Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Ver. 1. _Then came to Jesus_] Then, when the men of Gennesaret favoured and observed him. Satan stomacheth the prosperity of God's kingdom in any place, and stirreth up his to oppose it. Esau began with Jacob in the womb, th... [ Continue Reading ]
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. Ver. 2. _Transgress the tradition of the elders_] They cried up aloud traditions and the authority of antiquity. _Similem hodie dicam Papistae nobis scribunt._ For as the philosophers fle... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Ver. 3. _He answered and said unto them_] He shapes them an answer by way of recrimination (αντδγκλημα); which is a singular means of conviction to the adversary, but hard to be done by us withou... [ Continue Reading ]
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Ver. 4. _For God commanded, saying_] This is called the first commandment with promise, viz. the first affirmative commandment, or the first in the second table; or the first of al... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye say, Whosoever shall say to _his_ father or _his_ mother, _It is_ a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; Ver. 5. _But ye say, Whosoever, &c._] The intolerable covetousness of the priests bred this abominable corruption of this commandment, as it did many other like. _a_ _See... [ Continue Reading ]
And honour not his father or his mother, _he shall be free_. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ver. 6. _And honour not his father and his mother_] _Supple, insons erit._ Our Saviour contents himself to relate the first words only of the tradition, as lawyers... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye_ hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, Ver. 7. _Well did Esaias prophesy of you_] Of such as you, and so of you too. The prophets and apostles then spake not of them only with whom they lived, and to whom they wrote (as the Jesuits blaspheme), but their oracles and doctrines do e... [ Continue Reading ]
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with _their_ lips; but their heart is far from me. Ver. 8. _This people draweth nigh unto me, &c._] And they are no changelings, for at this day, although they know better, and can write upon the walls of their synagogues this sent... [ Continue Reading ]
But in vain they do worship me, teaching _for_ doctrines the commandments of men. Ver. 9. _But in vain do they worship me_] For they lose their labour, and, which is worse, they commit sin. Displeasing service is double dishonour, as dissembled sanctity is double iniquity. _ Teaching for doctrines... [ Continue Reading ]
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Ver. 10. _And he called the multitude_] The Pharisees, those deaf adders, since they would not be charmed, Christ will lose no more sweet words upon them; but turns them up as desperate, with this inscription on their foreheads:... [ Continue Reading ]
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Ver. 11. _Not that which goeth into the man, &c._] Whether with clean or foul hands, taken meat makes not the man guilty of God's wrath. What! not if abused to surfeiting and drunkenness... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? Ver. 12. _Knowest thou that the Pharisees, &c._] _q.d._ Why dost thou then thus call the people to thee, and exclude them? It was a commendable charity in the disciples, to desir... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Ver. 13. _Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted_] viz. By election, and watered by vocation. These Pharisees were reprobates, designed to detection here, and to destruction hereafte... [ Continue Reading ]
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Ver. 14. _Let them alone_] A dreadful doom; like that, Hosea 4:14; "I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom," &c. No so great punishment as not to be punished. And... [ Continue Reading ]
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. Ver. 15. _Declare unto us this parable_] It was no parable, but a plain discourse, and easy to be understood, had not they been dull of hearing, and somewhat soured with the pharisaical leaven of the necessity of washing hands bef... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Ver. 16. _Do not ye yet understand?_] What! not at these years, and after so long standing? Will ye stand till ye wax sour again, and not give yourselves wholly to these things, that your profiting may appear to all? _a_ Is it not a shame to ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? Ver. 17. _Whatsoever entereth in at the mouth_] In nature, _Animantis cuiusque vita est fuga._ Life, were it not for the repair by daily nourishment, would be soon extinguished... [ Continue Reading ]
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. Ver. 18. _Come forth from the heart_] That forth of sin and fountain of folly; for "as a fountain casteth forth her waters, so doth the heart of man cast out its wickedness," Jeremiah 6:7; and if the... [ Continue Reading ]
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Ver. 19. _For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts_] These are the first and immediate issue of the sinful soul; words and deeds, borborology _a_ and enormity, follow in their order.... [ Continue Reading ]
