with the analogies of human 
 experience, implied in the fatherhood of God, 
 forgiveness, in its highest forms, being always 
 and by its very nature free. But this parable is 
 not inconsistent with that view of mediation 
 which regards the incarnation and atonement as 
 a disclosure of the divine love, a proffer of di- 
 vine forgiveness, and the method in which God 
 comes to seek and to save that which is lost. 
 All truth is not illustrated by one teaching ; and 
 we must not forget that this parable is only part 
 of a discourse ; the divine work in redemption, 
 the suffering, and the toil are abundantly illus- 
 trated in the going out of the shepherd for the 
 lost sheep, and the searching by the woman for
 
 Ch. XV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 95 
 
 * 13 And not many days after, the younger son gath- 
 ered all together, and took his journey into a far coun- 
 try, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 
 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty 
 hum m: in that land ; and he began to be in want. 
 
 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that 
 country; and he sent dim into bis fields to feed swine. 
 
 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the 
 husks h that the swine ' did eat : and no man gave unto 
 him. 
 
 g Amos 8 : 11, 12 h Isa. 44 : 20 ; Hoiea 12 : 1 .... 1 Pi. 73 ; 22. 
 
 the lost coin. In commenting on this parable, I 
 do not think it necessary or advantageous to 
 refer to fanciful interpretations simply to con- 
 demn them, or to homiletical additions to and 
 exhortations derived from the parable. I sim- 
 ply endeavor to offer such suggestions as may 
 aid the English reader in a devout study of the 
 sacred text. The commentary is simply to be a 
 key to the picture, not a disquisition upon it. 
 
 11, 12. A certain man had two sons. 
 The two sons represent, not angels and men, for 
 the spirit of the elder is anything but angelic ; 
 nor Jews and Gentiles, for the question of the 
 admission of Gentiles was not at this period of 
 Christ's ministry publicly raised ; that belongs 
 to a later era in the history of the church. Pri- 
 marily, the elder son represents the Pharisees, 
 the younger son the publicans and sinners (vers. 
 1, 2) ; secondarily, the elder son the self-righteous 
 and proud, the younger son the self-abased and 
 penitent. See further on vers. 25-32. — Father, 
 give me the portion of goods that falleth 
 to me. A demand, not a request. There is no 
 evidence that under Jewish law the son had a 
 right to make this demand. It was as illegal as 
 it was unfilial. It represents the first step in 
 sin, the demand of the soul for independence of 
 God, the claim to own, in contradistinction to 
 the spirit which accepts all things from God as 
 steward and trustee. The sinner's demand is, 
 Give me my portion of goods ; the Christian's 
 prayer is, Give me day by day my daily bread. 
 So Adam and Eve treated the fruits of the gar- 
 den as their own, to be used by them for them- 
 selves, irrespective of the divine commands. — 
 And he divided unto them his living. 
 Giving the younger son one-half of that which 
 fell to the elder (Deut. 21 : n), the control and use 
 of which he reserves to himself during his life- 
 time (ver. 31). This division illustrates the per- 
 mission of free-will to man. Its spiritual signifi- 
 cance is illustrated by Rom. 1 : 21-28, and itself 
 illustrates that passage. It is a striking rebuke 
 of all attempt at religious compulsion, and is 
 even a hint to parents that legal restraints, at- 
 tempted in the case of sons that have reached a 
 relatively mature age, is not according to God's 
 method, "who does not compel the inclinations 
 of a depraved heart, which can only be cured by 
 experiencing the bitter results of sin." 
 
 13. And not many days after. But not 
 immediately. There is a hint of the develop- 
 ment of sin. Independence of God comes first ; 
 
 departure from God follows. So Adam, after 
 disobedience, desired to hide from God. — And 
 took his journey into a far country. "The 
 far country is forgetfulness of (unl/'—iAngus- 
 tine.) We are always far from God when we are 
 living without respect to, or trust in, or obedi- 
 ence under him ; though he is never far from us. 
 In this respect the imagery of the parable, being 
 taken from human experience, is necessarily im- 
 perfect. The heavenly Father never loses sight 
 of or ceases to care for, watch over, and protect 
 his prodigal son. Even the famine and the hun- 
 ger are Gospel messengers sent from him. — And 
 there wasted his substance with riotous 
 living. This ordinary English translation pic- 
 torially illustrates his course, which was clearly 
 one of dissipation. But the Greek is literally, 
 Scattered what he had, living tmsavingly, and 
 this more literal translation embodies the spir- 
 itual truth represented in the picture. For the 
 worldly life is always a wasteful life ; he that 
 gathers not with Christ scattereth abroad (Matt. 
 12: 30), and he that gathers not for eternity lives 
 unsavingly, and dies a pauper (ch. 12 : 16-21). 
 
 14, 15. And when he had spent all, there 
 arose a mighty famine in that land. There 
 is always a mighty famine in the "far country ; " 
 but the soul rarely feels or knows it until all that 
 is spent which for the time gave pleasure, though 
 never real satisfaction. It is "a famine of truth 
 and love, and of all whereby the spirit of man 
 indeed lives." — (Trench.) But more than this, 
 there is often a famine of the very things that 
 gave pleasure ; power is taken away, fame blast- 
 ed, friends depart, in old age pleasures of the 
 senses fail ; and in this experience of famine the 
 soul always begins to feel its own want of a 
 something which the far country cannot supply. 
 — He himself began to be in want. The ex- 
 periences of Solomon in Biblical history and of 
 Byron in secular history illustrate what is this 
 want in time of famine. Even more strikingly 
 is it illustrated by the autobiography of John 
 Stuart Mill. This sense of want is itself the 
 voice of God calling the prodigal home. Soul- 
 weariness is Christ's invitation, "Come unto me, 
 all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest." — And he went and joined 
 himself to a citizen of that country, and 
 he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 
 The occupation of the swineherd was the very 
 lowest imaginable to Jewish thought. No deep- 
 er degradation than this was possible. Never-
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many 
 hired servants of my father's have bread enough and 
 to spare, and I perish with hunger ! 
 
 18 I J will arise and go to my father, and will say 
 
 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, anti 
 before thee, 
 
 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: 
 make me as one of thy hired servants. 
 
 theless, it is not true that he "sinks lower and 
 lower " (Alford), though this is the almost uni- 
 versal interpretation of this change. On the 
 contrary, to fast with swine is better than to 
 feast with harlots. The prodigal attempts to 
 make a step upward, and fails. In spiritual ex- 
 perience, this attempt has its parallel in the en- 
 deavor of the sinner to retrieve himself while 
 still far from God. He is ashamed to return to 
 God just as he is, and desires first to better him- 
 self somewhat, to make himself presentable, at 
 least to attest the genuineness of his repentance 
 by his moral reform ; or more generally he ex- 
 pects to remain in the "far country," but as a 
 reformed man, sober, industrious, respectable. 
 
 16. And he would fain have filled his 
 belly with the husks that the swine did 
 eat; and no man gave unto him. These 
 husks (xeqatiov) are the fruit of the carob tree ; 
 called sometimes St. John's bread-tree, from the 
 tradition that John the Baptist fed on its fruit ; 
 it is common in southern Italy, Spain, northern 
 
 Africa, and the Levant; the fruit resembles a 
 bean-pot, though somewhat larger, and curved 
 more in the form of a sickle ; they have a hard, 
 dark cuticle, and a dull, sweet taste ; and they 
 are used both for foddering cattle and for food 
 by the very poor. The Greek implies, not that 
 the prodigal would have eaten of these husks, 
 and no man gave him, but that he did eat them, 
 no one giving to him anything better. In the 
 phrase, fain have filled hu belly, is an indication 
 that the food of the "far country," though it 
 may fill avoid, can never truly satisfy the hunger 
 of the soul ; in the characterization of the husks, 
 as the food that the swine did eat, is a suggestion 
 that it offers to man only that which at best can 
 supply his physical and animal wants, nothing 
 for his immortal nature ; in this declaration, 
 no man gave unto him, is a hint of " man's inhu- 
 manity to man," the famine of sympathy and 
 love in the country far from God. 
 
 1 7. In this and the succeeding verses, every 
 element in the experience of a true repentance is 
 clearly traced, consciousness of sin, resolution 
 of repentance, abandonment of sin, return to 
 God, confession to Him without palliation or 
 excuse, consecration to his service. Compare 
 throughout David's repentance and action 
 after his sin in the matter of Bathsheba (Psalm 
 6i). — And when he came to himself. Sin 
 is a craze ; depravity is unnatural ; in con- 
 version the soul comes to itself as well as to 
 its God. Christ looks on the publican and 
 sinner with a compassion illustrated by that 
 which we feel for the insane. Comp. Luke 
 23 : 34. In the same spirit is Solomon's 
 prayer (1 Kings 8 : 47), and Isaiah's exhortation 
 (isaiah 46 : s).-How many hired servants of 
 my father. The prodigal, too, is a hired ser- 
 vant ; his first thought is to change his service 
 from that of the citizen of the far country to that 
 of his father. We shall see how this idea changes 
 Tinder the influence of the father's love. The 
 contrast between the service of the world and 
 the service of God is implied.— And I perish 
 with hunger. Literally, Am destroying myself 
 (dnoUvuai, middle). He really destroys himself 
 I who remains in want away from the abundance 
 of his Father's table. Observe that the very low- 
 est possible motive suffices for a starting-point 
 in Christian experience. The prodigal is moved 
 by hunger in the first instance ; the sense of sin 
 and the resolution of repentance and confession 
 came subsequently. Any motive that actually
 
 Ch. XV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 97 
 
 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when 
 he was yet a great way k off, his lather saw him, and 
 had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and 
 kissed him. 
 
 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned 
 against heaven, 1 and in thy sight, and am no more 
 worthy to be called thy son. 
 
 22 But the lather said to his servants, Bring m forth 
 
 k Acts 2 . 39 ; Ephei. 2 : 13, 17 1 Pi. SI : 4 m Zech. 3 : 3-5. 
 
 leads the soul to repentance, suffices, no matter 
 what it is. 
 
 18, 19. I will arise and go to my father. 
 
 As departure from God is the essence of all sin, 
 so returning to God is the essence of all repent- 
 ance. Without this return repentance is spuri- 
 ous and reform transitory. Observe, too, that 
 the remedy for all dissipation and riotious living 
 is, not a resolution of total abstinence in the far 
 country, but an abandonment of it, and a return 
 to God. — Father, I have sinned unto hea- 
 ven. Not against heaven, a meaning which the 
 preposition (tig) will not bear. The true signifi- 
 cation of the phrase is interpreted by Shake- 
 speare : " My offence is rank ; it smells to hea- 
 ven." Comp. Rev. 18 : 5 (where, however, the 
 Greek preposition is different, «<,</<)) and Jer. 
 51 : 9. — And before thee. Comp. Psalm 51 : 4. 
 "Against thee, thee only have I sinned," albeit 
 David had sinned against himself, Bathsheba, 
 Uriah, and the laws and order of his own king- 
 dom. The sense of sin against God swallows up all 
 other and lesser thoughts of sin. — And am no 
 more worthy to be called thy son. Not his 
 wastefulness or licentiousness, but that he has 
 fallen away from his sonship, chiefly oppresses 
 him. "Whatever in us makes us unworthy to be 
 called sons of God, should bring us to him with 
 like confession, be the form of that sin what it 
 may. — Make me as one of thy hired ser- 
 vants. Consecration always accompanies true 
 confession. 
 
 20. And he arose and came toward his 
 father. Toward, not to (jiqoc). He did not come 
 to his father, his father came out to him. This 
 actual setting out on the homeward journey is 
 the turning-point in the prodigal's life. The sin- 
 ner may have conviction of sin and resolution of 
 reform in the future, and remain unsaved in 
 the far country ; it is actually arising and going 
 that saves. To this God makes the promise of 
 Isaiah 55 : 7. Whatever sense of sin suffices to 
 lead to this return is sufficient ; no need to wait 
 for deeper convictions ; whatever trust in God 
 suffices to inspire to this is sufficient ; no need to 
 wait for greater faith. Note two suggestive facts 
 in the prodigal's experience: (1) the joy and 
 peace, the father's kiss, ring, robe, etc., are not 
 instantly conferred ; there is a way to be traveled 
 first ; often in actual experience it is a long and 
 weary one ; (2) though the prodigal brings noth- 
 ing good with him, neither does he bring any- 
 thing evil. He forsakes all in turning his back on 
 
 the far country. " In the act of fleeing to his 
 father, the prodigal leaves his associates, and his 
 habits, and his tastes behind." — (Arnot.) IJut 
 when he was yet a great way off. Rather, 
 While he yet held himself a great wag off, as though 
 his courage failed when he drew near, and he 
 dared not venture into the house and the pres- 
 ence of the father against whom he had so 
 sinned. This interpretation the original will bear, 
 though it does not require it ; and this interpre- 
 tation answers to that mistaken feeling of fear 
 which is the last obstacle between a repentant 
 soul and theheavenly Father. — His father saw 
 him. An intimation that he hoped and was 
 looking for the prodigal's return (James 4 : s). — 
 And had compassion. Literally, his bowels, 
 or, as we should say, his heart was moved. That 
 strange thrill is indicated, which love sends 
 through the whole frame when powerfully ex- 
 cited ; a suggestive revelation of the warmth and 
 the personality of the divine love. — And ran 
 and fell on his neck and kissed him. 
 Comp. Gen. 46 : 29. Observe the father's kiss 
 precedes the son's confession. Comp. Ezek. 
 36 : 31 ; Ephes. 2 : 4 ; 1 John 4 : 10. While in 
 this parable the story of repentance and return is 
 predominant, yet even here we have, in the go- 
 ing forth of the father, and the kiss preceding 
 confession, an Intimation of that germinating and 
 inspiring love of God which awakens love and re- 
 pentance, and leads to confession and return in 
 human experience, a truth more clearly brought 
 out in the preceding parables. We are not to 
 conclude that because the son arose and went to 
 his father, that the soul goes to God before the 
 divine influence touches and draws it. See John 
 6 :44. 
 
 21. And the son said unto him. Father 
 * * * I am no more worthy to be called 
 thy son. But he did not add, Make me as one 
 of thy hired servants (ver. 19). Why ? Because 
 sonship is more than service ; and he that came 
 expecting to be a servant, in the kiss and em- 
 brace received the spirit of adoption, whereby he 
 cried Abba Father. See Rom. 8:14, 15 ; Gal. 
 4:6, 7 ; John 15 : 15. The father's love pre- 
 vented the request for a servant's place. To re- 
 turn to God requires faith ; to receive God re- 
 quires greater faith. There are many in the 
 church who come with the prayer, Make me as 
 one of thy hired servants, and never realize that 
 God's answer is, This, my son, was dead, and is 
 alive again, was lost, and is found. Arnot, fol-
 
 98 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XV. 
 
 the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a ring on his 
 hand, and shoes on his feet : 
 
 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and 
 let us eat, and be merry : 
 
 24 For" this my son was dead," and is alive r again ; 
 he wasi lost, and is found. And they began to be 
 merry. 
 
 25 Now his elder son was in the field : and as he 
 
 n verse 32.... Ephes. 2:1; 5 : 14; Rev. 3 : 1 p Rom. 6 : 11, 13 . . . . q ch. 19 : 10 ; Ezek. 34 : 4, 16. 
 
 lowing and amplifying the suggestion of Bengel, 
 well represents both the pictorial scene and its 
 spiritual significance - "The son, lying on the 
 father's bosom, with the father's tears falling 
 warm on the upturned face, is some degrees fur- 
 ther advanced in the spirit of adoption, than when 
 he first planned repentance beside the swine in 
 his master's field. Then and there the legal spirit 
 of fear, because of guilt, still lingered in his heart ; 
 he ventured to hope for exemption from punish- 
 ment, but not for restoration to the place of a 
 beloved son. Now the spirit of bondage has been 
 conclusively cast out by the experience of his 
 father's love ; the fragments of stone that had 
 hitherto remained, even in a broken heart, are 
 utterly melted at last, as if by fire from heaven. 
 He could not now complete the speech which he 
 had prepared ; its later words faltered and fell 
 inarticulate. He could not now ask for the place 
 of a servant, for he was already in the place of a 
 son." 
 
 22, 23. But the father said * * * and 
 let us eat and be merry. The divine forgive- 
 ness is not merely release from punishment. It 
 receives back the lost son to home and love, and 
 gives to him the place and the gifts which he had 
 thrown away. " When he ascended up on high 
 he * * * gave gifts unto men " (Ephes. 4 : s). And 
 each gift in the list in the parable is at least 
 suggestive spiritually. Without indulging in fan- 
 ciful interpretations we may properly note the 
 spiritual parallel and meaning in each. The best 
 robe is not, as some commentators render it, the 
 former robe, for this is not the most natural ren- 
 dering of the original, and redemption does not 
 merely reclothe us in our cast-off garments, but 
 in a new attire. The robe or stole (atoli)) was a 
 long, flowing garment, worn as a mark of special 
 honor (Mark 12 ■ 38; Lake 20 -46), and was conferred 
 by rich hosts on specially favored guests (Gen. 
 4i : 42) ; for its spiritual significance, see Isaiah 
 61 : 10 ; Zech. 3 : 3, 4 ; Matt. 22 : 11, note ; Col. 
 3 : 12 ; Rev. 6 : 11 ; 7 : 9, 13, 14. The ring, hav- 
 ing on it a seal, was a symbol of authority con- 
 ferred by a king on a subordinate (Gen. 41 : 42 ; 
 Esther 3: 10, n ; 8:2,8). It represents in Scripture 
 emblems, less the betrothal of the soul to 
 Christ (Hosea2; 19, 20), than the dignity and power 
 conferred upon the sons of God, whom he makes 
 kings, giving them authority in the kingdom of 
 God on earth (Matt. 16 : 19, note), and preparing them 
 to reign with him hereafter (Matt. 19 : ?8 ; Rev. 1 : 6 ; 
 5 : 10). The shoes were a symbol of freedom ; they 
 were taken off, as the hat with us, in the pres- 
 
 ence of a superior, and the slave went barefoot. 
 The son is free from the bondage of the law (Rom. 
 7 : 4, 6, etc.), being no more a slave but a son, heir 
 of God and joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8 : n ; comp. 
 Ephes. 6 ; 15 ; Sol. Song 7 : 1). In the East, where life is 
 much more simple than with us, it is not un- 
 usual to kill the calf as a preparation for a meal 
 after the guest has arrived (Gen. is : 6-8). Killing 
 the fatted calf here is simply a symbol of the 
 welcome accorded to the returning prodigal, and 
 of the provision made for his wants in his father's 
 home. There is no justification for the idea that it 
 symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ, a notion which 
 deserves mention only that it may be condemned. 
 See vers. 27-30, note. The features in this scene 
 are the more suggestive by the contrast ; the 
 sympathy of the father with the indifference of 
 the citizen of the far country, the best robe with 
 the rags of the prodigal (isaiah 64 : 6), the ring and 
 the shoes with his former servile condition, the 
 fatted calf with the husks that the swine did eat. 
 
 24. For this my son was dead, and is 
 alive again. How dead, and how made alive 
 again, is spiritually interpreted by Ephes 2 : l-<5, 
 which is indeed a wonderful comment and inter- 
 pretation on this whole parable. — And they be- 
 gan to be merry. Christ often represents re- 
 ligion by the metaphor of a feast ; never by that 
 of a funeral. His portrayal of it is in strong 
 contrast with the asceticism of all heathen re- 
 ligion, often borrowed by and engrafted on the 
 Christian church. The rejoicing of the father 
 and his household, illustrates the spirit with 
 which the church should welcome returning 
 prodigals. 
 
 25, 26. Now his elder son was in the 
 field. This elder son represents primarily the 
 Pharisees, secondarily all who are possessed of 
 the Pharisaic spirit of pride and self-satisfaction 
 in their own righteousness. It is no answer to 
 this self-evident view to say, that it is not true of 
 such that they have never transgressed the hea- 
 venly Father's commandment (ver. 29). This was 
 and is their estimate of themselves (pmi. 3 : 5, 6), 
 and Christ in this parable takes them at their 
 own estimate. Assuming, he says in effect, that 
 you are all that you claim to be, see what is your 
 demeanor toward these repentant and returning 
 publicans and sinners ; and what it ought to be. 
 The elder brother thus answers to the nine 
 pieces of money and the ninety -nine sheep, in the 
 preceding parable. In fact, the elder brother 
 now becomes a lost son, a wanderer, dead, by 
 his mental and moral estrangement from his
 
 Ch. XV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 99 
 
 came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and 
 dancing/ 
 
 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked 
 what these things meant. 
 
 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come : and 
 thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath 
 received him safe and sound. 
 
 28 And he was angry," and would not go in : there- 
 fore came his father out, and entreated him. 
 
 29 And he, answering, said to his father, Lo, these 
 many years do I ' serve thee, neither transgressed u I 
 
 at any time thy commandment ; and yet thou never 
 gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my 
 iriends : 
 
 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath 
 devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for 
 him the fatted call. 
 
 31 And he said unto him. Son, thou art ever" with 
 me, and all that 1 have is thine. 
 
 32 It was meet" that we should make merry, and be 
 glad: 1 for? this thy brother was dead, ancl is alive 
 again ; and was lost, and is found. 
 
 r Ps. 30: 11; 126: 1,2.... 6 Jonah 4 : 1-3; Rum. 10: 19... t oh. 18 : 1 
 4: 1U, 11.... x Ps. 51 : « ; Isi 
 
 ; ha. 65 : 5....U Phil. 3 
 ,35 : 10 y verse 24. 
 
 Rom.9:4; 11 : 1... 
 
 father. Sec this fact illustrated below.— He 
 heard music and dancing. "This is one of 
 those by-glances into the lesser occupatious and 
 recreations of human life, by which the Lord so 
 often stamps his tacit approval on the joys and 
 unbendings of men. Would these festal employ- 
 ments have been here mentioned by Him on so 
 blessed and solemn an occasion, if they were 
 really among those works of the devil which He 
 came into the world to destroy?" — (Alford.) 
 Comp. Matt. 11 : 16-19, notes. — What these 
 things meant. Not only to the world, but 
 also to many in the church, the joy of salvation 
 is inexplicable. 
 
 27-30. Because he hath received him 
 safe and sound, I. e., in health; to the ser- 
 vant, the physical restoration of the prodigal 
 is prominent ; in the Christian experience the 
 sinner becomes spiritually safe and sound by 
 his return. The Father is also the Great Physi- 
 cian. Observe that the killing of the fatted calf 
 is because of the prodigal's return. This alone 
 should have sufficed to prevent the idea that it 
 represents Christ's atonement. The death of 
 Christ is the ground of the sinner's pardon, not 
 the result of it. — And he was angry* S° the 
 Pharisees were angry with Christ for receiving 
 publicans and sinners (ver 2 ; ch. 19 . 7 : Matt. 9 : 11), 
 and the Jews were angry because Gentiles were 
 received (ch. 4 : 28; Acts 23 : 21). — Therefore his 
 father came out and entreated him. It 
 was a part of the ministry of Christ to break 
 down the middle wall of partition between Phar- 
 isee and publican, Jew and Gentile, the high and 
 the low, not only by rescuing the latter from 
 their degradation, but also by saving the former 
 from their pride. — Neither transgressed I at 
 any time thy commandment. The spirit of 
 Pharisaism, embodied in an utterance copied, 
 almost verbatim, from the utterance of at least 
 one Pharisee (ch. 18 : 21). — With my friends. 
 The me and my, show that this son is as really 
 separated from his father, though being under 
 his roof and obedient to his commands, as the 
 other son, who had wandered away from it. 
 Contrast the further language in ver. 31. — Hath 
 devoured thy living with harlots. — Very 
 probably true ; nevertheless it is only the sur- 
 
 mise of jealous suspicion. The Pharisee always 
 aggravates every one's sins but his own. His 
 spirit illustrates, by contrast, the charity that 
 thiuketh no evil. 
 
 31, 32. With a soft answer the father seeks 
 to turn away wrath. — Thou art ever with me. 
 The elder son by his language has made himself 
 as one of the hired servants, These many years do 
 I serve thee, and he querulously asks for his re- 
 ward. The father gently reminds him that he 
 is a son, and that to be with him and to be his 
 heir, is his reward. — All that I have is thine. 
 For the younger son had spent his portion ; what 
 remained belonged to the elder at the father's 
 death. If we are sons of God, all that he has is 
 also ours (1 cor. 3 : 21-23). — It was meet that 
 we should make merry and be glad. A 
 reassertion of the spirit of thanksgiving and joy- 
 fulness with which the church should ever greet 
 the repentance and return of the sinner. The full 
 lesson of the contrast between the elder brother 
 and the father, is lost if we fail to observe this 
 radical difference ; the elder brother is oblivious 
 of the present, and thinks only of the past of the 
 sinner ; " thy son * * which hath devoured thy 
 living with harlots ; " the father forgets the past 
 
 (isaiah 44 : 22 ; Jer. 31 : 34), and thinks Only Of the 
 
 present, or rather recalls the first only to en- 
 hance the joy of the present. "Thy brother was 
 dead, and is alive again ; was lost, and is found." 
 Nothing is said as to whether the elder brother 
 suffered himself to be entreated or not. Our 
 Lord leaves each Pharisee to answef to his own 
 conscience the question, whether he will be en- 
 treated or no. 
 
 Ch. 1C : 1-18. THE PARABLE OF THE UNJUST 
 STEWARD, AND INSTRUCTIONS CONNECTED THERE- 
 WITH. COVETOUSNESS IS FOLLY (CD. 12 : 20) ; LIBER- 
 ALITY 19 SHREWDNESS. 
 
 This parable, and the one which follows, on the 
 rich man and Lazarus (vers. 19-31), are peculiar to 
 Luke. They belong to the Perean ministry of 
 our Lord, and are closely connected, both logi- 
 cally and grammatically, with the parables of the 
 preceding chapter. The opening phrase, '■'And 
 he said also," indicates that the teachings of this 
 chapter followed immediately upon those of the
 
 100 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 {Ch. XVI. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 AND he said also unto his disciples, There was a 
 certain rich man, which had a steward ; and the 
 same was accused unto him that he had wasted his 
 goods. 
 
 2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it 
 that 1 hear this of thee ? give an account of thy stew- 
 ardship ; * for thou mayest be no longer steward. 
 
 3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I 
 do ? for my lord taketh away from me the steward- 
 ship : I cannot (lit; ; to beg I am ashamed. 
 
 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out 
 of the stewardship, they may receive me into their 
 houses. 
 
 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto 
 him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou 
 unto my lord ? 
 
 z ch. 12 : 42 ; 1 Cor. 4 : 2 ; 1 Tim. 4 : 14 ; 1 Pet. 4 : 10. 
 
 chapter preceding. The parables of the lost 
 sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, are a re- 
 buke of the pride of the Pharisees ; the parables 
 of this chapter are a rebuke of their covetous- 
 hess (see ver. 14). This fact affords the key-note to 
 what has been regarded the most difficult of our 
 Lord's parables. The difficulties are real ; but 
 they seem to me to have been greatly exagger- 
 ated by the older commentators. The variety of 
 interpretations which have been suggested will 
 be sufficiently indicated to the reader by the fact 
 that the steward has been variously taken to 
 represent the publicans, the Pharisees, Judas 
 Iscariot, and Pontius Pilate ; and the lord of the 
 steward to represent God, Mammon, the Ro- 
 mans, and the devil. Julian the apostate charged 
 that in this parable Christ commended dishon- 
 esty ; and, on the other hand, an ingenious Ger- 
 man writer, Schultz, quoted in Trench, has un- 
 dertaken to show, that there was nothing dishon- 
 est in the course of the steward. V/ithout en- 
 tering into any of these disputes, I give first, 
 briefly, what seems to me the true explanation of 
 particular points in the parable, and then, in a 
 note at the close, a statement of its significance 
 as a whole. The best modern commentators are 
 generally substantially agreed in its interpreta- 
 tion — Trench, Alford, Arnot, Godet, etc.- 
 
 1,2. Unto his disciples. Not merely to 
 the twelve ; not especially to the publicans ; not 
 at all to the Pharisees, though in their hearing 
 (ver. u) ; but to such as were willing to be learners 
 of him. The parable is a warning against Phari- 
 saism, but it is addressed to his own pupils, to 
 the children of light, not to those of this world 
 (ver. 8). — There was a certain rich man, 
 who had a steward. Other parallel teachings 
 of Scripture, especially of Christ (see below, and Hag. 
 2:8; Psalm so : 10-12), represent God as master, man 
 as steward, and property as something intrusted 
 to his stewardship ; and these should have 
 guarded against the artificial interpretations to 
 which 1 have referred above. The steward is a 
 bailiff, intrusted with the entire management of 
 the master's estate. Such stewardships, rela- 
 tively unknown in this country, are common in 
 Ireland, Italy, the East, and wherever property 
 is owned in large estates, and the owners are not 
 men of business, or are habitually or frequently 
 absent from their estates. Such a steward or 
 
 bailiff is necessarily intrusted with almost abso- 
 lute power over his owner's property. For Scrip- 
 tural illustrations of such stewardship, see the 
 cases of Elijah and Joseph (Gen. 24 : 2-12 ; 39 : 4). — 
 And the same was accused unto him, that 
 he was wasting his goods. Not had wanted. 
 The imperfect tense is used in the original, and 
 it indicates a habit of wasting, still carried on. 
 Here is the same sin as that of the prodigal, and 
 represented by the same Greek word (cb. 15 : 13). 
 All sin is a wasting of that which belongs to 
 God ; and it is always accompanied by a forget- 
 fulness of God, so that his coming and his demand 
 for an accounting is a surprise. Comp. Matt. 
 24:48-51. — Give an account of thy stew- 
 ardship : for thou mayest be steward no 
 longer. There is no trial, but sentence of con- 
 demnation. We are condemned already, and the 
 day of judgment is a day, not of trial, but of dis- 
 closure and of reckoning. Death is thus God's 
 call to us for an accounting of all things with 
 which he has intrusted us. " The great truth 
 lies in the background, that that dismissal, 
 death itself, is the consequence of this wast- 
 ing of his goods — the wages of sin is death." 
 —{Alford.) 
 
 3, 4. What shall I do ? * * * I can- 
 not dig; to beg I am ashamed. A graphic 
 picture of the perplexity and dismay of the man 
 of the world when summoned by death to give 
 an account of his stewardship. He has laid up 
 for himself no treasure above ; he is conscious 
 that he has developed no powers for service in 
 the eternal kingdom ; he is ashamed to cast him- 
 self as a beggar, even before his God, and enter 
 the kingdom simply as a suppliant. — I am re- 
 solved what to do. Reflection brings him, as 
 it brought the prodigal, to himself. The conclu- 
 sion here is the result of cogitation. "All at 
 once, after long reflection, he exclaims, as if 
 striking his forehead : I have it."— (Godet.) The 
 conclusion is the one to which maDy a rich man 
 is brought who, by the benefactions of his will, 
 endeavors to compensate for the niggardliness of 
 his life.— That they (i. <?., his lord's debtors) 
 may receive me. 
 
 5-7. So he called every one of his lord's 
 debtors. These would be either merchants or 
 other purchasers, who had received their stores 
 and not yet paid for them (Alford), or tenants,
 
 Ch. XVI.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 101 
 
 6 And he said. An hundred measures of oil. And lie 
 said unto him, 'lake thy bill, and sit down quickly, and 
 write fifty. 
 
 7 Then said he to another, And how much owest 
 thou ? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat 
 And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write four- 
 score. 
 
 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, be- 
 cause he had done wisely: for the children oi this 
 world are in their generation wiser than the" children 
 of light. 
 
 9 And I say unto you, Make b to yourselves friends 
 of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that, when ye 
 fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 
 
 a John 12 : 36 j Ephes. 5:8 b Eccles. 11 : 1 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 18, 19. 
 
 who paid their rent, as it is almost invariably 
 paid iu the East, and very generally in European 
 estates, in produce. The oil is olive oil ; the 
 wheat the most common grain of Palestine ; both 
 are productions of the soil. The measure of oil 
 (puTos), contains about sixty pints ; fifty mea- 
 sures would be worth several hundreds of dol- 
 lars : the measure of wheat (/ooDe) contains a little 
 over eleven bushels ; the twenty measures re- 
 mitted would amount to over a hundred dollars 
 in value. The steward knows his men, and cal- 
 culates the degree of liberality which he must 
 show to each in order to secure their hospitality. 
 — Take thy bill. Either the receipt which the 
 debtor had given for the goods, or the lease 
 which he had signed for the rent. The word ren- 
 dered bill is simply writing. This the tenant is him- 
 self to alter, perhaps that, having a direct share 
 in the fraud, he may be precluded from inform- 
 ing of it, subsequently.— Sit down quickly. 
 Simply a graphic touch, indicating the haste 
 of the whole transaction. — And Avrite fifty. 
 The accompanying illustration shows the wri- 
 ting materials of the East and the method of 
 writing. The ink is India ink, fine lamp-black 
 and gum perfumed ; the pen is reed, cut aslant 
 at the point ; the writing is usually done by 
 public scribes, who hold the paper in the left 
 hand in writing. Few, except the members of 
 the learned professions, are trained to read and 
 write. 
 
 8, 9. And the lord commended the un- 
 just steward. That is, his lord commended 
 him. It is not said by Luke that Christ 
 praised the unjust steward, but by Christ, as 
 part of the parable, that the master commend- 
 ed his servant. Of course it is implied that he 
 discovered the trick. — Because he had 
 done wisely. Shrewdly. He commended, 
 not the morality but the shrewdness of his 
 course. — For (what follows is Christ's com- 
 ment on the whole transaction, the action of 
 the steward and the commendation of his lord) 
 the children of this world are toward 
 their generation, not in (t>), but unto (it:), 
 wiser (shrewder) than the children of 
 light. The meaning is, not that the worldly- 
 minded men are shrewder than spiritually- 
 minded men in their management of earthly 
 affairs ; nor merely that they are wiser in deal- 
 ing with earthly affairs than spiritually-minded 
 men with spiritual affairs ; but that in their 
 
 dealings with one another, men of the world 
 get more worldly profit out of tin- intercourse, 
 than spiritually-minded get of spiritual profit 
 out of their mutual intercourse. It must not be 
 forgotten that all the characters in this parable 
 are children of this world ; the steward contrives 
 the fraud ; the debtors participate in it ; and the 
 lord commends it. — And I say unto you. 
 What follows is Christ's application of the para- 
 ble. If that be understood, the difficulties in the 
 parable itself are easily cleared away. — Make to 
 yourselves friends (by means) of the mam- 
 mon of 'unrighteousness, i. e., t fie unrighteous 
 mammon. Not, Make this unrighteous mammon 
 your friend, but, Use this unrighteous mammon 
 to make friends. Mammon stands for money 
 (see Matt. 6: 24, note) ; the mammon of unrighteousness 
 is not money made unrighteously, nor does the 
 phrase imply that Christ regards all property- 
 
 SCBIBE AND WRITING MATERIALS.
 
 102 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XVI. 
 
 10 He c that is faithful in that which is least, is faith- 
 ful also in much : and he that is unjust in the least, is 
 unjust also in much. 
 
 ii If therefore ye have not been faithful in the un- 
 righteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the 
 true riches ? 
 
 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is 
 another man's, who shall give you that which is your 
 own ? 
 
 13 No d servant can serve two masters : for either he 
 
 will hate the one, and love the other : or else he will 
 hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot 
 serve God and mammon. 
 
