CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.

This chapter contains a repetition of divers particulars of Christ's preaching and miracles, which we had before in Matthew and Mark. Here is, (1,) A general account of Christ's preaching; and how he and his disciples were supported by the charitable contributions of good people, 1-3. (2,) His parable of the sower, and four sorts of ground on which the seed fell; with the explication and application of it, 4–15. (3,) His parable of the lighted candle, 16–18. (4,) His preferring his obedient disciples to his nearest natural relations, 19–21. (5,) His stilling a storm at sea with speaking a word, 22–25. (6,) His casting a legion of devils out of a man that was possessed by them, and permitting them to enter into the swine of the Gadarenes, 26-39. (7) His healing a woman that had a bloody issue, and raising Jairus's daughter to life, 40-56

AND ND it came to pass afterward, || together, and were come to him out A. M. 4035. that he went throughout every of every city, he spake by a parable : city and village, preaching and showing the 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it twelve were with him. was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

a Matt. xxvii. 55, 56.————↳ Mark xvi. 9.——* Sexagesima Sunday,|| gospel, verse 4 to verse 16. Matt. xiii. 2; Mark iv. 1.

Verses 2,3. And certain women-There were also some women with him; the monuments of his power and mercy, for they had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities-Some of them had been troubled || in mind, and in a state of melancholy, through the Verses 4-15. And when much people were gathered influence of evil spirits, and others of them afflicted || together-To be instructed by his discourse, as well in body in different respects, and he had healed them as to see, or be healed by, his miracles; and were all, and thereby had shown himself to be the physi- || come to him-In crowds; out of every city—In that cian of both soul and body. Mary, called Magda-part of the country; he spake by a parable—Having lene-Doubtless from Maydaha, the place of her resi- || first, for greater conveniency of being better heard dence, which was a town in Galilee beyond Jordan. [[ and less incommoded by them, entered into a ship,

The application of the

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A. M. 4035. he had said these things, he cried, He || have no root, which for a while believe, A. M. 4035 that hath ears to hear, let him hear. and in time of temptation fall away. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, T d What might this parable be?

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14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having

11 ¶ Now the parable is this: The seed is heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit the word of God.

12 Those by the way-side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these

d Matt. xiii. 10; Mark iv. 10.———e Isa. vi. 9; Mark iv. 12. f Matt. xiii. 18; Mark iv. 14.

where he sat, and from thence taught them. A sower went out to sow, &c.—See this parable explained at large in the notes on Matt. xiii. 3-23; and Mark|| iv. 3-20.

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with patience.

16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

17h For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid,

8 Matt. v. 15; Mark iv. 21; Chap. xi. 33.-h Matt. x. 26; Chap. xii. 2.

not rest in any ineffectual and transient impressions made on your mind, and therefore be offended and fall away in time of trial and temptation; but that the truth may take deep root in your mind, and Verses 16-18. No man, when he hath lighted a that you may have root in yourself. See on Matt. candle, &c.—See on Matt. v. 15; and Mark iv. 21. xiii. 20, 21. Take heed, 3d, That you guard against Nothing is secret, &c.-See on Matt. x. 26. Take the cares of the world, the love of deceitful riches, heed, therefore, how ye hear. In Mark, chap. iv. 24, || the vain pleasures of life, and desires after other it is, Take heed what you hear. As it is the indis- things; those pernicious weeds, which in so many pensable duty of all ministers of the Word to take || choke the springing blade, or forming ear, so that heed what they preach, 1st, That their doctrine be no fruit is brought forth to perfection. See on Matt. true, that they may not deceive their hearers. 2d, xiii. 22. But hear, 1st, In simplicity of intention, That it be important, that they may not trifle with with a single eye to the glory of God and your own them: and, 3d, That it be suitable to their state and salvation, present and eternal. 2d, In sincerity of character; that they rightly divide the word of truth, heart, truly and earnestly desiring to discover and and give to every description of hearers their portion put away every error and every sin, and to know and of meat in due season; so it concerns all hearers to do the whole will of God. 3d, In humility, conscious take heed what they hear. They must not take it that you are unworthy to know the great and imfor granted that what they hear is true, important,|| portant things revealed in the gospel, the will of and suited to their state and character: but must God, and the way of salvation from such great bring it to the test of the Holy Scriptures, and ex- misery to such great happiness, unworthy that God amine it thereby; and for that purpose, must endea- should speak to you by his Son, and his inspired vour to make themselves well acquainted with the prophets, apostles, and evangelists. 4th, With reScriptures: and if they find that, according to the verence, remembering it is God's word, and you divine oracles, the doctrine which they hear answers are in God's presence and under God's eye. 5th, the above description, they must so take heed what With seriousness, persuaded the truth you hear is they hear, as to attend to, and consider it well, that no light matter, but for your life, your better and they may thoroughly understand and lay it to heart, || everlasting life. Would you not hear with seriousand that it may have its designed effect upon theirness the advice of a skilful physician respecting spirit and conduct. your health, or of a lawyer concerning your pro

