_And he came into his own country_, &c. For an explanation of this
paragraph, see the notes on Matthew 13:53. _Is not this the
carpenter's son?_ There can be no doubt that Jesus in his youth
wrought with his supposed father Joseph. _He could there do no mighty
work_ Not consistently with his wisdom... [ Continue Reading ]
_He calleth unto him the twelve_ While Jesus preached among the
villages in the neighbourhood of Nazareth, he sent his twelve apostles
through the several cities of Galilee, to proclaim that God was about
to establish the kingdom of the Messiah, wherein he would be
worshipped in spirit and in truth;... [ Continue Reading ]
_He commanded that they should take nothing for their journey_ That
they might be always unencumbered, free, ready for motion. _Save a
staff only_ He that had one might take it; but he that had not, was
not to provide one. _No scrip, no bread_ Our Lord intended by this
mission to initiate them into... [ Continue Reading ]
_In what place soever ye enter_ See these verses explained, Matthew
10:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They went, and preached that men should repent_ They went away and
published everywhere the glad tidings of the approach of the Messiah's
kingdom, and exhorted men on that consideration to turn to God in true
repentance, forsaking all their sins in temper, word, and work, and in
all respects bringi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And King Herod_ (the tetrarch; see notes on Matthew 2:1; Mat 14:1)
_heard of him_ While the apostles were making their circuit about the
country, proclaiming everywhere the glories of their great Master, and
working miracles in his name, information concerning him and his
marvellous works came to t... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Herod had laid hold on John_, &c. See the note on Matthew 14:3.
_Herodias had a quarrel against him_ This princess was the
granddaughter of Herod the Great, by his son Aristobulus, and had
formerly been married to her uncle Philip, the son of her grandfather,
by Mariamne, and brother to Herod t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus_ Namely, at, or
quickly after the time of the awful event of the Baptist's death,
related above; _and told him all things_, &c. Recounted to him; _both
what_ miracles _they had done_ In his name and by his power; _and
what_ doctrine _they had tau... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the day was far spent_, &c. See notes on Matthew 14:15, where
the circumstances of the miracle here recorded are explained at large.
_And they sat down in ranks_ Or rather, _in squares_, as Campbell
renders πρασιαι, observing, “The word denotes a small plat,
such as a flower-bed in a garden. I... [ Continue Reading ]
For an explanation of these verses, see the notes on Matthew 14:22.... [ Continue Reading ]