 14 And the Pharisees also, who c were covetous, 
 heard all these things : and they derided him. 
 
 15 And he said unto them. Ye are they which justify 
 yourselves ' before men; but Gode knowcth your 
 hearts : for that which is highly esteemed h among 
 men, is abomination in the sight of God. 
 
 16 The' law and the prophets were until John : since 
 
 c Matt. 25 : 21, 23. . . .d Josh. 24 : 15 ; Matt. 6 : 24. 
 
 .e Matt. 23 : 14 f ch. 10 : 29 g Ps. 7 : 9 ; Jer 
 
 3: 15.... i Matt. 11 : 12, 13. 
 
 17 . 10.... h Prov. 16: 6; Mai. 
 
 holding as a form of selfishness. Godet explains 
 the meaning well. "The ear of Jesus must 
 have been constantly offended with that sort of 
 reckless language in which men indulge without 
 6cruple : my fortune, my land, my house. He 
 also felt to the quick man's dependence on God, 
 saw that there was a usurpation in this idea of 
 ownership, a forgetfulness of the true proprie- 
 tor ;. on hearing such language he seemed to see 
 the former playing the landlord. It is this sin, of 
 which the natural man is profoundly uncon- 
 6ciqus, which He lays bare in this whole parable, 
 and, which He especially designates by this ex- 
 pression, 'the mammon of unrighteousness.' " — 
 Tha,t when ye fail. Better, W/ien it fails 
 (IkU^i, not l/.klniitf, is the preferable reading). 
 — They may receive you into everlasting 
 habitations. This is not ironical, as some 
 would have us believe ; nor are they that receive 
 the angels, an interpretation invented for theo- 
 logical reasons, and quite inconsistent with the 
 structure of the parable, for those to whom the 
 steward has given, receive him ; nor can we say 
 with Godet, "to receive is not to introduce," and 
 that the language here assumes some other 
 ground of claim for admission to the everlasting 
 habitations, for the only ground in the parable for 
 the admission of the steward to the houses of the 
 tenants is the service which he has dishonestly 
 rendered them. The interpretation of this decla- 
 ration is to be found, firstly, in such passages as 
 2 Pet. 1 : 11, "So an entrance shall be ministered 
 unto you abundantly, into the everlasting king- 
 dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 
 since they have an abundant entrance into the 
 kingdom of glory, who are welcomed to it by the 
 many whom they have served on earth ; and 
 secondly, in such passages as Matt. 25 : 31^6, 
 the condition of admission to the kingdom of 
 heaven being not merely faith, but that kind of 
 faith which works by love. 
 
 Note on the Parable of the Unjust Stew- 
 ard. — Four facts, carefully considered, relieve 
 this parable of most, if not of all, of its difficulty. 
 (1.) Its object is indicated by its effect ; it is 
 directed against covetousness (ver. 14) ; (2) Christ 
 does not commend the unjust steward ; the lord 
 of the parable recommends him, but only for his 
 shrewdness (ver. 8, note) ; (3) Christ does not advise 
 
 his disciples to make the mammon of unrigh- 
 teousness their friend, but to use the mammon 
 of unrighteousness so as to make friends (ver. 9, 
 note) ; (4) he elsewhere illustrates truth by con- 
 trasts, showing how, since the lowest motives 
 conduce to certain beneficial results, higher mo- 
 tives certainly should do so. As in Luke 11 : 0-8, 
 he says, since a selfish friend will yield to impor- 
 tunity, and in Luke 18 : 1-7, since even an un- 
 principled and an unjust judge will heed the cry 
 of the wronged, much more will God, who is 
 just, loving, sympathetic, answer the importu- 
 nate prayers of his children ; so here, he says, 
 since even a fraudulent and unjust steward, with- 
 out philanthropy, or a sense of his duty to his 
 lord, will yet, from mere motives of policy, use 
 the authority intrusted to him to make friends 
 of his tenants, much more should a servant of 
 God, who has been intrusted with property, that 
 he may benefit humanity, so distribute it that 
 the needy shall testify to the fidelity of his stew- 
 ardship and the liberality of his love. In this 
 parable then the rich man represents God, the 
 steward man, especially the man of wealth, the 
 stewardship his property, which is not his own, 
 but is intrusted to him, the tenants the poor, the 
 summons to account, death, which is a call to 
 judgment. The parable may even be carried 
 further ; and it may be said that the scheme of 
 the steward has its parallel in the tendency of 
 men of wealth to compensate by their bequests 
 at death for their lack of liberality in their life- 
 time. And the lesson is not weakened, but 
 strengthened, by the fact that the analogy is not 
 perfect, that the worldly steward is appointed to 
 gather from the tenants for his lord, while the 
 Christian steward is appointed to use his Lord's 
 wealth for the benefit of his Lord's poor. 
 
 10-12. These aphorisms are directly connect- 
 ed with the preceding parable. Ver. 10 is inter- 
 preted by Matt. 25 : 31. This life is a probation ; 
 fidelity here in the trust reposed in us by God 
 leads to a larger trust in the future. Comp. ch. 
 19 : 17. Vers. 11 and 12 simply carry out and 
 enforce this truth. If one be unfaithful in the 
 use of that wealth which moth and rust doth 
 corrupt, how can he expect the eternal riches? 
 If he is selfish and dishonest toward God in the 
 use of what belongs to God, and is but intrusted
 
 Ch. XVL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 103 
 
 that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every 
 man presseth into it. 
 
 17 And 1 it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, 
 than one tittle of the law to fail. 
 
 18 Whosoever* putteth away his wife and marricth 
 another, committeth adultery : and whosoever marri- 
 cth her that is put away trom her husband, committeth 
 adultery. 
 
 j Ps. 102 ; 26 ; Isa. 40 : 8 ; 51 : 6 . . . . k Matt. 5 : 32 , 1 Cor. 7 : 10, 11. 
 
 to him, how can he expect that God will give him 
 that which shall be his own ? 
 
 13. Comp. Matt, b' : 24, note. Whether this 
 saying was repeated by Christ here, or is trans- 
 ferred by Luke from the Sermon on the Mount, 
 because closely connected with the topic, is un- 
 certain and unimportant. 
 
 14, 15. Peculiar to Luke. Ver. 14 indicates 
 that the Pharisees understood the parable of the 
 unjust steward as a rebuke of covetousness, and 
 thus affords the key to its interpretation. Ver. 
 15 may almost be regarded as a text of which 
 the following parable of the rich man and Laza- 
 rus is an illustration and an amplification. The 
 latter clause of this verse, that which is highly es- 
 teemed among men is abomination in the sight of 
 God, is to be interpreted by the preceding clause, 
 God knoweth your hearts. Comp. 1 Sam. 10 : 7. 
 Not everything honored by men is abominated 
 by God ; nor are there two such different stand- 
 ards of judgment that what really commends 
 itself to man's moral sense is condemned by 
 God. But what often appears admirable to man, 
 because he sees only the outward and deceitful 
 appearance, is known to God to be abominable, 
 because he sees the motive out of which it 
 springs. This declaration gives partial interpre- 
 tation to Matt. 7 : 1, Judge not ; it indicates that 
 we are to be cautious in commendatory as well 
 as in condemnatory judgments. 
 
 16-18. These aphorisms appear in Matthew 
 in different connections. Alford and Godet en- 
 deavor, it seems to me not very successfully, to 
 point out a logical connection here, to the fol- 
 lowing qffect : The kingdom you preach has 
 been one in which the members are justified be- 
 fore men ; since John a kingdom has been pro- 
 claimed into which publicans and sinners are 
 pressing ; his kingdom does not destroy, but 
 fulfills, the Mosaic law ; of this fulfillment the 
 Christian law against adultery affords an exam- 
 ple. I prefer to regard the introduction of these 
 aphorisms in this place as due to Luke, who puts 
 them here because they are a part of Christ's 
 general teaching respecting the religion of Phari- 
 saism. I am not able to see that they have any 
 very immediate connection with either the pre- 
 ceding or the succeeding parable. On ver. 16, 
 6ee Matt. 11 : 12, note ; on ver. 17, Matt. 5 : 18 ; 
 on ver. 18, Matt. 5 : 31, 32, note. 
 
 Ch. 16 : 19-31. PARABLE OP THE ETCH MAS AND 
 LAZARUS. The contrasts op time and the con- 
 trasts op eternity. — The reality of punish- 
 ment.— The separation in the future life. — 
 
 Christ's condemnation op the claims of ppiriti-m 
 — The causes and the cure of skepticism. See 
 Prel. Note. 
 
 Preliminary Note. — This parable is intimate- 
 ly connected with the preceding parable ; like 
 that, it is aimed at *he covetousness of the Phar- 
 isees. It is no answer to this to say that the 
 Pharisees were not characteristically prodigal 
 and luxurious. That many of them were aus- 
 tere, and even ascetic (Luke is : 12), is undoubtedly 
 true ; but there is abundant indication in Christ's 
 denunciation of the Pharisees elsewhere (see espe- 
 cially Matt., ch. 23 j Luke 14 : 7-14), that the COVetOUSneSS 
 
 of that day, as well as of our own, sometimes 
 accompanied the vice of hoarding, and some- 
 times that of a prodigal but purely selfish ex- 
 penditure. The root of the vice is in either case 
 the same unbelief; and this root is clearly 
 brought to view at the close of this parable, 
 where worldliness is shown to be always and of 
 necessity accompanied with that kind of unbe- 
 lief which refuses credence to moral and spirit- 
 ual truths. This parable is not an allegory, and 
 the attempt to give it an allegorical interpreta- 
 tion is unworthy of the conscientious commenta- 
 tor. It belongs to the class of the good Samaritan, 
 not to that of the sower. It is, in truth, a chap- 
 ter out of real life, the contrasts both in the 
 present and in the future here depicted being 
 common in all ages. This parable "is not like a 
 type, which a man cannot read until it is turned, 
 but like a manuscript, which delivers its sense 
 directly and at first hand." — (Amot.) As the 
 materials for the parable are borrowed from 
 actual life, so "the colors are almost all bor- 
 rowed from the palette of the rabbis." — (Godet.) 
 The references to hades (hell) and to Abraham's 
 bosom are to be interpreted by the common phi- 
 losophy of that age. Speaking to the Pharisees, 
 Christ employs the language if he does not as- 
 sume the truth of their theology. But, while 
 we may not press literally the figures which 
 Christ has thus borrowed, neither can we think 
 that he has employed them to endorse and en- 
 force false views of the future life. In sub- 
 stance, the truths embodied here must be ac- 
 cepted by those who accept Christ as a divine 
 teacher ; though it may not be easy to discrimi- 
 nate between the truths intended to be illustrated 
 and the poetic figures employed simply for the 
 purpose of illustration. This much is to me 
 very clear : (1.) There is no ground for the opin- 
 ion of Renan and some of the German commen- 
 tators that this parable is aimed against riches as
 
 104 
 
 ig There was a certain rich man, which was clothed 
 in purple and fane linen, and fared sumptuously every 
 day : 
 
 LUKE. [Ch. XVI. 
 
 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, 
 which was laid at his gale, full ot sores, 
 
 21 And desiring to be led with the crumbs which fell 
 
 such, the rich man being condemned for his 
 wealth, and Lazarus saved for his poverty. "It 
 would be hard to understand how, if wealth, as 
 such, were the rich man's sin, the celestial ban- 
 quet could be presided over by Abraham, the 
 richest of the rich in Israel. ' '— ( Oodet. ) (2. ) The 
 interpretation which finds in this parable an alle- 
 gory of the calling of the Gentiles, though it is 
 supported by many of the ancient and some of 
 the modern commentators, is an afterthought, 
 and was neither in the mind of Christ nor in the 
 minds of his hearers. According to this inter- 
 pretation, Dives represents the Jewish nation ; 
 Lazarus represents the Gentiles ; the death of 
 Lazarus and his reception into Abraham's bosom 
 prefigures the reception of the Gentiles into the 
 church of God ; and Dives in torments answers 
 to the anguish and despair of the Jewish nation 
 cast out. (3.) We may say in general with John 
 Service {Salvation Here and Hereafter), that "this 
 parable is meant to take us, as it were by storm, 
 and once for all, out of this (the customary and 
 earthly) way of regarding life. * * * The 
 purpose is greater and wider than to teach us 
 any religious lesson. It is to awaken us once for 
 all to serious, to religious thought." And this 
 it does by its dramatic representation of the real 
 worthlessness of that in external condition which 
 we are most wont to value. In this respect it is 
 like the parable of the rich fool (ch. 12 : 16-21). But 
 (i) it does also teach some religious lessons, as 
 the reality of punishment, the certain, and ap- 
 parently the eternal, separation of men in the 
 future state, impliedly the immortality of both 
 the saved and the lost, and the futility of any 
 revelations from the spirit world. Further than 
 that, it seems to me that it is not safe to go in 
 the interpretation of details, as, for example, by 
 concluding that the lost and the saved hold con- 
 verse with one another, that the lost are in lit- 
 eral physical torments, or that they have a sin- 
 cere desire for the salvation of others upon earth. 
 19-21. In these verses Christ simply describes 
 pictorially the condition of the two men as they 
 would appear to the sight. It is as if we were 
 walking with him through the streets of Jerusa- 
 lem, and he pointed us to the mansion of the 
 rich man, known only for and by his wealth, his 
 sumptuous attire, and his great entertainments, 
 and to the poor man, who lies at the gate of the 
 mansion, feeding on such crumbs as maybe sup- 
 plied him by the compassion of the servants, and 
 getting such relief as is afforded by the dogs 
 licking his sores. We note the contrast ; then 
 Christ draws aside the veil, and we see the con- 
 trast in the other life ; and the two pictures, the 
 
 earthly and the heavenly, are left by the Master 
 to produce their own impression upon our minds. 
 That impression would be weakened, not deep- 
 ened, by any analysis of the two characters of 
 the story. We are left to draw our own conclu- 
 sions respecting those characters from the course 
 of the story itself. To conclude that Lazarus was 
 pious, merely because his name signifies "help 
 in God," is only less absurd than to conclude 
 that he was carried to heaven only because he 
 was poor upon the earth. — There was a cer- 
 tain rich man. It is a curious illustration of 
 the untrustworthiness of priestly traditions, that 
 the houses of the rich man and Lazarus are 
 pointed out by the priests in Jerusalem. — 
 Which was clothed in purple and fine 
 linen. "The purple and fine linen are named 
 often together (Esth. 1 : 6 ; Rev. is : 12), both being in 
 highest esteem, and the combination of colors 
 which they offered, blue and white, greatly 
 prized. The extreme costliness of the true sea- 
 purple of antiquity is well known. It was 
 the royal hue ; and the purple garment then, 
 as now, a royal gift (Esth. 8 : 15) ; with it too the 
 heathen idols were clothed (jer. 10 -. 9) ; there was 
 as much therefore of pride as of luxury in its 
 use. The byssus, or fine linen, was hardly in less 
 price or esteem. All then of costliest and rarest 
 he bestowed upon himself. Nor was it on some 
 high days only that he so arrayed himself and so 
 feasted. The ' purple and fine linen ' were his or- 
 dinary apparel, the sumptuous fare his every-day 
 entertainment." — (Trench.) — Fared sumptu- 
 ously every day. Feasted sumptuoudy. The 
 implication is, of one devoting himself to selfish 
 and sensual enjoyment. — There was a certain 
 beggar named Lazarus. Beggary, such as 
 is here depicted, is much more common in the 
 East than with us, and in the absence of any 
 more systematic provision, almsgiving to the 
 poor was insisted upon by the O. T. (job 29 : 13; 
 Ps. 41 : 1 ; 112 : 9 ; rrov. 14 : oi). In neglecting Lazarus, 
 this rich man was therefore palpably disregard- 
 ing the spirit of the O. T. requirements. That 
 he knew Lazarus and his condition is clearly im- 
 plied by vers. 23, 24. That the poor man's name 
 is given and the rich man's is not, has been noted 
 by all commentators as a significant fact. Augus- 
 tine suggests that Christ found the name of Laz- 
 arus in the Book of Life ; Cajetan, that Christ 
 thus indicates that the spiritual order of things 
 is contrary to the worldly, that here the names 
 of the rich are widely known, hereafter their 
 wealth does not keep their name from oblivion. 
 The name Dives often given to the rich man, is 
 taken from the Latin word divis, meaning rich.
 
 Cn. XVI.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 105 
 
 from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came 
 and licked his sores. 
 
 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and 
 was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: 1 
 the 1 " rich man also died, and was buried • 
 
 23 And " in hell he lift up his eyes, being in tor- 
 ments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his 
 bosom. 
 
 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have 
 mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the 
 tip 1 it his finger in water, and cool my tongue ;" lor I 
 am tormented in this flame. p 
 
 25 Hut Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in 
 thy lifetime 1 ' receivedst thy good things, and likewise 
 Lazarus evil things : but now he is comlorted, and thou 
 art tormented. 
 
 — Desiring to be fed. It was for this purpose 
 he was laid here by friends ; whether or how far 
 his desire was satisfied, is not indicated. But 
 that he expected nothing but the crumbs which 
 fell from the table of the rich man, is clear. — 
 The dogs came and ticked his sores. This 
 touch not only adds to the dramatic force of the 
 picture, by indicating his nakedness and for- 
 saken condition ; it also brings out the inhuman- 
 ity of man by depicting the sympathy of the 
 brutes. The contrast between the rich man and 
 Lazarus is well epitomized by Trench : "Dives 
 is covered with purple and fine linen, Lazarus 
 covered only with sores. One fares sumptuously, 
 the other desires to be fed with crumbs. One 
 has hosts of attendants to wait on his every ca- 
 price ; though this circumstance is left to our 
 imagination to supply ; only the dogs tend the 
 sores of the other." 
 
 22. The beggar died and was carried by 
 the angels to Abraham's bosom. Of his 
 burial nothing is said ; not, as Meyer suggests, 
 because of the Rabbinical notion that the pious 
 were transferred body and soul to Paradise ; but 
 because the burial of the beggar was not worthy 
 of note. He was here to-day ; to-morrow he was 
 gone ; no one knew what had become of him. — 
 The rich man also died and was buried. 
 The last service his wealth could render him was 
 a magnificent funeral. For him life was all ex- 
 tinguished in the grave. 
 
 23. And in hades. In the English version 
 of the N. T., the word hell is unfortunately used 
 indiscriminately in rendering two very different 
 Greek words (uttfijs hades, and ftsvu Gehenna); 
 the first, which is used here, never signifies the 
 special place of punishment, but simply the 
 abode of the departed. This, according to the 
 ancient Hebraic opinion, was a deep and dark 
 abode, generally located in the centre of the 
 earth, where were assembled both good and evil 
 spirits, but classed according to their spiritual 
 character. It was thus divided into a place of 
 punishment and one of reward, a paradise and a 
 hell, but both temporary. At the general judg- 
 ment, it was believed that all would come forth 
 from this abode, but while the righteous would 
 be permanently delivered from it, the wicked 
 would be thrust back into it again. — Seeing 
 Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his 
 
 bosom. The language is borrowed from the 
 custom, common in the East, of reclining on 
 couches at meals, in such a way that each gueyst 
 rested partially upon the bosom of his Dearest 
 neighbor. See Vol. I, p. 282, for illustration. 
 This position, with respect to the master of the 
 house, was one of especial honor, and only occu- 
 pied by dear friends. Hence to lie in Abraham's 
 bosom became among the Jews a common meta- 
 phorical expression of the highest condition and 
 felicity. As such it is used by Christ here. 
 
 24, 25. Father Abraham. Even now the 
 rich man bases his life on the fact that he is a 
 son of Abraham. Abraham, in his reply, Son, 
 remember, recognizes the fact, but does not re- 
 cognize in it any claim whatever. It was a Rab- 
 binical proverb, "All the circumcised are safe." 
 This proverb Christ here impliedly, as John the 
 Baptist directly, in eh. 3 : 8, repudiates. Future 
 condition depends not on ceremonial nor on in- 
 heritance, but on personal character (John 1 : 13). — 
 Dip the tip of his finger in water. Lazarus 
 desired crumbs of bread from the rich man on 
 earth ; the rich man desires drops of water from 
 Lazarus in hades. — I am tormented in this 
 flame. The language is metaphorical. It is as 
 absurd to deduce from this language a doctrine 
 of physical torment in an actual flame, as it would 
 be to conclude that the separation between the 
 lost and the saved, is one interposed by a mere 
 physical gulf, across which conversation can be 
 carried on, and which could be easily bridged by 
 the resources of modern engineering. But the 
 metaphor means something. What ? It is cer- 
 tain that our Lord, who knew whereof he spoke, 
 would not have used such a symbol, if it were 
 not an apt one to designate the mental and spir- 
 itual suffering of the condemned. "Hardened 
 sinners have died crying, 'Fire!' Did the lire 
 leave them when they left their bodies ? "— (JV- 
 ford.) — Son, remember. This is itself a hint of 
 the torment ; the self-reproach of a condemning 
 memory, that will never forget. — Thou in thy 
 life-time receivedst thy good things. But 
 he does not say, Lazarus his evil things. They 
 were the rich man's good things, because they 
 were the things which he made his chief good 
 while he lived. Comp. ch. G : 24, note, andl Tim. 
 6 : 9, 10. This explains the conclusion of the verse. 
 —He is comforted, and thou art torment-
 
 106 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XVIL 
 
 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a 
 
 treat gulf fixed : so that they which would pass from 
 ence to you cannot; neither' can they pass to us, 
 that would come from thence. 
 
 27 Then he said, 1 pray thee therefore, father, that 
 thou wouldest send him to my father's house : 
 
 28 For I have five brethren ; that he may testify unto 
 them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 
 
 29 Abraham saith unto him, They 8 have Moses and 
 the prophets ; let them hear them. 
 
 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one 
 went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 
 
 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses 
 and the prophets, neither will u they be persuaded, 
 though one rose from the dead. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THEN said he unto the disciples, It" is impossible 
 but that offences will come: but woe unto him 
 through whom they come ! 
 
 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged 
 about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he 
 should offend one of these little ones. 
 
 3 Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother trespass 
 against thee, rebuke w him ; and if he repent, forgive 
 him. 
 
 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a 
 day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, say- 
 ing, I repent ; thou * shalt forgive him. 
 
 .s Isa. 34 : 16 ; John B : I 
 
 .t 2 Cor. 4 : 3....U John 12 : 10, 11. 
 X -Matt. 6 : 12, 14 ; Col 3 : 1 
 
 Matt. 18 : 6, 7 ; Murk 9 : 42. 
 
 ed. — Not because the one suffered evil, and the 
 other enjoyed luxury : Abraham does not say 
 this ; and there is not here, nor I think anywhere 
 else in Scripture, the doctrine that " the cause of 
 an unbroken prosperity is ever a sign and augury 
 of ultimate reprobation." Abraham recalls the 
 contrast between the present condition and the 
 past condition of the two ; the ground of the 
 present condition is sufficiently indicated by the 
 phrase, thy good things. 
 
 26. In the preceding verse, Abraham has 
 maintained the justice of the condition of the 
 rich man. In this verse he declares that condi- 
 tion to be unalterably fixed. The language is of 
 course metaphorical, but the metaphor cannot be 
 misunderstood. The great gulf is one which 
 neither mercy from heaven nor repentance from 
 hell, can bridge. Observe, however, that there 
 is no evidence of real repentance on the part of 
 the rich man. Compare with Christ's parabolic 
 teaching here, that of ch. 13 : 24r-27 ; Matt. 
 25 : 10-12, 46. 
 
 27, 28. It is not necessary, on the one hand, 
 to attribute the petition of the rich man to a sel- 
 fish aim, nor to see in it, on the other, an evi- 
 dence of his partial reformation, as though the 
 fires in which he was tormented had already ac- 
 complished a partial purification. It is not even 
 necessary to suppose, that such a request could 
 or would be preferred by the condemned in an- 
 other life. It is here supposed by Christ simply 
 to give occasion to the religious teaching em- 
 bodied in Abraham's reply. 
 
 20-31. In this dialogue, the rich man repre- 
 sents the spirit of Pharisaism, which was accus- 
 tomed to demand from Jesus signs from heaven 
 as an evidence of his divine mission and author- 
 ity ; the spirit of modern skepticism, which de- 
 mands new intellectual evidences for the truth 
 of Christianity, and places its unbelief avowedly 
 on the insufficiency of the evidences already 
 forthcoming ; and the spirit of modern supersti- 
 tion, manifested in spiritism and ecclesiasticism, 
 which, endeavoring to meet this same demand 
 for signs and wonders in less intellectual classes 
 
 of society, provides miracles and supernatural 
 manifestations. The answer of Abraham repre- 
 sents the spirit of Christianity which recognizes 
 the secret of all skepticism to be in the moral na- 
 ture ; which recognizes in the word of God itself 
 its own sufficient evidence ; and which declares 
 that no proof whatever of a purely intellectual 
 character will suffice to convince those who are 
 living worldly lives, and whose unbelief is rooted 
 in worldliness of any form. Christ's language 
 implies not only the adequacy of revelation, but 
 also the futility, and therefore the improbability, 
 of supernatural appearances of the dead, such as 
 are maintained by modern spiritism. The truth 
 of the declaration put here by Christ into Abra- 
 ham's mouth, was strikingly verified by the ef- 
 fect upon the Pharisees of the resurrection of an- 
 other Lazarus (John n : 47-50), and of our Lord's 
 resurrection (Matt. 28 : 12-14). It is noted by the 
 commentators, that the rich man hopes that his 
 brothers will be led to repent, i. e., to change their 
 course of life ; Abraham replies, they will not 
 even be persuaded. They must change their life 
 that they may be persuaded, not by new evidence 
 be persuaded that they may change their life. 
 
 Ch. 17 : 1-10. VARIOUS SAYINGS OF CHRIST. Of- 
 fenders AND OFFENCES. — THE DUTY OF FORGIVENESS. 
 
 — The power of faith. — Pharisaism condemned by 
 its own principles. 
 
 Of these sayings, some are reported in other 
 connections by the other evangelists ; others are 
 peculiar to Luke ; see below. Whether this is to 
 be regarded as one discourse, including apho- 
 risms, given elsewhere, or as a collection of 
 Christ's sayings, made by Luke, is not very im- 
 portant. The connection between them is clear, 
 and indicates that they constitute one discourse. 
 Christ warns his disciples of offences (vers. 1, 2), 
 and commands them to forgive (vers. 3, 4) ; this 
 command leads to their request for greater 
 faith (ver. s), and to the consequent promise of 
 ver. 6 ; which is accompanied by the parable of 
 the servants (vers. 7-10), which is a warning against 
 the spiritual pride, which the possession and ex-
 
 Ch. XVIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 107 
 
 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase * our 
 faith. 
 
 6 And the Lord said. If' ye had faith as a grain of 
 mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, 
 Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted 
 in the sea ; and it should obey you. 
 
 7 But which of you, having a servant plowing, or 
 feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is 
 come from the field, Go, and sit down to meat ? 
 
 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready 
 
 wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, 
 till I have eaten and drunken ; and afterward thou 
 shalt eat and drink ? 
 
 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the 
 things that were commanded him ? I trow not 
 
 io So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those 
 things which are commanded you, say, We are "un- 
 profitable servants : we have done that which was our 
 duty to do. 
 
 ii And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, 
 
 y Heb. 12: 2.... i Matt. 17 : 20; 21 : 21 ; Murk 9 : 23; 11 : 23.... a Job 22 : 3 ; 35 : 7 ; Ps. 16 : 2, 3 ; fsa. 64 : 6 ; Rom. 11 
 
 1 Cor. 19 : 16, 17. 
 
 ercise of remarkable powers would be likely to 
 stimulate. 
 1, 2. Then said he unto his disciples. 
 
 Then (it) is not an adverb of time ; there is noth- 
 ing in the original to indicate that this discourse 
 was connected with the preceding parable. This 
 warning is reported in Matt. 18 : 6, 7 ; see notes 
 there. 
 
 3, 4. Comp. Matt. 18 : 15, 21, 22, where see 
 notes. Observe that the duty of rebuke as well 
 as of forgiveness, is taught by Christ. In what 
 spirit and for what purpose this rebuke is to be 
 given is indicated in Gal. 6 : 1, 2. Observe, also, 
 that forgiveness is conditioned on repentance, 
 because the Gospel idea of forgiveness includes 
 a putting away of, a relieving from the trans- 
 gression, not merely a remission of penalty, and 
 this never can be done for another, except in 
 concurrence with his own repentance. 
 
 5, 6. Add to our faith. Not, Add faith to 
 our other gifts, for faith is the foundation (2 Pet. 
 1 : 5), but add to the stock of faith which we al- 
 
 SYCAMINE OR MULBERRY BRANCH. 
 
 ready possess. Christ, so far from rebuking this 
 request, as though the disciple should for him- 
 self exercise faith, by his reply intimates that 
 they should have asked not an increase but a gift 
 of the very seed and germ of faith. — As a grain 
 of mustard seed. Which is selected not, as 
 Adam Clarke, because it increases and thrives re- 
 
 markably, but because it is the least of seeds 
 (Matt. 13 • 32, note). — Ye might say unto this 
 sycamine tree. Not the same as the syca- 
 more (ch. 19 : 4). That is the Egyptian fig, this is 
 the mulberry tree, not very common in Pales- 
 tine, but sometimes found there. — It should 
 obey you. Comp. Mark 11 : 22-26, notes. If 
 we here take faith, as defined in Heb. 11 : 1, as 
 the evidence of the unseen, Christ's language is 
 hardly hyperbolical, for it is by the developed 
 power to see unseen verities that man has at- 
 tained all his mastery over nature. 
 
 7-10. In interpreting this parable, a slight 
 modification must be made in the language of 
 verse 7, which should read, not Will say unto him 
 by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and 
 sit down to meat, but Will say unto him when he is 
 come from the field, Go immediately and sit down 
 to meat. The picture is drawn in accordance 
 with Oriental usages. The same one who serves 
 in the field also frequently serves at the table. 
 His clothes are girded about his loins to keep 
 them out of his way while handing the dishes. 
 The custom requires constant attendance at the 
 table, to change each dish as soon as the mas- 
 ter has done with it for a new one ; sometimes 
 ten or twenty, or even fifty dishes, succeed on 
 the tables of those who fare sumptuously. 
 
 In the spiritual interpretation of this parable 
 there is a difficulty, because (1) throughout 
 Christ assumes the relation between the disciple 
 and his Lord to be that between a slave and his 
 master, while elsewhere he explicitly declares 
 that his disciples are not servants, but friends 
 (John 15 : is ; comp. Gal. 4:7); (2) he elsewhere declares 
 that when he comes he will gird himself and 
 make his faithful servants sit down to meat, and 
 will serve them (Luke 12 : 37) ; in his parable of the 
 Judgment he represents himself as thanking 
 them for the fidelity of their service (Matt. 25 • 21) ; 
 and Paul, waiting to finish his course, declares 
 his expectation of a crown of righteousness, 
 which the righteous Judge shall give to all who 
 love his appearing (2 Tim. 4 : s). The explanation 
 of this apparent inconsistency is to be found in 
 the fact that Christ was habitually accustomed 
 to descend to the moral plane of his auditors, to 
 convict them, not by proving their principles to 
 be wrong, but by apparently escaping and using
 
 108 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XVII. 
 
 that he passed through the midst of Samaria b and 
 Galilee. 
 
 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met 
 him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar c off: 
 
 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, 
 Master, have mercy on us. 
 
 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go 
 shew d yourselves unto the priests. And it came to 
 pass, that, as e Uiey went, they were cleansed. 
 
 b ch. 9 : 61, 6-2; John 4 : 4. 
 
 ih. 5:14; Lev. 13:2; 14:3; Mutt. 8:4 e 2 Kings 6 : 14 ; Isa. 66 : 24. 
 
 LORD AND SERVANT. 
 
 their own principles. Thus, when the rich young 
 ruler (Matt. 19 • 16-22) comes to him asking, What 
 good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life ? 
 Christ does not preach to him the doctrine of 
 justification by faith, but replies by referring 
 him only to the moral law, and leaving him to 
 convict himself by the inquiry, What lack I 
 yet ? So when the lawyer asks him the same 
 question (Luke 10 : 25-29), Christ refers him to his 
 own interpretation of the law, and compels the 
 lawyer to seek self -justification by the inquiry, 
 Who is my neighbor ? In this parable, as in those 
 of the entire series in which it stands, Christ ad- 
 dresses himself to the Pharisees, or to the spirit 
 of Pharisaism in his own disciples. The essence 
 of this spirit was, and is ever, a claim to be re- 
 ceived and rewarded by God for work's sake. 
 Christ in this parable says in effect to the Phari- 
 see, "You claim to be the servant of God ? Yes. 
 A faithful servant ? Yes. On that ground enti- 
 
 tled to a seat at the table of the King ? Yes. 
 Do you treat your servants thus ? When they 
 come in from the field do you make haste to wel- 
 come them ? to serve them ? to thank them ? I 
 trow not. But if you are a servant, you must be 
 content with a servant's recompense.'" The moral 
 of the parable, then, is not that the Christian is 
 to say, "We are unprofitable servants." It is 
 rather that he is not a servant at all, but a son. 
 He who assumes to demand as a right a recom- 
 pense for his service has no claim. But he who 
 comes as a son, receives the inheritance from his 
 father's love ; for love gives what the law does 
 not award The reward is reckoned of grace, 
 not of debt (Rom. 11 : «) ; death is the wages of sin, 
 but eternal life is the gift of God (Rom. 6 : 23) ; and 
 he who as a friend and a son, in the spirit of love 
 and for love's sake, serves his Lord, receives the 
 gift of his Lord's love, a reward denied to him 
 who was but a servant, who serves for wages, 
 and who claims the reward as a debt. It is hard- 
 ly necessary to say that the language of ver. 9 
 does not indicate Christ's approval of begrudg- 
 ing a hired servant grateful appreciation of 
 faithful work. The servant in the parable is a 
 slave, and the picture is taken from the actual 
 treatment accorded to a slave by the ordinary 
 master. Moreover, while gratitude will be 
 given to 1 delity of service, it cannot be de- 
 manded as a right. 
 
 Ch. 17 : 11-19. THE IIEAL1KG OF TEN LEPERS. 
 Love is the highest law. 
 
 The time of this incident appears to me to be 
 wholly uncertain. It is only said that it occurred 
 as Jesus was going to Jerusalem. There is 
 nothing to indicate that Luke himself knew defi- 
 nitely the date. As to the place, see on ver. 1. 
 For a full account of leprosy, the laws of Moses 
 respecting it, and its symbolical significance, sec 
 Matt. 8 : 2, note. 
 
 11, 12. As he was going to Jerusalem. 
 On one of his journeys, but on which one is not 
 indicated.— He passed along the borders of 
 Samaria and Galilee. That is, from west to 
 east toward the Jordan. One of the customary 
 routes from Galilee to Jerusalem, taken to avoid 
 passing through Samaria, was along the northern 
 border of Samaria to the Jordan, across the Jor- 
 dan at Seythopolis, southward through Perea to 
 the vicinity of Galilee, where the river was re- 
 crossed, and the road pursued to Jerusalem. 
 The language here {dia t uioov r. y.ul r.) may
 
 Ch. XVIL] LUKE. 
 
 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was 
 :aled, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified ' 
 
 109 
 
 healed 
 God, 
 
 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him 
 thanks : and he was as Samaritan. 
 
 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten 
 cleansed ? but where are the nine ? 
 
