Herod inquires where ST. MATTHEW. Christ should be born. scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where | among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a GoChrist should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehein, in the land of Juda, art not the least 2 Chr. 34, 13, 1 Mac 5, 42. & 7. 12-b Mal, 2. 7.-e Mic. 5.2 Jonn 7. 42. Luke 2. 4. having entered into a conspiracy against him. Aristovulus left three children, whom I shall notice hereafter. His third wife was Mariamne, the daughter of Simon, a person of some note in Jerusalem, whom Herod inade high-priest in order to obtain his daughter. She was the mother of Herod Philippus, or Herod Philip, and Salome. Herod, or Philip, inarried Herodias, mother to Salome, the famous dancer, who demanded the head of John the Baptist, Mark vi. 22. Salome had been placed in the will of Herod the Great, as second heir after Antipater; but her name was erased, when it was discovered that Marianne her mother, was an accomplice in the crimes of Antipater, son of Herod the Great. Joseph. de Bello, lib. i. c. 18, 19, 20. His fourth wife was Malthaké, a Samaritan, whose sons were Archelaus and Philip. The first enjoyed half his father's kingdom under the name of tetrarch, viz. Idumea, Judea, and Samaria: Joseph. Antiq. 1. xvii. c. 11. He reigned nine years; but being accused and arraigned before the emperor Augustus, he was banished to Vienna, where he died: Jos. Antiq. 1. xvii. c. xv. This is the Archelaus inentioned in verse 22. His brother Philip married Salome, the famous dancer, the daughter of Herodius; he died without children, and she was afterward married to Aristobulus. The fifth wife of Herod the Great was Cleopatra of Jerusalem. She was the mother of Herod, surnamed Antipas, who married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while he was still living. Being reproved for this act by John the Baptist, Matt. xiv. 3. Mark vi. 17. Luke iii. 19. and having imprisoned this holy man, he caused him to be beheaded, agreeably to the promise he had rashly made to the daughter of his wife Herodias, who had pleased him with her dancing. He attempted to seize the person of Jesus Christ, and to put him to death. It was to this prince that Pilate sent our Lord, Luk. xiii. 31, 32. He was banished to Lyons, and then to Spain, where both he and his wife Herodias died. Joseph. Antiq. 1. xv. c. 14.--de Bello, 1. ii. c. 8. The sixth wife of Herod the Great was Pallas, by whom he had Phasaelus; his history is no ways connected with the New Testament. The seventh was named Phædra, the mother of Roxana, who married the son of Pheroras. The eighth was Elpida, mother of Salome, who married another son of Pheroras. With the names of two other wives of Herod we are not acquainted; but they are not connected with our history, any more than are Pallas, Phadra, and Elpida, whose names 1 merely notice, to avoid the accusation of inaccuracy. ARISTOPOLUS, the son of Herod the Great, by Mariamne, a descendant of the Asmoneans, left two sons and a daughter, viz. Agrippa, Ierod, and Herodias, so famous for her incestuous marriage with Antipas, in the lifetime of his brother Philip. AGRIPPA, otherwise named Herod, who was imprisoned by Tiberius for something he had inconsiderately said against him, was released from prison by Caligula, who made him king of Judea; Jos. Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 8. It was this prince who put St. James to death, and imprisoned Peter, as mentioned in xii. of Acts. He died at Cesarea, in the way mentioned in the Acts, as well as by Josephi. Antiq. 1. xix. c. 7. He left a son named Agrippa, who is mentioned below. vernor d that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he liad privily called the wise men, in- d Rev. 2.27.-e Or, feed-f Psa 2. 1, &c. Acts 4. 25, &c. the posterity of Abraham by Keturah: and that they taught in the name of God, what they had received in tradition from the mouth of Abraham."-WHITBY. That many Jews were mixed with this people there is little doubt; and that these castern Magi, or philosophers, astrologers, or whatever else they were, might have been originally of that class, there is room to believe. These, knowing the promise of the Messiah were now, probably, like other believing Jews, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Persic translator renders the Greek Mayo by mejooseean, which properly signifies a worshipper of fire; and from which we have our word magician. It is very probable that the ancient Persians, who were considered as worshippers of fire, only honoured it as the syınbolical representation of the Deity and seeing this unusual appearance, might consider it as a sign, that the God they worshipped was about to manifest himself among men. Therefore they say, We have seen his star-and are come to worship him; but it is more likely, that the Greeks made their Mayo, Magi, which we translate wise men, from the Persian fatush Mogh, and ʊʊ Moghan, which the Kushuf u! Loghat, a very eininent Persian lexicon, explains by perest, a worshipper of fire; which the Persians suppose all the inhabitants of Ur in Chaldea were, ainong whom the prophet Abraham was brought up. The Mohammedans apply this title by way of derision to Christian monks in their associate capacity: and by a yet stronger catachresis, they ap ply it to a tavern, and the people that frequent it. Also, to ridicule in the most forcible manner the Christian priesthood, they call the tavern-keeper peeri Mughan, the priest, or chief of the idolaters. It is very probable, that the persons mentioned by the evangelist were a sort of astrolo gers, probably of Jewish extraction, that they lived in Arabia Felix, and for the reasons above given, came to worship their new-born Sovereign. It is worthy of remark, that the AngloSaxon translates the word Mayor by tungal pitegan, which signifies astrologers, from tunczol, a star, or planet, and piten, to know or understand. 