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The Holy family

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the angel of the Lord appeareth to || and sent forth, and slew all the chilAn. Olymp. Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and dren that were in Bethlehem, and in take the young child and his mother, all the coasts thereof, from two years and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until old and under, according to the time which he I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the had diligently enquired of the wise men. young child to destroy him. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken 14 When he arose, he took the young child by Jeremy the prophet, saying, || and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

15 And was there, until the death of Herod : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt have I called my son.

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth,

a Hlos. 11. 1.

themselves; and which were productions of their own country. The gold was probably a very providential supply, as on it, it is likely, they subsisted while in Egypt.

Verse 13. Flee into Egypt] Many Jews had settled in Egypt, not only those who had fled thither in the time of Jeremiah, see chap. xlviii. but many others who had settled there also, on account of the temple which Onias IV. had built || at Heliopolis. Those who could speak the Greek tongue enjoyed many advantages in that country: besides, they had the Greek || version of the Septuagint, which had been translated nearly 300 || years before this time. Egypt was now a Roman province, and the rage of Herod could not pursue the holy family to this place. There is an apocryphal work in Arabic, called the Gospel of the infancy, which pretends to relate all the acts of Jesus and Mary while in Egypt. I have taken the pains to read this through, and have found it to be a piece of gross superstition, having nothing to entitle it to a shadow of credibility.

Verse 15. Out of Egypt have I called my son. n.] This is quoted from Hos. xi. 1. where the deliverance of Israel, and that only, is referred to. But as that deliverance was extraordinary, it is very likely that it had passed into a proverb, so that "Out of Egypt have I called my son," might have been used to express any signal deliverance. I confess, I can see no other reference it can have to the case in hand, unless we suppose, which is possible, that God might have referred to this future bringing up of his Son Jesus from Egypt, under the type of the past deliverance of Israel from the same land. Midrash Tehillin, on Psal. ii. 7. has these remarkable words: I will publish a decree: this decree has been published in the Law, in the Prophets, and in the Hagiographia. In the Law, Israel is my firstborn son: Exod. iv. 22. In the

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18 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.

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19 ¶ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child

b Jer. 31. 15.

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Prophets, Behold, my servant shall deal prudently: Isai. lii. 13. In the Hagiographia, The Lord said unto my lord: Psal. cx. 1. All these passages, the Jews refer to the Messiah. See Schoetgen.

Verse 16. Slew all the children] This cruelty of Herod seems alluded to in very decisive terms by Macrobius, who flourished toward the conclusion of the fourth century. In his chapter De jocis Augusti in alios, et aliorum rursus in ipsum, he says, Cum audisset inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Judeorum, intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus occisum, ait, Melius est Herodis PORCum esse, quam FILIUM. "When he heard that among those male infants about two years old, which Herod, the king of the Jews, ordered to be slain in Syria, one of his sons was also murdered, he said: It is better to be Herod's HOG than his son." Saturn. lib. ii. c. 4. The point of this saying consists in this, that Herod, professing Judaism, his religion forbad his killing swine, or having any thing to do with their flesh; therefore, his hog would have been safe, where his son lost. his life.

Verse 18. In Rama was there a voice heard] These words quoted from Jer. xxxi. 15. were originally spoken concerning the captivity of the ten tribes; but are here elegantly applied to the murder of the innocents at Bethlehem. As if he had said, Bethlehem at this time resembled Rama; for a Rachel might be said to weep over her children, which were slaughtered, or gone into captivity; so in Bethlehem, the mothers lamented bitterly their children, because they were slain. The word 9gnvos, lamentation, is omitted by the Codd. Vatic. Cypr. one of Selden's MSS. the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, Æthiopic, all the Itala, (except that in the Cod. Bezæ) Vulgate, and Saxon, several of the fathers, and above all Jeremiah,

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CHAP. II.

and settle at Nazareth. A.M.cir.4008. and his mother, and go into the land || rod, he was afraid to go thither: not- A.M.cir.4003. An. Olymp. of Israel: for they are dead, which withstanding, being warned of God An. Olymp sought the young child's life. in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

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21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

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22 But when he heard that Archelaus did
reign in Judea, in the room of his father He-a Nazarene.

