explain the opinions of the time, and illustrate the text before us: "He that reaps on the Sabbath, though never so little, is guilty. And to pluck the ears of corn is a kind of reaping; and whosoever plucks any thing from the spring ing of his own fruit is guilty under the name of a reaper." The Pharisees nominally directed the charge of Sabbath-breaking against the disciples, but in reality they aimed their blow at Jesus himself. He answered it in this light. They appeared to have been actuated on this and other occasions, when the observance of the Sabbath was in question, by a union of superstition for outward ceremonies, and of personal hostility to Christ. See Mat. xii. 10. Luke xii. 14, xiv. 1–3. John v. 16, ix. 16. They gladly seized hold of any pretext to blacken his character. And his lofty independence, though tempered by gentleness and prudence, gave them frequent opportunities of misconstruing his words and actions.

3. What David did. Jesus defends himself and his disciples, first, by the example of David; an authority which the Jews very much respected. The history of the case referred to is contained in 1 Sam. xxi. 3—6.-An hungered. Hungry.

4. How he entered into the house God. David seems, from the narration, not actually to have entered the house, or tabernacle, the temple had not yet been built, but to have met the priest elsewhere,

not read in the law, how that on 5 temple profane the sabbath, and

Jt

probably in the court of the tabernacle. The shew-bread. Lev. xxiv. 5-9. This bread was so called because it was placed on a table in the tabernacle, before the presence of God, as there manifested. was the shown bread. Twelve fresh loaves, "an emblem of the offerings of the Twelve Tribes," were put there weekly; the old bread being removed, and eaten by the priests alone. David, in his extremity, and by the permission of the priest, partook of this holy bread, contrary to the law, and gave it to his companions. But he was justified by the necessity of the case. He had been pursued by Saul, and had no time to provide for his journey. In violating therefore the letter of the law, he might be said not to have violated its living spirit. So the disciples were justified in their seeming transgression by the necessity of nature. We may suppose, perhaps, that Jesus does not admit that his disciples did break the Sabbath by plucking and eating of the grain, but that he reasoned with the Pharisees on their own ground, as the readiest way to silence their calumny.

5. In the law, i. e. of Moses. Numb. xxviii. 9, 10.-Profane the sabbath, and are blameless. It was a Jewish saying, "There is no sabbatism at all in the temple." The labor of the priests was as much as on other days, in slaying, and preparing, and offering up the victims. Yet they were blameless, because it was a law that sacrifices should

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be offered up on the Sabbath. Thus the disciples were excusable, because, although they did that which according to the mere letter of the law might be called work, yet they obeyed the higher law of self-preservation. What the priests did in the temple, my disciples may do here. Thus far he has justified himself and them by the necessity of the case, and the example of David.

6. Is one greater. The original is in the neuter gender. Something greater than the temple. Jesus thus modestly expressed his claim to superiority. Greater than the temple may mean greater than those who serve in the temple, or greater than that system on account of which the temple was erected. He had power to supersede that system and its laws, and establish one less ceremonial. What he allowed his disciples to do was justifiable, though contrary to the traditions of the elders. Their health and life were of more consequence than external observances. His second justification, therefore, is drawn from the fact of his superiority to Moses.

7. Iwill have mercy and not sacrifice. Hos. vi. 6. 1 Sam. xv. 22. A Hebrew idiom. The sense is not that God did not require sacrifice, but that he preferred acts of righteousness to mere external observances. He looks at the heart rather than at the hand. The verse may be paraphrased thus: "If you had considered the superiority of right affections over outward ceremonies,

you would not have condemned the necessary violation of a ritual law, or perhaps a mere tradition. This is the third answer of Jesus to the accusation of the Pharisees.

8. The Son of Man is Lord, or Master, &c. By the Son of Man we are to understand Christ himself, as in verse 32. See note on Mat. viii. 20. Jesus was authorized to establish a system of religion, under which the Sabbath would be changed from a day of physical rest to one of spiritual awakening; from a day of offering material sacrifices to one of worshipping God in spirit and truth. In his church also the Sabbath has been transferred, in commemoration of his resurrection, from the seventh to the first day of the week. He could therefore grant a freedom to his disciples unknown to the scrupulous Pharisees. This was his fourth justification.—Mark [adds, ii. 27, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath;" which signified that the day would be truly kept, if made subservient to man's greatest good.

9-16. See Mark iii. 1-6, 12. Luke vi. 6-11.

9. He went into their synagogue. This was, according to Luke vi. 6, on another Sabbath-day. The two narratives are introduced together because they relate to the same subject. We see that by studying the parallel passages of the Evangelists we gain a more complete knowledge of the history of our Lord.

10. Which had his hand withered.

Who had a withered hand. This was probably a species of palsy, of which there were several kinds; but which is never suddenly cured by natural means. Luke mentions that it was the right hand.-Is it lawful, &c. It had been decided by some of the Jewish teachers, as we learn from their books, that it was not lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day, except in case of imminent danger. That they might accuse him. They asked questions not for information, but for accusation. How malignant must that hatred have been, which the quiet of the Sabbath did not mitigate; which followed Jesus in his circuits of doing good, only to slander and accuse, and which converted his acts of mercy into crimes of the deepest dye! Whilst, on the other hand, with what wisdom, patience, magnanimity, and calmness, did the divine Teacher meet all his difficulties! Who can look upon him and not love so noble a being? Who can love and not imitate him?

