to which he has ordained them. There was another James, the son of Alpheus, called James the less, Matth. x. 3. remarkable an example, and that they should | rising from their seats and standing in a willingly and promptly surrender all means posture of deep devotion, Matthew vi. 5 ; of temporal aggrandisement at the Saviour's Mark xi. 25; Luke xviii. 11–13. The praycall, disengaging themselves entirely from ers were nineteen, and were closed by readevery secular employment, in order that they ing the execration. The next thing was the may consecrate all their faculties to the work repetition of their Phylacteries, after which came the reading of the law and the prophets. The last part of the service was the expounding the Scriptures, and preaching from them to the people. This was done either by one of the officers, or by some distinguished person who happened to be present. The Saviour and his apostles frequently availed themselves of this opportunity, Matthew xiii. 54; Mark vi. 2; John xviii. 20; Acts xiii. 5, 15; xiv. 1; xvii. 1, 2, 10, 17; xviii. 4; xix. 8. The whole service was concluded with a short prayer or benediction. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people. Christ did not call his disciples for the purpose of relieving himself from the labour and fatigue that were connected with his going about to preach the Gospel. He laboured as constantly and assiduously after the entire number was complete. Let all those whose office it is to preach Christ crucified, learn from hence that ministerial responsibility can neither be divided nor transferred. The word "Synagogue" literally signifies an assembly, but was generally used to denote the place in which an assembly was held. It is thought that Synagogues were not built by the Jews until after the Babylonish captivity. Before that time, meetings for religious worship were probably held in the open air, or in the houses of the prophets. Synagogues were only erected where ten men of proper age, learning, and piety, could attend to the service which was to be performed in them. There were Synagogues in the large towns, and over the land generally. In Jerusalem there were not fewer than four hundred and sixty. The stated office-bearers in every Synagogue were ten. There were three who were called rulers of the Synagogue, who regulated all its concerns, and granted permission to preach. The second office-bearer was the "angel of the Church," or the minister who statedly prayed and preached. In allusion to these, the presiding pastors of the churches in Asia were called angels, Revelation ii. 1. The service of the Synagogue was as follows, the people being seated, the minister or angel of the church ascended the pulpit and offered up the public prayers, the people Christ taught and preached in the Synagogues, but he did not confine his preaching to them; neither should ministers of the gospel now. While they take advantage of those opportunities which the civil or ecclesiastical arrangements of their country afford them, they should make known the Saviour wherever sinners are to be found. It should be said of them as it was of the apostles"daily in the temple, and from house to house they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ." We are here informed that Christ united with his preaching an attention to the temporal wants of those amongst whom he went -"he healed all manner of sickness and disease among the people." These splendid and conspicuous miracles of mercy were so many bright and attractive signs held out to show where the great Physician of souls was to be found. They were intended not only to confirm the doctrines which he preached, but also to illustrate the moral and physical improvement which it was his office as Redeemer to effect amongst men. What an example has the Saviour left to all who are appointed to do the work of an evangelist! He did not wait for sinners to come to him, but he himself went about to seek and to save that which was lost. He preached the intelligence of God's lovingkindness and compassion with a freedom that proved that God willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he should come unto him and live. And he arrested the attention of sinners to his preaching, by ministering to their temporal wants, and employed the influence which he thus obtained for the purpose of promoting | and daóvov, properly signifies the soul of a their spiritual and eternal welfare. There is a difference between the two words here rendered “sickness" and "disease:" by the former is meant a malady of some standing; by the latter, a temporary disorder. dead person, and that it cannot be supposed that the speeches and actions of those who are called demoniacs in Scripture, could be imputed to the souls of dead persons inhabiting them. But in reply to this, it is justly said that the word demon does not uniformly denote the spirit of a departed man, but that it is frequently used in Scripture as the designation of fallen angels, and of evil and impure spirits. 