these stones become loaves. 4 But JESUS replied, It is written, Men shall not live by bread alone, but by every thing which the mouth of God shall ordain. 5 Then the devil carries him into the holy city, and placing him on the top of the temple, he saith to him, if you be the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, that he shall give his angels charge to take care of you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 7. JESUS said to him, It is likewise written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. v. 6. Ps. xci. 11, 12. v. 7. Deut. vi. 16. Luke iv. 12. v. 4. But by every thing which the mouth, &c.] Gr. but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. This is a Hebrew expression : word being put for thing. See Luke i. 37. ii. 15. Acts v. 32, &c. Now whatever proceedeth out of the mouth, is the same as whatever God appoints or commands. See Deut. viii. 3. from whence this passage is taken; and where word is not in the Hebrew, but only in the Septuagint, which the Evangelist hath here followed. Comp. Luke xii. 15. 1 Kings xvii. 1. Isa. xxxviii. 16. v. 5. Carries him.] The Greek word (napadaμßávw) signifies no more than to lead, to take along with one, as in the Seventy. Numb. xxii. 41. xxiii. 20, 27, 28. See Matt. xvii. 1. that it hath no other sense in this place, and also v. 8. is plain from Luke iv. 5. 9. The holy city.] i. e. Jerusalem, which is honoured with that name, Isa. xlviii. 2. Jer. xi. 1. Dan. ix. 24. Matt. xxvii. 53. Placing him.] We must not imagine that the devil took Jesus Christ, and disposed of him as he would. But only that our blessed Saviour, who yielded to the temptation, was pleased to do what the devil required of him. It is a common thing to say, that a person does a thing, when he orders, or causes it to be done. On the top.] Gr. on a wing of the temple. We have made use in our translation of a general word, because it is not well known what part of the temple the Evangelist means here. It is very probable that it was the king's gallery; which, according to Josephus, was of such a prodigious height, that no one could look down from the top of it, without making himself giddy, Joseph. Antiq. 1. xv. c. 14. v. 7. You shall not tempt.] See Deut. vi. 16. To tempt God here signifies, out of a principle of distrust and unbelief, to require proofs of God's power and protection, after he has given sufficient demonstrations and reasons for our encouragement to depend upon them. See Ex. xvii. 7. Numb. xiv. 22. Ps. xcv. 8. The meaning of Jesus Christ then is, that since he had no manner of reason to doubt of God's protection, he was not willing to tempt him, i. e. to demand fresh instances of it, especially by throwing himself headlong rashly and without any necessity. 8. The devil carries him once more into an exceeding high mountain, and shewing him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; 9 I will give you, says he to him, all these things, if prostrating yourself before me you will pay me adoration. 10 Then says JESUS to him, depart from me, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. 11 At the same time the devil left him, and immediately angels came and served him. 12 After this JESUS, having heard that John was cast into prison, retired into Galilee : All the kingdoms of the world, &c.] This might be an illusion of the devil, who raised in the air appearances of large cities, palaces, &c. and shewed them Jesus Christ. By glory here, are meant riches, as well as splendour and magnificence. See Genesis xxxi. 1. xlv. 13. Isa. lxvi. 12. comp. with lxi. 6. It may also be supposed that the devil gave Jesus Christ a short and lively description and representation of them. v. 10. Satan.] This word, which signifies an adversary, is a name commonly given to the devil. See the note on Matt. xvi. 23. V. 11. Served.] Though the original Greek word (diakovéw) signifies to serve, or wait upon in general; it notwithstanding signifies also to wait at table, to give one to eat, Matt. viii. 15. xxv. 44. Luke xxii. 27. and elsewhere. Now as Jesus was very hungry, it may here be taken in the latter sense. See 1 Kings xix. v. 12. After this. ] Gr. Now. We have put in the words after this by way of supplement in order to connect the thread of the history, and because the imprisonment of John the Baptist did not happen till after the temptation of Jesus Christ. Between these two events, there hap pened what is related in the three first chapters of St. John's gospel. It is commonly supposed, that the ministry of John the Baptist lasted but about 18 months at most, and that he was put in prison a year after Jesus Christ's baptism. Cast into prison] Gr. delivered. Retired into Galilee.] We shall transcribe out of St. John's gospel what is here wanting in the history of Jesus Christ. He went from Nazareth into Judea, where he was baptized by John, Mark i. 9. From Judea he returned into Galilee, John i. 43. ii. l. He went again into Judea, and there celebrated the passover at Jerusalem, John ii. 13. He baptized in Judea, while John was baptizing at Ænon, John iii. 22. All this time John was at liberty, ibid. 24. But the Pharisees having conspired against Jesus, John iv. 3. and Jesus hearing that John had been put into prison, by Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, Mark i. 14. Jesus went into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, a sea port town on the borders of Zabulon and Naphthali, 14 that these words of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphthali, along the sea-side, about Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people which were in darkness saw great light, and to them who dwelt in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. ver. 15. Isa. ix. 1, 2. v. 16. Isa. xlii. 7. v. 13. Leaving Nazareth.] Where he dwelt, till his baptism, Mark i. 9. What induced him to leave it, was the incredulity of the inhabitants. Luke iv. 29. In Capernaum.] Which Jesus Christ chose for the place of his residence, Matt. ix. 1. Mark ii. 1. as being a large city and where he was likely to bring abundance of people to the knowledge of his gospel. Matt. xi. 23. A sea-port town.] Situated near the lake of Genesareth, which is called in scripture the sea of Cinnereth, Numb. xxxiv. 