Parable of the mustard-seed. A. M. 4035. A. D. 31. 27 And should sleep, and rise night || 34 But without a parable spake he A. M. 4035. and day, and the seed should spring || not unto them: and when they were 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 putteth in the sickle, because the || harvest is come. 30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 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 than all herbs, and shooteth || out great branches; 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 they were able to hear it. 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. 37 And 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 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? Matthew xiii. 34; John xvi. 12. Matthew viii. 18, 23; by a certain curious kind of mechanism which the greatest philosophers cannot fully comprehend, does, as it were, spontaneously, without any assistance from men, carry the seed through the whole progress of vegetation, and produce first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear; so will the gospel gradually spread in the world; and so the penitent, believing soul, in an inexplicable manner, brings forth first weak graces, then stronger, then full holiness: and all this of itself, as a machine whose spring of motion is within itself. Yet, observe the amazing exactness of the comparison: the earth brings forth no corn, (as the soul no holiness,) without both the care and toil of man, and the benign influence of Heaven. When the fruit is brought forth-That is, when the corn is full and ripe; he putteth in the sickle-God cutteth down and gathereth the fruit into his garner. lieving. And sleeps and rises night and day-That is, he has it continually in his thoughts. Meantime, it springs and grows up, he knows not how-Even he that sowed it cannot explain how it grows. Here we are taught, "that as the husbandman does not, by any efficacy of his own, cause the seed to grow, but leaves it to be nourished by the soil and the sun; so Jesus and his apostles, having taught men the doctrines of true religion, were not by any miraculous force to constrain their wills; far less were they, by the terrors of fire and sword, to interpose visibly || for the furthering thereof, but would suffer it to spread by the secret influences of the Spirit, till at length it should obtain its full effect. Moreover, as the husbandman cannot, by the most diligent observation, perceive the corn in his field extending its dimensions as it grows, so the ministers of Christ || cannot see the operation of the gospel, [and of di- || vine grace,] upon the minds of men; the effects, Verses 30-34. Whereunto shall we liken the kinghowever, of its operation, when these are produced, dom of God, &c.-See notes on Matt. xiii. 31, 32. they can discern, just as the husbandman can dis- || He spake the word unto them as they were able to cern when his corn is fully grown and fit for reap- || hear it—Adapting it to the capacity of his hearers, ing. In the mean time, the design of the parable is and speaking as plainly as he could without offendnot to lead the ministers of Christ to imagine that ing them. A rule never to be forgotten by those who religion will flourish without due pains taken about instruct others. But without a parable, &c.—See it. It was formed to teach the Jews in particular, note on Matt. xiii. 34, 35. that neither the Messiah nor his servants would subdue men by the force of arms, as they supposed he would have done; and also, to prevent the apostles from being dispirited when they did not see immediate success following their labours."-Macknight. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself -Greek, avroμarn, spontaneously. For, as the earth, Verses 35-41. The same day, when the even was come-See note on Matt. viii. 18. They took him even as he was in the ship-They carried him immediately, in the same vessel from which he had been preaching to the people. And there arose a great storm-See note on Matt. viii. 23-27. He was asleep in the hinder part of the ship-So we trans A legion of devils cast out, A. M. 4035. 41 And they feared exceedingly, || ner of man is this, that even the wind A. M. 4035. and said one to another, What man- and the sea obey him? late the words eñɩ în πpvμvn, for want of a proper English expression for that particular part of the vessel near the rudder, on which he lay. Peace A. D. 31. Cease thy tossing; be still-Cease thy roaring. The Greek word, πεouwço, is, literally, Be thou gagged. CHAPTER V. In this chapter we have, (1,) Christ's casting a legion of devils out of a man possessed by them, and suffering them to enter into the swine, 1–20. daughter to life, 21–43. more fully related here. a (2,) His healing the woman with the bloody issue, in the way, as he was going to raise Jairus's Of these three miracles we had an account before, Matt. viii. 28, &c., and ix. 18; but they are A. M. 4035. AND they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the A. D. 31. country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs ;tains a great herd of swine feeding. and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. broken in pieces: neither could any man| And the unclean spirits went out, and entered tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped 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. into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand,) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, 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 8 (For he said unto him, Come out of the right mind: and they were afraid. man, thou unclean spirit.) for them and for himself. They that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city-The miracle, issuing in the destruction of the swine, was immediately reported in the town and country by the affrighted keepers, who as they fled had fallen in, it seems, with Jesus and his company, and learned from them the cause of what had happened. And they went NOTES ON CHAPTER V. Verses 1-17. They came into the country of the Gadarenes Called Gergesenes, Matt. viii. 28. Gadara and Gergasa being towns near each other, and their inhabitants, and those of the country adjacent, taking their name indifferently from either. There met him a man with an unclean spirit-Matthew mentions two. Probably this, so particularly spo-out to see what was done-Thus the whole people ken of here, was the most remarkably fierce and ungovernable. This whole story is explained at large, Matt. viii. 28-34. My name is Legion, for we are many-But all these seem to have been under one commander, who accordingly speaks, all along, both A woman healed of a bloody issue. ST. MARK. Jairus, a ruler, applies to Jesus. A. M. 4035. befell to him that was possessed with || and was nothing bettered, but rather A. M. 4035. the devil, and also concerning the grew worse, A. D. 31. swine. A. D. 31. 