a great multitude from Galilee fol- | mountain, and calleth unto him lowed him, and from Judea, whom he would: and they came unto him. 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. 11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he straitly charged them, that they should not make him known. 13 And he goeth up into a 8. Idumea. The land of Edom, lying southerly from Judea. The Idumeans or Edomites descended from Esau, otherwise called Edom, one of the sons of Isaac. They were sometimes in subjection to the Jews; sometimes at open war, and very seldom in perfect peace with them. The fame of Jesus extended beyond his own country; and even from a foreign land multitudes sought his instructions. T Tyre and Sidon. See note on Matt. xi. 21. 10. Plagues. This word here denotes diseases generally. It has since been applied as a name of one of the most fatal and destructive diseases known among men; but such is not its meaning here. 11. Unclean spirits. Diseases, mental or physical, supposed to be occasioned by demons. See note on ch. v. 12. He straitly charged them that they should not make him known. note on Matt. xii. 16. 13. See 13-15. Parallel with Luke vi. 12, See also Matt. x. 1-4. 13. Goeth up into a mountain. Luke informs us that Jesus spent the whole night in prayer, upon the mountain. Luke vi. 12. He was about to perform a very important work. From the 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter. 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, (and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, the Sons of Thunder,) 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, 19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him and they went into a house. whole number who had become his disciples, he was to select twelve, to be his chosen companions during his ministry, to preach the gospel under his direction for a time, and to carry forward the great work, after he should ascend to heaven. It was important that the choice should be judiciously made. And, that he might elect eleven who should endure unto the end, and one who should betray him at the time appointed, he sought direction from God. In like manner, the apostles, when about to fill the vacancy in their number, occasioned by the defection and death of Judas, united in prayer to God, that he would direct the choice. Acts i. 24. And thus also should we, at all times, and especially in seasons of difficulty and perplexity, ask wisdom of God, who giveth liberally to all men. James i. 5. 14. Ordained twelve. No reference is made to the forms of ordination, now in use. The meaning is simply, he appointed twelve, or made them apos tles. 15. To have power, &c. At this early period, when his disciples were for the first time to go forth, unaccompanied by their Master, to preach, ver. 20 And the multitude cometh 25 And if a house be divided together again, so that they could against itself, that house cannot not so much as eat bread. stand. 21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him for they said, He is beside himself. 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 14, he communicated to them miraculous powers. They were thus enabled to arrest attention by mighty works. See note on Matt. x. 8. Their powers were vastly enlarged on the day of Pentecost. Acts ii. 1-4. 16-19. See notes on Matt. x. 2-4. See also Luke vi. 14-16. 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily, I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of from the multitude, and put him in a place of safety and security. ¶ They said. This may refer to those who informed the brethren of Jesus where he was, and how he was engaged; but, more probably, it refers to his brethren themselves. He is beside himself. He is delirious; he has lost his reason. 20. Could not so much as eat bread. Not believing in his divine mission, The multitude were so anxious to hear when they heard that he was travelling our Lord's instructions, and pressed through the nation, preaching the kingaround him so continually for this pur- dom of God; that he had appointed pose, that neither he nor they could apostles to engage in a similar labor; devote time to eating, but were com- that he had so excited the feelings of pelled to forego their regular meals. A men as to bring such vast multitudes vivid description, truly, of the earnest-together; they supposed he had lost his ness and anxiety which prevailed on reason, was beside himself, and ought that occasion; yet not such a descrip- to be secured. tion as any one but an honest historian would be likely to give, on account of its simplicity and homeliness. See Mark vi. 31. 21. His friends. Literally, they of him; meaning his relatives. Bishop Pearce and others interpret the phrase differently; but I think Campbell satisfactorily shows that this is its true meaning. The only objection to it is, that it indicates unreasonable opposition to Jesus by his brethren. But it must be remembered that they did not yet believe on him. John vii. 5. Their conduct, under the circumstances, was not unnatural. ¶ Heard of it. That is, of the extraordinary gathering and excitement, described in ver. 20. To lay hold on him. To take him away 22-30. See notes on Matt. xii. 2432. See also Luke xi. 15-23. 