2. Josh. xii. 1. as also the sea of Galilee, or of Tiberias, Matt. iv. 18. John vi. 1. The Jews were wont to give the name of sea to all collections of water. For an account of the bigness of this lake, and the fruitfulness of the neighbouring country, see Josephus of the wars of the Jews, 1. iii. c. 18. This v. 14. That these words of the prophet.] See Isa. viii. 22. prophecy relates, in its primary signification, to the wonderful deliverance of the Jews by the overthrow of Sennacherib's army 2 Kings xix. 36. St. Matthew applies it here to the spiritual deliverance that was wrought in Galilee by our Saviour's presence and preaching, wherein Isaiah's prophecy was fully verified. v. 15. About] The Gr. word (répav) which is commonly rendered beyond, signifies both on this, and the other side, as also what lies near a place, or along a river. For proof of this, see Deut. i. 1, 5. Josh. xii. 1, 7. and John vi. 1. Galilee of the Gentiles.] i. e. Upper Galilee, wherein several nations were settled, such as Phenicians, Egyptians, Arabians, and other heathenish nations. v. 16. Which were.] Gr. which sate. In darkness-in the region and shadow of death.] This country underwent very great hardships, during the calamities which befel the kingdoms of Israel and Juda: these were for it times of darkness and of the shadow of death, i. e. of extreme affliction, according to the scripture style, wherein light is used to denote prosperity, and darkness adversity, Isa. xlv. 7. and elsewhere. The prophet had foretold that this country should see happier days, which happened, when Jesus Christ preached the gospel there. 17 From that time JESUS began to preach, Repent, said he, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 As JESUS was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, namely, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, (for they were fishermen.) 19 And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 Upon which they immediately left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from thence, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother who were in a ship, with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; JESUS having called them, 22 they instantly quitted the ship and their father, and followed him. 23. Thus JESUS went over all Galilee, teaching in ver. 17. Matt. iii. 2. x. 7. Mark i. 14, 15. Luke ix. 2. v. 18. Mark i. 16. Luke v. 2. John i. 42. v. 17. Began to preach.] Jesus had already preached at Jerusalem and in Judea, See John iv. 3. and v. 12. of this chapter. But St. Matthew having omitted this part of the evangelical history, he dates the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry from his preaching in Galilee. The kingdom.] See the note on Matt. iii. 2. John the Baptist gave notice that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. Jesus Christ declares that he is come, and orders his Apostles to reveal the same thing to the world. v. 18. Called Peter.] See Matt. xvi. 13. comp. John i. 42. Casting their nets.] For an account of the call of these two Apostles, see the note on Mark i. 16. v. 19. Follow me.] They had already acknowledged Jesus for the Messiah, upon the testimony of John the Baptist, John i. 35. They had even readily followed him; but it appears from the relation of St. Matthew and St. Mark i. 16, 17. that they afterwards withdrew again into their own houses. See the note on Mark i. 17. [Dr. I will make you fishers, &c.] i. e. "Ye shall gain and convert them from sin and misery, to righteousness and happiness." Clarke in loc.] v. 21. James.] This was James Major, or the Elder, the brother of St. John the Evangelist, who were both sons of Zebedee and Salome. It was this James Major that was put to death by Herod. Acts xii. 2. v. 23. Synagogues.] This is a general word, which in its original meaning signifies both civil and ecclesiastical assemblies, and also the their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and healing all manner of diseases and infirmities among the people. 24. By this means his fame was spread over all Syria, and all sick persons, who were troubled with divers distempers and pains, men possessed with devils, lunatics, paralyticks, were brought places where those assemblies were kept. Here, as also Matt. xiii. 54. and almost all over the New Testament, it is taken for the places or buildings, where the Jews met to pray, and to hear the interpretation of the law and the prophets, and this is the common acceptation of the word Synagogue. It is manifest from Acts xv. 21. that there had been of a long time synagogues in each city, and that the Jews were used to meet therein every sabbath-day. These synagogues had several heads and officers, who performed different functions, that of the scribes was to teach and instruct the congregation: But it was evident from Acts xiii. 15. that after the reading of the law and the prophets, the heads of the synagogue desired such learned and grave persons as happened to be there, to make a discourse to the people; and by virtue of this custom it was, that Jesus Christ and St. Paul were allowed to preach in the synagogues. Acts ix. 23. xiv. 1. Of diseases.] The term in the original signifies long, and painful diseases, that were very hard to cure. The Seventy, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. have used the same word when speaking of Asa's distemper which seems to have been the gout. And the same authors have rendered by the like word the original Hebrew term, Gen. xlii. 4, 38. which is by the Chaldee paraphrasts and Jewish interpreters translated death; i. e. a deadly accident or distemper. v. 24. Syria.] A province near Galilee. And pains.] The Greek (Baoάvoc) properly signifies a rack or torture, but is used here to denote discases extremely grievous and painful. Possessed with Devils.] The Jews were persuaded that those diseases that were attended with surprising and uncommon symptoms, were caused by devils, which God employed in chastising mankind. Hence they gave most diseases the name of unclean or evil spirits. Thus also madness hath by the Greeks been styled a devil; and when any one was afflicted with it, they were wont to say that he was possessed with a devil. Among those many diseases that were cured by Jesus Christ, it cannot certainly be questioned but that some were really caused by devils, since he speaks to them, and since we find them complaining that he tormented them before their time. But it is also probable, that some of them were owing only to natural causes, though they were by the Jews ascribed to the devil, according to the language and prejudices of that nation. See the note on v. 1. of chap x. of this gospel. Lunatics.] It is manifest from the symptoms of this disease, as set down Matt. xvii. 15. Luke ix. 39. Mark ix. 17. that it differed but little, |