2. We have seen his star] Having discovered an unusual Inminous appearance or meteor in the heavens, supposing these persons to have been Jews, and knowing the prophecies rela tive to the redemption of Israel, they probably considered this to be the star mentioned by Balaam, Num. xxiv. 17. See the note there. In the east] Εν τη ανατολή, At its rise. Ανατολη and δυσμη are used in the New Testament for east and west. To worship him.] Or, To do him homage: poσkvvηtαι auтw. The word oorkuvero, which is compounded of rpus, to, and xvwv, a dog, signifies to crouch and fawn, like a dog at his master's feet. It means, to prostrate one's self to another, according to the eastern custom, which is still in use. In this act, the person kneels, and puts his head between his knees, his forehead at the same time touching the ground. It was used to express both civil and religious reverence. In Hin dostan, religious homage is paid by prostrating the body at full length, so that the two knees, the two hands, forehead, nose, and cheeks, all touch the earth at the same time. This kind of homage is paid also to great men. AYEEN AKBERY, vol. iii. p. 227. As to what is here called a star, some make it a meteor, others a luminous appearance like an Aurora Borealis; others a come!! There is no doubt the appearance made was very striking: but it seems to have been a simple meteor provi HEROD, the second son of Aristobulus, was king of Chalcis, and after the death of his brother, obtained permission of the emperor to keep the ornaments belonging to the high-priest, and to nominate whom he pleased to that office: Jos. Antiq. 1.ded for the occasion. See on ver. 9. xx. c. 1. He had a son named Aristobulus, to whom Nero gave Armenia the lesser, and who married Salome, the famous dancer, daughter to Herodias. AGRIPPA, Son of Herod Agrippa, king of Judea, and grandson to Aristobulus and Mariamne; he was at first king of Chalcis, and afterward tetrarch of Galilee, in the room of his uncle Philip. Jos. Antiq. 1. xx. c. 5. It was before him, his sister Be. renice, and Felia, who had married Drusilla, Agrippa's se cond daughter, that St. Paul pleaded his cause, as mentioned Acts xxvi. 3. When Herod-heard these things, he was troubled] He rod's consternation was probably occasioned by the agreeinent of the account of the Magi, with an opinion predominant throughout the east, and particularly in Judea, that some great personage would soon inake his appearance, for the de liverance of Israel from their enemies; and would take upon hinself universal empire. SUETONIUS and TACITUS, two Roman historians, mention this. Their words are very remarkable: Percrebuerat oriente toto, vetus et constans opinio, esse in fatis, ut eo tempore JHERODIAS, the daughter of Mariamne and Aristobulus, is the dai profecti rerum potirentur. Id de imperatore Romano, person of whom we have already spoken, who married succes. quantum eventu postea predictum patuit, Judæi rd se tra sively the two brothers Philip and Antipas, her uncles, and hentes, rebellârunt. SVETON. Vesp. "An ancient and settled who occasioned the death of John the Baptist. By her first hus-persuasion prevailed throughout the east, that the Pates ad band, she had Salome, the dancer, who was married to Philip, | decreed some to proceed from Judea, who should attain unitetrarch of the Trachonitis, the son of Herod the Great. Saversal empire. This persuasion, which the event proved ta lome having had no children by him, she was married to Aris respect the Roman emperor, the Jews applied to themselves. tobulus, her cousin german, son of Herod, king of Chalcis, and therefore rebelled." The words of Tacitus are nearly si and brother to Agrippa and Herodias: she had by this hus-milar: Pluribus persuasio inerat, antiquis sacerdotum lite band several children. ris contineri, eo ipso tempore fore, ut valesceret oriens, pro fectique Judæi rerum potirentur. Quæ ombuges Vespas.. anum ac Titum prædirerant. "Many were persuaded, that it was contained in the ancient books of their priests, that at that very time the east should prevail; and that some should proceed from Judea, and possess the dominion. It was Vespa sian and Titus that these ambiguous prophecies predicted." Histor. v This is nearly all that is necessary to be known relative to the race of the Herods, in order to distinguish the particular persons of this family mentioned in the New Testainent. See Basnage, Calmet, and Josephus. There came wise men from the east) Or, Magi came from the eastern countries. The Jews believed that there were prophets in the kingdom of Saba and Arabia, who were of The wise men find the Christ. CHAPTER II. diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed: and, lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and wor shipped him: and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country an other way. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be a1 Kings 19. 2. Ch. 21. 19. Job 5. 12. 1s. 44. 25.-b Or, offered. Pos. 72. 10. Je, CD. 6. 4. The chief priests] Not only the high-priest for the time being, called N 1 cohen ha-rosh, 2 Kings xxv. 18, and his deputy, called in cohen mishneh, with those who had formerly borne the high-priest's office; but also, the chiefs or heads of the twenty four sacerdotal families, which David distributed into so many courses, 1 Chr. xxiv. These latter are stylel on ne sarey ha-cohanim, chief of the priests, 2 Chr. xxxvi. 14. Ezra viii. 24. and on roshey ha cohanim, heads of the priests, Neh. xii. 7. Josephus calls them by the same name as the writers of the New Testament. In his life, sec. 8, he mentions πολλους- των Αρχιερέων, ΜΑΝΥ of the chief priests. The word is used in the singular in this last sense, for a chief of the priests, Acts xix. 14. Scribes) The word Toapparevs, in the Septuagint, is used for a political officer, whose business it was to assist kings and civil magistrates, and to keep an account in writing of public acts and occurrences. Such an officer is called in Hebrew seper ha-melech, o ypappatεvs Tow Bariλews, the king's scribe, or secretary. See LXX. 2 Kings xii. 10. The word is often used by the LXX. for a man of learning, especially for one skilled in the Mosaic law and in the same sense it is used by the New Testament writers. Tpapparivs is therefore to be understood as always implying a man of let ters, or learning, capable of instructing the people. The derivation of the name proves this to be the genuine meaning of the word pappa, a letter, or character, in writing: or pay pura, letters, learning, erudition, and especially that gained rom books. The Hebrew D or sopher, from saphar, to tell, count, cipher, signifies both a book, volume, roll, &c. and a notary, recorder, or historian; and always signifies a man of learning. The word is used, Acts xix. 35, for a civil magistrate at Ephe. sus, probably such an one as we would terin recorder. It appears that Herod at this time gathered the whole sanhedrim, in order to get the fullest information on a subject, by which all his jealous fears had been alarmed. The holy family flee into Egypt. thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod that it might be 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the 18 In Raia was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weep- eCh.1.80.