An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists Part 62

209 The Jews who are said to have believed on Jesus (John viii. 30) are not the same with those whom our Lord accuses of seeking to kill him, ver. 40, nor with those who insulted him, ver. 48, &c., although these are not distinguished from the others in the narrative of John, who always mentions the Jews indiscriminately as speaking with Jesus. Cler. Harm. 528. NEWCOME.

210 Deut, vi. 5. Lev. xix. 18, and xviii. 5.

211 The professional reader will not fail to observe the wisdom of this reply. The lawyer sought to learn from Jesus the terms of the condition on which eternal life could be attained; and was made to answer for himself that, by the law, it was attainable by nothing short of the highest degree of love, to G.o.d and to his neighbour.

The lawyer thus was reminded, out of his own code, that, this being a condition precedent, he could have no t.i.tle to that which was promised, unless he fully performed every part of the condition; and that in this sense, whosoever offended in one point, or was deficient in performing any part of the condition, was guilty of all-lost the benefit of all. If he murmured at the hards.h.i.+p of losing the reward of all the good deeds he had done, merely for the omission to do a little more; the well-known rule of law and of reason would teach him that nothing is to be allowed for acts of past performance of a condition precedent, unless they are beneficial to the party for whom they are performed.

212 A note of minute accuracy in the historian, Jericho being situated in the plain or valley of Jordan, and Jerusalem being among the mountains of Judea.

213 An incidental and very natural allusion to the well-known custom of that country. For in those hot regions, men travel in the cool of the evening and night, and rest in the daytime; looking for refreshment, if they are not among total strangers, to the hospitality of friends.

214 Ps. lx.x.xii. 6. Ex. xxii. 7, seq.

215 Ps. lxix. 25. Jer. xii. 7, and xxii. 5.

216 Gen. vii. 4, 7.

217 Gen. xix. 15, seq.

218 Gen xix. 26.

219 The two Evangelists go on to relate our Lord's observations about divorce and marriage; they agree in substance, which is sufficient; though they differ in the form of the dialogue, neither adhering scrupulously to the exact manner in which the words pa.s.sed, though we may learn it, by comparing both. Thus Matt. v. 9, reduces to a plain a.s.sertion, what Mark informs us was a reply to an inquiry made by the disciples apart. Or, we may suppose with Le Clerc, that this a.s.sertion was first advanced to the Pharisees, and then repeated to the disciples. NEWCOME.

220 Gen. i. 27.

221 Gen. ii. 24.

222 Deut. xxiv. 1.

223 The practice of divorcing the husband, unwarranted by the law, had been introduced, as Josephus informs us, (Antiq. XV. vii. 10,) by Salome, sister of Herod the Great, who sent a bill of divorce to her husband Costobarus; which bad example was afterwards followed by Herodias and others. Campbell. This natural allusion to an existing illegal custom is in perfect harmony with the whole history, it being true; but it seldom if ever has a parallel in the annals of forgery.

224 Ex. xx. 12, seq. Lev. xix. 18.

225 As all three came to Jesus, the action of the sons expressed, that they joined in the pet.i.tion uttered by the mother. They are therefore represented as saying what was said with their consent, and probably by their suggestion. Luke xix. 11, will show how suitable this request was to the time, according to the ideas of our Lord's disciples. NEWCOME.

226 According to St. Mark, Jesus comes to Jericho; by which may be meant that he is a temporary inhabitant of that city. See Mark vi. 1, and viii. 22. Jesus therefore may be represented, (Matt. xx. 29; Mark x.

46,) not as _finally leaving_ Jericho for Jerusalem, but as _occasionally going out_ of Jericho; in which city he had made some abode, it matters not for how few days. See Mark xi. 19. Jericho was a very considerable city; and we do not read that it was visited by our Lord at any other time. We may therefore suppose that Jesus, accompanied by his disciples and the mult.i.tude, and intent on his great work of propagating the gospel, went out of this city, knowing that a fit occasion of working a miracle would present itself; and that on his return, as he drew nigh unto Jericho, (Luke xviii. 35,) he restored the blind men to sight. It is likewise probable that Jesus, having given this proof of his divine mission, or foreseeing that so great a miracle would create too much attention in the people, prudently and humbly pa.s.sed through Jericho on his return to it, (Luke xix. 1,) and continued his journey to Jerusalem.

As to the remaining difficulty, that Matthew mentions two blind men, and the other Evangelists only one, I must refer to Le Clerc's maxim, before quoted; (see -- 57, note): adding that Bartimeus may have been the more remarkable of the two, and the more eminent for his faith in Jesus. NEWCOME.

227 Here is a fine allusion to historical facts, first observed by Le Clerc. "Thus Herod the Great solicited the kingdom of Judea at Rome, (Jos. Antiq. Jud. XIV. xiv. 4, 5; XV. vi. 6, 7,) and was appointed king by the interest of Anthony with the senate; and afterwards he sailed to Rhodes, divested himself of his diadem, and received it again from Augustus. In like manner his sons Archelaus and Antipas repaired to the imperial city, that they might obtain the kingdom on their father's death; and we read, (Jos. Antiq. Jud. XIV. xi. 1, and xiii. 2,) that the Jews sent an emba.s.sy thither, with accusations against Archelaus." NEWCOME, Obs. on our Lord, p. 83.