 18 There are not 1 ' found that returned to give glory 
 to God, save this stranger. 
 
 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way : thy ' 
 faith hath made thee whole. 
 
 f Ps. 30 : 1, 2 g John 4 : 39-42 . . . h Ps. 106 : 13 I Matt. 9 : 22 
 
 mean, as in our English version, through the midst 
 of Samaria and Galilee, but the other rendering 
 is the more probable one. Otherwise the read- 
 ing would have been, Through the midst of 
 Galilee and Samaria, since Samaria lay between 
 Galilee and Judea. — There met him ten men 
 that were lepers. Their misery made them 
 companions. The lepers, being excluded from 
 all other society, are accustomed to form groups 
 and communities of their own. The accompany- 
 ing illustration, from the pencil of Mr. A. L. 
 Eawson, illustrates this fact. Respecting it he 
 says, in a private note to me : "I sketched this 
 scene outside the Jaffa Gate at Jerusalem, where 
 it was a morning and evening spectacle during 
 the entire summer of 1874. The beggars for- 
 merly sat outside the Zion Gate, but lately have 
 been permitted to beg here, where the greater 
 number of travelers pass. Many, if not all, of 
 them are lepers. Of the chief of them I made a 
 portrait. They gather by the roadside before 
 sunrise, and leave at sunset. In the hottest days 
 they disappear for three or four hours, rather 
 than roast." — Which stood afar off. As re- 
 quired by the Mosaic law ( Lev. 13 : 40). The space 
 was fixed by rabbinical regulations, but various- 
 ly by different authorities, from four to a hun- 
 dred cubits. Contrast their course with that of 
 the leper in Matt. 8:2; Mark 1 : 40, who broke 
 over this law to come to the feet of Jesus to 
 seek healing. 
 
 13, 14. They lifted up their voices. A 
 common cause, a common cry. — Go show 
 yourselves unto the priests. When a leper 
 was cured, before he could be restored to so- 
 ciety, he was required to show himself to the 
 priest, to make an offering, and to be officially 
 pronounced clean. See Lev., ch. 14; Matt. 8:4, 
 note. Christ's command thus implied a promise 
 of cure. They were to act as if they were 
 cleansed, and trust to Christ that the cleansing 
 would come in his own time r.nd way. Every 
 miracle is a parable ; in this is a hint to those who 
 wait before entering on practical Christian duty, 
 until they have received some personal sense of 
 divine pardon. To such the command of Christ 
 is, Go, assume that I will and can cleanse you ; 
 and begin the life of one who has been cleansed. 
 — As they were going they were cleansed. 
 Obedience is the road to forgiveness. 
 
 15, 16. And one of them, when he saw 
 that he was healed, turned back, with a 
 
 loud voice glorifying God. The form of 
 the sentence should have prevented the error of 
 those who imagine that he went on to the tem- 
 ple, presented himself to the priest, etc., and 
 then came back and hunted up Jesus. As soon 
 
 GROUP OF LEPERS. 
 
 as he saw that he was cleansed he immediately 
 hurried back. The contrast between him and 
 the others, is that between the love which disre- 
 gards the letter in order to manifest gratitude, 
 and the formal obedience which adheres to the 
 ritual but disregards the obligations of love and 
 gratitude. The Jews adhered to the law and 
 forgot the Saviour; the Samaritan returned to 
 thank his Saviour, and for the time forgot the 
 law.— Giving him thanks. He gave glory to 
 God, thanks to Christ; all along his journey he 
 resounded God's praises ; he gave thanks to 
 Christ when he came to him. 
 
 17, 18. The lesson to us is one that needs
 
 110 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. XVII. 
 
 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, 
 when the kingdom of God should come, he answered 
 them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with 
 observation : 
 
 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here ! or, lo there ! for, 
 behold, the J kingdom of God is within you. 
 
 22 And he said unto the disciples, The k days will 
 come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the 
 Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 
 
 j Rom. 14 : 17 k Matt. 9 : IB. 
 
 constant reiteration. How often are meetings in 
 the church convened to pray for conversion ; 
 how rarely are they called to give thanks for 
 conversions already wrought. How relatively 
 earnest are the petitions of Christians ; how cold 
 and infrequent their thanksgivings. 
 
 19. Thy faith hath saved thee. Not made 
 thee whole. The word saved (aoijco) is used some- 
 times of physical as well as of spiritual healing ; 
 hut this man was already made whole ; Christ 
 now gives him assurance of something more, a 
 cleansing of the inward sin, of which the out- 
 ward leprosy was but a type. All had faith 
 enough to obey Christ's command, and go show 
 themselves to the priest, while as yet there was 
 no sign of cure ; but only the one had the faith 
 which is perfected in love. They all had faith 
 and hope ; but only one had the greatest of the 
 graces, that love which is the consummation of 
 salvation (1 Cor. 13 : 13). 
 
 Ch. 17 : 20-37. INSTRUCTIONS RESPECTING THE 
 KINGDOM OF GOD. It has already come.— Its na- 
 ture : in the socx. — Its future : hope long de- 
 lated IN THE CHURCH ; SUFFERING IN THE KING ; 
 EARTHINES9 AND UNBELIEF IN THE WORLD; AT LENGTH 
 A SUDDEN REVELATION ; A FINAL AND A CLOSE DIS- 
 CRIMINATION. 
 
 The rest of this chapter clearly consists of two 
 discourses, or parts of discourses. The first 
 (vers. 20, 21), is addressed to the Pharisees ; the 
 second (vers. 22-37) to the disciples ; and since 
 Christ was not accustomed to give prophecies of 
 the future, except in parabolic form, to the mul- 
 titude, the second discourse must be presumed 
 to have been given only to a select few, though 
 not necessarily exclusively to the twelve. Be- 
 tween the second discourse (vers. 22-37) and that of 
 chap. 24 of Matthew, there is a striking similar- 
 ity. There are some additions here not found 
 there ; but in the main, the course of the argu- 
 ment, and to some extent, the language is the 
 same. Some commentators regard this as a dif- 
 ferent discourse, in which Christ gave his disci- 
 ples a part of the same admonitions and pro- 
 phetic warnings, subsequently repeated in the 
 Passion Week at Jerusalem. Others regard it as 
 an imperfect and fragmentary report by Luke of 
 a part of that discourse, which he has placed in 
 this connection, because intimately connected 
 with the question of the Pharisees, When the 
 kingdom of God should come (ver. 20), and his 
 answer thereto. The latter view, though not 
 the one taken by most orthodox commentators, 
 
 seems to me preferable. If this instruction had 
 been given now to the twelve in Perea, they 
 would hardly have requested its repetition a few 
 months later in Jerusalem (Matt. 24 : 3) ; and if I 
 have interpreted Matthew, chap. 24, aright, the 
 counsel of ver. 31 here (vers. 16-18, in Matt.), refers to 
 the impending destruction of Jerusalem, while 
 the connection here would apparently make it 
 refer to Christ's final coming, and its significance 
 in that connection is not clear. See note below. 
 I think then that it is probable that, as in several 
 other places, Matthew, who was an eye and ear 
 witness, gave the discourse in its time, location, 
 and connection, while Luke, a second-hand re- 
 porter, has given the same discourse, without any 
 knowledge of or note concerning the time, place, 
 or circumstances of the delivery, and placed it 
 here because it was cognate to Christ's reply to 
 the question of the Pharisees. I consider that 
 the whole of the second of the two discourses 
 (vers. 22-37), except vers. 31, 32, refers, not to the 
 destruction of Jerusalem, but to the second 
 coming of our Lord. For the reasons of this 
 belief, see Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note. 
 
 20, 21. When he Avas demanded of the 
 Pharisees when the kingdom of God 
 should come. This demand may not have been 
 made with an evil intent. The universal belief of 
 the age was of a temporal kingdom, with Jerusa- 
 lem as mistress of the world, a second and supe- 
 rior Rome ; the Pharisees naturally asked of one, 
 whose followers claimed for him that he was a 
 great prophet, and some of them that he was 
 the Messiah, when and how this kingdom would 
 be established. On the phrase, kingdom of God, 
 see Matt. 3 : 2, note. — The kingdom of God 
 cometh not with observation. That is, in 
 such a way as to be observed. — Neither shall 
 they say, Look here or Look there. That 
 is, when it comes, there shall be nothing to com- 
 pel this sort of surprise and superficial admira- 
 tion. — For Look. Christ puts his look! in con- 
 trast with that of the world. The world looks 
 without ; he bids to look within. It is the same 
 word which is rendered "lo" and "behold." — 
 The kingdom of God is within you. Most 
 modern commentators render this, The kingdom 
 of God is among you, and interpret it as parallel 
 to Luke 11 : 20. The reason for this rendering, 
 which is grammatically possible, though less 
 natural, is given byAlford. The words "are ad- 
 dressed to the Pharisees, in whose hearts it (the 
 kingdom) certainly was not." I agree with
 
 Ch. XVII. ] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 Ill 
 
 23 And 1 they shall say to you. See here; or, see 
 there : go not after them, nor follow them. 
 
 24 For as the lightning, that lightenethout of the one 
 iart under heaven, shineth unto the other fiart under 
 heaven ; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 
 
 25 But m first must he suffer many things, aiid be 
 rejected of this generation. 
 
 26 And as it was" in the days of Noe, so shall it be 
 also in the days of the Son ot man. 
 
 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, 
 they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe 
 entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed 
 them all. 
 
 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot ; they 
 did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they 
 planted, they builded ; 
 
 29 But the same day that Lot went out " of Sodom, it 
 rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed 
 them all. 
 
 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of 
 man is revealed. p 
 
 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, 
 and his stuff in the house, let him not comedown to 
 take it away : and he that is in the field, let him like- 
 wise not return back. 
 
 32 Remember Lot's 1 wife. 
 
 1 cb. 21 :8: Matt. 24: 23, etc.; Mark 13 : 21.... m ch. 9 : 22 ; Mark 8 : 31.... n Gen. 7 : ll,23....o Gen. 19 : 23, 24. ...p 2 These. 1:7.. 
 
 q Gen. 19 : 26. 
 
 Godet in thinking the reading of our English ver- 
 sion to be preferable. It is more natural ; it bet- 
 ter agrees with the context. The declaration is 
 not historical, but philosophical ; the assertion 
 not of a fact but of a law. Christ does not say 
 that the kingdom of God is already established 
 among the Pharisees, which was not indeed true 
 in any sense, but that the nature of that king- 
 dom is such that it is to be found within the 
 heart. 
 
 There is no passage so brief in Scripture which 
 contains so much valuable and significant truth 
 respecting the kingdom of God, or the kingdom 
 of heaven, as these two verses. That kingdom 
 is not to be established by Christ's second com- 
 ing ; he then comes not to found but to take pos- 
 session of his kingdom. Great public events, 
 whether military, political, or religious, as the 
 Crusades, the Reformation, and so-called revival 
 meetings, are not the coming of his kingdom, 
 though they may help to prepare the way for it. 
 That kingdom is righteousness, and peace, and 
 joy, in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14 : 17) ; it is in the 
 disposition and character of the individual, and 
 in the development of a society, nurtured in 
 the spirit and in accord with the precepts and 
 principles of Jesus Christ ; and therefore it 
 comes of necessity by gradual processes and in 
 ways which attract no observation, except in 
 their results. The earthquake may prepare the 
 heart of the jailer for the kingdom ; but the 
 kingdom does not come in the earthquake. 
 
 22, 24. And he said unto the disciples. 
 Whether this is a f ragmentary report of the dis- 
 course in the Passion week, more fully reported 
 by Matthew, and partially by Luke in ch. 21, or 
 not, it clearly was not given to the Pharisees, 
 nor in immediate connection with the preceding 
 verses. — Ye shall desire to see one of the 
 days of the Son of Man. He refers to the 
 universal desire throughout the church, in the 
 absence of its Lord, for his promised reappear- 
 ance. — See here ! or, See there ! A caution 
 against the danger of deceit, whether by false 
 prophets or misled interpreters. "A warning to 
 all so-called expositors, and followers of exposi- 
 tors, of prophecy, who cry, See here ! or, See 
 
 there ! every time that war breaks out or revolu- 
 tions occur." — {Alford.) — For as the light- 
 ning, etc. The second coming of Christ will be 
 sudden and public; no misapprehension will be 
 possible. Comp. Rev. : 12-17. See note on 
 Matt. 24 : 26, 27. 
 
 25-30. But first he must suffer. Comp. 
 Matt. 1G : 21 ; Luke 24 : 20 ; Acts 3 : IS.— And 
 be rejected. The original implies trial as well 
 as rejection, i. e., rejection after trial. The suf- 
 fering and rejection laid the foundation for the 
 kingdom and the glory. — As it was in the 
 days of Noah. Comp. Matt. 24 : 37-39, notes ; 
 2 Pet. 3 : 3, 4. — Likewise also as it was in 
 the days of Lot. The example of the days of 
 Lot is peculiar to Luke. — Even thus. Liter-, 
 ally, According to these (xa tit rawzu) ; as though 
 these were expressly intended by God as types 
 and symbols of the great destruction, to involve 
 the whole world and all mankind. — When the 
 Son of man is revealed. "The word re- 
 vealed {anoy.ulvmrat, uncovered) supposes that 
 Jesus is present, but that a veil conceals his per- 
 son from the view of the world. All at once the 
 veil is lifted, and the glorified Lord is visible to 
 all."— (Godet.) Comp. Col. 3 : 3,4; 2Thess.l:7; 
 1 Pet. 1 : 7. 
 
 31, 32. See Matt. 24 : 1G-1S, notes. That 
 this command, as reported by Matthew, is a 
 practical and prudential direction to the disci- 
 ples as to their course when they see the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem impending ; the evidence of 
 which is to be afforded them by the "abomina- 
 tion of desolation." They are then to flee in- 
 stantly and without delay out of the city. 
 Here, in my judgment, Luke has placed the 
 counsel out of its appropriate order, and in im- 
 mediate connection with a prophecy of the 
 second coming of Christ, to which it is wholly 
 inapplicable. From that coming the disciples 
 will not desire to flee, and none else can. 
 Godet, indeed, endeavors to apply it to the Last 
 Days, with what success the reader may judge 
 for himself. "There is no mention of fleeing 
 from one part of the earth to another, but of 
 rising from the earth to the Lord, as he passes 
 and disappears : ' Let him not come down from
 
 112 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XVIII. 
 
 33 Whosoever 1, shall seek to save his life shall lose 
 it ; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 
 
 34 I tell you, in that night there "shall be two men in 
 one bed : the one shall be taken, and the other shall be 
 left. 
 
 35 Two women shall be grinding together ; the one 
 shall be taken, and the other left. 
 
 36 Two men shall be in the field ; the one shall be 
 taken, and the other left. 
 
 37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, 
 Lord ? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body 
 zV thither will the eagles be gathered together. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 AND he spake a parable unto them to this end, that 
 men ought" always to pray, and not to faint ; 
 
 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which leared 
 not God, neither regarded man : 
 
 3 And there was a widow in that city ; and she came 
 unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 
 
 4 And he would not lor a while : but afterward he said 
 within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man ; 
 
 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge 
 her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 
 
 r ch. 9 : 24 ; Matt. 16 : 26 ; Mark 8 : 35 ; John 12 : 25. . . .» Matt. 24 : 40, 41 . . t Job 39 : 30 ; Matt. 24 : ! 
 Ps. 66 : 2 ; 102 : 17 ; Rum. 12:12; Ephea. 6:18; Phil. 4 : 6. 
 
 . ..n ch. 11 : 8; 21 : ! 
 
 the roof ; but forgetting all that is in the house, 
 let him be ready to follow the Lord. So he who 
 is in the fields is not to attempt to return home 
 to carry upward with him some object of value. 
 The Lord is there ; if any one belongs to Him, 
 let him leave everything at once to accompany 
 Him." I am, however, unable to conceive how 
 in the supreme moment of the Lord's reappear- 
 ing, and on the eve of the destruction of the 
 world and all that it contains, when even the 
 godless are seeking only self-destruction (Rev. 
 6 : 16), any disciple should have any inclination to 
 go back to his house for a coat, or down into it 
 for household furniture. But, except for this 
 warning, Christians in Jerusalem might well have 
 thus delayed when the Roman armies began to 
 encompass the city. 
 
 33. See Matt. 10 :39. Shall preserve (Zwoyoriu) 
 is, literally, shall bring forth life. "That day 
 shall come as pains of labor on a woman in tra- 
 vail (see Matt. 24 : 8, note) ; but to the saints of 
 God it shall be the birth of the soul and body to 
 life and glory everlasting." — ( Wordsworth.) He 
 who is always busy saving his own soul is not the 
 one assured of salvation ; for salvation is by self- 
 sacrifice. 
 
 34-36. See Matt. 24 ; 40, 41. The reference 
 here is clearly to the second coming of Christ, 
 and this is quite apparent from the connection, as 
 the discourse is reported by Matthew. "At this 
 time, a selection will take place, a selection which 
 will instantaneously break all earthly relations, 
 even the moct intimate, and from which there 
 will arise a new grouping of humanity in two 
 new families or societies, the taken and the left." 
 — (Godet.) Ver. 36 is regarded as spurious by 
 the best scholars. It has been transferred from 
 Matthew, where its genuineness is unquestioned. 
 
 37. The disciple's curiosity our Lord refuses 
 to gratify ; he even elsewhere declares that he 
 
 COUld not if he WOUld (Mark 13 : 32; comp. Acts 
 
 i •. 7). His reply is a general one, that wher- 
 ever there is corruption, there the ministers 
 of God's judgments will be assembled ; each 
 new judgment being, like the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, a type of the final judgment. See 
 further, Matt. 24 : 28, note. 
 
 Ch. IS : 1-14. PARABLES CONCERNING PRAYER. Im- 
 portunity in prater.— Humility in prayer. 
 
 Compare with the teaching here that of ch. 
 11 : 1-13 ; see notes there. As in the parable 
 there, and in that of the Unjust Steward (ch. 
 16 : i-8), Christ here in the parable of the Unjust 
 Judge illustrates, by contrast. The argument 
 is, If an unjust judge can be moved to do right 
 by importunity, shall not the Judge of all the 
 earth be much more moved by the petitions of 
 his afflicted children ? Having thus illustrated 
 the duty of patient, persistent prayer in the first 
 parable, in the second he illustrates the spirit 
 which should pervade and inspire prayer. The 
 attempt to trace a detailed parallelism, to make 
 the widow represent the church, the adversary 
 Satan, and the unjust judge God, appears to me 
 to be artificial. The parable is employed to illus- 
 trate the single point, indicated in ver. 1. To 
 press it in detail is to impair, not enhance, its full 
 meaning. For an O. T. illustration of right and 
 wrong kind of importunity, compare 1 Kings 
 18 : 26-28, with 1 Kings 18 : 43, 44. 
 
 1. Men ought always to pray, and not 
 to faint. Here, as in Ephes. 6 : 18, is a sugges- 
 tive hint of the truth, that persistence in prayer 
 requires courage. Prayer is sometimes a restful 
 communion, sometimes a soul-wrestling. Always 
 is here equivalent to at all times. It may be true 
 that "the earnest desire of the heart is prayer" 
 (Alford), though I doubt whether this is true 
 in any, except a poetical sense ; it is true, that 
 the heart should always maintain such relations 
 with God, that every act and thought should be 
 consecrated by the sense of his presence, and this 
 may be what is meant by the exhortation to 
 "pray without ceasing" (l Thcss. 5 : 17). But 
 neither is the real point of the parable here, 
 which is given to teach us, not the duty of an 
 earnest or devout heart, but the duty of not suf- 
 fering discouragement in prayer, because times 
 are adverse, and no answer appears to be vouch- 
 safed. 
 
 2, 3. A judge which feared not God nor 
 regarded man. No lower moral state can well 
 be imagined than is described in these two 
 phrases. He was indifferent to the condemna-
 
 Ch. XVIII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 113 
 
 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge 
 saith. 
 
 7 And shall not God avenge v his own elect, which 
 cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with 
 them ? 
 
 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." 
 
 Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall ■ he 
 find faith on the earth ? 
 
 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which J 
 trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and 
 despised others : 
 
 io Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the 
 one was a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 
 
 v Rev. 6:10 w Vs. 46 : 5 ; Heb. 10 : 37 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 8, 9 x Matt. 24 : 12 . . . . y ch. 10 : 29. 
 
 tion pronounced by God against perversion of 
 
 justice (Exod. 23 : 6-9 J Lev. 19 : 15 ; Deut. 1 : 16, 17 , 2 Chron. 
 
 19 : 6-7) ; he was shamelessly indifferent to his own 
 reputation among men ; and he was conscious of 
 his own audacity and gloried in his shame (ver. 4). 
 The judges in the East are generally irresponsi- 
 ble and corrupt ; take bribes from either or both 
 parties ; from their decisions there is in most 
 cases no appeal ; and the proceedings in execu- 
 tion of their decrees are summary. — And there 
 was a widow in that city. In the East the 
 position of a widow is one of absolute helpless- 
 ness. In India she is regarded as suffering a 
 special visitation of divine wrath, for her own or 
 her ancestors' sins, is excluded from all society, 
 and is made a common drudge and the subject of 
 unlimited petty despotism, especially by her 
 husband's family. The O. T. denounces this 
 treatment of widows, and declares them to be 
 under God's special keeping (Exod. 22: 22-24; Deut. 
 
 10 : 18 ; Deut. 24 : 17 ; Psalm 68 : 5 ; 146 : 9 ; Jer. 7:6; 22 : 3 ; 
 
 49 : ii ; Mai. 3 : 5). — Avenge me of mine adver- 
 sary. Either Punish his wrong-doing, or Pro- 
 tect from his wrong-doing ; the latter is proba- 
 bly the better meaning. The justice of her case 
 is throughout pre-supposed. 
 
 4, 5. He would not for awhile. The 
 reason why the unjust judge would not heed the 
 widow's complaints, is implied to be his selfish 
 indifference. The reason why God often ap- 
 pears for awhile not to heed the complaints of 
 his people is not given. That reason lies in his 
 own counsel, and beyond our full comprehen- 
 sion. There is, however, a hint of it in ver. 7, 
 below. — Lest by her continual coming she 
 weary me. Literally, Beat me {vnumia^m). 
 The verb is a pugilistic one, the same used by 
 Paul in 1 Cor. 9 : 27, and there translated, " i" 
 keep under my body." The hyperbole indicates 
 the impatience and unreasonableness of the un- 
 just judge. The language of all nations abounds 
 with like instances of this spirit of exaggeration 
 in the impatient. Thus, to be "-pestered," is 
 literally to be afflicted with the pest; to be 
 "worried," is to be strangled, etc. 
 
 6-8. And the Lord said. What follows is 
 the application of the parable, and, with the lan- 
 guage of ver. 1, gives the key to the correct in- 
 terpretation of the whole. — Though he bear 
 long with them. There are two renderings 
 of this phrase possible. It may mean, Though 
 
 he bears long with the oppressors; it may mean, 
 When also he is patient toward his own elect The lat- 
 ter interpretation appears to mc preferable, both 
 from grammatical and from spiritual considera- 
 tions. It then completes the contrast between 
 the unjust judge and the loving All-Father, who is 
 never vexed and impatient at the importunity of 
 his chosen ones. But whichever interpretation 
 be adopted, forbearance, not indiffereiice, is indi- 
 cated as the reason why God delays to answer 
 the prayers of his children. He cannot deliver 
 them without bringing judgment on the op- 
 pressors, and he waits, that his long-suffering 
 may become the means of their salvation (Rom. 
 2:4; 2 Pet. 3 : 9, is). — He will avenge them 
 speedily. Not He will speedily come to avenge 
 them, but When he comes he will make a speedy 
 end (i Sam. 3: 12). — Shall he find faith on the 
 earth ? One of those mournful utterances 
 which show how hard a burden to the heart 
 of Christ is the unbelief of his own disciples. 
 Comp. Matt. 17 : 17. 
 
 9. He spake this parable unto certain 
 which trusted in themselves because 
 they were righteous. There has been some 
 discussion respecting the question to whom this 
 parable was primarily addressed, whether (1) to 
 the Pharisees, (2) to Christ's own disciples, or 
 (3) to followers who were inclined partially to 
 accept his teachings, but in whom the leaven of 
 Pharisaism still remained. Clearly it was not 
 addressed to the Pharisees, because then it could 
 not be called a parable ; the Pharisee was used to 
 illustrate a spirit which Christ perceived in 
 others. Probably it was addressed to his follow- 
 ers, being evoked by observing a tendency to 
 spiritual pride among them. More important is 
 it to note, that it is still addressed to all those 
 in the Christian community who trust to them- 
 selves because their own character and conduct 
 appears to them meritorious. In contrast, Christ 
 holds up the picture of one who trusts wholly to 
 the mercy of a forgiving God. Thus he paraboli- 
 cally teaches that doctrine of justification by 
 faith alone, which was so predominant in the 
 teachings of Paul. See, for example, Rom. 
 3 : 20-28 ; Ephes. 2 : 1-10 ; Phil. 3 : 4-10. Paul 
 himself was before his conversion the Pharisee, 
 but afterward the publican. — And despised 
 others. As humility and charity are twina 
 (i Cor. 13 : 4), so pride and contempt.
 
 114 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XVIII. 
 
 ii The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with him- 
 self: God, I thank thee that I am not ■ as other men 
 are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this 
 publican. 
 
 12 1 fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I 
 possess. 
 
 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not 
 
 lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote ° 
 upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 
 
 14 I tell you, this man went down to Ins house justi- 
 fied rather than the other : for b every one that exalt- 
 eth himself shall be abased ; and he that humbleth 
 himself shall be exalted. 
 
 15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he 
 
 z Isa. 65 : 6 ; Rev. 3:17 a Jer. 31 : 19 b Job 22 : 29 ; Matt. 23 : 12 .... c Matt. 19:13; Mark 10 : 13, etc. 
 
 10. The one a Pharisee, and the other 
 a publican. The former a type of orthodox 
 belief and a vigorous but legal morality ; the 
 other a type of the justly condemned and the 
 outcast. "A Brahmin and a Pariah, as one 
 might say, if preaching from this Gospel in 
 India." — {Trench.) On the character of the Phar- 
 isees, see Matt. 3 : 7, note ; on the character of 
 the publicans, Matt. 9 : 9, note. 
 
 11, 12. The Pharisee stationed himself. 
 The publican stood (tarws, active) ; the Pharisee 
 stationed himself (atacpslg, passive, with middle 
 signification). There is no significance in the 
 mere fact that the Pharisee stood, for standing 
 was a common attitude of prayer among the 
 
 JeW8 (l Kings 8 : 22 ; 2 Chron. 6 : 12 ; Mark 11 : 25) ; but 
 
 there is a significance, not recognized in our 
 English version, in the phraseology employed to 
 indicate the attitude of the Pharisee and the 
 publican. The Pharisee "took his stand, plant- 
 ed and put himself in a prominent attitude of 
 prayer ; so that all eyes might light on him, all 
 might take note that he was engaged in his de- 
 votions." — (Trench.) — And prayed thus with 
 himself. Even in the prayer of the Pharisee, 
 self is the centre of his thoughts. Though in 
 form a prayer, his address was really a self-grat- 
 ulatory soliloquy. — God, I thank thee that I 
 am not as the rest of men. Not merely 
 as some other men, but as the rest of mankind, 
 mankind in general. Observe that humility 
 thanks God that I am what I am (1 cor. 15 : 9, 10) ; 
 pride thanks God that I am not like other men 
 (comp. 2 Cor. io : 12). In the Episcopal Prayer Book, 
 this truth is recognized by making this para- 
 ble and 1 Cor. 15 : 1-11, the Gospel and Epistle 
 for the same Sunday, the eleventh Sunday after 
 Trinity. Observe, too, that this Pharisee be- 
 lieves in the doctrine of total depravity ; he rates 
 other men very low. This doctrine may be, as 
 here, one of pride, or, as in Paul's experience, 
 one of humility (1 Tim. i: 15, u). — Extortioners, 
 unjust, adulterers. A comprehensive cata- 
 logue, including all flagrant transgressions, both 
 against others and against self ; but there is no 
 recognition of that spirituality of the law ex- 
 pounded by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount 
 
 (Matt. 6 : 20-48 ; comp. 1 Tim. 1 : s), and Of Which all 
 
 Pharisaism is a perpetual violation. — I fast 
 twice in the week, I give tithes of all that 
 I possess. His boast covers the two points of 
 
 religious service and of benevolence. In both 
 he claims to do more than the law requires. The 
 Mosaic law provided for only one fast in the 
 year, the great Day of Atonement (Lev. ig : 29 ; 
 Numb. 29 : 7). The Jews added a number of annual 
 fasts and two weekly fasts, viz., on the fifth day, 
 because Moses on that day went up Sinai, and 
 the second, because on that day he came down. 
 The Christian sects in the East still maintain a 
 fast twice a week throughout the whole year, 
 but content themselves with abstinence from 
 meat and the products of the diary. Tithes of 
 all produce, including flocks and cattle, were re- 
 quired by the law to be given to the Levite (Lev. 
 27 : 30) ; this Pharisee said that he gave tithes of 
 all that came into his possession, whether agri- 
 cultural products or not. The modern equiva- 
 lent of this boast would be the claim to be re- 
 gular in attendance on Christian ordinances and 
 a liberal contributor to the recognized Christian 
 charities. But the ancient, like the modern 
 Pharisee, claims only a legal righteousness, i. e., 
 that he has done all that is required of him, and 
 even more. Of that love, without which so- 
 called acts of charity and religion are vain (1 Cor. 
 13 : 1-3), he is entirely oblivious. Contrast the 
 "boasting" of Paul, 1 Cor. 4 : 11-16; 9:27; 
 15 : 9, 10 ; 2 Cor. 11 : 9-17 ; Gal. 2 : 20. 
 
 13. And the publican standing afar off. 
 Not merely far from the Pharisee, but remote 
 from the other worshippers, partly from a sense 
 of his own unworthinessand partly from a desire 
 to be apart from the crowd and alone with God. 
 Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto 
 heaven. In contrast with the Pharisee whose 
 gestures doubtless testified to the people his de- 
 votions (Matt. 6 : b). — But smote II poll his 
 breast. Various emblematic meanings have 
 been attributed to this action, as that he thus in- 
 dicated the death-stroke which sin merits from 
 God (Godet), the pain experienced in his own 
 conscience (Bengel), the punishment which he 
 would himself inflict on sin in his own heart 
 (Augustine). The true significance of the action 
 is indicated by the fact, that smiting upon the 
 breast was a common gesture for the expression 
 of great grief and shame (Luke 23 : 48). — God be 
 merciful to me the sinner. There is a sig- 
 nificance in the definite article, which is lost in 
 our English version. Comp. 1 Tim. 1 : 15. It 
 does not indicate a comparison with others, and
 
 Oh. XVIII.J 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 115 
 
 would touch them : but when his disciples saw it, 
 they rebuked them. 
 
 16 But Jesus called them unto Aim, and said, Suffer 
 little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : 
 lor of such is the kingdom of God. 
 
 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not re- 
 ceive the kingdom of God as a little child, d shall in no 
 wise enter therein. 
 
 18 And e a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good 
 Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal lite ? 
 
 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me 
 good ? none is good save one, that is, God. 
 
 20 Thou knowest the ' commandments, Do not com- 
 mit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear 
 false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 
 
 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my 
 youth up. 
 
 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto 
 him, Yet lackest thou one thing : sell all that thou 
 hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have 
 treasure e in heaven : and come, follow me. 
 
 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrow- 
 ful : for he was very rich. 
 
 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, 
 he said, How b hardly shall they that have riches enter 
 into the kingdom of God ! 
 
 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a nee- 
 
 dle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the king- 
 dom of God. 
 
 26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be 
 saved ? 
 
 27 And he said, The 1 things which are impossible 
 with men, are possible with God. 
 
 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and fol- 
 lowed thee. 
 
 29 And he said unto them. Verily I say unto you, 
 There is no man that hath ' left house, or parents, or 
 brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's 
 sake, 
 
 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this pres- 
 ent time, and in the world to come life k everlasting. 
 
 31 Then he took unto hint the twelve, and said unto 
 them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and' all things 
 that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of 
 man shall be accomplished. 
 
 32 For he shall be delivered m unto the Gentiles, and 
 shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and Bpitted 
 on: 
 
 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to 
 death : and the third day he shall rise again. 
 
 34 And n they understood none of these things : and 
 this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the 
 things which were spoken. 
 
 35 And it° came to pass, that as he was come nigh 
 
 dPs. 131:2; Mark 10 : 15 ; 1 Pet. 1 : 14. . . .e Malt. 19 : 16, etc. ; Mark 10 : 17, etc. . . .f Exod. 20 : 12-16 ; Deut. 5 : 16-20 ; Rom. 13 : 9. . . . 
 g Matt. 6 : 19, 20; 1 Tim. 6 : 19.... h Prov. 11 : 28 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 9. . . .i ch. 1 : 37 ; Jer. 32 : 17; Zeo.h. 8 : 6....J Deut. .-J! : 9....k Rev. 2 : Hi... 
 IPs. 22; tsa. 53. ...m ch. 23 : 1 ; Matt. 27 : 2; John 18 : 28; Acts 3 : 13. ...a Mark 9 : 32 ; John 12 : 16. ...o Matt. 20 : 29, etc ; Mark 
 10 : 46, etc. 
 
 a thought of himself as the sinner above all 
 others, but, rather, that "he is thinking of none 
 but himself." — (Bengel.) 
 
 14. This man went down to his house 
 justified rather than the other. It is evi- 
 dent, that justified here does not mean made just, 
 but absolved from sin. No ehange in the charac- 
 ter of the publican is indicated, only a change in 
 his relations to God. Thus this parable throws 
 no small light on the theological controversy be- 
 tween Romanism and Protestanism ; the one 
 makes a new character the ground of divine 
 favor ; the other makes the divine favor the 
 ground of a new character. Pharisee and publi- 
 can had each received his reward (Matt. 6 : 1, 2) ; 
 one the praise of men and the gratulations of his 
 own pride, the' other pardon from his Father in 
 heaven, and the peace which pardon brings. — 
 JEvery one that exalteth himself shall be 
 abased, etc. Christ, in this parable, affords a 
 spiritual interpretation to the parable in ch. 
 14 : 7-11. 
 
 15-17. Christ Blesses Little Children. — 
 Comp. Matt. 19 : 13-15 ; Mark 10 : 13-16. See 
 notes on Matthew. The words of our Lord are 
 verbatim, as in Mark. From this point the narra- 
 tive again harmonizes with those of Matthew and 
 Mark, after a divergence from ch. 9 : 51. The 
 word infants (^jur/ioc), peculiar to Luke, shows 
 clearly that children are referred to, who were 
 too young to receive instruction and to be 
 brought into the kingdom by an intelligent com- 
 prehension of the truth. Comp. Luke 2 : 12, 1(5 ; 
 Acts 7 : 19 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 15 ; 1 Pet. 2:2; in all of 
 which cases the Greek word is the same. 
 
 18-30. The Rich Young Ruler. — Comp. 
 
 Matt. 19 : 16-30 ; Mark 10 : 17-31. See notes on 
 Matthew. Luke alone describes this young man 
 as a "ruler," i. e., probably a ruler of a syna- 
 gogue. For description of this officer, see note 
 on Matt. 4 : 23. 
 
