Lukexii.50. But I have a baptism to be baptized with ; and how Uncertain, am I straitened till it be accomplished ?

probably or 51. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth ? I a tour.

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 daughter against the mother; the mother in law
against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law

against her mother in law.
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 yourselves judge ye not what is

right?
58. When thou goest with thine adversary to the magis-

trate, 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 the very last mite.
Luke xiïj, l. There were present at that season some that told him 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, be

cause they suffered such things ?
3. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all like-
wise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell
and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all

the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all

likewise perish.
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?

And he, answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone
this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9. And if it bear fruit well; and if not, then after that

thou shalt cut it down.

4.

SECTION XVII.
Christ cures an infirm Woman in the Synagogue.

LUKE xiii. 10-17. Lukexiji.10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Uacertain, sabbath :

probably on

a tour. 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.
12. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and

said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infir

mity.
13. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was

made straight, and glorified God.
14. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indigna-

tion, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath-day,
and said unto the people, There are six days in which
men ought to work; in them therefore come and be

healed, and not on the sabbath-day.
15. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite,

doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or

his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering ?
16. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abra-

ham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years,

be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?
17. And when he had said these things, all his adversaries

were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glori-
ous things that were done by him.

SECTION XVIII.
Christ begins his Journey towards Jerusalem, to be present

at the Feast of the Dedication.

LUKE xii. 22. and 18-21.
Lukexüi.22. And he went through the cities and villages, teaching,

and journeying towards Jerusalem.
Lukexiii.18. Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like?

and whereunto shall I resemble it?
19. It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took

and cast into his garden, and it grew and waxed a great
tree ; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of
it '8.

18 There seems to be some allusion in this parable to the circumstances in which our Lord was now placed. He was proceeding to Jerusalem, where be intended, as his hour was approaching, to address him to the rulers of the Jews, with as much boldness as he had hitherto spoken to the people. He foresaw the result of this conduct; that it would lead to his painful death, and the accomplishment of the promises of God. The future was ever present to him. As the seed was committed

Lukexiii.20. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the king- Uncertain, dom of God?

probably on

a tour. 21. It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three

measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

SECTION XIX 19.
Christ restores to Sight a Blind Man, who is summoned

before the Sanhedrim.

JOHN ix. 1–34. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind Jerusalem. from his birth.

John ix, 1.

to the ground, and became a great tree, so in the same manner
would bis kingdom begin from his death, and gradually increase
and extend itself over the world.

19 This section contains an account of the cure of the blind
man at Jerusalem. In favour of the opinion that this miracle
was effected at the feast of tabernacles, we find Pilkington, New.
come, Macknight, Cradock, Bishop Richardson, Le Clerc, &c.
&c. That it was wrought at the feast of the dedication, the
principal authorities are Lightfoot and Doddridge, whose opi-
nion is here preferred.

Archbishop Newcome's principal reason is, that the word mapáywv, in John ix. 1. seems to refer to the word tapnyev, used in chap. viii. 59.

To this it may be replied, that there are most powerful reasons for believing with Wetstein and Griesbach, that the last seven words of this chapter of St. John, and the word tapsyev among the number, were not originally part of the sacred text. Lampe, however, is very indignant at this supposition. But the authorities of the two former critics, united to that of Erasmus, Grotius, Mill, Semler, and Kuinoel, are sufficient to justify our replying to Archbisbop Newcome's argument in this manner.. But, waving this supposition that the last clause of John viii. 59. is spurious, it may be replied, in the words of Doddridge, “it seems much more probable that rapáywy might be used without reference to napsyev, than to suppose that when Christ was flecing out of the temple, in the hasty manner described, his disciples as he passed should stop him, for the purpose of putting so nice a question as that mentioned in John ix. 2. or that he should stand still at such a moment to discourse with them, or to perform such a cure, in a manner so leisurely, as it is plain this was done.” Fam. Exp. vol. ii. 71. sect. 130.

The correspondence between παράγων and παρήγεν, might be mere coincidence: if it was intended by the inspired writer, it would be a most unaccountable deviation from the beautiful simplicity of his usual language.

The great attention excited by this miracle: and its effects, both on the sanhedrim and on the people, appear to be the preludes to that more universal notice which our Lord obtained, when he went up to Jerusalem for the last time. On this supposition, the feast of the dedication would be its more probable period. In “ Critical Remarks on detached Passages of the New Testament,” by the late French Lawrence, LL.D. M.P. &c. &c. &c. we meet with apotber argument in favour of the arrangement now adopted, “In John X. 22. several MSS. of

Jobp ix. 2.

