Herod, seeing he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sending forth, slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the confines thereof, from two years old and under; according to the time which he had exactly inquired of the 17 wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah 18 the prophet, saying, * In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth 20 in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young

child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they 21 are dead who sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of 22 Israel. But having heard, Archelaus reigneth over Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither, and being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of 23 Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

III.

In those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the wilder2 derness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of

sion of his subjects. Sending forth-a party of soldiers: In all the confines thereof-In all the neighbouring places, of which Rama was one.

17. Then was fulfilled-A passage of Scripture, whether prophetic, historical, or poetical, is in the language of the New Testament fulfilled, when an event happens to which it may with great propriety be accommodated.

18. Rachel weeping for her children-The Benjamites, who inhabited Rama, sprung from her. She was buried near this place; and is here beautifully represented risen, as it were out of her grave, and bewailing her lost children.— Because they are not-that is, are dead. The preservation of Jesus from this destruction, may be considered as a figure of God's care over his children in their greatest danger. God does not often, as he easily could, cut off their persecutors at a stroke. But he provides a hiding place for his people, and by methods not less effectual, though less pompous, preserves them from being swept away, even when the enemy comes in like a flood.

22. He was afraid to go thither-into Judea; and so turned aside into the region of Galilee-a part of the land of Israel not under the jurisdiction of Archelaus. 23. He came and dwelt in Nazareth-(where he had dwelt before he went to Bethlehem) a place contemptible to a proverb. So that hereby was fulfilled what has been spoken in effect by several of the prophets, (though by none of them in express words,) He shall be called a Nazarene-that is, he shall be despised and rejected, shall be a mark of public contempt and reproach.

III. 1. In those days-that is, while Jesus dwelt there. In the wilderness of Judea-This was wilderness properly so called, a wild, barren, desolate place as was that also where our Lord was tempted. But, generally speaking, a wilder ness in the New Testament means only a common, or less cultivated place, in opposition to pasture and arable land.

2. The kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God, are but two phrases for the same thing. They mean, not barely a future happy state in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth: the proper disposition for the glory of heaven, rather than the possession of it. Is at hand-As if he had said, God is about to erect that kingdom, spoken of by Daniel (ch. ii, 44; and vii, 13, 14;) the kingdom of the God of heaven. It properly signifies here, the Gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first on earth, and afterward with God in glory. In some places of Scripture, the phrase more particularly denotes the state of it on earth: in others, it signifies only the state of glory: but it generally includes both. The

* Jer. xxxi, 15. + Mark 1, 1; Luke iii, 1.

3 heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the Pro phet Isaiah, saying, * The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And this John had his raiment of camels' hair, and a leathern gir dle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region 6 round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confess 7 ing their sins. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees

coming to his baptism, he said to them, Ye brood of vipers, who 8 hath showed you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth 9 therefore fruit worthy of repentance: And say not confidently

Jews understood it of a temporal kingdom, the seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem; and the expected sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to call the Son of man.

Both John the Baptist and Christ took up that phrase, the kingdom of heaven, as they found it, and gradually taught the Jews (though greatly unwilling to learn) to understand it right. The very demand of repentance, as previous to it, showed it was a spiritual kingdom, and that no wicked man, how politic, brave, or learned soever, could possibly be a subject of it.

3. The way of the Lord-Of Christ. Make his paths straight-By removing every thing which might prove a hinderance to his gracious appearance.

4. John had his raiment of camels' hair-Coarse and rough, suiting his character and doctrine. A leathern girdle-Like Elijah, in whose spirit and power he came. His food was locusts and wild honey-Locusts are ranked among clean meats, Lev. xi, 22. But these were not always to be had. So in default of those, he fed on wild honey.

6. Confessing their sins-Of their own accord; freely and openly.

Such prodigious numbers could hardly be baptized by immerging their whole bodies under water: nor can we think they were provided with change of raiment for it, which was scarcely practicable for such vast multitudes. And yet they could not be immerged naked with modesty, nor in their wearing apparel with safety. It seems, therefore, that they stood in ranks on the edge of the river, and that John, passing along before them, cast water on their heads or faces, by which means he might baptize many thousands in a day. And this way most naturally signified Christ's baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, which John spoke of, as prefigured by his baptizing with water, and which was eminently fulfilled, when the Holy Ghost sat upon the disciples in the appearance of tongues, or flames of fire.

