41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to hy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite! cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. 43 For d a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ticles could be carried in them, answering the purpose of our pockets. Compare Ex. iv. 6, 7. Prov. vi. 27. Ruth iii. 15. 39. A parable. A proverb, or similitude. See Matt. xv. 14. 40. The disciple is not, &c. The learner is not above his teacher, does not know more, and must expect to fare no better. This seems to have been spoken to show them that they were not to expect that their disciples would go beyond them in attainments; that if they were blind, their followers would be also; and that, therefore, it was important for them to understand fully the doctrines of the gospel, and not to be blind leaders of the blind. Every one tha is pe fect. The word rendered is 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell.; and the ruin of that house was great. ƒ Matt.12.35. g Mal.1.6. Matt.7.21 25. 11. c.13.25. Ga.6.7. h Matt.7.25,26. i 2 Pe.1.10. Jude 24. j Ps.46.1-3. 62.2. k Ja. 1.24-26. / Pr.28.18. Hos.4.14. perfect means sometimes to repair or mend, and is thus applied to mending nets. Matt. iv. 21. Mark i. 19. Hence it means to repair or amend in a moral sense, or to make whole, or complete. Here it means evidently thoroughly instructed or reformed. The Christian shall be like his master, holy, harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sin ners. He shall copy his example, and grow into the likeness of his Redeemer. Nor can any other be a Christian. 41, 42. See Matt. vii. 3-5. 43, 44. See Matt. vii. 16-18. 45. This verse is not found in the sermon on the Mount. as recorded by Matthew, but is recorded by him in ch xii. 35. 46-49. See Matt. vii. 21-27. Now CHAPTER VII. 8 For I also am a man set under TOW when he had ended all authority, having under me soldiers: his sayings in the audience of and I 1 say unto one, Go, and he the people, he entered into Caper-goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. naum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3 And when he heard of Jesus, ne sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. .4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, troubled not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldast enter under my roof: 7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 1-10. See Matt. viii. 5-12. 1. In the audience of the people. In he hearing of the people. 2. Who was dear unto him. That is, he was valuable, trusty, and honored. 4. They besought him instantly. Urgently, or earnestly. He was worthy. The centurion. He had showed favor to the Jews, and it was not improper to show him a kindness. 11. A city called Nain. This city was in Galilee, in the boundaries of the tribe of Issacher. It was about two miles south of Mount Tabor, and not far from Capernaum. It is now a small village inhabited by Jews, Mahometans, and Christians. 12. The gate of the city. Cities were surrounded by walls, to defend them from their enemies. They were entered through gates placed at convenient stances from each other. In most 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. 11 And it came to pass the day after that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the d c.8.49. e Ps.107.20. 1 This man. cities it was not allowed to bury the Idead within the walls. Hence they were borne to some convenient burial place, in the vicinity of the city. TA dead man carried out. A funeral procession. Anciently no Jews were buried within the walls of the city, except the kings and distinguished persons. 1 Sam. xxviii. 3. 2 Kings xxi. 18. The custom of burying within cities, and especially within the walls of churches, or in their vicinity, had its origin among Christians very early. Yet perhaps few customs are more deleterious to health than burials within large cities, especially with the walls of frequented buildings. The effluvia from dead bodies, is excessively unwholesome. Burial places should be in situations of retirement; far from the tread of the gay and busy world, where all the feelings may be still and ca'm, and where there can be no injury 1 bier. and they that bare him stood | two of his disciples, sent them to still. And he said, Young man, I Jesus, saying, Art thou he thal say unto thee," Arise. should come? f or look we for another? sat 15 And he that was dead up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophetis risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19 And John calling unto him or, coffin. 1 e a c.8.54. Ac.9.40. Ro.4.17. b 2 Ki.4.32-37. 13.21. Jno.11.44. c c.24.19. to health, from the mouldering bodies of the dead. 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in the same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus, answering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the d c.1.68. e Matt.11.2. ƒ Zech.9.9. g Jno. 1.46. h Is.35.5,6. lowing her only son, her stay, and hope. to the grave. He was borne along, one in the prime of life, and the only comfort of his parent-impressive proof that the young, the useful, the vigorous, and the lovely, may die. Jesus met them 16. Came a fear on all. An awe, or solemnity at the presence of one who had power to raise the dead, and at the miracle which had been performed. Glorified God. Praised, or honored apparently a stranger. He approachGod, that he had sent such a prophet. ed the procession, as if he had someAnd that God hath visited his people. thing important to say-he touched the Some said one thing and some another, bier, and the procession stood still. He but all expressing their belief that God was full of compassion for the weeping had showed peculiar favor to the peo-parent; and, by a word, restored the ple. Hath visited. See Luke i. 68. The raising of this young man was one of the most decisive and instructive of our Lord's miracles. There was no doubt that he was dead. There could be no delusion, and no agreement to impose on the people. He came near to the city with no reference to this young man; he met the funeral procession, as it were by accident; and by a word he restored him to life. All those who had the best opportunity of judging, the mother, the friends, believed him to be dead, and were about to bury him. The evidence that he came to life was decisive. He sat up, he spake, and all were impressed with the ful assurance that God had raised him to life. Many witnesses were present, and none doubted that Jesus, by a word, had restored him to his weeping mother. The whole scene was affecting. Here was a widowed mother, who was fol youth, stretched upon the bier, to life 19-35. See this passage explained. in Matthew xi. 2-19 29. The peopic. The common poc 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to gee? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 1 30 But the Pharisees and law yers' rejected the counsel of God' against themselves, being not bap tized of him. 31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the mer of this generation? and to what are they like? 32 They are like unto children sitting in the market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 33 For John the Baptist came a c.4.18. Ja.2.5. b Is.8.14,15. Matt.11.6. f Ps.51.4. Ro.3.4. g Matt.3.5,6. c.3.12. 13.57. c.2.34. Jno.6.66. 1 Co.1.21-28. c21 or, frustrated. h Ac.20.27. Sa.19.35. Est.1.3,11. d c.1.76. e Mal.3.1. themselves. i Matt.11.16,&c. c.1.15-17. Mar.1.6. c.1.15. 2 or, within j Matt.3.4. ple. That heard him. That heard great mass of Pharisees and lawyers re John. The publicans. The tax-ga- jected him. The counsel of God. therers, the worst kind of people, who The counsel of God towards them was had however been converted. T Justi- the solemn admonition by John, to refied God. Considered God as just or pent and be baptized, and be prepared right in the counsel which he gave by to receive the Messiah. This was the John-to wit, in calling men to repent- command, or revealed will of God, ir ance, and denouncing future wrath on relation to them. When it is said that the impenitent. Compare Matt. xi. 19. they rejected the counsel of God, it does Being baptized, &c. They showed not mean that they could frustrate his that they approved of the message of purposes, but merely that they violated God, by submitting to the ordinance his commands. Men cannot frustrate which he commanded, the ordinance the real purposes of God; but they can of baptism. This verse and the follow-contemn his messages; violate his ing are not to be considered as the words of Luke, but the continuation of the discourse of our Lord. He is saying what took place in regard to John. Among the common people he was approved and obeyed-among the rich and learned he was despised. 30. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected, &c. It appears from Matt. iii. 7. that some of the Pharisees came to John to be baptized; but still this is entirely sistent with the supposition that the To commands; and thus reject the coun neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 35 But Wisdom is justified of all her children. 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. a Jno.2.2. 12.2. ver.36. b Pr.8.32-36. 17. 16. 31-35. See this passage explained in Notes on Matt. xl. 16-19. And the Lord said. This clause is wanting in almost all the manuscripts, and is omitted by the best critics. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster-box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake c Matt.26.6,&c. Mar.14.3,&c. Jno.11.2,&c. d c.5.32. ver.34. 1 Ti.1.15. fore, began to show her love for him, and at the same time her humility and penitence, by pouring forth a flood of tears, and washing his feet, in the man ner of a servant. Kissed his feet. 36. One of the Pharisees. His name The kiss was an emblem of love and was Simon, ver. 40. Nothing more is affection. In this manner she testified known of him. It is not improbabie, her love for the Lord Jesus-and at the however, from what follows (vs. 40- same time her humility, and sense of 47,) that he had been healed by the Sa- sin, by kissing his feet. There could viour of some afflictive disease, and be few expressions of penitence more made this feast to show his gratitude. deep and tender than were these. A Sat down to meat. The original word sense of all her sins rushed over her here means only that he placed himself, mind; her heart burst at the rememor reclined at the table. The notion of brance of them, and at the presence of sitting at meals, is taken from modern the pure Redeemer; with deep sorrow customs, and was not practised by the she humbled herself, and sought for Jews. See Note on Matt. xxiii. 6. ¶giveness. She showed her love for him Meat. Supper. Food of any kind. Sat down to eat. by a kiss of affection; her humility, by bathing his feet; her veneration, by 37. In the city. What city is meant breaking a costly box-perhaps prois unknown. Some have supposed it cured by a guilty life-and anointing was Nain; some_ Capernaum; and his feet. In this way we should all some Jerusalem. Which was a sin- come, embracing him as the loved Rener. Who was depraved, or wicked.deemer, humbled at his feet, and offerThis woman, it seems, was known to ing all we have all that we have be a sinner-perhaps an abandoned gained in lives of sin, in our professions, woman, or prostitute. It is certain and merchandise, and toil, while we that she had much to be forgiven; and were sinners offering all to his sershe had probably passed her life in vice. Thus shall we show the sincerity crime. An alabaster-box, &c. See of our repentance, and thus shall we Note, Mark xiv. 3. hear his gracious voice pronounce our sins forgiven. 38. Stood at his feet. They reclined, at their meals, on their left side, and 38. He spake within himself. Thought. their feet therefore were extended from If he were a prophet. The word prothe table, so that persons could easily phet here means not one who predicts approach them. See Note, Matt. xxiii. future events, but one who knows the 6. Began to wash his feet. The hearts of men. If Jesus had been sent Jews wore sandals. These were taken of God as a prophet, he supposed he off when they entered a house. It was would have known entirely the characan act of hospitality and kindness to ter of the woman and would have re wash the feet of a guest, She, there-buked her. Would have known &c. |