Ch. 3. 13. Luke 2. 39.

chap. xxxi. 15. from which it is quoted. Griesbach leaves it in the text with a note of doubtfulness.

Verse 20. They are dead] Both Herod and Antipater his son; though some think that the plural is here used for the singular, and that the death of Herod alone is here intended. But as Herod's son Antipater was at this time heir apparent to the throne, and he had cleared his way to it by procuring the death of both his elder brothers; he is probably alluded to here, as doubtless he entered into his father's designs. THEY are dead—Antipater was put to death by his father's command, five days before this execrable tyrant went to his own place. See Josephus, Antiq. xvi. 11. xvii. 9.

Verse 22. When he heard that Archelaus did reign] Herod having put Antipater his eldest son to death, altered his will, and thus disposed of his dominions: he gave the tetrarchy of Galilee and Petrea to his son Antipas: the tetrarchy of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis, Batanea, and Paneadis, to his son Philip; and left the kingdom of Judea to his eldest remaining son, Archelaus. This son partook of the cruel and blood-thirsty disposition of his father: at one of the passovers, he caused three thousand of the people to be put to death in the temple and city. For his tyranny and cruelty, Augustus deprived him of the government, and banished him. His character considered, Joseph, with great propriety, forbore to settle under his jurisdiction.

John 1. 45. Judg. 13. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 11.

razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a NAZARITE ( nezir) unto God from the womb. The second passage usually referred to, is Isai. xi. 1. There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a BRANCH (781 netser) shall grow out of his roots. That this refers to Christ, there is no doubt: Jeremiah, chap. xxiii. 5. is supposed to speak in the same language—I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH: but here, the word is ny tsemach, not netser; and it is the same in the parallel place, Zech. iii. 8. vi. 12. therefore, these two prophets cannot be referred to: but the passages in Judges and Isaiah, may have been in the eye of the Evangelist, as well as the whole institution relative to the Nazarite || (v nezir) delivered at large, Num. vi. where see the notes. As the Nazarite was the most pure and perfect institution under the law it is possible, that God intended to point out by it, not only the perfection of our Lord, but also the purity of his followers. And it is likely, that before St. Matthew wrote this gospel, those afterwards called Christians, bore the appellation of Nazarites, or Nazoreans, for so the Greek word, Nagatos, should be written. Leaving the spiritual reference out of the question, the Nazarene, or Nazorean here, may mean simply an inhabitant or person of Nazareth; as Galilean does a person or inhabitant of Galilee. The Evangelist evidently designed to state, that neither the sojourning at Nazareth, nor our Lord being called a Naza

and provided for in the providence of God; and therefore foretold by inspired men, or fore-represented by significant institutions.

He turned aside into the parts of Galilee] Here Antipas go-rene, were fortuitous events, but were wisely determined verned, who is allowed to have been of a comparatively mild disposition: and being intent on building two cities, Julias and Tiberias, he endeavoured by a mild carriage and promises of considerable immunities, to entice people from other provinces to come and settle in them. He was besides, in a state of enmity with his brother Archelaus: this was a most favourable circumstance to the holy family; and though God did not permit them to go to any of the new cities, yet they dwelt in peace, safety, and comfort at Nazareth.

Verse 23. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets] It is difficult to ascertain by what prophets this was spoken. The margin usually refers to Judg. xiii. 5. where the angel, foretelling the birth of Samson, says, No

But how shall we account for the manner in which St. Matthew and others apply this, and various other circumstances, to the fulfilment of ancient traditions? This question has greatly agitated divines and critics for more than a century. Surenhusius, Hebrew professor at Amsterdam, and editor of a very splendid and useful edition of the Mishna, in six vol. fol. published an express treatise on this subject, in 1713, full of deep research and sound criticism. He remarks great difference in the mode of quoting, used in the Sacred Writings: as, It hath been said-it is written-that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets-the Scrip

Reflections on

ST. MATTHEW.

the Birth-place of our Lord.

