Jesus preaches in the

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1

14 And Jesus returned m in the || he went into the synagogue on the A. M. 4035.

power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was,

1 Matt. iv. 12; John iv. 43. m Verse 1. Acts x. 37. • Matt. ii. 23; xiii. 54; Mark vi. 1.

A. D. 31.

sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the
book of the Prophet Esaias. And when he had
opened the book, he found the place where it
was written,

18 9 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel

P Acts xiii. 14; xvii. 2.-q Isa. lxi. 1.

having heard of the Baptist's testimony concerning

Verses 14-16. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee-Being more abundantly || him, were curious to hear him read and expound

strengthened after his conflict; and prepared to exercise his ministry with success, and to confirm his doctrine by miracles. And there went out a fame of him through all the region-Now that he was

the Scriptures; and the rather, because it was well known in Nazareth that he had not had the advantage of a learned education. And, as the Hebrew was now a dead language, and Jesus had not been

come, the fame of the miracles which he had per-taught to read, his actually reading, and with such

formed in Jerusalem at the passover, and in Judea
during the course of his ministry there, spread the
more through Galilee: for at this time he had done
only one miracle there, namely, the turning of
water into wine. And he taught in their syna-
gogues-He spent a considerable time in Galilee ||
preaching, for the most part in their synagogues, ||
particularly on the sabbath days, when there was the
greatest concourse of people. Being glorified of
all-The effect of this first exercise of his ministry ||
in Galilee was, that the excellence of the doctrines
which he taught, and the greatness of the miracles
which he wrought, caused all the people to admire
and applaud him exceedingly. But neither their
approbation, nor the outward calm which he enjoyed,
continued long. And he came to Nazareth, where
he had been brought up-That by his example, says |
Theophylact, he might teach us especially to in-
struct and do good to those of our own family and
place of abode. And as his custom was, he went into
the synagogue, &c. -That the synagogue was then
loaded with ceremonies of human invention, and
that the manners of those who met there were much
corrupted, no man, who is acquainted with the
corrupted,
Scriptures and the Jewish history, can doubt; and
yet Christ, with his disciples, went customarily to
these synagogues, as members of the Jewish Church,
every sabbath day. And stood up-Showing, by so
doing, that he had a desire to read the Scriptures to
the congregation, on which the book was given to
him. The reading of the Scriptures made an essen-
tial part of the Jewish public worship. But this
office was not confined to those who were properly
the ministers of religion. The rulers of the syna-
gogue assigned it to such persons in the congrega-
tion as they knew were capable of it. Nay, they
sometimes conferred the honour upon strangers,
and incited them to give the people an exhortation

facility, the original Hebrew Scriptures, as well as his expounding them, was a clear proof of his divine inspiration, and must have greatly astonished every intelligent and considerate person present.

Verses 17-19. There was delivered to him the book of Esaias-A paragraph of the law having, according to custom, been read before. See on Acts xiii. 15. When he had opened the book-Αναπτυξας, having unrolled the volume of the book. The books of the ancients, as is well known, consisted of one long sheet of paper or parchment, which they rolled up neatly on a round piece of wood. When a book of this kind was to be read, they unrolled it gradually as they read it, and put what was read round another piece of wood of the same sort with the former. He found the place-The expression, ευρε τον τοπον, seems to imply, that upon unrolling the book, the passage here mentioned immediately met his eye, by the particular providence of God. Many commentators, however, think, that as the Scriptures were read in order, the passage mentioned was that which fell of course to be read in the synagogue that day. And according to the custom of all the synagogues, this passage was to be read with the fiftieth section of the law, appointed for the last sabbath of the sixth, or the first of the seventh month, answering to our August and September. So that if our Lord read this passage as the ordinary lesson for the day, the chronology of this part of the history is thereby determined. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me-This was said of the prophets, when they were under an immediate afflatus of the Holy Spirit; but it was here, doubtless, primarily meant of the Messiah: because he hath anointed meThat is, hath commissioned me with authority, qualified me with gifts, and set me apart for the important offices here mentioned. The expression is used in allusion to the Jewish prophets, priests, and

on such subjects as were suggested by the passage kings, who were consecrated to their offices by read; see Acts xiii. 15; wherefore, their now assign-anointing them with oil. The unction of the Mesing it to Jesus was not contrary to the regulations || siah was the Holy Spirit, which he had without of their worship. Perhaps the rulers, knowing the measure. To preach the gospel to the poor-The reports which went abroad of his miracles, and || reason why I, the Messiah, enjoy so great a degree

Jesus preaches in the

CHAPTER IV.

synagogue at Nazareth.

