God's commandments CHAPTER XV. were made the commandment of God of none effect | hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and wth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. in vain they do worship me, teaching, for doctrines, menan Iments of men. And be caled the multitude, and said unto them, Broderstand: C that wichgwth into the mouth defileth a man; but worth oant of the mouth, this defileth a man. me his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou the Pearsees were offended, after they heard this saying? Esek 22.31. Isa. 20. 13. Col. 2. 1322. Tit. 1. 14 14,17, 20. 1 Tim. 4. 4. Tit. 1. 15.-f John 15.2. ranitades of which have passed through my hands, was pro salute mea, et pro salute antecesso et pro salute successorum meorum, et pro sa&c. &c. da et concedo Deo et Ecclesiæ, &c. salvation and for se salration of iny predecessors, salvation of my successors, and for the salvation dc.&c. I give and bequeath to God and his Tech world of literature was destroyed, and fine buildred by the suppression of the monasteries in England, with the Stat 23 Hen. VIII. c. 10. together with Geo. II. c. 36. were the means of checking an evil arrives at a pitch of unparalleled magnitude; an evil ssupplanting the atonement made by the blood of the and potting death-bed grants of land, &c. in the Jesus Christ, and throwing the whole secular power Lard into the hands of the pope and the priests. No that they cried out when the monasteries were d! It is sacrilege to dedicate that to God, which is frock the necessities of our parents and children; dat this pretends to, will doubtless be found in the car of Last unrnatural man's crimes in the judgment of who has thus deprived his own family of its due. Testar pror relatives, is our first duty; and this is a work indy preferable to all pious legacies and endowments. Hypocrites, scell did Isaiah prophesy of you] In every place where the proper names of the Old Testament occur, in Now Lie same mode of orthography should be followed: serefore write Isaiah, with the Hebrew, not Esaias, with This prophecy is found chap. xxix. 13. Our d Lordunmasks these hypocrites; and we may observe, 1 when a hypocrite is found out, he should be exposed to may lead to his salvation; if he be permitted to retain Disely sequired character, how can he escape perdition? Their heart is far from me.] The true worship of God casts in the union of the heart to him-where this exists ms particle of the spirit of devotion cannot be found. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth] This dwich is taken from Isa. chap. xxix. 13. is omitted wateral excellent MSS. and by several Versions and FaErasmus, Mill, Drusius, and Bengel, approve of the tson, and Griesbach has left it out of the text: but as I ciste prophet, the place from which it is quoted, I mis most it, howsoever respectable the above authorities In main they do sworship me, &c.] By the traditions of the Eas, not only the word of God was perverted, but his palso was greatly corrupted. But the Jews were not tely pople who have acted thus: whole Christian durys, as well as sects and parties, have acted in the mawat. Men must not monld the worship of God according there far cy-it is not what they think will do is proper, we, &c. but what God himself has prescribed, that he el skrowledge as his worship. However sincere a man comes worship of his own invention, or, of man's comno mest, yet it profits him nothing.-Christ himself says it in rain to condemn such, may appear to some illiberal; matever may be said in behalf of sincere heathens, and es who have not had the advantages of Divine Revelation, Berean excuse for the man who has the BIBLE before him. annulled by Jewish traditions. 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my hea venly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15h Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, i Are ye also yet without understanding 2 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draugint? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, Mark 7. 15-k 1 Cor. 6. 13.-1 James 3. 6. Gen. Mak Pro Chap 16.9 Isa. 9. 16. Mal. 2.8 Ch. 23. 16. Luke 6. 39.-h 7. 17.-1 9. Mark 7. 21. from a corrupt unregenerate heart a perverse will and unpure passions-these defile, i. e. make hirverse will 12. The Pharisees were offended] None so liable to take offence as formalists and hypocrites, when you attempt to take away the false props from the one, and questio cerity of the other. Besides, a Pharisee must never be suspected of ignorance, for they are the men and wisdobe sust die with them! 13. Every plant) Every plantation. So I render φυτεια, and so it is translated in the Itala version which accompa nies the Greek text in the Codex Beze, omnis plantatio, and turn to the text. The Pharisees, as a religious body, were now a plantation of trees which God did not plant, water, nor own: therefore they should be rooted up, not left to wi so the word is rendered by Suidas. This gives a different ther and die, but the fellers, and those who root up, (the Ro man armies) should come against and destroy them, and the Christian church was to be planted in their place. Since the general dispersion of the Jews, this sect, I believe, has ceased to exist as a separate body, among the descendants of Jacob. The first of the apostolical constitutions begins thus; Θεου φυτεια η καθολική εκκλησία, και αμπέλων αυτου εκλεκτος. The Catholic church is the plantation of God, and his chosen vineyard. 14. Let them alone] Αφετε αυτους, give them up, or leave them. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in the communion of a corrupt church, because that church had once been the church of God, and in it they had been brought up: and to prove this they bring Scripture, for, in our present translation, the words are rendered let them alone: but the whole connexion of the place evidently proves that our blessed Lord meant, give them up, have no kind of religious connexion with them, and the strong reason for which, he immediately adds, because they are blind leaders. This passage does not at all mean that blind leaders should not be pointed out to the people, that they may avoid being deceived by them, for this our Lord does frequently; and warns his disciples, and the people in general, against all such false teachers as the scribes and Pharisees were; and though he bids men do what they heard those say, while they sat in the chair of Moses, yet he certainly meant no more than that they should be observant of the moral law when read to them out of the sacred book:-yet, neither does he tell them to do all these false teachers said: for he testifies, in the 6th verse, that they had put such false glosses on the law, that if followed, would endanger the salvation of their souls. The Codex Bezæ, for αφετε αυτους, has αφετε τους τυφλους, give up these blind men. Amen! A literal attention to these words of our Lord produced the Reformation. Probably the words may be understood as a sort of pro. verbial expression for don't mind them: pay no regard to them."They are altogether unworthy of notice.' Rear. and understand] A most important command-ininister be ignorant, he cannot teach what he does not know: make a point of conscience to attend to the ministry deword. Understand-be not satisfied with attending a ministry-he is ignorant and wicked, and they are profli ples of public worship merely, see that the teaching be of God and that you lay it to heart. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth] This is an www.te the carping question of the Pharisees, mentioned 2 Why do thy disciples eat with unwashed hands? Twich our Lord replies, That which goes into the mouth bres mat the men; i. e. that if, in eating with unwashed aris any particles of dust, &c. cleaving to the hands, might lees to be taken into the mouth with the food, this did not te dad not constitute a man a sinner; for it is on this the question hinges thy disciples eat with unwushed ande, therefore they are sinners, for they transgress the tee of the elders, i. e. the oral law, which they consibered equal in authority to the written law; and indeed often গালিred the former to the latter, so as to make it of none fet utally to destroy its nature and design, as we have seen in the preceding notes. And if the blind lead the blind] This was so self-evident a case, that an apter parallel could not be found--if the blind lead the blind, both must fall into the ditch. Alas for the blind teachers, who not only destroy their own souls, but those also of their flocks! Like priest, like people. If the and the people cannot become wise unto salvation under such gate. They who even wish such God speed, are partakers of their evil deeds. But shall not the poor deceived peeple escape? No: both shall fall into the pit of perdition together; for they should have searched the Scriptures, and not trusted to the ignorant sayings of corrupt men, no matter of what sect or party. He, who has the Bible in his hand, or within his reach, and can read it, has no excuse. 15. Declare unto us this parable] Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this? The true knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned. 16. Are ye also yet without understanding?] The word ακμη, which we translate yet, should be here rendered still. are ye still void of understanding and the word is used in this sense by several Greek writers. The authorides which have induced me to prefer this translation, may be seen in That which cometh out of the mouth] That is, what springs | Kypke. Four thousand ST. MATTHEW. men fed, &c. adusteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: | 30 f And great multitudes came unto him, having with them 20 These are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth fter us. 24 But he answered and said, bI am not sent but unto the ost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. 29 d And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. a Mark 7. 24-b Chap. 10.5, 6. Acts 3. 25, 26. & 13. 46. Rom. 15.8.-e Chap. 7.6. Phil. 3 2.-d Mark 7. 31.-e Ch. 4. 13. those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, 32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I 33 h And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat, were four thousand men, besides women and children. 391 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. f Isa, 36. 5,6. Ch. 11.5. Luke 7. 22-g Mark 8.1.-h 2 Kings 4. 43-i Chap. 14. 19.-k 1 Sam. 9. 13. Luke 19-1 Mark 8. 10. 17. Cast out into the draught] Εις αφεδρωνα, ] by & on Fondozanz arend. Anglo-Saxon, and beeth into the forthgoing a sent-what is not fit for nourishment is evacuated: is thrown into the sink. This I believe to be the meaning of this difficult and variously translated word, αφεδρων. Diodati translates it properly, nella latrina, into the privy. And the Persian translator has given a good paraphrase, and appears to have collected the general meaning هرچه در دهن ایدر ان از gelist and leads them to sit down in the labours of others, ra There are certain preachers who should learn a lesson of important instruction from this part of our Lord's conduct. As soon as they hear of a lost sheep being found by other ministers, they give all diligence to get that one into their fold: but display little earnestness in seeking in the wilderness for those that are lost. This conduct, perhaps, proceeds from a con sciousness of their inability to perform the work of an evan نشیب بیرون رود و بر زمین افتد her tche der dehen ander ayeed, az nusheeb beeroon rood, we ber zemeen aftad; "whatsoever enters into the mouth, goes downward, and falls upon the ground." Michaelis, and his annotator, Dr. Marsh, have been much perplexed with this perplexing passage. See Michaelis's Introduction, vol. i. note 35. p. 458. 