herd. Reflections on the treatment Christ met with at Nazareth. unto his disciples, The 387 SECT. lxxiii. Mat. sion on them, because continual danger 1, as sheep that had no shepherd they fainted, and were to feed them with spiritual food, or to watch scattered abroad, as sheep having no shep- for the safety and edification of their souls. Then, as he intended immediately after this to IX. 37. 37 Then saith he send out his twelve apostles, he says to them and harvest truly is plen- his other disciples, to quicken their devotion and teous, but the labour- zeal, The harvest of souls to be gathered in is indeed great, but the faithful labourers who assist 38 Pray ye there- in it are few: And therefore let me urge you 38 fore the Lord of the to make your importunate supplications to the send forth labourers great Lord and Master of the harvest, that he ers are few : harvest, that he will into his harvest. would by the secret but powerful energy of his IMPROVEMENT. VI. 1. SINCE the blessed Jesus vouchsafed to renew his visit to Nazareth, Mark where they had attempted to murder him on his first preaching among them, let us not be weary of well-doing, nor refuse to renew our attempts on the most obstinate sinners, where the interests of their immortal souls are concerned. But though they were astonished at his wisdom, and could not but 2 allow the mighty works that he had wrought; yet these ungrateful creatures went on to reject him, and in so doing were condemned out of their own mouth: nor can we be at any loss for instances of those who in later ages have fallen under the like condemnation. He is spoken of as the carpenter; which intimates that he once 3 wrought at that mean employment. What amazing condescension was this in the Son of God, and the Heir of all things, by whom also the worlds were made! (Heb. i. 2.) Yet surely while the hands of Christ were employed in these daily labours, his soul was rising in Faint and exposed.] Though the learned Elsner has taken a great deal of pains to prove in his note on this text, (Observ. Vol.I. p. 49, 50) that ExλEVOL signifies scattered, or wandering; yet I still chuse to render it, they were faint; which sense of the word is sufficiently vindicated by Wolfius, (in loc.) and Albert, (Observ. p. 76, 77), and is established by the use of it in other places of the New Testament. Compare Mat, xv. 32; Mark viii. 3; Gal. vi. 9; and Heb, xii. 3, 5.- But I think Elsner has advanced enough to justify the rendering of holy μ, exposed to every invading dan◄ k Thrust forth labourers into his harvest] 388 The twelve apostles are prepared for their mission. SECT. holy contemplations and devout affections. So may we interIxxiii. mingle pious meditations with our secular cares, and have our Mark Conversation in heaven, while our dwelling is on earth! VI. 5. Mat. IX. 35 How much did these Nazarencs lose by their obstinate prejudices against Jesus! How many diseased bodies might have been cured, how many lost souls might have been recovered and saved, had they given him a better reception! May Divine Grace deliver us from that unbelief, which does as it were disarm Christ himself, and render him a savour of death, rather than of life, to our souls! Still he continued his gracious labours, and, when rejected in one city, went and preached in another; still surrounded with a crowd of admirers, whom he viewed with tender regard. Let his 36 ministers, learn of him, tenderly to pity those, who are faint and exposed to danger, and are as sheep having no shepherd. The extreme necessities of his churches in many places are but too appa37 rent let us earnestly pray, that God would behold them with compassion; that he would graciously provide for their instruction, 38 and would thrust forth such labourers among them as may be diligent and faithful in their work, and prove the happy instruments of gathering in fruit to everlasting life, (John iv. 36.) SECT. lxxiv. Mat. 2 SECT. LXXIV. Our Lord sends forth his apostles with a commission, and gives them instructions to preach the gospel. Mat. X. 1-15. Mark VI. 7-11. Luke IX. 1-5. MAT. X. I. AND Jesus having called his twelve disciples power and au LUKE, and authority over all devils or] them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease. [MARK VI. 7, —LUKĖ IX. 1.] their mission; he endowed them with the gift of unclean spirits, to cast Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: a Having called his twelve disciples together.] There can be no room to doubt that this is the proper place of the mission of the 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, They are sent forth in pairs to preach the gospel. 389 lxxiv. Simon, who is called followers of Christ, and the first that was called SECT. to a stated attendance upon him (p. 184), and of Zebedee, and John whose remarkable zeal and piety rendered him Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son his brother; Mat. a kind of leader among them, was Simon, who is X.2. also called Peter, as Christ had honoured tim with that sirname, (see John i. 42, p. 125): and Andrew his brother, who was called the same day with him: James [the son] of Zebedee the fisherman, and John his brother, that beloved disciple; who were also called at the same time with the two former, as they were fishing at the 3 Philip, and Bar- sea of Galilee, (p. 185): Philip of Bethsaida, 3 tholomew; Thomas, and Bartholomew; Thomas called Didymus; and and Matthew the pub. Matthew, who had been the publican: James lican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, [the son of Alpheus; and Lebbeus, whose sirname whose sirname was was Thaddeus, and who was also called Judas or 4 Simon the Canaan. Jude, the brother of James: Simon the Canaan-4 ite, and Judas Isca- ite, a native of Cana; and Judas Iscariot, or riot, who also betrayed a man of Carioth, that wicked and miserable creature, who afterwards even betrayed him, and then laid violent hands on himself. Thaddeus; him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth [by two and two] and commanded them [LUKE, to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick,] These twelve disciples Jesus sent forth by two 5 and two in pairs, that they might be agreeable companions and assistants to each other in their work; and he commanded them to go into those places which he himself purposed shortly to visit; and to preach there the gospel of the kingdom of God, or to proclaim the joyful tidings of the approaching kingdom of the Messiah; and, The first, Simon, who is called Peter.] The reasons assigned in the paraphrase are so apparently sufficient to account for Peter's being named first, that it is strange any should have attempted to prove from this text the authority of Peter over his brethren, when we never find it declared by Christ, or claimed by Peter, or owned by any of the rest of the apostles, but rather find so many scriptures which appear to look a contrary way. See Mat. xxiii. 