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were 2. It is alleged that amongst the Heathen, taken with divers diseases, and tor- lunacy and epilepsy were ascribed to the ments, and those which were pos-operation of demons, and that therefore persons afflicted with these calamities might be sessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. By Syria we are to understand all the country that lay between the Euphrates on the east, and the Mediterranean on the west, and which was bounded by Mount Taurus on the north, and by Arabia on the south. Throughout this extensive region the fame of Jesus travelled. He neither preached nor wrought miracles for the purpose of procuring celebrity, but when this followed, he consecrated it to the service of his heavenly Father. What a lamentable picture we have in this verse of the physical evil which has been produced by sin! all sickness and disease and torments have been brought into the world by transgression. said to be possessed of devils. But in reply to this, it is readily answered that the demoniacs of Scripture are distinguished from persons who were simply insane, as in the verse before us, in which we read-" they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick." And the power to cast out devils or dæmons is spoken of as a power distinct from, and more wonderful than the power of healing all other diseases whatsoever, as in Luke iv. 33-36. 3. It is argued that the Jews had the same idea of these diseases as the Heathen had; and the instance of the madness of Saul, and Matth. xvii. 14, 15, and John vii. 20; viii. 48, 52, and x. 20, are referred to as proofs of this assertion. But not one of these references can prove that the Jews identified lunatick persons with demoniacs. In the In this catalogue of afflicted persons whom the Saviour healed are mentioned "those which were possessed with devils," dao-case of Saul, it is said that an evil spirit was Couévous. The meaning of this description ζομένους. of afflicted persons has been much controverted. One set of commentators have supposed that the demoniacs were no more than madmen; others that the bodies of human beings were actually possessed and controlled by wicked and impure spirits. The latter is the obvious and literal interpretation of the word, and has been uniformly received by the ancient Church and by the best commentators. We shall here present a brief summary of the arguments which are usually advanced in support of these two interpretations, with the view of establishing the latter. Those who argue against the doctrine of literal demoniacal possession advance the following reasons in support of their opinion: 1. They say that the word dæmon, daiμwv upon him and troubled him, but it is not said that he was mad, 1 Sam. xvi. 14, 23. The case of the young man recorded in Matth. xvii. 14, 15, is evidently an instance of a two-fold affliction, at least in the estimation of the father, who said to Christ— "have mercy on my son, for he is lunatick and sore vexed;" two distinct visitations rested on him, both lunacy and demoniacal possession; and there is not the slightest warrant in the narrative for confounding or identifying them. In John viii. 48, 52, it is twice said that the Jews accused our Saviour of having a devil, but there is no mention of any mental disease. And in John x. 20, in which they are represented as saying of Christ" He hath a devil, and is mad," there is evidently a double allegation of madness and of demoniacal posses sion. So that not one of these references can establish what is contended for by those who advance them-that the Jews identified lunacy with demoniacal possession, or employed the two words Lunatics and Demoniacs, as synonymous or equivalent in signification. 4. It is alleged that Christ adopted the language of the people, who, it is said, were in the habit of speaking of lunatic persons as being possessed of devils. But to this it is answered, that it cannot be shown that such was the usual language of the Jews; and if it were, it would have expressed either a popular prejudice or a philosophical error which we cannot suppose that the Saviour would have thus sanctioned. 5. It is alleged that no reason can be given why there should have been real demoniacal possessions in the time of our Lord, and not at the present time, when, as it is asserted, we have no reason to suppose that any such possessions occur. But to this it is answered, that it was natural for Satan to exert himself to the utmost during the time of our Saviour's manifestation in the flesh, and probably the evil spirits were sent by him to infest the inhabitants of Judea, in order thus to defy the power of Jesus, and to bring before him cases in which Satan thought that his power of working miracles would have failed. Whilst on the other hand, these demoniacal possessions might have been permitted to occur in more numerous and aggravated instances, in order that the Redeemer's power and mercy might be magnified, and that his prerogative of controlling the world of spirits, and his ability to destroy the works of the devil might be illustrated in the most conspicuous manner. The powers and principalities of darkness are the determined enemies of the Saviour's people, and to inspire them with confidence in his ability to overpower and subdue them, it was expedient, if not necessary, that Jesus in the days of his flesh should visibly triumph over them, " and make a shew of them openly." Besides, the supposition that demoniacal possessions were confined to the days of our Lord, is destitute of proof. Such possessions exist wherever Satan holds an undisputed sway, and maintains his kingdom of darkness; but in countries where the