19. Out of the heart) In the heart of an unregenerate man, the principles and seeds of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be spoken or acted. Is there any hope that a man can abstain from outward sin, till his heart, that abominable fountain of corruption, be thoroughly cleansed? I trow not. Evil thoughts) Διαλογισμοι πονηροι, wicked dialognesfor in all evil surmisings the heart holds a conversation, or dialogue, with itself For φόνοι, murders, two MSS. have φθονοι, envyings, and three others have both. Envy and murder are nearly allied; the former has often led to the latter. Blasphemies] I have already observed, chap. ix. 3. that the verb βλασφημεω, when applied to men, signifies to speak INJURIOUSLY of their persons, characters, &c. and when applied to God, it means to speak IMPIOUSLY of his nature, works, &c. 20. These-defile a man] Our Lord's argument is very plain. What goes into the mouth, descends into the stomach and other intestines; part is retained for the nourishment of the body, and part is ejected, as being improper to afford nourishment. Nothing of this kind detiles the soul, because it does not enter into it; but the evil principles that are in it, producing evil thoughts, murders, &c. these defile the soul, because they have their seat and operation in it. 21. Departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.] Εις τα μέρη, towards the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Rom.xv.8. the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God. Tyre and Sidon are usually joined to gether, principally, because they are but a few miles distant from each other. 22. A woman of Canaan] Matthew gives her this name, because of the people from whom she sprung-the descend ants of Canaan, Judg. i. 31, 32; but Mark calls her a Syrophenician, because of the country where she dwelt. The Canaanites and Phænicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Gen. xlvi. 10. with Exod. vi. 15. where the same person is called a Phœnician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Exod. xvi. 35. Josh. v. 12. The state of this woman is a proper emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul. Have mercy on me, &c.] How proper is this prayer for a penitent! There are many excellencies contained in it: 1. It is short; 2. Humble; 3. Full of faith; 4. Fervent: 5. Modest; 6. Respectful; 7. Rational; 8. Relying only on the mercy of God; 9. Persevering. Can he who sees himself a slave of the devil, beg with too much earnestness to be delivered from his thraldom ? Son of David) An essential character of the true Messiah. 23. He answered her not a word] Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of ezercising her faith, and manifesting her fervour. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep) By the Divine appointment, I aın come to preach the Gospel to the Jews only. ther than submit to the reproach of presiding over empty chapels. Such persons should either dig or beg immediately, as they are a reproach to the pastoral office; "for not being sent of God, they cannot profit the people. The wilderness of this world is sufficiently wide and uncultivated. Sinners abound every where; and there is ample room for all truly religious people, who have zeal for God, and love for their perishing fellow-creatures, to put forth all their strength, employ all their time, and exercise all their talents, in proclaiming the Gospel of God; not only to the wst sheep of the house of Israel, but to a lost WORLD. Nor can such exertions be unsuccessful; where the pure truth of God is preached, many will be converted. Where that truth is preached, though with a mixture of error, some will be converted, for God will bless his own truth. But where nothing but false doctrine is preached, no soul is converted: for God will never sanction error by a miracle of his mercy. 25. Lord, help me.] Let me also share in the deliverance afforded to Israel. 26. The children's bread] The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed the children of the kingdom. And cast it to the κυναρίοις, little dogs-to the curs; such the Gen. tiles were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common among his countrymen. What terrible repulses! and yet she still perseveres! 27. Truth, Lord) Ναι, Κύριε, Yes, Lord. This appears to be not so much an assent, as a bold reply to our Lord's reason for apparently rejecting her suit. The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. I do not desire what is provided for these highly favoured children, only what they leave-a single exertion of thy Almighty Power in the healing of my afflicted daughter, is all that I wish for; and this the highly favoured Jews can well spare, without lessening the provision made for themselves. Is not this the sense of this noble woman's reply? 28. O woman, great is thy faith] The hinderances thrown in this woman's way, only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dikes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it. Her daughter was made whole] Persevering faith and prayer are next to omnipotent. No person can thus pray and believe, without receiving all his soul requires. This is one of the finest lessons in the Book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus! As sure as God is in heaven, so surely will he hear and answer thee to the eterna, salvation of thy soul! Be not discouraged at a little delay: when thou art properly prepared to receive the blessing, then thou shalt have it. Look up, thy salvation is at hand.