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the 17 And they began to pray him to depart out press behind, and touched his garment: of their coasts. 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 great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him. And all men did marvel. d 21 ¶ And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I 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 followed him, and thronged him. 25 28 For she said, If I 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 had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 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 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. i 35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why And a certain woman, f which had an troublest thou the Master any further? issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, b Matt. viii. 34; Acts vi. 39. Luke viii. 38.Luke viii. 40. eMatt. ix. 18; Luke viii. 41. d Matt. ix. 1; || 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 25; Matt. ix. 20.- Luke vi. 19; viii. 46.—h Matt. ix. 22; Chap. x. 52; Acts xiv. 9.-Luke viii. 49. the Lord hath done for thee-This was peculiarly needful there, where Christ did not go in person. He began to publish in Decapolis, &c.—Not only at home, but in all that country where Jesus himself did not come. Verses 22-28. There cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue-Probably that at Capernaum. The rulers of the synagogue were three persons chosen out of ten, who were obliged constantly to attend the public worship over which they presided, and determined such disputes as happened in the synagogue. For an explanation of this whole paragraph, see notes on Matt. ix. 18-26. Verses 18-20. He that had been possessed, prayed that he might be with him-To enjoy the further benefit of his instructions. Perhaps he feared lest, if Jesus left him, he should relapse into his former Verses 29, 30. She felt in her body that she was condition, the terrors of which he dreaded. How-healed of that plague-Or distemper, with which she beit, Jesus suffered him not-Judging it proper to leave him in that country as a witness of the power and goodness of his deliverer, and of the folly and wickedness of these Gadarenes, who rejected such a Saviour. Go home to thy friends-To thy relations and neighbours; and tell them how great things had been chastised; for this is the plain meaning of the word pasiyoç here used, which properly means a stroke, scourge, or correction. And Jesus turned about in the press, and said, Who touched, &c.—The woman, having obtained her wish, would have retired unobserved: but Jesus, who had secretly per Jesus raises to life A. D. 31. A. D. 31. A. M. 4035. 37 And he suffered no man to fol- || that were with him, and entereth in A. M. 4035. low him, save Peter, and James, and where the damsel was lying. 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. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 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 age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. 1But, 43 And he charged them straitly that no when he had put them all out, he taketh the|| man should know it; and commanded that father and the mother of the damsel, and them something should be given her to eat. * John xi. 11. Acts ix. 40. - Matt. viii. 4; ix. 30;|| xii. 16; xvii. 9; Chap. iii. 12; Luke v. 14. courage, the virtues, and the actions of the deceased, with an intention to increase the sorrow of the afflicted relations. In process of time they accom formed the cure, by the concurring efficacy of his will, which sent forth the healing virtue, thought fit, on this occasion, to show that it had not escaped his notice, and to take the opportunity of illustra-panied these lamentations with music, particularly ting and commending the faith of the woman for the encouragement of others to confide in his power and love. Verse 37. John, the brother of James-John is thus described here, because, when Mark wrote his gospel, not long after our Lord's ascension, the memory of James, lately beheaded, was so fresh, that his name was more known than that of John himself. of flutes, (Josephus, Bell., iii. 8,) a custom which prevailed likewise in the West. Ovid, Fast., lib. 6, Cantabant mæstis tibia funeribus. But the Jews were forbidden to tear their hair and cut their flesh in mourning for the dead, (Lev. xix. 28; Deut. xiv. 1,) because such expressions of grief were inconsistent with resignation to the divine will, and looked as if they had no hope of their friends' resurrection. Hence the apostle's precept, 1 Thess. iv. 13, Sorrow not as others which have no hope. Besides, these rites were practised by the heathen, as a kind of sacrifices to the manes of the dead."