chamber mourn, as long as the | bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment: for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

:

18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there

riage ceremony and feast, and have no cause to mourn. When they are separated from him, they may fast. So in this case: John was in prison; and it was fit that his disciples should fast. But Jesus was with his disciples; and they had occasion of rejoicing rather than fasting. He intimates that they would fast, after he should be taken away from them. And it is recorded that they did observe seasons of fasting; though never to the extent practised by the Pharisees.

16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth, &c. "A second illustration was drawn from a well known fact, showing also that there was a propriety or fitness of things. None of you, says he, in mending an old garment, would take a piece of entire new cloth. There would be a waste in it. An old piece, or a piece like the garment would be better. The word, here translated new, in the original means rude, undressed, or not fulled or cleansed by the cloth-dresser. In this state, if applied to an old garment, and if wet, it would contract, and draw off a part of the garment to which it was attached, and thus make the rent worse than it was. So, says he, my new doctrines do not match with the old rites of the Pharisees. There is a fitness of things. Their doctrines required much fasting. In my system it would be incongruous; and if my new doctrines were to be attached to their old ones, it would only make the matter worse."-Barnes.

came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 T (And behold, a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, İ shall be whole.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy

17. Neither do men put new wine, &c. The same idea, to wit, that it would be neither fit nor proper to attempt the incorporation of the new dispensation with the old, cumbered as it was with rites and ceremonies, is conveyed by a third illustration. We shall understand its force the more readily, by remembering that, anciently, bottles were made, not of glass or stone, but of leather. Some of the orientals use such bottles now. Goat-skins and sometimes oxhides are manufactured into bottles. These will stretch or distend, when new; and thus will not burst by the fermentation of wine. But, when old, they become dry and tender, and in some cases worn by transportation on camels, and have neither the elasticity nor strength necessary to prevent them from bursting, if filled with unfermented wine. As unfit as such old bottles were to hold new wine, so unfit was the old dispensation to become united with the new. Hence it was not to be expected that Jesus should command his disciples to observe the rites and ceremonies required by that covenant which was even then old and ready to vanish away. Heb. viii. 13. See Whittemore's Notes on the Parables. The facts here mentioned, concerning bottles, may serve to illustrate Josh. ix. 4; Job xxxii. 19; Ps. cxix. 83.

18-26. See notes on Mark v. 22-43, and Luke viii. 41-56, where the events are more fully and circumstantially related.

25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

27. Two blind men followed him. Having heard that he healed the most stubborn diseases and restored life to the dead, they believed he could also give sight to the blind. They followed him, therefore, and were persevering in their request. Thou son of David. This was one of the titles of the Messiah, and the blind men seem to have exercised faith in Jesus, as such; probably for the same reason which convinced Nicodemus. John iii. 2. "This is the first time that we read of this title being given to Jesus, except by the angel Gabriel before his birth, Luke i. 32. By this title he was acknowledged to be the Messiah or Christ, who (as all Jews agreed) was to be the son of David, Matt. xxii. 42; John vii. 42. And by being the son of David, Jesus had a right to the title of Messiah. 2 Sam. vii. 13, 16."-Pearce. Have mercy on us. That is, heal our infirmity; restore our sight.

28. Come into the house. Probably the house where he lodged at Capernaum. Thither he retired, to avoid the tumult of the multitude who had assembled in consequence of the miraculous restoration of the ruler's daughter. And thither the blind men followed him. Believe ye that I am able to do this? Though he knew their thoughts, John ii. 25, yet he was willing that they should profess their faith publicly for the edification of others, even as he, for a like purpose, professed his faith in God. John xi. 41, 42.

29. According to your faith, be it unto you. Let it be as you have believed; receive the blessing which you believe

27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you.

Lord.

30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. I am able to bestow; in other words, receive sight.

30. Their eyes were opened. They received sight. Straitly charged. Strictly commanded. ¶ See that no man know it. "Jesus seems to have commanded secrecy here, because his time of suffering was not yet come. Matt. xxvi. 18. In ch. viii. 4, and xii. 16, and in other places, the same thing is enjoined to the persons healed, lest the rulers among the Jews should conspire and put him to death before he had given sufficient proofs of his divine mission, and had sufficiently instructed his disciples in his doctrine."-Pearce. The same interpretation, substantially, is given by most commentators. Yet it must be remembered, that this miracle was witnessed by others. His previous miracles also were publicly performed. It was impossible that matters of such open publicity could be kept secret. If the prohibition had respect to the miracle, it is difficult to conceive its utility, for others knew the fact and would proclaim it; or its propriety, since it would appear ungrateful in men so richly blessed, to refrain from expressing their joy and their thankfulness to Jesus, while the whole region round about resounded with his praise. Moreover their conduct is unaccountable, upon the supposition that Jesus so strictly and positively forbade them to mention the miracle; for they proclaimed it far and wide. If they really believed him to be the Messiah, and had received their sight as an act of his mercy, would they testify their reverence and gratitude by an act of direct

31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

and wilful disobedience to his solemn injunction? ver. 31. These difficulties may be avoided by understanding the prohibition to refer, not to the miracle Jesus had performed, but to the fact of his Messiahship. These men believed him to be the Messiah, ver. 27; but he was not yet ready to announce that fact publicly. He therefore commanded them to hold their peace, and leave him to make his true character known at the proper time, and in such manner as he should judge expedient. The original, mēdeis ginōsketō, (undɛiç yivwoxitw,) let no one know, will certainly bear this interpretation. A similar prohibition was given to the apostles. Matt. xvi. 20; xvii. 9; Luke ix. 20, 21.