-Jesus admires this faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same fruits and advantages from it. 29. Went up into a mountain] Το όρος, THE mountain, "Meaning," says Mr. Wakefield, "some particular mountain which he was accustomed to frequent; for whenever it is spoken of at a time when Jesus is in Galilee, it is always discriminated by the article. Compare chap. iv. 18. with chap v. 1., and chap. xiii. 54. with chap. xiv. 23, and xxviii. 16." I suppose it was mount Tabor. 30. Those that were maimed] Κυλλους. Wetstein has fully proved, that those who had lost a hand, foot, &c. were termed κυλλοι by the Greeks. Kypke has shown from Hippocrates, that the word was also used to signify those who had distorted The Pharisees and Sadducees CHAPTER XVI. storsted legs, knees, hands, &c. Mr. Wakefield is fully mon that it beans bere those who had lost a limb, and s an incontestede proof from Matt. xviii. 8. Mark ix. 43. - Ly hand cause thee to offend, CUT IT OFF: it is better for to enter into Lie (συλλον) WITHOUT A LIMB, than having Two basis to go away into hell." What an astonishing www.towic and creative energy, must the re-proth of a hand, foot, &c. be, at the word or touch of Jesus! Awas a mere act of creative power, like that of multiTag the boys : those who allow that the above is the meanword wil tarlly attempt to doubt the proper diviof Christ Creation, in any sense of the word, i. e. causLing to exist that had no existence before, can belong God, because it is an effect of an unlimited power; to Les to whom it is delerated, becomes, for the time such poveromi is deleted to a person, is to say, patent God; and that God, who has thus clothed require another sign. Syriac has Magdū. In Mark, Dalmanutha is read by many MSS. Melagada, Madegada, Magada, Magidan, and Magedam. Magdala, variously pronounced, seems to have been the place or country; Dalmanutha, the chief town or capital. In this chapter a number of interesting and instructive par ticulars are contained. 1. We see the extreme superstition, envy, and incurable ill. nature of the Jews. While totally lost to a proper sense of the spirituality of God's law, they are ceremonious in the extreme. They will not eat withont washing their hands. became would be a transgression of one of the traditions of their elders, are with his Omnipotence, ceases to be Omnipotent they may have goods to vow to the service of the sanctuary! for there cannot be two Omnipotents, nor can the ben delegate hin Onnipotence to another, and hare to act not only the most wicked, but the most ridiculous paten aelise confess, then, that this is to me an un. ratle argument for the Divinity of our blessed Lord. may doubt: I can't help believing. The militude wondered) And well they might, when had such proofs of the miraculous power and love of their respired be God; the same iniracles d in their spiritual reference. All the disorders soul are still cured by the power of Jesus. Thare cumpassion, &c.] See a similar transaction ex and tap tiv. 14-22 Whence should we have so much bread in the wilder. 4) Homan foresight, even in the followers of Christ, In a thousand instances, if we supply not its ney by faith, we shall be always embarrassed, and often This world is a desert, where nothing can be to satisfy the soul of man, but the salvation which Ces has procured. 4 roble Trey did all eat, and were filled] Εχορτασθησαν-they restatied. The husks of worldly pleasures may fill the cannot satisfy the soul. A man inay eat, and not be ed: 1 is the interest, therefore, of every follower of Frist to follow Him till he be fed, and to feed on Him till he be winthed Four thousand] Let the poor learn from these miracles in God for support. Whatever his ordinary Provience denies, his miraculous power will supply. 4. He sent away the multitude] But not before he had inmacted their souls, and fed and healed their bodies. The coasts of Magdala.] In the parallel place, Mark viii. 16 this place is called Dalmanutha. Either Magdala was ed by a transposition of letters from Dalman, to which syrac termination atha had been added, or the one of these es refers to the country, and the other to a town in that techbourhood. Jesus went into the country, and proceeded he came to the chief town or village in that district. Whit"Magdala was a city and territory beyond Jordan, the banks of Gadara. It reached to the bridge above Jor dr. which joined it to the other side of Galilee, and contained webz its precincts Dalmanutha." The MSS. and VV. read the name variously-Magada, Mageda, Magdala; and the but they can harbour the worst tempers and passions, and thus break the law of God! The word of man weighs more with the highest respect for their God and sacred things, and will them than the testimony of Jehovah, and yet th let their parents perish for lack of the necessaries of find that Pride and envy blind the hearts of men, and cause theatre He who takes the book of God for the most ridiculous parts practice, can never go astray: but to the mazes and perplexi. ties produced by the traditions of elders, human creeds, and confessions of faith, there is no end. These evils existed in the Christian as well as in the Jewish church; but the Reformation, thank God! has liberated hs churchs system of uncertainty and absurdity, and the Sun of right. cousness shines now unclouded! The plantation, which God did not