the earth, and what will I, if it daughter against the mother; be already kindled? the mother-in-law against her 59 But I have a baptism to daughter-in-law, and the daughbe baptized with; and how am I ter-in-law against her mother-instraitened till it be accomplish-law.

ed!

51 Suppose ye that I am

come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the

discord among men. And what will

I.

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?

57 Yea, and why even of accomplishing the work which he had undertaken, that it was a part of the plan in reference to which he was acting, he would not shrink from it; but rather, with the feelings of one who contemplated the end, would desire its approach and its endurance, so that the end might be gained. At the same time, he felt a dread at the overwhelming sorrows which he must encounter. Our Lord, doubtless, anticipated, with mingled emotions, the sufferings which he was to endure. The triumph which he would achieve, and the assured success of his cause, sustained him and led him to welcome every sorrow which it was necessary to endure; yet the thought of suffering, in itself considered, and of suffering such sorrow, was very painful. Painful, however, as it was, he cherished a most submissive spirit. See Matt. 26: 39. Heb. 5: 7,8. 12: 2.

The word translated what is also used as an interjection, signifying how. The word translated will has also the meaning wish, or desire. Hence the idea is, How I wish! If it be already kindled. The Greek idiom here employed is equivalent to our more direct way of speaking that it was already kindled. Our Lord, then, may be regarded as saying, How I wish that it [the fire] was already kindled! The language is that of strong emotion, expressing an earnest desire that his cause was established; that the tumults and sorrows connected with its establishment were already commenced, and that the triumph was hastening on to which it was destined; as if he had said, Since my righteous cause cannot be established without discord and confusion, come discord - O that it might come at once, and be past! 50. A baptism to be baptized with; overwhelming sorrows to be endured. Compare Matt. 20: 22. || How am I straitened; perplexed, subjected to 56. Discern this time? How is it distress. The Saviour was expecting that ye do not rightly conclude these severe suffering; and in anticipation to be the times of the Messiah? that of it, he endured much mental an-ye do not rightly judge of these times ? guish. At the same time, knowing 57. Why even of yourselves, &c. that that suffering was necessary for How is it that your own sense of

VOL. II.

7

51-53. See Matt. 10: 34-36. 54-56. Compare Matt. 16: 2, 3. A cloud rise out of the west, &c. Compare 1 Kings 18: 44.

yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid last mite. very

the

of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus, answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above THERE were present at that all men that dwelt in Jerusa

CHAPTER XIII.

season some that told him

right and wrong does not lead you to a just conclusion respecting the pres

ent times?

58, 59. Compare Matt. 5: 25, 26.

CHAPTER XIII.

lem?

of those who had been slain. Instead of expressing an opinion on either of these topics, and thus of only gratifying curiosity, or giving some unfriendly persons occasion to accuse him, he embraced the opportunity of warning them to repent, and of correcting a mistaken view of calamities, as sent by divine providence.

2. Sinners above all the Galileans. The notion seems to have been cherished, that peculiar calamities are a proof of peculiar guilt in the persons who suffer.

1. Whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. That is, who had been put to death by Pilate's orders, while they were offering sacrifices. Respecting the fact here alluded to, namely, the slaughter of certain Galileans while engaged in sacrificing, we have no historical records. But the fact is in accord3. Nay. It is not true that the imance with the known character of the mediate and the greatest sufferers by Galileans, and with the manner in any calamity are the greatest sinners, which seditious attempts were re- however true it may be that the calampressed by the Roman power. The ities and sorrows of this world originGalileans were very forward in pro-ate from the displeasure of God against moting sedition; and as the Jewish festivals brought people from all parts of the country to Jerusalem, it is probable, that, during one of those festivals, Pilate, having received information of some seditious movements by certain Galileans, sent an armed force, and, in a summary way, took vengeance on them while they were at the very altar.. This circumstance was related, probably, to draw forth from Jesus some expression of opinion either respecting the conduct of Pilate, or respecting the characters

sin. || Likewise perish; perish in like manner. That is, you and your victims for sacrifice will perish together - a prediction awfully fulfilled, when, forty years after, their city and temple were demolished, immense multitudes of the nation were destroyed, the blood of many of whom, doubtless, did actually flow with the blood of victims intended for sacrifice.

4. The tower in Siloam, &c. The Saviour reminded his hearers of another calamitous event, and drew from it the same instruction. Siloam

5 I tell you, Nay; but, except | to him, Lord, let it alone this ye repent, ye shall all likewise year also, till I shall dig about perish. it, and dung it :

6. He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he, answering, said un

was the name of a fountain in the valley by Jerusalem. It is mentioned also in John 9: 7. The tower mentioned might have been on the city walls, just over this fountain. The word rendered in, it would be better to render at; so that the expression would be, the tower at Siloam. The fact referred to by our Lord was one well known at the time, though no particular account of it has reached our times.

5. Likewise perish; you will perish in the destruction of your city. Both in this verse and in the third, our Saviour predicted the temporal calamities which would overwhelm the nation if they did not repent, as well as the everlasting ruin which they would bring on themselves. He could not well be understood by his hearers otherwise than as referring to the misery of the impenitent in the future world, as well as to signal temporal calamities; for they had been repeatedly warned that without repentance they could not have eternal life. His hearers, too, regarded the cases produced as those of men who had passed into eternity under the divine indignation. In like manner would they perish if they continued impenitent.

With reference to the condition and prospects of the Jewish nation, Jesus proceeded to speak a parable.]

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the

Sabbath.

11 And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was

bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

The purport of it is, The Jewish nation had enjoyed all needed advantages, but had failed to make suitable returns of love and obedience to God. God would continue his patience a while longer, and increase the means of spiritual culture. If the nation persisted in sin, and was not brought to amendment, it should be destroyed.

7. These three years. Fig-trees, that bear at all, have fruit by the time here mentioned. || Cumbereth it the ground? Why should it remain? It is a mere incumbrance, and makes the ground it occupies wholly unprofitable.

PRACTICAL HINT. Though the parable contained in verses 6-9 was spoken with special reference to the Jewish nation, let us not fail to apply it to ourselves, and to INQUIRE, Are we making those returns of love and obedience to God which our advantages justly demand? And let the fate of the Jewish nation be a constant warning of the sad doom which awaits those who, surrounded by advantages, abuse or neglect them.

11. A spirit of infirmity. The account given of this case does not render it plain that the infirmity was occasioned, properly speaking, by the influence of an evil spirit. The lan