11. Pit. A cistern or well, at which cattle were watered. The Jews had carried their notions to such an extravagant length as to question whether it were lawful to rescue an animal from danger on the Sabbath-day; but it had been decided in the affirmative, as we learn from the Rabbinical books. "If a beast fall into a ditch, or into a pool of water, let the owner bring him food in that place, if he can;

but if he cannot, let him bring clothes and litters and bear up the beast, whence if he can come up, let him come up," &c. Jesus would therefore justify his conduct upon grounds of their own admission, and by their actual practice in relation to the inferior creation.

12. How much then is a man better than a sheep! Of how much more importance and value. Jesus intimates that the restoration of the withered hand of a human being was of more consequence than the life of an animal; and as the Jews admitted that the one might be rescued, so they must also admit that the other might be healed.—It is lawful to do well, &c. To perform beneficent acts. We learn from this that moral laws are superior to ceremonial institutions. Our Lord reasoned with the Jews upon their own maxims and conduct; for even they allowed that the Sabbath did not free them from the obligations of mercy. Strange indeed would it be, if that day, set apart as sacred to God, could be lawfully abused by the transgression of the laws of God.

13. Stretch forth thine hand. Jesus having answered their insidious question performs the miracle. By his command to stretch forth the helpless, palsied hand he puts the faith of the man to the proof.

He stretched it forth, &c. He has such confidence in Jesus as to lead him to obey implicitly this command, although apparently in

also mentions from what places the multitudes came; and that he gave directions to have a small ship in

14. The Pharisees went out. The closeness of our Lord's reasoning and his independence had exasperated these malicious men, so that they go out immediately to plot his destruction. The tumult of their passions showed how ill they were qualified to discuss moral questions. Stung with envy at his popularity, and enraged at his superiority in word and deed, they already began to lay those plans which finally resulted in his crucifixion.-Held a council. Not a formal assembly; the sense rather is, they counselled together. Mark adds, that the Herodians also joined with them, probably a political party attached to the reigning sovereign, and opposed to any change in the state, as the Pharisees were to any in the church.-Him, i. e. Jesus, not the man who is last mentioned.

15-21. See Mark iii. 7—12. 15. When Jesus knew it, he with drew. When he had learned it, or when it came to his knowledge, he withdrew, as Mark states, to the sea, i. e. the Sea of Galilee. He

of the crowd. Jesus withdraws from danger less on account of himself than because the objects of his mission would be defeated by his premature death-Great multitudes. Notwithstanding the opposition of their teachers, the great mass of the people welcomed his instructions and confided in his miraculous power.-Healed them all. This is one of those universal expressions that require to be limited by the nature of the subject. He healed all who sought to be healed.

16. Should not make him known. See note on Mat. viii. 4. This command arose from the wish to avoid any tumult of the people, who might desire to make him king, and also to shun his foes who were plotting against his life.

17. That. Implying that the preceding circumstances rendered the quotation from Isaiah appropriate.-Esaias. Isa. xlii. 1-4. The prophet seems to have had in view the character of the Messiah or some great deliverer. The Evangelist applies the description to the present conduct of Jesus. See note on Mat. i. 22.

18. The quotation made by Mat. agrees in substance, though not in all points of phraseology, with the passage in Isaiah. It describes the mild and humane character of Jesus, who, though he did not distrust his cause or his God, yet gave way

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before his enemies to avoid their violence. Because his kingdom was not of this world, he would not defend it as the kingdoms of this world are defended. His weapons were spiritual, his warfare divine. He used the mildest means in spreading his religion; means, however, so powerful that they would eventually prevail over all opposition.—Is well pleased. Such was the testimony repeatedly given of Christ. Mat. iii. 17. John xii. 28.-I will put my spirit upon him. John iii. 34. It is said of Jesus that "God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him.”—Judgment to the Gentiles. A law; meaning a system of religion, which was to be preached not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.

19. Images of peace. He would not be clamorous or violent, like a warrior, but gentle and meek, shunning rather than seeking publicity.

20. Bruised reed. The reed was used as an emblem of weakness. Ezek. xxix. 6. 2 Kings xviii. 21. Smoking flax, i. e. the wick of an expiring lamp. The general meaning of these figures is, that his conduct would be characterized by meekness and kindness; that he would not crush the contrite and feeble, but encourage the faintest aspirations after virtue; and that he would not seek applause. Such was in fact the character of our Lord. He was tender to the weak

ness of his disciples, forgiving towards his enemies, and cherished the first symptoms of penitence in the transgressor. He courted not "the noise of boasting, nor the loud reports of fame."-Send forth judgment unto victory. Till he make his law or religion victorious. In the exercise of benevolence and meekness, he would intrench his Gospel in the hearts of men. Some understand that reference is here made to the judgments that befell the Jewish people, and the coming of the Son of Man in his glory. Mat. xxiv. 30.

21. In his name. In him shall the Gentiles trust. The most extensive benefits were to follow from the Gospel. In Jesus, the descendant of Abraham, all the nations of the world were to be blessed. Gentile as well as Jew was to be admitted to the privileges and hopes of his religion. We witness at the present day the fulfilment of his prediction.

22-32. See Mark iii. 19-30. Luke xi. 14–23.

22. Possessed with a devil. With a demon; a demoniac. See note, Mat. iv. 24.-Blind and dumb. The individual was probably afflicted with insanity, one symptom of which is taciturnity, and in some cases blindness.-Insomuch. that.

So

23. The people were amazed. As they believed in the reality of possession by evil spirits, they were