At the twenty-second verse of the foregoing chapter, we find the Holy Ghost descending in. bodily shape like. dove upon our Saviour. In this verse we find the extraordinary effects and fruits of the Holy Ghost's descent upon our Saviour: he was filled with all the gifts and graces of the blessed Spi... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, how the divine power upheld Christ's human nature without food. What Moses did at the giving of the law, Christ doth at the beginning of the gospel, namely, FAST FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. Christ hereby intended our admiration rather than our imitation; or if our imitation, of the ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The occasion of the temptation. And, 2. The temptation itself. The occasion of the temptation was our Saviour's hunger and want of bread. Learn thence, that when God suffers any of his children to fall into want, and to be straitened for outward things, Satan takes. mighty advant... [ Continue Reading ]
Note first, that though the devil abused scripture, yet Christ uses it. Good things are never the worse for being abused by Satan and his instruments. Note secondly, the weapon which our Saviour made use of to vanquish Satan; it was the word of God: IT IS WRITTEN, says Christ. Learn thence, that t... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. The next sin which Satan tempts our Saviour to is the sin of idolatry, even to worship the devil himself. Oh thou impudent and foul spirit, to desire thy Creator to worship thee, an apostate creature! Doubtless there is no sin so black and foul, so horrid and monstrous, but the Christian... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The power which Satan, by God's permission, had over the body of our blessed Saviour: he took him up, and carried his body through the air, from the wilderness to Jerusalem, and there set him upon one of the pinnacles of the temple. Learn hence, 1. That Satan, by God's permission,... [ Continue Reading ]
Our blessed Saviour being thus fitted and prepared by his baptism and temptation for the execution of his ministerial office, he now enters upon the great work of preaching the gospel, and St. Luke here declares the first place he preached at, namely, Nazareth; and the first text he preached upon, I... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The effect of our Saviour's ministry at Nazareth: it created wonder, but did not produce faith; they marvelled, but not believed; they admired the wisdom of his discourse, but will not own him to be the promised Messiah, because of the poverty and meanness of Christ's condition: IS... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our Saviour by. double instance confirms what he had last told his countrymen at Nazareth, namely, that prophets are most despised by their own countrymen and acquaintance, and that strangers oft-times have more advantage by. prophet than his own people. The first instance of this which our Sa... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The horrid impiety of the people of Nazareth, in thrusting their Saviour out of their city, and their barbarous and bloody cruelty in bringing him to the brow of the hill, with full intent to cast him down headlong. But Christ was to die. clean contrary way, not by throwing down, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Our blessed Saviour being driven out of Nazareth by the fury of his countrymen, departs to Capernaum, where he entered their synagogues, and taught. Who can declare the pains that our Saviour took, and the hazards which he ran, in preaching the everlasting gospel to lost sinners? But observe the sm... [ Continue Reading ]
Here observe, 1. That St. Peter,. disciple, yea, an apostle, was. married person. Neither the prophets of the Old Testament, nor the apostles of the New, did abhor the marriage bed, nor judge themselves too pure for an institution of their maker. The church of Rome, by denying the lawfulness of prie... [ Continue Reading ]
The evangelist here declares sundry other cures wrought by our Saviour: he healed the sick, and dispossessed the devils. In our Saviour's time we read of many possessed with devils, and of but few either before or afterwards. Probably, 1. Because Satan, perceiving the Messiah to be come in the fles... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The great work and business of our Saviour's life; to preach the gospel. I MUST PREACH THE KINGOM OF GOD FOR THEREFORE CAME. FORTH. Preaching was Christ's great work, it is undoubtedly his ministers'. Christ omitted some opportunities of working miracles, that he might preach to oth... [ Continue Reading ]