light of Christianity prevails he is under greater restraint, and must work more cautiously, and more in disguise. He is master of every stratagem necessary to promote his malicious ends, and where truth and right principle are to be opposed, he is often constrained to tranform himself into an angel of light, "therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." Those who maintain the doctrine of real demoniacal possession, advance the following positive reasons in its support: 1. This doctrine is consistent with the whole tenor of Scripture. Evil is there said to have been introduced into our world by a spiritual being, who in some wonderful manner influenced the soul of man; whilst the continuance of moral evil is constantly imputed to the continued agency of the same being. Our ignorance of the manner in which the human mind can be directed or controlled by an invisible spirit, should not lead us to reject this doctrine, for on the same grounds we should reject the doctrine of the influence which the Holy Spirit exerts by his indwelling agency on the mind of the Christian; for it is remarkable that the Apostle employs, in Eph. ii. 2, the very same Greek word to denote the influence of the devil, which he employs, in Phil. ii. 13, to denote the influence of the Holy Spirit - vegye, worketh in. 2. The doctrine of demoniacal possession is quite consistent with reason. We admit that a merciful God governs the world, and yet we constantly observe that great misery is produced amongst men by reason of the sinfulness of their fellow-men. If one man cause evil to another, is it not probable that evils of a different kind might be produced by means of other beings, and the moral government of God remain equally unimpeached? 3. The supposition that the demoniacs mentioned in Scripture were merely madmen, is encompassed with many and perplexing difficulties. The facts which are recorded of them by the sacred writers demonstrate that they were not merely such. Insane persons either reason rightly on wrong grounds, or wrongly on right grounds, or blend right and wrong together. But these demoniacs reasoned rightly on right grounds. They uttered propositions undeniably true, and such as were completely applicable to the occasion. They excelled the disciples themselves in the accuracy of their knowledge. They were consistent in their know ledge and in their language. Their bodies | nevolence they were relating, and the superwere agitated and convulsed. The powers natural power by which they were achieved. of their minds were controlled in such a manner that their actions were strange and unreasonable: yet they addressed our Lord in a consistent and rational, though an ap palling and mysterious manner. Our Lord answered them, not by appealing to the individuals who visibly appeared before him, but to something distinct from them, which he requires and commands to leave them: that is, to evil spirits. These answer him in words which prove their intimate knowledge of his person and character, which was hidden from the wise and skilful of the nation. It has been remarked by Jortin on this point, that where any circumstances are added concerning the demoniacs, they are generally such as show that there was something preternatural in the malady. These afflicted persons unanimously joined in doing homage to Christ and his Apostles: they all knew him and unite in confessing his divinity. If, on the contrary, they had been lunatics, some might have worshipped, and others would have reviled him, according to the various ways in which the disease had affected their minds. The other facts recorded of the demoniacs are such as render it impossible that they were merely insane. The principal of these is that most extraordinary event of the possession of the herd of swine, by the same demons which had formerly shown their malignity in the human form. This circumstance can only be accounted for upon the commonly received literal interpretation of the narrative. For all these reasons we conclude that we are to understand the words in this verse "those that were possessed with devils" or rather "evil spirits," in their literal acceptation. "Lunatics" are mentioned as a separate and distinct class of afflicted persons, and were those who were distressed by maladies which were influenced by a change in the moon. We cannot fail to notice the 25. And there followed him great multitudes of people, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan. Decapolis, here mentioned, was the country in Syria which was round the source of the Jordan. It was so called because it contained ten cities, the chief of which was Da mascus. This verse should more properly have been the commencement of the next chapter. The multitudes who followed Christ were brought together by the fame which they heard of them, and many went after him, in all probability, to obtain temporal relief, and to have their maladies and diseases cured. Such is the natural character of man in every age; he will be always ready and willing to come to Christ for temporal blessings, but unless drawn by divine grace, he will never come to ask this important question, "what shall I do to be saved?" How few must the real followers of Christ have appeared in the midst of such great multitudes, who probably could speak of nothing but the Saviour's power: and so is it now; the real disciples of Jesus are few in comparison with those who are only nominal professors, and many who now talk much about Christ, may be found at last amongst those who have no real interest in his mercy and his love. CHAPTER V. The Sermon on the Mount. 