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But, according to Luke here, our Lord's caution,perty? And will you not hear with equal, nay, inferred from the preceding parable, implied another with greater seriousness what concerns you infinitething equally important, Take heed how ye hear-1st, || ly more? 6th, With deep attention: let no sentence, That you do not hear so inattentively, and in such a or even word, that is uttered escape you, and fail prayerless state of mind, as not to understand, nor not afterward seriously to consider what you have afterward meditate on what your hear, and so receive heard, and to examine yourself thereby. 7th, With the seed as by the way-side. See on Matt. xiii. 19. prayer, while hearing, and before and after you 2d, That having heard, and understood in a measure hear, for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Eph. what you heard, and being affected thereby, you do i. 17. persuaded the things of God knoweth no man

but by the Spirit of God, 2 Cor. ii. 11, 14. 8th, Hear converses and corresponds freely with them, and with faith, firmly believing the certainty and im- even dwells among them. 4th, He is not ashamed portance of what is taught you from the oracles of of them, although poor and mean. When he died, God, always remembering the word preached does he left them rich legacies; and does not forget them not profit those who hear it, in whom it is not mixed now he is in his kingdom; but defends, supports, with faith, Heb. iv. 2. 9th, In love to the truth, || directs, and comforts them many ways; sends them though searching and cutting, though disagreeable many rich presents and donations; will confess to your mind, like a bitter medicine to your taste, them as his friends and relations before all the prinor giving pain, like a lance which opens an impos- || cipalities and powers of the universe, and will have thume. 10th, With meekness, with a calm, unruf- them all, at last, to live eternally with him. Now fled, peaceful mind, that what you hear may prove from this near relation, in which those that hear the an ingrafted word able to save your soul, James i. 21. word of God, and do it, stand to the Lord Jesus, Above all, 11th, Hear with a fixed resolution, formed and from the great regard he has for them, it is easy in the strength of grace, to be a doer of the word, to infer that all such should consider themselves as beand not a hearer only, to practise all you hear asing nearly related to each other, and therefore should far as you see it to be agreeable to the word and be very dear to one another.. Being the sons and will of God. For whosoever hath, to him shall|| daughters of the Lord Almighty, 2 Cor. vi. 18; and be given. See note on Matthew xiii. 12; and Mark || the brethren and sisters of his blessed Son, they are iv. 25.

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of course brethren and sisters to each other; not Verses 19-21. Then came to him his mother, &c. only bearing the same common name of Christian, -See the notes on Matt. xii. 46-50; and on Mark but partaking of the same heavenly nature, and iii. 31. My mother and my brethren are they which manifesting the same divine likeness, as the children hear the word of God and do it-In these words we of the same family generally resemble each other. have an important branch of the character and the And as their relation to each other, like that in great dignity and happiness of the true disciples of which they stand to the Lord Jesus, shall subsist Christ. As they make conscience of embracing all || and be a firm bond of union among them, when all proper opportunities of hearing the word of God, the relations merely human, and all the ties of naso they take heed what and how they hear, as direct- ture, civil society, and worldly interest shall have ed in verse 18; and endeavour to hear it in the ceased for ever; surely a consideration of this ought manner and spirit explained and inculcated in the to make them esteem and love each other with pure last note. And their great honour and dignity is,|| hearts fervently, notwithstanding any little differst, That they are regarded and esteemed by the ence of opinion, or mode of worship, or such like Lord Jesus as his nearest and dearest relations; circumstance which may have place among them. they are not only his subjects and his servants, but|| And they should show how dear they are to each his brethren, his spouse, his members. They bear other every way in their power; and in particular his name and image, and share his nature. The by their delighting in each other's company, and beconsequence of which is, that the relation in which ing free and familiar with each other, and by cultithey stand to him shall subsist, when all the rela- || vating a spirit of sympathy and fellow-feeling with tions of flesh and blood shall have ceased for ever. || and toward one another; never being ashamed of 2d, They are unspeakably dear to him; he loves || them above all other men, and it should seem above all angels. He has their welfare infinitely at heart; in all respects acts the part of a kinsman, in caring and providing for them: he sympathizes with them in their infirmities and afflictions, and takes a share in their joys and sorrows. 3d, He admits them into Verses 22-25. It came to pass on a certain day his presence,—to his table, and the rich provisions -According to Mark, the same day, when the of his house,—allows them the nearest access to, and || evening was come; he went into a ship with his greatest intimacy and familiarity with himself. He || disciples-With a view to cross the lake. And they

each other, however poor or despised by the world but acknowledging, supporting, and comforting one another, as children of the same family, and members of the same body; and, above all, always endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Jesus stills a violent storm at sea.

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launched forth.

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A. M. 4035. the other side of the lake. And they || fell down before him, and with a A. M. 4035. loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee torment me not.

23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

24 And they came to him, and awoke him, || saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spi rit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains, and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many

25 And he said unto them, Where is your
faith? And they being afraid, wondered, say-devils were entered into him.
ing one to another, What manner of man is
this! for he commandeth even the winds and ||
water, and they obey him.