plant, in the course of his judgments, he has now swept nearly away from the face of the earth. Babylon is fallen 2. We wonder at the dulness of the disciples, when we find that they did not fully understand our Lord's meaning, in the very obvious parable about the blind leading the blind. But should we not be equally struck with their prying inquisitive temper? They did not understand, but they could not rest till they did. They knew that their Lord could say nothing that had not the most important meaning in it: this meaning in the preceding parable, they had not apprehended, and therefore they wish to have it further explained by himself. Do we imitate their docility and eagerness to comprehend the truth of God 1 Christ presses every occurrence into a means of instruction. The dulness of the disciples in the present case, has been the means of affording us the fullest instruction on a point of the utinost importance-the state of a sinful heart, and how the thoughts and passions conceived in it, defile and pollute it; and how necessary it is to have the fountain purified, that it may cease to send forth those streams of death. 3. The case of the Canaanitish woman is in itself a thousand sermons. Her faith-her prayers-her perseveranceher success-the honour she received from her Lord, &c. &c. How instructively, how powerfully do these speak and plead ! What a profusion of light does this single case throw upon the manner in which Christ sometimes exercises the faith and patience of his followers! They that seek shall find, is the great lesson inculcated in this short history; God is ever the same. Reader, follow on after God-cry, pray, plead-all in Him is for thee!-Thou canst not perish, if thou continuest to believe and pray. The Lord will help THEE. CHAPTER XVI. The Pharisees insidiously require our Lord to give them a sign, 1. They are severely rebuked for their hypocrisy and wickedness, 2-5. The disciples are cautioned to beware of them and their destructive doctrine, 6-12. The different spunions formed by the people of Christ, 13, 14. Peter's confession, and our Lord's discourse on it, 15-20. He foretells Es suferings, and reproves Peter, 21-23. Teaches the necessity of self-denial, and shows the reasons on which it is Founded, 24-26. Speaks of a future judgment, 27. And promises the speedy opening of the glory of his own kingdom apon earth, 28. [A. M. 4032. A. D. 28. An. Olymp. CCI. 4. THE Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempt. T ing, desired him that he would show them ba sign from beaven 38. Mark 8. 11. Luke 11. 16. & 12.54-56. 1 Cor. 1. 22. NOTES-Verse 1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees] Torgh a short account of these has been already given in renite on ch. iii. 7. yet as one more detailed may be judged pecessary, I think it proper to introduce it in this place. Te PHARISKES were the most considerable sect among the lews, for they had not only the scribes and all the learned of the law of their party, but they also drew after them te ank of the people. When this sect arose is uncertain. hephus, Antiq. B. V. ch. xiii. s. 9. speaks of them as existing cori4 years before the Christian era. They had their appcion of Pharisees, from פרש parash, to separate, and were probably in their rise, the most holy people among the kas, having separated themselves from the national corrup Lace with a design to restore and practise the pure worship of Most High. That they were greatly degenerated in our Lid's une is sufficiently evident; but still we may learn from their external purity and exactness, that their principles he beginning were holy. Our Lord testifies that they had rleanard the outside of the cup and platter, but within they were full of abomination. They still kept up the outward melations of the institution, but they had utterly lost its wit; and hypocrisy was the only substitute now in their 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the b John 6. 30. Ch. 12.38. John 4.48.- Luke 12. 54, 55. power, for that spirit of piety, which I suppose, and not unreasonably, characterized the origin of this sect. As to their religious opinions, they still continued to credit the Being of a God, they received the fire books of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the hagiographa. The hagiographa, or holy writings, from αγιος, holy, and γλαφω, Ι write, included the twelve following books,-Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. These, among the Jews, occupied a middle place, between the Law and the Prophets, as divinely inspired. The Pharisees believed, in a confused way, in the resurrection, though they received the Pythagorean doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls. Those, however, who were notoriously wicked, they consigned, on their death, immediately to hell, without the benefit of transmigration, or the hope of future redemption. They held also the predestinarian doctrine of necessity, and the government of the world by fate; and yet, inconsistently allowed some degree of liberty to the human will. See Prideaux. The SADDUCEES had their origin and name from one Sadoc, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, president of the sanhedrim, sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times ? 4 b A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. 5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Thên Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which, when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread ? 9Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? a Luke 12.56.-b Ch. 12. 39.-c Mack 8. 14-d Luke 12. 1.-e Ch. 14. 17. John 6. 9.-f Ch. 15. 34-g Mark 8. 27. Luke 9. 