A. M. 4035. to the poor; he hath sent me to heal || . 20 And he closed the book, and he A. M. 4035

A. D. 31.

the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

r

A. D. 31.

gave it again to the minister, and sat
down. And the eyes of all them that were in
the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day
is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

22 And all bare him witness, and wondered

Psa. xlv. 2; Matt. xiii 54; Mark vi. 2; Chap. ii. 47.

claim that happy period of the divine dispensations toward mankind, in which a full and free remission

of inspiration, and am endowed with the power of working such astonishing miracles is, because God hath commissioned me to preach the glad tidings of || of all their offences was to be offered to them, and

salvation to the poor, and by so doing, to heal the broken-hearted-That is, to relieve and comfort all those, without distinction, whose hearts are broken by sharp convictions of sin, and fears of future punishment. The passage of Isaiah here quoted, in our translation stands thus: To preach good tidings to the meek-But the word ענוים signifies more properly persons in a low and afflicted condition. It iş certainly an unspeakable recommendation of the gospel dispensation, that it offers the pardon of sin, and salvation, to all on the same terms. The rich, here, have no pre-eminence over the poor; as they seem to have had under the law, which prescribed such costly sacrifices for the atonement of sin as were very burdensome to the poor. The Prophet Isaiah, therefore, in describing the happiness of gospel times, very fitly introduces the Messiah mentioning this as one of the many blessings which would accrue to the world from his coming, that the glad tidings of salvation were to be preached by him and his ministers to the poor, and consequently

which might be fitly represented in prophecy by the Jewish jubilee, wherein debts were forgiven, slaves released, and inheritances restored to their original owners. For a further explanation of this passage, see the notes on Isa. lxi. 1-3; and xlii. 6, 7. Verses 20, 21. And he closed the book, and gave it again to the minister-Τω υπηρετη, to the servant, who had brought it to him. "From the manner in which we apply the word minister, in speaking of our churches, the English reader is apt to be led into a mistake by the common version, and to consider the word here as meaning the person who presided in the service; whereas it denotes only a subordinate officer, who attended the minister, and obeyed his orders in what concerned the more servile part of the work. Among other things he had the charge of the sacred books, and delivered them to those to whom he was commanded by his superiors to give them. After the reading was over, he deposited them in their proper place."--Campbell. And sat down-The Jewish doctors, to show their

were to be offered to them without money and with-reverence for the Scriptures, always stood when

they read them, but when they taught the people they sat down. See Matt. xxiii. 2. Thus we here find our Lord sitting down in the synagogue to preach, after he had read the passage in the prophet, which he made the subject of his dis

out price. To preach deliverance to the captives-
To proclaim to the captives of sin and Satan liberty
from the power of their tyrannical masters, on the
terms of repentance toward God, and faith in the
Messiah, now manifested: and to confer that liberty
on such as complied with these terms. And recov-course. The custom of preaching from a text of Scrip-
ering of sight to the blind-Not merely to conferture, which now prevails throughout all the Chris-

bodily sight on a few blind individuals, but to open
the eyes of the understanding of millions, and cure
their spiritual blindness, by imparting to them the
spirit of wisdom and revelation. Thus, Isa. xlii. 6,
7, the Messiah is said to be given for a covenant of
the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the
blind eyes. And the commission given to Paul, as
recorded, Acts xxvi. 18, was, I send thee to open their ||
eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light: in both
which passages spiritual illumination is undoubtedly
solely intended. To set at liberty them that are
bruised-With the heavy load of their fetters and
chains; with the guilt and power of their iniquities,
and the condemnation and wrath due to them on
that account. Here is a beautiful gradation, in

tian churches, seems to have derived its origin from the authority of this example. And the eyes of all were fastened on him-They looked on him with great attention, expecting him to explain the passage. And in addressing the congregation on it, he told them, it was that day fulfilled in their earsNamely, by what they heard him speak; words which imply, that, whatever allusion there might be in the prophecy to the good news of the deliverance of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, it was primarily and principally intended to be understood of the spiritual salvation of mankind from ignorance and error, sinfulness and guilt, depravity and misery, by the Messiah, who, and not Isaiah, nor any other prophet, is to be considered as speaking in the pas

comparing the spiritual state of man to the misera-sage, as is explained more fully in the notes there. ble state of those captives who were not only cast Verse 22. And all the congregation bare him witinto prison, but, like Zedekiah, had their eyes putness, and wondered at the gracious words, &c.-By out, and were laden and bruised with chains of iron. this it appears, that our Lord proved and illustrated To preach the acceptable year of the Lord-To pro- || his assertion, (that the passage he had read was that

VOL. I.