29. Never forgiveness—eternal damnation. These phrases do not occur in Matthew, and deserve notice. (1.) If, by never forgiveness, it be denoted, strictly speaking, that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, then there is a direct contradiction between this verse and ver. 28; for there it is positively asserted, without any limitation or exception, that, "All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme." See note on Matt. xii. 31, 32. (2.) The phrase translated never forgiveness is equivalent to the declaration of Matthew that the sin in question shall not eternal damnation : 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. CHAPTER IV. 31 ¶ There came then his breth-AND he began again to teach ren and his mother, and standing without, sent unto him, calling hiin. 32 And the multitude sat about him; and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. by the sea-side and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea, on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow. 4 And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because period no longer than a man's life, or rather so much of it as remains unexpired. Exo. xxi. 6. As to the word rendered damnation, it is sufficient to say, it is the same which occurs in John iii. 19; v. 22, 30; vii. 24; viii. 16; xii. 31; Acts viii. 33; 1 Tim. v. 24; in all which places, it is rendered judgment, except the first, where it is condemnation. It occurs also in 2 Pet. ii. 11, and is translated accusation. By an examination of the places referred to, it will evidently appear that this word, though the translation here be so terrific to many, has no necessary connexion with a state of misery perpetual in duration. be forgiven, "neither in this world, 30. Because they said, &c. The nature of the blasphemy, or in what it consisted, is here distinctly stated. 31-35. See notes on Matt. xii. 4650. Parallel also with Luke viii. 19 CHAPTER IV. 1-20. See notes on Matt. xiii. 123. Parallel also with Luke viii. 4— 15. 1. Sat in the sea. That is, the sea of Galilee. The ship, or boat, in which he sat, was in the sea, so near the shore that those who stood there could hear him; yet they could not well press so near as to incommode him. it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up, and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan 10. When he was alone. Not absolutely alone, as the text manifestly implies, but he had retired from the multitude. At this time, the twelve, and some few others besides, requested an explanation of the parable. Their example is worthy of imitation, so far as circumstances will permit. We cannot now converse with our Lord, face to face; but we can read his word, the several parts of which mutually throw light on each other. If a single passage appear dark, we should compare it with others upon the same subject; if a doctrine be difficult of comprehension, we cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred. 21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. should examine the testimonies concerning it, in the Scriptures, and receive or reject it, as that testimony shall justify. Moreover, it is proper to seek aid in understanding what is truth, from books, or from living men; always being careful, however, to compare what they say with the law and the testimony; for "if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii. 20. 13. Know ye not, &c. Do you not understand this parable, which is so plain, and its import so obvious? How then can you expect to understand oth 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; ers, especially such as shall be more obscure? 21-25. Parallel with Luke viii. 1618. See notes on Matt. v. 15; vii. 2; x. 26; xiii. 12. 26-29. This parable is not recorded by the other evangelists. It is designed to show that the progress of the gospel, or of the religion it inculcates, though slow and imperceptible, is nevertheless actual; whether in the individual human heart, or in the community. When good seed is sown, it vegetates and grows, men know not how, nor can they see it grow; yet it steadily advances to perfection. So the word of the gospel shall ultimately secure a full harvest, though we may not fully comprehend its operation. 26. So is the kingdom of God, &c. The progress and fruits of the gospel, or the operations of the kingdom of God, may be compared to what follows. 27. Should sleep and rise night and day. That is, though the husbandman sleep at night, and rise every day, vegetation progresses continually, whether he sleep or whether he wake. This portion of the imagery makes the parable more lively and impressive, though it requires no direct application to the principal truth designed to be illustrated. He knoweth not how. Many discoveries in natural philosophy have been made during the last eighteen centuries. But men now remain as ignorant how grain grows, as they were when this parable was spoken. By comparing its appearance at different times, we may be certain it has grown; but we cannot see it grow, though we watch with the utmost vigilance. Nor can we comprehend the cause of its growth; we know that soil, and a proper degree of air, and moisture, and heat, are necessary to its growth; but 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed-should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. the precise manner in which they produce the effect we know not. In short, the results of vegetation are obvious to the most superficial observer; but its processes are hidden from the most watchful. 28. The earth bringeth forth fruit of herself. That is, without human assistance. God has bestowed its fruitfulness. Much may be done by the skilful cultivator; still, if the earth had not this original property of fruitfulness, all his labors would be in vain. It is for him to prepare the surface that it may receive the full benefit of the genial sun and rain; to cast in the proper seed, and prevent the young shoot from being choked by noxious weeds; but he has no power over vegetation itself. This is accomplished by the earth. The blade. The shoot that first appears, before it takes the form of a stalk. Then the ear. This word may denote the whole stalk, or spire, as well as that portion of it which is called the ear. Full corn in the ear. That is, ripe corn. It may not be very material, yet it is true, that the grain here referred to was not what we usually call corn, to wit, Indian corn; for this was not known in Asia. It was rather wheat or barley, which, with other similar kinds of grain, were then called by the common name of corn: and indeed this is now the usual name of such grain in England. 29. When the fruit is brought forth, &c. The idea is, that as the seed thus sown, and imperceptibly and incomprehensibly vegetating, in due time produces fruit for the sustenance of the body, so the gospel shall continue its operation until fruit be brought forth to perfection, for the spiritual benefit of man. 34. 30--34. See notes on Matt. xiii. 31 |