 31-34. Prophecy of Christ's Passion and 
 Resurrection.— Matt. 20 : 17-19 ; Mark 10 : 32-34. 
 See notes on Mark. The declaration here, All 
 things that are written by the prophets concerning 
 the Son of man (i. e., the Messiah, see Matt. 10 : 23, 
 note) shall be accomplished, is peculiar to Luke. 
 The following are among the prophecies referred 
 to : Psalm 16 : 10 ; 22 : 7, 8, 16, 18 ; 49 : 15 ; 
 Isaiah 53 : 1-9 ; Dan. 9 : 26. The declaration of 
 ver. 34 is also peculiar to Luke. How far the dis- 
 ciples were from understanding the Passion, 
 clearly as it was foretold, is evident from the 
 ambitious request of James and John, which im- 
 mediately followed the prophecy (Mark 10 : 35-15). 
 The reason why they did not understand is indi- 
 cated: "The saying was hid from them," a 
 declaration interpreted in part by John 14 : 29, 
 in part by 1 Cor. 2 : 7, 10. The object of pro- 
 phecy is not to reveal to the present age future 
 events ; this the plainest prophecies never have 
 done ; but to afford a testimony to the truth of 
 divine revelation, after their fulfillment. See 
 Mark 9 : 30-32, notes. 
 
 Ch. 18 : 35-43. THE HEALING OF A BLIND MAN. A 
 
 PARABLE OF REDEMPTION. 
 
 The account of this miracle is given by the 
 three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 
 but with some notable variations. Those 
 which are merely verbal, are given below. Two 
 other variations are of considerable impor- 
 tance. Matthew and Mark represent it as per-
 
 116 LUKE. [Oh. XVIII. 
 
 unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side, I ^ 37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth 
 be 3 g 6 g And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked ^8 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, 
 wnat it meant. have merc V P on me - 
 
 p Ps. 62 : 12. 
 
 formed on Christ's departure from, Luke on 
 Christ's approach to Jericho. Matthew says 
 that there were two blind men; Mark and 
 Luke represent but one. Various attempts have 
 been made to reconcile these differences, as by 
 supposing that Christ healed two blind men, one 
 on his approach, the other on his departure, and 
 that Matthew has combined the two acts in one 
 account. The variation however presents no 
 difficulty except to those who maintain a doc- 
 trine of verbal inspiration, for which the Scrip- 
 ture itself gives no warrant. They are just such 
 as are of the most common occurrence in history, 
 and confirm, instead of throwing doubt over the 
 substantial truth of the narrative. As Matthew 
 was probably an eye-witness, since the apostles 
 apparently accompanied their Lord on this jour- 
 ney, and Mark and Luke derived their infor- 
 mation from others, it is probable that there 
 were two blind men, and that the cure was per- 
 formed on the exit • from, not on the entrance 
 into, Jericho. 
 
 35-37. He was come nigh unto Jericho. 
 In order to harmonize Luke's account with those 
 of Matthew and Mark, it has been proposed to 
 read this, He was near Jericho ; but this is cer- 
 tainly a forced, even if it be a possible construc- 
 tion of the original, and comparing this verse 
 with ch. 19 : 1, it is evident that the writer sup- 
 posed that the miracle was wrought by Jesus on 
 approaching the city. Jericho was situated in 
 
 the valley of the Jordan, opposite the point 
 where Joshua crossed that river on entering the 
 Holy Land. It was about fifteen miles northeast 
 of Jerusalem and about seven from the river. 
 The environs were well watered and rich, and 
 the city was famous for its palm trees and its 
 balsam. Its position made it strategically the 
 key to the entrance of the Holy Land. After its 
 destruction by Joshua (josh., ch. e) its rebuilding 
 was prohibited, under a curse (josh. 6 : 26), which 
 was incurred in the days of King Ahab, by Hiel 
 the Bethelite (l Kings 16 : 34), who refortified it, but 
 apparently did not literally rebuild it, since it had 
 been an inhabited city prior to his time (Judg. 3-13 ; 
 2 Sam. 10 : 5). It subsequently became the site of a 
 school of the prophets, presided over by Elisha 
 (2 Kings 2 : 1-22), who sweetened the waters of 
 the before unpalatable spring in the immediate 
 vicinity. On its plains Zedekiah fell into the 
 hands of the Chaldeans (jer. 39:5; 52:8); three 
 hundred and forty-five of its inhabitants are 
 mentioned in the return from Babylon under 
 Zerubbabel (ta 2 : 34 , Neh. 3:2; 7 : 36). Its revenues 
 were given by Anthony to Cleopatra, and were 
 redeemed by Herod the Great, who rebuilt and 
 ornamented it, and even founded a new town 
 higher up on the plain than the old site. It was 
 plundered and the palace destroyed by a slave of 
 Herod, but was rebuilt again by Archelaus, who 
 again planted the plains with palm trees. It was 
 naturally on Christ's route in passing from Perea 
 
 VIEW OS THE SITE OF JEKICHO.
 
 JESUS GIVING SIGHT. 
 
 "fis Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth."
 
 Ch. XVIII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 117 
 
 39 And they which went before rebuked him, that 
 he should hold his peace : but he cried i so much the 
 more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 
 
 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be 
 brought unto him : and when he was come near, he 
 asked him, 
 
 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? 
 And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 
 
 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight : thy ' 
 faith hath saved thee. 
 
 43 And immediately he received" his sight, and fol- 
 lowed him, glorifying 1 God: and all the people, when 
 they saw it, gave praise unto God. 
 
 q Ps. 141 : 1 ... .r ch. 17 ; 19. . , .s Ps. 30 : 2 t ch. 6 : 26; Acts 4 : 21 ; 11 : 18; Gal. 1 : 24. 
 
 to Jerusalem. Its proximity to Jerusalem made 
 it a favorite residence of the priests when re- 
 leased from the services of the temple ; and its 
 commercial importance made it a headquarters of 
 the publicans or tax-gatherers. The site of the 
 Jericho of the N. T. is believed to have been 
 nearer the mountain called Quarantana than the 
 one now occupied by the modern village. The 
 accompanying illustration is from a sketch 
 by Mr. A. L. Rawson. — A certain blind 
 man sat by the wayside begging. Both 
 beggary and blindness are much more common 
 in the East than with us ; the former, owing to 
 unjust taxation, uneven distribution of wealth, 
 and the total absence of public and systematized 
 charities ; the latter, owing to lack of cleanli- 
 ness, and to exposure to an almost tropical sun, 
 and to burning sands. The duty of charity to the 
 blind was especially enjoined by the Mosaic law 
 (Lev. 19 •. 14 ; Deut. 27 : is). There is nothing in either 
 Evangelist to indicate the nature of the blindness 
 in this case. The beggar's name is given by 
 Mark, Bartimanis. The accompanying illustra- 
 tion of an Eastern beggar, is from an original 
 sketch by Mr. A. L. Rawson, drawn from life. — 
 
 AN EASTERN BEGGAR. 
 
 Jesus the Nazarene is coming by. Evi- 
 dently the fame of the Nazarene had reached 
 Judea ; the name and epithet were sufficient to 
 characterize him, even to this blind beggar. 
 
 38, 39. Jesus, Son of David, have 
 mercy on me. This appeal involves a recog- 
 nition of Christ's Messianic character. The 
 phrase, "Son of David," was a common Judaic 
 appellation of the expected Messiah (Matt, is 1 421. 
 It was a Jewish belief that one of the evidences 
 of the Messiah would be his power to open the 
 eyes of the blind ; it was claimed, perhaps from 
 such passages as Isaiah 29 : 18 ; 42 : 7, and was 
 certainly confirmed by the cures of the blind 
 which Christ had already wrought, both in Gali- 
 lee and in Judea (Matt. 9 : 27-31 ; Mark 8: 22-26; John 
 
 9 : 1-39). — They which went before. Accom- 
 panying and preceding Christ. — Rebuked him. 
 Not because he called Jesus the Son of David, 
 but because he presumed to intrude a private 
 grief upon the King of Israel, when, as they sup- 
 posed, he was going in triumph to Jerusalem, to 
 assume his throne and deliver the nation (ch. 
 19 : 11). The spirit of this rebuke was precisely 
 the same as that of Matt. 19 : 13. — He so much 
 the more. From the ministers and would-be 
 representatives of Christ, the blind man appeals 
 directly to Christ himself. 
 
 40, 41. Commanded him to be led to 
 him. Mark says commanded him tobecalled. He 
 adds, also, as a significant indication of the change 
 in popular feeling wrought by Christ's simple 
 direction, that those who had before rebuked 
 the blind man, now said to him, Cheer up, vine, he 
 calls thee (Juijott, iy&ins, ycovii at). The call of 
 Christ is always full of cheer ; always, too, a call 
 to do something as a token of trust in him. Obe- 
 dience is the only recognized confession of faith. 
 — And when he was come near. He cast off 
 his garment, i. e., his outer mantle or shawl, not 
 stopping to wrap it about him ; an indication of 
 his eagerness and haste. 
 
 42, 43. Receive thy sight. According to 
 Matthew, Christ touched the eyes of both blind 
 men. — Thy faith hath saved thee. In the 
 way in which faith always saves, by making him 
 that exercises it a willing recipient of salvation 
 from the Saviour. 
 
 The commentators in all ages have seen in this 
 a remarkable enacted parable of redemption. 
 The blind man represents the sinner, who, with- 
 out faith, is without the evidence of things un- 
 seen (Heb. 11 : 1) ; yet in his darkness he can at 
 least dimly discern the evidences of the ap- 
 proach of One who gives life and fight ; he calls,
 
 118 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIX. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 AND Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 
 2 And, behold, there -was a man named Zacchse- 
 us, which was the chief among the publicans, and he 
 was rich. , 
 
 3 And he sought to see Jesus, who he was ; and 
 could not lor the press, because he was little of stature. 
 
 4 And he ran belore, and climbed up into a syca- 
 more tree to see him : lor he was to pass that way. 
 
 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, 
 and saw" him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make 
 
 u Josh. 6 : 26 ; 1 Kings 16 : 04 v Ps. 139 : 1-3. 
 
 appealing for mercy to Jesus, i. e., Saviour, and 
 the Son of David, that is, the Great King ; his 
 cry, though not always at first answered, is 
 heard, and he is called in turn, and receives his 
 sight, without fee, reward, or condition of any 
 kind, as the unpurchased and unpurehasable gift 
 of God's love. The incident affords also a kind 
 of parabolic illustration of the reconciliation of 
 free-will and free-grace ; the blind man both calls 
 and is called, elects and is elected. It also illus- 
 trates the peculiar grace of Jesus Christ, who 
 thinks it not unworthy nor inappropriate to turn 
 aside from the march to his triumphant passion 
 and death, in order to hear the cry and heal the 
 infirmity of a blind beggar. 
 
 Ch. 19 : 1-10. THE CALL AND CONVERSION OF ZAC- 
 CHEUS. Genuine repentance illustrated: it in- 
 volves CONFESSION, REPARATION, AND A NEW LITE. 
 
 To get the full meaning of this incident the 
 reader must remember the twofold character of 
 Jericho. It was a city of both priests and pub- 
 licans. About fifteen miles northeast of Jerusa- 
 lem, it was a favorite retreat of the priests when 
 not actually engaged in the temple services. Its 
 palm and balsam were thought by Anthony a 
 present worthy of being conferred on his royal 
 mistress, Cleopatra ; it was the site of one of the 
 palaces of King Herod ; and being the centre of 
 the Judean valley, whose fertility the frosts of 
 winter never checked, it was a headquarters of 
 the tax-gatherers. Thus religion and commerce 
 met here without mingling ; and Christ in choos- 
 ing the house of Zaccheus for his resting-place, 
 passed by the houses of the rabbis and priests of 
 Judaism ; and this on a journey to the capital 
 where, as all his followers believed, he was about 
 to establish the theocracy (ver. 11). It is not 
 strange that "they all murmured." Of the lan- 
 guage of Zaccheus there are two constructions ; 
 either is grammatically tenable. Godet regards 
 it as the language of self -justification ; supposes 
 that Zaccheus tells Christ what he is accustomed 
 to do, in answer to the charge that he is a sinner. 
 The other view regards it as the language of con- 
 fession and promised reformation. This view is 
 more generally adopted by the commentators, 
 and is, I have no doubt, the correct one. See 
 notes below. 
 
 1,2. And passed through Jericho. For 
 history and description of Jericho, see ch. 18 : 35. 
 — A man named Zaccheus. The word 
 
 means pure; its etymology indicates that he was of 
 Jewish extraction ; it appears among the lists of 
 the families who came with Zerubbabel from 
 Babylon at the time of the Restoration (Neh. 7 : 14). 
 — Was a chief among the publicans 
 (uQ/trekantjc). Probably a provincial agent, who 
 had the general supervision of the pubbcans of 
 the province. — And he Avas rich. It almost 
 necessarily follows that he must have been ex- 
 tortionate and a def rauder. For account of pub- 
 bcans, see note on Matt. 9 : 10, 11. 
 
 3, 4. He sought to see Jesus, who he 
 was. What sort of a person. Zaccheus had 
 heard the fame of Jesus, and was impelled by 
 curiosity to see what sort of a man he might be. 
 — And he ran before. He first went out and 
 mingled with the crowd ; but such crowds are 
 rarely reverential to great men ; they even 
 especially delight in elbowing away the mere 
 man of wealth, whose riches are accompanied by 
 unpopularity. Unable to get a sight of Jesus in 
 the crowd, Zaccheus runs before it and climbs a 
 tree, in order to accompbsh his purpose. This 
 resoluteness indicates that there was dormant 
 much desire mingled with his curiosity. — A 
 sycamore tree. Not the sycamore tree of this 
 
 A SYCAMORE TREE. 
 
 country, which is a maple, but the Egyptian fig. 
 It flourishes in the plains and valleys, has low,
 
 ZACCHEUS INVITED. 
 
 " Zaooheus, make haste and come down ; for to-day I must abide 
 at thy house."
 
 Ch. XIX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 119 
 
 haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide "at 
 thy house. 
 
 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received 
 him joyfully. 
 
 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, say- 
 ing, That* he was gone to be guest with a man that is 
 a sinner. 
 
 8 And Zaechaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Be- 
 
 hold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor : t 
 and it I have taken any thing from any man by false 
 accusation, I restore" him fourfold. 
 
 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation 
 come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son b of 
 Abraham. 
 
 io For c the Son of man is come to seek and to save 
 that which was lost. d 
 
 w John 14 : 23 ; Rev 
 
 3 : 20.... r ch. 6 : 30 , Mutt. 9 : 11 . . . . v Pa. 41 : 1 . . . .7. ch. 3 : 14 ; Exnd. 20 • 16.... a Exod. 22 : 1 j 2 Sam. 12: 8.... 
 b ch. 13 : 16 c Matt. 18 : 11 ...d Ezek. 34 : 16 ; Ruin. 6 : 6. 
 
 wide -spreading horizontal branches, and so is 
 easy of ascent. 
 5-7. And said unto him, Zaccheus. 
 
 Jesus may have caught the name from the re- 
 marks and the jeers of the crowd ; but there is 
 nothing incredible in the belief that he who 
 could read the heart of Zaccheus knew his name. 
 — Make haste and come down ; for to-day 
 I must abide at thy house. The must indi- 
 cates, not that this was especially ordained for 
 him, but that it was his impelling and compelling 
 desire to seek and to save that which is lost. He 
 passes by the socially congenial to be the guest 
 of the one whom he can redeem. To abide indi- 
 cates a purpose to make the house of Zaccheus 
 his resting-place while in Jericho, and therefore 
 probably for that night. Observe that the 
 Saviour invites himself to be the guest of the sin- 
 ner ; the story of Zaccheus illustrates the invita- 
 tion of Rev. 3 : 30. — They all murmured. A 
 loose expression, indicating a general expression 
 of surprise and discontent. Probably neither the 
 twelve nor the other publicans joined in this 
 murmuring. It was a common complaint against 
 Jesus (ch. 5 : 30; 15 : 2), and it is not strange that it 
 should have been so. " ' A man's a man for a' 
 that,' the lesson that Jesus taught the Jews in 
 Jericho, the world has not yet learned, despite 
 the lapse of ages. To eat with social sinners is 
 scarcely less pardonable in the ' best society ' of 
 Christendom in the nineteenth century than it 
 was in that of Judaism in the first. Social de- 
 mocracy is the last, as it is the ripest, form of 
 democracy." — (Abbott's Jesus of Nazareth.) 
 
 8-10. And Zaccheus standing said. 
 Godet sees in this standing " a firm and dignified 
 attitude, such as suits a man whose honor is 
 attacked;" ALford, an indication of "some 
 effort and resolve." The latter conception 
 seems to me preferable ; especially if we sup- 
 pose that this took place in the house of Zac- 
 cheus while Christ was seated, possibly at table 
 and in presence of others. — Behold, Lord, the 
 half of my goods I will give to the poor. 
 The tense is present (didto(it\ but has a future 
 signification. The present is used for the future 
 in Greek, "when an action, still future, is to 
 be designated as good as already present, either 
 because it is already firmly resolved upon, or be- 
 cause it follows according to some unalterable 
 
 law." — (Winer.) The Greek student will find 
 illustrations of this fact in Matt. 2(5 : 2 ; Luke 
 12 : 54 ; John 14 : 3 ; Col. 3:6. It is evident that 
 Zaccheus cannot be stating here what is his habit, 
 for no man can habitually give away half his 
 goods ; accordingly Godet, who interprets the 
 language of Zaccheus as that of self -justifica- 
 tion, understands by half of his goods, " the half 
 of his yearly income." The difficulty about this 
 rendering is that it does not interpret what Zac- 
 cheus said, but puts into his mouth something 
 different. The word here rendered goods 
 (irtunxovra) is never used in the N. T. as equiv- 
 alent to income, but always for possessions. — And 
 whatsoever I have taken from any man by 
 false accusation I will restore him four- 
 fold. This rendering more nearly accords with the 
 spirit of the original than our English version ; the 
 Greek for if I have taken, does not necessarily in- 
 dicate uncertainty. " If (el), with the indicative, 
 implies that the condition being true, that which 
 results from it is to be regarded as real and cer- 
 tain." — (Robinson.) See Matt. 4 : 3, note ; 19 : 10. 
 It is impossible to suppose that in this sen- 
 tence, if at all literally rendered, Zaccheus ex- 
 presses a habit of action. A singular evidence of 
 virtue would it be that he was accustomed to rob 
 by false accusation, and then restore fourfold. 
 Godet accordingly supposes that the robbing was 
 done by his subordinates, and that perhaps the 
 restitution was compelled from the detected 
 thief. False accusation was a method of extort- 
 ing money commonly practiced by the tax-gath- 
 erers of the East. In truth, the system of 
 Oriental tax-gathering was and is such that an 
 honest collector could not make a living, much 
 less amass a fortune. See Vol. I, p. 126. The 
 Mosaic law, Num. 5 : 6, 7, requires, when resti- 
 tution was voluntary, that a fifth more than the 
 sum unjustly taken should be restored. The 
 promise of Zaccheus includes much more. When 
 he had given half his property to the poor, 
 and had restored fourfold of his unjust ex- 
 actions, we may fairly assume that he would no 
 longer be rich. The evidence of his repentance 
 was unmistakable. — This day is salvation 
 come to this house. This declaration is re- 
 sponsive to that of Zaccheus, and implies that it 
 had come in and through his repentance. — For- 
 asmuch as he also is a sou of Abraham.
 
 120 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIX. 
 
 ii And as they heard these things, he added and 
 spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, 
 and because l ' they thought that the kingdom ot God 
 should immediately appear. 
 
 12 He said therefore, A certain' nobleman went into 
 
 a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to 
 return. 
 
 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them 
 ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 
 
 14 Bute his citizens hated him, and sent a message 
 
 . f Matt. 25 : 14, etc. ; Mark 13 : 
 
 . ..g Johnl : 11; 15; 18. 
 
 Not because he is a Jew, for Christ no less than 
 John the Baptist, emphatically repudiated the 
 notion that salvation belonged to the Jewish race 
 or descended by generation ; but because he was 
 a Jew inwardly (Rom. 2 : 28, 29 : Gal. 3 : 7). — For the 
 Son of man is come to seek and save the 
 lost. See ch. 15 : 3-10. Another indication that 
 Zaccheus was not before Christ 1 scorning the just 
 and generous man which ver. 8 would indicate if 
 rendered as in our English version. To the com- 
 plaint that Christ was gone to be the guest of a 
 sinner, Christ replies that his mission is to seek 
 and to save the sinner ; how he does this the 
 conversion of Zaccheus illustrates. 
 
 Ch. 19 : 1 l-27.-rAUABLE OF THE TEN POUNDS. The 
 KINGDOM OF God does not immediately appear. — 
 Diligence in earthly duty a condition of admis- 
 sion to heavenly glory. — New trusts the divine 
 reward for fidelity. — using the little aright 
 the way to secure more. — the judgment of the 
 church; the judgment of the world. — the end 
 of the rebellious ! death. 
 
 Analogous to this parable is that of the Ten 
 Talents in Matt. 25 : 14-30 ; Mark 13 : 34-36. 
 The analogy is so marked, that some scholars 
 (Calvin, Olshausen, Meyer) have regarded them 
 as identical. But the differences appear to me 
 very marked. (1.) The time and place of each 
 parable are fixed by the narrative ; that of Mat- 
 thew being in Jerusalem during the Passion 
 week ; that of Luke being as clearly in Jericho, 
 at the house of Zaccheus. (2.) The structure of 
 the two parables, though analogous, is different. 
 In Matthew, a rich man distributed to his ser- 
 vants all his goods, the sum total amounting, at 
 the lowest estimate, to many thousand dollars ; 
 In Luke, a prince going to secure the title to his 
 throne from the central government, leaves in 
 the hands of a few of his servants a small sum, 
 at the largest estimate not exceeding three hun- 
 dred dollars, simply as a means of testing their 
 fidelity. In Matthew, the talents are distributed 
 to each man according to his several ability ; in 
 Luke, each servant receives the same, one pound. 
 In Matthew, only the servants are introduced ; 
 in Luke, public enemies also. (3.) The object of 
 the two parables, though analogous, is not iden- 
 tical. The primary object of the parable in Mat- 
 thew, which is addressed solely to Christ's disci- 
 ples, is to teach the necessity of fidelity in the 
 church ; incidentally it indicates that along time 
 must elapse before the reckoning. The primary 
 object of the parable in Luke, which is addressed 
 
 to all the people, is to teach that the kingdom of 
 God will not immediately appear ; incidentally it 
 teaches how by diligent fidelity the servants of 
 God are to prepare for his appearing, and what 
 is to be the nature of the reckoning, both with 
 them and with those who reject his rule. Go- 
 det, Trench, Alford, Lange, Oosterzee, agree in 
 regarding the two parables as different. 
 
 11, 12. As they heard these things. 
 The time and place of the parable are fixed as 
 in the house of Zaccheus, and in immediate con- 
 nection with the preceding instructions. — He 
 was nigh to Jerusalem. About 15 miles. — 
 Because they thought that the kingdom 
 of God should immediately appear. 
 There was a general expectancy, shared by the 
 disciples, strengthened by such events as the 
 cure of the blind man and the resurrection of 
 Lazarus, that Christ was now on his way to Je- 
 rusalem to inaugurate the kingdom of God, by 
 making the Jewish nation the master of the 
 world and Jerusalem its capital. We must not 
 forget that the career of Alexander and of Ju- 
 lius Caesar gave a color of probability to this 
 expectation of universal dominion. Despite this 
 parable, the disciples continued to believe that 
 the kingdom would immediately appear ; at 
 least, they had no conception of the length of 
 the intervening delay. This anticipation was 
 strikingly manifested in the triumphal entrj r into 
 Jerusalem (vers, ss-ss). — A certain nobleman. 
 One of noble birth ; a fitting type of One who 
 was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, and 
 the eternal Son of God. — Went into a far 
 country to receive for himself a kingdom, 
 and to return. In the Roman empire it was a 
 customary thing for those who had any claim 
 to the throne of a tributary kingdom to go up 
 to Rome to secure by personal solicitation and 
 influence the ratification of their claim. Herod 
 the Great thus secured the title and office of 
 king ; on his death Archelaus, who later had a 
 palace in Jericho, went similarly to the capital 
 to obtain from Augustus a ratification of his 
 father's will, and was followed by an embassy 
 from Judea appointed by the citizens, who, wea- 
 ried of the Ilcrodiau rule, desired of Augustus 
 that their country might be converted into a 
 Roman province. It is probable that this his- 
 torical fact suggested the groundwork of this 
 parable to Jesus. The far country represents 
 heaven, as in Matt. 21 : 33 ; 25 : 14 ; Mark 12 : 1 ; 
 the figure represents the fact that Christ goes
 
 Ch. XIX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 121 
 
 after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign 
 over us. 
 
 15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, 
 having received the kingdom, then he commanded 
 these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had 
 given the money, that he might know how much every 
 man had gained by trading. 
 
 16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound 
 hath gained ten pounds. 
 
 17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: 
 because thou hast been faithful Mn a very little, have 
 thou authority over ten cities. 
 
 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound 
 hath gained five pounds. 
 
 19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over 
 five cities. 
 
 20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is 
 thy pound, which 1 have kept laid up in a napkin : 
 
 21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere 
 man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and 
 reapest that thou didst not sow. 
 
 22 And he saith unto him, Out' of thine own mouth 
 will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knew- 
 est that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not 
 down, and reaping that I did not sow : 
 
 23 Wherefore J then gavest not thou my money into 
 the bank, that at my coming 1 might have required 
 mine own with usury ? 
 
 24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from 
 him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 
 
 25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten 
 pounds.) 
 
 26 For I say unto you, That k unto every one which 
 hath shall be given ; and from him that hath not, even 
 that he hath shall be taken away from him. 
 
 27 But those mine enemies, 1 which would not that I 
 
 h ch. 16 : 10.... i 2 Sam. 1 : 16 ; Job 15 : 6; Matt. 12: 37; 2: 
 Mark 4 : 35....1 Pa. 2 : 4, 5, 9 ; 21 
 
 : 12; Rom. 3: 19.... j Rom. 2 : 4, 5. . . .k ch. 8 : 18 ; Matt. 13: 12; 25 : 29; 
 8, 9 ; Isa. 66 : 6, 14 ; Nahum 1 : 2, 8 ; Heb. 10 : 13. 
 
 away to await the consummation of that king- 
 dom which he receives from his Father, and to 
 return again to enter into possession of it and 
 become King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 
 
 11: 14; 19: 16). 
 
 13, 14. And he called his ten servants. 
 
 Rather, ten of his servants. "Besides that the 
 original requires this, it would be absurd to sup- 
 pose that, with the immense households of an- 
 tiquity, which, as Seneca says, were nations 
 rather than families, this nobleman, of conse- 
 quence enough to be raised to a royal dignity, 
 had but ten servants belonging to him." — 
 {Trench.) — Ten pounds. The pound, or mina, 
 is variously estimated as equivalent to from $15 
 to $30. — Occupy till I come. Rather, Track 
 till I come. The Greek word rendered occupy 
 (Ttoayuunvouai) signifies literally to be busy ; it is 
 the same word which, with an added preposi- 
 tion, is rendered in ver. 15 gained by trading. In 
 the same sense the word occupy is used in Ezek. 
 27 : 9. — But his citizens hated him. These 
 citizens represent those who reject the claims of 
 Christ to be their King; primarily, the Jews 
 
 (John 19 : 15, 21 ; Acts 4 : 25-27) J Secondarily, all those 
 
 who league themselves in direct hostility to 
 
 Christ (2 Thess. 2 : 3, 4 ; Rev. 13 : 1-s). 
 
 15-19. Compare Matt. 25 : 19-23, and notes 
 there. (1.) Observe here that it is God's pound 
 that has made the ten pounds ; the fruitfulness 
 of our work is the gift of divine grace. (2.) In 
 God's government promotion depends on fidel- 
 ity. This is in a measure true here and now; 
 fulfillment of duty in a lower and lesser station 
 is rewarded by the providence which bids to go 
 up higher. (3.) Present duties are but trials of 
 character ; God gives the pound that he may 
 test and see who is worthy of a city. (4.) The 
 grace given here below, by our use of which we 
 are to show ourselves capable of receiving the 
 crown above, Jesus calls a very little. "What 
 an idea of future glory is given to us by this Bay- 
 ing!"— (Godet.) 
 
 20-23. Compare Matt. 25 : 24-27, notes. The 
 bank here answers to the money-changers there. 
 It is the broker's table or counter at which he 
 sat in the market or public place, and upon 
 which he set out the sums of money required 
 for transacting his daily business. From the 
 fact that this was transacted upon a bench comes 
 our word banker ; if he could not meet his lia- 
 bilities his bench was broken to pieces, and he 
 was prohibited from continuing his business ; 
 hence the term "broken bank" (Italian, banco 
 rotto) and "bankrupt." Alford regards the bank 
 here as a type of religious societies, by the aid 
 of which the most timid may employ their Lord's 
 money. 
 
 24-26. Them that stood by. Comp. 
 Matt. 25 : 28-30. Perhaps, as Trench supposes, 
 a type of the angels who are represented as tak- 
 ing a part in the final judgment (Dan. 7 : 10 ; Matt. 
 
 13 : 41 ; 16 : 27 ; 24 : 31 ; 2 Thess. 1:7; Jude 14). — Give it 
 
 to him that hath ten pounds. "The holy 
 works which he might have wrought here be- 
 low, along with the powers by which he might 
 have accomplished them, are committed to that 
 servant who has shown himself the most active. 
 This or that pagan population, for example, 
 which might have been evangelized by the young 
 Christian who remained on the earth the slave 
 of selfish ease, shall be committed in the future 
 dispensation to the devoted missionary who has 
 used his powers in the service of Jesus." — (Go- 
 det.) — Lord, he hath ten pounds. The lan- 
 guage of remonstrance ; he has ten pounds al- 
 ready, why give him more '? — Unto every one 
 which hath shall be given, etc. Every at- 
 tainment of honor, wealth, knowledge, or spirit- 
 ual grace helps to render further attainment 
 more easy and more assured ; while it is spirit- 
 ually as well as materially true that "the de- 
 struction of the poor is their poverty " (Prov. 10 : 15). 
 In ch. 8 : 18 Christ says "that which he seem- 
 eth to have " shall be taken away. The gift, 
 whether of knowledge, money, or grace, which
 
 122 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XIX. 
 
 should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them 
 before me. 
 
 28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, 
 ascending up to Jerusalem. 
 
 29 And "' it came to pass, when he was come nigh to 
 Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the 
 mount ol Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 
 
 30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against ;>w/ / 
 in the which, at your entering, ye shall find a colt tied, 
 whereon yet never man sat : loose him, and bring 
 him hither. 
 
 31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him ? 
 
 thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath 
 need" of him. 
 
 32 And they that were sent went their way, and 
 found even as he had said unto them. 
 
 33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners 
 thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 
 
 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him. 
 
 35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast 
 their" garments upon the colt, and they setf Jesus 
 thereon. 
 
 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the 
 way. 
 
 Matt. 21 : 1, etc. ; Mark 11:1, etc n Ps. 60 : 10 o 2 Kings 9 : 13 p John 12 : 
 
 a man does not use, he does not really have. Un- 
 used possession is only a seeming possession. In 
 ch. 25 : 30 the unprofitable servant is cast out 
 into outer darkness; here, in being depiived of 
 all that he hath, which includes the light of di- 
 vine grace, the same sentence is really implied. 
 
 27. But those mine enemies * * * 
 bring hither and slay them before me. 
 In this parable the trial of the church precedes 
 the trial of the world. Comp. 1 Pet. 4 : 18. 
 There is in this, perhaps, a hint of the first and 
 second resurrections (Rev. so -. 5, 6). But in the 
 marriage of the king's son (Matt. 22 : 7-1.3) the pun- 
 ishment of the open enemies precedes that of the 
 guest without a wedding garment. The slaying 
 >of the enemies in the presence of the king is in 
 accordance with the custom of the Eastern 
 
 «OUrtS (l Sam. 11 : 12 ; 15 : 32, 33; Jer. 52 : 10). Found in 
 
 the teachings of Christ, it possesses a peculiarly 
 solemn significance, and seems to import the 
 terrible punishment and perhaps the literal de- 
 struction of the enemies of Cod (Matt. 13 : 49, 50 ; 
 
 21 : 44 ; 25 : 30, 46 ; 2 Thess. 1 : 8-10). 
 
 Ch. 19 : 28-48. TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSA- 
 LEM. Chbist a king.— Religious enthusiasm ap- 
 proved.— The STMPATHT OF CHRIST FOR SINNERS. — 
 
 The rejection of Christ the great sin. — The pun- 
 ishment THEREOF : DESTRUCTION. 
 
 The account of this public and triumphal en- 
 try into Jerusalem is given by all four Evan- 
 gelists, but by John only briefly. The account 
 is, on the whole, fullest and most graphic here. 
 There are, however, particulars mentioned by 
 the other Evangelists, which are omitted by 
 Luke. John refers to some that came forth 
 from Jerusalem to meet Jesus (John 12 : 13) ; Mat- 
 thew to the children of the temple who joined 
 in the acclamations (Matt. 21 : 15, 16). On the other 
 hand, Luke alone records the interposition of the 
 Pharisees, Christ's reply (vers. 39,40), and Christ's la- 
 ment over the city and prophecy of its destruction 
 (vers. 41-44). The cleansing of the temple mention- 
 ed here and in Matthew as though it occurred 
 on the first day of Christ's entrance into Jerusalem 
 is distinctly stated by Mark to have occurred on 
 the following day. I believe the order in Mark, 
 who is more explicit than either of the other 
 
 Evangelists, to be the correct one. See Mark 
 11 : 11, note. The significance of this entry into 
 Jerusalem has been too little considered. It was 
 Christ's nature to shun crowds ; his custom to 
 avoid them. He forbade his disciples from dis- 
 closing to others that he was the Messiah, and 
 this prohibition was repeatedly given (Matt, ig : 20 ; 
 
 17:9; Mark 3:12; 5 : 43 ; 6 : 36, etc.). This exceptional 
 
 assumption of dignity and acceptance of homage 
 is for this reason the more remarkable and sig- 
 nificant. I believe it to be an emphasis of the 
 truth that he was a King, and came as King ; 
 that it throws forth into prominence a truth re- 
 specting him often forgotten, namely, that he is 
 Lord and Master as well as Saviour, crowned 
 with authority as well as with humility and love. 
 This triumphal entry took place at this time in 
 Jerusalem, not in Galilee, because he would 
 have a public testimony to the fact that it was 
 their King the Jews crucified. It is not merely 
 the Messiah that saves, nor the crucified One 
 that saves, but the Messiah crucified (1 cor. 1 : 23). 
 The fact that this incident is attested by all of 
 the Evangelists is important. For those who 
 give any historical credence to these narratives 
 cannot, in the light of this event, believe that 
 the Messianic character was invented and im- 
 puted to Jesus by a later reverential imagina- 
 tion. It was claimed by himself. 
 