(24)

369

a

A prophet is without honour

ST. LUKE.

in his own country

A. D. 31.

A. M. 4035. at the gracious words which proceeded || save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, A. M. 4035. out of his mouth. And they said, Isunto a woman that was a widow.

A. D. 31.

not this Joseph's son ? 27 " And many lepers were in Israel in the 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say | time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in "thy country.

was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they
heard these things, were filled with wrath,

24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the * prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land:

city, and led him unto the brow of the hill, (whereon their city was built,) that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he, a passing through the midst of them, went his way,

31 And b came down to Capernaum, a city 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

$ John vi. 42. -t Matt. iv. 13; xi. 23.- "Matt. xiii. 54; Mark vi. 1. Matt. xiii. 57; Mark vi. 4; John iv. 44.

y 1 Kings xvii. 9; xviii. 1; James v. 17. 2 Kings v. 14. 2 Or, edge. John viii. 59; x. 39. -- Mat. iv. 13; Mark i. 21.

day fulfilled,) in a discourse of considerable length, || Syrian leper, while many lepers in Israel remained

the subject of which only is mentioned by Luke.
And it seems also, that on this occasion he delivered
his thoughts with such strength of reason, clearness
of method, and, perhaps also, beauty of expression,
that his townsmen, who all knew he had not had the
advantage of a liberal education, were so astonished,
that in their conversation one with another they
could not forbear expressing their admiration. At
the same time, however, their carnal and worldly
spirit, not to say the malevolence also of their dis-
position, led them to mingle with their praises a
reflection, which they thought sufficiently confuted
his pretensions of being the Messiah, and showed || wise observes) three years and six months.

uncleansed, he showed them both the sin and pun-
ishment of their ancestors, and left it to themselves
to make the application." When the heaven was
shut up, &c. Such a proof had they that God
had sent him. Three years and six months-In
1 Kings xviii. 1, it is said, The word of the Lord
came to Elijah in the third year: namely, reckon-
ing, not from the beginning of the drought, but from
the time when he began to sojourn with the widow
of Sarepta. A year of drought had preceded this,
while he dwelt at the brook Cherith. So that the
whole time of the drought was (as St. James like-

the absurdity of the application which he had made of Isaiah's prophecy to himself, in that character; And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? &c.

Verses 28-30. And all they in the synagogue were filled with wrath-The Nazarenes, perceiving the purport of his discourse, namely, that the blessings which they despised would be offered to, and ac

Verses 23, 24. And he said, Ye will surely say- || That is, your approbation now outweighs your pre-cepted by, the Gentiles, were enraged to such a judices. But it will not be so long. You will soon pitch, that, forgetting the sanctity of the sabbath, ask, why my love does not begin at home? why I they gathered around him tumultuously, forced do not work miracles here, rather than at Caper-him out of the synagogue, and rushed with him

naum? It is because of your unbelief. Nor is it any new thing for a messenger of God to be despised in his own country. So were both Elijah and Elisha, and thereby driven to work miracles among heathen, rather than in Israel. And he said,

through the streets to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built; that they might cast him down headlong. So changeable are the hearts of wicked men! So little are their starts of love to be de pended on! So unable are they to bear the close

Verily, no prophet is accepted in his own country || application, even of a discourse which they most

overawing them: so that, though they saw, they had not power to touch him.

-That is, in his own neighbourhood. It generally admire! But he, passing through the midst of them holds, that a teacher sent from God is not so accept--Probably by making himself invisible; or by able to his neighbours as he is to strangers. The meanness of his family, or lowness of his circumstances, brings his office into contempt: nor can they suffer that he, who was before equal with or below themselves, should now bear a superior || character.