ture says—see what is said-the Scripture foreseeing-he saith- || and it will be useful to the Reader, to keep them constantly is it not written?—the saying that is written, &c. &c. With in view. I may add here, that the writers of the New great pains and industry, he has collected ten rules out of Testament seem often to differ from those of the Old, bethe Talmud, and the Rabbins, to explain and justify all the cause they appear uniformly to quote from some copy of quotations made from the Old Testament in the New. the Septuagint version; and most of their quotations agree RULE I. Reading the words, not according to the regular verbally, and often even literally, with one or other of the vowel points, but to others substituted for them. He thinks copies of that version, which subsist to the present day. Want this is done by Peter, Acts iii. 22, 23. by Stephen, Acts vii. of attention to the difference of copies in the Septuagint 42, &c. and by Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 54. 2 Cor. viii. 15. version, has led some divines and critics into strange and even ridiculous mistakes, as they have taken that for THE SEPTUAGINT which existed in the printed copy before them; which sometimes happened not to be the most correct.

RULE II. Changing the letters, as done by St. Paul, Rom. ix. 33 1 Cor. ix. 9, &c. Heb. viii. 9, &c. Heb. x. 5.

RULE III. Changing both letters and zowel points, as he supposes is done by St. Paul, Acts xiii. 40, 41. 2 Cor. viii. 15.

RULE IV. Adding some letters, and retrenching others.
RULE V. Transposing words and letters. ·
RULE VI. Dividing one word into two.

RULE VII. Adding other words to make the sense inore clear.

RULE VIII. Changing the original order of the words. RULE IX. Changing the original order, and adding other words.

RULE X. Changing the original order, and adding and retrenching words, which he maintains is a method often used by St. Paul.

Let it be observed, that although all these rules are used by the Rabbins, yet, as far as they are employed by the sacred writers of the New Testament, they never, in any case, contradict what they quote from the Old, which cannot be said of the Rabbins: they only explain what they quote, or accommodate the passage to the facts then in question. And who will venture to say, that the Holy Spirit has not a right, in any subsequent period, to explain and illustrate his own meaning, by shewing that it had a greater extension in the divine mind, than could have been then perceived by men? And has HE not a right to add to what he has formerly said, if it seem right in his own sight? Is not the whole of the New Testament an addition to the Old, as the Apostolic Epistles are to the Narrative of our Lord's Life and Acts, as given by the Evangelists?

Gusset, Wolf, Rosenmuller, and others, give four rules; according to which, the phrase, that it might be fulfilled, may be applied in the New Testament.

RULE I. When the thing predicted, is literally accomplished.

RULE II. When that is done, of which the Scripture has spoken, not in a literal sense, but in a spiritual sense.

RULE III. When a thing is done neither in a literal nor spiritual sense, according to the fact referred to in the Scripture; but is similar to that fact.

RULE IV. When that which has been mentioned in the Old Testament as formerly done, is accomplished in a larger and more extensive sense in the New Testament.

St. Matthew seems to quote according to all these rules;

On the birth-place of our Lord, a pious and sensible man has made the following observations:

"At first sight, it seems of little consequence to know the place of Christ's nativity; for we should consider him as our Redeemer, whatever the circumstances might be which attended his mortal life. But, seeing it has pleased God to announce, beforehand, the place where the Saviour of the world should be born, it became necessary that it should happen precisely in that place; and that this should be one of the characteristics whereby Jesus Christ should be known to be the true Messiah.

"It is also a matter of small importance to us, where we may live, provided we find genuine happiness. There is no place on earth, however poor and despicable, but may have better and more happy inhabitants than many of those are, who dwell in the largest and most celebrated cities. Do we know a single place on the whole globe where the works of God do not appear under a thousand different forms, and where a person may not feel that blessed satisfaction which arises from a holy and christian life? For an individual, that place is preferable to all others, where he can get and do most good. For a number of people, that place is best where they can find the greatest number of wise and pious' men. Every nation declines, in proportion as virtue and religion lose their influence on the minds of the inhabitants. The place where a young man first beheld the dawn, and the beauty of renewed nature, and with most lively sensations of joy and gratitude adored his God with all the veneration and love his heart was capable of; the place where a virtuous couple first met, and got acquainted; or where two friends gave each other the noblest proofs of their most tender affection; the village where one may have given; or seen, the most remarkable example of goodness, uprightness, and patience; such places, I say, must be dear to their hearts.