-d Hes. 11. 1.-e Jer. 31.15. hom he replied, But why should this be prejudicial to him? Carry him what you buy here, and if you have no money today, after some days I will come back and receive it. After soine days he returned to that city, and saith to her, How does the little infant? And she said, From the time you sawo me last, spirits and tempests came, and snatched him away out of my hands." R. Bon saith, What need have we to learn from an Arabian? Is it not plainly written, And Lebanon shall fall before the powerful one1 (Isa. x. 34.) And what follows after? A branch shall come out of the root of Jesse. (Isa. xi. 1.) "The Babylonian doctors yield us a confession not very unlike the former. R. Charinah saith: After four hundred years are past from the destruction of the temple, if any one shall say to you, Take to thyself, for one penny, a field worth a thousand pence, do not take it. And again, After four thousand two hundred thirty and one years from the creation of the world, if any shall say to you, Take, for a penny, a field worth a thousand pence, take it not. The gloss is, For that is the time of redemption, and you shall be brought to the holy mountain, to the inheritance of your fathers; why, therefore, should you misspend your penny? "You may fetch the reason of this calculation, if you have leisure, out of the tract sanhedrim. The tradition of the school of Elias, the world is to last six thousand years, &c. And a little after, Elias said to Rabh Judah, The world shall last not less than eighty five jubilees: and in the last jubilee shall the son of David come. He saith to him, Whether in the begin ning of it, or in the end? He answered him, I know not. Whe ther is this whole time to be finished first, or not? He answered him, I know not. But Rabh Asher asserts, that he answered thus, Until then, expect him not, but from thence expect him. Hear your own countrymen, O Jew, how many centuries of years are past by and gone, from the eighty-fifth jubilee of the world, that is, the year MMMMCCL, and yet the Messias of your expectation is not yet come. raised into the expectation of him. Hence it was doubted of the Baptist, whether he were not the Messias. Luke iii. 15. Hence it was, that the Jews were gathered together from all countries unto Jerusalem, Acts ii. expecting, and coming to see, because, at that time, the term of revealing the Messias, that had been prefixed by Daniel, was come. Hence it was, that there was so great a number of false Christs, Mat. xxiv. 5, &c. taking the occasion of their impostures hence, that now the time of that great expectation was at hand, and fulfilled: and in one word, They thought the kingdom of God should presently appear: Luke xix. 11. Daniel's weeks had so clearly defined the time of the true 5. In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the pro-Messias his coming, that the minds of the whole nation were phet) As there have been several confused notions ainong the Jews, relative not only to the Messiali, and his character, but also to the time of his birth; it may be necessary to add to what has already been said on this subject, the following extracts from the Talmudists and Gemnarists, quoted by LIGHT FOOT. At the close of a long dissertation on the year of our Lord's birth, (which he places in the 35th of the reign of Herod, not the last or 37th as above,) he says, "It will not be improper here to produce the Gemarists themselves openly confessing that the Messius had been born, a good while ago be fore their times. For so they write: After this the children of Israel shall be converted, and shall inquire after the Lord "But when those times of expectation were past, nor did their God, and David their king: Hos. iii. 5. Our Rabbins such a Messias appear, as they expected, (for when they saw say, That is King Messias, If he be among the living, his the true Messias, they would not see him,) they first broke out name is Darid, or if dead, David is his name. R. Tanchum into various, and those wild, conjectures of the time; and at said, Thus I prove it: He showeth mercy to David his Mes-length, all those conjectures coming to nothing, all ended in siah. (Ps. xviii. 50) R. Joshua ben Levi saith, His name is this curse, (the just cause of their eternal blindness) 50 Im¬ s semuch, a Branch. (Zech. iii. 8.) R. Juban bar Arbus May their soul be confounded, who compute saith, His name is Menahem. (That is pakinros, the Com. the times." They were fully aware, that the time foretold by forter.)" And that which happened to a certain Jew, as he the prophets must be long since fulfilled; and that their obsti was ploughing, agreell with this business. A certain Ara- nacy inust be confounded by their own history, and the chirobian travelling, and hearing the ox bellow, said to the Jew at nology of their own Scriptures; and therefore they have proplough, O Jer, loose thy oxen, and loose thy ploughs, for be nounced an anathema on those who shall attempt to examine, hold the temple is laid waste. The or bellowed the second time; by chronological computations, the prophecies that predict the Arabian saith to him, O Jer, Jew, yoke thy oren, and fit his coming. Who can conceive a state of wilful blindness or thy ploughs; ED NOSO TISING For, behold! King Messiah determined obstinacy superior to this? is horn. But, saith the Jew, What is his name? Menahem, saith he, (i. e. the Comforter.) And what is the name of his father? Hezekiah, saith the Arabian. To whom the Jew, But whence is he? The other answered, From the palace of the Art not the least] In Mic. v. 2, it is read, Though thou be little king of Bethlehem Judah. Away he went, and sold his oxen tsair lehayoth, little to be. Houbigant, struck and his ploughs, and became a seller of infant's swaddling with the oddness of the construction of the Hebrew, by divi lothes, going about from town to town. When he came to that ding the last word, and making a small change in two of the city. (Bethlehen,) all the women bought of him, but the mother letters, makes the prophet agree with the evangelist, of Menahem har gitt nothing. He heard the voice of the women, tsair lo hayita, thou art not the least. Several learned saying, Othou mother of Menahem, thou mother of Menahem, curry thy son the things that are here sold. But she replied, May the enemies of Israel be strangled, because on the day that he was born, the temple was laid waste. To whom he said, But we hoped, that as it was laid waste at his feet, so at his feet it could be built again. She saith, I have no money. To 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda] To distinguish it from Bethlehem, in the tribe of Zebulon: Josh. xix. 15. See on ver. 1. men are of opinion, that the copy from which St. Matthew 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. • A M. 400% B. C. cir. 2. An. Olymp. CXCIV. 