18. and teacher of the law in one of the great divinity schools in Jerusalem, about 264 years before the incarnation. This Antigonus having often in his lectures informed his scholars, that they should not serve God through expectation of a reward, but through love and filial reverence only: Sadoc inferred from this teaching, that there were neither rewards nor punishments after this life, and by consequence that there was no resurrection of the dead, nor angel, nor spirit in the invisible world; and that man is to be rewarded or punished here, for the good or evil he does. They received only the five books of Moses, and rejected all nnwritten traditions. From every account we have of this sect, it plainly appears they were a kind of mongrel deists, and professed materialists. See Prideaux, and the authors he quotes, Connect. vol. iii. p. 95, and 471, &c. and see the note on ch. iii. 7. In chap. xxii. 16. we shall meet with a third sect, called HERODIANS, of whom a few words may be spoken here. It is allowed on all hands, that these did not exist before the time of Herod the Great, who died only three years after the incarnation of our Lord. What the opinions of these were, is not agreed among the learned. Many of the primitive fathers believed that their distinguishing doctrine was, that they held Herod to be the Messiah; but it is not likely that such an opinion could prevail in our Saviour's time, thirty years after Ilerod's death, when not one characteristic of his Messiahship had appeared in him during his life. Others suppose that they were Herod's courtiers, who flattered the passions of their master; and being endowed with a convenient conscience, changed with the times; but as Herod was now dead upwards of thirty years, such a sect could not exist in refer ence to him, and yet all allow that they derived their origin from Herod the Great. Our Lord says, Mark viii. 3. that they had the leaven of Herod, i. e. a bad doctrine which they received from him. What this was may be easily discovered: 1. Herod subjected himself and his people to the dominion of the Romans, in opposition to that law, Deut. xvii. 15. Thou shalt not set a king over thee-which is not thy brother, i. e. one out of the twelve tribes. 2. He built temples, set up images, and joined in heathenish worship, though he professed the Jewish religion; and this was in opposition to all the law and the prophets. From this we may learn, that the Herodians were such as, first, held it lawful to transfer the divine government toa heathen ruler; and, secondly, to conform occasionally to heathenish rites in their religious worship. In short, they appear to have been persons who trimmed between God and the world-who endeavoured to reconcile his service with that of mammon, and who were religious just as far as it tended to secure their secular interests. It is probable, that this sect was at last so blended with, that it became lost in, the sect of the Sadducees; for the persons who are called Herodians, Mark viii. 15. are styled Sadducees in ver. 6. of this chapter. Fee Prideaux, Con. vol. iii. p. 516, &c. and Josephus, Antiq. B. xv. c. viii. s. i. and x. s. iii. But it is very likely that the Herodians, mentioned c. xxii. 10. were courtiers or servants of Herod, king of Galilee. See the note there. Show them a sign] These sects, however opposed among themselves, most cordially unite in their opposition to Christ and his truth. That the kingdom of Satan may not fall, all his subjects must fight against the doctrines and maxims of the kingdom of Christ. Tempting-him] Feigning a desire to have his doctrine fully proved to them, that they might credit it, and become his disciples; but having no other design than to betray and ruin him. 2. When it is evening] There are certain signs of fair and foul weather, which ye are in the constant habit of observing, and which do not fail. The signs of the times-the doctrine which I preach, and the miracles which I work among you, are as sure signs that the day-spring from on high has visited you for your salvation; but if ye refuse to hear, and continue in darkness, the red and gloomy cloud of vindictive justice shall pour out such a storm of wrath upon you, as shall sweep you from the face of the earth. 3. The sky is red and lowering.] The signs of fair and foul weather, were observed in a similar manner among the Romans, and indeed among most other people. Many treatises have been written on the subject: thus a Poet: Scribes and Pharisees. 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees ? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias, and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am ? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. h Ch. 14. 2. Luke 9.7, 8, 9. Ch. 14.33. Mark 8.29. Luke 9. 20. John 6. 69. 86 11.22. Acts 8. 37. & 9.20. 1 John 4. 15. & 5. 5. Heb. 1. 2. 5. Cæruleus pluviam denunciant, IGNEUS euros, Wind, rain, and storms, and elemental war."-DRYDEN. 4. Wicked and adulterous generation] The Jewish people are represented in the Sacred Writings, as married to the most High; but like a disloyal wife, forsaking their true husband, and uniting themselves to Satan and sin. Seeketh after a sign, σημειον επιζήτει, seeketh sign upon sign, or, still another sign. Our blessed Lord had already wrought miracles sufficient to demonstrate both his divine mission, and his divinity; only one was further necessary to take away the scandal of his cross and death, to fulfil the Scriptures, and to establish the Christian religion; and that was, his resurrection from the dead, which he here states, was typified in the case of Jonah. 