Jesus shows the folly of

CHAPTER VII.

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building on a bad foundation. A. M. 4035. mently upon that house, and could || a man that without a foundation built A. M. 4035. not shake it for it was founded upon a house upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immedi49 But he that heareth and doeth not, is like ately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.

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respect, are of no manner of signification, if you do vii. 21-29; where the contents of this paragraph are not keep my commandments, and possess the graces, explained. "May these beautiful, striking, and reand practise the duties which I describe and enjoin. || peated admonitions, which our Saviour gives us of And the flood arose-Here is an allusion to the vio- the vanity of every profession which does not influlent rains and sweeping floods in the eastern coun- ence the practice, be attended to with reverence and tries, in the winter. Though the rains are not fear! We are building for eternity; may we never extremely frequent at that season, yet, when it does grudge the time and labour of a most serious inquiry rain, the water pours down with great violence for || into the great fundamental principles of religion! three or four days and nights together, enough to May we discover the sure foundation, and raise upon drown the whole country. Such violent rains in so it a noble superstructure, which shall stand fair and hilly a country as Judea must occasion inundations glorious when hypocrites are swept away into eververy dangerous to buildings within their reach, by lasting ruin, in that awful day in which heaven and washing the soil from under them, and occasion- || earth shall flee away from the face of him that sits ing their fall.”—Harmer. See the notes on Matt. || upon the throne! Rev. xx. 11."-Doddridge.

CHAPTER VII.

In this chapter, (1,) Christ confirms the doctrine he had preached in the plain, by two glorious miracles, the curing the believing centurion's servant at a distance, 1-10; and by raising a widow's only son from the dead, 11-18. (2) He confirms the faith of John the Baptist and his disciples by an account of his miracles, 19-23; commends John, and reproves the Jews for their contempt of him and his doctrine, 24–35. (3,) He comforts a sorrowful, penitent woman; declares her sins pardoned; and justifies his kind treatment of her against the cavils of Simon, a proud Pharisee, by the parable of the two insolvent debtors, 36-50.

NOTES ON CHAPTER VII.

Verses 1-10. When he had ended all his sayings -Namely, those contained in the preceding chapter; in the audience of the people-For though his discourse was immediately addressed to his disciples, he delivered it in the hearing of the people who stood round him in the plain; he entered into Capernaum-Near which town the plain was in which he had preached. And a certain centurion's servant was sick-See some of the circumstances of the miracle explained on Matt. viii. 5-10. And when he heard of Jesus-of his miracles and of his arrival at Capernaum; he sent unto him the elders of the Jews-" Magistratus oppidi, aut præpositos synagoga, either the magistrates of the town, or the rulers of the synagogue."-Grotius. For, as it was anciently the custom of the Jews to intrust the management of public affairs to persons advanced in years, as having most wisdom and experience, they called all who discharged those offices elders, VOL. I. (25)

even when, in later times, they were admitted to them without any regard to their age at all. It is plain, from the more circumstantial account here given of this miracle by Luke, than that given by Matthew, that when the latter says, There came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, &c., he is not to be understood as signifying that the centurion came in person, but only by his messengers. Indeed, it is usual in all languages, especially in the Hebrew, to ascribe to a person himself the things which are done, and the words which are spoken, by his order. Accordingly, Matthew relates as said by the centurion himself, what others said by order from him. An instance of the same kind we have in the case of Zebedee's children: from Matt. xx. 20, we learn it was their mother that spoke those words which, Mark x. 35-37, they themselves are said to speak; because she was only their mouth. In John iv. 1, Jesus is said to baptize, when he baptized by his disciples. And John xix. 1, Pilate is said to

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Jesus cures the servant

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of a believing centurion. A. M. 4035. sought him instantly, saying, That he || 9 When Jesus heard these things, A. M. 4035. was worthy for whom he should do this: he marvelled at him, and turned 5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built him about and said unto the people that folus a synagogue. lowed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

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 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 1one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

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 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.

* Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, gospel, verse 11 to verse 18.

ants. Observe, reader, Christ will have those that follow him to observe and consider the great examples of faith that are sometimes set before them; especially when any such are found among those who do not profess to follow Christ so closely as they do; in order that, by considering the strength of the faith of such, they may be ashamed of the weakness and wavering of their own. And they, returning, found the servant whole-The cure was immediately and perfectly wrought. Observe also, 1st, The kindness of this centurion to his servant, and the anxiety he showed to get him cured, were suitable to the character of a humane master, and exhibit an excellent pattern of duty, very fit to be imitated by Christian masters, with whom it is but too common to treat their servants and dependants as if they were not creatures of the same rank with themselves, but of an inferior order. 2d, Christ will take cognizance of the distressed case of poor servants, and be ready to relieve them; for there is no respect of persons with him. Nor are the Gentiles excluded from the benefit of his grace. Nay, this was a specimen of that much greater faith which would be found among the Gentiles, when the gospel should be preached to them, than among the Jews.

take and scourge Jesus, when he did it only by his found so great faith-As now appears in this soldiers. Thus, in the following Jewish proverbs, stranger; no, not in Israel-In all my journeys adduced by Le Clerc on this passage, "The mes-through the country, and converse with its inhabitsenger of any man is as, or equal to, the man himself. The ambassador of a king is as, or equal to the king." And nothing is more frequent, even at this day, in our courts of law, than to say that a || person comes into the court, and asks a thing, which he asks perhaps only at the third hand,-by the counsel, whom his solicitor has employed in his cause. They besought him instantly, saying, That || he was worthy-This centurion seems to have been what they called a proselyte of righteousness; for he was a lover of the Jewish nation, on account of their religion, and therefore had built them a synagogue: which attachment to them, and uncommon generosity, had made him greatly beloved in that country. Hence these elders of Capernaum, where he now resided, heartily espoused his cause on this occasion, presented his petition to Jesus, and urged it also from the consideration of his character. Then Jesus went with them-As he constantly embraced every opportunity of doing good, whether to the bodies or souls of men; so he did not decline this that was now offered him, but cheerfully went with the elders as they desired, in order to heal the centurion's servant. And when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to himIn the way, some of the centurion's friends, whom he had sent, met Jesus with a message from him, in which he expressed the highest opinion of our Lord's power, and desired him not to take the trouble of coming, but to order the cure, which he || knew he could easily do. When Jesus heard these || things he marvelled at him-Admired him, on account of his great humility, and the strength of his faith. See on Matt. viii. 5. And turned him about, and said unto the people-With great solemnity; I say unto you-What it is of great importance that you should consider and lay to heart; I have not

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Verses 11, 12. He went into a city called Nain-A town situated about a mile or two south of Tabor, and near Endor. And many of his disciples went with him-Among these, doubtless, were the twelve appointed to be apostles: for, "it is not to be imagined that he would suffer the chosen witnesses of his miracles to be absent, when so great a miracle was to be performed as the raising a person from the dead, and to be performed so publicly, in the presence of all those who were attending the funeral." There was a dead man carried out "When Jesus ( 25* )

a

and the multitude that attended him came to the dren shall come again to their own border, Jer gates of Nain, they met the corpse of a youth, wohm xxxi. 17. And let our passion at such a time be much people of the city were carrying out to burial, || checked and calmed by the consideration of Christ's accompanied by his afflicted mother bathed in tears. compassion. And he came and touched the bier— This woman, being a widow, had no prospect of any Which he could do without contracting pollution. more children, wherefore, as he was her only son, The people of the East bury their dead without cofthe loss she sustained in him was very great. Hence fins, but they carry them to the grave on a bier that the sympathy which she received from her relations is shaped like one. By touching this, Jesus intiand friends was singular. In testimony of their mated to the bearers that they should not proceed. concern for her, a crowd of people, much greater And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise-than was usual on such occasions, attended her || And no sooner had he uttered this command than while she performed the last duty to her beloved he that was dead sat up-Without any human help, son. This circumstance the evangelist takes notice having received life from Jesus, which was thus of to show, that though there had been no persons evinced, as it was also by his beginning to speak. present at the miracle but those who attended the|| Thus, when Christ communicates spiritual life to a funeral, it was illustrious on account of the number person who had been dead in trespasses and sins, he of the witnesses."-Macknight. instantly arises out of the state of insensibility, darkness, and death, in which he had lain, and his lips are opened in prayer and praise. And he delivered him to his mother-Christ did not oblige this young man, to whom he had given a new life, to go along and continue with him, as his disciple to minister to him, though he owed him much, even his own self; much less as a trophy of his dominion over death, to get honour by him; but presented him to his mother, to attend her, as became a dutiful son, show

