2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said un-prepare thy way before thee. to them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft rai. ment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist : notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 16 ¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like Jewish expression for the promised and subjects clear.-12. Take it by force. expected Messiah. John asks in behalf I would, with a few commentators, reof his disciples. He knew the Messiah gard this passage literally. Jesus says (John i. 29).- -4. Ye do hear and see. that the kingdom of heaven, which conLuke (vii. 21) says that Christ perform-fers such advantages, is violently assaulted many miracles before John's mes- ed and plundered as a hostile city by the sengers.-6. Be offended in. Literally Jews. The verse, I think, is parenthe"stumble against." Reference is had tical. In Luke xvi. 16, the Greek should to Isaiah xxix. 18. See note on chap. be rendered, 66 every one useth violence v. 29.-7. A reed shaken with the wind. against it," and not "every one presseth That is, in Oriental metaphor, "an un- into it."- -13. John (this verse means) stable fanatic."-10. Mal. iii. 1.- was the last prophet of the old dispensa11. He that is least in the kingdom of tion, and, as an eye-witness of the Mesheaven is greater than he. That is,he siah, he was more than any other of the that has least spiritual light-least know- prophets (ver. 9).-14. Elias, i. e., ledge of God's plan of salvation-in the Elijah. Malachi, whose prophecy is Christian dispensation, knows more than quoted in the 10th verse, calls the preJohn knew, although John was more paratory messenger by the significant enlightened on this point than any that name of Elijah (Mal. iv. 5), a name sughave lived." The Gospel brings life and gestive of energetic reform.- -16. immortality to light, i. e., makes these Markets. In Luke "market-place." unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. 20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be That is, the public square.-19. Of her children, i. e., in the eyes of all her children.- -21. Chorazin and Bethsaida were towns near Capernaum, and on the lake. We do not know their exact sites, but from St. Willibald's narrative in the 8th century (quoted by Dr. Robinson), we know that Bethsaida was next north to Capernaum and Chorazin between that and the Jordan. Perhaps Bethsaida was at the present Tell Hum and Chorazin at the emptying of Bir Keraseh. 23. Capernaum. See notes on chap. viii. 5 and chap. ix. 1.— -25. brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. These words which follow (from a comparison with Luke x. 21 and context) seem to have been uttered on the return of the 70 missionaries, and to have had reference to their happy report. The harmonists, however, make these words twice spoken by our Lord, at different periods of his ministry. I cannot see the necessity of this duplication. Babes, i. e., illiterate.-29. Take my yoke. Whitby calls attention to the fact, that this was a juridical phrase. Christ speaks of his meekness and humility to give confidence to the poor and illiterate. CHAPTER XII. At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among disciples do that which is not law-you, that shall have one sheep, and ful to do upon the sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was a hungered, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. 9 And when he was departed There is a contrast intended throughout, probably, to the Pharisees. XII. 1. The Jewish law permitted this plucking of another's corn. (Deut. xxiii. 25.) 4.1 Sam. xxi. 1-7.5. Profane the Sabbath, i. e., use it as a day of work by performing sacrifices, &c., belonging to that day. (Num. xxviii.) -6. If the sacredness of the templeservice cancelled the Sabbath-breaking of the priests, Christ's presence and the sacredness of his service (who was greater if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence : andgreat multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16 And charged them that they should not make him known: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, than the temple) cancelled the Sabbathbreaking of his disciples. Such is the argument.- -7. Another argument is founded on the law of mercy, which regards man's natural necessities and his general welfare. (Hos. vi. 6.)—8. A third argument is from Christ's authority to alter the Sabbath-laws even, if he wished.-10. They asked him, i. e., the scribes and Pharisees. (Luke vi. 7.) -14. The Pharisees, with the Herodians. (Mark iii, 6.)- -16. See note 18 Behold my servant, whom | I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. 22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the Son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, on chap. viii. 4.- -20. Smoking flax shall he not quench. The Hebrew of Isaiah xlii. 3 is, according to Dr. J. A. Alexander, "a dim wick he will not quench." Dr. Alexander also suggests that this is not to be referred to Christ's regard for a true, although weak, faith, but belongs with the rest of the quotation to the general description of the Messiah as one who would do nothing with noise or violence. He would not even use violence toward that which required but little force to destroy. (See Alexander on Isaiah 1. c.)—23. Is not this the son of David? Rather, can this be the son of David?"- -24. Fellow is an unhappy word to introduce here, although it was not so objectionable when our version was formed. There 66 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation ; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your chil dren cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. is no word in the Greek, the pronoun "this" standing alone. We may say "This one." Beelzebub means "Lord of Flies," and was worshipped by the Philis. tines in earlier times at Ekron (2 Kings i. 2). He was considered, probably, a destroyer of flies and vermin. The Greeks of Elis had a god of like name. The Jews evidently used the obnoxious term as a synonym for Satan.-27. By whom do your children cast them out? The Jews pretended to cast out devils. (See Joseph. Ant. 8. 2. 5.) Christ here uses the argumentum ad hominem, which does not require that the hypothetical case be true, but only considered true by the persons addressed.29. Or else. Rather simply "or."31, 32. I would thus paraphrase this 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt passage: "The reception of God's offered Spirit by man ensures the pardon (through Christ) of all sin, even if the sin has been a word against the Son of man,' but the rejection of God's Spirit is a rejection of salvation, and this rejection the Pharisees are engaged in perfecting, when they refer the evident influences of God's Spirit in destroying the power of the devil to the devil himself." Perhaps no passage in the New Testament has called forth more discussion than this. Some (like Whitby) regard it as referring to the gift of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, others to the false estimate of a true miracle. I would wholly reject the former view, and consider the latter as too narrow, believing that it refers to a refusal of God's spiritual appeals, one of which is in the miracle and its circumstances.-32. Neither in the world to come. A proverbial be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 38 T Then certain of the. scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall expression for an emphatic "never," and wholly without indication of a place of pardon beyond this world. (Mark x. 30.) -40. Whale. In the book of Jonah it is called simply "a great fish." The Greek word (here translated "whale") means nothing more. The fish which swallowed Jonah is supposed to be the squalus carcharias or white shark," also called lamia, and found in the Mediterranean, where whales are not found. Fishes sixty feet long (it is stated) have been seen in the Levantine waters in late years. Three days and three nights. A full Hebrew form for three days. Now, as the Jews reckoned any part of a day as a full day in computing a series of days, one day and parts of two others (even though including only two nights) are called three full days or "three days and three nights."- 42. The queen of the south, i. e., of Sheba in |