5. Come to the other side] Viz. the coast of Bethsaida, by which our Lord passed, going to Cesarea, for he was now on his journey thither. See ver. 13. and Mark viil. 22, 27. 6. Beware of the leaven] What the leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees was, has been already explained, see ver. 1. Bad doctrines act in the soul, as leaven does in meal; they as similate the whole spirit to their own nature. A man's particular creed has a greater influence on his tempers and conduct than most are aware of. Pride, hypocrisy, and worldly. mindedness, which constituted the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, ruin the major part of the world. 7. They reasoned] For as Lightfoot observes, the term leaven was very rarely used among the Jews to signify doctrine, and therefore the disciples did not immediately apprehend his meaning. In what a lamentable state of blindness is the human mind! Bodily wants are perceived with the utmost readiness, and a supply is sought with all speed. But the necessities of the soul are rarely discovered, though they are more pressing than those of the body, and the supply of them of infinitely more importance. 8. When Jesus perceived, he said) Αυτοις, unto them, is wanting in BDKLMS. and twenty others; one of the Syriac, the Armenian, Æthiopic, Vulgate, and most of the Itala; also in Origen, Theophylact, and Lucifer Calaritanus. Mill approves of the omission, and Griesbach has left it out of the text. O ye of little faith] There are degrees in faith, as well as in the other graces of the spirit. Little faith may be the seed of great faith, and therefore is not to be despised. But many who should be strong in faith, have but a small measure of it, because they either give way to sin, or are not careful to improve what God has already given. 9 and 10. Do ye not yet understand the five loaves-neither the seven.] See the notes on chap. xiv. 14, &c. How astonishing is it, that these men should have any fear of lacking bread, after having seen the two miracles which our blessed Lord alludes to above! Though men quickly perceive their bodily wants, and are querulous enough till they get them supplied, yet they as quickly forget the mercy which they had received, and thus God gets few returns of gratitude for his kindnesses. To make men, therefore, deeply sensible of his favours, he is induced to suffer them often to be in want, and then to supply them in such a way, as to prove that their supply has come immediately from the hand of their bountiful Father. 11. How is it that ye do not understand] We are not deficient in spiritual knowledge, because we have not had sufficient opportunities of acquainting ourselves with God; but because we did not improve the advantages we had. How deep and ruinous must our ignorance be, if God did not give line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little! They now perceived that he warned them against the superstition of the Pharisees, which produced hypocrisy, pride, envy, &c. and the false doctrine of the Sadducees, which denied the existence of a spiritual world, the immor tality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the pro vidence of God. Ports confession CHAPTER XVI. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, wera for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto Emmy Father which is in heaven. disavalso unto thee, That thou art Peter, and dupon rock I will build mychurch; and the gates of hell shall Bail against il of Christ, Ge. heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsrever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. 211 From that time forth began Jesus i to show unto his dis I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of ciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many 1 Cor. Gal 1.16- John 112-Eph. 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14.P13118 111-Chap 15. 18. John 21, 21 Creares Philippi) A city in the tribe of Napthali, near Cesares Philipp, or Cesarea of Philip. Zetires that it happened 4 J FA τη οδω, in the way to Cesarea demersay) He asked his disciples this question, g Isa. 22-h Ch. 17.9 Mark 5.30. Luke 9. 21. John 11.27. 1 Cor. 2. B. Ch. 8.4 &9 30. Ch. 20. 17. Mr. 8. 31. & 9.31. & 19. 33. Lk. 9. 22. & 18. 31. & 24. 6, 7. The gates of hell, πύλαι Αδου, i. e. the machination and powers of the invisible world. In ancient times the gates of fortified cities were used to hold councils in; and were usually places of great strength. Our Lord's expression means, tha neither the plots, stratagems, nor strength of Satanann tha angels, should ever so far prevail as to destroy the sacred truths in the above confession. Sometimes the gates are ta ken for the troops which issue out from them-we may firmly believe, that though hell should open her gates, and vomit out her devil and all his angels to fight against Christ and his saints, ruin and discomfiture must be the consequence on their part; as the arm of Omnipotence must prevail. 