"Bethlehem was, according to this rule, notwithstanding its smallness, a most venerable place; seeing, that there, so many pious people had their abode; and that acts of peculiar piety had often been performed in it. First, the patriarch Jacob stopped some time in it, to erect a monument to his well-beloved Rachel. It was at Bethlehem that honest Naomi,

John the Baptist

CHAP. III.

begins to preach and baptize.

and her modest daughter-in-law Ruth, gave such proofs of was the type of that Ruler and Shepherd, under whose emtheir faith and holiness; and in it Boaz, the generous bene-pire Israel is one day to assemble, in order to enjoy uninfactor, had his abode and his possessions. At Bethlehem the terrupted happiness. Lastly, in this city the Son of God humble Jesse sojourned, the happy father of so many sons; appeared; who, by his birth, laid the foundation of that the youngest of whom rose from the pastoral life to the salvation, which, as Redeemer, he was to purchase by his throne of Israel. It was in this country that David formed death for the whole world. Thus in places, which from the resolution of building a house for the Lord, and in which their smallness are entitled to little notice, men sometimes he showed himself the true shepherd and father of his sub- spring, who become the benefactors of the human race. jects, when, at the sight of the destroying angel, whose Often, an inconsiderable village has given birth to a man, sword spread consternation and death on all hands, he made who, by his wisdom, uprightness, and heroism, has been a intercession for his people. It was in Bethlehem that Ze- blessing to whole kingdoms.' rubbabel the prince was born, this descendant of David, who

"

Sturm's Reflections translated by A. C. vol. iv.

John the Baptist begins to preach, 1.
The success of his ministry, 5, 6.

CHAPTER III.

The subject of his preaching, 2, 3.
His exhortation to the Pharisees, 7-9.

Description of his clothing and food, 4.
Ile denounces the judgments of God

against the impenitent, 10. The design of his baptism, and that of Christ, 11, 12. He baptizes Christ in Jordan, 13-15; who is attested to be the Messiah by the Holy Spirit, and a voice from heaven, 16, 17.

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nature and importance of the herald's office, at the end of this chapter. Knguru, says Rosenmuller, de iis dicitur, qui in PLATEIS, in CAMPIS, in AERE aperto, ut a multis audiantur, vocem tollunt, &c. "The verb xnguσ is applied to those, who, in the streets, fields, and open air, lift up their voice, that they may be heard by many, and proclaim what has been committed to them by regal or public authority; as the KERUKES among the Greeks, and the PRECONES among the Romans."

Verse 1. John the Baptist] John, surnamed The Baptist, because he required those to be baptized, who professed to be contrite because of their sins, was the son of a priest named Zacharias, and his wife Elisabeth, and was born about A. M. 3999, and about six months before our blessed Lord. Of his almost miraculous conception and birth, we have a circumstantial account in the Gospel of Luke, chap. i. to which, and the notes there, the Reader is requested to refer. For his fidelity in reproving Herod for his incest with his brother Philip's wife, he was cast into prison, no doubt at the suggestion of Herodias, the profligate woman in ques-ness, tion. He was at last beheaded at her instigation, and his head given as a present to Salome, her daughter, who, by her elegant dancing, had highly gratified Herod, the paramour of her incestuous mother. His ministry was short; for he appears to have been put to death in the 27th or 28th year of the Christian æra.

The wilderness of Judea] That is, the country parts, as distinguished from the city; for in this sense the word wildermidbar or ¬¬ midbarioth, is used among the Rabbins. John's manner of life gives no countenance to the Eremite or Hermit's life, so strongly recommended and applauded by the Roman church.