 28-30. Ascending up to Jerusalem. 
 Ascending because Jericho was over 3,000 feet 
 lower than Jerusalem. See ch. 10 : 30, note. — 
 Bethphage and Bethany. The language is 
 the same in Mark. Bethany was a suburb of Jeru- 
 salem, about two miles from that city, on the 
 eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, near the 
 place where the road to Jericho descends steeply 
 to the Jordan valley. It was the home of Mary 
 and Martha. See John 11 : 1, note. But where 
 was Bethphage? No such village is mentioned 
 elsewhere in the Bible ; tradition is silent ; the 
 references in the Talmud indicate only a locality 
 near Jerusalem. It is generally assumed to have 
 been a village near Bethany ; but Godet, follow- 
 ing Lightfoot, supposes it to have been a dis- 
 trict, in which Bethany was situated. The 
 meaning of the word is home of figs.— Two of 
 his disciples. Their names are not given. An
 
 Ch. XIX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 123 
 
 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the 
 descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude 
 of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a 
 loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen ; 
 
 38 Saying, Blessed 1 be the King that cometh in the 
 name of the Lord ; r peace in heaven, and glory in the 
 highest. 
 
 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the muU 
 titude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 
 
 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you, 
 that, if these should hold their peace, the 8 stones would 
 immediately cry out. 
 
 41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, 
 and wept ' over it, 
 
 42 Saying, It thou hadst known, even thou, at least 
 in this thy day," the things which belong unto thy 
 peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 
 
 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine 
 enemies shall cast * a trench about thee, and compass 
 thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 
 
 44 And * shall lay thee even with the ground, and 
 thy children within thee ; and they « shall not leave in 
 thee one stone upon another; because * thou knewest 
 not the time of thy visitation. 
 
 q ch. 13 : 36; Ps. 118 : 26 r ch. 2 : 14; Rom. 6:1; Ephes. 2 : 14 s Hab. 2:11; Matt. 3:9 t Ps. 119 : 136; Jer. 9 : 1 ; 13 ■ 17 • 17 ■ K, ■ 
 
 John 11 : 35... .u Ps. 95:7, 8; Heb. 3 : 7, 13, 15. . . .v Isa. 29 : 2, 3 ; Jer. 6 : 5, 6. . . .w ch. 13 : 34, 35 ; 1 Kings 9 : 7, 8 ; Mlcah8:12- 
 Mult. 23 : 37, 38 x Mutt. 24 : 2 ; Mark 13 : S y Lam. 1 : 8 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 12. 
 
 analogous commission, to prepare the passover, 
 was given to Peter andJohn (ch. 22:8). — The vil- 
 lage over against you. Either Bethany or 
 Bethphage. The direction was given just before 
 reaching the village. — Ye shall fiud a colt 
 tied. The colt of an ass ; the ass was with the 
 colt (Matt. 21 : 2). According to Matthew it was 
 the ass that was tied. — Whereon yet never 
 man sat. Beasts that had not been worked 
 were used for sacred purposes (Numb. 19 ; 2 ; Deut. 
 si : 3; i Sam. 6 : 7). Hence the significance of this 
 command to bring such a colt for Christ's entry 
 into the holy city. 
 
 31-34. The Lord hath need of him. The 
 Lord here may be either equivalent to Jehovah, 
 or to Jesus Christ, the recognized Lord of all his 
 disciples. In the former case, the language is 
 equivalent to, He is needed for the service of 
 God; we shall then understand that the owner 
 was simply a godly man, and that, acting under 
 a divine impulse, he allowed these strangers to 
 take his animal for a service of God, the nature 
 of which he did not understand. If we give the 
 latter interpretation, we must assume that the 
 owner of the ass and colt was a disciple of Jesus 
 Christ, and that he recognized in this reply a 
 message from his Lord, and yielded to it. This 
 seems to me the more probable hypothesis. In 
 either case the moral lesson is the same ; who- 
 ever brings the message, The Lord hath need, we 
 are to respond, if satisfied that it comes from 
 him. — And found even as he had said unto 
 them. Mark gives some particulars as to the 
 place. See Mark 11 : 4, note. 
 
 35, 3G. Combining the four accounts we get 
 the following features : Some took off their 
 outer garment, the burnoose, and bound it on the 
 colt as a kind of saddle ; others cast their garments 
 in the way, a mark of honor to a king ( 2 Kings 9:13); 
 others climbed the trees, cut down the branches, 
 and strewed them in the way (Matt. 21 : s) ; others 
 gathered leaves, and twigs, and rushes (Mark 11 : 8, 
 note). This procession was made up largely of 
 Galileans, but the reputation of Christ, increased 
 by the resurrection of Lazarus, had preceded 
 him, and many came out from the city to swell 
 the acclamations and increase the enthusiasm 
 
 (John 12 : 13). Matthew adds that all this was in 
 fulfillment of prophecy (Matt. 21 :4, 5; com P . z^ch. 
 
 9 : 9). 
 
 37, 38. At the descent of the Mount of 
 Olives. That is, at the apex of the hill, and as 
 they began to descend on the western slope, 
 looking toward Jerusalem. "From this elevated 
 point, three hundred feet above the terrace of 
 the temple, which was itself raised about one 
 hundred and forty feet above the level of the 
 valley of the Cedron, an extensive view was had 
 of the city and the whole plain which it com- 
 mands, especially of the temple, which rose op- 
 posite, immediately above the valley. All these 
 hearts recall at this moment the miracles which 
 have distinguished the career of this extraordi- 
 nary man ; they are aware that at the point to 
 which things have come his entry into Jerusalem 
 cannot fail to issue in a decisive revolution, al- 
 though they form an utterly false idea of that 
 catastrophe." — (Oodet.) — Saying, Blessed be 
 the King. They quote from Psalm 118 : 25, 26, 
 a part of the great Hallel which was chanted at 
 the Paschal feast. — That cometh in the name 
 of the Lord. That is, as the representative of 
 Jehovah. — Peace in heaven. The Divine King 
 comes to proclaim peace in heaven toward those 
 that are on earth, reconciling all things unto God 
 by himself (2 Cor. 5 : 20 ; col. 1 : 20). 
 
 39, 40. Master, rebuke thy disciples. 
 The natural representatives of these Pharisees in 
 the present are to be found among those who re- 
 buke all religious enthusiasm. Observe, too, that 
 the contrast is here clearly drawn between those 
 who render homage to Christ as the representative 
 of God on the earth, and those who condemn it as 
 unseemly, and that Christ not only receives the 
 homage, but rebukes the refusal to give it. — 
 The stones would immediately cry out. 
 "The prophet Habakkuk had six hundred and 
 fifty years before, foretold the day when the 
 stones should cry out of the wall, and the beam 
 out of the timber should answer it (Hab. 2:11). 
 Possibly Jesus referred to this prophecy, and to 
 the hour of its fulfillment, when, because Jeru- 
 salem had no songs of welcome for its Lord, the 
 stones of its falling towers, and walLs, and temple
 
 124 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XX. 
 
 45 And z he went into the temple, and began to cast 
 out them that sold therein, and them that bought ; 
 
 46 Saying unto them, It is" written, My house is the 
 house of prayer : but ye have made it a den b of thieves. 
 
 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the 
 chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people 
 sought to destroy him, 
 
 48 And could not find what they might do : for all 
 the people were very attentive to hear him. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 AND d it came to pass, that on one of those days, as 
 he taught the people in the temple, and preached 
 the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon 
 him, with the elders, 
 
 2 And spake unto him, saving, Tell us, by e what 
 authority doest thou these things? or who is he that 
 gave thee this authority ? 
 
 3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also 
 ask you one thing ; and answer me : 
 
 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of 
 men ? 
 
 5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we 
 shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then be- 
 lieved ye him not ? 
 
 6 But and if we say, Of men ; all the people will 
 stone us: for' they be persuaded that John was a 
 prophet. 
 
 7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence 
 it was. 
 
 8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by 
 what authority I do these things. 
 
 9 Then began he to speak to the people this para- 
 ble: As certain man planted a vineyard, 11 and let it 
 forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for 
 a long time. 
 
 10 And at the season, he sent a servant to the hus- 
 
 z Matt. 21 : 12, 13. 
 
 .a Isa. 56 : 7....b Jer. 7 : 11 c J"hn 18 : 20 d Matt. 21 . 23, etc. ; Mark 11 : 27, etc....e Acts 4 : 7-10; 7 : 
 
 f Matt. 14 : 5....g Matt. 21 : 33, etc. ; Mark 12 : 1, etc h Cunt. 8 : 11, 12; Isa. 6 : 1-7. 
 
 courts, cried out in wrathful tones the judg- 
 ments of God against her." — (Abbott's Jesus of 
 Nazareth. ) 
 
 41-44. This lament over Jerusalem is re- 
 ported alone by Luke. The present hour of 
 triumph affords Jesus no personal exultation. 
 He thinks only, with infinite compassion, of the 
 impending destruction of Jerusalem, and the 
 sorrow that will overwhelm those who rejected 
 and crucified him. The prophecy of that de- 
 struction is so minute and exact, that some skep- 
 tical writers have insisted that the language must 
 have been written subsequent to the event. — He 
 wept over it. The original (y.Xaloj) implies not 
 merely the shedding of tears, but other external 
 expressions of grief ; a deep sorrow, expressed 
 by sobbings rather than silent tears, is indicated. 
 Twice Jesus is said to have wept ; once at the 
 grave of Lazarus (John n ■. 35), once at the thought 
 of Jerusalem's tragic end ; both times they were 
 tears of sympathy for others' woes. Unselfish 
 tears are not unmanly. — If thou hadst known. 
 Christ repeated his warning of the impending 
 doom in his instructions during the succeeding 
 days in the temple (Matt. 21 : 42-44; 23 : 33-39), but the 
 city would not hear. — Even thou, yea even in 
 this thy day. Thy day of mercy. It was not 
 yet too late for Jerusalem to repent and to seek 
 in righteousness what would make for peace. 
 The lament is like that of Christ over every soul 
 which is willfully indifferent to the cravings of di- 
 vine love, and will not know the things that make 
 for its peace. — The things which (tend) unto 
 thy peace. Tend rather than belong; that is, 
 the course of conduct which would secure peace. 
 There may be a reference here to the name of 
 the city which signifies, Foundation of peace. — 
 That thy enemies shall cast a trench 
 about thee. Rather, a mound. The original 
 (/uQu-) signifies a military rampart around a camp 
 or a besieged city, formed of the earth thrown 
 out of a trench, and stuck with sharp stakes or 
 palisades. Titus, in the siege of Jerusalem, pro- 
 
 ceeded by regular approaches, throwing up earth- 
 works. A rampart, such as is here described, 
 was constructed, destroyed in a sally, and re- 
 placed by a wall. — And compass thee round. 
 He entirely encircled the city, making escape, 
 after his lines were once complete, impossible. — 
 Shall not leave in thee one stone upon 
 another. For illustration of the completeness 
 of the destruction, see ch. 21 : 6, note and illus- 
 tration. For description of the siege and its hor- 
 rors, see Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note. — Because 
 thou knewest not the time of thy visita- 
 tion. The city was destroyed because it re- 
 jected Christ, who would have redeemed it from 
 destruction (Matt. 21 : 38-43 ; 22 : 7). The student 
 will lose the true meaning and value of this la- 
 ment for himself, if he does not recognize in the 
 destruction of Jerusalem a type of the end of the 
 world and of the judgment that awaits each indi- 
 vidual soul, that knows not the time of its merci- 
 ful visitation, and rejects the Lord, who would 
 bring to it peace. 
 
 45, 46. This casting out of the traders is not 
 to be confounded with that recorded by John 
 (John 2 : 13-16). See Mark 11 : 15-19, notes. It was 
 an act of kingly authority. 
 
 47, 48. Compare Mark 11 : 18, 19. The chief 
 of the people, probably denote the chiefs of the 
 synagogues, who combined with the chief priests, 
 i. e., with the heads of the priestly courses and 
 the scribes, i. e., the theological teachers. All the 
 people were very attentive, indicates that Christ was 
 popular among the common people in Jerusalem, 
 who had perhaps caught their enthusiasm from 
 the Galileans and other strangers. Apparently 
 he spent every night out of the city (Mark n : 19; 
 
 Luke 21 : 38). 
 
 Ch. 20 : 1-8. The Authority of Christ 
 Questioned.— Comp. Matt. 21 : 23-27; Mark 
 11 : 27-33. See notes on Matthew. The varia- 
 tions in phraseology are very slight, and are none 
 of them very material.
 
 Ch. XX.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 125 
 
 bandmen, that they should give him of the fruit 1 of the 
 vineyard ; but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him 
 away empty. 
 
 ii And again he sent another servant : and they beat 
 him also, and eutreated him shamefully, and sent hint 
 away empty. 
 
 12 And again he sent a third : and they wounded 
 him also, and cast him out. 
 
 13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I 
 do ? I will send my beloved son : it may be they will 
 reverence him, when they see him. 
 
 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reason- 
 ed among themselves, saying, This is the heir : > come, 
 let* us kill him, that the inheritance may be our's. 
 
 15 Sj they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed 
 him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do 
 unto them ? 
 
 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, 
 and shall give the vineyard to others. 1 And when they 
 heard it, they said, God forbid. 
 
 17 And he beheld them, and said. What is this then 
 that is written. The m stone which the builders reject- 
 ed, the same is become the head of the corner ? 
 
 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be 
 broken ; but" on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind 
 him to powder. 
 
 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same 
 hour sought to lay hands on him ; and they feared the 
 people : for they perceived that he had spoken this 
 parable against them. 
 
 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, 
 which should feign themselves just men, that they 
 might take hold of his words, that so they might de- 
 liver him unto the power and authority of the gover- 
 nor. 
 
 21 And they asked him, saying. Master, we know 
 that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest 
 thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God 
 truly : 
 
 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or 
 no ? 
 
 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto 
 them, Why tempt ye me ? 
 
 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and super- 
 scription hath it ? They answered and said, Caesar's. 
 
 25 And lie said unto them, Render p therefore unto 
 Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the 
 things which be God's. 
 
 26 And they could not take hold of his words before 
 the people : and they marvelled at bis answer, and 
 held ' their peace. 
 
 27 Then r came to him certain of the Sadducees," 
 which deny that there is any resurrection ; and they 
 asked him, 
 
 28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote' unto us, If any 
 man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without 
 children, that his brother should take his wife, and 
 raise up seed unto his brother. 
 
 29 There were therefore seven brethren : and the 
 first took a wife, and died without children. 
 
 30 And the second took her to wife, and he died 
 childless. 
 
 31 And the third took her; and in like manner the 
 seven also : and they left no children, and died. 
 
 32 Last of all the woman died also. 
 
 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them 
 is she ? for seven had her to wife. 
 
 34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The chil- 
 dren of this world marry, and are given in marriage : 
 
 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy u to 
 obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, 
 neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 
 
 36 Neither" can they die any more: for they are 
 equal unto the angels ; w and are the * children of God, 
 being the children of the resurrection. 
 
 37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shew- 
 ed y at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of 
 Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God cf Jacob. 
 
 38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living : 
 for z all live unto him. 
 
 39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Mas- 
 ter, thou hast well said. 
 
 40 And after that they durst not ask him any ques- 
 tion at all. 
 
 41 And" he said unto them, How say they that 
 Christ is David's son ? 
 
 i John 15:16; Rom. 7 : 4. . . .j Ps. 2 : 8 ; Rom. 8 : 17 ; Heb. 1 : 2. . . .k Matt. 27 : 21-25 ; Acts 2 : 23 ; 3 : 15. .. .1 Neh. 9 : 36, 37. . . .m Ps. 
 
 118 :22....n Dan. 8: 34, 35.... o Matt. 22: 15, etc.; Mark 12: 13.... p Rom. 13 : 7....q Titus 1 : 10, II r Matt. 22 : 23, etc.; Mark 
 
 12: 18, etc... s Acts 23 : 6, 8 t Deut. 25 : 6-8 u ch. 21 : 36; Rev. 3:4 v Rev. 21 : 4 w 1 Cor. 15:49, 52; 1 John 3 : 2 x Rom. 
 
 8 : 17. . . .y Exod. 3 : 2-6. . . .z Rom. 14 : 8, 9. . . .a Matt. 22 : 42 ; Mark 12 : 35, etc. 
 
 9-19. Parable of the Wicked Husband- 
 men.— Comp. Matt. 21 : 33^6 ; Mark 12 : 1-12. 
 See notes on Matthew. The variations in phrase- 
 ology are considerable. Luke alone tells us that 
 the parable was spoken to the people. The season 
 (ver. 10) is equivalent to the time of the fruit (Matt. 
 21 : 34), i. e. y the harvest period, when the rent in 
 produce would naturally be payable. What shall 
 I do? (ver. 13), a graphic representation of the 
 Heavenly Father's grief over the rebellion of his 
 children, is peculiar to Luke. The prophetic 
 declaration of punishment, he shall come and 
 destroy these husbandmen, appears from a compar- 
 ison with Matthew to have been elicited from 
 the people by Christ's question, and to have 
 elicited in turn the involuntary response from the 
 Pharisees, God forbid. 
 
 20-26. Concerning Tribute to Caesar. — 
 Comp. Matt. 22 : 15-22 ; Mark 12 : 13-17. Verse 
 20 is peculiar to Luke, but accords with and per- 
 haps is implied by the language of Matt. 
 22 : 15, 16. 
 
 27-40. The Sadducees Silenced. — Comp. 
 Matt. 22 : 23-33 ; Mark 12 : 18-27. See notes on 
 
 Matthew. Vers. 34-36 are peculiar to Luke, and 
 give much more fully than Matthew or Mark 
 Christ's reply. But this reply is preceded by a se- 
 vere rebuke of the Sadducees reported by the 
 other evangelists, but not by Luke. Marriage 
 being ordained to preserve the human species, to 
 which otherwise death would soon put an end, 
 ceases with death. Those who are accounted 
 worthy to obtain eternal life and the resurrection 
 of the dead, i. e., the first resurrection (Rev. 
 20 : 5, 6), or the resurrection of life (John 5 : 29), be- 
 come, not angels, but equal with the angels, in the 
 two respects that they do not know death and do 
 not marry. The last clause of ver. 36, are the 
 children of God, being the children of the resurrec- 
 tion, implies that it is their resurrection which 
 gives them a right to be regarded as the children 
 of God. It is this resurrection into the divine 
 likeness, for which the Psalmist aspired (ps. h : 15) ; 
 for which Paul strove (pmi. 3 : 11) ; for which John 
 hoped (1 John 3 : 2). The last clause of ver. 38, for 
 all live unto him, is also peculiar to Luke. The 
 meaning appears to be that only to men do the 
 departed seem dead ; in the sight of God all are
 
 126 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXI. 
 
 42 And David himself saith h in the book of Psalms, 
 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right 
 hand, 
 
 43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 
 
 44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then 
 his son ? 
 
 45 Then in the audience of c all the people he said 
 unto his disciples, 
 
 46 Beware ° of the scribes, which desire to walk in 
 long robes, and love greetings l in the markets, and the 
 highest seats in tiie synagogues, and the chief rooms 
 at feasts ; 
 
 47 Which' devour widows' houses, and for a shows 
 make long prayers : the same shall receive greater h 
 damnation. 
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 AND he looked up, and' saw the rich men casting 
 their gitts into the treasury. 
 
 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in 
 thither two mites. 
 
 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this 
 poor widow hath cast in more J than they all. 
 
 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto 
 the offerings of God : but she of her penury hath cast 
 in all the living that she had. 
 
 5 And k as some spake of the temple, how it was 
 adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 
 
 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will 
 come, in the which ' there shall not be left one stone 
 upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 
 
 b Ps. 110 : 1 ; Arts 2 : 
 2 : 5....H. ch. 10 
 
 34.... c 1 Tim. 5 : 20.... d Murk IS : 38, etc. ...e ch. 11 : 43. . . .f Isa. 10:2; Matt. 23:14; 2 Tim. 3 : 6. . . .j? 1 Thess. 
 12, 14 ; James 3 : 1 i Mark 12:41....j 2 Cor. 8 : 12 k Malt. 24 : 1, etc. ; Mark 13 : 1, etc 1 ch. 19 : 44, etc. 
 
 living. The declaration of vers. 39, 40, is implied 
 in Matt. 2:3 : 34 ; comp. Matt. 22 : 40. 
 
 41-44. The Pharisees Baffled. Comp. 
 Matt. 22 : 41-46 ; Mark 12 : 35-37. See notes on 
 Matthew. This question followed the question 
 addressed to Christ by the lawyer, concerning 
 the great commandment in the law. 
 
 45-47. Denunciation of the Scribes. — 
 These verses embody a bare suggestion of a dis- 
 course reported in full by Matthew (ch. 23). Some 
 of the same thoughts and almost identical ex- 
 pressions reported there in Matthew are given by 
 Luke in other connections (Luke 11 : 42-54 ; 13 : 33-35). 
 On the verses here, see Matt. 23 : 5, 6, 14, and 
 Mark 12 : 38-40. For illustration of highest seats 
 in the synagogues, see Luke 11 : 43. 
 
 Ch. 21 : 1-4. The Widow's Mites.— Comp. 
 Mark 12 : 41-44, notes. 
 
 Ch. 21 : 5-3G. Discourse on the Last 
 Days.— See Matt., ch. 24. This discourse was 
 delivered apart to the disciples, perhaps only 
 
 to Peter, James, John, and Andrew, and on 
 the Mount of Olives over against Jerusalem 
 (Mark 13 : 3). The fullest and most systematic 
 report is afforded by Matt., ch. 24. For analy- 
 sis of discourse, a brief statement of the dif- 
 ferent interpretations, and notes on what is 
 common to the three accounts, see Matthew. 
 Matthew and Mark are very nearly identical ; 
 though the verbal differences are such as to 
 indicate that they are from independent sources. 
 Luke's language is quite different, and though 
 his report is least full of the three, and gives 
 indications of not being by an eye and ear 
 witness, it contains some matters not afforded by 
 either of the other accounts. In the notes here I 
 confine myself to these peculiar features. 
 
 5-6. This was said by the disciples as they, 
 with Jesus, were leaving the temple. Comp. 
 Mark 13 : 1, 2, notes. 
 
 7-11. They asked him. His disciples, pri- 
 vately (Mark 13 : 3, note). For analysis of their ques- 
 tion, which affords a key to the discourse, see in 
 Matt. 24 : 3. — The time dravveth near. That 
 
 the temple site.
 
 Ch. XXL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 127 
 
 7 And they asked him, saying', Master, but when 
 shall these things be ? and what sign will there be 
 when these things shall come to pass? 
 
 8 And he said. Take" 1 heed that ye be not deceived : 
 for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ ; 
 and ° the time draweth near : go ye not therefore after 
 them. 
 
 9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, 
 be ° not terrified : for these things must first come to 
 pass ■ but the end is not by and by. 
 
 io Then said he unto them, p Nation shall rise against 
 nation, and kingdom against kingdom : 
 
 1 1 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, 
 and famines, and pestilences ; and fearful sights and 
 great signs shall there be from heaven. 
 
 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on 
 
 you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the syna- 
 gogues, and into pnsons,i being brought before kings ' 
 and rulers for my name's sake. 
 
 13 And " it shall turn to you for a testimony. 
 
 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to ' meditate 
 before what ye shall answer : 
 
 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which 
 all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay u nor 
 resist. 
 
 16 And 'ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and 
 brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends ; aud w some of you 
 shall they cause to be put to death. 
 
 17 And ye shall be hated x of all men for my name's 
 sake. 
 
 18 But? there shall not an hair of your head perish. 
 
 19 In your patience z possess ye your souls. 
 
 m 2Thes8. 2 : 3, 9, 10; 1 Jolin 4 : 1 ; 2 John 7 n Rev. 1 : 3 o Prov. 3 : 25, 26.... p Haggni 2 : 22 q Acta 4 : 3 ; 6 : 18 ; 12 : 4; 16 : 24 : 
 
 Rev. 2: 10. ...r Acts 25 : 23.... s Phil. 1 : 28 ; 2Thess. 1 : 5....1 ch. 12:11 ; Malt. 10 : 19. . . .u Acts 6 : 10. . . v Micah 7 :5,6....w Acts 7 : 59; 
 12 : 2; 26 : 10 ; Rev. 2 ; 13 ; 6 : 9 ; 12 : 11 I Julio 17 : 14 y Matt. 10 : 30 l Rom. 5:3, Heb. 10 : 36 ; James 1 : 4. 
 
 is, the time of the second coming of the Mes- 
 siah and the manifestation of his kingdom. 
 These are the words with which the false pro- 
 phets would endeavor to deceive the church. — 
 There shall not he one stone left upon 
 another that shall not be thrown down. 
 The accompanying illustration shows how com- 
 pletely this prediction has been realized. It is a 
 view of the temple site as it now is, standing near 
 and west of the present Mosque of Omar. " The 
 Temple of Herod has entirely disappeared, and 
 its materials have been carried away and used in 
 other buildings. — The end is not immedi- 
 ately. The Greek word (iu«9itoc), here rendered 
 by and by, is never so translated in the N. T. ex- 
 cept here and in Luke 17 : 7. In both cases, the 
 word immediately would better convey the mean- 
 ing. The use of the phrase, "by and 6y," as 
 equivalent to immediately, has become obsolete. 
 The meaning is, that the end of the world will 
 not immediately follow the troublous times pre- 
 dicted in the preceding part of this sentence. — 
 Fearful sights and great signs shall there 
 be from heaven. These words are not found 
 in Matthew or Mark. Josephus gives an account 
 of prodigies accompanying the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, which may be a fulfillment of this 
 prophecy. See Matthew, ch. 24, Prel. Note. 
 These are not to be confounded with the signs 
 mentioned in ver. 25. See on Matt. 24 : 29-31. 
 
 12-19. Compare Mark 13 : 9-11, and notes. 
 Matthew's report is not so full, and contains nei- 
 ther the directions nor the promises here given ; 
 but parallel to them is Matt. 10 : 17-22 ; see notes 
 there. — But before all these. That is, before 
 the perfected fulfillment of this prophecy. The 
 language here confirms the view maintained in 
 the notes on Matthew, that Christ's prophecy in 
 this chapter was not fulfilled by the destruction 
 of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish 
 nation. It still awaits its perfect fulfillment. — 
 It shall result to you for a testimony. 
 That is, the malice of Christ's foes shall be made 
 by God a means of testifying to the faithfulness 
 
 of Christ's disciples to him, and his faithfulness 
 to his disciples. Thus the blood of the martyrs 
 becomes the seed of the church. — Settle it in 
 your hearts. The dangers, therefore, were to 
 be a subject of premeditation, and for them they 
 were to make preparation ; but for such dangers 
 the Christian's preparation is that of the heart 
 rather than that of the head, trust in God 
 rather than shrewdness and self-trust. — Not 
 to practice beforehand your defence. The 
 original (nomii/.iTur) is used in classic Greek 
 of the practice of a professional rhetorician of 
 his declamation (see Sophocles, and authorities 
 there cited) ; and I see no authority in the N. T. 
 for our English version, though it is sanctioned by 
 Robinson's Lexicon. The Lord does not prohibit 
 premeditation ; but he directs his disciples to rest 
 their defence not on the artifices of the rheto- 
 rician, but on trust in God and the truth. — But 
 I will give you both a mouth aud wis- 
 dom ; i.e., both wisdom to guide, aud power of 
 utterance. — Shall not be able to gainsay or 
 withstand; i. e., to speak against, for the disci- 
 ples' arguments should be unanswerable ; or to 
 counteract ; for the effect of their trial and de- 
 fence should be only to promote the cause then 
 enemies sought to overthrow. In fact, some of 
 the most eloquent and effective defences of 
 Christianity have been the unpremeditated re- 
 sponses of persecuted Christians in the hour of 
 peril. For Scripture illustrations, see Acts 
 4 : 19, 20 ; 5 : 29-32 ; 7 : 26— But there shall 
 not a hair of your head perish. Comp. 
 Matt. 10 : 30. "Not literally but really true ; not 
 corporeally, but in that real and only life which 
 the disciple of Christ possesses." — (Alford.) But 
 we may say more than this. It is literally though 
 not corporeally true, that not a hair of their head 
 should perish, since not a single suffering of any 
 description, borne for Christ's sake, has per- 
 ished ; the disciple, as the Master, shall see of 
 the travail of his soul and be satisfied (isaiah 
 53 : n). — Iii your endurance ye shall acquire 
 your life. This is not a mere direction, as our
 
 128 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXL 
 
 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with 
 armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 
 
 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the 
 mountains ; and let them which are in the midst of it 
 depart out ; and let not them that are in the countries 
 enter thereinto. 
 
 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all a 
 things which are written may be fulfilled. 
 
 23 But woe unto them b that are with child, and to 
 them that give suck, in those days ! tor there shall be 
 great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 
 
 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and 
 shall be led away captive into all nations : and Jorusa- 
 lem c shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the 
 times' 1 ol the Gentiles be fulfilled. 
 
 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the 
 
 a Deut. 28 : 25, 48; Dan. 9 : 26, 27 j Zech. 11 : 6; 14 : 1, 2 b Lam. 4 : 10 c Dan. 12 : 7 ; Rov. 11 : 2 d Row. 11 : 25. 
 
 English version renders it, to keep the 60ul pa- 
 tient in trouble, but a declaration that the Chris- 
 tian obtaius his true life by patient endurance of 
 tribulation. The original Greek word rendered 
 patience (vrtoueuij) is literally remaining under ; 
 hence the significance of the promise, applicable 
 to all ages of the church, is that true life is ob- 
 tained, not by ingenious contrivances to escape 
 from life's ills, but by patiently remaining under 
 whatever burden Christ bids us carry for his sake. 
 It therefore interprets such declarations as Isaiah 
 53 : 4, and is interpreted by such passages as 
 Matt. 10 : 39 ; see note there. 
 
 20-24. And when ye shall see Jerusa- 
 lem encompassed with armies. This sign of 
 the approaching desolation is generally regarded 
 as identical with Matt. 24 : 15. " When ye there- 
 fore shall see the abomination of desolation 
 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, staud in the 
 holy place." This seems to me improbable. See 
 note there. I should rather agree with Alford, 
 that Matthew and Mark give the inner or domes- 
 tic sign of the approaching calamity to be seen in 
 Jerusalem and possibly in the temple itself, 
 designated by the phrase Holy Place, while 
 Luke gives the outward and contemporaneous 
 state of things. An opportunity to flee was af- 
 forded by the course of history. Cestius Gallus, 
 the Roman prefect, made an attack on Jerusalem 
 in the fall of A. d. 66, but was beaten off and re- 
 treated. It was not till the beginning of a. d. 70, 
 that Titus made his appearance before the walls 
 of the city to inaugurate the final and successful 
 siege. Thus time and warning were afforded to 
 those that believed Christ's prophecy of the ap- 
 proaching desolation of the city ; and the early 
 Christian writers tell us that the Christians 
 availed themselves of it and fled from the city, 
 so that not one is known to have perished in the 
 siege. — Let not them that are in the coun- 
 try districts enter into it, i. e., into Jerusa- 
 lem. Those that dwelt in the country might 
 naturally, on the approach of the Roman legions, 
 enter Jerusalem, either as a protection or to re- 
 enforce it. This Christ's disciples are forbidden 
 to do, for the reason stated in the next verse. — 
 These be the days of vengeance, i. e., of 
 divine vengeance. To resist the Roman army 
 would therefore be fighting a vain battle against 
 God himself. "We may call to mind the expres- 
 sion even of a Titus: 'That God was so angry 
 
 with this people, that even he feared His wrath, 
 if he should suffer grace to be shown to the 
 Jews,' and how he refused every mark of honor 
 on account of the victory obtained, with the at- 
 testation that he had been only an instrument in 
 God's hands to punish this stiff-necked nation." 
 — (Lange.) All things that are written. 
 The reference cannot be to Christ's previous 
 intimations of the destruction of Jerusalem (John 
 2 : 19 ; Matt. 21 : 4i ; 23 : as), for these were not as yet 
 written. The language refers to O. T. prophe- 
 cies, such as Lev. 26 : 14-23 ; Deut. 28 : 15, etc. ; 
 29 : 19-28 ; Dan. 9 : 26, 27 ; Zech., ch. 11 ; 14 : 42.— 
 Distress in the land, i. e., of Palestine ; and 
 wrath (of God) upon his people, the Jews. 
 Let them who wish to eliminate the conception of 
 divine wrath from theology, consider whether 
 they can eliminate such scenes as the destruction 
 of Jerusalem from history. — They shall fall 
 by the mouth of the sword, etc. For descrip- 
 tion of fulfillment of this prophecy, see Matt. 
 24 : 21, note, and Prel. Note to that chapter. 
 Over a million of Jews are said by Josephus to 
 have been slain, and ninety-seven thousand to 
 have been taken captive. — Shall be trodden 
 down of the nations (com P . Rev. n : 2), until 
 the time of the nations shall be fulfilled. 
 There is no reason philologically for regard- 
 ing the word Gentiles (lyroJr) here as equiva- 
 lent to Romans ; the ordinary significance in 
 N. T. usage, is heathen nations. The language 
 describes aptly the present and past condition of 
 Jerusalem, which since the dispersion of the 
 Jews has been under the feet of successive Gen- 
 tile nations, is so now, and is to remain so until 
 the time of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, i. e., not till 
 they have fulfilled their mission as executors of 
 divine punishment (so Oosterzee aud Bengel), 
 but till their time of trial and redemption is 
 past, as the time of trial and redemption of the 
 Jewish nation as a ?iation, was ended with the 
 destruction of the holy city. So, substantially, 
 Alford. The times of the Gentiles are the Gen- 
 tile dispensation, just as the time of Jerusalem 
 is the Jewish dispensation ; the great rejec- 
 tion of the Lord by the Gentile world, answers 
 to its type, his rejection by the Jews. This 
 being finished, the end of all things shall come, 
 the time of which the destruction of Jerusa- 
 lem was a type. So we have in Rev. 11 : 18. 
 "The time of the dead," which is interpreted
 
 Ch. XXL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 129 
 
 moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress e 
 of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves 
 roaring ; 
 
 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking 
 after those things which are coming on the earth : for 
 the f powers of heaven shall be shaken. 
 
 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming s 
 in a cloud with power and great glory. 
 
 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, 
 then look up, and lift up your heads ; for your redemp- 
 tion b draweth nigh. 
 
 29 And' he spake to them a parable ; Behold the fig 
 tree, and all the trees ; 
 
 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of 
 your own selves that summer ia now nigh at hand. 
 
 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to 
 
 Eass. know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at 
 and. 
 
 32 Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not 
 pass away till all be fulfilled. 
 
 33 Heaven J and earth shall pass away: but my 
 words shall not pass away. 
 
 e Dan. 12: l....f 2 Pet. 3 : 10-12.... g Rev. 1:7; 14 : 14.... h Rom. 8 : 23.... i Matt. 24 : 32; Mark 13: 28.... j lsa. 40 : 8 ; 51 :! 
 
 there as the time "that they should be 
 judged." 
 