812. Acts xv. 13, & seq. 2 Cor. xii. 11. and Gal. . 11. © Simon the Canaanite, a native of Cana.] The reader may see an illustration of this tile and that of Lebbeus, sect. lii. p. 282, notes f and g. d By two and two.] It is obvious this would conduce to the confirming of their testimony, as in the mouth of two witnesses every word is established (Mat. xviii 16.) as well as make their mission much more comfortable than if each had been sent alone. Mr. Fleming, has taken pains to shew, that there was great wisdom in joining them VOL. VI. together in such pairs as are here intimated, e Which he himself purposed shortly to 390 Ixxiv. They are to visit the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Gentiles, and into any 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the SECT. and, in confirmation of it, to heal the sick, and sick,] saying, Go not exert the other miraculous powers which he had into the way of the Mat, given them. And upon this occasion he made city of the Samaritans X. 5. an excellent discourse to them, saying, In this enter ye not: [MARK circuit which I now send you, do not go into the VI.—7. LUKE IX. 2.] way of the Gentiles; for the glad tidings of the gospel are not yet sent to them: nor enter into [any] city of the Samaritans, if you should be obliged to pass through their country; though I once did it, and preached among them with considerable success. (See John iv. 40, 41, 6 sect. xxx.) But my message is chiefly to be delivered to the Jews (compare Mat. xv. 24. house of Israel. and Rom. xv. 8): and therefore go ye rather to them, the poor lost sheep of the house of Israel, who are generally wandering in the paths of error and sin; yet they shall receive this farther token of my regard, that the first notices of my 7 kingdom shall be sent to them. And as ye go from one place to another, wherever you come proclaim this good news, saying, with that ardour and zeal which becomes my heralds, The long expected kingdom of heaven is approaching; prepare yourselves therefore to re8 ceive the blessings of it. And that a declaration Mark VI. 8 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, the lepers, of so great importance may not want suitable cleanse And he commanded them, that they should take f Proclaim-with that ardour and zeal which becomes my heralds.] This is the proper import of the word xpult, which is derived from xnput, a herald. Probably they were to make this proclamation with a loud voice as they passed through the streets of the towns they went to; as Jonah delivered his message to Nineveh. See Jonahii, 4. g Raise the dead.] Though many ancient copies have not this clause, and though we which MARK VI. 8. And he commandeth them, that they should take nothing for their jour ney, save a staff only; [LUKE, do not find that the apostles exerted any such power whilst Christ lived; yet since the oldest versions have it, and it is certainly much easier to drop than to insert a clause by accident, I chuse, with Dr. Whitby, to retain it, though there are great autho rities on the other side. It is to me very evident that some passages in this discou758 refer to events which did not immediately take place. Sce Mat. x. 18, 21, 25, in the next section.. no bread, no money, ver, nor brass in your purses ;] [MAT. X; 9. LUKE IX. 3.-] ney, neither two coats 391 lxxiv. Mark They are directed to take nothing with them for their journey. [LUKE, and he said which they had in their hands h: and, to prevent SECT. unto them,] [Provide] any solicitude as to the means of their support, [neither gold, nor sil- he said unto them, Disburden yourselves of all anxious cares on this occasion, and provide VI. 8. neither bread, or any other kind of food for your subsistence, nor money to purchase provisions; neither gold, nor silver, nor brass coin, in your Mat. MAT. X. 10. Nor purses: Nor even take so much as a scrip to x. 10. scrip for your jour- carry any manner of provisions for [your] jour[LUKE, a piece, nei- ney; nor think it needful you should have two ther shoes, [but be couts a piece, or any change of raiment ; nor, what shod with sandals,] might seem more necessary still, even another nor yet staves: for pair of shoes, any stronger than ordinary, but be shod just as you are with sandals; nor yet take any staves, but only those that you are used to walk with. For the labourer is surely worthy of his food: and as you may freely accept the necessary supplies of life when offered by those to whom you preach, so you may cheerfully trust the Providence of God to take care of you while engaged in so good a cause; and he would rather support you by a miracle, than suffer you to want what shall be necessary for your sustenance1. the workman is worthy of his meat. [MARK VI. 9. LUKE, IX.-3.] 11 And [he said un- And he farther said unto them, Go forth there- 11 to them,] Into whatso- fore with a holy alacrity; and into whatever city shall enter, enquire or village you enter, make it your first business to who enquire who in it is of a worthy character for ever city or town ye h Except only a staff, which they had in their bands.] There is no difficulty thus to reconcile this clause with what is said in Matthew (ver. 10), that they should not provide a staff (as it is there expressed in the original, and pastov); for many copies read it in the plural number, unde pafcus, nor yet staves; which reading is confirmed by Luke (ver. 3), where it is so expressed. Nor is there any need we should suppose, with Heinsius, that is put for we, here in Mark, as if they were commanded to take nothing with them, not even so much as a staff. For all that Christ intended was, that they should so entirely depend upon the providence of God, that they should set out with nothing but the stof in their hands; and that, however com.non it might be for those who were to travel a long way to be provided with two slaves as well as with two coats, they need not be solicitous to have another ready in case one should fail. In your purses.] The original word, Zaras, expresses the custom they had of carrying money in a kind of fob-pocket, or purse, which was made in the duplicature hospitality of their girdles. See Dr. Shaw's Travels, k Nor shoes, but be shod with sandals.] I He would rather support you by a clxxiii. 3A 2 m Peace |