Verses 31, 32. And came down to CapernaumAnd dwelt there, entirely quitting his abode at Nazareth, in consequence of the rude treatment which he met with from his townsmen. Here let it be observed, that by settling in Capernaum our Lord ful

Verses 25-27. Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, &c.--"By putting them thus in mind || filled Isaiah's prophecy, chap. ix. 1, which elegantly of Elijah's miracle in behalf of the widow of Sarepta, describes the effect of the Messiah's residence in a heathen inhabitant of a heathen city, in a time of || Galilee. See notes on Matt. iv. 13-16. And he famine, while many widows of Israel were suffered || taught them on the sabbath days-Namely, accordto starve; and of Elisha's miracle on Naaman thelling to Matt. iv. 17, and Mark i. 15, proclaimed that (24*)

370

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Christ cures one possessed of a devil.

A. D. 31.

Α. Μ. 4035. 32 And they were astonished at his || wife's mother was taken with a great A.M.4035. trine: for his word was with fever; and they besought him for her.

power.

33d And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil; and he cried out with a loud voice,

A. D. 31.

39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases.

34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou || brought them unto him: and he laid his hands

come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, f the Holy One of God.

35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come

out.

on every one of them, and healed them.
41 And devils also came out of many,
crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the
Son of God. And khe, rebuking them, suffered
them not 4 to speak: for they knew that he was
Christ.

421 And when it was day he departed and went into a desert place; and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

43 And he said unto them, I must preach the 37 And the fame of him went out into every kingdom of God to other cities also, for thereplace of the country round about. fore am I sent. 38

And he arose out of the synagogue, and | 44 m And he preached in the synagogues of entered into Simon's house. And Simon's

c Matt. vi. 28, 29; Tit. ii. 15-d Mark i. 23.3 Or, away. e Verse 41. Psa. xvi. 10; Dan. ix. 24; Ch.i. 35. Matt. viii. 14; Mark i. 29. Matt. viii. 16; Marki. 32.

the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and exhorted them to repent and believe the gospel. This was his testimony during the time of his abode at Capernaum, and this he made the subject of his preaching in their synagogue on the sabbath days, not being discouraged by the ill usage that he had met with at Nazareth, upon his bearing the same testi

Galilee.

i Mark i. 34; iii. 11. Mark i. 25, 34; Verses 34, 35. 4 Or, to say that they knew him to be Christ. Mark i. 35. m Mark i. 39.

Christ suspected. And Jesus rebuked him-The Holy One of God was a title of the Messiah, Psa. xvi. 10; but Jesus did not allow the devils to give it him, for the reason mentioned in the notes on Mark i. 25, 34. Possibly, however, it was from hence the Pharisees took occasion to say, He casteth out devils by the prince of devils. And when the devil had

mony there. And they were astonished-Power- || thrown him in the midst-That is, had cast him down fully struck, and very much affected; with his doc-on the ground, the effect of this possession being an trine. For his word was with power-With autho-epilepsy.

rity and majesty, which incomparably exceeded that low and servile manner of preaching which the scribes and Pharisees commonly used, in retailing their precarious traditions and insipid comments to the people. Our Lord, however, did not confine himself to Capernaum, for he frequently made excursions || into the neighbouring country, and on such occasions, no doubt, preached several times every day. Verses 33-37. See this paragraph explained at large in the notes on Mark i. 23-28. What have we to do with thee-Thy present business is with

Verses 38-44. He entered into Simon's houseSee notes on Matt. viii. 14-17; and Mark i. 29-35. When the sun was setting-And consequently the sabbath ended, which they considered as continuing from sunset to sunset; all that had any sick brought them-Fully persuaded that he could and would heal them; which he accordingly did; he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them-Like the Pharisees, they seem to have questioned whether it was lawful for him to do cures on the sabbath day. Reader, he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for

men, not with devils. I know thee who thou art-ever: he is still able to do cures, and is he not will

ing? Try him: bring thy sick soul, or even thy sick body, or that of thy relative or friend, to him in prayer, and have faith in him, that he can and will healit. Remember, His eyes are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers-None ever trusted in him and were confounded. See note on

But did he, did even the prince of devils know Jesus,
some time before, when he dared to say to him,
verse 6, All this power is delivered to me, and to
whomsoever I will I give it? The Holy One of God
----Either this confession was extorted from him by
terror, (for the devils believe and tremble,) or, he
made it with a design to render the character of || Mark xi. 22-24.