228 Zech. ix. 9.

229 Thus acknowledging him to be their king; for this was a custom observed by the people when they found that G.o.d had appointed a man to the kingdom. When Jehu was anointed King by Elisha the prophet, at the command of G.o.d, and his captains knew what was done, _every man took his garment and spread it under him on the top of the steps, and blew the trumpets, saying Jehu is king_. 2 King ix. 13.

A. CLARKE. See JENNINGS, Ant. vol. ii. p. 245. "_Thereon_," that is, on the garments. The princes of Israel were forbidden to multiply _horses_ to themselves. Deut. xvii. 16, and xx. 1. This law was imposed as a standing mark of distinction between them and other nations; and a trial of prince and people, whether they had confidence in G.o.d their deliverer, who wanted neither horses nor footmen to fight his battles. It was observed for near four hundred years, until some time in the reign of Solomon; for David himself rode on a mule; as did Solomon also on the day of his coronation. 1 Kings i. 33, 34. See Judges x. 4, and xii. 14; 1 Saml. xxv. 20.

Subsequently the kings of Israel and Judah violated this command, by copying the example of the neighbouring princes in the establishment of their cavalry. The displeasure of G.o.d for this offence is indicated by several of the prophets: Isaiah ii. 6, 7, and x.x.xi. 1; Hosea xiv. 3, and i. 7; Micah v. 10, 11.-In opposition to the character of these warlike and disobedient princes, it was predicted that Messiah would come as a just king, having salvation;-a deliverer-riding upon an a.s.s, after the manner of the ancient deliverers of Israel, who came only in the strength and power of the Lord. Zech. ix. 9. See Bishop SHERLOCK'S Dissert. IV. MICHAELIS, vol. ii. pp. 439-449.

230 Ps. viii. 3.

231 Ps. cxviii. 26.

232 Isa. lvi. 7. Jer. vii. 11.

233 Matth. xxi. 20, _the disciples_. Mark xi. 21, _Peter_. These may be thus reconciled. Peter addresses himself to Jesus: the disciples turn their attention to the object; Jesus addresses all. Or, Peter's remark may be attributed to all the disciples. See -- 141. NEWCOME.

234 Many servants are sent; some of whom are beaten, some slain, some stoned. Here St. Matthew is more circ.u.mstantial than the other two Evangelists, who mention only one servant as sent, and one of the three injurious modes of treatment. Some suppose that this servant was chief among the rest.

235 Here Mark mentions one servant among the others, as stoned wounded in the head, and sent away dishonoured; and Luke selects the circ.u.mstance that that one was beaten. Then Mark and Luke mention a third message, about which Matthew is silent. But, "qui pauciora memorat, plura non negat." St. Luke may be understood as saying that a mortal wound was inflicted on the third messenger. NEWCOME.

236 Ps. cxviii. 22.

237 Isa. viii. 14, seq. Zech. xii. 3. Dan. ii. 34, seq., 44, seq.

238 In the East, where the fas.h.i.+ons of dress rarely if ever change, much of their riches consists in the number and splendour of their robes, or _caffetans_. Presents of garments are frequently alluded to in Scripture. Gen. xlv. 22. 2 Chron. ix. 24. Judges xiv. 12. 2 Kings v.

5. Ezra ii. 69. Neh. vii. 70, where "the Tirshatha gave five hundred and thirty priests' garments."

Presents were considered as tokens of honour;-not meant as offers of payment or enrichment, (1 Sam. ix. 7); and especially presents of dresses. 1 Sam. xviii. 4. Luke xv. 22. _Tavernier_, p. 43, mentions a _nazar_, whose virtue so pleased a king of Persia, that he caused himself to be disappareled, and gave his own habit to the _nazar_, which is _the greatest honour a king of Persia can bestow on a subject_.

Such presents are given by kings on great occasions, especially at the marriages of their children. The Sultan Achmet, at the marriage of his eldest daughter, "gave presents to above 20,000 persons."

Knolles's Hist. of the Turks, p. 1311. So Ahasuerus "gave gifts, _according to the state of the king_." Esth. ii. 18.

The king gives his garment of honour _before_ the wearer is admitted into his presence;-De la Mottraye's Trav. p. 199; (Does this ill.u.s.trate Zech. iii. 3, 4?)-and would resent it if any, having received robes of him, should appear in his presence without wearing these marks of his liberality. And to refuse such favours, when offered, is considered as one of the greatest indignities. Sir John Chardin relates an instance where such a refusal cost a vizier his life. See 4 CALM. DICT. pp. 64, 126, 514.

239 Deut. xxv. 5.

240 Ex. iii. 6.

241 Here is a minute indication of St. Luke's veracity, derived from his medical profession. No other Evangelist records this remark; but it would not be likely to escape the notice of a physician. See on Luke xxii. 44.

242 Deut. vi. 4, 5.

243 Lev. xix. 18.

244 Ps. cx. 1.

245 Gen. iv. 8. 2 Chron. xxiv. 20-22.

246 Ps. lxix. 26. Jer. xii. 7, and xxii. 5.

247 Ps. cxviii. 26.

248 2 Sam. vii. 13. Ps. lx.x.xix. 30, 37; cx. 4.

249 Is. liii. 1.

250 Is. vi. 10.

251 Is. vi. 1, seq.