1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. 2. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, concise and unembellished simplicity with which it is said He healed them;" persons writing an account of such extraordinary This chapter introduces to our attention miracles without the guidance of the Spirit, the longest public discourse of our blessed could scarcely have refrained from accom- Saviour which has been recorded in the hispanying their narrative with some exclama-tory of his life. Having proved to the multions of surprise, or with a more detailed titudes which followed him, by the miracles description of the astonishing works of be- which he wrought, that he was a teacher those who have repented. The sermon on the mount is, therefore, to be regarded as a continuation of the former discourses of our Lord, in which he explains the state of mind and conduct which spring out of repentance as the root. sent from God, he takes advantage of their being assembled to deliver the sublime and important instructions which this sermon contains. It is observable how few events of our Saviour's previous history are related by St. Matthew. He seems, as it were, anxious to hasten over other particulars, in or- The commencement of this discourse is der that he may as soon as possible intro- calculated to arrest attention, as it contains duce the Lord Jesus Christ to his readers, a definition of true happiness, which has alas the prophet and instructor of mankind. ways been the universal aim of man. And The auditory whom he addressed on this how vastly different is this definition of occasion consisted of two classes, the multi- real blessedness from that which is prevatudes who followed him, and his disciples. lent in the world! The general opinion is, By the latter we are to understand all those that those only are happy who are distinwho came for the express purpose of re-guished by wealth and rank, and who are ceiving instruction from him. These appear to have constituted an inner circle, close to the Saviour, while the multitude were outside. Thus, the more anxious we are to be taught by the Saviour, the nearer will we come to him, as he speaks to us in his word. There were present, upon this occasion, representatives of different countries, Jews from Galilee, and Gentiles from Syria; and in so large an assemblage, there were doubtless persons of every character and condition, yet the same discourse is addressed to all, for it treats of subjects in which all, as immortal beings, are equally concerned. Some portions, however, of this discourse, could only directly apply to those who were the real and sincere disciples of Jesus. The mountain on which this discourse was delivered cannot be positively ascertained. It was most likely some rising ground of convenient elevation, in the immediate neighbourhood of Capernaum. Upon this the Saviour sat down, according to the custom of the Jewish doctors, Luke iv. 16, 20. The words," he opened his mouth," are probably intended to denote the solemnity with which he proceeded to deliver his address. They may also be intended to show that he frequently taught without opening his mouth. The silent example of his holiness should ever be regarded as a practical lesson to his people. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Christ had already preached, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," Matthew iv. 17, and having thus laid the foundation, he now proceeds to show the dispositions and practice which characterize 66 the objects of admiration or of envy to their fellow-creatures, on account of their exalted position in the world; but Jesus, at the very outset, corrects this radical error, and pronounces those only to be truly happy upon whom the world have never conferred the title. By those who are here described as poor in spirit," are meant those who have an humble estimate of themselves, who have a deep consciousness of their spiritual destitution, and who feel that they have neither righteousness nor merit of any description to recommend them to the favour of God. Such will ever be constrained to look away from themselves to some external help, even to fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them in the gospel. To such the gates of the kingdom of heaven are opened, and such alone enter therein; and as the subjects of that kingdom, they possess all the spiritual riches which are in Christ, in whom they are complete, and who of God is made unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. And yet there are many who mourn, that never shall be comforted: those only who are led by the Holy Spirit to mourn, shall be comforted by the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads the sinner to mourn on account of sin, and then comforts him by exhibiting to the eye of faith an all-sufficient Saviour; and thus he who felt himself to be on the brink of destruction on account of his transgressions, experiences joy and peace in believing; and the excitement of joy and the tranquillity of peace, blended together in the believer's soul by the power of the Spirit, |