These are _the things_ which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Ver. 20. _These are the things which defile a man_] Make him a loathsome leper in God's sight, his heart being a filthy dunghill of all abominable vices, his life a long chain of sinful actions, a very con... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Ver. 21. _Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon_] That royal exchange of the world, as one calleth it. Hither retired our Saviour, as tired out with the Jews' perverseness. And here it's like he did much good, according to that whi... [ Continue Reading ]
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, _thou_ Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. Ver. 22. _And cried unto him_] One copy hath it, "And cried behind him," _a_ which implies either that Christ had turn... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. Ver. 23. _But he answered her not_] _Tacet ore, sed loquitur ei spirit, ut fortius clamet, _ saith an interpreter. Christ answereth her not with his mouth, but speaketh unto her... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Ver. 24. _But unto the lost sheep, &c._] He was properly the apostle of the circumcision,Romans 15:8; Hebrews 3:1, till the wall of partition was broken down by his resurrection. Then the veil rent, and it was o... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. Ver. 25. _Then came she and worshipped him_] She will not be said nay, or set down either with silence or sad answers; but, like another Gorgonia, she threatens heaven, and is (as her brother speaks of her) modestly impudent and invincible. S... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast _it_ to dogs. Ver. 26. _And to cast it to dogs_] To whelps, saith St Mark. _a_ So he calls her bitch, her daughter whelp. This might have easily damped and discouraged her. But she was that well-resolved Christian, w... [ Continue Reading ]
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Ver. 27. _Truth, Lord_] Ναι, Κυριε. This is _particula assentientis et obsecrantis._ How strangely doth God enable and enlarge his weak people many times in prayer! they are carried beyond themselves in... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great _is_ thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Ver. 28. _O woman, great is thy faith_] Our Saviour had both reproached and repulsed her. Now he both graceth and gratifieth her; grants her... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. Ver. 29. _And came nigh to the sea of Galilee_] Where, though he had lately been tired out, yet he will try again. Ministers must have patience with a perverse people, not resolvi... [ Continue Reading ]
And great multitudes came unto him, having with them _those that were_ lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: Ver. 30. _Having with them those that were lame, blind, &c._] All these infirmities are fruits of sin (which hath made the world... [ Continue Reading ]
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. Ver. 31. _They glorified the God of Israel_] They saw God in those miraculous cures and gave him his due praise. He is content... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus called his disciples _unto him_, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. Ver. 32. _I have compassion on the multitude_] My bowels yearn towards... [ Continue Reading ]
And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? Ver. 33. _Whence should we have, &c._] See their stupidity and diffidence, yet still budging and breaking out upon all occasions. _a_ What a life hath Christ with the best of us,... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. Ver. 34. _Seven, and a few little fishes_] Before, he had fed five thousand with fewer loaves. God can as easily maintain us with a little as with more; witness Daniel's pulse, and Elijah's cake on th... [ Continue Reading ]
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Ver. 35. _To sit down on the ground_] He intended them not only a running banquet, a slight come off, but a full feast, a good meal, and therefore bade them sit down and feed their fill. It was indeed on the bare ground that they sat; but so... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake _them_, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Ver. 36. _And gave to his disciples_] So confuting their unbelief, and confirming their faith for the future. And the like he doth for us every time we rece... [ Continue Reading ]
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken _meat_ that was left seven baskets full. Ver. 37. _They did all eat and were filled_] They did eat to satiety, as men use to do at feasts, where the tables seem to sweat with variety. The Greek word here is, in its proper signifi... [ Continue Reading ]
And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. Ver. 38. _And they that did eat_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 14:21 _"_ Herein was the majesty of the miracle, that there was no proportion between the men and the meat.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. Ver. 39. _And he sent away the multitude_] Not without a blessing, and a great deal of good counsel. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth," &c. Amend your lives, for the kingdom of heaven is come home to you. No... [ Continue Reading ]