_The beginning of the Gospel. The Greek word[1] and Latin derived from it, signifies the good news, or happy tidings about Christ's coming and doctrine. The word gospel is from the Saxon, God's spell, or good spell, i.e. God's word, or good speech. (Witham) --- Some are of opinion that the terminati... [ Continue Reading ]
In Isaias, the prophet. That in the ancient copies was read Isaias, and not Malachias, is confirmed by the Syriac version, and also by St. Irenæus, Origen, St. Jerome, &c. It is also proved from an objection of Porphyrius, who says, St. Mark mistook Isaias for Malachias. In the ordinary Greek copie... [ Continue Reading ]
See Matthew iii. 3.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the remission of sins. Some commentators think from this that the baptism of John remitted sins, though he says in another place, I baptize you with water, but there has stood one amongst you, who will baptize you with water and the Holy Ghost, to shew that he did not baptize with the Holy Ghos... [ Continue Reading ]
See Matthew iii. 4. --- _Wild honey. Rabbanus thinks it was a kind of white and tender leaf, which, when rubbed in the hand, emitted a juice like honey. Suidas thinks it was a kind of dew, collected from leaves of trees, and was called manna. But St. John Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Euthymius, and St... [ Continue Reading ]
_One mightier than I. The precursor [St. John the Baptist] does not yet openly declare our Lord to be the Son of God, but only one mightier than himself. The Jews were not prepared to receive his coming; he therefore wisely led them by degrees to the knowledge of what divine Providence had designed... [ Continue Reading ]
See notes on our Saviour's baptism, Matthew iii. --- That Christ was baptized by immersion, is clear from the text; for he who ascended out of the water must first have descended into it. And this method was of general use in the Church for 1300 years, as appears from the acts of councils and ancien... [ Continue Reading ]
_Spirit. The epithet Holy is not found in most of the Greek manuscripts but it is in John i, 32. and 33._... [ Continue Reading ]
The Greek printed copies, and some manuscripts read with St. Matthew (iii. 17.) _in whom, Greek: en o, thus St. John Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Theophylactus. Some few, however, have Greek: en soi, in thee, with the Syriac and Latin text. (Pastorini) --- All the Fathers cite these verses for a proof... [ Continue Reading ]
_Into the desert. For the description of this desert, &c. read Maundrel's Travels, or extracts therefrom in Rutter's Evangelical Harmony. Vol. i. p. 169._... [ Continue Reading ]
The Greek does not express the forty nights, but we find it in St. Matthew iv. 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
As if he were to say: To this day the Mosaic law has been in full force, but henceforth the evangelical law shall be preached; which law is not undeservedly compared to the kingdom of God. (Theophylactus) --- Repent, therefore, says our Saviour, and believe the gospel; for if you believe not, you sh... [ Continue Reading ]
We must observe that what St. Luke mentions, relative to the vocation of the apostles, is antecedent in point of time to what is here related by St. Mark; since it is known that these disciples on some occasions returned to their fishing, until Jesus called them to be his constant attendants. (Theop... [ Continue Reading ]
The Greek text has here the same as in Luke iv. 34, _Let us alone. (Bible de Vence) --- I know who thou art. It is a common opinion, that the devil did not know for certain that Jesus was the true Son of God. Yet St. Mark's words, both in this and ver. 34, seem to signify he did know it. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ would not suffer the devils to be produced as witnesses of his divinity; the author of truth could not bear the father of lies to bear testimony of him. Hence Jesus threatened him, in order to teach us never to believe or put our trust in demons, whatever they may foretell. (St. John Chrysost... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tearing him: not that the devil tore the poor man's limbs or body; for St. Luke (iv. 35.) expressly tells us, that the devil hurt him not. It means no more, than that he shook him with violent agitations. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
It is observed by St. Justin, (Apol. i. 54.) that the discourses of Jesus were short and concise. St. John Chrysostom (in hom. xlviii. in Matt.) says, that Christ here accommodated his preaching to his hearers, and to his subject. The ancients differ as to the length of time employed by Christ in th... [ Continue Reading ]
It appears from St. Mark and St. Luke, that the cure of Peter's mother-in-law and the other sick, here mentioned, happened after the preceding narrative, and probably on the same day. But St. Matthew does not observe this order; for having related that Jesus, after the sermon on the mount, entered C... [ Continue Reading ]
The devils knew that it was Christ, who had been promised for so many ages before; for they saw him perform the wonders which the prophets had foretold of him; yet they were not perfectly acquainted with his divine nature, or otherwise they never would have persecuted to death and crucified the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
It was not the intention of Christ, that he should not tell any body; had that been his wish, he would easily have realized it: he spoke thus purposely, to shew us that we ought not to seek the empty praises of men. He bade him also offer the sacrifices prescribed, because the law remained in full f... [ Continue Reading ]