And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, Ver. 1. _And after six days_] Luke saith Luk 9:28 about eight days after. It comes all to one. For Matthew puts exclusively those days only that went between, and were finished; but... [ Continue Reading ]
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Ver. 2. _And was transfigured before them_] This was while he was praying, as St Luke noteth. Prayer, rightly performed, is a parleying with God, _εντευξις_, _interpellatio, 1 Timothy 2:1_,... [ Continue Reading ]
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Ver. 3. _Moses and Elias appeared_] Those _immortalitalis candidali, _ as the ancients called them. God had buried Moses, but brought him forth afterwards glorious; the same body which was hidden in the valley of Moab appeareth... [ Continue Reading ]
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. Ver. 4. _Lord, it is good for us to be here_] _Hic plura absurda quam verba._ But he knew not what he should say, he wa... [ Continue Reading ]
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Ver. 5. _While he yet spake_] But had no answer (because he deserved it not) to so foolish a proposition. Only the Father an... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the disciples heard _it_, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. Ver. 6. _They fell on their faces_] As amazed and amated with that stupendous voice that came from the excellent glory, as St Peter phraseth it, 2 Peter 1:17. So Moses and Elias hid their faces when God spake unto the... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. Ver. 7. _Jesus came and touched them_] Christ therefore kills his, that he may quicken them; casts them down, that he may revive and raise them in the opportunity of time (εν τω καιρω, Hos 6:1-2 1Pe 5:6): not so the devil, that de... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. Ver. 8. _Save Jesus alone_] To teach them that Moses and Elias, the law and prophets, vail bonnet to Christ; that there is but one mediator, even the man Christ Jesus; that there is sufficient in him to satisfy the soul, to c... [ Continue Reading ]
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. Ver. 9. _Tell the vision to no man_] Tacitus, we say, is a good historian. Taciturnity and silence, we are sure, is in some cases a great virtue, a high... [ Continue Reading ]
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? Ver. 10. _Why then say the scribes, &c._] Christ had answered them this question once before; but they were unsatisfied by anything he could say, because strongly possessed with the conceit of an earthly kingd... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. Ver. 11. _And restore all things_] viz. In Malachi's sense, _i.e._ not simply, absolutely, perfectly, for the royalty of restoring all things so was reserved for Christ alone, Acts 3:21, but comparatively,... [ Continue Reading ]
But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Ver. 12. _But I say unto you, that Elias is come_] All that is likely to come, however the Papist Bellarmine (as it were to thwart... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Ver. 13. _Then the disciples understood_] Different measures of light and grace are given at several times, as God pleaseth to dispense, John 12:16; John 2:22; John 10:41,42. Joseph understood not his own dreams, nor the eun... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a _certain_ man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Ver. 14. _And when they were come to the multitude_] That was the next day after the transfiguration,Luke 9:37, and in that nick of time, when the disciples could neither cure the lunatic... [ Continue Reading ]
Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. Ver. 15. _For he is lunatic_] Or, he hath the falling sickness, as the symptoms show. A common disease, but (besides that) the devil was in it. _a_ The old manslayer makes... [ Continue Reading ]
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Ver. 16. _And they could not cure him_] The prayer of faith would have healed the sick,James 5:15, as Luther's prayer recovered a godly divine (that was far gone in a consumption, and given up for a dead man by the physicians) beyond... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. Ver. 17. _O faithless and perverse generation_] He reproves the nine disciples, but rejects them not. Christ in the very dunghill of unbelief and sin... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Ver. 18. _And he departed out of him_] Though with a very ill will, for he tore the child and well nigh killed him. So when we do, by the prayer of faith, conjure and charm the devil out of our hea... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? Ver. 19. _Why could not we cast him out?_] They had heard why before, but either heeded it not or were not willing to hear on that ear. Loth they were to yield that it was any fault of theirs, that the cure was not eff... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Ver. 20. _Because of your unbelief_] _q.d._ That... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Ver. 21. _This kind goeth not out_] Some devils then are not so potent, political, vile, villanous, as others: so neither are wicked men all alike wicked; some stigmatical Belialists face the heavens, burden the earth, please not God, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: Ver. 22. _The Son of man shall be betrayed_] This our Saviour often inculcates, to drive them out of their golden dream of an earthly kingdom; which pleased them so well, that they could h... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. Ver. 23. _And they were exceeding sorry_] Out of love to their Lord, saith Jerome; out of ignorance and stupidity, saith St Mark Mar 9:32 and St Luke: Luk 9:45 so they grieve where no cause was, as w... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute _money_ came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? Ver. 24:. _They that received tribute money_] This didrachmum or half-shekel was formerly paid by the Israelites every year, after they were twenty years old, toward t... [ Continue Reading ]
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Ver. 25. _He saith, Yes_] Christ submitted himself "to every ordinance of man for the Lord's... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Ver. 26. _Then are the children free_] _q.d._ And much more I (who am the natural, the only begotten Son of that King everlasting, the heir of all) am privileged from payments. Yet because few knew, what Peter did... [ Continue Reading ]
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Ver. 27. _Lest we should offend them_] Better it is tha... [ Continue Reading ]