And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Ver. 1. _Returned from Jordan, and was led_] No sooner out of the water of baptism, but in the fire of temptation. After greatest feelings, we are to expect sharpest assaults; neither can we... [ Continue Reading ]
Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. Ver. 2. _Being forty days_] During which time be was set upon all sorts of temptations. These three here recorded were likely the very worst, _in quibus diabolus omnes astus... [ Continue Reading ]
And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. Ver. 3. _Command this stone_] "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel," Proverbs 20:17. Compare this verse withProverbs 20:9, and see how the devil usua... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Ver. 4. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. Ver. 5. _Showed unto him all the kingdoms_] In a visible landscape of his own making, presented to the eye.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. Ver. 6. _To whomsoever I will I give it_] The pope, as heir to the devil, takes upon him to be _Dominus regnorum mundi, _ Lord of the kings of the... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. Ver. 7. _If thou wilt worship_] _Papa dulia adorandus, _ say the Canonists.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Ver. 8. _Get thee behind me_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:10 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: Ver. 9. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:5 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:6 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: Ver. 10. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:6 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And in _their_ hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Ver. 11. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:6 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Ver. 12. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:7 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Ver. 13. _He departed from him for a season_] We must look for the other bout, and in a calm prepare for a storm. The tempter is restless and impudent; so that a man is to expect, if he live out his days, to be urge... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. Ver. 14. _In the power of the Spirit_] Without which the word is preached to no purpose. _Cathedram in coelo habet, qui corda docet, _ saith Augustine. It is with the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. Ver. 15. _Glorified of all_] Envy itself was throttled, which yet usually waits upon virtue. Every Zopyrus hath his Zoilus. Lipsius complaineth (_an Iustus ipse viderit_) that today men have left off, not only to do things praiseworthy, but... [ Continue Reading ]
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Ver. 16. _Where he had been brought up_] The Jews were to be kind to the Egyptians, and to pray for the prosperity of Babylon, where they had been... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 17. _He found the place_] Whether he looked for it, or it so happened by a providence, it is uncertain. Origen, after his fall, lighting on that text, Psal... [ Continue Reading ]
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, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Ver. 18. _He hath anointed me to preach... [ Continue Reading ]
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Ver. 19. _The acceptable year of the Lord_] A joyful jubilee. Let us not stand out the time, lest we be bored in the ear by the devil.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _Were fastened on him_] A good help against distractions. Our hearts are fickle and fugitive, if not hard held to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Ver. 21. _This day is this scripture, &c._] This the sum of his sermon, as were also the prophecies we read, the heads only and short notes of the prophets' larger discourses. Brevity breeds obscurity.... [ Continue Reading ]
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? Ver. 22. _Is not this Joseph's son?_] And what of that? But it is still the course of our hearers, to look round about us, if possibly they may find any hole in ou... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. Ver. 23. _Physician, heal thyself_] That is, thy country. So that for a man to cure his country is to cure himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. Ver. 24. _No prophet is accepted_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 13:57 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; Ver. 25. _Many widows were in Israel_] _q.d._ God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, &c. He is a free agent, and may... [ Continue Reading ]
But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, _a city_ of Sidon, unto a woman _that was_ a widow. Ver. 26. _That was a widow_] A calamitous name, 2 Samuel 14:5. The Hebrews call her Almanah, a dumb woman, because either she dare not or may not speak for herself: but God professeth himsel... [ Continue Reading ]
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. Ver. 27. _Naaman the Syrian_] Nor he neither so long as he looked upon God's Jordan with Syrian eyes.... [ Continue Reading ]
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, Ver. 28. _And all they in the synagogue_] Though but plain rustics, yet they soon understood this saying of preaching to the Gentiles: which put them into an anger, and our Saviour into a danger.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 29. _Thrust him out of the city_] As unworthy to tread on their pavement. And so mad they were, that they could neither stay till the busines... [ Continue Reading ]
But he passing through the midst of them went his way, Ver. 30. _But he passing, &c._] Like a second Samson; his own arm saved him. This might have convinced his adversaries, except they were mad with malice.... [ Continue Reading ]
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. Ver. 31. _And came down to Capernaum_] Contempt drives away Christ. And woe be unto you if I forsake you,Hosea 9:12. Contend earnestly for the faith, since it is but once delivered to the saints, Jude 3. You must n... [ Continue Reading ]
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. Ver. 32. _For his word was with power_] He preached not _frigide et trepide, _ as the scribes; but uttered oracles, and did miracles.... [ Continue Reading ]
And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Ver. 33. _And in the synagogue_] _See Trapp on "_ Mar 1:23 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, Let _us_ alone; what have we to do with thee, _thou_ Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. Ver. 34. _The Holy One of God_] The pope will needs be called "Most Holy;" and so lifts up himself above Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 35. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 8:16 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Mar 1:25 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Mar 1:26 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word _is_ this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. Ver. 36. _See Trapp on "_ Mar 1:27 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. Ver. 37. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 8:16 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Mar 1:28 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]