Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Ver. 1. _Then was Jesus led up_] Lest haply the people, hearing that testimony from heaven, should come and take him by force to make him a king, as John 6:15; to try their love also to him, who was thus overclouded... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Ver. 2. _And when he had fasted forty days, &c._] All Christ's actions are for our instruction, not all for our imitation. We may not imitate the works miraculous of Christ, and proper to him as mediator. The ignorance... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Ver. 3. _Then came unto him the tempter_] ο πειραζων. So called, because he politicly feels our pulses which way they beat, and accordingly fits us a penny worth. He sets a wedge of gold b... [ Continue Reading ]
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Ver. 4. _But he answered and said, It is written_] "With his sore and great and strong sword" of the Spirit doth the Lord here "punish leviathan, that crooked pierc... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, Ver. 5. _Then the devil taketh him_] Not in vision only or imagination, but really and indeed, as he was afterwards apprehended, bound, and crucified by that cursed crew. Spiritual assaults may be beaten b... [ Continue Reading ]
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in _their_ hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Ver. 6. _And he saith unto him_] The devil usually tempteth by spe... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Ver. 7. _Jesus answered and said, It is written again_] Christ rejects not the Holy Scriptures, although perversely alleged and abused by Satan, but openeth them, by laying one place to another. So did those holy Levit... [ Continue Reading ]
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; Ver. 8. _Again the devil taketh him_] This master fly Beelzebub, though beaten away once and again, yet returns to the same place. See how shameless he is in renewin... [ Continue Reading ]
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Ver. 9. _And he saith unto him, All these things will I give thee_] A great catch sure: even just nothing; for he showed our Saviour only shows and shadows, apparitions and resemblances of things. The word... [ Continue Reading ]
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Ver. 10. _Get thee hence, Satan_] Avaunt, avoid, be packing! This was an indignity not to be endured, as great, every way, as if the basest scoundrel upon earth s... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Ver. 11. _Then the devil left him_] If Christ command him away, there is no abiding for him. Here he was foiled and queried, and, as it were, cast down and killed, by Christ our champion. (Stuchius _de sacrific. Gentilium... [ Continue Reading ]
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; Ver. 12. _Now when Jesus heard that John was cast into prison_] For Herodias' sake, though under pretexts of fear of sedition, because of the great multitudes that followed and admired him, as Josephus hath it. This... [ Continue Reading ]
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: Ver. 13. _And leaving Nazareth_] Where he had his conception and education; and did therefore in a special manner affect them, and seek their good, but they would not. For wh... [ Continue Reading ]
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Ver. 14. _That it might be fulfilled, &c._] The two Testaments may be fitly resembled to the double doors of the temple, one whereof infolded another: the Old is the New infolded; the New is the Old explicated. (Jerome in no... [ Continue Reading ]
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, _by_ the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; Ver. 15. _The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, &c._] In Zabulon were Nazareth, Bethsaida, Tiberias, Cana (where our Saviour turned water into wine), and Nain, where he raise... [ Continue Reading ]
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. Ver. 16. _The people which sat in darkness saw a great light_] For the day-spring from on high visited them, the bright Sun of righteousness (which had all Palestine for his... [ Continue Reading ]
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Ver. 17. _From that time Jesus began to preach_] So he had done before John was imprisoned, John 2:13,25; John 3:1; John 3:22,24, but now more freely, and frequently more manifestly, and all abroad, as w... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. Ver. 18. _And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee_] Not for recreation's sake, or to deceive the time (for he had a great multitude attending up... [ Continue Reading ]
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Ver. 19. _He saith unto them, Follow me_] And together with his word there went forth a power inclining them to follow, whereby it appears that they were not only of the many that are called, but of those few that are chosen, Lu... [ Continue Reading ]
And they straightway left _their_ nets, and followed him. Ver. 20. _And they straightway left their nets_] As the woman of Samaria did her pitcher, Matthew his toll book, and blind Bartimeus his cloak when Christ called for him. Look we likewise to this "author and finisher of our faith;" and for l... [ Continue Reading ]
And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James _the son_ of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. Ver. 21. _He saw other two brethren, James, &c._] Three pair of brethren, at least, our Saviour called to the apostlesh... [ Continue Reading ]
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. Ver. 22. _And they immediately left the ship and their father_] These were wise merchants that parted with all to purchase the pearl of price. So did many martyrs, and knew they made a saver's bargain. Nicholas Shetterden writet... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Ver. 23. _And Jesus went about all Galilee_] Not (as the Circumcelliones of old) to make show of their holiness; no... [ Continue Reading ]
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. Ver. 24. _And his fame went through all S... [ Continue Reading ]
And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and _from_ Decapolis, and _from_ Jerusalem, and _from_ Judaea, and _from_ beyond Jordan. Ver. 25. _And there followed him great multitudes_] A good housekeeper shall not (likely) want company. "O thou that hearest prayer" (and so solic... [ Continue Reading ]