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13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, a sea port town on the borders of Zabulon and Naphthali, 14 that these words of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphthali, along the sea-side, about Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people which were in darkness saw great light, and to them who dwelt in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.

ver. 15. Isa. ix. 1, 2. v. 16. Isa. xlii. 7.

v. 13. Learing Nazareth.] Where he dwelt, till his baptism, Mark i. 9. What induced him to leave it, was the incredulity of the inhabitants. Luke iv. 29.

In Capernaum.] Which Jesus Christ chose for the place of his residence, Matt. ix. 1. Mark ii. 1. as being a large city and where he was likely to bring abundance of people to the knowledge of his gospel. Matt. xi. 23.

A sea-port town.] Situated near the lake of Genesareth, which is called in scripture the sea of Cinnereth, Numb. xxxiv. 2. Josh. xii. 1. as also the sea of Galilee, or of Tiberias, Matt. iv. 18. John vi. 1. The Jews were wont to give the name of sea to all collections of water. For an account of the bigness of this lake, and the fruitfulness of the neighbouring country, see Josephus of the wars of the Jews, 1. iii. c. 18.

v. 14. That these words of the prophet.] See Isa. viii. 22. This prophecy relates, in its primary signification, to the wonderful deliverance of the Jews by the overthrow of Sennacherib's army 2 Kings xix. 36. St. Matthew applies it here to the spiritual deliverance that was wrought in Galilee by our Saviour's presence and preaching, wherein Isaiah's prophecy was fully verified.

v. 15. About] The Gr. word (πéρav) which is commonly rendered beyond, signifies both on this, and the other side, as also what lies near a place, or along a river. For proof of this, see Deut. i. 1, 5.

Josh. xii. 1, 7. and John vi. 1.

Galilee of the Gentiles.]

i. e.

Upper Galilee, wherein several nations were settled, such as Phenicians, Egyptians, Arabians, and other heathenish nations.

v. 16. Which were.] Gr. which sate.

In darkness-in the region and shadow of death.] This country underwent very great hardships, during the calamities which befel the kingdoms of Israel and Juda: these were for it times of darkness and of the shadow of death, i. e. of extreme affliction, according to the scripture style, wherein light is used to denote prosperity, and darkness adversity, Isa. xlv. 7. and elsewhere. The prophet had foretold that this country should see happier days, which happened, when Jesus Christ preached the gospel there.

17 From that time JESUS began to preach, Repent, said he, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 As JESUS was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, namely, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, (for they were fishermen.) 19 And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 Upon which they immediately left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from thence, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother who were in a ship, with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; JESUS having called them, 22 they instantly quitted the ship and their father, and followed him.

23. Thus JESUS went over all Galilee, teaching in

ver. 17. Matt. iii. 2. x. 7. Mark i. 14, 15. Luke ix. 2. Mark i. 16. Luke v. 2. John i. 42.

v. 18.

v. 17. Began to preach.] Jesus had already preached at Jerusalem and in Judea, See John iv. 3. and v. 12. of this chapter. But St. Matthew having omitted this part of the evangelical history, he dates the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry from his preaching in Galilee.

The kingdom.] See the note on Matt. iii. 2. John the Baptist gave notice that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. Jesus Christ declares that he is come, and orders his Apostles to reveal the same thing to the world.

v. 18. Called Peter.] See Matt. xvi. 13. comp. John i. 42. Casting their nets.] For an account of the call of these two Apostles, see the note on Mark i. 16.

v. 19. Follow me.] They had already acknowledged Jesus for the Messiah, upon the testimony of John the Baptist, John i. 35. They had even readily followed him; but it appears from the relation of St. Matthew and St. Mark i. 16, 17. that they afterwards withdrew again into their own houses. See the note on Mark i. 17.

I will make you fishers, &c.] i. e. "Ye shall gain and convert them from sin and misery, to righteousness and happiness." [Dr. Clarke in loc.]

v. 21. James.] This was James Major, or the Elder, the brother of St. John the Evangelist, who were both sons of Zebedee and Salome. It was this James Major that was put to death by Herod. Acts

xii. 2.

v. 23. Synagogues.] This is a general word, which in its original meaning signifies both civil and ecclesiastical assemblies, and also the

their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and healing all manner of diseases and infirmities among the people. 24. By this means his fame was spread over all Syria, and all sick persons, who were troubled with divers distempers and pains, men possessed with devils, lunatics, paralyticks, were brought

places where those assemblies were kept. Here, as also Matt. xiii. 54. and almost all over the New Testament, it is taken for the places or buildings, where the Jews met to pray, and to hear the interpretation of the law and the prophets, and this is the common acceptation of the word Synagogue. It is manifest from Acts xv. 21. that there had been of a long time synagogues in each city, and that the Jews were used to meet therein every sabbath-day. These synagogues had several heads and officers, who performed different functions, that of the scribes was to teach and instruct the congregation: But it was evident from Acts xiii. 15. that after the reading of the law and the prophets, the heads of the synagogue desired such learned and grave persons as happened to be there, to make a discourse to the people; and by virtue of this custom it was, that Jesus Christ and St. Paul were allowed to preach in the synagogues. Acts ix. 23. xiv. 1.

Of diseases.] The term in the original signifies long, and painful diseases, that were very hard to cure. The Seventy, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. have used the same word when speaking of Asa's distemper which seems to have been the gout. And the same authors have rendered by the like word the original Hebrew term, Gen. xlii. 4, 38. which is by the Chaldee paraphrasts and Jewish interpreters translated death; i. e. a deadly accident or distemper.

v. 24. Syria.] A province near Galilee.