 25-28. I believe the language here to be 
 parallel to, perhaps only a different report of, 
 that in Matt. 24 : 27-31, and to be descriptive, 
 not of signs which shall accompany the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem, but of those to accompany 
 the final coming of Christ, after a long period of 
 tribulation. See Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note. The 
 direction of verse 28 must be regarded as ad- 
 dressed through the then hearers to the uni- 
 versal church, as indeed the whole prophecy is. 
 Nor must we forget in interpreting it, that it was 
 not the divine design that the disciples should 
 know how long was to be the period of tribula- 
 tion, that it was meant that the church in every 
 age should live in expectancy of it, and that 
 even Christ himself did not know the day and 
 the hour (Matt. 13 : 32, note). — A ii<l there shall be 
 signs in the suu, and in the moon, and in 
 the stars. Compare the more definite language 
 of Matt. 24 : 29. — And upon the earth dis- 
 tress of nations. Literally, a shutting up, as 
 of men in a besieged city. The world will be 
 beleagured, and from it there will be no escape. 
 Observe that in the original, the word here ren- 
 dered nations, is that in verse 41 rendered Gen- 
 tiles. In the destruction of Jerusalem the dis- 
 tress fell upon the Jews, and was inflicted by the 
 Gentiles ; in the time now spoken of (the time of 
 the Gentile nations) the distress will fall upon 
 them ; they will be the beleagured and the 
 anxious. — With perplexity. They will doubt 
 what the portents may mean, and their fear will 
 be interspersed by the feeling that they know 
 not what a day or an hour may bring forth. — 
 The sea and the waves roaring. Natural 
 signs on the earth will accompany those in the 
 heavens. The picture is partially interpreted by 
 what occurs during an earthquake on the sea- 
 coast. — Men's hearts fainting (as in a swoon) 
 for fear (of what they already see) and for 
 expectation of those things coming upon 
 the habitable globe. Not upon Judea or Pal- 
 estine ; the original Greek word is never used 
 with that limited sense in the N. T. See Matt. 
 24 : 13, 14, note. Clearly something more than 
 any of the events, terrible as those were, which 
 accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem, is 
 
 indicated by the language here. — Then shall 
 they see. Not merely the Jews but the nations, 
 i. e. the Gentile nations, shall see. It is not true 
 that either Jew or Gentile recognized in the 
 destruction of Jerusalem a sign of the truth that 
 Jesus was the Christ. See Matt. 29-31, note ; and 
 on the phrase "Son of man," Matt. 10 : 23, note. 
 Comp. with the language here, Matt. 25 : 31 ; 
 26 : 64 ; Mark 14 : 62, where Christ uses analo- 
 gous language, and where he indubitably refers 
 to his final coming to judge the world. — And 
 when these things begin to come to pass, 
 i. e., the first appearance of the promised 
 signs of Christ's final coming. — Look up and 
 lift up your heads. The metaphor is of one 
 sitting down in grief, with bowed head, Mho on 
 the coming of succor lifts up the head, both to 
 receive the word and let it awaken hope. — Be- 
 cause your redemption draweth nigh. 
 That coming of Christ which will fill the unbe- 
 lievers with terror, will fill his own children with 
 
 joy (Psalm 90 : 11-13, with Rev. 1 : 7). 
 
 For reasons partly indicated in the notes here, 
 and more fully in the notes on Matt., ch. 24, it 
 seems to me impossible to regard these verses 
 (25-28) as merely a prophecy of the destruction of 
 Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews. This, 
 though a common orthodox interpretation, re- 
 quires us to give to such language as that of 
 verses 25 and 27 a meaning which belittles, if it 
 does not positively falsify, Christ's words; to 
 attribute to the words nation (htpvtov) and earth 
 (t>]g yr\g) a meaning which they nowhere else 
 bear in the N. T. ; to ignore the teaching of 
 parallel passages of Scripture, and partly of 
 Christ's own words elsewhere employed in 
 describing his Second Coming ; and to ignore 
 his explicit declaration in Mark 13 : 32, that 
 he does not know when that Second Coming will 
 take place. The language here and in Mat- 
 thew should be compared with that of Rev. 
 6 : 12-17, and the remarkable parallel between 
 Christ's prophecy and John's vision noticed. In 
 both the sun and moon are darkened and the 
 stars fall from heaven ; in one, the heavens are 
 shaken, in the other, rolled together as a scroll ; 
 in both, the powers of nature are shaken upon 
 the earth ; here, the sea and waves roaring ; 
 there, mountains and islands moved out of their
 
 130 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Oh. XXI. 
 
 34 And take heed* to yourselves, lest at any time 
 your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, 1 and drunk- 
 enness, and cares of this life, and so that day come 
 upon you unawares. 
 
 35 l<or m as a snare shall it come on all them that 
 dwell on the face of the whole earth. 
 
 36 Watch" ye therefore, and pray always, that ye 
 may be accounted ° worthy to escape all these things 
 
 that shall come to pass, and top stand before ') the Son 
 of man. 
 
 37 And in the day time he was teaching in the tem- 
 ple ; and at night lie went out, and abode in the 
 mount 1 that is called the mount of Olives. 
 
 38 And all the people came early in the morning to 
 him in the temple, for to hear him. 
 
 k Rom. 13: 12, 13; 1 Thess 5:6-8; 1 Pet. 4 : 7....1 I»a. 28 : 1-3 ; 1 Cur. 6 : 10.... m 1 Tliess. 5.2, 2 Pet. 3 : 10 ; Rev. 16: 15.. 
 n Matt. 25 : 13 o ch. 20 : 35 p P». I : 5 q Jude 24 r John 8 1, 2. 
 
 places ; in both, the nations are represented as 
 in fear and perplexity and faintheartedness, 
 and endeavoring to escape from the besieged 
 earth. I know not how any one can read the 
 two accounts together and not be satisfied that 
 John's vision was of that event which his Lord 
 had previously described. 
 
 29-33. See notes on Matt. 24 : 32-35.— My 
 words shall not pass away. Nothing ap- 
 parently is so fugitive as words, and the words 
 of Christ were spoken, not reduced to writing by 
 him, or in his lifetime ; yet history has demon- 
 strated the truth of this declaration, and his 
 words have proved more enduring than monu- 
 ments, temples, cities, or even civilizations, and 
 shall in their influence outlast the world itself. 
 Observe in the structure of this promise an addi- 
 tional indication, that the prophecy here relates 
 to the end of the world, not merely to the end of 
 the Jewish dispensation. On the meaning of the 
 word generation (yusu) which would be better, 
 rendered race, see on Matt 24 : 34. 
 
 34-3G. These verses are peculiar to Luke. 
 Parallel to them is Matt. 24 : 38-51, and Mark 
 13 : 33-37. In all these reports the practical 
 lesson is the same, the duty of prayer and watch- 
 fulness. The language interprets the more gen- 
 eral direction in Matthew and Mark, "Watch 
 ye, therefore ; " this watching is not in order to 
 give the disciple a better and earlier apprehen- 
 sion of the approach of the last day, but to 
 guard against insidious dangers which threaten 
 to make even the disciple of the Lord unpre- 
 pared for it and for Him (Matt. 24 : 42, note). — Lest 
 your hearts grow heavy. This expression is 
 equivalent to wax gross in Matt. 13 : 15 ; see 
 note there. — With surfeiting and drunk- 
 enness and cares of this life. Two very 
 incongruous vices are here mentioned, equally 
 inconsistent with the spirit of true piety ; the 
 one the vice of self-indulgence, the other that 
 of worldly anxiety ; the one the vice of the 
 spendthrift, the other that of a mere worldly 
 thrift. Comp. Matt. 13:22, note.— And that 
 day come upon you unforeseen. Not 
 merely suddenly — it will come so to all — but 
 unlooked for ; or, as in our English version, un- 
 awares, i. e., upon us while unwatchful, un- 
 guarded, and so unprepared for its coming. — 
 For as a snare shall it come. If the Bible 
 afforded the material for foretelling, even approx- 
 
 imately, the time of its coming, this would not be 
 true. — On all them that dwell on the face 
 of the whole earth. Clearly here our Lord 
 is speaking, not of the destruction of Jerusalem, 
 but of the last great day. And this is usually 
 the meaning in the N. T. of the phrase that 
 day, when used absolutely, as here (Matt 22 : 42, 
 note). — Watch ye, therefore, in every sea- 
 son (iv jtavrl xaiQw). In prosperity, against the 
 enticements of self-indulgence ; in adversity, 
 against the encroachments of earthly cares. — 
 Praying that ye may be accounted 
 worthy. Observe, not be worthy, but reckoned 
 worthy. Here is the germ of that doctrine of 
 justification by grace through faith, of which we 
 find the elaboration in Paul's epistles (Rom. 4 : 2-6). 
 — To be made to stand before the Son of 
 man. Not to stand, as in our English version ; 
 the verb (ar« .?)>«<) is in the passive, not the ac- 
 tive voice. W r e are not, and cannot be worthy, to 
 stand before the Messiah ; but we may be ac- 
 counted as worthy to be made to stand before him, 
 by his grace. It is through Christ we have ac- 
 cess by faith into the divine peace, in which we 
 stand here against the wiles and assaults of the 
 devil (Ephes. 6 : is, u), and by that grace we are to 
 be made to stand before him in the last great 
 day (Jude 24), the evidence of our faith being our 
 obedience, manifested in a life of watching and 
 prayer. Comp. James 2 : 18. On the meaning 
 of the phrase, " to stand before the Son of man," 
 see Psalm 1:5; Mai. 3:2; John 2 : 28. On this 
 whole admonition against forgetfulness of the 
 Lord, and consequent self-indulgence and sin, 
 compare Rom. 13 : 11-14 ; Ephes. 5:3-6; Col. 
 3 :l-6. 
 
 37, 38. He was by day in the temple 
 teaching; at night going out he bi- 
 vouacked on the mount called of Olives. 
 In that climate and at that season there was no 
 hardship in sleeping in the open air, wrapped in 
 his burnoose or cloak. Some nights he seems to 
 have spent at Bethany (Matt. 21 : 17), probably at 
 the house of Martha and Mary. Bethany was on 
 the other side of the Mount of Olives. — And all 
 the people came early in the morning to 
 him in the temple. This does not necessarily 
 indicate anything more than curiosity on their 
 part, and is not inconsistent with the subsequent 
 demand for his crucifixion. Such inflections of 
 popular feeling are common, and in a city
 
 Ch. XXII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 131 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 NOW" the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, 
 which is called the Passover. 
 
 2 And ' the chief priests and scribes sought how they 
 might kill him ; for they feared the people. 
 
 3 Then" entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, 
 being of the number of the twelve. 
 
 4 And he went his way, and communed with the 
 chief priests and captains, how he might betray him 
 unto them. 
 
 5 And they were glad, and covenanted » to give him 
 money. 
 
 6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray 
 him unto them in the absence of the multitude. 
 
 7 Then came the day" of unleavened bread, when 
 the passover must be killed. 
 
 8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and pre- 
 pare us the passover, that we may eat. 
 
 9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we 
 prepare ? 
 
 io And he said unto them. Behold, when ye are en- 
 tered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing 
 a pitcher of water ; tollow him into the house where he 
 entereth in. 
 
 ii And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, 
 The Master saith unto thee. Where is the gucstcham- 
 ber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples ? 
 
 12 And he shall shew you a large upper room fur- 
 nished : there make ready. 
 
 13 And they went, and found as he had said unto 
 them : and they made ready the passover. 
 
 14 And x when the hour was come, he sat down, and 
 the twelve apostles with him. 
 
 Malt. 36 • 2 ; Mark 14 : 1, etc.. 
 
 .t Ps. 2 • 2 : Acts 4 : 27.... n Mutt. 28 14 . Mark 14 10. e 
 w Ewd., cli. U. ..x Matt. 86 20, Mark 14 17. 
 
 John 13 : 2, 27.... v Zech. 11 : 12... 
 
 thronged as Jerusalem was on Passover week, 
 there may well have been two parties, one who 
 admired and another who hated him. It was the 
 nature of his teaching to awaken both love and 
 hostility. These two verses are peculiar to 
 Luke. They do not necessarily imply that 
 Christ taught in the temple after this time ; and 
 a comparison of the four Gospels shows that his 
 invective against the Pharisees (Matt , ch. 23) was 
 the last discourse delivered in the temple. See 
 verse 39 there. Here Luke simply states in 
 general terms what was Christ's habit during his 
 brief ministry in Jerusalem. This was to teach 
 in the temple by day, but to escape from the 
 multitude and seek repose in the country by 
 night. _____ 
 
 Ch. 22 : 1-13. Preparation for the Last 
 Supper. — Parallel to Luke's account of the Last 
 Supper is Matt. 26 : 1-35 ; Mark 11 : 1-31. See 
 notes throughout on Matthew. John gives no 
 account of the institution of the Last Supper, 
 though he refers to it (John 13 • 2), and gives more 
 fully than either of the other Evangelists a re- 
 port of Christ's instructions to his disciples at 
 that time (John, chaps. 14-iG). Luke gives more 
 fully than the other Evangelists Christ's direc- 
 tions to Peter and John for the preparation of 
 the Passover (vera. 7-13), and alone gives the ac- 
 count of the strife between the disciples which 
 should be greatest (vers. 24-so). The instructions 
 of vers. 35-38 are also peculiar to Luke. 
 
 1, 2. See Matt. 20 : 1-5. Observe the indica- 
 tion here and in ver. 6, that Christ was popular 
 with the multitude, even in Jerusalem. The 
 mob was one stirred up against him by the sedu- 
 lous endeavors of the priests (Matt. 27 : is, 20). 
 
 3-6. See Matt. 26 : 11-16, notes. The connec- 
 tion in Matthew indicates the immediate occa- 
 sion of the treachery of Judas, namely, his anther 
 at our Lord's rebuke. On the character of Ju- 
 das, see Matt. 27 : 3-10, notes. With the ex- 
 pression here, Then entered Satan into Judas, 
 compare John 13 : 2, 27. No demoniacal posses- 
 
 sion is indicated, nor any such Satanic control as 
 violated the liberty of Judas, but just that influ- 
 ence proceeding from the evil spirit against 
 which Paul cautions us in Ephes. : 12. 
 
 7, 8. Then came the day of unleavened 
 bread, etc. The language is explicit that the 
 Lord observed the Passover on the day on which it 
 wax observed by other Jews, the 11th day of Nisan, 
 when the lambs were slain in the temple to be 
 eaten in the Paschal feast of that evening. I 
 have no doubt that the chronology of the Synop- 
 tics is in this respect to be accepted ; that the 
 Lord's Supper was a true Passover supper, not a 
 special preparatory or prophetic feast, nor one 
 celebrated out of the appropriate time ; and that 
 the references to John, which are quoted in sup- 
 port of the opposite view, are not, when thor- 
 oughly considered, inconsistent with this one. 
 See Note on Lord's Supper, Vol. I, p. 286. — V.o 
 and prepare us the Passover. On the nature 
 of the preparation required, see Matt. 26 : 17, 
 note. 
 
 9-13. There shall a man meet you bear- 
 ing a pitcher of water. Doubtless a servant, 
 the drawing of water being in the East a service 
 usually performed by the servants or the women 
 of the household. — Ye shall say unto the 
 good man of the house. The master or owner 
 of the house (otxodsartdrije). During the Pass- 
 over week hospitality was recognized as a uni- 
 versal duty in Jerusalem ; pilgrims and strangers 
 were received, and rooms were allotted to them 
 for the celebration of the feast. But it is not 
 probable that a room would have been given to 
 entire strangers without previous arrangement, 
 and the language which the disciples are in- 
 structed to use, The Master saith unto thee, 
 seems to me clearly to indicate that the good 
 man of the house recognized Jesus as Master; 
 in other words, was in some sense at least a dis- 
 ciple. Whether Christ had previously arranged 
 with him for the use of a room, or whether the 
 instruction to Peter and John was founded 
 wholly on supernatural knowledge of the wel-
 
 132 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXII. 
 
 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have de- 
 sired to eat this passover with you before I suffer : 
 
 16 For I say unto you, 1 will not any more cat there- 
 of, until y it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 
 
 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, 
 Take this, and divide it among yourselves : 
 
 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit 
 of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 
 
 19 And 1 he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake 
 it, and gave unto them, saving, This is my body, 
 which is given for you : this do in remembrance of me. 
 
 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This 
 
 cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed 
 for you. 
 
 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is 
 with me a on the table. 
 
 22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was deter- 
 mined : b but woe unto that man by whom he is be- 
 trayed ! 
 
 23 And they began to inquire among themselves, 
 which of them it was that should do this thing. 
 
 2a And c there was also a strife among them, which 
 of them should be accounted the greatest. 
 25 And he said unto them, The d kings of the Gen- 
 
 y ch. 14: 15; 1 Cor. 5 : 7, 8 ; Rev. 19:9....z 1 Cor. 10 : 16 ; 11 : 24, etc.... a Ps. 41 .9; John 13 : 26. . . h ch. 24 : 46 ; Acts 2 : 23 ; 4:28; 
 1 Cor. 15 : 3 c ch. 9 : 46 ; Mark 9 : 34 d Matt. 20 : 25 ; Mark 10 : 42. 
 
 come which would be accorded to him, we have 
 no means of knowing. Jesus knew the projected 
 treachery of Judas ; by confiding in this manner 
 to Peter and John the preparation of the room, 
 he prevented the possible interruption of the 
 feast, since not even one of the disciples knew 
 the place selected for their meeting. — The Mas- 
 ter saith unto thee. The full message was, 
 My time is at hand ; 1 will keep the Passover at thy 
 house with my disciples (Matt. 26 : is) ; where is the 
 guest-chamber, etc. The disciples alone ate with 
 Jesus ; the host probably observed the Passover 
 in another room with his own household. — A 
 large upper room furnished. This upper 
 chamber was a sort of guest-chamber, not in 
 common use, where the ancients received com- 
 pany and held feasts, and which was usually, 
 though not always, in the upper story, and 
 sometimes on or connected with the roof. This 
 room was furnished, i. e., provided with a sup- 
 per-table and couches. For illustration of table, 
 and method of reclining, see Matt. 26 : 20, note. 
 
 14-23. The Lord's Supper. Prophecy op 
 Christ's Betratal. — See Matt. 26 : 26-30 ; 
 Mark 14 : 22-25 ; 1 Cor. 11 : 23-25. In com- 
 paring these accounts, it must be remembered 
 that Luke and Mark were not of the twelve, 
 and therefore were not present. This may 
 account in part for the diversity in chro- 
 nology. For notes on the Lord's Supper, see 
 Matthew, where the chronology is given. For 
 notes on the prophecy of betrayal, see John 
 13 : 21-30. 
 
 15. Peculiar to Luke. The intensity of 
 Christ's desire to eat this last Passover with his 
 disciples, like his desire for their sympathy and 
 prayers in his agony in Gethsemane (Matt. 26 : 37, 39, 
 40), hints at the character of his love, as one 
 which yearned for human sympathy and love. 
 May we not say that he still earnestly desires to 
 eat this supper with his disciples, and that every 
 cold and formal celebration of this memorial 
 service is, as it were, a personal disappointment 
 and sorrow to him ? 
 
 16. Until it be fulfilled. The Passover 
 was a prophecy of the Lord's Supper ; that, in 
 turn, is prophetic of the Marriage Supper of the 
 
 Lamb (Matt. 26 : 29, note). 
 
 17. He took the cup. Not the one men- 
 tioned in verse 20. This cup preceded, that 
 followed the supper. See account of Passover 
 ceremonial, Matt. 26 : 26-30, Prel. Note. 
 
 18, 19. I will not drink of the fruit of 
 the vine. In Matthew this expression is re- 
 ported at the close of the meal ; here at the com- 
 mencement. Perhaps Christ repeated it. As the 
 verse stands here, it implies that Christ did not 
 partake of the bread and wine ; but in Matthew 
 the language is different, "I will not drink hence- 
 forth ;" and this is probably the meaning here. 
 Verse 15 appears to me to imply that he partook 
 as well as his disciples. For discussion of this 
 question, see Matt. 26 : 26, note. 
 
 20. After supper. Not a cup of wine after 
 the paschal supper was ended, but the cup of 
 wine which, according to the Jewish ceremonial, 
 closed the supper. See Matt. 26 : 26-30, Prel. 
 Note, and Supplemental Note, § 2. 
 
 21-23. This occurred prior to the institution 
 of the Lord's Supper, though during the begin- 
 ning of the paschal meal (Matt. 26 : 21). The lan- 
 guage here, "The hand of him that betrayed me 
 is with me on the table," is not, therefore, con- 
 clusive upon the difficult question whether Ju- 
 das was at the Lord's Supper. On the whole, 
 the balance of evidence is that he had left the 
 room ; but, as only John mentions his departure, 
 and John says nothing of the institution of the 
 Lord's Supper, the question cannot be deter- 
 mined with certainty. For notes on Christ's 
 prophecy of his betrayal, see John 13 : 21-35, 
 and Matt. 26 : 21-25. 
 
 Ch. 22 : 24-30. CHRIST REBUKES HIS DISCIPLES* 
 STRIFE. True greatness is greatness op ser- 
 vice. 
 
 The reader must remember that Luke was not 
 one of the twelve. He was not, therefore, pres- 
 ent, and he gives no distinct note of time ; he 
 merely indicates that a strife occurred at about 
 this time, whether before or after the supper he 
 did not perhaps know. The seats at the Oriental 
 table were arranged in regular order, the seat 
 nearest the master of the feast being the seat of 
 honor. Contentions for the highest place were 
 common. See ch. 11 : 7-11, note. I believe that
 
 Ch. XXII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 133 
 
 tiles exercise lordship over them ; and they that exer- 
 cise authority upon them are called benefactors. 
 
 26 But e ye shall not be so : but he that is greatest 
 among you, let him be as the younger ; and he that is 
 chief, as he that doth serve. 
 
 27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or 
 he that serveth ? is not he that sitteth at meat? but r I 
 am among you as he that serveth. 
 
 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my 
 temptations.^ 
 
 2q And I appoint unto you a h kingdom, as my Father 
 hath appointed unto me ; 
 
 30 That' ye may eat and drink at my table in my 
 kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging J the twelve 
 tribes of Israel. 
 
 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan 
 hath desired k to have you, that he may sift 1 you as 
 wheat : 
 
 32 But I m have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail 
 not : and when thou art converted, strengthen " thy 
 brethren. 
 
 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go 
 with thee, both into prison, and to death. 
 
 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not 
 
 e IPet. 6 :3; 3 John 9, 10.... f John 13 • 13, 14: Phil. 2: 7....g Heb. 4 : 15.... h ch. 12 :32; Matt. 25 : 34 ; 1 Cor. 9 : 25 ; 1 Pet. 5:4... 
 
 i Rev. 19 : 9....J Matt. 19 : 28 ; 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 3 : 21 k 1 Pet. 5:8 1 Amos 9 -9 m John 17 : 9, 15 : Heb. 7 : 25 : 1 John 2 : 1 
 
 n Pa. 61 • 13; John 21 : 15-17. 
 
 this contention which should be regarded as 
 greatest, took place as the twelve were taking 
 their seats ; that Christ interrupted it by the 
 feet-washing, recorded only by John (John 13 : 3-5) ; 
 and that he then followed the feet-washing with 
 the instructions given here. This makes clear 
 and significant the language of ver. 27. Similar 
 contentions had occurred before among the 
 twelve. Comp. Matt. 18 : 1-4, notes ; Mark 
 10 : 42-45, notes. The language in the latter 
 passage is very analogous to that employed here. 
 
 24-27. Should be accounted the great- 
 est. It is not a generous emulation for true 
 greatness, but a selfish strife for appearance of 
 greatness, which Christ rebukes. — Are called 
 benefactors. Examples of this title, assumed 
 by ancient monarchs, are given in Ptolemy, Jose- 
 phus, and other ancient writers. See Rob. Diet., 
 art. ivtQYert^. — I am among you as he that 
 serveth. True of Christ's whole life, which was 
 one of the service of others ; but peculiar signifi- 
 cance was lent to it by the service just rendered 
 them in the washing of their feet, which was the 
 work of a menial. 
 
 28-30. Ye are they which have con- 
 tinued with me in my trials. In this sen- 
 tence he appeals both to their past history and to 
 their future glory, as well as to his own example, 
 in rebuking their unseemly strife. When others 
 had turned back, because to follow him involved 
 poverty, humiliation, and self-sacrifice, they had 
 still adhered to him (John 6 : 66-69). — And I ap- 
 point unto you a kingdom, as my Father 
 hath appointed me. That is, the same kind 
 of kingdom ; one to be conquered and governed 
 by love and truth, not by ambition and guile ; a 
 kingdom not of this world, yet over this world 
 (John is : 36, 37). Every follower of Christ is, or 
 should be, a prince, as their Leader is King. 
 " The truth and life which Jesus possessed shall 
 come to dwell in them, and thereby they shall 
 reign over all, as he himself has reigned over 
 them. Are not Peter, John, and Paul at the 
 present day the rulers of the world ? " — (Godet.) 
 But there is also in this and the succeeding verse 
 an unmistakable reference to the time when 
 Christ will come in power and glory to take full 
 
 possession of his kingdom, and when his disci- 
 ples shall share his glory and his authority with 
 
 him (Matt. 19 : 28, note; 1 Cor. 6 : 1-4). — Ye may eat 
 
 and drink at my table. How ignoble the 
 strifes for earthly precedence of those who are 
 the children and princes of God ; whose houses, 
 thrones, dominions, are eternal and divine ! 
 
 Ch. 22 : 31-38. TROPHECT OF PETER'S DEMAL. 
 The danger, the dutt, and the refuge of the dis- 
 ciple. — The necessity of being forewarned and 
 forearmed. 
 
 Christ appears to have twice warned Peter of 
 his danger, once before the Lord's Supper (Luke; 
 John 13 : 36-38), once after the supper, and perhaps 
 on the way to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26 : 31-35 ; 
 Mark u •. 27-31). At least, this is the more probable 
 hypothesis, though Dr. Robinson regards the 
 four accounts as different versions of the same 
 warning, and some harmonists suppose that the 
 warning was thrice repeated. The immediate 
 occasion of the one here reported is indicated by 
 John. It was Peter's question, "Why cannot I 
 follow thee now ? " and perhaps also his partici- 
 pation in the strife for the first places at the 
 table, recorded only by Luke. 
 
 31. Simon. This was Peter's original name ; 
 Peter was a new name given him by the Lord 
 (john i : 42 ; Matt. 16 : is). It is Simon not Peter, 
 the old man not the new man in Christ, whom 
 Satan hopes to obtain. — Satan hath demanded 
 you. As he demanded Job (job i:9-is; 8:4-e). — 
 That he may sift you as wheat. In the agri- 
 cultural and domestic life of Palestine, the wheat 
 and the flour from the wheat 
 were shaken in a sieve, to 
 separate the good from the 
 refuse and dirt. This sieve 
 was made of parchment per- 
 forated with holes, or of 
 horse-hair, thread, papyrus, 
 or rushes interwoven. The 
 Egyptian, and probably the 
 Jewish, sieves were made of 
 papyrus and rushes. The accompanying illus- 
 tration is taken from a bas-relief on the Column 
 of Trajan. Christ's figure illustrates both the 
 
 ANCIENT SIEVE.
 
 134 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cn. XXII. 
 
 crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that 
 thou knowest me. 
 
 35 And he said unto them, When" I sent you with- 
 out purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing ? 
 And they said, Nothing. 
 
 36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a 
 purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he 
 that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy 
 one. 
 
 37 For I say unto you, that this that is written p must 
 yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned 
 among the transgressors: tor the things concerning me 
 have an end. 
 
 38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. 
 And he said unto them, It is enough. 
 
 39 Andt he came out, and went, as he was wont, to 
 the mount of Olives ; and his disciples also followed 
 him. 
 
 ch. 9 : 3 . . . . p Isa. 53 : 12 .... q Matt. 26 : 36 ; Mark 14 : 32, etc. ; John 18:1, etc. 
 
 process and the results of temptation. By it, 
 both in the individual and the church, tempo- 
 rary confusion and disorder is produced, but the 
 good and the evil are separated. Thus, in Pe- 
 ter's case, both the weakness (of self-confidence) 
 and the strength (of penitence, faith, and love) 
 are clearly disclosed, to himself as well as to 
 others, only by his temptation and temporary 
 fall. 
 
 32. But I have prayed for thee. Against 
 the demand of Satan is the prayer of Christ. — 
 That thy faith fail not. The object of 
 Christ's intercessory prayer, tfie armament that 
 gives the Christian his victory, Is fafth (1 joim 
 5 : 4, 5). Peter's faith failed now, for he did not be- 
 lieve Christ's warning ; therefore he failed in the 
 hour of temptation. — When thou art con- 
 verted. Was he not, then, at this time con- 
 verted ? The answer is that it is only as the 
 Christian is continually converted, i. e., turned 
 away, by the Spirit of God, from self-confidence 
 and self-seeking, that he can strengthen others 
 in the spirit of faith and humility. Compare 
 Matt. 18 : 3, note.— Strengthen thy brethren. 
 Christian grace in ourselves must precede Chris- 
 tian work upon others. Compai'e Ps. 51 : 10-13 ; 
 John 21 : 15-17. 
 
 33. Lord, I am prepared to go with thee. 
 That is, already prepared, and hence do not 
 need to be converted. Peter thus resents both 
 Christ's warning and the imputation of weak- 
 ness which it involves. Compare similar spirit 
 in Hazael (2 Kings 8 : 10-13). Observe that Christ 
 did not account even himself "ready" for bis 
 trial hour, until by prayer in Gethsemane he had 
 acquired strength from above. 
 
 34. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, i. e., 
 TJiou rock. This is the only place in the Gospels 
 where our Lord addresses Peter by this name. 
 There appears to me to be in its use here a kind- 
 ly sarcasm. He is a "rock," not by his native 
 strength of character, but only by his faith, and 
 will belie his nr.me when his faith fails. — Shall 
 not crow. The cock-crowing here referred to 
 is the second crowing at dawn. See Matt. 26 : 34, 
 note. 
 
 The effect on Peter of this warning and the 
 experience of temptation and sin which ensued, 
 is very apparent in Peter's Epistles. None of 
 the apostles dwell more earnestly on the truth 
 
 that all strength is from God, and that watch- 
 fulness and humUity are necessary preparations 
 for temptation. Observe particularly 1 Pet. 
 1 : 5, 7, 13 ; 4 : 12 ; 5 : 6-9 ; 2 Pet. 1 : 5 ; 2 : 9. 
 
 35-38. To interpret these directions literally 
 is to fall into the error of the disciples, which 
 Christ rebukes. To symbolize them, as by re- 
 garding the sword as the sword of the Spirit, is 
 to miss the true significance of the passage, by 
 imputing to it a meaning which certainly Christ 
 did not convey to his auditors. The language is 
 figurative ; he contrasts their past with their 
 future experiences ; reminds them of the time 
 when, in Galilee, they travelled as representa- 
 tives of their Lord, without purse or provisions, 
 depending, like the ancient prophets, on the 
 hospitality of the people ; warns them that in 
 the future they can do this no more ; there will 
 be no hospitality ; they will be the followers of 
 the Crucified, one who has been numbered 
 among evil-doers ; and they must depend on 
 their own foresight for provision and protection. 
 — When I sent you without purse, etc. See 
 Matt. 10 : 9-15, notes ; Mark 6 : 8, 9, notes.— 
 And he that hath none, let him sell his 
 garment and buy a sword. Not that hath 
 no sword, but that hath no purse. This is the 
 more natural rendering of the Greek ; and he 
 who had a purse would have no occasion to sell 
 his garment to buy a sword. — This must yet 
 be accomplished in me. The prophecy re- 
 ferred to is in Isaiah 53 : 12, and plainly relates 
 to the promised Messiah. — For the things 
 concerning me have an end. Rather, an 
 accomplishment. The meaning is that all the 
 sacred prophecies, including those of his suffer- 
 ings and death, must be accomplished, and that 
 the time of their fulfillment was already at hand. 
 — Here are two swords. Probably provided 
 as a protection from the dangers of the way. 
 "The road from Jericho to Jerusalem (ch. 10:30) 
 was much infested with robbers ; and it was the 
 custom of the priests, and even of the quiet and 
 ascetic Essenes, to carry weapons when travel- 
 ling:." — (Alford.) Peter had one of these swords 
 (John is : 10). — It is well. This is not a commen- 
 dation of their foresight ; nor does it mean, 
 These are enough. It is simply a dismissal of 
 the subject. To interpret Christ's language 
 here, as some Roman Catholic commentators
 
 Ch. XXII.] 
 
 Ll'KK. 
 
 135 
 
 40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, 
 Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 
 
 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's 
 cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 
 
 42 Saying, Father, it' thou be willing, remove this 
 cup from me: nevertheless, net my will, but thine, be 
 done. 
 
 43 And there appeared an angel ' unto him from 
 heaven, strengthening him. 
 
 44 And" being in an agony, he prayed more ear- 
 nestly: and his sweat was as it were great dro 
 blood falling down to the ground. 
 
 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come 
 to his disciples, he lound them sleeping for Borrow, 
 
 r Matt. 4:11 s Lam. 1:12; John 12 : 27 ; Heb. 6 : 7. 
 
 have done, as a warrant for the use of the sword 
 in defending and extending the kingdom of God, 
 is to repudiate Christ's direct and explicit in- 
 structions. See Matt. 20 : 52-54; John 18:36. 
 The language here, however, taken with that of 
 Matt. 10 : 9-15, shows clearly that the instruc- 
 tions there given were local and temporary, and 
 they give abundant warrant for foresight and 
 provision in carrying on the work of the king- 
 dom, as, for example, by a regularly paid minis- 
 try. 
 
 39-16. Christ's Agony in Gethsemaxe. — 
 Recorded also by Matthew (26 : 30-10) and Mark 
 (14 -. 32-42). See notes on Matthew, whose account 
 is fullest. There are some features, however, 
 peculiar to Luke, which I treat here. 
 
 40. At the place. John (is : 1) locates it as 
 "over the brook Cedron," and describes it as 
 "a garden," I. e., probably an orchard ; Matthew 
 and Mark designate it by name as " Gcthsemane. " 
 — Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 
 This direction may have been given to all the 
 disciples, though, if so, it is not mentioned by 
 the other Evangelists. I should rather regard 
 this as a condensed account of the fuller report 
 given in the other Gospels of the request to the 
 three disciples, Peter, James, and John, to 
 watch with their Lord. 
 
 41, 42. About a stone's cast. Peculiar 
 to Luke. Matthew and Mark have only "a little 
 further." The distance described is not that 
 from the body of the disciples, but from the 
 three whom our Lord took to watch with him, 
 but whose opportunity and neglect Luke does 
 not describe. — Kneeled down. Matthew and 
 Mark are more precise : " Fell on his face " (Mat- 
 thew), "on the ground" (Mark). — If thou be 
 willing. For comparison of the three accounts 
 of the prayer see Matt. 20 : C3, note. 
 
 43. There is some uncertainty respecting the 
 genuineness of this verse. Alford and Tischen- 
 dorf both retain it, and the explanation of its 
 omission given by Epiphanius is generally ac- 
 cepted, viz., that it was expunged by the ortho- 
 dox, who imagined it inconsistent with the di- 
 vine nature of our Lord. Alford asserts that 
 both the appearance and the strengthening were 
 physical; Olshausen that they were inward and 
 spiritual ; but neither assigns any reason for his 
 view. The fact that Christ was divinely strength- 
 ened to drink the cup, which it was not possible 
 should pass from him, is clear. How that strength 
 
 was imparted we are not told, and conjectures 
 are worthless. Spiritually, the experience is 
 paralleled by the two experiences of Paul re- 
 corded in Acts 27 : 23, 24 and 2 Cor. 12 :8, 9. 
 In one case there was evidently a visible appear- 
 ance of the angelic messenger; in the other not. 
 Divine aid was similarly afforded to Christ in the 
 
 temptation (Mark 1 : is). 
 
 44. And being in an agony. Literally, a 
 conflict. This word (ixyavla) occurs in the N. T. 
 only here ; but a different form of the same word 
 iiivi'ii) occurs six times, and is rendered "con- 
 flict," "contention," "fight," and "race" (Phu. 
 