26 m And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out " into the deep. 32 And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and

27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, || entered into the swine: and the herd ran vioneither abode in any house, but in the tombs. lently down a steep place into the lake, and 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and || were choked.

m Matt. viii. 28; Mark v. 1.

n Rev. xx. 3.

launched forth-Attended by a number of other their confusion and dismay, it seems, prevented little boats, which were full of people, Mark iv. 36. their deriving any benefit from the rebuke: he thereBut as they sailed, he fell asleep-In the stern of fore now repeats it, when the storm was over, and the vessel, fatigued with the work of the day. And they had leisure to attend to it: and doubtless it there came down a storm, &c.-The weather sud- || contributed to make them more sensible of the evil denly changed, and a storm came on, which threat- of their fear. And they being afraid, wondered, ened to sink them to the bottom. The tempest in- &c.-When by the continuance of the calm they creased the horrors of the night; the sky lowered; found what a great miracle was wrought, they were the wind roared, the sea and clouds were driven inexpressibly amazed, and their amazement was with the fury of the storm. Now they were tossed mixed with fear, because he had rebuked them so up to the top of the billows, then sunk down to the sharply. See this miracle more fully elucidated, on bottom of the deep, buried among the waves. The Matt. viii. 23-27; and Mark iv. 35-41. disciples exerted their utmost skill in managing their vessel, but to no purpose; the waves, breaking in, filled her so that she began to sink. Being now on the very brink of perishing, and ready to give themselves up for lost, they ran to Jesus, crying || out, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose and rebuked the wind-Which instantly became silent; and the raging of the water-The huge waves of which sunk down on every side in a mo- || ment. And there was a calm―The sea was perfectly still around them, and not a breath of wind moved, nor was the least sound heard, except from the oars and sails of the boats which composed this little fleet. And he said unto them, Where is your faith?-In Mark it is, How is it that ye have no faith? As if he had said, After having seen me perform so many miracles, it is extremely culpable in you to be thus overcome with fear. Did you doubt my power to protect you? When they first awoke him, and before he had stilled the storm, he said, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? but

Verses 26-39. See the contents of these verses explained at large, on Matt. viii. 28–34; and Mark v. 1-17. I beseech thee, torment me not-Let me continue where I am, and do not, before my time, cast me into the place of torments. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man-Being moved with pity at the sight of such a miserable spectacle; for oftentimes it had caught him-Therefore our compassionate Lord had made the more haste to cast it out. That he would not command them to go into the deep-This expression, In this the deep, in English, is invariably, the sea. sense it occurs often in Scripture. We find it in this gospel, chap. v. 4, where the Greek word, so rendered, is, to bavoç. That the sea is not meant here, is evident; for to the sea the demons went of themselves, when permitted, at their own request, to enter into the swine. The word abvooos, here used, evidently signifies the place where the wicked spirits are punished, as it does likewise Rev. xx. 3, where it is translated, the bottomless pit. Indeed, it pro

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Jesus heals a bloody issue,

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34 When they that fed them saw || der of his garment: and immediately A. M. 4035. what was done, they fled, and went her issue of blood stanched. and told it in the city and in the country. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? 35 Then they went out to see what was When all denied, Peter, and they that were done; and came to Jesus, and found the man with him, said, Master, the multitude throng out of whom the devils were departed, sitting thee, and press thee, and sayest thou, Who at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right touched me? mind: and they were afraid.

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41 ¶ And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus's feet, and besought|| him that he would come into his house :

42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went, the people thronged him.

43 ¶ And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

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46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

49 Tu While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead: trouble not the Master.

50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

52 And all wept and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not: she is not dead, * but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, 3 arise. 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

56 And her parents were astonished: but z he charged them that they should tell no man

44 Came behind him and touched the bor- what was done.

› Matt. viii. 34.-P Acts xvi. 39.——————9 Mark v 18.-———r Matt. ix. 18; Mark v. 22.- s Matt. ix. 20.— t Mark v. 30; Ch. vi. 19.

u Mark v. 35.———— John xi. 11, 13.—y Chap. vii. 14; John xi. 43. Matt. viii. 4; ix. 30; Mark v. 43.

perly denotes a place without a bottom, or so deep Verses 40-56. When Jesus returned, the people that it cannot be fathomed. The Greeks describe gladly received him—At landing, he met with a their Tartarus in this manner: and the Jews, when better reception than among the Gadarenes, for the they wrote in Greek, did not scruple to adopt their ex-multitude gathered round him to hear him preach, pressions, because they were universally understood. many having waited there in expectation of his reThere was a herd of many swinè feeding-Within | turn. To these, therefore, he preached the doctrines their view, though at a distance. They besought him to suffer them to enter into them-Not that they could have any more ease in the swine than out of them: for had that been the case, they would not so soon have dislodged themselves, destroying the herd.

of salvation, for Mark represents him as tarrying with the people some time before he went into Capernaum. Behold there came a man named Jairus, &c.-See the notes on Matt. ix. 18-26; and Mark v. 22–43.