19. The keys of the kingdom) By the kingdom of heaven, we may consider the true church, that house of God, to be meant, and by the keys, the power of admitting into that house, or of preventing any improper person from coming in. In other words, the doctrine of salvation, and the food inatin claration of their faith from themselves to confirns of the way in which God will save sinners: and who they szerben them in it: but see on Luke ix. 20. Some, are that shall be finally excluded from heaven; and on what Baptist, &c. By this and other passages we learn, account. When the Jews made a man a Doctor of the Law, Pharisaic doctrine of the Metempsychosis, or transof seals, was pretty general; for it was upon this tat they believed that the soul of the Baptist, or of Jeremirih, or some of the prophets, had come to a in the body of Jesus. they put into his hand the key of the closet in the temple, where the sacred books were kept, and also tablets to write upon; signifying by this, that they gave him authority to teach, and to explain the Scriptures to the people. Martin This prophetic declaration of our Lord was literally fulfilled Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.] Every to Peter, as he was made the first instrument of opening, i. e. bere is emphatic-a most concise, and yet comprehen rnfession of faith. The Christ, or Messiah, points out Bedricity, and shows his office-the Son-designates his this account it is, that both are joined together so ty in the New Covenant. Of the living God-Tov retus, literally, of God, the Living One. The C. Bese has for Tου ζωντος, the Living One, Του σωζοντος, the Scher, and the Cant. Dei Salvatoris, Of God the Saviour. La character applied to the Supreme Being, not only wish him from the dead idols of paganism, but also past her out as the source of life, present, spiritual, and Probably there is an allusion here to the great name, -Yore, or Yehovah; which properly signifies being or enteare Biessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona] Or Simon, son of Jack; so Bar-jonah should be translated, and so it is ren dend se cur Lord, John i. 43. Flesh and blood-i. e. MAN; manbeing hath revealed this: and though the text is litenu Hough, yet every body should know that this is a Hebrew perpirens for man, and the literal translation of it here, Gal. 1. 16. has misled thousands, who suppose that flesh and hod, signify carnal reason, as it is termed; or the un perserate principle in man. Is it not evident from our Lidsobservation, that it requires an express revelation of Galin a man's soul, to give him a saving acquaintance with Jes Christ; and that not even the miracles of our Lord, wart before the eyes, will effect this? the darkness must be cuboved from the heart by the Holy Spirit, before a man az become wise unto salvation. 18 Thou art Peter] This was the same as if he had said, I acksurieize thee for one of my disciples for this name was pret him by our Lord when he first called him to the apostle See John i. 42. Peer, πέτρος, signifies a rock, and our Lord, whose constant csbmit was to rise to heavenly things through the medium of earthig, takes occasion from the name, the metaphorical meaning of which was strength and stability, to point out the wisty of the confession, and the stability of that cause what should be founded on THE CHRIST, the Son of the LIV Upon this very rock, επι ταυτμ τη πετρα-this true confes fine that I am the MESSIAH, that am come to reveal and communicate THE LIVING GOD, that the dead lost world ay be saved-upon this very rock, myself, thus confessed ading probably to Psal. cxviii. 22. The STONE which the is tera rejected, is become the HEAD-STONE of the CORNER; Sa XVIIL 16. Behold 1 lay a STONE in Zion for a ForYDATION)-will I build my church, μου την εκκλησιάν, my amily, or congregation, i. e of persons who are made praters of this precious faith. That Peter is not designa.moor Lord's words, must be evident to all who are not hinded by prejudice. Peter was only one of the builders in sacred edifice, Eph. ii. 20. who, himself tells us, (with the Psf the believers,) was built on this living foundation erse: 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5, therefore Jesus Christ did not say, on fet. Peter, will I build my church, but changes immediately te expression, and says, upon that very rock, επι ταυτη τη we, to show that he neither addressed Peter, nor any other sfde apostles. So, the supremacy of Peter, and the infallibility the Church of Rome, must be sought in some other Scripture, for they certainly are not to be found in this. On the mean ing of the word church, see at the conclusion of this chapter. preaching the doctrines of the kingdom of heaven to the Jews, That binding and loosing were terms in frequent use among the Jews, and that they meant bidding and forbidding, granting and refusing, declaring lawful or unlawful, &c. Dr. Lightfoot, after having given numerous instances, thus concludes: "To these may be added, if need were, the frequent, (shall I say?) or infinite use of the phrases, אסור ומותר Bound and loosed, which we meet with thousands of times over. But from these allegations the reader sees abundantly enough both the frequency and the common use of this phrase, and the sense of it also; namely, first, that it is used in doctrine and in judgments, concerning things allowed, or not allowed, in the law. Secondly, that to bind is the same with to forbid or to declare forbidden. To think that Christ, when he used the common phrase, was not understood by his hearers in the common and vulgar sense, shall I call it a matter of laughter or of madness 1 "To this, therefore, do these words amount: When the time was come wherein the Mosaic Law, as to some part of it, was to be abolished, and left off, and as to another part of it, was to be continued and to last for ever, he granted Peter here, and to the rest of the apostles, chap. xviii. 18. a power to abolish or confirm what they thought good, and as they thought good; being taught this, and led by the Holy Spirit, as if he should say, Whatsoever ye shall bind in the Law of Moses that is forbid, it shall be forbidden, the divine authority confirming it; and whatsoever ye shall loose, that is, permit, or shall teach, that it is permitted and lawful, shall be lawful and permitted. Hence they bound, that is forbad, circumcision to the believers; eating of things offered to idols of |