3. Ch. 3. 13. Luke 2.39. settle at Nazareth. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called b Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. b John 1. 45,- Judg. 13. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 11. unto my lord: Psa. cx. 1. All these passages the Jews refer ic the Messiah. See Schoettgen. Among the princes of Judah.) In Mic. v. 2, it is, the thousands of Judah. There is much reason to believe, that each tribe was divided into small portions called thousands, as in Eng- 16. Slew all the children.] This cruelty of Herod seems allu. land certain small divisions of counties are called hundreds.ded to in very decisive terms by Macrobius, who flourished toFor the proof of the first, the reader is referred to Judg. vi. 15, wards the conclusion of the fourth century. In his chapter De where, instead of my FAMILY is poor in Manasseh: the He-jocis Augusti in alios, et aliorum rursus in ipsum, he says, brew is, my THOUSAND (DN) is the meanest in Manasseh: Cum Audisset inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Ju and to 1 Sam. x. 19, Present yourselves before the Lord by your deorum, intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus TRIBES and by your THOUSANDS: and to 1 Chr. xii. 20, Cap- occisum, ait, Melius est Herodis PORCUM esse, quam FILIUM. tains of the THOUSANDS of Manasseh. Now these THOUSANDS "When he heard that among those male infants about two being petty governments, Matthew renders them by the word years old, which Herod, the king of the Jews, ordered to be nycod, because the word princes or governors was more slain in Syria, one of his sons was also murdered, he said: intelligible in the Greek tongue, than thousands, though in 'It is better to be Herod's HOG than his son."" Saturn, lib. ii. this case, they both signify the same. See Wakefield. c. 4. The point of this saying consists in this: that Herod, professing Judaism, his religion forbade his killing swine, or having any thing to do with their flesh; therefore, his hog would have been safe, where his son lost his life. 18. In Rama was there a voice heard.] These words, quoted from Jer. xxxi. 15, were originally spoken concerning the captivity of the ten tribes; but are here elegantly applied to the murder of the innocents at Bethlehem. As if he had said, Bethlehem at this time resembled Rama; for as Rachel might be said to weep over her children, which were slaughtered, or gone into captivity; so in Bethlehem the inothers lamented bitterly their children, because they were slain. The word Bonvos, lamentation, is omitted by the Codd. Vatic. Cypr, one of Selden's MSS. the Syriac, Arabic, Persie, Ethiopic, all the Itala, (except that in the Cod. Beza,) Vulgate, and Sazon, several of the fathers, and, above all, Jeremiah, chap. xxxi. 15, from which it is quoted. Griesbach leaves it in the text with a note of doubtfulness. That shall rule my people Israel.] Voris rotpavel, Who shall FEED my prople? That is, as a shepherd feeds his flock. Among the Greeks, kings are called, by Homer, Aar notueres, shepherds of the people. This appellation probably originated froin the pastoral employment which kings and patriarchs did not blusir to exercise in the times of primitive simplicity: and it might particularly refer to the case of David, the great type of Christ, who was a keeper of his father's sheep, before he was raised to the throne of Israel. As the government of a good king was similar to the care a good shepherd has of his flock, hence rouny, signified both shepherd and king; and Torpair, to feed and to rule, among the ancient Greeks. 8. That I may come and worship him also.] See v. 2, and on Gen. xvii. 3, and Ex. iv. 31. What exquisite hypocrisy was here! he only wished to find out the child that he might murder him -but see, how that God who searches the heart, prevents the designs of wicked men from being accomplished! 9. In the east.) Or, at its rise. See ver. 2. Stood over where the young child was.] Super caput pueri, | Over the head of the child, as the OPUS IMPERFECTUM, on this place, has it. See Griesbach's Var. Lect. So it appears to have been a simple luminous meteor, in a star-like form, and at a very short distance from the ground, otherwise it could not have ascertained the place where the child lay. But the last quoted reading, from the Opus Imperfectum, justifies the opinion, that the luminous appearance which had hitherto directed them, now encompassed the head of the child: and probably this gave the first idea to the ancient painters, of repre senting Christ in the manger, with a glory surrounding his head. 11. They presented unto him gifts.] The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. This custoin is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South-Sea Islands. 20. They are dead.] Both Herod and Antipater his son: thongh some think that the plural is here used for the singular, and that the death of Herod alone is here intended. But as Herod's son Antipater was at this time heir apparent to the throne, and he had cleared his way to it by procuring the death of both his elder brothers; he is probably alluded to here, as doubtless he entered into his father's designs. THEY are dead-Antipater was put to death by his father's command, five days before this execrable tyrant went to his own place. Sce Jos Antiq, xvi. 11. xvii. 9. 22. When he heard that Archelaus did reign.] Herod, having put Antipater his eldest sor to death, altered his will, and thus disposed of nis dominions: he gave the tetrarchy of Galilee and Petrea to his son Antipas: the tetrarchy of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea, and Paneadis, to his son Philip: and left the kingdom of Judea, to his eldest remaining son, Archelaus. This son partook of the cruel and blood-thirsty disposi tion of his father; at one of the passovers, he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his tyranny and cruelty, Augustus deprived him of the government, and banished hiin. His character considered, Joseph, with great propriety, forbore to settle under his juris. diction. He turned aside into the parts of Galilee.] Here Antipas go disposition: and being intent on building two cities, Julias and Tiberias, he endeavoured, by a mild carriage, and promises of considerable immunities, to entice people from other provinces to come and settle in them. He was, besides, in a state of eninity with his brother Archelaus: this was a most favourable circumstance to the holy family; and though God did not permit them to go to any of the new cities, yet they dwelt in peace, safety, and comfort, at Nazareth. Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.] Some will have these gifts to be emblematic of the Divinity, regal office, and manhood of Christ. "They offered him incense as their God; gold, as their king; and myrrh, as united to a human body, subject to suffering and death." Aurum, thus, myrrham, regique, DEO, HOMINIQUE, dona ferunt. JUVENCUs. Rather, they offered him the things which were in most esteem among them-verned, who is allowed to have been of a comparatively mild sives; and which were productions of their own country, The gold was probably a very providential supply, as on it, it is likely, they subsisted while in Egypt. 13. Flee into Egypt.] Many Jews had settled in Egypt, not only those who had fled thither in the time of Jeremiah, see ch. xlviii. out many others who had settled there also, on account of the temple which Onias IV. had built at Heliopolis. Those who could speak the Greek tongue enjoyed many advantages in that country: besides, they had the Greek version of the Septuagint, which had been translated nearly 300 years before this time. Egypt was now a Roman province, and the rage of Herod could not pursue the holy family to this place. There is an apocryphal work in Arabic, called the Gospel of the infancy, which pretends to relate all the acts of Jesus and Mary while in Egypt. I have taken the pains to read this through, and have found it to be a piece of gross superstition, having nothing to entitle it to a shadow of credibility. 15. Out of Egypt have I called my son.] This is quoted from Hos. xi. 1, where the deliverance of Israel, and that only, is referred to. But as that deliverance was extraordinary, it is very likely that it had passed into a proverb, so that "Out of Egypt have I called my son," might have been used to express any signal deliverance. I confess, I can see no other reference it can have to the case in hand, unless we suppose, which is possible, that God might have referred to this future bringing up of his Son Jesus from Egypt, under the type of the past de liverance of Israel from the same land. Midrash Tehillin, on Ps. ii. 7, has these remarkable words: I will publish a decree: this decree has been published in the Law. in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographia. In the Law, Israel is my first born son: Ex. iv. 22. In the Prophets, Behold my servant shall deal prudently: Isu. lii. 13. In the Hagiographia, The Lord said 23. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets.] It is difficult to ascertain by what prophets this was spoken. The margin usually refers to Judg. xiii. 5, where the angel, foretelling the birth of Samson, says, No razor shali come upon his head; for the child shall be a NAZARITE (7) nezir) unto God from the womb. The second passage usually referred to, is Is. xi. 1. There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH (73) netser) shall grow out of his roots. That this refers to Christ, there is no doubt: Jer. chap. xxiii. 5, is supposed to speak in the same language—I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH; but here, the word is nos tsemach, not netser; and it is the same in the paral lel place, Zec. iii. 8. vi. 12. therefore, these two prophets cannot be referred to: but the passages in Judges and Isciah may have been in the eye of the evangelists, as well as the whole institution relative to the Nazarite. ( nezir) delivered at large, Num. vi, where see the notes. As the Nazarite was the most pure and perfect institution under the law, it is possible, that God intended to point out by it, not only the perfection of our Lord, but also the purity of his followers. And it is likely, that before St. Matthew wrote this Gospel, those afterward called Christians, bore the appellation of Nazarites, or Nazoreans, for so the Greek word, Nazwpatos, should be written. Leaving the spiritual reference out of the John the Baptist begins CHAPTER III. to preach and to baptize. question, the Nazarene, or Nazorean, here, may mean simply and most of their quotations agree verbally, and often even an inhabitant or person of Nazareth; as Galilean does a per- literally, with one or other of the copies of that version which son, or inhabitant of Galilee. The evangelist evidently design-subsist to the present day. Want of attention to the difference ed to state, that neither the sojourning at Nazareth, nor our Lord being called a Nazarene, were fortuitous events, but were wisely determined and provided for in the providence of God, and therefore foretold by inspired men, or fore-represented by significant institutions. of copies in the Septuagint version, has led some divines and critics into strange and even ridiculous mistakes, as they have taken that for THE SEPTUAGINT, which existed in the printed copy before them; which sometimes happened not to be the most correct. But how shall we account for the manner in which St. Mat- On the birthplace of our Lord, a pious and sensible man has thew and others apply this, and various other circumstances, made the following observations: to the fulfilment of ancient traditions? This question has great- "At first sight, it seems of little consequence to know the ly agitaten divines and critics for more than a century. Su-place of Christ's nativity; for we should consider him as our enhusius, Hebrew professor at Amsterdam, and editor of a Redeemer, whatever the circumstances might be which atvery splendid and useful edition of the Mishna, in six vols. tended his mortal life. But, seeing it has pleased God to anfol. published an express treatise on this subject, in 1713, full nounce, beforehand, the place where the Saviour of the world of deep research and sound criticism. He remarks great dif- should be born, it became necessary that it should happen preference in the mode of quoting, used in the Sacred Writings; cisely in that place; and that this should be one of the characas, It hath been said-it is written-that it might be fulfilled teristics whereby Jesus Christ should be known to be the true which was spoken by the prophets-the Scripture says-see Messiah. what is said the Scripture foreseeing-he saith-is it not written?