_CHRIST TEACHETH HIS DISCIPLES TO PRAY, AND THAT INSTANTLY; ASSURING THEM THAT GOD WILL READILY GIVE GOOD THINGS TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM: HE CASTETH OUT A DUMB DEVIL, REBUKETH THE BLASPHEMOUS PHARISEES; AND SHEWETH WHO ARE BLESSED: PREACHETH TO THE PEOPLE, AND REPREHENDETH THE OUTWARD SHOW OF HOLINESS... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE WAS PRAYING— While Jesus was in the country beyond Jordan, he happened to pray publicly with such fervency, that one of his disciples, exceedingly affected both with the matter and manner of his address, begged that he would teach _them_ to pray. This disciple probably had not been present, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHICH, &C.— Having taught his disciples, by the preceding short form, that they were not, in prayer, to use a multiplicity of words, with _vain repetitions;_ he proceeded to caution them on the other hand against coldness, indifferency, and slackness in their supplications. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE SHALL ASK AN EGG,— Naturalists tell us, that the body of a scorpion is very like an egg, especially if the scorpion be of the white kind, which is the first species mentioned by AElian and others. Bochart has produced testimonies to prove, that the scorpions were about the bigness of an egg; a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS CASTING OUT A DEVIL,— Δαιμονιον, a _demon._ By this word the ancient heathens understood inferior deities or spirits both good and bad; but the ancientJewsdistinguished good and evil spirits by several different names; the former of which are, in the version of the LXX, generally called α... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UTMOST PARTS— _The remote parts._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THINE EYE IS SINGLE, &C.— That they might understand his parable, and be excited to make a proper improvement of the noble faculty, or power, whose use he had been describing, our Lord puts them in mind that the intention or will performs for the soul of man the office which the eye does for th... [ Continue Reading ]
YE FOOLS, &C.— "What a silly as well as hypocritical part do you herein act, as if you could impose upon the all-seeing and heart-searching God, who desires truth in the inward parts? Did not he create the soul as well as the body? and can you suppose, that he is pleased with your ceremonious washin... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT, &C.— _But rather give alms of such things as you are able._ Or, _in proportion to your substance._ Doddridge. We are not to imagine, that alms-giving was particularly mentioned by Christ in his exhortation to the Pharisees, because it is of greater value and necessity than the other virtues and... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO YOU, SCRIBES, &C.— The scribes were called, in the Hebrew language, _sopherim,—writers,_ and are often mentioned in the sacred history as persons of great authority in the Jewish commonwealth. They were generally secretaries in the church, thestate, the army, revenue, &c. to which offices t... [ Continue Reading ]
YE LADE MEN WITH BURDENS— See on Matthew 23:4. Perhaps the consciences of these lawyers might charge them with some private contempt of the injunctions which they most rigorously imposed upon others, in ceremonial precepts as well as moral; or it may refer to a want of due tenderness for the comfort... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YE ALLOW— _That ye approve._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE ALSO SAID THE WISDOM OF GOD,— If, as some suppose, Christ himself here spoke of that divine perfection which we call the _wisdom of God,_ it is difficult to make any tolerable sense of this verse, unless the things here mentioned, as said by the wisdom of God, were to be found in the Old T... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE BLOOD OF ALL THE PROPHETS, &C.— "Hereby you will far exceed your fathers in extensive and outrageous instances of wickedness, which God will suffer you to commit, in defiance of greater mercies, and more evident means of conviction, than they ever enjoyed; that you may bring upon the presen... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE KEY, &C.— Vitringa understands this of _one fundamental truth,_ which would have led them into the knowledge of the rest: but all their endeavours to embarrass and bias the minds of men in their inquiries after truth, might be intended here, as well as more especially thei... [ Continue Reading ]
BEGAN TO URGE HIM VEHEMENTLY, &C.— Δεινως ενεχειν, which properly signifies _to fasten fiercely upon him._ Several more of the words here used are metaphors taken from hunting: the word αποστοματιζειν, which we render _to provoke, to speak,_ might be rendered _to mouth,_ or "bear down with the viole... [ Continue Reading ]