unfold so much of that "wisdom with which he was filled," such deep and comprehensive views of sacred subjects, as at once astonished the assembly and engaged their good will.

Verse 48. They were amazed, &c.Campbell's attempt to connect this with the foregoing, and thus transfer the amazement from the parents to the auditors, is ingenious, but not solid. His parents were not amazed at his wisdom, like the rest, because they knew it; but at finding him, not only among the auditors of Jewish doctors in the sanhedrim, but placed honourably in the midst of them, and exciting their admiration by his answers.

Thy father and I.—So she calls Joseph, as being his father by marriage and adop tion, and so popularly called, as with us. Still more emphatically so among the Jews, whose maxim was, "Not he that begets, but he that brings up, is the father." So great a stress did they lay on education.

Verses 49-52. How is it that ye sought me ?-A mild reproof for their too great anxiety, since, knowing who he was, they might have been persuaded of his safety. This was, however, the predominance of natural affection, not of doubt. Wist ye not, knew ye not, ye ought to have considered, that I came into the world to accomplish the special will and great designs of God, in human redemption. Of this, intimation had been given them in the angelic visions they had had before his birth, and in the import of the name Jesus, a Saviour, which, by divine command, as a DESCRIPTIVE name, they had given him. Thus he intimated to them that they ought to have stood prepared for his acting in reference to the accomplishment of that will, and not to be surprised if his conduct should appear ex

traordinary. That I must be about my Father's business. The sentence is elliptical, Ey Tous Tou malpos mou. The Syriac version has," in my father's house;" and in this sense the words are taken by several of the Fathers. Examples also of the same form appear in Esther vii. 9, ev Tous Auar, in the house of Haman; and in Josephus, ev Tous Karaipos, in Cesar's house. But the objection to this interpretation is, that it gives no reason why his parents ought not to have sought him sorrowing, or the very insufficient and improbable one that they had no need to have sought him elsewhere than in the temple, where they ought to have concluded he would be, as the house of his Father. Our translators therefore have supposed the ellipsis to be supplied with rpayuart, and properly render it about my father's business; and unquestionably the phrase Eival EV TUJI signifies to be engaged in any occupation, and that both in classical and Hellenistic writers, of which Philo and the LXX. furnish examples. And thus the reason given is apt and convincing: it became him to prefer doing the will of God to all other considerations. That his parents understood not the saying, intimates that they did not understand its full import; they saw not how this circumstance was a performing of his Father's business, or what was its precise connexion with the great end of his coming into the world. But Mary kept all these sayings in her heart; and to her at length was given the joyful satisfaction of being able fully to comprehend the deepest meaning of every thing he had said, although for a long time veiled in mystery, by comparing his remembered sayings, first with that course of remarkable events which in a few years were constantly opening to her observation, and then with the whole grand series, including the resurrection and

ascension. To us, indeed, also the import of this saying is largely laid open. To be sowing the seeds of heavenly wisdom in the Jewish council, and in the disciples of the doctors who were present, and in the hearts of the wondering hearers,--who would be the more attracted to the truth which was uttered, through the youth of him that so gravely, yet modestly, declared it,―agreed with, and indeed explained, the spirituality of his mission. This was to be about his Father's business, teaching the ignorant, correcting the erring, and confirming truth where it was already apprehended. We also see, through the interesting opening which this account makes into the history of his youth, how perfect a unity and consistency runs through the whole life of the blessed Saviour; and how com. pletely, in every age, it accorded with a sinless character, and the fact of the union of the divine with the human nature. He had not then entered upon his office as Teacher; but it is clear what were the subjects which at this early period occupied his thoughts, and with what serious interest he was preparing for his great work of "teaching and preaching the kingdom of God."

Was subject to them.-Not only regarded them with dutiful reverence, but, as the early fathers teach, and

which is indeed probable, worked at his father's business, and under his direction assisted in the support of the family. Three times every year he would, however, go up to the feasts at Jerusalem; but we never read of his frequenting the council or courts again, or exhibiting any thing remarkable. Thus the veil of mystery was again drawn around him, saving that we are informed that he grew in wisdom and in stature, or age; meaning, that with his age his wisdom became still more conspicuous; and in favour with God and

man ; all who knew him showing the greatest affection and veneration for him : perhaps all the people of Nazareth; for as yet he had not begun his ministry, he had not preached against their formality and other vices, he had not become their faithful reprover. When he took that office, they sought his life! All these interesting particulars which Luke alone has recorded, and those concerning John Baptist, he doubtless collected from those diligent inquiries and conversations with 'eye-witnesses," which he tells us in his preface he made on these subjects. He had the opportunity, not only of conversing with different apostles, as Peter and James, but also probably with Mary, the mother of our Lord.

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CHAPTER III. Verse 1. The fifteenth

a Matt. iii. 1.

year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar.Reckoning from his being made colleague with Augustus in the empire. Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea. After the death of Herod the Great, Archelaus succeeded to Judea; but he was deposed by Augustus, and thenceforth Judea was governed by his procurators. Pilate was the fourth procurator in succession, and held that office about ten years He was appointed about a year before John the Baptist began his ministry.

Herod being tetrarch of Galilee.-See the note on Matt. ii. 1. This was Herod Antipas, the same that married Herodias, slew John the Baptist, and to whom our Lord was sent by Pilate to be examined, Luke xxiii. 6, 7. Philip, the tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, countries which lay between the land of Israel and Syria, was the brother of Herod, and rightful husband of Herodias, and father of the daughter of Herodias, who danced before Herod, and pleased him so as to draw from him the rash vow which led to the murder of the holy John. Abilene, in Colo-Syria, was a part of the domains of Herod the Great, and was, on the death of Herod, given to Lysanias, a descendant of a former proprietor, from whom it had been taken away by Antony.

b Isaiah xl. 3.

Verse 2. Annas and Caiaphas being high priests.—Annas was made high priest and deposed by the Romans. Three of his sons were put into that office in succession, and then his son-in-law Caiaphas, who continued high priest throughout the administration of Pilate. But Annas had still the honorary title of "high priest," though deposed, and was a man of great rank and influence among the Jews.

The word of the Lord came unto John.Having been trained up by communion with God, in the solitudes of the wilderness, the word of the Lord came to him, the command of God was laid upon him, by voice or vision, or some other mode of divine manifestation, to commence his mission; and with that commenced the doctrine he was to preach, and the testimony he was to bear to the Christ, which were fully revealed to him; together with other particulars which suppose a very distinct and explicit communication.

The account which St. Luke gives of the preaching of John differs not from that in St. Matthew, chap. iii., on which see the notes. In the tenth and following verses this evangelist introduces some new circumstances.