-the saying that is written, &c. &c. With great pains and industry, he has collected ten rules ont of the Tal mud and the Rabbins, to explain and justify all the quotations made from the Old Testament in the New. RULE I. Reading the words not according to the regular vowel points, but to others substituted for them. He thinks this is done by Peter, Acts iii. 22, 23. by Stephen, Acts vii. 42, &c. and by Paul, I Cor. xv. 54. 2 Cor. viii. 15. RULE IL Changing the letters, as done by St. Paul, Rom. ix. 33. 1 Cor. ix. 9, &c. Heb. viii. 9, &c. Heb. x. 5. RULE III. Changing both letters and vowel points, as he sup-ber of people, that place is best where they can find the greatposes is done by St. Paul, Acts xiii. 40, 41. 2 Ĉor. viii. 15. RULE IV. Adding some letters, and retrenching others. RULE V. Transposing words and letters. RULE VI. Dividing one word into tico. RULE VII. Adding other words, to make the sense more clear. RULE VIII Changing the original order of the words. RULE IX. Changing the original order, and adding other words. RULE X. Changing the original order, and adding and retrenching words, which he maintains is a method often used by St. Paul. "It is also matter of small importance to us, where we may live, provided we find genuine happiness. There is no place on earth, however poor and despicable, but may have better and more happy inhabitants than many of those are, who dwell in the largest and most celebrated cities. Do we know a single place on the whole globe where the works of God do not appear under a thousand different forms, and where a person may not feel that blessed satisfaction which arises from a holy and Christian life? For an individual, that place is preferable to all others, where he can get and do most good. For a numest number of wise and pious men. Every nation declines, in proportion as virtue and religion lose their influence on the minds of the inhabitants. The place where a young man first beheld the dawn, and the beauty of renewed nature, and with most lively sensations of joy and gratitude adored his God with all the veneration and love his heart was capable of; the place where a virtuous couple first met, and got acquainted; or where two friends gave each other the noblest proofs of their most tender affection; the village where one may have given Let it be observed, that although all these rules are used by or seen, the most remarkable example of goodness, uprightness, the rabbins, yet, as far as they are employed by the sacred and patience: such places, I say, must be dear to their hearts. writers of the New Testament, they never, in any case, con- "Bethlehem was, according to this rule, notwithstanding its tradict what they quote from the Old, which cannot be said of smallness, a most venerable place; seeing, that there, so many the rabbins: they only explain what they quote, or accommo pious people had their abode; and that acts of peculiar piety date the passage to the facts then in question. And who will had often been performed in it. First, the patriarch Jacob venture to say, that the Holy Spirit has not a right, in any sub-stopped some time in it, to erect a monument to his well-beseqent period, to explain and illustrate his own meaning, by loved Rachel. It was at Bethlehem that honest Naomi, and showing that it had a greater extension in the Divine mind, her modest daughter-in-law Ruth, gave such proofs of their than could have been then perceived by men? And has HE faith and holiness; and in it Boaz, the generous benefactor, not a right to add to what he has formerly said, if it seem right had his abode and his possessions. At Bethlehem the humble in his own sight? Is not the whole of the New Testament an Jesse sojourned, the happy father of so many sons; the young. addition to the Old, as the Apostolic Epistles are to the Nar- est of whom rose from the pastoral life to the throne of Israel. rative of our Lord's Life and Acts, as given by the evangelists? It was in this comitry that David formed the resolution of Gusset, Wolf, Rosenmuller, and others, give four rules; ac-building a house for the Lord, and in which he showed himcording to which, the phrase, that it might be fulfilled, may be self the true shepherd and father of his subjects, when, at the applied in the New Testament. RULE I. When the thing pre-sight of the destroying angel, whose sword spread consternadicted, is literally accomplished. RULE II. When that is done tion and death on all hands, he made intercession for his peoof which the Scripture has spoken, not in a literal sense, but ple. It was in Bethlehem that Zerubbabel the prince was born, in a spiritual sense. RULE III. When a thing is done neither this descendant of David, who was the type of that Ruler and in a literal nor spiritual sense, according to the fact referred Shepherd, under whose empire Israel is one day to assemble, to in the Scripture; but is simular to that fact. RULE IV. When in order, enjoy uninterrupted happiness. Lastly, in this city that which has been mentioned in the Old Testament as for the Son of God appeared; who, by his birth, laid the foundamerly done, is accomplished in a larger or more extensive tion of that salvation, which, as Redeemer, he was to purchase sense in the New Testament. by his death for the whole world. Thus, in places which, from their smallness, are entitled to little notice, men sometimes spring, who become the benefactors of the human race. Often, an inconsiderable village has given birth to a man, who, by his wisdom, uprightness, and heroism, has been a blessing to whole kingdonis." Sturm's Reflections, translated by A. C. v. 4. CHAPTER III. St. Matthew seems to quote according to all these rules; and it will be useful to the reader, to keep them constantly in view. I may add here, that the writers of the New Testament seem often to differ from those of the Old, because they appear uniformly to quote from some copy of the Septuagint version; John the Baptist begins to preach, 1. The subject of his preaching, 2, 3. Description of his clothing and food, 4. The success of his ministry, 5,6. His exhortation to the Pharisees, 1-9. He denounces the judgments of God against the impenitent, 10. The design of his baptism, and that of Christ, 11, 12. He baptizes Christ in Jordan, 13-15; who is attested to be the Messiah by the Holy Spirit, and a voice from heaven, 16, 17. A. M. 4030. A. D. 26. An. Olymp. CCI. 2.] 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, say. ing, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. d lsa 40. 