 1 : 30 ; Col. 2:1; 1 Thess. 2 ; 2 ; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 
 
 12 : i). These references indicate its meaning 
 here, a true mental conflict between the wish to 
 avoid the suffering of the Passion and the su- 
 preme purpose to fulfill, at whatever personal 
 cost, the will of the Father. On its nature, see 
 notes on Matthew. For evidence of its reality 
 and bitterness, see Heb. 2 : 18 ; 4 : 15 ; 5 : 7. — 
 He prayed more earnestly. Now, however, 
 not that the cup might pass from him, but that 
 he might be able to fulfill the divine will in com- 
 pleting his sacrifice (Matt. 26 : 42, note). — And his 
 sweat was as it were great drops of blood 
 falling down to the ground. I can see no 
 reason to doubt that this description is to be 
 taken literally ; that our Lord's mental agony so 
 acted upon his physical frame as to produce, not 
 only a perspiration, but one which was discol- 
 ored by the exudation of blood. It was thus not 
 drops of blood, nor mere drops of perspiration, 
 but drops of a bloody perspiration. Mr. Stroud 
 (Physical Cause of Christ's Death I has shown that 
 in certain cases of great mental conflict the pal- 
 pitation of the heart is so greatly increased, and 
 the circulation of the blood so accelerated, that 
 the pressure becomes very great on the blood- 
 vessels, and results, sometimes in a hemorrhage, 
 and sometimes in an exuding of the blood, which 
 mingles with and discolors the perspiration. 
 There are only a few such cases on record ; but 
 they are enough to show that the bloody sweat 
 experienced in the garden of Gethsemane was 
 not an impossible, nor even a miraculous phe- 
 nomenon, and to throw light upon it as an indi- 
 cation of the degree of the agon; experienced 
 They also connect this hour of agony with the 
 death upon the cross. Alone it would have been 
 sufficient to cause Christ's death, had he not 
 been supernaturally strengthened to sustain it
 
 136 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXIT. 
 
 46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and 
 pray, 1 lest ye enter into temptation. 
 
 47 And while he yet spake, behold" a multitude, and 
 he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went be- 
 fore them, and drew near unto Jesus, to kiss him. 
 
 48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the 
 Son of man with a kiss ? 
 
 49 When they which were about him saw what 
 would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite 
 with the sword ? 
 
 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high 
 priest, and cut off his right ear. 
 
 51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. 
 And he touched his ear, and healed him. 
 
 £2 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and cap- 
 tains of the temple, and the elders, which were come 
 to him, Be ye come out as against a thief, with swords 
 and staves ? 
 
 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye 
 stretched forth no hands against me : but this is your 
 hour," and the power of darkness. 
 
 54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought 
 him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed 
 afar off. 
 
 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of 
 the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down 
 among them. 
 
 56 But w a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the 
 fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This 
 man was also with him. 
 
 57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him 
 not. 
 
 58 And after a little while x another saw him, and 
 said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I 
 am not. 
 
 59 And about the space of one hour after, another T 
 confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this feilow also 
 was with him : for he is a Galilsean. 
 
 60 And Peter said, Man. I know not what thou say- 
 est. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock 
 crew. 
 
 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. 
 And* Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he 
 had said unto him, Before ■ the cock crow, thou shalt 
 deny me thrice. 
 
 62 And b Peter went out, and wept bitterly. 
 
 63 And c the men that held Jesus mocked him, and 
 smote him. 
 
 t verse 40. . 11 Matt. 56 : 47, etc. ; Mark 14 : 43, etc. : John 18 : 3, etc v Job 20 : 5 ; John 12 : 27 w Matt. 26 : 69 ; Mark 14 : 66, 69 ; 
 
 John 18 : 17.... x Malt. 26 : 71 ; Mark 14 : 69 ; John 18 : 25.... v Mult. 26 : 73; Mark 14 : 70 ; John 18 : 26.... z Matt. 26 : 75; Mark 14:72 
 
 a verse 34 b Ps. 130 : 1-4 ; 143 : 1-1; Jer. 31 : 18; Ezek. 7 : 16; 1 Cor. 10 : 12 j 2 Cor. 7 : 10, 11 c Matt. 26 : 67, 68; Mark 14 : 65. 
 
 (Matt. 26 : 35, note) ; and when it was followed by 
 the withdrawal of God's countenance, and a new 
 sense of the burden of sin laid upon him in the 
 hour of the crucifixion, it may well have resulted 
 in a rupture of his weakened heart, which I be- 
 lieve to have been, physically, the cause of his 
 death. See John 19 : 34, note. 
 
 45, 46. Sleeping for sorrow. Observe the 
 two ways of meeting sorrow ; the disciples try to 
 forget it in sleep, Christ conquers it by prayer. — 
 Rise and pray lest ye enter into tempta- 
 tion. This appears to have been said previously. 
 See the fuller reports of Matthew and Mark. 
 
 47-53. The Betbatal and Abkest of Jesus. 
 —Matt. 26 : 47-56; Mark 14 : 43-52; John 
 18 : 1-12. See notes on Matthew and John. 
 There are some features in the account of the 
 arrest peculiar to Luke. He alone reports the 
 question addressed by our Lord to the traitor 
 (ver. 4s), Judas, bttrayest thou the Son of man with a 
 kiss? In this question Christ reasserts himself 
 to be the Messiah (Matt. 10 : 23 and note) ; this dissi- 
 pates any doubts which Judas might have enter- 
 tained, and makes a final appeal to his conscience. 
 These are Christ's last words to him, and I think 
 follow the kiss. Luke alone mentions the heal- 
 ing of the servant's (Malchus) ear (ver. 51). The 
 fact that our Lord touched his ear indicates that 
 it was not entirely severed. Moreover, there is 
 no case in the Bible of the creation of a new 
 member by a miracle. The words Suffer ye thus 
 far appear to have been addressed by Jesus to 
 the guard, who had already seized him. They 
 are a request for sufficient liberty to effect the 
 healing. Verse 52 alone indicates that any of 
 the priests or elders personally accompanied the 
 band. This is your hour and the power of dark- 
 ness (ver. 53) is also peculiar to Luke. It is our 
 
 Lord's answer to his own question, an explana- 
 tion of the reason why the Pharisees had not 
 arrested Christ before, viz., because the night 
 was a proper hour for such a deed of darkness. 
 I doubt the exegesis which interprets the word 
 "darkness" as equivalent to the evil one. I 
 should rather understand, with De Wette, The 
 darkness gives you courage to seize me. Com- 
 pare John 3 : 20. 
 
 54-62. Denials of oub Lord bt Peteb. — 
 These are reported by the four Evangelists. 
 Matt. 26 : 69-75 ; Mark 14 : 66-72 ; John 18 : 15-27. 
 See notes on Matthew and John, especially Mat- 
 thew, for harmony of the accounts. I believe 
 that the denials took place during a preliminary 
 examination before Caiaphas (not Annas), report- 
 ed only by John, and prior to the formal trial by 
 the Sanhedrim reported by the three Synoptists. 
 For plan and cut of Jewish house, see notes on 
 Matthew ; for illustrations of the kind of fire 
 used, see notes on John. Luke alone mentions 
 the fact that the Lord turned and looked upon 
 Peter (ver. 6i). This may indicate that the exam- 
 ination proceeded in a room opening upon the 
 courtyard where Peter was standing, or that the 
 look was given as Christ was led out from the 
 palace to the council-chamber for trial. The 
 latter supposition is more probable, since the 
 last denial appears to have taken place not in the 
 courtyard, but in the porch or entrance. 
 
 63-71. Trial of Jesus befobe Caiaphas 
 and the Council. — Most scholars are agreed 
 that Luke here reports the formal trial and 
 conviction of Christ. Some, however, iden- 
 tify it with the meeting of the council re- 
 ferred to in Matt. 27 : 1, and distinguish it 
 from that reported in Matt. 26 : 57-68 ; Mark 
 14 : 55-65, which they regard as a preliminary
 
 Ch. XXIII.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 137 
 
 64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck 
 him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, 
 who is it that smote thee ? 
 
 65 And many other things blasphemously spake 
 they against him. 
 
 66 And d as soon as it was day, the elders of the peo- 
 ple and the chief priests and the scribes came together, 
 and led him into their council, saying. 
 
 67 Art" thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto 
 them, If I tell you, ye will not believe : 
 
 68 And if I also a.sk you, ye will not answer me, nor 
 let me go. 
 
 69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right 
 hand f of the power of God. 
 
 70 Then said they all. Art thou then the Son of God? 
 And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 
 
 71 And they said, What need we any further wit- 
 ness ? for we ourselves have heard ol his own mouth. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 AND? the whole multitude of them arose, and led 
 him unto Pilate. 
 
 2 And they began to accuse 11 him, saying, We found 
 this fellow 1 perverting the nation, and forbidding to 
 give tribute J to Csesar, saying that he k himself is 
 Christ a King. 
 
 3 And Pilate asked him, saying. Art thou the King 
 of the Jews ? And ' he answered him, and said, Thou 
 sayest it. 
 
 4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the peo- 
 ple, I find no m fault in this man. 
 
 d Malt. 27 : 1 ; Acts 4 : 26-28 e Matt. 26 : 63, etc. ; Mark 14 : 61, etc....f Hab. 1 : 3; 8:1: Rev. 3 : 21.... jr Malt. 27 : 2, 11, etc. ; Murk 
 
 15 : I, etc. ; John 18 : 28, etc....h Zech. 11 : 8....i verse 6; Acts 16 : 20, 21 j 17:6, 7 j Malt. 17 : 27 ; 22 : 21 ; Mark 12 : 17 k J. .hit 
 
 18:36; 19 : 12... .1 1 Tim. 6 : 13... .m John 18 : 88; 19 : 4; Heb. 7 : 26 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 22. 
 
 examination. The similarity of the proceedings 
 appears to me to forbid this hypothesis, and to 
 render far more reasonable the opinion that; the 
 three Evangelists narrate the same event, and 
 that this event is not a preliminary and informal 
 examination, but the final trial of Jesus before 
 the Sanhedrim. It must be remembered that in 
 the Orient, judicial proceedings were then and 
 are now characterized by no such regularity and 
 formality as habitually characterize such pro- 
 ceedings with us. The Oriental courts are often 
 scenes of popular turbulence ; the sympathies of 
 the people are generally against the accused ; 
 the presumptions of the court are practically ad- 
 verse to him ; and popular indignities are show- 
 ered upon him without interference from the 
 authorities. For a general consideration of the 
 apparent discrepancies in the Evangelical narra- 
 tives of this trial, and for its moral and doctrinal 
 lessons, see notes on Matt. 26 : 57-68. 
 
 63-65. These indignities are placed by Mat- 
 thew and Mark subsequent to the trial. They 
 were inflicted by the servants (Mark u ■. 65 ), possi- 
 bly both before and after Christ's final condem- 
 nation. Verse 65 here is peculiar to Luke. 
 
 66. As soon as it was day. A Jewish trial 
 could not take place at night. Daybreak was 
 about four o'clock in the morning. Probably 
 the parallelism in expression between this verse 
 and Matt. 27 : 1, has led to the supposition that 
 the two meetings are identical. — The elders 
 of the people and the chief priests and 
 the scribes came together. That is, the 
 Sanhedrim, or Jewish Council, assembled. See 
 Prel. Note, Matt, 26 : 57-68.— And led him 
 into their council. The original signifies 
 either the council or the council-chamber. The 
 context here seems to indicate that the Sanhe- 
 drim assembled in the temple. This is con- 
 firmed by the incident recorded in Matt. 27 : 5 ; 
 see note there. The council-chamber was a 
 large circular room of stone, connected with the 
 temple, approached through a vestibule and spa- 
 cious hall, and lighted from the roof. 
 
 67, 68. Saying, Art thou the Christ ? 
 
 First an attempt was made to convict Jesus of 
 blasphemy by false witnesses. This failed. Then 
 the oath was administered to him by the high 
 priest, and he was called on, in violation of the 
 Jewish law, which forbade the condemnation of 
 an accused on his own confession, to testify con- 
 cerning his own claims and character. To this 
 he returns a solemn and dignified protest. If I 
 tell you, ye will not believe ; if I question you ( t< > 
 prove my own innocence by your testimony), ye 
 will not answer me nor release me. After utter- 
 ing this protest, he bears the testimony concern- 
 ing himself recorded by the three synoptic 
 Evangelists. 
 
 69-71. See notes on Matt. 26 : 64-66. That 
 Christ should a second time have been asked to 
 testify against himself, and should a second time 
 have given the testimony called for, seems to me 
 far less probable than to suppose that we have 
 in the different narratives accounts of the same 
 event, with those unimportant variations which 
 are elsewhere common, both in sacred and secu- 
 lar history. 
 
 Ch. 23 : 1-25. Trial before Pilate. — 
 Described in Matt. 27 : 11-31 ; Mark 15 : 1-33 ; 
 John 18 : 28 to 19 :16. John's account is the full- 
 est. See notes there, especially for estimate of 
 Pilate's character and lessons from his course. 
 See on Matthew, Prel. Note, for harmony of the 
 four narratives. 
 
 1,2. Led him unto Pilate. Prior to this 
 there was a private conference, at which the 
 course to be pursued before Pilate was deter- 
 mined on, and at which Judas appeared and re- 
 turned the blood-money (Matt. S7:i-io). — Began 
 to accuse him. Luke alone reports the accu- 
 sation. They first endeavor to secure from 
 Pilate a ratification of the death sentence with- 
 out a trial, and failed (John is : 29-31). — Pervert- 
 ing the nation, and forbidding to give 
 tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself, 
 the Messiah, is a king. The first statement
 
 138 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXIII. 
 
 5 And they were the more fierce," saying', He stir- 
 reth up the people, teaching, throughout all Jewry, 
 beginning Ironi Galilee to this place. 
 
 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether 
 the man were a Galiliean. 
 
 7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto 
 Herod's" jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who him- 
 self also was at Jerusalem at that time. 
 
 8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding 
 glad : forP he was desirous to see him of a long season, 
 because 1 ) he had heard many things of him ; and r he 
 hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 
 
 9 Then he questioned with him in many words ; but" 
 he answered him nothing. 
 
 io And the chiet priests and scribes stood and vehe- 
 mently accused him. 
 
 ii And Herod with his men of war set him at nought,' 
 and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous™ 
 robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 
 
 12 And the same day Pilate and v Herod were made 
 friends together: for beiore they were at enmity be- 
 tween themselves. 
 
 13 And Pilate, when he had called together the 
 chief priests and the rulers and the people, 
 
 ch. 3:1 p ch. 9 : 9. 
 
 ..q Matt. 14 : 
 
 t laa. 49 : 7 ; 53 : 3. 
 
 was so far true that Christ had certainly turned 
 away the hearts of the people from their then 
 religious leaders (Matt., ch. 24), which they would 
 regard as a perversion ; the second was absolute- 
 ly false (Matt. 22 : 15-22); the third was true, but 
 not in the sense in which they intended (John 
 18 : 37). See for grounds of this accusation, John 
 18 : 33, note. Observe that their charge differs 
 entirely from that on which Christ had been con- 
 demned before the Sanhedrim (Matt. 27 : 65, note). 
 
 3, 4. This conference is reported much more 
 fully in John 18 : 33-38. It took place within 
 Pilate's judgment-hall and apart from the crowd. 
 Were it not for John's report of Christ's expla- 
 nation of the nature of his kingdom, Pilate's ac- 
 quittal of him would be utterly inexplicable ; an 
 illustration how in other instances a fuller 
 knowledge would explain difficulties which, in 
 our comparative ignorance, are inexplicable. 
 
 5-7. Luke alone reports this incident of the 
 sending of Jesus to Herod. — He stirreth 
 up the people, teaching throughout all 
 Jewry; i. e., throughout all Judea. This is an 
 unconsciously true characterization of Christ's 
 ministry, which always excites the people and 
 instructs them. Comp. Acts 1G : 20, 21 ; 17 : 0. 
 The instruction and excitement of the people is 
 always odious to despotic governments ; the ac- 
 cusation preferred by the priests was therefore 
 well adapted to stimulate Pilate's prejudices. — 
 Herod's jurisdiction. For character and life 
 of this Herod, see Matt. 11 : 1-12, notes. Pales- 
 tine was divided into different provinces under 
 different governors ; Herod was tetrarch of 
 Galilee. See Luke 3 : 1, note. Under the Ro- 
 man law, the prisoner might be tried before the 
 governor of the province or district where he be- 
 longed, or of that where the offence was com- 
 mitted. Pilate seems to have sent Christ to 
 Herod, partly as an act of royal courtesy, partly 
 to relieve himself of responsibility. Herod's 
 palace was situated in the upper city or Mount 
 Sion. The trial of Jesus before Pilate, took 
 place, probably, at the tower of Antonia on 
 Mount Moriah (John 18 : 28, note). A bridge, the 
 remains of which are still standing, spanned the 
 ravine which separated these two hills. The re- 
 lation of the temple, the tower, and the palace of 
 
 Herod, with the bridge over which Christ was 
 probably led, are shown in the map, Vol. I, p. 278. 
 It is surmised that Herod was at Jerusalem for 
 the purpose of attending the pascal feast. 
 
 8- I I . The fame of Jesus had reached the 
 ears of Herod long before (Matt. 14 : 1 ; Luke 1.3 : 31). 
 Observe (1) Herod's desire: to see Christ; (2) 
 its cause : curiosity ; (3) his position : an in- 
 quirer ; (4) his treatment : Christ answered him 
 nothing. Is there not in this an explanation of 
 the reason why Christ often treats with silence 
 those who seem to be earnestly seeking to see 
 and learn of him ; and a lesson for those who, in 
 the church or out of it, manifest a desire for 
 the presence of Christ, not because they want 
 his spiritual inspiration, but because they are 
 curious to see or ambitious to share in the mani- 
 festation of his mighty works. No words could 
 have so utterly rebuked the murderer of John the 
 Baptist as did silence. Contrast Christ's treat- 
 ment of Pilate in his honest perplexity (John 
 is : 33-37). The result here — "Herod set him at 
 naught and mocked him " — shows how little in 
 earnest he was in his seeking. This mockery is 
 not mentioned by the other Evangelists, nor is 
 the mockery before Pilate mentioned by Luke. 
 The gorgeous robe is not to be confounded with the 
 scarlet robe afterward put upon him by Pilate's 
 soldiers (Matt. 27 : 28). The original {kajinqo^) indi- 
 cates a white dress ; the same word is translated 
 bright in Acts 10 : 30, white in Rev. 15 : 6 ; 19 : 8, 
 and clear in Rev. 22 : 1. Calvin, on the mockery 
 by Herod's retinue, suggests that "the honor 
 which is due to God is seldom rendered to him 
 in the courts of kings." 
 
 12. Were made friends together; for 
 before they were at enmity. The cause of 
 this enmity is unknown. It probably con- 
 cerned some question of jurisdiction between 
 them, which was conceded by Pilate in sending 
 Jesus to Herod, and waived by Herod in sending 
 him back again. Some of the commentators 
 notice that Christ by his death thus brought 
 together Jew (Herod) and Gentile (Pilate 1, a 
 prophecy of that breaking down of the partition 
 wall between them, which he has accomplished 
 (Ephes. 2 : u). More observable is the fact, that 
 hostility to Christ, as well as love for him,
 
 Ch. XXIIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 139 
 
 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto 
 me, as one that perverteth the people ; and, behold, I,™ 
 having examined him before you, have tound no lault 
 in this man, touching those things whereot ye accuse 
 him : 
 
 15 No, nor yet Herod : tor I sent you to him ; and, 
 lo, nothing worthy ot death is done unto him. 
 
 16 I will therefore chastise 1 him, and release him, 
 
 17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them 
 at the least.) 
 
 18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away 
 with this man, and release unto us Harabbas ; 
 
 19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and 
 for murder,)' was cast into prison.) 
 
 20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake 
 again to them. 
 
 21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 
 
 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, 
 
 what evil hath he done ? I have found no cause of 
 death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let 
 him go. 
 
 23 And they were instant 2 with loud voices, requir- 
 ing that he might be crucified. And the voices of 
 them and ot the chief priests prevailed. 
 
 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as 
 they ' required. 
 
 25 And he released unto them b him that for sedition 
 and murder was cast into prison, whom they had de- 
 sired ; but he delivered Jesus to tiieir will. 
 
 26 And c as they led him away, they laid hold upon 
 one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and 
 on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after 
 Jesus. 
 
 27 And there followed him a great company of peo- 
 
 Ele, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented 
 im. 
 
 verse 4 % Isa. 53: 5.... y Acta 3 : 14. 
 
 unites those who are naturally opposed to one 
 another. United, "as Samson's foxes, to do 
 mischief to others rather than to do good to 
 themselves." To this Alford objects, that the 
 present feeling of Pilate was anything but hos- 
 tile to the person of Christ ; and Herod, by his 
 treatment of him, shows that he thought him 
 beneath his judicial notice ; but the enmity of 
 Pilate and Herod are typical of that which pre- 
 vails against Christ. This is generally either the 
 opposition of self-interest, which crucifies Christ 
 rather than suffer with him, or that of pride, 
 which makes naught of and mocks him. 
 
 13-15. This declaration of Christ's innocence 
 appears to be distinct from that reported by the 
 other Evangelists. Pilate's language indicates 
 that Herod sent an unreported message of ac- 
 quittal. Bone ttnlo him is a mistranslation for 
 done by Mm. 
 
 16. Chastise him. The original (naidtvoj) 
 signifies literally, to educate or instruct, and is 
 sometimes so rendered in the N. T. Here it may 
 mean, I will instruct him, that is, correct his 
 fanatical notions respecting a kingdom, and re- 
 lease him ; but this view, adopted in my Jesus 
 of Nazareth, on consideration, appears tome less 
 tenable than that of our English version. Pilate 
 proposes to save the pride of the priests, by con- 
 victing the accused and punishing him, and to 
 save his own conscience, by not inflicting the 
 death penalty. 
 
 17-25. Of necessity. This is partially ex- 
 plained by Matt. 27 : 15, note ; John 18 : 39. — 
 Release one of them. The demand of this 
 popular privilege first came from the people 
 (Mark 15 : 8). — They cried out all at once. 
 Not immediately ; some little time intervened, 
 during which the chief priests and elders were 
 busy stirring up the people (Matt. 27 : 20) ; but 
 all together, i. e., with clamorous and combined 
 voices. — Barabbas. See Matt. 27 : 17, note. — 
 The voices of them and of the chief 
 priests. The latter mixed with the crowd and 
 
 swelled the tumult with their own voices. — He 
 delivered Jesus to their will. An indication 
 that he suffered them to choose the form of exe- 
 cution, namely, crucifixion. Before this took 
 place, Christ was scourged and mocked by the 
 soldiers (Mark 27 : 26-go), and two more efforts were 
 made by Pilate for his release (John 19 : 4, 5 ; u, 15). 
 
 Ch. 23 : 20-49. THE CRUCIFIXION. The Cructfted 
 
 IS NOT AN OBJECT OP PITT (27-31 1.— THE DIVINE COM- 
 PASSION EXEMPLIFIED IN THE INTERCESSION OP THE 
 
 cross, "Father, FORGrvE them" (34).— The Gospel 
 
 EXEMPLIFIED IN THE PENITENCE, THE FAITH, AND THE 
 PARDON OF THE DYING BRIGAND.— CHRIST'S DEATH A 
 PATTERN FOR THE DYING CHRISTIAN (46). 
 
 Comp. Matt. 27 : 32-56 ; Mark 15 : 21-41 ; John 
 19 : 17-30. Matthew and Mark are almost ex- 
 actly parallel. Peculiar to Luke are the inci- 
 dents of the weeping women (vers. 27-31), Christ's 
 prayer for the forgiveness of his enemies (34), the 
 penitence of one of the thieves (39-43), and Christ's 
 final prayer commending his spirit into his 
 Father's hands (46). For comparison of the four 
 accounts, and notes on what is common to them, 
 see Matthew ; 2G. See Matt. 27 : 32, notes. 
 
 27. A great company of people and of 
 women. Not his disciples, but such a crowd 
 as curiosity would gather in a great city to wit- 
 ness such a procession. That the women were 
 not those subsequently described as standing 
 before the cross (ver. 49) is evident, because they 
 were Galileans, while these are described as 
 "daughters of Jerusalem." It appears from 
 Rabbinical writings that an association of women 
 was formed at Jerusalem to alleviate the suffer- 
 ings of those condemned to die ; they accompa- 
 nied the accused to the place of execution, and 
 administered a drink of acid wine mixed with 
 myrrh, which acted as an anodyne. This fact 
 probably explains the incident mentioned in 
 Matt. 27 : 34 ; and these may have been the 
 women there referred to. It is, at all events, a 
 reasonable surmise that, seeing the inscription
 
 140 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Oh. XXIII. 
 
 But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of I they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs 
 
 Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, 
 
 and for your children. 
 29 For, behold, the days d are coming, in the which 
 
 that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 
 30 Then e shall they begin to say to the mountains, 
 Fall on us ; and to the hills, Cover us. 
 
 d ch. 21 : 23 ; Matt. 24 : 19 e Isa. 2 : 19 ; Hosea 10 : 8 ; Rev. 6 : 16 ; 9 : 6. 
 
 borne before the cross, "Jesus of Nazareth, 
 King of the Jews," and knowing little or nothing 
 of the trial before the Sanhedrim, which had 
 taken place secretly about daybreak, they la- 
 mented what they regarded as a new indignity 
 inflicted upon their nation. The original indi- 
 cates that their lamenting was of a vehement 
 sort, according to the Jewish fashion, including 
 beating upon their breasts and loud wailing («i 
 y.ixi ixuntovto y.a\ icpQi']vovv dvtov). For descrip- 
 tion of Jewish wailing, see Mark 5 : 38, note. 
 
 Ostentatious and vehement mourning appears to 
 have been always displeasing to Jesus. Comp. 
 Mark 5 : 39. 
 
 28-31. Jesus turning unto them. This 
 was evidently after he had been relieved of the 
 cross ; perhaps he avails himself of the moment 
 of delay occasioned by the impressment of Si- 
 mon. Notice the indication of accuracy in this 
 description of a subordinate detail. — Weep for 
 yourselves and for your children. In the 
 valley just outside the walls of Jerusalem is a 
 
 AVAILING PLACE OF JEWS. 
 
 point known as the " wailing place of the Jews," 
 where they gather every day to read the law and 
 prophets, and to chant a mournful refrain. With 
 trembling lips and tehrful eyes, they sing, " Be 
 not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember 
 iniquity forever : behold, see, we beseech thee, 
 for we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a 
 wilderness ; Zion is a wilderness ; Jerusalem a 
 desolation" (isa. 64 : 9, etc.). Thus to the present 
 day the daughters of Jerusalem weep for them- 
 selves and their children. — The days are com- 
 ing. The primary reference is to the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem. Some of those who now be- 
 wail him probably perished in that siege, and 
 doubtless many of their children did so. For a 
 description of its horrors, see Matthew, ch. 24, 
 Prel. Note. — Blessed are the barren. Chil- 
 dren were* considered by the Jews as a special 
 divine blessing, and their absence a divine pun- 
 
 ishment (Gen. 30 : 1 ; Deut. 7 : 14; Ps. 127 : 3 ; Hosea 9 : u). 
 
 The language here, therefore, was to these 
 mothers a graphic suggestion of the terrible 
 days which Christ foretold.— Then shall they 
 begin to say. This is cited from Hosea 10 : 8, 
 and was partially fulfilled in the destruction of 
 Jerusalem, when, toward the end of the siege, 
 multitudes of the Jews sought to escape death 
 by hiding in the subterranean passages and sew- 
 ers under the city. Those who recognize the 
 truth that history is itself prophetic, and that 
 the judgment of God against the Jewish nation 
 in the destruction of Jerusalem is itself a pro- 
 phecy of the final judgment of all nations, will 
 recognize in these words here, as elsewhere in 
 Scripture (isa. 2 : 10 ; 19 : 21 ; Rev. 6 : 16), a reference to 
 the last judgment. — If they do these things 
 in the green tree, what shall be done i:i 
 the dry ? That is, if the Jewish rulers and the
 
 Ch. XXIIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 141 
 
 31 For r if they do these things in a green tree, what 
 shall be done in the dry ? 
 
 32 And there were also two other, malefactors,* led 
 witli him to be put to death. 
 
 33 And when they were come to the place, which is 
 called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the male- 
 factors, one on the right hand, and the other on the 
 left. 
 
 34 Then said Jesus, Father, h forgive them ; for they 
 
 know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, 
 and cast lots. 
 
 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers 
 also with them ' derided Aim, saying. He saved others ; 
 let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen ot God. 
 
 36 And the soldiers also mocked iiim, coming to him, 
 and offering him vinegar, 
 
 37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save 
 thyself. 
 
 f Prov. 11:31; Jer. 25 : 29 ; Ewk. 20 : 47 j 21 : 4 ; 1 Pet. 4 : 17. . . .g Isa. 63 : 12. . . .h Matt. 5 : 44 ; Acts 7 : 60 ; 1 Cor. 4 : 12. . . .1 Ps. 2* : 7. 
 
 Roman government, conspiring together, crucify 
 the Messiah of the nation and of the world, as 
 the beginning of their work, what will they 
 bring upon the nation in its consummation ? If 
 this is the leaf and blossom of the springtime of 
 their malice, what will be the autumn end ? This 
 appears to me better than the ordinary interpre- 
 tation of what is a confessedly difficult proverb. 
 That interpretation represents the green tree as 
 Christ, and the dry tree as the Jewish nation, 
 and thus renders the contrast equivalent to that 
 of 1 Pet. 4 : 18, " If the righteous scarcely be 
 saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner ap- 
 pear?" So Alford, Lange, Farrar, Schenckel, 
 Meyer, Lightfoot, Barnes, etc. But the contrast 
 here is not between what is done to the green 
 tree and to the dry tree, but what is done in the 
 tree when green, that is, in the beginning, and 
 when dry, that is, at the end. And observe, it 
 was the spirit of intolerance for the Gentiles in 
 the Jews, which was the secret of their hate for 
 a Messiah who promised redemption to all na- 
 tions (ch. 4 : 28, 29; comp. Acta 22 : 21, 22), and the Spirit 
 
 of contempt for the Jews in the Romans, which 
 manifested itself in the scourging and mockery, 
 and the spirit of inhumanity and cruelty in both, 
 which manifested itself in the crucifixion of 
 Christ ; and it was these qualities in Jew and 
 Gentile which brought on the war between 
 Roman and Jew, and the scenes of carnage which 
 accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem. The 
 spirit exhibited in the conflict between Pi- 
 late and priests was exactly the same as that 
 exhibited in the long conflict between Titus and 
 the besieged Jews in Jerusalem. 
 
 The practical lesson of this incident is plain, 
 though often forgotten. He who endures the 
 cross, despising the shame, is not an object of 
 pity (Heb. 12 : 2). There is nothing pitiable in the 
 sight of one dying, even a cruel death, and in 
 the very prime of life, if he dies in the fulfill- 
 ment of duty, for the sake of others, a death in 
 whose fruits others shall rejoice. " He could 
 have been an object of pity only had he, from fear 
 of the horrors of death, preferred a broken life 
 to death." — (Schenckel.) We are to weep, not 
 over Christ's suffering, but at the remembrance 
 of our sins, which crucified him, and in reflect- 
 ing upon the judgments which these sins entail. 
 For his death, wrought out by sin in the green 
 
 tree, is itself a prophecy of the woes which sin 
 will bring upon the persistent sinner when sin 
 has finished its course. This passage impliedly 
 forbids all attempts to excite tears of commisera- 
 tion by dramatic oratorical portraitures of 
 Christ's sufferings, and its spirit is violated by 
 much in so-called "sacred art." 
 
 32, 33. The word malefactors is emphatic, 
 and distinguishes them from Jesus. See below, 
 on vers. 39-43. Calvary is not a correct render- 
 ing of the original. It is an anglicized form of 
 the Latin translation, calvaria, correctly ren- 
 dered in the parallel passages (Matt. 27 : 33 ; Mark 
 15 : 22 ; John 19 : 17) a skull. The proper translation 
 here would be, When they were come to the place 
 which is called a skull. The Hebrew name was 
 Golgotha. As to its supposed site, see Matt. 
 27 : 33, note. 
 
 34. Father, forgive them, for they know 
 not what they do. This prayer is reported 
 only by Luke. " The living and divine beauty 
 of this prayer is disclosed, when we understand 
 it as having burst from his lips when they were 
 nailing him to the cross, and as immediately re- 
 ferring to his brutal and ignorant executioners." 
 — (Funiess.) This is true ; yet it is also time 
 that we may regard it as including all who di- 
 rectly participated in the crucifixion, of all of 
 whom it may be truly said that they knew not 
 what they did. Compare Peter's language in 
 his address to the people of Jerusalem (Acts 2 : zs, 
 39; 3 : n) ; the latter passage expressly includes 
 both people and rulers in this prayer of inter- 
 cession : "I wot that through ignorance ye did 
 it, as did also your rulers." Thus it may be re- 
 garded as the beginning of Christ's intercession 
 for sinners, though preceded by the prayer of 
 intercession for his church (John, ch. n), and as a 
 true interpretation of the language of his cross, 
 for all the world and for all time. It is noted by 
 Alford as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 
 53 : 12, " He made intercession for the trans- 
 gressors." It was only by coming to a knowledge 
 of what they had done that the crucifiers could 
 be brought to a sense of sin, repentance, confes- 
 sion, and so to divine forgiveness ; hence the 
 first apostolic preaching is directed to bringing 
 home to the mind of Jew and Gentile the enor- 
 mity of this sin of crucifying the "Prince of 
 Life." Observe in this prayer a wonderful
 
 142 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXIII. 
 
 38 And a superscription also was written over him, 
 in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS 
 THE KING OF THE JEWS. 
 
 39 And one J of the malefactors which were hanged 
 railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself 
 and us. 
 
 40 But the other answering, rebuked him. saying. 
 Dost not thou fear k God, seeing thou art in the same ' 
 condemnation ? 
 
 41 And we indeed justly ; for we receive the due re- 
 ward of our deeds : but this man hath done nothing ■ 
 amiss. 
 
 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember" me 
 when thou com est into thy kingdom. 
 
 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily ° I say unto thee, 
 To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.'' 
 
 44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a 
 darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 
 
 j ch. 17 : 34-36.... k Pa. 36 : 1....1 Jer. 5 : 
 
 ..m 1 Pet. 1: 19....n P». 106 : 4, 5; Rom. 10 : 9, 10 ; 1 Cor. 6 : 10.11.... o Rom. 5 • 20, 21... 
 p 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2 : 7. 
 
 exemplification of our Lord's instruction to his 
 followers, "Pray for them which despitefully 
 use you." — They parted his raiment, etc. 
 See John 18 : 23, 24, notes. 
 
 35-37, Comp. Matt. 27 : 39-44, notes. The 
 statement that the soldiers mocked him, is pecu- 
 liar to Luke. On the offering of the vinegar in 
 mockery, see Matt. 27 : 47-49, notes. Alford re- 
 gards this as distinct from the incidents there 
 narrated. "It was about the time of the mid- 
 day meal of the soldiers, and they in mockery 
 offered him their pasca or sour wine, to drink 
 with them." But I see no reason for this sup- 
 position, nor even how such an offering to the 
 thirsty sufferer can be regarded as a mockery, 
 except in some such connection as is indicated in 
 the accounts of the other Evangelists. 
 