And pains.] The Greek (Baoάvoc) properly signifies a rack or torture, but is used here to denote diseases extremely grievous and painful.

Possessed with Devils.] The Jews were persuaded that those diseases that were attended with surprising and uncommon symptoms, were caused by devils, which God employed in chastising mankind. Hence they gave most diseases the name of unclean or evil spirits. Thus also madness hath by the Greeks been styled a devil; and when any one was afflicted with it, they were wont to say that he was possessed with a devil. Among those many diseases that were cured by Jesus Christ, it cannot certainly be questioned but that some were really caused by devils, since he speaks to them, and since we find them complaining that he tormented them before their time. But it is also probable, that some of them were owing only to natural causes, though they were by the Jews ascribed to the devil, according to the language and prejudices of that nation. See the note on v. 1. of chap x. of this gospel.

Lunatics.] It is manifest from the symptoms of this disease, as set down Matt. xvii. 15. Luke ix. 39. Mark ix. 17. that it differed but little,

to him, and he healed them. 25 And a great multitude of the people followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judæa, and from the country about Jordan.

CHAPTER V.

Sermon on the mountain. The beatitudes, 1—12. Disciples, salt and light of the earth, 13-16. Perfection of the law, 17—20. Glosses of the Pharisees concerning murder rejected, 21-26. and likewise concerning adultery and divorce, 27-33. Concerning oaths, 33-37. and love of our neighbour, 38–47. Charity the perfection of a Christian, 48.

1 Jesus seeing the great multitude of people, went up into a mountain, and when he was sat down, his dis

if at all, from the falling sickness. Yet the Syriac version hath rendered the original Greek word by the sons of the field, i. e. Men that lived abroad like beasts. So that, according to this, the lunatics here mentioned were crazy and melancholy persons that rambled about the woods and fields. Comp. Luke viii. 26. Mark v. 2, 3.

v. 25. Decapolis.] A country of Palestine, so called, because it contained ten cities, about the names of which the learned are not agreed. It bordered upon Syria, and extended upon both sides Jordan, and the lake of Tiberias. You have a description of it in Josephus of the wars of the Jews, 1. iii. 16. and in his life, p. 1025. and in Pliny's Nat. Hist. 1. v. c. 18.

V. 1.

Into a mountain.] Compare Luke vi. 12, 17. from which passages it will appear that Jesus went up to the top of a mountain to pray, and coming down from thence, he stood on a plain and even part of the same mountain, from whence he could easily be heard.

Was sat down.] As the Jewish doctors did, when they taught. See

Luke vi. 16, 20.

His disciples.] That is, not only the twelve apostles, but all those in general that followed Jesus Christ. See Luke vi. 13. John ix. 27. and in most places in the Acts, the Christians are called disciples. The Pharisees styled themselves the disciples of Moses.

ciples drew near him. 2 Then taking up the discourse, he taught them in the following manner :

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who are in affliction, for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are those who are meek, for they shall possess the earth.

ver. 3. Luke vi. 20, 24. Matt. xi. 5, 25. xix. 23, 24. Jam. ii. 5. v. 4. See v. 11, 12, of this chap. Luke vi. 21, 25. John xvi. 20. 2 Cor. i. 4, 7. James i. 12. Rev. vii. 14, 17. xxi. 7. v. 5. Ps.

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Opening his mouth.]
See Matt. xiii. 35.

This is a

Hebrew expression signifying to speak. v. 3. Blessed.] All the following beatitudes have some reference to the precepts that are delivered by Jesus Christ afterwards, and include not only the blessings of the gospel, but also the qualifications of a true disciple of Christ. In this first beatitude, our Saviour had an eye to those obstacles which the immoderate love of riches was likely to bring to the observance of the precepts of the Gospel. See ver. 40, 41, 42, of this chapter, and comp. James v. 1.

Poor.] St. Luke applies this to the poor properly so called, vi. 20. In spirit.] That is, those that are endued with the spirit and virtues poverty requires, and are free from pride, covetousness, and the cares and anxieties riches are commonly attended with. A rich person

may be happy, provided he is thus disposed, 1 Tim. vi. 17. This is the sense Clemens of Alexandria hath put upon this passage in his treatise entitled, Quis dives salvetur, p. 42. By the poverty of spirit recommended here, we may also understand humility, as Ps. xxxii. 18. Prov. xxix. 33. Isai. lxvi. 2.

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.] i. e. The blessings of the kingdom of heaven, or of the gospel, namely, the remission of sins, eternal life, &c. See below ver. 20. That is, because they are better disposed than other men to receive these blessings.

v. 4. Those who are in affliction.] Or, that mourn, namely, upon the account of the gospel. See 11 and 12 verses. John xvi. 20, 21,

22, 23. Rom. v. 35. viii. 37.

v. 5. Meek.] This word includes gentleness, equity, patience, and kindness or benignity. Which virtues are all most conspicuous in Jesus Christ and the gospel, xi. 29. xxi. 5. Jer. xi. 19. Gal. v. 22. 1 Cor. xiii. 4. James iii. 13, &c.

They shall possess the earth.] The Grek word (λnpovoμéw) properly signifies to inherit, but it is also sometimes taken for possessing.

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