3. Mark 1.3. Luke 3. 4. John 1. 23- Luke 1. 76. 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. a Mark 1. 4,15. Luke 3.2,3. John 1.25-b Josh. 14. 10.-e Dan. 2. 44. Ch.4.17. & 10.7. NOTES.-Verse 1. John the Baptist.] John, surnamed the Came-preaching.] Knovorov, proclaiming as a herald, a Baptist, because he required those to be baptized, who profess matter of great and solemn importance to men; the subject ed to be contrite because of their sins, was the son of a priest not his own, nor of himself; but from that God from whom named Zacharias, and his wife Flizabeth, and was born about alone he had received his commission. See on the nature aud A. M. 3999, and about six months before our blessed Lord. Of importance of the heroid's office, at the end of this chapter. his almost miraculous conception and birth, we have a cir: Kapuccetv, says Roseninuller, de iis dicitur, qui in PLATELS cumstantial account in the Gospel of Luke, ch. i. to which, and in CAMPIS, in AERE aperto, ut a multis audiantur, vocem the notes there, the reader is requested to refer. For his fidelity tollunt, &c. "The verb «npvoacir is applied to those, who, in in reproving Herod for his incest with his brother Philip's wife, the streets, fields, and open air, lift up their voice, that they he was cast into prison, no doubt at the suggestion of Herodias, may be heard by many, and proclaim what has been committhe profligate woman in question. He was at last beheaded atted to them by regal or public authority; as the KERUKES her instigation, and his head given as a present to Salome, her among the Greeks, and the PRECONES among the Romans. daughter, who, by her elegant dancing, had highly gratified The wilderness of Judea.] That is, the country parts, as disHerod, the paramour of her incestuous mother. His ministry tinguished from the city; for in this sense the word wilderness, was short: for he appears to have been put to death in the 7070 midbar, or 127 midharioth, is used among the rab 27th or 28th year of the Christian era. bins. John's manner of life gives no countenance to the Ere 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and d wild honey. a Mark 1.6-b? Kings 1. 9. Zech. 12. 4-c Lev. 11. 22 mite or hermit's life, so strongly recommended and applauded by the Roman church. the Baptist-his manner of life. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, 5 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins d1 Sam. 14. 23,235.-e Mark 1.5. Luke 3. 7.- Acts 19. 4, 18. ramis. Afterward she went into Persia, and all the other countries of Asia, subject to her dominion; and wherever she went, she ordered the mountains and precipices to be levelled, raised causeways in the plain country, and, at a great expense, made the ways passable." Diod. Sic. lib. ii, and Bp. Lowth. The Jewish church was that desert country, to which John was sent, to announce the coming of the Messiah. It was destitute at that time of all religious cultivation, and of the spirit and practice of piety; and John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, by preaching the doctrine of repentance. The desert is therefore to be considered as affording a proper em blem of the rude state of the Jewish church, which was the true wilderness meant by the prophet, and in which John was to prepare the way of the promised Messiah. The awful im portance of the matter, and the vehemence of the manner of the Baptist's preaching, probably acquired him the character of the crier, Boov. 2. Repent) Meravorite. This was the matter of the preach ing. The verb peravoto, is either compounded of pera, after, and votiv, to understand, which signifies, that after hearing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and hell. Or the word may be derived from pera, after, and avota, madness, which intimates, that the whole life of a sinner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly; and if to live in a constant opposition to all the dictates of true wisdom; to wage war with his own best interests in time and eternity; to provoke and insult the Living God; and, by habitual sin, to prepare himself only for a state of misery, be evidences of in. sanity, every sinner exhibits thein plentifully. It was from this notion of the word, that the Latins termed repentance resipiscentia, a growing wise again, from re and sapere; or, according to Tertullian, Resipiscentia quasi receptio mentis ad se, restoring the mind to itself: Contra Marcion, lib. ii. Repentance then implies, that a measure of divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and that he thereby becomes wise to salvation. That his mind, purposes, opinions, and inclinations, are changed; and that, in consequence, there is a total change in his conduct. It need scarcely be remarked, that, in this state, a man feels deep anguish of soul, because he has sinned against God, unfitted himself for heaven, and exposed his soul to hell. Hence, a true penitent has that sorrow, where-insect called the locust, which makes still a part of the food by he forsakes sin, not only because it has been ruinous to his own soul, but because it has been offensive to God. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.] Referring to the prophecy of Daniel, ch. vii. 13, 14, where the reign of Christ among men is expressly foretold. This phrase, and the kingdom of God, mean the same thing, viz. the dispensation of infinite mercy, and manifestation of eternal truth, by Christ Jesus: producing the true knowledge of God, accompanied with that worship which is pure and holy, worthy of that God who is its institutor and its object. But why is this called a kingdom? Because it has its lairs, all the moral precepts of the Gospel: its subjects, all who believe in Christ Jesus: and its king, the Sovereign of heaven and earth. N. B. Jesus Christ never saved a soul which he did not govern; nor is this Christ precious or estimable to any man who does not feel a spirit of subjection to the Divine will. But why is it called the kingdom of HEAVEN? Because God designed that his kingdom of grace here, should resemble the kingdom of glory above. And hence our Lord teaches us to pray, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, says St. Paul, Rom. xiv. 17. does not consist in the gratification of sensual passions, or worldly ambition: but is righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost. Now what can there be more than this in glory Righteousness, without mixture of sin; peace, without strife, or contention; joy in