31. But they. Or, and they. The conjunction admits of either translation. Spread abroad his fame. That is, proclaimed his miraculous powers, which they had not only witnessed but felt. To those who had known them when blind, their testimony must have been convincing. And this testimony they might bear, without disregarding the prohibition in ver. 30; for they might proclaim the mighty power and marvellous works of Jesus, like thousands of their countrymen, and yet refrain from testifying their belief that he was the Messiah. On this point they were required to be silent, and, as the apostles, on another occasion, to "tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." Matt. xvi. 20.

32. A dumb man possessed with a devil. With a demon. Probably an insane man, who fancied he could not speak, or who would not. Such a person would be said, in the common language of the Jews, to have a dumb spirit. See notes on Mark ch. v.

33. When the devil was cast out, the dumb spake. Still preserving the Jewish phraseology, it is related that when

34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils, through the prince of the devils.

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness, and every disease among the people.

36 But when he saw the mul

the man's reason was restored, or the spirit of insanity removed, he again improved his faculty of speech. As the Jews believed the dumbness to have been occasioned by a demon, its removal was naturally regarded by them as the effect of his expulsion. ¶ It was never so seen in Israel. No other person ever exhibited such varied and mighty power. Such was the exclamation of the people, who had in one day witnessed the healing of the paralytic, the cure of an inveterate issue of blood, and the restoration of sight to the blind, reason to the insane, and life to the dead. Well might they marvel, and be amazed at the power of Jesus.

34. The Pharisees said, &c. They seem to have been vexed at the acclamations of the people, and to have judged it necessary to break the silence they had hitherto preserved on the subject of miracles. He casteth out devils, through the prince of devils. By thus ascribing the works wrought by the power of God, to the agency of an evil spirit, they committed what is called the sin against the Holy Ghost. the same allegation and our Lord's reply to it, Matt. xii. 24-28.

See

35. All the cities and villages. That is, of that part of Galilee adjacent to Capernaum. T Gospel of the kingdom. The good news of the reign of God, or the blessings which belonged to the new and better covenant. See note on Matt. iii. 2. T Healing every sickness, &c. He proclaimed the goodness of God, and exhibited the same benevolent spirit in his conduct. All his efforts were directed to the great object of making mankind happy; he removed bodily diseases, and gave prom

ise of the final and absolute removal of all spiritual maladies.

36. He was moved with compassion on them because they fainted, &c. "He

titudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

ples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord

saw the people burdened with the rites of religion and the doctrines of the Pharisees; sinking down under their ignorance and traditions, and neglected by those who ought to have been enlightened teachers; scattered and driven out without care and attention. With great beauty, he compares them to sheep, wandering without a shepherd. Judea was a land of flocks and herds. The faithful shepherd, by day and night, was with his flock. He defended it, led it to green pastures, and beside the still waters. Without his care, they would stray away. They were in danger of wild beasts. They panted in the summer sun, and knew not where was the cooling shade and stream. So, said he, is it with this people. No wonder that the compassionate Redeemer was moved with pity."-Barnes. The figure of sheep is often employed in the Old Testament, to represent erring and wandering men. Ps. cxix. 176; Isa. liii. 6; Jer. 1. 6, 17. It occurs, in the same sense, in the New Testament. Matt. x. 6; xv. 24; 1 Pet. ii. 25.

37. The harvest truly is plenteous, &c. By a change of figure, our Lord here notices the opportunity of performing a benevolent and glorious work, by gathering these lost sheep into the fold. A field of grain, the figure here used, when ripe, requires the labor of reapers, that the grain may be preserved. Many of the Jews were in a fit condition to embrace Jesus and his gospel. They were expecting the Messiah. And though the rulers opposed and misrepresented him, the common people heard him gladly. Mark xii. 37. Yet the reapers were few; or few were qualified to give the people such instruction as was necessary to bring them into the full enjoyment of the blessings of the kingdom.

38. Lord of the harvest. That is, God. That he will send forth laborers, &c. That he will raise up and

him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to

qualify ministers of his word, to be instrumental in the conversion of men. Paul alludes to the harvest, when speaking of the conversion and salvation of the human race. Rom. xi. 16. Compare Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. The same language was addressed by our Lord to the seventy disciples, when he sent them forth on their benevolent mission, to assist in gathering this glorious harvest. Luke x. 1, 2.

CHAPTER X.

"For

1. His twelve disciples. "Jesus had before this time chosen twelve from among his disciples, and given to them the name of apostles, according to Mark's account in ch. iii. 14, compared with ch. vi. 7, and Luke's in ch. vi. 13, compared with ch. ix. 1. 2."-Pearce. The night, previous to the selection and ordination of these apostles, was spent in prayer. Luke vi. 12. these ends were these twelve chosen, as the evangelists relate: (1.) That they might be with him, eye-witnesses of his works, and students of his doctrine. For they did not presently betake themselves to preach, from the time they were first admitted disciples, no, nor from the time they were first chosen; but they sat a long while at the feet of their Master, and imbibed from his mouth that doctrine which they were to preach. (2.) That they might be his prophets, both to preach and to do miracles. Thence it comes to pass, that the gift of miracles, which of a long time had ceased, is now restored to them." Lightfoot. It is well that men should be qualified for the work in which they engage. T Unclean spirits. Or, demons, who are often styled unclean spirits. See notes, Mark ch. v. T All manner of sickness, &c. Diseases of all kinds, and of all degrees of violence.

In selecting the number of twelve, Jesus may have had some reference to the number of tribes in Israel,