μετα,

Verse 2. Repent] MET VOTE. This was the matter of the preaching. The verb μravow, is either compounded of after, and you, to understand, which signifies, that after hearCame-preaching] Kngvows, proclaiming as a herald, aing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the matter of great and solemn importance to men: the sub-way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and ject not his own, nor of himself; but from that God from hell. Or the word may be derived from Meta, after, and whom alone he had received his commission. See on the aroja, madness, which intimates, that the whole life of a sin

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ner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly: and if to live in a constant opposition to all the dictates of true wisdom; to wage war with his own best interests in time and eternity; to provoke and insult the Living God; and, by habitual sin, to prepare himself only for a state of misery, be evidences of insanity, every sinner exhibits them plentifully. It was from this notion of the word, that the Latins termed repentance resipiscentia, a growing wise again, from re and sapere; or, according to Tertullian, Resipiscentia, quasi receptio mentis ad se, restoring the mind to itself: Contra Marcion, lib. ii. Repentance then implies, that a measure of divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and that he thereby becomes wise to salvation. That his mind, purposes, opinions, and inclinations, are changed; and that, in consequence, there is a total change in his conduct. It need scarcely be remarked, that, in this state, a man feels deep anguish of soul, because he has sinned against God, unfitted himself for heaven, and exposed his soul to hell. Hence, a true penitent has that sorrow, whereby he forsakes sin, not only because it has been ruinous to his own soul, but because it has been offensive to God.

Holy Ghost, spiritual joy, without mixture of misery! And all this, it is possible, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, to enjoy here below. How then does heaven itself differ from this state? Answer. It makes the righteousness eternal, the peace eternal, and the joy eternal. This is the heaven of heavens! The phrase, kingdom of heaven, niɔho malcuth shamayim, is frequently used by the Rabbinical writers, and always means, the purity of the Divine worship, and the blessedness which a righteous man feels when employed in it.

It is farther added, This kingdom is at hand. The dispensation of the glorious gospel was now about to be fully opened, and the Jews were to have the first offers of salvation. This kingdom is also at hand to us, and wherever Christ crucified is preached, there is salvation to be found. JESUS is proclaimed to thee, O Man! as infinitely able and willing to save. Believe in his name-cast thy soul upon his atonement, and enter into rest!

Verse 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness] Or, A voice of a cryer in the wilderness. This is quoted from Isai. xl. 3. which clearly proves, that John the Baptist was the person of whom the Prophet spoke.

The idea is taken from the practice of eastern monarchs,

journey through a desert country, sent harbingers before them, to prepare all things for their passage; and pioneers to open the passes, to level the ways, and to remove all impediments. The officers appointed to superintend such preparations, were called by the Latins, Strátores.

The kingdom of heaven is at hand.] Referring to the prophecy of Daniel, chap. vii. 13, 14. where the reign of Christ among men is expressly foretold. This phrase, and the king-who, whenever they entered upon an expedition, or took a dom of God, mean the same thing, viz. the dispensation of infinite mercy, and manifestation of eternal truth, by Christ Jesus; producing the true knowledge of God, accompanied with that worship which is pure and holy, worthy of that God who is its institutor and its object. But why is this called a kingdom? Because it has its laws, all the moral precepts of the Gospel :` its subjects, all who believe in Christ Jesus and its king, the Sovereign of heaven and earth. N. B. Jesus Christ never saved a soul which he did not gorern; nor is this Christ precious or estimable to any man who does not feel a spirit of subjection to the Divine will.

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Diodorus's account of the march of Semiramis into Media and Persia, will give us a clear notion of the preparation of the way for a royal expedition. "In her march to Ecbatane, she came to the Zarcean mountain, which extending many furlongs, and being full of craggy precipices and deep hollows, could not be passed without making a great compass about. Being therefore desirous of leaving an everlasting memorial of herself, as well as shortening the way, she ordered the precipices to be digged down, and the hollows to be filled up; and, at a great expense, she made a shorter and more expeditious road, which, to this day, is called from her, The Road of SeAfterwards she went into Persia, and all the other

But why is it called the kingdom of HEAVEN? Because God designed that his kingdom of grace here, should resemble the kingdom of glory above. And hence our Lord teaches us to pray, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, says St. Paul, Rom. xiv. 17. does not consist in the gratificationmiramis. of sensual passions, or worldly ambition: but is righteousness, countries of Asia, subject to her dominion; and wherever she peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost. Now what can there went, she ordered the mountains and precipices to be levelled, be more than this in glory? Righteousness, without mix-raised causeways in the plain country, and, at a great expense, ture of sin; peace, without strife or contention; joy in the made the ways passable." Diod. Sic. lib. ii. and Bp. Lowth.

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