_CHRIST TEACHETH TO AVOID OCCASIONS OF OFFENCE: TO FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER: THE POWER OF FAITH: HOW WE ARE BOUND TO GOD, AND NOT HE TO US. HE HEALETH TEN LEPERS. OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN._ _Anno Domini 31._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE UNTO THE DISCIPLES,— Having been derided by the Pharisees as a visionary, and insulted on account of his doctrine concerning the pernicious influence of the love of money, our Lord took occasion to speak of affronts and offences,— Σκανδαλα, _stumbling-blocks,_ provocations to sin; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES:— Our Lord speaks here concerning a quarrelsome temper in his servants, but especially in the ministers and teachers of religion;insinuating,thatmanygrievous temptations to sin arise thence; temptations both to the persons who are injured by that temper, because injuries bege... [ Continue Reading ]
THE APOSTLES SAID UNTO THE LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH.— Our Lord's discourse in the preceding verses, being very opposite to the common notions concerning the Messiah and his followers, seems to have staggered the faith of the disciples a little. They began possibly to fear,that Jesus, who talked in s... [ Continue Reading ]
YE MIGHT SAY UNTO THIS SYCAMINE-TREE, &C.— "If you had but a small measure of faith, it would overcome all temptations; even those, the conquering of which may be compared to the plucking up of trees, and planting them in the ocean." Some, taking this example, by which the efficacy of faith is illus... [ Continue Reading ]
GO, AND SIT DOWN— _Come in, and sit down._ See Raphelius, and ch. Luke 12:37. Our Lord here returns to his subject, telling the apostles, that after they had done their utmost to discharge the whole duty incumbent on them, as God's servants sent forth to seek and save lost souls, they were not to im... [ Continue Reading ]
GIRD THYSELF,— Servants at that time used to be _girded_ while waiting on their masters. See chap. Luke 12:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS:— 'Αχρειοι, _mean,_ and _inconsiderable,_ who cannot pretend to have merit in any thing. It deserves remarking, that our Saviour applies this,—not to the servants in the parable, but to his disciples,—to all men: for it cannot, I conceive, in strictness be said, that he is _an... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE MET HIM TEN MEN— As lepers were banished from the _towns,_ they were likewise obligated to keep at a distance from the roads which led to them. Curiosity, however, to see the travellers who passed, or an inclination to beg, or perhaps a pre-concerted plan to find out Jesus, having brought thes... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHERE ARE THE NINE?— The ingratitude of these Jews will appear monstrous, if we consider that the leprosy, the malady from which they were delivered, is itself one of the most loathsome diseases incident to human nature; and a disease which by the law of Moses subjected them to greater hardships... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE ARE NOT, &C.— _Has there none been observed returning to give glory to God, except this stranger?_ Heylin. Wynne, instead of the word stranger, renders it _alien,_ αλλογενης,— an alien to the commonwealth of Israel: for as Jesus was now in Samaria, this man could not properly be called a _stra... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMETH NOT, &C.— While Jesus was in Ephraim, (John 11:54.) the Pharisees asked him, when the _kingdom of God,_ by which they meant the Messiah's kingdom, _was to commence?_ They had very grand notions of the extent of the Messiah's kingdom, the number of his subjects, the strength... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL SAY TO YOU, &C.— _"They,_ that is, the _Jews,_ who, after having rejected me, shall long for the appearance of the Messiah, (Luke 17:22.) and eagerly listen to every pretender who shall assume that character.... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE.— This unfortunate woman had been informed by angels of the destruction of Sodom, and promised deliverance; but was expressly forbidden to _look back,_ on any account, in the time of her flight; because it was proper that they should flee speedily, in the faith of this divine dec... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER SHALL SEEK TO SAVE HIS LIFE, &C.— As in the whole of this discourse our Lord is speaking of the temporal calamities which were to befal the Jewish nation, his words in this verse must be interpreted accordingly intheir primary meaning: "Whoever, in order to save his life, shall flee into t... [ Continue Reading ]
LEFT.— _Dismissed._ Elsner.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERESOEVER THE BODY IS, &C.— "As eagles find out, and gather round a carcase; so wherever wicked men are, the judgments of God will pursue them; and particularlyin whatever part of the land any number of the unbelieving Jews are, there will the Romans, the executioners of the divine vengeance upon... [ Continue Reading ]