Jesus teaches the people

ST. LUKE.

CHAPTER V.

out of Peter's boat.

(1,) Christ preaches to the people out of Peter's boat, 1-3. (2,) Recompenses Peter for the loan of his boat by a miraculous draught of fishes; and intimates his design of making him and his partners fishers of men, 4-11. (3,) He cleanses a leper; charges him to show himself to the priest, and make the enjoined oblation; but to conceal the manner of his cure, 12-15. (4,) He retires for prayer, and heals a paralytic, to the grief of the Pharisees and lawyers present, and the astonishment of the multitude, 16-26. (5,) He calls Levi, the publican; and on that occasion eats and converses with publicans and sinners, 27-32. (6,) He vindicates his disciples in not fasting so frequently as the disciples of John and the Pharisees did, 33-38.

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a

D.

AND ** it came to pass, that as the || down, and taught the people out of A.M. 4035. people pressed upon him to hear || the ship.

the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and || 5 And Simon answering, said unto him, Maswere washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat

* Fifth Sunday after Trinity, gospel, verse 1 to verse 12. NOTES ON CHAPTER V.

ter, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they en

Simon's-With whom, as well as with his brother Verses 1-10. As the people pressed upon him, Andrew, he had formed some acquaintance on the with great eagerness, to hear the word of God-In- | banks of Jordan, while John was baptizing there. somuch that no house could contain them: they per- | See John i. 37-42: and prayed that he would thrust ceived Christ's word to be the word of God, by the divine power and evidence that accompanied it, and therefore they were eager to hear it. It seems the sermons which Jesus had preached in his last tour || out of the ship-The subject of his discourse at this

out a little from the land-Jesus desired this, that he might avoid the crowd, and at the same time be more conveniently heard. And he taught the people

time is not mentioned by the evangelist; he introduces the transaction only because it was followed by an extraordinary miracle, which he is going to

through the country had made a great impression on the minds of the people who heard him; for they either followed him to Capernaum, or caine thither soon after his return in great numbers, in expecta- relate. When he had left speaking, he said unto tion of receiving still further instruction from him. || Simon-Who was the owner of the boat, and his He stood by the lake of Gennesaret-Elsewhere || own disciple; Launch out into the deep, and let down

your nets for a draught-Christ intended by the multitude of fishes, which he would make Simon catch, to show him the success of his future preaching, even in cases where little success was reasonably to be expected. And Simon said, We have toiled all the night and taken nothing-A circum

called the sea of Galilee, Mark i. 16; and the sea of Tiberias, John vi. 1; being distinguished by these names, because it was situated on the borders of Galilee, and the city of Tiberias lay on the western shore of it. The name Gennesaret seems to be a corruption of the word Cinnereth, the name by which this lake was called in the Old Testament. | stance this, which "one would have thought," says

See note on Matt. iv. 13. It appears from Mark || Henry, "should have excused them from hearing i. 16, that Jesus had been walking on the banks of the sermon; but such love had they to the word of this lake. And he saw two ships-Two small ves- || God, that it was more reviving and refreshing to

them than the softest slumbers." Nevertheless, at thy word-In obedience to it, and dependance on it;

sels, as the word πλοια, frequently occurring in the gospels, evidently means, though in the common versions rendered ships. They were a sort of large | I will let down the net-Though they had toiled to

fishing-boats, which Josephus calls σκαφαι, observing that there were about two hundred and thirty of them on the lake, and four or five men to each. Standing by the side of the lake, or aground near the edge of the lake, as Dr. Campbell renders εςωτα | παρα την λιμνην, observing that the vessels are said to be, not εν τη λιμνη, in the lake, namely, at anchor, but παρα την λιμνην, at, or beside the lake. But the fishermen were gone out of them-After the labour of a very unsuccessful night; and were washing their nets-Namely, in the sea, as they stood on the

no purpose all night, yet at Christ's command they are willing to renew their toil, knowing, that by relying on him, their strength should be renewed as work was renewed upon their hands. Observe, reader, we must not presently quit the callings in which we are engaged, because we have not the success in them which we promised ourselves. The ministers of the gospel in particular must continue to let down their nets, though they have, perhaps, toiled long, and caught nothing. They must persevere unwearied in their labours, though they see not

shore, And he entered into one of the ships-Namely, Il the success of them. And in this they must have