Verses 13-15. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, &c.—Jesus, whose tenderness made him susceptible of the strongest impressions from occurrences of this kind, knowing that the mother's affliction was bitter, and the occasion of it real, was greatly moved with compassion at the sorrowful scene. Here was no application made to him for her, not so much as that he would speak some words of comfort to her; but, ex mero motu, purely || from the goodness of his nature he was troubled for || ing hereby, that it was in compassion of her afflicher, and said unto her, Weep not. Observe, reader, Christ has a concern for mourners, for the miserable, and often prevents them with the blessings of his goodness. He undertook the work of our redemption and salvation in his love and in his pity, Isa. Ixiii. 9. What a pleasing idea doth this give us of the compassion of the Lord Jesus, and the multitude of his tender mercies, which may be very encouraging to us, when at any time we are in sorrow! Let poor widows comfort themselves in their sorrows with this, that Christ pities them, and knows their souls in adversity; and, if others despise their grief, he does not. Christ said, Weep not; and he could give her a reason for it, which no one else could; weep not for a dead son, for he shall presently become a living one. This was a reason pe- || culiar to her case; yet there is a reason, common to all that sleep in Jesus, (which is of equal force against inordinate and excessive grief for their death,) that they shall rise again, shall rise in glory, and therefore we must not sorrow as those that have no hope, 1 Thess. iv. 13. Let Rachel, that weeps for her children, refrain her eyes from tears; for there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy chil

tion he had wrought the life-giving miracle. Indeed, all Christ's miracles were miracles of mercy; and a great act of mercy this was to this widow. Now she was comforted according to the time in which she had been afflicted, and much more; for she could now look upon this son as a particular favourite of Heaven, with more pleasure than if he had not died. And as this miracle was an illustrious display of our Lord's compassion for a person in distress, so it was a striking confirmation of his divine mission; this youth being raised from the dead near the gate of the city, a place of public resort, and in the presence of many witnesses, particularly the multitude which came with Jesus, the people who accompanied the corpse, and all who happened in that instant to be in or passing through the gate upon business.

Verse 16. And there came a fear on all-All the people present, being sensible that Jesus showed, in this instance, not only the greatness of his power, but the truth of his mission from God, were seized with a religious awe and reverence, which had him for its object. And they glorified God-For the Lord and his goodness, as well as the Lord and

Jesus answers John's messengers,

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out all the region round about.
And the disciples of John showed him
of all these things.

18

19 And John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for 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 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.

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24 ¶And when the messengers A. M. 4035. 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.

26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

27 This is he, of whom it is written, 1Behold, 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 publicans, justified God, being baptized

23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not with the baptism of John. be offended in me.

30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected

k Matt. xi. 7. Mal. iii. 1.- m Matt. iii. 5; Chap. iii. 12. Or, frustrated.

Verse 18. And the disciples of John showed him these things-All this while John the Baptist was in prison; Herod having confined him for the freedom which he took in reproving his adulterous commerce with Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. But his confinement was not of the closest kind, for his disciples had access to him frequently. In one of those visits they gave him an account of the election of the twelve apostles to preach the gospel, and of Christ's miracles, particularly that he had lately raised from the dead Jairus's daughter and the widow of Nain's son; as is plain from what Luke says in the following verses, who brings in the history of John's message immediately after these miracles.

his greatness, are to be feared and glorified; saying,|| 2d, Of those which are obtained for us by the prayers That a great prophet is risen up among us. This was of others, as in the case of the centurion's servant. the inference which they drew from the miracle, that And, 3d, Of those which God bestows out of his own God had again graciously regarded his ancient peo- free mercy, as in the present case. To which kind ple, by raising up among them an extraordinary of mercy the apostles very justly refer the calling of prophet, as he had often done in former ages.— the Gentiles." It was indeed reasonable to conclude that the person must be divinely inspired, who could thus restore the dead to life; nay, and that he was the great prophet they had been long looking for, and that in and by him God had visited his people to redeem them, as was expected, Luke i. 68. This would be life from the dead indeed, to all them that waited for the consolation of Israel. And when dead souls are thus raised to spiritual life, by a divine power going along with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it as his graciously visiting his people. And this rumour of him went forth-Wherever this miracle was reported, which was not only in Judea, but in all the neighbouring regions, it produced the || same opinion in those who heard of it, namely, that God had visited his people in an extraordinary way,|| and had raised up among them a very eminent prophet, which greatly heightened and increased the mighty expectations from him, which long before they had begun to entertain. "The ancients," says Grotius, "observe, that in three of the miracles, performed by Jesus after his sermon on the mount, the three kinds of God's benefits are represented to us: 1st, Of those which are conferred upon our suing to God for them ourselves, as in the case of the leper.

Verses 19-28. And John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, &c.—See this whole paragraph explained in the notes on Matt. xi. 2-11. To the poor the gospel is preached-Which is the greatest mercy and the greatest miracle of all.

Verses 29-35. And all the people-That were present, and the publicans in particular, when they heard this discourse, having been formerly baptized with the baptism of John, justified God-Owned his wisdom and mercy, in having called them to re pentance by John's ministry, and prepared them for