3.

4.

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did Jerusalem. sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind 20 ?

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world,

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay ?',

5.

6.

good authority read more, instead of de It was then at Jeru-
salem,” &c. &c. instead of " and it was." This favours the idea
of those harmonists who suppose the meeting with the blind
man to have taken place at the feast of the Dedication. After
having been obliged to bide bimself, that he might escape ston-
ing, it is not likely that Christ should appear again at Jerusa-
lem, till he went thither to attend thc next public festival.”
Such is the remark of a most impartial critic. Eveu if the
reading de however remain, the 22d verse of chap. x. may still
refer to the event related in the preceding, as well as in the
subsequent passages.

Michaelis refers the contents of these sections to the general
period in which all the harmonizers place them; but he does not
enter into any details.

The propriety and wisdom of our Lord's conduct in the various instances recorded in these sections, the excellence of his lessons, and the manner in which he gradually developed his character and claims, seem to be so plainly narrated, that it is not necessary to enlarge upon each incident. For reflections on the character of our Lord as a teacher, perhaps the best work extant is that of Archbishop Newcome, entitled, “ Observations on our Lord's conduct”--the best on the elevation and dignity of our Lord's character is Craig's Life of Christ. Besides these, however, there are very many that may be read to the greatest advantage, Bishop Law, Taylor, Stackhouse, &c. &c. &c.

20 The Jews believed in the doctrine of the revolution of souls-nis buang. Josephus (a) tells us that every soul was incorruptible and immortal, and that the souls of the good passed into another body, while those of the unrighteous were eternally punished. Some suppose that it was in allusion to this opinion that our Lord was imagined to have been either Elias, or Jeremiah, or some one of the propliets. The Cabbalists tell us that the soul of the first man occupied the body of David, and was afterwards preserved to inhabit the body of the Messias : they deduce this important truth from the certain evidence afforded them in the letters which compose the name of the Protoplast

These admirable logicians inform us that the first letter x signifies Adam, the second - David, the third the Messias ; and therefore the point is proved (b).

For an account of the singular opinions of the Jews, alluded to in this verse, see Lightfoot, vol. ii. p. 568-9.

(a) Josephus de bell. Judaico, l, xi. c. vii. () Vide Witsius Ægyptiaca, lib. i. cap. iv. sect. 10, 11.

21 Jones gives a curious interpretation of this miracle.

.אדם

John ix. 7. And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, Jerusalem.

(which is, by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way

therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had

seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat

and begged ?
9. Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him :

but he said, I am he.
10. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes

opened?
11, He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made

clay and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the
pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed ; and

received sight.
12. Then said they unto him, Where is he? he said, I

know not.
13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was

blind.
14. And it was the sabbath-day when Jesus made the clay,

and opened his eyes.
15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had

received his sight : he said unto them, He put clay upon

mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not

of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath-day. Others
said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles ?

And there was a division among them.
17. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou

of him, that he hath opened thine eyes ? he said. He is a

prophet.
18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he

“ That the miracle (he observes) might be more instructive,
a very peculiar form was given to it. Christ moulded the dust
of the ground into clay, and having spread it upon the eyes of
the map, he commanded him to go, and wash off this dirt in the
pool of Siloam. Here the reason of the thing speaks for itself.
What is this mire and clay upon the eyes, but the power this
world has over us in shutting out the truth? Who are the peo-
ple unto whom the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ cannot
shinc, but they whose minds the God of this world hath blind-
ed? So long as this world retains its influence, the Gospel is
hidden from the eyes of men ; they are in a lost condition, and
nothing can clear them of this defilement, but the water of the
divine spirit sent from above to wash it away. This seems to be
the moral sense of the miracle, and a miracle thus understood
becomes a sermon, than which none in the world can be more
edifying. Our Saviour himself gives the spiritual signification
of it in words which cannot be applied to a bodily cure-'As
long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' The
whole world, like this man, is born blind. I am come to give it
light, in proof of which I give this man his sight.”—Jones on the
Figurative Language of Scripture, Works, vol. iii. p. 153. See
also Jortin's Remarks on Eccl. Hist. vol. i.