7. The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews. They took their name from a Hebrew word, which signifies to separate, because they separated themselves from all other men. They were outwardly strict observers of the law, fasted often, made long prayers, rigorously kept the Sabbath, and paid all tithe, even of mint, anise, and cummin. Hence they were in high esteem among the people. But inwardly, they were full of pride and hypocrisy.

The Sadducees were another sect among the Jews, only not so considerable as the Pharisees. They denied the existence of angels, and the immortality of the soul, and by consequence the resurrection of the dead. Ye brood of vipers-In like manner, the crafty Herod is styled a fox, and persons of insidious, ravenous, profane, or sensual dispositions, are named respectively by him who saw their hearts, serpents, dogs, wolves, and swine; terms which are not the random language of passion, but a judicious designation of the persons meant by them. For it was fitting such men should be marked out, either for a caution to others, or a warning to themselves.

8. Repentance is of two sorts; that which is termed legal, and that which is styled evangelical repentance. The former (which is the same that is spoken of here) is a thorough conviction of sin. The latter is a change of heart (and consequently of life) from all sin to all holiness.

9. And say not confidently--The word in the original, vulgarly rendered, Think not, seems here, and in many places, not to diminish, but rather add to

* Isaiah xl, 3.

within yourselves, We have Abraham to our Fatner; for I say unto you, God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abra10 ham. But the axe also already lieth at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down 11 and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I; whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy 12 Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather the wheat into the garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

13

*Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be 14 baptized by him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be 15 baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering

said to him, Suffer it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all 16 righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus being baptized, went up straightway from the water, and, lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like 17 a dove, and coming upon him. And lo, a voice out of the heavens,

saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight.

the force of the word with which it is joined. We have Abraham to our fatherIt is almost incredible, how great the presumption of the Jews was on this their relation to Abraham. One of their famous sayings was, "Abraham sits near the gates of hell, and suffers no Israelite to go down into it." I say unto you—This preface always denotes the importance of what follows. Of these stones-Proba. bly pointing to those which lay before them.

10. But the axe also already lieth—-That is, there is no room for such idle pretences. Speedy execution is determined against all that do not repent. The comparison seems to be taken from a woodman that has laid down his axe to put off his coat, and then immediately goes to work to cut down the tree. This refers to the wrath to come in verse 7. Is hewn down-Instantly, without farther delay.

11. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire-He shall fill you with the Holy Ghost, inflaming your hearts with that fire of love, which many waters cannot quench. And this was done, even with a visible appearance as of fire, on the day of pentecost.

12. Whose fan-That is, the word of the Gospel. His floor-That is, his Church, which is now covered with a mixture of wheat and chaff. He will gather the wheat into the garner-Will lay up those who are truly good in heaven.

15. It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness—It becometh every messenger of God to observe all his righteous ordinances. But the particular meaning of our Lord seems to be, that it becometh us to do (me to receive baptism, and you to administer it) in order to fulfil, that is, that I may fully perform every part of the righteous law of God, and the commission he hath given me.

16. And Jesus being baptized-Let our Lord's submitting to baptism teach us a holy exactness in the observance of those institutions which owe their obligation merely to a Divine command. Surely thus it becometh all his followers to fulfil all righteousness.

Jesus had no sin to wash away. And yet he was baptized. And God owned his ordinance, so as to make it the season of pouring forth the Holy Spirit upon him. And where can we expect this sacred effusion, but in an humble attendance un Divine appointments? Lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God-St. Luke adds, in a bodily form-Probably in a glorious appearance of fire, perhaps in the shape of a dove, descending with a hovering motion, till it rested upon him. This was a visible token of those secret operations of the blessed Spirit, by which he was anointed in a peculiar manner; and abundantly fitted for his public work.

17. And lo, a voice-We have here a glorious manifestation of the ever-blessed Trinity: the Father speaking from heaven, the Son spoken to, the Holy Ghost

* Mark i, 9; Luke iii, 21.

IV. Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to 2 be tempted by the devil. And having fasted forty days and forty 3 nights, he was afterward hungry. And the tempter coming to him, said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones 4 be made bread. But he answering, said, It is written, † Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of 5 the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him with him into the holy city, and setteth him on the battlement of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down; for it is written, He shall charge his angels concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash 7 thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, It is written again, 8 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him with him to an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all 9 the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. And saith to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship Then Jesus saith to him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 11 thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and waited upon him.

10 me.

descending upon him. In whom I delight-What an encomium is this! How poor to this are all other kinds of praise! To be the pleasure, the delight of God, this is praise indeed: this is true glory: this is the highest, the brightest light, that virtue can appear in.

