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6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

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Worshipped him.' Bowed down before him; rendered him homage. This was an acknowledgment of Christ's power, and his control over fallen spirits.

7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 (For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.) 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

The word 'legion' is a Latin word, applied to a division in the Roman army. The number was about five thousand. We are not to suppose that there were precisely this number engaged in tormenting this man, but that the number was great: so great that it might properly be called a legion.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand ;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

There could be no doubt of the reality of this miracle. The man had been well known. He had long dwelt among the tombs, an object of terror and alarm. To see him become all at once peaceful, and calm, and rational, proved that it was the power of God only which had done it. They were afraid.' They were awed, as in the presence of God; they were struck with astonishment at what Jesus had done.

16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him

to depart out of their coasts, 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

'Jesus suffered him not.' He desired to restore him to his family. Jesus was unwilling to delay the joy of his friends, and prolong their anxiety, by suffering him to remain away from them.

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: And all men did marvel.

'In Decapolis.' See note Matt. iv. 25. How great things,' &c. This was the natural expression of right feeling at being cured of such a calamity. So the desire of sinners, freed from sin, is to honour Jesus; to ascribe all to his power; and to invite the world to participate in the same salvation, and to join them in doing honour to the Son of God. Compare Ps. lxvi. 16.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him. and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet.

See the account of the raising of Jairus' daughter, and the nealing of the woman with an issue of blood, fully explained in notes on Matt. ix. 18-26.

23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed and she shall live.

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Lieth at the point of death.' Is dying; in the last agonies. 24 And Jesus went with him: and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

'Had suffered many things.' Had resorted to many things painful, by the direction of the physicians, in order to be healed. 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

Came in the press behind.' In the crowd that pressed upon him. This was done to avoid being noticed. It was an act of faith full confidence that Jesus was able to heal; but trembling, and retiring, on account of her conscious unworthiness, illustrating the humility and confidence of a sinner coming to God for pardon and life.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

'Virtue had gone out of him. Power to heal. The word in the original means power. 'Who touched my clothes?" This he said, not to obtain information, but that the woman might nerself confess the whole matter, by which the power of her faith and the greatness of the miracle might be manifested, to the praise of God.

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

'Daughter. A word of kindness, tending to inspire confidence, and to dissipate her fears. The merciful Saviour always speaks in kindness to those who are humble, and conscious of their ill desert. Be whole.' That is, continue to be whole; for she was already cured. "Of thy plague.' Thy disease; literally thy scourge. So a word from Jesus heals the moral malady of the sinner.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

'Why troublest thou,' &c. It seems that the people had not yet confidence that Jesus could raise the dead. He had not yet done it; and as the child was now dead, they wished no further

to trouble him. Jesus kindly set the fears of the ruler at rest, and assured him that he had equal power over the dead as the living, and could as easily raise those who had expired as those who were expiring.

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the syna gogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

'The tumult.' The confusion and weeping of the assembled people. 'Wailed.' Making inarticulate, mournful sounds, howling for the dead.

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

'This ado.' This tumult, this bustle or confusion. And weep.' Weep in this inordinate and improper manner. 'Bu sleepeth.' See Matt. ix. 24.

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha-cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

'Talitha-cumi.' This is the language which our Saviour com. monly spoke. It is a mixture of Syriac and Chaldee, called Syro-Chaldaic. The translation is given by the evangelist. sel, arise.'

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42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked ; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to

eat.

'Something should be given her to eat.' He had raised her by extraordinary power, but he willed that she should be sustained by ordinary means. He also in this gave full evidence that she was really restored to life and health. The changes were great, sudden, and certain. There could be no illusion. So when the Saviour had risen, he gave evidence of his own resurrection, by eating with his disciples. John xxi. 1—13.

CHAPTER VI.

1 AND he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

See this passage explained in the notes on Matt. xiii. 54-58. 7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits ;

"By two and two. In order that they might support and encourage each other in their work. Amidst the trials and opposition which they would meet with, mutual counsel and aid would greatly lighten their burdens, and alleviate their calamities, and lead to united plans, to advance the kingdom of the Redeemer. Jesus here, as in all the work of religion, consulted at the same time the happiness and usefulness of his disciples; nor are they ever separated.

8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet, for a testimony against them. Verily, I say unto you, It

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