the Holy Ghost, spiritual joy, without mixture of misery! And all this, it is possible, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, to enjoy here below. How then does hearen itself differ from this state? Answer. It makes the righteousness eternal, the peace eternal, and the joy eternal. This is the heaven of heavens! The phrase, kingdom of hea. ven, prow mobo malcyth shamayim, is frequently used by the rabbinical writers, and always means, the purity of the Divine worship, and the blesseduess which a righteous man feels when employed in it. It is further added, This kingdom is at hand. The dispen sation of the glorious Gospel was now about to be fully opened, and the Jews were to have the first offers of salvation. This kingdom is also at hand to us, and wherever Christ crucified is preached, there is salvation to be found. JESUS is proclaimed to thee, O man! as infinitely able and willing to save. Believe in his name-cast thy soul upon his atonement, and enter into rest! 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness.] Or, A voice of a crier in the wilderness. This is quoted from Isa. xl. 3. which clearly proves, that John the Baptist was the person of whom the prophet spoke. Te idea is taken from the practice of eastern monarchs, who, whenever they entered upon an expedition, or took a journey through a desert country, sent harbingers before them, to prepare all things for their passage; and pioneers to open the passes, to level the ways, and to remove all impediments. The officers appointed to superintend such preparations, were called by the Latins, stratores. For the meaning of the word JOHN, see the note on Mark i. 4. 4. His raiment of camel's hair.] A sort of coarse or rough covering, which, it appears, was common to the prophets. Zech. xiii. 4. In such a garment we find Elijah clothed, 2 Kgs. 8. And as John had been designed under the name of this prophet, Mal. iv. 5. whose spirit and qualifications he was to possess, Luke i. 17. he took the same habit, and lived in the same state of self-denial. His meat was locusts.] Arpides Arts may either signify the in the land of Judea; or the top of a plant. Many eminent com. mentators are of the latter opinion; but the first is the most likely. The Saxon translator has gæptapan, grasshoppers, Wild honey] Such as he got in the rocks and hollows of trees, and which abounded in Judea; see 1 Sam. xiv. 26. It is most likely that the dried locusts, which are an article of food in Asiatic countries to the present day, were fried in the honey, or compounded in some manner with it. The Gospel ac. cording to the Hebrews, as quoted by Epiphanius, seems to have taken a similar view of the subject, as it adds here to the text, Oun yevois ny tov parva, ws sy Kots EV Exat. And its taste was like manna, as a sweet cake baked in oil. 6. In Jordan.] Many of the best MSS, and versions, with Mark i. 5. add rauw, the river Jordan; but the definitive article, with which the word is generally accompanied, both in the Hebrew and the Greek, is sufficient; and our article the, which should ever be used in the translation, expresses the force of the other. 6. Were baptized.] In what form baptism was originally administered, has been deemed a subject worthy of serious dispute. Were the people dipped or sprinkled? for it is certain Barro and Barrito mean both. They were all dipped, say some. Can any man suppose, that it was possible for John to dip all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, and of all the country round about the Jordan? Were both men and women dipped, for certainly both came to his baptism? This could never have comported either with safety or with decency. Were they dipped in their clothes? This would have endan gered their lives, if they had not with them change of raiment : and as such a baptism as John's (however administered) was, in several respects, a new thing in Judea, it is not at all likely that the people would come thus provided. But suppose these were dipped, which I think it would be impossible to prove, does it follow, that in all regions of the world, men and women must be dipped, in order to be evangelically baptized? In the eastern countries, bathings were frequent, because of the heat of the climate, it being there so necessary to cleanliness and health; but could our climate, or a more northerly one, admit of this with safety, for at least three fourths of the year? We may rest assured that it could not. And may we not presume, that if John had opened his commission in the north of Great Britain, for many months of the year, he would have dipped neither man nor woman, unless he could have procured a tepid bath? Those who are dipped or immersed in water in the name of the Holy Trinity, I believe to be evangelically bap.. tized. Those who are washed or sprinkled with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, D believe to be equally so: and the repetition of such a baptism believe to be profane. Others have a right to believe the contrary, if they sea good. After all, it is the thing signified, and not the mode, which is the essential part of the sacrament. See the note on Mark x. 16. I Confessing their sins.] Etopoλoyovpevot, earnestly acknowledging that their sins were their own. And thus taking the whole blame upon themselves, and laying nothing to the charge of GoD or man. This is essential to true repentance; and till a man take the whole blame on himself, he cannot feet the absolute need he has of casting his soul on the mercy of God, that he may be saved. Diodorus's account of the march of Semiramis into Media and Persia will give us a clear notion of the preparation of the way for a royal expedition. "In her march to Ecbatane, she came to the Zarccan mountain, which extending many urlongs, and being full of craggy precipices and deep hollows, could not be passed without making a great compass about. 7. Pharisees. A very numerous sect among the Jews, who, Being, therefore, desirous of leaving an everlasting memorial in their origin, were, very probably, a pure and holy people, of herself, as well as shortening the way, she ordered the pre-It is likely that they got the name of Pharisees, i. e. Separa cipices to be digged down, and the hollows to be filled up: and, tists, (from D pharash, to separate) from their separating at a great expense, she made a shorter and more expeditious themselves from the pollution of the Jewish national worship.. rond, which, to this day, is called from her, The Road of Semi-and hence, the word in the Anglo-Saxon version is sundon.. |