IV. 1. Then-After this glorious evidence of his Father's love, he was completely armed for the combat. Thus after the clearest light and the strongest consolation, let us expect the sharpest temptations. By the Spirit-Probably through a strong inward impulse.

2. Having fasted-Whereby doubtless he received more abundant spiritual strength from God. Forty days and forty nights-As did Moses, the giver of the law, and Elijah, the great restorer of it. He was afterward hungry-And so prepared for the first temptation.

3. Coming to him—In a visible form; probably in a human shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being the Messiah.

4. It is written-Thus Christ answered, and thus we may answer all the sug gestions of the devil. By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GodThat is, by whatever God commands to sustain him. Therefore it is not needful I should work a miracle to procure bread, without any intimation of my Father's will.

5. The holy city-So Jerusalem was commonly called, being the place God had peculiarly chosen for himself. On the battlement of the temple-Probably over the king's gallery, which was of such a prodigious height, that no one could look down from the top of it without making himself giddy.

6. In their hands-That is, with great care.

7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God-By requiring farther evidence of what he hath already made sufficiently plain.

8. Showeth him all the kingdoms of the world-In a kind of visionary repre

sentation.

9. If thou wilt fall down and worship me-Here Satan clearly shows who he was. Accordingly Christ answering this suggestion, calls him by his own name, which he had not done before.

10. Get thee hence, Satan-Not, get thee behind me, that is, into thy proper place; as he said on a quite different occasion to Peter, speaking what was not expedient.

11. Angels came and waited upon him-Both to supply him with food, and to congratulate his victory.

* Mark i, 12; Luke iv, 1.

+ Deut. viii, 3.

|| Deut. vi, 13.

Psalm xci, 11, 12. § Deut. vi, 16.

12

*But when he heard that John was cast into prison, he retired 13 into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt at Caper

naum, which is on the sea coast, in the borders of Zebulon and 14 Naphthali: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah 15 the prophet, saying, † The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphthali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who walked in darkness saw a great light, and to them who sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for 18 the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his 19 brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he

saith to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And straightway, leaving their nets, they followed him. And going 21 on from thence, he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the vessel with Zebedee their 22 father, mending their nets; and he called them. And leaving the vessel and their father, they immediately followed him.

23

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner 24 of disease and all manner of malady among the people. And his fame went through all Syria: and they brought to him all sick people, that were held with divers diseases and tormenting pains; and demoniacs, and lunatics, and paralytics; and he healed them.

12. He retired into Galilee-This journey was not immediately after his temptation. He first went from Judea into Galilee, John i, 43; ii, 1. Then into Judea again, and celebrated the passover at Jerusalem, John ii, 13. He baptized in Judea while John was baptizing at Enon, John iii, 22, 23. All this time John was at liberty, ver. 24. But the Pharisees being offended, chap. iv, 1; and John put in prison, he then took this journey into Galilee.

13. Leaving Nazareth-Namely, when they had wholly rejected his word, and even attempted to kill him, Luke iv, 29.

15. Galilee of the Gentiles-That part of Galilee which lay beyond Jordan was so called, because it was in a great measure inhabited by Gentiles, that is, heathens.

16. Here is a beautiful gradation, first, they walked, then they sat in darkness, and lastly, in the region of the shadow of death.

17. From that time Jesus began to preach-He had preached before, both to Jews and Samaritans, John iv, 41, 45. But from this time began his solemn stated preaching. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand-Although it is the peculiar business of Christ to establish the kingdom of heaven in the hearts of men, yet it is observable, he begins his preaching in the same words with John the Baptist because the repentance which John taught still was, and ever will be, the necessary preparation for that inward kingdom. But that phrase is not only used with regard to individuals in whom it is to be established, but also with regard to the Christian Church, the whole body of believers. In the former sense it is opposed to repentance; in the latter the Mosaic dispensation.

23. The Gospel of the kingdom—The Gospel, that is, the joyous message, is the proper name of our religion: as will be amply verified in all who earnestly and perseveringly embrace it.

24. Through all Syria-The whole province, of which the Jewish country was only a small part. And demoniacs-Men possessed with devils: and lunatics, and paralytics-Men ill of the palsy, whose cases were of all others most deplo. rable and most helpless.

* Mark i, 14. † Isaiah ix, 1, 2.

Mark i, 16; Luke v, 1.