Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, 13 Whatever is not of God, perishEvery plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. eth. 14 When ignorant men presumptuously set up themselves as teachers, the learner is led astray. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for 24 His miracles were intended chiefly she crieth after us. 24 But for the Jews. This woman was a he answered and said, I am Gentile *. 22 Happy they, whom sorrow and sickness bring near to their God in supplication and prayer. not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, 26 Our Saviour's expression was a It is not meet to take the proverb, familiar with the Jews; children's bread, and to cast who contemptuously termed all Genit to dogs. 27 And she said, tiles "dogs." Truth, Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And 27 What a happy inversion of the sentiment uttered by our Lord. That which appeared a bar to the success of her petition led the way to its triumph: so clear a proof was it of a lowly and ready faith. 28 God may often delay an answer to our prayers, only that He may answer them more fully. *St. Matthew calls her a Grecian; by which term the Jews designated all Gentiles indiscriminately. Hence St. Paul frequently places them in contrast, "Jew or Greek"-meaning Gentiles generally. her daughter was made whole from that very hour. And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see and they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and 36 What a blessed spectacle! bear it in mind when you are receiving the ministration of Christ's servants. Pray that as the bread for the support of the body was blessed in the hands of the Apostles of old, so the doctrines of the Gospel, the bread of heaven for the support of the soul, may be blessed in the hands of Christ's ministers now-that all may eat and be satisfied. The gift and the increase thereof are both of God. children. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. CHAPTER XVI. JAN. 18, MAY 18, SEPT. 15. 1 The Pharisee laid aside his pride of self-righteousness, and the Sadducee his pride of unbelief, that they might prosecute their common enmity against the meek and lowly THE Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaJesus. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not ven. : discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign 4 They knew the Scriptures; therefore were they inexcusable not to know Him, in whom those Scriptures were fulfilled. 5 How interesting is this insight into the familiar life of our blessed Lord * ! be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? "How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 9 If I had spoken of bread for bodily food, ye might surely cease your anxiety, and remember how I fed the thousands. My meaning is spiritual. Neither the seven loaves of the 16 And the most familiar occurrence, in11 How prompt to draw, even from struction for his disciples! It is a good habit for us to adopt in the ordinary circumstances of common life. 14 This answer shows- incidentally, and therefore the more strikingly how general at the time among the Jews was their expectation of the Messiah. 16 St. Peter's avowal presents a concise summary of Christian faith— an epitome of the Gospel. Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon 17 The Spirit of God revealed the truth-by prophecy, by miracles, and by inspiration. * We see Him now proving his humanity; lately we beheld Him proving his Divinity (xv. 36); showing himself indeed to be "very God and very man." Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee 19 Thou shalt be the first apostle to the keys of the kingdom of bring the Gentiles into my Church; heaven and whatsoever thou therefore I will give the keys to shalt bind on earth shall be thee *. bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, 20 Lest his enemies should slay him before his time was fully come. 21 21 By thus graciously habituating their minds to the subject of his sufferings, He hoped to soften to his faithful servants the severity of their anguish when He should die; and strengthen their faith when He should rise again. and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: and this 23 shall not be unto thee. But 23 Peter's zeal would have dissuaded Jesus from enduring his sufferings; therefore was it checked +. he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow For whosoever will save soever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what me. 24 Take up your cross. Mark! you are not presumptuously to seek the cross, as voluntary martyrs; but to take up, as Christians, the cross appointed you. his life shall lose it: and who26 The appeal is made to men's love of profit. This special notice was vouchsafed in order to encourage Peter, and restore to him that assurance of esteem from his gracious Master, which he had forfeited; and a consciousness of which had so lowered him in his own opinion, and probably in that of the other apostles, that some such marked token of favour was required to give him spirit for his work. Learn thou, when any would dissuade thee from thy Christian duties of self-denial for religion's sake, to check their zeal! Remember thy Master, Christ! take up thy cross, and follow Him. Profit or advantage-under some or other of its varied modifications -is the universal incentive to human industry. Jesus condescends to rest his plea upon that acknowledged truth; for he offers everlasting gain. Can man promise that? The gain Christ offers is sure and ample, though future and distant. is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Ve28 All the Apostles, except Judas, rily I say unto you, There be lived to converse with our Lord, some standing here, which when, by his resurrection, he had will not taste of death, till established his kingdom. St. John lived even to see the destruction of they see the Son of man Jerusalem, forty years afterwards. coming in his kingdom. CHAPTER XVII. JAN. 19, MAY 19, SEPT. 16. The main object in the transfiguration of Christ was, in an authoritative manner, to show the cessation of the Jewish dispensation-the law and the prophets-and the substitution of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1 3 AND after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them : and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Je 7 1 This is one of the few instances on record, where the veil has been partially removed from the world of spirits; to sustain and brighten our faith in an hereafter *. his face did shine as the sun, 3 Here we have Moses and Eliasor Elijah-the representatives of the law and the prophets. We find that they know, and are known in their identity. So will it be with ourselves in another and a better world. 4 Thus it is with yourself, as you hear this scripture. Engaged as a worshipper in the more immediate service of God, you also feel-" it is good to be here." Your conversation is in heaven. Who would willingly come down again from an eminence so spiritual, so high? 5 No longer trust to Moses or Elias -to the law or the prophets ! the law is fulfilled, and the prophecies are accomplished in Jesus Christ"Hear ye Him." And when the disciples heard it, 7 What a renovating power is in the Saviour! How graciously is his * Luke says eight days; he reckons the first and the last day. Matthew says six; he speaks of the inclusive days only. |