AND HE ENTERED INTO A SHIP,.... Or "the ship", the selfsame ship he came over in, with his disciples. The Gergesenes, or Gadarenes, or both, having desired him to depart their coasts, showing an unwillingness to receive him, and an uneasiness at his company, he immediately turned his back upon them,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD, THEY BROUGHT TO HIM A MAN SICK OF THE PALSY,.... That is, some of the inhabitants of Capernaum, four men of that city particularly; for Mark says, Mark 2:3 he "was borne of four": these brought him to Jesus, LYING ON A BED, or couch, he being so enfeebled by the disease upon him, his ne... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD, CERTAIN OF THE SCRIBES SAID WITHIN THEMSELVES,.... And of the Pharisees also, as Luke says; for there were at this time Pharisees and doctors of the law, who were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea, and out of Jerusalem, sitting and hearing him teach, and observing what he said,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS,.... Which was a clear evidence, and full demonstration of his deity; for none knows the thoughts of the heart but God; and since he knew the thoughts of men's hearts, it could be no blasphemy in him to take that to himself which belonged to God, even to forgive sins... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHETHER IS EASIER TO SAY,..... Christ proceeds to clear himself of the charge of blasphemy, and to prove his power to forgive sins, by putting a case to them, of which he makes themselves Judges, and is this: which is easiest to be said, THY SINS ARE FORGIVEN THEE? OR TO SAY, ARISE AND WALK? Ne... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN,.... That they might have a visible proof, an ocular demonstration, that though he was the son of man, truly and really man, yet not a mere man; but also as truly and properly God, God and man in one person, and so HATH POWER ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS: not on... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE AROSE, AND DEPARTED TO HIS HOUSE. Immediately, at the command of Christ, believing he was able to heal him by a word speaking; and, upon his attempt to arise, found himself perfectly healed of his disease, and endued with such strength, that he could, not only with the greatest ease, arise fr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE MULTITUDE SAW IT,.... The miracle that was wrought; when they saw the man take up his bed, and carry it home, which was done by Christ, as a proof of his having power to forgive sin, THEY MARVELLED, AND GLORIFIED GOD: they were struck with amazement and astonishment at the sight, it be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS JESUS PASSED FORTH FROM THENCE,.... That is, from Capernaum to the sea side; where, as Mark says, the multitude resorted, and he taught them; HE SAW A MAN NAMED MATTHEW; the writer of this Gospel. The other evangelists call him Levi, who was the son of Alphaeus: he went by two names; Mark an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS JESUS SAT AT MEAT IN THE HOUSE,.... That is, as the Arabic version reads it, in the house of Matthew, not in the toll house, but in his own house; for he immediately quitted the toll booth, and his office there, and followed Christ, and had him to his own house, where he made... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE PHARISEES SAW IT,.... The feast Matthew made, the guests that were invited, and particularly that Christ sat down to meat with such vile and wicked company; they and the Scribes, as Mark and Luke add, who generally were together, of the same complexion, equally enemies to Christ, and wa... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT,.... The charge the Pharisees brought against him, and the insinuations they had made of him to his disciples; which he either overheard himself, or his disciples related to him, HE SAID UNTO THEM; the Pharisees, with an audible voice, not only to confute and convince them... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GO YE AND LEARN WHAT THAT MEANETH,.... צא ולמד, "go and learn", is a phrase used by the Jews a, when they are about to explain a passage of Scripture, and fetch an argument from the connection of the text. So the phrase τι εστιν, "what that is", or "what that meaneth", is Talmudic, as, מהי, "wha... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME TO HIM THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN,.... Of John the Baptist, to whom they had addicted themselves, and by whom they abode: though their master was in prison, and the Messiah was known to be come, yet still they were attached to John, and particularly imitated him in the austerities of his life.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,.... To the disciples of John, the Pharisees being present, who both have here a full answer; though it seems to be especially directed to the former: CAN THE CHILDREN OF THE BRIDE CHAMBER MOURN, AS LONG AS THE BRIDEGROOM, IS WITH THEM? By the "bridegroom" Christ means hims... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN PUTTETH A PIECE OF NEW CLOTH,.... These words are, by Luke 5:36 called a "parable", as are those in the following verse; and both are commonly interpreted of the unreasonableness and danger of putting young disciples upon severe exercises of religion, as fasting, c: and it is true, that young... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER DO MEN PUT NEW WINE INTO OLD BOTTLES,.... As in the former parable, our Lord exposes the folly of the Scribes and Pharisees, in their zealous attachment to the traditions of the elders; so in this, he gives a reason why he did not call these persons by his Gospel, who were settled upon the o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE HE SPAKE THESE THINGS UNTO THEM,.... To the Scribes and Pharisees, and to John's disciples, concerning, and in vindication of his, and his disciples, eating and drinking with publicans and sinners, and their not fasting as others did; and while he spake these parables, to expose the folly of s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS AROSE AND FOLLOWED HIM,.... Immediately, without delay, or any more ado: he did not upbraid him with the treatment he and his followers met with, from men of his profession; who cast out of their synagogues such, who confessed him to be the Messiah: nor does he take notice of any weakness... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD A WOMAN WHICH WAS DISEASED..... This affair happened in the streets of Capernaum, as Christ was going from the house of Matthew the publican, to the house of Jairus the ruler of the synagogue, which were both in this city. This poor woman's case was a very distressed one; she had been att... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SHE SAID WITHIN HERSELF,.... That is, she thought within herself, she reasoned the matter in her mind, she concluded upon it, and firmly believed it; being strongly impressed and influenced by the Spirit of God, and encouraged by instances of cures she had heard were performed by persons only to... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JESUS TURNED HIM ABOUT,.... Knowing what was done behind him, that virtue was gone out of him, that the woman had touched him, and was healed; which is a clear proof of his omniscience, and so of his deity: not that he was angry with her for touching him, though she was an impure woman; for thou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE RULER'S HOUSE,.... Both Mark and Luke relate, how that before this, whilst they were in the way, and just as Christ had done speaking to the poor woman, that news was brought to the ruler, that his daughter was actually dead, and therefore need not give Jesus any further... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GIVE PLACE,.... Depart, be gone; for he put them out of the room, and suffered none to be with him, when he raised her from the dead, but Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the child, who were witnesses enough of this miracle. FOR THE MAID IS NOT DEAD, BUT S... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE PUT FORTH,.... Either out of the house or room, by Christ, or, at least, by his orders: which was done, partly because he was desirous it might be kept a secret, as much as possible, and to shew, that he did not affect popular applause; and partly, because they were unworthy... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FAME HEREOF WENT ABROAD INTO ALL THAT LAND. For though he strictly charged the parents, as the other evangelists say, that they should tell no man what was done, he not affecting the applause of men; yet it was not possible the thing should be entirely concealed; since there was such a numbe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JESUS DEPARTED THENCE,.... From the house of Jairus, to another in the same city; TWO BLIND MEN FOLLOWED HIM: very closely, by the direction of others, having heard of the miracle just now performed by him; and from thence concluded he was able to restore them to their sight; CRYING AND S... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO THE HOUSE,.... In which he dwelt, whilst at Capernaum: for he took no notice of them by the way; but though they followed him close, and cried vehemently, he did not stop to speak to them, or give them a cure: according to their request, but went on his way; which he did, p... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TOUCHED HE THEIR EYES,.... Not but that he could have restored sight to them, without touching their eyes, by a word speaking, or by the secret communication of his power; but he might do this as a sign of his favour and kindness to them, and of his will to cure them; as also in compliance with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED,.... Some copies read, "immediately"; and so do the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: and this was certainly the true and real matter of fact, that as soon as Christ had touched their eyes, and said the above words, their sight was perfectly restored to them; and they... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY, WHEN THEY WERE DEPARTED,.... That is, out of the house where they received their cure, and out of the city; for it appears, by what follows, they went into other parts, where it is probable they might originally belong; they SPREAD ABROAD HIS FAME IN ALL THAT COUNTRY. This they did, not i... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY WENT OUT,.... The Syriac version reads it, "when Jesus went out"; to which agrees the Arabic, against all the copies: for not he, but the men who had been blind, and now had their sight restored, went out from the house where Jesus was; which circumstance is mentioned, and by it the followin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE DEVIL WAS CAST OUT, THE DUMB SPAKE,.... The cause of his dumbness being removed, the effect ceased, and the man spake as he did before, and as other men do; and this was done, according to the Persic version, "as soon as Christ saw him"; the devil not being able to bear his presence, mu... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE PHARISEES SAID,.... Who were the sworn enemies of Christ, and were filled with envy at him, and malice against him: these men could not bear, that so much honour and glory should be given to Christ; and therefore said, HE CASTETH OUT THE DEVILS THROUGH THE PRINCE OF THE DEVILS: they could n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS WENT ABOUT ALL THE CITIES AND VILLAGES,.... He did not confine himself, and his acts of kindness and compassion, to his own city, Capernaum, but he took a circuit throughout all Galilee; and not only visited their larger and more principal cities and towns, but their villages also; doing g... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HE SAW THE MULTITUDES,.... As he took his circuit through the several cities, towns, and villages, he made his observations upon the large numbers that flocked to his ministry, and seemed to be desirous of spiritual instructions, in what an unhappy and melancholy situation they were; and H... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAITH HE UNTO HIS DISCIPLES,.... His heart being drawn out, and filled with pity to these poor people, upon observing the miserable and sad condition they were in; he turns himself to his disciples, whom he was about to call, and send forth in a more public manner to preach the Gospel, of which... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAY YE THEREFORE THE LORD OF THE HARVEST,.... By "the Lord of the harvest" is either meant God the Father, whose are all the elect, who has a hearty concern for them, and will have them all gathered in, not one of them shall be left; or the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who has the care and charge of... [ Continue Reading ]