 38. On the variation in the fourreportsof this 
 inscription, and on Pilate's refusal to modify it, 
 see John 19 : 19-22, notes. 
 
 39-43. This incident of the penitent thief is 
 recorded only by Luke. Matthew and Mark 
 represent both malefactors as reviling Christ. 
 On the reconciliation of this discrepancy, see 
 Matt. 27 : 44, note.— If thou be the Messiah. 
 The language of the brigands (Matt. 27 : 38, note) 
 here and in verse 42, indicates that both were 
 Jews. They were probably Galilean zealots, 
 who believed in a coming Judean kingdom, 
 made their patriotism a cover for robbery and 
 murder, and had finally been arrested and con- 
 demned. It is a reasonable hypothesis that they 
 belonged to the band of which Barabbas was the 
 leader. On the character of this band, see Mark 
 15 : 7. In that case, the outbreak for which they 
 were condemned, had taken place in Jerusalem, 
 and had been accompanied by murder (ch. 23 : 19). 
 — Dost thou not then fear God because Ave 
 are in the same condemnation ? The brig- 
 ands and Jesus were condemned to death on the 
 same charge, viz., sedition against the Roman 
 government (ch. 23 : 2). The one brigand, because 
 •Christ was subject to the same condemnation 
 and punishment, makes that fact an occasion of 
 reviling his claim to be Messiah ; the other de- 
 clares that it is known to them both that Christ's 
 condemnation was unjust, that he had no share 
 in their violence or their seditious designs. — 
 This man hath done nothing amiss. This 
 ■was more true than he thought. Comp. John 
 
 8 : 46 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 22. Observe in the language 
 here an important testimony, if one were needed, 
 to the injustice of the sentence pronounced 
 against Jesus by the Roman governor. — When 
 thou corniest in thy kingdom. Not into thy 
 kingdom (iic), but in thy kingdom (ti). Parallel 
 to this expression is Christ's own language re- 
 specting himself (Matt. 25 : 31), "When the Son of 
 man shall come in his glory." Comp. Col. 3 : 4. 
 The dying brigand refers to a future and glo- 
 rious coming of Christ, as a revealed and recog- 
 nized Messiah, of which coming the ancient 
 prophets had spoken, and to which Christ in 
 both public and private instructions, had expli- 
 citly and repeatedly referred. It is hardly possi- 
 ble that the petitioner would have used this lan- 
 guage if he had not been a Jew and known some- 
 thing of Jesus prior to this time, by reputation if 
 not personally.— To-day shalt thou be with 
 me in paradise. Observe how the promise of 
 grace transcends the prayer of penitence. The 
 repentant brigand only asks a remembrance in 
 some far future day in Christ's second coming ; 
 Christ promises a remembrance to-day. The 
 construction which joins "to-day," with, "I say 
 unto thee," rendering the declaration, "I, to- 
 day, say unto thee that thou shalt be (i. e., at 
 some future time) with me in paradise," only 
 deserves mention as a curious illustration of the 
 extent to which perversion of Scripture has been 
 carried, for the purpose of avoiding its real or 
 supposed inconsistency with preconceived sys- 
 tems of theology. 
 
 We must look, not to the literature of later 
 patristic theology, nor to that of Jewish scholas- 
 ticism, but to the usage of the common people 
 in Palestine, for an interpretation of this word 
 paradise, and so for the meaning of this promise ; 
 for only thus shall we understand it as the thief 
 would have understood it. The word is of Per- 
 sian origin, and signifies beautiful land. It is 
 said (Kitto) to have first appeared in Greek liter- 
 ature about 400 b. c, and is employed in the 
 Septuagint as a term to designate the first abode 
 of man, the Garden of Eden. Hence it came to 
 be employed as a designation of the future home 
 into which the holy will be admitted by the 
 grace of God, and thence, in Jewish popular be- 
 lief, as the name of that portion of Hades, or the 
 abode of the dead, in which the patriarchs and
 
 Ch. XXIIL] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 143 
 
 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the 
 temple was rent in the miilst. 
 
 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he 
 said, Father, into 1 thy hands I commend my spirit: 
 and ' having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 
 
 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he 
 glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous 
 man. 
 
 48 And all the people that came together to that 
 sight, beholding the things which were done, smote 
 their breasts, and returned. 
 
 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that 
 followed him from Galilee, stood afar' off, beholdiDg 
 these things. 
 
 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a 
 counsellor ; ami he was a good man, and a just : 
 
 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and 
 deed of them ;) he idsjoIAi imatbea,a city of the Jews: 
 who 'also himself waited lor the kingdom of God. 
 
 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body 
 of Jesus. 
 
 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and 
 
 q Pa. 31 : 5 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 23. . . .r Matt. 27 : 60, etc. ; Mark 15 : 37, etc. ; John 19 : : 
 
 .8 Pa. 38 : 11; 142 : 4....t ch. 2 : 25, 38 ; .Mark 15:43. 
 
 prophets dwelt, and into which the saints were 
 believed to enter to await the final judgment and 
 consequent admission to their everlasting home. 
 Hence to repose in Abraham's bosom (Lukei6: 23), 
 was to have a high place of honor in this abode 
 of the blessed. This brigand would then have 
 understood Christ's promise as one of immediate 
 entrance into a state of conscious peace and joy. 
 The promise throws little light on the question 
 of an intermediate state, for there was no time to 
 correct erroneous or even superstitious ideas 
 concerning the future. But it is certainly incon- 
 sistent with (1) the Roman Catholic doctrine of 
 purgatory ; for if ever one needed the fire of dis- 
 cipline to purge away the evil of his nature and 
 atone for that of his life, this tardily repentant 
 brigand did ; (2) the doctrine of an unconscious 
 state between death and the judgment ; for this 
 promise was to be fulfilled, not in the future, 
 but to-day ; (3) the idea of a mere gradual devel- 
 opment going on in the next life from the stage 
 of progress reached by habit of life and educa- 
 tion in this ; for then this brigand would have 
 entered on that development at almost the low- 
 est point in the scale. This promise can be 
 reconciled with the facts subsequently stated of 
 Christ's resurrection and appearance to his disci- 
 ples, only by the reasonable supposition, appa- 
 rently confirmed by other passages of Scripture 
 (1 Pet. 3 : is, 19 ; 4 : 6), that Christ entered immedi- 
 ately after death into paradise, and remained 
 with the dead, during the time when, to sight, he 
 appeared to be reposing in the grave. This, too, 
 accords with his declaration that to those that 
 believe in him, and much more therefore to him- 
 self, there is no such thing as death (John 11 : 26). 
 In respect to the spiritual lessons of this inci- 
 dent, observe, (1) That the penitent thief illus- 
 trates true repentance and faith ; repentance in 
 the confession, "We receive the due reward of 
 our deeds ;" faith in the appeal, " Lord, remem- 
 ber me when thou comest in thy kingdom." At 
 a time when even the disciples despair of that 
 kingdom, and lose faith in the king, this man 
 hopes for the one and trusts in the other ; (2) 
 that Jesus Christ illustrates this nature of divine 
 mercy. Though one's whole life has been 
 wasted and misspent, there is divine forgiveness 
 and redemption to the penitent and believing 
 
 soul, who has nothiug to carry to Christ but his 
 need ; (3) that the lesson is often misread. 
 There is no evidence that this brigand had ever 
 known personally of Jesus Christ before, and 
 therefore in this acceptance of his tardy repent- 
 ance there is no encouragement for those to 
 whom Christ is presented in life and health, and 
 who deliberately reject him, with an expectation 
 of accepting his redemption at the last. " He 
 who pardons the sinner that repents, will grant 
 no repentance to the sinner that presumes." — 
 (Augustine.) Comp. note on Parable of the La- 
 borers, Matt. 20:1-16. (4.) That the Gospel is 
 both a savor of life and of death (s Cor. 2 : is). To 
 both malefactors Christ crucified is presented ; 
 one is hardened, and blasphemes; the other is 
 softened, and prays. 
 
 44-46. On the discrepancy in time between 
 the statement here and in John 19 : 14, see note 
 there. On the nature and significance of the 
 supernatural darkness and the rending of the 
 veil here mentioned, see on Matt. 27 : 45, 51-53. 
 The rending of the veil took place, according to 
 Matthew's more precise account, not at noon, 
 but at 3 p. M.; the darkness lasted from noon till 
 3 p. m., and was followed by an earthquake. 
 The cry "with a loud voice" was that reported 
 by Matthew and Mark, "Eli, Eli, lama Sabach- 
 thani ; " this was followed by the words, re- 
 ported only by John, "It is finished;" the 
 words here reported, "Father, into thy hands I 
 commit my spirit," were Christ's last words. 
 They do not seem to me to justify the inference 
 of Alford, that his death was " a determinate 
 delivering up of his spirit to the Father," if I 
 understand aright his meaning, viz., that 
 Christ's death was a voluntary act of his own 
 divine will, and not a succumbing of the power 
 of nature to grief and exhaustion. The language 
 is appropriate for any child of God, whose 
 death, if it be in consciousness, should always be 
 a calm and trustful committal of the soul to the 
 Heavenly Father. The language is borrowed 
 from Ps. 31 : 5 ; comp. Acts 7 : 59. On the physi- 
 cal cause of Christ's death, see John 19 : 34, note. 
 
 47-49. See notes on Matt. 27 : 54-56. Ver. 48 
 is peculiar to Luke, and shows that the centurion 
 was not the only one affected by the darkness 
 and the earthquake.
 
 144 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXIV. 
 
 laid it in a u sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein 
 never man betore was laid. 
 
 54 And that day was the T preparation, and the sab- 
 bath drew on. 
 
 55 And the women " also, which came with him from 
 Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and 
 how his body was laid. 
 
 56 And tnev returned, and* prepared spices and 
 ointments ; and rested the sabbath day, according * to 
 the commandment. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 OW 2 upon the first day of the week, very early in 
 the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, 
 
 N 
 
 bringing the spices which they had prepared, and cer- 
 tain others with them. 
 
 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the 
 sepulchre. 
 
 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of 
 the Lord Jesus. 
 
 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed 
 thereabout, behold," two men stood by them in shin- 
 ing garments : 
 
 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their 
 faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye 
 the living among the dead ? 
 
 6 He is not here, but is risen : remember how he 
 spake b unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 
 
 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the 
 
 u Isa. 53 : 9. . . .v Malt. 27 : 62 w verse 49 ; ch. 8:2 x Mark 16 : 1 . . .y Exod. 20 : 8-10. . . z Matt. 28 : 1, etc. ; Mark 16 : 2, etc. ; 
 
 John 20 : 1, etc.... a John 20 : 12; Acts 1 : 10.... b ch. 9 : 22; Matt. 16 : 21 ; 17 : 22, 23; Mark 8 : 31 ; 9 : 31 ; John 2 : 22. 
 
 50-56. Tiie Burial of Jesus. — Comp. Matt. 
 27 : 57-61 ; Mark 15 : 43-47 ; John 19 : 36-42. See 
 John for notes on what is common to the four 
 Evangelists. — A counsellor. A member of 
 the Jewish Sanhedrim. — A good man and 
 just. Peculiar to Luke. Mark only describes 
 his position ; Luke his character. — The same 
 had not consented to the counsel and 
 deed of them. That is, of the Sanhedrim. 
 The report of the trial indicates that the con- 
 demnation of Christ was unanimous (Mark 16 : 64) ; 
 the implication, therefore, is that Joseph was not 
 present.— The sabbath was approaching. 
 The Sabbath began at sunset (Lev. 23 : 32). It was 
 then not quite sunset. The Greek (irtHptnoy.w), to 
 dawn, is here used metaphorically for, to ap- 
 proach. 
 
 Ch. 24 : 1-53. THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. 
 He that honors Christ crucified finds Christ 
 risen. — Seek not the living Christ in the tomb of 
 the dead past.— Seek not living friends in the 
 habitations of the dead. — Communing about 
 Christ leads to communion with Christ.— Faith in 
 Christ as an inspired prophet and faith in Christ 
 as a divtne Redeemer contrasted. — Christ's fa- 
 miliarity with the Old Testament. — His inter- 
 pretation of the Old Testament. — Christ comes 
 to those that invite him ; he passes by those that 
 do not. — Christ reveals himself in the breaking 
 of bread. — Christ's resurrection body charac- 
 terized.— The mission of Christ's church defined 
 by its Lord. 
 
 Preliminary Note. — The four Gospels give 
 four very different, though not inconsistent, ac- 
 counts of the events connected with and subse- 
 quent to the resurrection. For a tabular state- 
 ment showing these differences, and a probable 
 harmony of the three accounts, see Vol. I, p. 
 3J0. Godet suggests an ingenious explanation 
 of the difference. " As friends, who for a time 
 have traveled together, disperse at the end of 
 the journey, to take each the way which brings 
 him to his own home, so in this last part the pe- 
 culiar object of each Evangelist exercises an in- 
 fluence on his narrative yet more marked than 
 
 before." Thus he supposes that Luke prepares 
 for the account of the growth of the Christian 
 work which he intends to give in Acts ; Matthew 
 closes his demonstration of the Messiahship of 
 Jesus by an account of the great commission ; 
 Mark shows the glory and activity of Christ co- 
 operating from heaven with his disciples ; John 
 perfects his history of the development of faith 
 by his account of the victory of faith over unbe- 
 lief, as in the case of Thomas. This view, how- 
 ever, seems to me more ingenious than sound ; 
 it attributes a definite dogmatic purpose to each 
 of the Evangelists which is foreign to the art- 
 less and simple character of their narratives. I 
 should rather believe that each historian has re- 
 corded those events of which he was personally 
 cognizant, or which he heard from eye-witnesses, 
 and only those, without any attempt to make a 
 complete or a connected narrative of the events 
 subsequent to the crucifixion. 
 
 1-3. Compare Matt. 28 : 1-8, note. — Very 
 early in the morning. Literally, ire the deep 
 dawn, i. e., just at the beginning of the dawn. 
 Comp. Mark 16 : 2 with John 20 : 1, and 6ee 
 Matt. 28 : 1, note. — They came unto the sep- 
 ulchre. These were Mary Magdalene and Mary 
 the mother of Joses (Matt. 28 : 1), Salome the 
 mother of James and John (Mark 16: 1), and Joan- 
 na the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward (ver. 10 ; 
 comp. ch. 8 : 3). — Bringing the spices. To com- 
 plete the anointing of the body, which had been 
 interrupted by the sabbath. See Mark 16 : 1, 
 note. The Christian disciples were still Jews, 
 and not even their reverence for their Lord 
 seemed to them to justify breaking over the 
 rigorous rules of Rabbinical sabbath observance. 
 — They found the stone rolled away. This 
 stone was a circular door closing the entrance to 
 the tomb. See Mark 16 : 2-4, note and illustra- 
 tion. 
 
 4-7. They were much perplexed. To 
 know what had become of the body. — Two 
 men. Described in Mark and Luke as men, ac- 
 cording to their appearance ; in Matthew and 
 John as angels, according to the reality. — Bowed
 
 Ch. XXIV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 145 
 
 hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third 
 day rise again. 
 
 8 And they remembered his words. 
 
 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all 
 these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 
 
 io It was Mary Magdalene, and c Joanna, and Mary 
 the mother of James, and other women that ivere with 
 them, which told these things unto the apostles. 
 
 ii And their words seemed to them as idle tales, d 
 and they believed them not. 
 
 12 Then K arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre: 
 and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by 
 themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that 
 which was come to pass. 
 
 13 And behold, two f of them went that same day to 
 
 a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem 
 about threescore furlongs. 
 
 14 And they talked together of all these things 
 which had happened. 
 
 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed' 
 together and reasoned, Jesus himselt drew near, and 
 went with them. 
 
 16 But their eyes were holden,' 1 that they should not 
 know him. 
 
 17 And he said unto them, What manner of commu- 
 nications are these that ye have one to another, as ye 
 walk, and are sad ? 
 
 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas,' 
 answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in 
 Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are 
 come to pass there in these days ? 
 
 c ch. 8 : 3. . . .d Gen. 19 : 14 ; 2 Kinprs 7:2; Job 9 : 16 ; Pa. 126 : 1 ; Acts 12:9. 15. . . .e John 20 : S, 6. 
 Mai. J : 16 ; Mult. 18 : 20. . . .h John 20 : 14, 16 ; 21 : 4. . . .i John 19 : 25. 
 
 .f Mark 16: 12. ...g verse 
 
 down their faces to the earth. A form of 
 salutation used amoDg the Orientals before a su- 
 perior. — Why seek ye the living among the 
 
 dead ? Christ is the Living One. It is still a 
 mistaken and a misleading love, which goes into 
 the past and seeks him only there ; which stops 
 at the cross and at the tomb, forgetting that the 
 Lord is risen (Rom. 5 : 10 ; 2 Cor. 5 : ie). The angels' 
 question addresses itself also to every Christian 
 mourner whose heart goes with the body to the 
 grave and seeks among the dead those who are 
 among the living. — When he was yet in Gal- 
 ilee. The women were from Galilee ; this lan- 
 guage, therefore, brings to their recollection 
 Christ's prophecies of his Passion and his resur- 
 rection in that most joyous period of his minis- 
 try. For those prophecies, see marg. refs. 
 
 8-11. They remembered his words. 
 These had never been fully comprehended ( Mark 
 9 .- 10; Lute is : 34), and had therefore passed, not 
 indeed wholly from the disciples' memory, yet 
 from their thoughts. The meaning of these 
 prophecies was interpreted by events, and so 
 they were recalled. — Told all these things. 
 This is not inconsistent with Mark 16 : 8, " Nei- 
 ther said they anything to any man." On their 
 way to tell the disciples they said nothing to 
 any whom they met upon the road. — Mary 
 Magdalene, etc. See on ver. 21. — Seemed to 
 them as idle tales. One of the many evi- 
 dences that the disciples were not anticipating 
 the resurrection of their Lord, and quite conclu- 
 sive against Renan's theory that they were easily 
 imposed upon by their own imaginations. On 
 the contrary, they were skeptical and despairing 
 
 (Mark 16 : 10-14; John 20 : 9, 11-13, 24, 25). 
 
 12. Compare John 20 : 1-10. Luke gives from 
 the accounts of others a brief and imperfect ref- 
 erence to an event reported much more fully by 
 John, who was an eye-witness. 
 
 13, 14. The account of the appearance of 
 Christ to the two disciples on their walk to Em- 
 maus is referred to by Mark (ch. 16 : 12), but is 
 otherwise peculiar to Luke. The narrative is 
 apparently derived from an eye and ear- witness ; 
 
 the graphic and pictorial details indicate this. 
 Alford supposes Luke's informant to have been 
 Cleophas, the other disciple not being named, 
 perhaps because not known to Luke. The the- 
 ory that the other disciple was Luke himself, 
 though defended by Godet, seems to me incon- 
 sistent with Luke's introduction (ch. 1 : i-t). — A 
 village called Emmaus. There were three 
 places in Palestine bearing this name, one on the 
 Sea of Galilee, another on the Philistine plain, 
 and this village, six or eight miles from Jerusa- 
 lem, and referred to by Josephus (Wars of the 
 Jews, 7 : G, G). This Emmaus is the only one 
 mentioned in the Bible. Scholars are disagreed 
 in respect to the location of this village. It is 
 variously placed at Kubeibeh, about nine miles 
 north-west of Jerusalem, at Kolonieh, about 
 four miles east-south-east from Jerusalem, and 
 at Kuriet-el-Enab, north-west of Jerusalem. The 
 furlong was equivalent to 606 feet, making the 
 distance as indicated by Luke about seven miles. 
 
 15-17. While they communed together 
 and reasoned. Rather, talked ami inquired. 
 The Passion and reported resurrection of Christ 
 were the themes of their conversation, and their 
 spirit was that of seekers after the truth. — Their 
 eyes were holden. This was their own sub- 
 sequent explanation to themselves of their fail- 
 ure to recognize their Lord. It would be idle 
 to attempt any other interpretation of the fact 
 than Christ's will ; he did not choose to be rec- 
 ognized. According to Mark he appeared to 
 them "in another form" (Mark 16:12). So Mary 
 thought him to be the gardener until he spoke 
 her name (John 20 : 15, ie). — That they should 
 not know him. The original implies result 
 rather than purpose, and may be rendered, <S'o 
 that they did not know him. — And are sad. 
 Their sadness showed itself in their counte- 
 nances. For the nature of their feeling, see 
 ver. 21, note. • 
 
 18-24. Cleophas. According to John Id : 25, 
 the mother of James and Joses was the wife of 
 Cleophas ; according to Matt. 10 : 3, the father 
 of James was Alphseus. The two words are
 
 14G 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Cii. XXIV. 
 
 19 And he said unto them, What things ? And they 
 said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which 
 was a J prophet mighty k in deed and word betore God 
 and all the people : 
 
 20 And ' how the chief priests and our rulers deliv- 
 ered him to be condemned^ to death, and have crucified 
 him. 
 
 21 But we trusted that it had been m he which should 
 have redeemed Israel ; and beside all this, to-day is 
 the third day since these things were done. 
 
 22 Yea, and certain women" also of our company 
 made us astonished, which were early at the sepul- 
 chre : 
 
 23 And when they found not his body, they came, 
 saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, 
 which said that he was alive. 
 
 24 And certain of them which were with us went 
 to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women 
 had said : but him they saw not. 
 
 25 Then he said unto them,? O fools, and slow of 
 heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! 
 
 26 Ought ' not Christ to have suffered these things, 
 and to enter r into his glory ? 
 
 27 And beginning at Moses," and all the prophets,' 
 he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the 
 things concerning himself. 
 
 28 And they drew nigh unto the village whither they 
 went : and he u made as though he would have gone 
 further. 
 
 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us : 
 for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And 
 he went in to tarry with them. 
 
 i ch 7 • If, • John 3 2; Acts 3 : 22 k Acts 7 : 22 1 ch. 23 : 1 ; Acts 13 : 27, 28 m ch. 1 : 68 ; Acts 1:6 n vers. 9, 10.... o verse 12... 
 
 p Heb. 5': 11, 12 q verse 46; Acts 17 : 3; Heb. 9 : 22, 23 r 1 Pet. 1:3, 11 s verse 44; Acts 3 : 22 1 Acts 10 -.43; 26 : 22... 
 
 u Gen. 32 : 26 ; Mark 6 : 48. 
 
 only different forms of the same Hebrew word. 
 Hence the supposition that Cleophas and Alphae- 
 us are the same. But it is not certain that the 
 disciple here named is to be identified with the 
 father of James and Joses. Nothing else is 
 known of him.— Art thou only a stranger in 
 Jerusalem ? The language of Cleophas inci- 
 dentally confirms the report in Matthew of the 
 great darkness and the earthquake which accom- 
 panied the crucifixion ; for there was nothing 
 remarkable in the simple execution of a Jew in 
 Jerusalem. Had the crucifixion not been ac- 
 companied by extraordinary portents, the seem- 
 ing ignorance of the unknown would not have 
 surprised Cleophas. — What things? Christ 
 does not ask in order to know their thoughts ; 
 but in answering him they reveal to themselves 
 the limits of their faith and the bitterness of 
 their disappointment, and prepare the way for 
 him to instruct them in the Scriptures. — Which 
 was a prophet * * * but we hoped that 
 it had been he, etc. First they declare their 
 unshakeD conviction in the prophetic and inspired 
 character of their Master; then they describe 
 the hope which they had entertained that he 
 was the promised Messiah — a hope utterly over- 
 thrown by his crucifixion. It was this ruin of 
 the very foundations of their religious faith 
 which filled the souls of the disciples with unut- 
 terable anguish. They could not distrust the 
 Jesus whom they knew and loved ; but they knew 
 that he was dead, and his life and the hopes 
 which they had built upon it were of the past ; 
 they could not conceive that a crucified prophet 
 was the Redeemer and King of Tsrael. — Certain 
 women also * * * came, saying that 
 they had also seen a vision of angels, 
 which said that he was alive. "Hearsay 
 of a hearsay. This form shows how little faith 
 they put in those reports." — (Oodet.) — Compare 
 ver. 11, note and refs. there. — And certain 
 of them which were with us went to 
 the sepulchre. The language of ver. 12 would 
 lead to the impression that Peter went alone ; 
 
 the language here recognizes the fact that he had 
 a companion, as reported in John 20 : 1-10. 
 
 'Z't-'iU. O unthinking, and slow of heart 
 to believe all that the prophets have spo- 
 ken. Christ points out the two fruitful causes 
 of religious error, (1) lack of personal, individual, 
 independent thought, the habit of taking with- 
 out consideration the traditional views and in- 
 terpretations of the church ; (2) reluctance to 
 receive truth which is opposed to pride and pre- 
 judice ; in other words, intellectual sloth and 
 spiritual torpor. The disciples did believe much 
 tha - the prophets had spoken, but they did not 
 believe all, partly because they had not made an 
 independent study of those prophecies, partly 
 because they were not willing to receive the 
 doctrine that true victory is achieved only by 
 self-sacrificing love. — Ought not the Messiah 
 to have suffered these things ? That is, Were 
 not these sufferings necessary to the fulfillment 
 of O. T. prophecy? See Isaiah, ch. 53. — And to 
 enter into his glory ? That is, through self- 
 sacrifice ; for the glory of love is the glory of 
 self-sacrifice. See Phil. 2 : 9-11 ; Heb. 2 : 10, 18. 
 — And beginning at Moses * * * he ex- 
 pounded unto them in all the Scriptures 
 the things concerning himself. As he 
 could not have had a complete copy of the O. T. 
 Scriptures with him, since the manuscript copy 
 would have been too bulky for that purpose, 
 this passage indicates a very thorough, perhaps 
 even a verbal, knowledge of the Bible. His 
 treatment of the O. T. here also indicates both 
 his recognition of its inspired character and di- 
 vine authority, and its essential prophetic char- 
 acter as a book of preparation for the clearer 
 revelations of divine love and law in the life and 
 teachings of Christ himself. What he expounded 
 was the things concerning himself. "The whole 
 Scriptures are a testimony to Him ; the whole 
 history of the chosen people, with its types, and 
 its laws, and its prophecies, is a showing forth of 
 Him ; and it was here the whole that He laid out 
 before them. This general leading into the
 
 Ch. XXIV.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 147 
 
 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, 
 he v took bread, and blessed jV, and brake, and gave to 
 them. 
 
 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him ; 
 and lie vanished out ot their sight. 
 
 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart 
 burn" within us, while he talked with us by the way, 
 and while he opened to us the scriptures ? 
 
 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to 
 Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, 
 and them that were with them, 
 
 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath * ap- 
 peared to Simon. 
 
 35 And they told what things were done in the way, 
 and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 
 
 36 Andy as they thus spake, Jesus himselfstood in the 
 midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 
 
 37 But they were tei-riiied and affrighted, and sup- 
 posed 2 that they had seen a spirit. 
 
 38 And he said unto them, U liv are ye troubled? 
 and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 
 
 39 Uehold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: 
 handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and 
 bones, as ye see me have. 
 
 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them 
 kis hands and his feet 
 
 41 And while they yet believed • not for joy, and 
 wondered, he said unto them, Have 1 ' ye here any 
 meat ? 
 
 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and 
 of an honeycomb. 
 
 43 And he took zV, and did eat c before them. 
 
 44 And he said unto them. These d are the words 
 which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, 
 
 v Matt. 14 : 19. 
 
 Ps. 39 : 3 ; Jer. 20 : 9 ; 23 : 29. . . x 1 Cor. 15 : 5. . . . v Mark 16:14, elc. ; J.hn 20 : 19, etc. 
 45 : -.'6 b John 21 : 6, etc c Acts 10 • 41 d Mutt. 16 : 21. 
 
 Murk 6 :49....a Gen. 
 
 meaning of the whole, as a whole, fulfilled in 
 Him, would be much more opportune to the 
 place and time occupied than a direct exposition 
 of selected passages." — {Atforcl.) — He made as 
 though he would have gone further. Not 
 a deception ; he would have gone further had 
 they not constrained him. The delicacy of 
 Christ's love forbids his intrusion of himself 
 uninvited. Had the disciples been satisfied with 
 the disclosures of truth already made to them, 
 they would not have received the fuller disclo- 
 sure of Christ himself. "Every gift of God is 
 an invitation to claim a greater. Grace for grace 
 (John 1 : 16). But most men stop very quickly on 
 this way, and thus they never reach the full 
 blessing (2 Kings 13 : i4-io)." — (Godet.) — Abide 
 Avith us, i. e., for the night. — To tarry with 
 them. As if to do so. 
 
 30-32. He took bread and blessed it. 
 Taking position as the householder, not as a 
 guest. So, when we invite him to come in and 
 sup with us, he becomes our host (Rev. 3 : 20). — 
 And their eyes were opened. In this familiar 
 act there was that which brought him to their 
 minds. It was thus the natural means to make 
 him known to them, which was especially chosen 
 by him for that purpose. There is no reason 
 whatever to regard this bread-breaking as a cel- 
 ebration of the Last Supper, though the Roman- 
 ists so regard it, and cite it in defence of the 
 doctrine that only one kind is to be distributed 
 to the laity. — Did not our heart burn within 
 us. A graphic suggestion of the warmth en- 
 kindled by his words. — While he opened to 
 us the Scriptures. Which had been to them 
 before as a closed book. 
 
 33-35. And they rose up the same hour. 
 Eager to tell the news. — Found the eleven 
 gathered together, and them that were 
 with them. This appears to have been an 
 evening service in which the apostles, or some 
 of them, had gathered the other disciples to 
 communicate to them the story of the resurrec- 
 tion. This meeting is probably the same as that 
 
 described in John 20 : 19-23. Both were held 
 the first day of the week, in the evening ; in both 
 assemblages Christ suddenly appeared ; and in 
 both he overcame their fear and skepticism by 
 showing them the wounds in his hands and feet. 
 3G-40. Jesus himselfstood in the midst. 
 Though the doors were shut for fear of the Jews 
 (John 20 : 19). — Peace be unto you. A common 
 Jewish salutation. — But they were terrified 
 and affrighted. The two words are used sim- 
 ply to emphasize the fact of their fear. — Why 
 are ye agitated ? and why do question- 
 ings arise in your hearts ? He first seeks to 
 pacify them, then to instruct them. Their ter- 
 ror and their questionings show how little they 
 were prepared for his appearance, and how small 
 was their faith in, or at least their realization of 
 his resurrection.— Behold my hands and my 
 feet. * * handle me and see; for a 
 
 spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye 
 see me have. He showed them the print of 
 the nails in his hands, and the sword-thrust in 
 his side. This throws some light on the subse- 
 quent language of Thomas (John 20 : 25) ; he desired 
 the same evidence which had been vouchsafed 
 to his co-disciples. Christ's language here shows 
 clearly that his body after the resurrection was 
 his natural earthly body. I believe that he re- 
 tained it until the ascension, when it was changed 
 "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," and 
 the corruptible put on incorruption and the mor- 
 tal put on immortality. His entrance into a 
 room through a closed door, with a natural body, 
 is no more inexplicable than his walking upon 
 the water ; it was simply a miracle. If this 
 opinion be correct, then in his ascension, as in 
 his resurrection, Christ was the "first-fruit," 
 illustrating both the resurrection of the dead 
 and the mysterious change which Paul tells us 
 will take place in the bodies of the living at 1 ln- 
 last day (l Cor. 15 : 51-53). 
 
 41-43. And while they yet believed not 
 for joy. First fear, then joy, produced skepti- 
 cism ; they were too excited calmly to consider
 
 148 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Ch. XXIV. 
 
 that all e things must be fulfilled, which were written 
 in the law of Moses, and in the f prophets, and in the 
 psalms,s concerning me. 
 
 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they 
 might understand the scriptures. 
 
 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus 
 it behoved Christ" to suffer, and to rise ' from the dead 
 the third day : 
 
 47 And that repentance and > remission of sins should 
 be preached in his name among all nations, beginning 
 at Jerusalem. 
 
 48 And ye are witnesses' 1 of these things. 
 
 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father 
 upon you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until 
 ye be endued with power 1 from on high. 
 
 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he 
 lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 
 
 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he 
 was parted from them, and carried m up into heaven. 
 
 52 And " they worshipped him, and returned to Je- 
 rusalem with great joy : 
 
 53 And were continually in the temple, praising 
 and blessing God. Amen. 
 
 6 ch. 21 : 83 ; Acts 3 : IS ; 13 : 27, 33 f verse 27 g Ps. 22, 90, etc h Isa. 53 : 3, 5 ; Acts 4 : 12 i 1 Pet. 1:3.. 
 
 k Acts 1 : 8 1 Isa. 44 : 3 ; Joel 2 : 28, etc.; Acts 1:8; 2 : 1-21 m Acts 1 : 9; Heb. 4 : 14 ...n Matt. 28 : 9, 17. 
 
 .j Acls5:31; 13:38.... 
 ..oAeU 2 :46, 47; 6:42. 
 
 and intelligently to understand and receive the 
 truth that their Lord, though crucified, had con- 
 quered death, and thus had proved himself a 
 greater King aud a mightier Messiah than they 
 had ever dreamed of. — And he took it and 
 did eat before them. Another evidence of 
 his bodily resurrection. If his were a spiritual 
 body this eating would have been but a pretence. 
 44-49. In these words Luke gives a summary 
 of the events and teachings prior to the ascen- 
 sion. This is a much more reasonable interpre- 
 tation than the hypothesis that he believed that 
 the ascension took place immediately after the 
 resurrection, and at the close of this interview 
 with the disciples, on the very evening of the day 
 on which Christ rose from the dead. For in 
 Acts 1 : 3 Luke distinctly avers that Christ for 
 forty days after his resurrection was seen by his 
 disciples, and taught them. If, as is maintained 
 by the rationalistic commentators, Luke's Gospel 
 contained an earlier tradition and the Book of 
 Acts a later one, he would certainly have cor- 
 rected the error of the former treatise, to which 
 he explicitly refers in the subsequent one. In 
 studying the Lord's commission given to the Chris- 
 tian church, the student should compare the ac- 
 
 counts in Matt. 28 : 18-20 and in John 20 : 22, 23, 
 with vers. 47—ti) here. Christ here defines the 
 preacher's subject, field, mission, and power. 
 The subject of preaching is repentance on the 
 part of man, and release from sin, both its pres- 
 ent power aud its future penalty, by the act of 
 God and in the name of Christ ; the field of the 
 preacher is the world (Matt. 13 : 38 ) ; he is to go 
 out carrying his message among all nations; his 
 work begins at home, but does not end there ; 
 his mission is that of witness — he is to testify to 
 the truth of a Gospel the power of which he 
 has first personally experienced; and his power 
 is in the possession of the Spirit of God, prom- 
 ised by the Father through Jesus Christ (John 
 u : 16-26; 15 : 26 ; 16 : 7-ii, is, u). Until this promise 
 of the Father is fulfilled, the church is without 
 power to do its work. Compare Acts 1 : 8. 
 
 50-53. The account of the ascension is given 
 only by Mark (ie : 19, 20) and by Luke here and in 
 Acts 1 : 9. See note there. Ver. 53 here forms 
 a connecting link between Luke's Gospel and the 
 Book of Acts, and comprises in a sentence a sug- 
 gestion of that era in the Church's history graph- 
 ically pictured in the first five chapters of the 
 Book of Acts.
 
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