_CHRIST PREACHETH REPENTANCE, UPON THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GALILEANS,
AND OTHERS. THE FRUITLESS FIG-TREE MAY NOT STAND. HE HEALETH THE
CROOKED WOMAN: SHEWETH THE POWERFUL WORKING OF THE WORD IN THE HEARTS
OF THE FAITHFUL, BY THE PARABLE OF THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD-SEED, AND OF
LEAVEN: EXHORTETH TO ENTER I... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WERE PRESENT, &C.— Some of our Lord's hearers thought proper
to confirm the doctrine in the latter part of the preceding chapter by
what they supposed an example of it; for the scope and connection of
the passage, as well as our Lord's answer, shew it to have been the
thought of these persons,... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPPOSE YE THAT THESE GALILEANS, &C.— Our Lord's hearers had
insinuated a very wrong notion of Providence; for which cause he not
only condemned it in the question just now mentioned, but told them
expressly, that these Galileans were not to be reckoned greater
sinners than others, because they had... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TOWER IN SILOAM— This tower, by its name, appears to have been
built beside the bason, or pool of Siloam, (see John 9:7.) whose
waters running into a lower bason, formed what was called _the pool of
fleeces,_ probably from the sheep which were washed in it. The upper
bason, or pool of Siloam, se... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.— That is, "either by the sword, or in
the ruins of your city." See on Luke 13:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THESE THREE YEARS I COME— See how long I have waited, even
three years past, in vain, and still this fig-tree is entirely barren:
cut it down; why should it any longer take up the place of better
plants, and draw away the fructifying juices of my ground, which might
be profitable to other tr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF IT BEAR FRUIT, WELL:— _Perhaps it may bear fruit; but if
not,_ &c. Heylin and Doddridge. In the original there is something of
an abrupt wayof speaking in this passage, of which the reader will
find many examples in Raphelius Annot. ex Xenoph. p. 102. By this
parable our Lord plainly represen... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A WOMAN, &C.— Jesus happening to preach in one of the
synagogues of Perea on a sabbath-day, cast his eyes upon a woman in
the congregations, who had not been able to stand upright during the
space of _eighteen years._ Wherefore pitying her affliction, he
restored her body to its natural so... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IMMEDIATELY SHE WAS MADE STRAIGHT,— The great favour conferred
on her so suddenly, filled the woman with admiration and gratitude;
insomuch that she immediately offered up thanksgiving to God. As our
blessed Lord undertook this benevolent miracle without any
solicitation, it affords us a fine id... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH NOT EACH ONE OF YOU— Our Lord soon put the hypocritical ruler
to silence, by placing the action which he found fault with, in the
light of their allowed practice. They loosed and led their cattle on
the sabbath day to water, and thought the mercy of the work justified
them in so doing. He, by u... [ Continue Reading ]
A GREAT TREE;— _A great plant,_ or _shrub;_ another of the
evangelists calls it λαχανος, _the greatest among herbs._ See
Matthew 13:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED? &C.— Our Lord was now travelling
by slow journies towards Jerusalem, beingon his way to Jordan, from
the north-east parts of Judea. Somewhere on the road, probably soon
after he had described the success of the gospel by the parables of
the mustard-seed and the lea... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE EATEN AND DRUNK IN THY PRESENCE,— "Over and above the
privileges which you have enjoyed by the Mosaic dispensation, you
shall plead on that occasion the peculiar favour which I shewed you in
the days of my flesh, by exercising myministry among you, and by
conversing familiarly with you." Per... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL COME, &C.— This part of the answer was levelled directly
against the Jewish prejudice, and is a plain declaration that the
salvation of God shall be extended to people of all parts of the
world; and that many who thought themselves alone entitled to God's
favour, in virtue of their peculi... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE CAME CERTAIN OF THE PHARISEES,— From the known disposition of
the Pharisees, who were always the professed enemies of Christ, as
well as from his answer, it is more than probable that their concern
for his safety was feigned, and that their real design was to
intimidate him, and make him flee... [ Continue Reading ]
I DO CURES TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW,— Some apply this to the years of
Christ's ministry, supposing that a _day_ is put for a _year;_ but the
explication is improper, because if the three days here mentioned were
intended to comprehend the whole time of our Lord's ministry, this
conversation must have ha... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, I MUST WALK, &C.— _I must continue my course._ "I know
all that is to befall me; I know who are my enemies, what their
intentions are, and how far they will be able to accomplish them; for
which reason you need give yourselves no trouble about me. _I must
continue my course to-day and... [ Continue Reading ]