-Macknight. Verses 38-42. He seeth the tumult-The crowd of people that wept and wailed greatly-Greek ahahašovras πohλa, howling much, as some render the word. "From several passages of Scripture, (see Jer. ix. 17, and xvi. 6, 7; Ezk. xxiv. 17,) it appears that the people of the East used to bewail the dead by tearing their hair, and cutting their flesh, and crying most bitterly. Nor did the relations of the deceased content themselves with these expressions of violent grief. They hired persons of both sexes, whose employment it was to mourn over the dead in the like frantic manner, and who besides sung doleful ditties, in which honourable mention || was made of the age, the beauty, the strength, the || serve it. Verse 43. He charged them that no man should know it-That he might avoid every appearance of vain-glory, might prevent too great a concourse of people, and might not further enrage the scribes and Pharisees against him; the time for his death, and for the full manifestation of his glory, not being yet come. He commanded that something should be given her to eat-So that when either natural or spiritual life is restored, even by immediate miracle, all proper means are to be used in order to pre CHAPTER VI. Christ's wisdom and mighty works astonish his countrymen, and yet he is contemned by them, because he was one of them, and they knew his origin and kindred, 1-4. Their unbelief prevents his working many miracles among them, but he teaches in their villages, 5, 6. He sends forth his disciples by two and two to preach, giving them power to confirm their doctrine by miracles, 7-13. The opinion of Herod, and others, concerning Christ, 14–16. The story of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, 17–29. Christ retires into a desert place with his disciples, and is followed by crowds of people, 30-34. He feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, 35-44. He sends away his disciples by sea to Bethsaida, and retires himself to a mountain to pray, 45, 46. The disciples are overtaken by a storm and in great distress, and Christ comes unto them, walking on the water, 47-52. He performs many cures in the land of Gennesaret, 53-56. The chapter coincides partly with Matt. xiii. 53, &c., and xiv. VOL. I. ( 18 ) 273 a Jesus rejected by his countrymen, a d A. M. 4035. AND he went out from thence, us? And they were offended at A. M. 4035. and came into his own country; || him. A. D. 31. ! NOTES ON CHAPTER VI. A. D. 31. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 f 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. i 7 ¶ And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; Isa. lix. 16.—h Matt. ix. 35; Luke xiii. 22. Matt. x. laid claim to their submission by the most stupenVerses 1-6. And he came into his own country, dous miracles, instead of convincing them, these &c.-For an explanation of this paragraph, see the miracles made him who performed them obnoxious notes on Matt. xiii. 53–58. Is not this the carpen-to the hottest resentment of that proud, covetous, ter's son?—There can be no doubt that Jesus in his || sensual people. It seems they could not bear to see youth wrought with his supposed father Joseph. one so low in life as Jesus was, doing things which He could there do no mighty work-Not consistently they fancied were peculiar to that idol of their with his wisdom and goodness; it being inconsis- vanity, a glorious, triumphant, secular Messiah. Our tent with his wisdom to work miracles there, where || Lord, therefore, having made this second trial with he knew the prejudices of the people would certain- a view to see whether the Nazarenes would endure ly prevent any good effect they might otherwise his ministry, and to show to the world that his not have had in promoting the great end he had in view || residing with them was owing to their stubbornness in coming into the world; and with his goodness, || and wickedness, he left them, and visited the towns seeing that he well knew his countrymen would and villages in the neighbourhood where he expectreject whatever evidence could be given them of ed to find a more favourable reception. Thus the his being the Messiah, or a divinely-commissioned unbelief of these Nazarenes obstructed Christ's miteacher. And, therefore, to have given them greater || racles, deprived them of his preaching, and caused evidence would only have increased their guilt and him to withdraw a second time from their town. condemnation. And he marvelled because of their In which example the evil and punishment of misunbelief-He wondered at their perverseness in re-improving spiritual advantages, is clearly set forth before all who hear the gospel." jecting him upon such unreasonable grounds as the meanness of his parentage. It is justly observed Verse 7. He calleth unto him the twelve-While here by Dr. Macknight, that "the Jews in general Jesus preached among the villages in the neighbourseem to have mistaken their own prophecies, when hood of Nazareth, he sent his twelve apostles through they expected the Messiah would exalt their nation the several cities of Galilee, to proclaim that God to the highest pitch of wealth and power, for this was about to establish the kingdom of the Messiah, was an end unworthy of so grand an interposition wherein he would be worshipped in spirit and in of Providence. When the eternal Son of God came truth; and instead of all external rites and ceredown from heaven, he had something infinitely monies, would accept nothing but repentance, faith, more noble in view: namely, that by suffering and and sincere obedience. Moreover, to confirm their dying he might destroy him who had the power of doctrine, he gave them power to work miracles of death; that by innumerable benefits he might over-healing, which also would tend to procure them accome his enemies; that by the bands of truth he might restrain the rebellious motions of men's wills; that by the sword of the Spirit he might slay the monsters of their lusts; and that by giving them the spiritual armour he might put them in a condition to fight for the incorruptible inheritance, and exalt them to the joyful possession of the riches and honours of immortality. Wherefore, as these characters of the Messiah were in a great measure unknown to the Jews, he who possessed them was not the object of their expectation. And, though he 274 ceptance. See Luke ix. 1, 2. By two and two— We may suppose that Matthew had an eye to this circumstance in the catalogue which he has given of the apostles; for, chapter x. 2-4, he has joined them together in pairs; very probably just as they were sent out now by their Master. Jesus ordered his disciples to go by two and two, doubtless that they might encourage each other in their work. The history of their election and commission is given, Matt. x. 1, &c.; where see the notes. But it seems they were not actually sent till now, when ( 18* ) a |