Christ preaches A. M. 4031. A. D. 27. a ST. LUKE. 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and not shake it: for it was founded An. Olymp. heareth my sayings, and doeth them, a rock. to the multitudes. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man, that, without a foundation, built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great. a Matt. 7. 24. Job 27. 8. Ecclus. 40. 13. Heb. 10. 26. James 1. 23. heart continually, and never permits it to be dry or unfruit- || predestination, that we can discover what will be our portion ful. Quesnel. for ever: but it is by the examination of our heart, and the Verse 47. I will shew you] Todew, I will shew you plainly.consideration of our life, that we may in some measure progI will enable you fully to comprehend my meaning on this subject by the following parable. See this word explained Matt. iii. 7. Verse 48. He is like a man, &c.] See on Matt. vii. 24—27. Verse 49. The ruin of that house was great.] On this passage, Father Quesnel, who was a most rigid predestinarian, makes the following judicious remark. "It is neither by the speculations of astrologers, nor by the Calvinian assurance of nosticate our eternal state. Without a holy heart and a holy life, all is ruinous in the hour of temptation, and in the day of wrath." To this may be added, He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the WITNESS in HIMSELF: 1 John v. 10. The subjects of this chapter have been so amply explained and enforced in the parallel places in Matthew, to which the Reader has been already referred, that there appears to be no necessity to make any additional observations. CHAPTER VII. Christ heals the servant of a centurion, who is commended for his faith, 1-10. Raises a widow's son to life at Nain, 11-17. John Baptist hears of his fame, and sends two of his disciples to enquire whether he was the Christ, 18-23. Christ's character of John, 24-30. The obstinate blindness and capriciousness of the Jews, 31-35. A Pharisee invites him to his house, where a woman anoints his head with oil; and washes his feet with her tears, 36-38. The Pharisee is offended, 39. Our Lord reproves him by a parable, and vindicates the woman, 40—46; and pronounces her sins forgiven, 47-50. rion had built, ver. 5. He sent these, probably because he was afraid to come to Christ himself, not being a Jew, either Verse 2. A certain centurion's servant] See this miracle ex- by nation or religion. In the parallel place in Matthew, he plained on Matt. viii. 5—13. Verse 3. Elders of the Jews] These were either magistrates in the place, or the elders of the synagogue, which the centu is represented as coming to Christ himself; but it is a usual form of speech in all nations, to attribute the act to a person, which is done not by himself, but by his authority. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. 2 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. A.M. 4031. A. D. 27. CCI. 3. 11 ¶ And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier and 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvel- they that bare him stood still. And he said, led at him, and turned him about, and said un-Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. to the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. с 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. a Gr. this man. Verse 5. He loveth our nation] He is a warm friend to the Jews; and has given a full proof of his affection to them, in building them a synagogue. This he had done at his own proper charges; having no doubt employed his own men inthe work. || Verse 10. Found the servant whole] This cure was the effect of the faith, prayer, and humility of the centurion; || through which, the almighty energy of Jesus Christ was conveyed to the sick man. But these very graces in the centurion, were the products of grace. It is God himself, who by the gifts of his mercy, disposes the soul to receive its cure; and nothing can contribute to the reception of his grace, but what is the fruit of grace itself. The apostle says, grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, Tit. ii. 11. It should therefore be our concern, not to resist the operations of this grace: for though we cannot endue ourselves with any gracious disposition, yet we can quench the Spirit, by whose agency these are produced in the soul. centurion had not received the grace of God in vain. Verse 11. Nain] A small city of Galilee, in the tribe of Issachar. According to Eusebius, it was two miles from Mount Tabor, southward; and near to Endor. The who frequent public worship in such chapels and churches. God, decency, and health, forbid this shocking abomination. On the impropriety of burying in towns, churches, and chapels, take the following testimonies: Extra urbem soliti sunt alii mortuos sepelire: Nos Christiani, eos non in urbes solum, sed et in TEMPLA recepimus, quo fit ut multi fætore nimis, ferè exanimentur.—SCHOETGEN. "Others were accustomed to bury their dead without the city: We Christians, not only bury them within our cities, but receive them even into our churches! hence many nearly lose their lives through the noxious effluvia." "Both the Jews and other people, had their burying places without the city :-Et certe ita postulat ratio publicæ sanitatis, quæ multùm lædi solet aura sepulchrorum and this the health of the public requires, which is greatly injured by the effluvia from graves."-Rosenmuller. From long observation I can attest, that churches and chapels situTheated in grave yards, and those especially, within whose walls the dead are interred, are perfectly unwholesome: and many, by attending such places, are shortening their passage to the house appointed for the living. What increases the iniquity of this abominable and deadly work, is, that the burying grounds attached to many churches and chapels, are made a source of private gain. The whole of this preposterous conduct, is as indecorous and unhealthy, as it is profane. Every man should know, that the gas which is disengaged from putrid flesh, and particularly from a human body, is not only Verse 12. Carried out] The Jews always buried their dead without the city, except those of the family of David. No burying places should be tolerated within cities or towns ; much less in or about churches and chapels. This custom is excessively injurious to the inhabitants; and especially to those 18¶And the disciples of John shewed him offended in me. of all these things. 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in the same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. h 24 T And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. * Ch. 1. 65.b ch. 24. 19. John 4. 19. & 6. 14. & 9. 17. ch. 1. 68. d Matt. 11. 2. - Matt. 11. 5.-Isai. 35. 5. — ch. 4. 18. Matt. 11. 7. unfriendly to, but destructive of animal life. Superstition first introduced a practice, which self-interest and covetousness continue to maintain. For a general improvement of all the circumstances of this miracle, see the end of the chapter. Verse 16. God hath visited his people.] Several MSS. and Versions add us ayador, for good. Sometimes God visited his people in the way of judgment, to consume them in their transgressions; but it was now plain, that he had visited them in the most tender compassion and mercy. This seems to have been added by some ancient copyist, by way of explanation. others derive from shalach, he sent : hence, as the time of the fulfilment of the prophecy drew nigh, he was termed, he who cometh, i. e. he who is just now ready to make his appearance in Judea. In Zach. ix. 9. a similar phrase is used, Behold, thy king COMETH unto thee--having SALVATION. This is meant of the Messiah only; therefore I think the words to save, are necessarily implied. Verse 21. Infirmities and plagues] The following judicious note from Bp. PEARCE, is worthy of deep attention: "Luke mentions here νοσεί, μαςιγες, leprosias, and πνεύματα πονηρά, i. e. diseases or ill habits of body, sores or lamenesses, and evil spirits from whence we may conclude, that evil spirits are reckoned by him, (who speaks of distempers with more accuracy than the other Evangelists) as things different from any disorders of the body, included in the two former Verse 18. The disciples of John shewed him, &c.] It is very likely, that John's disciples attended the ministry of our Lord at particular times: and this, we may suppose, was a common case among the disciples of different Jewish teach-words." ers. Though bigotry existed in its most formidable shape between the Jews and Samaritans, yet we do not find that it had any place between Jews and Jews, though they were of different sects, and attached to different teachers. Unto many that were blind he gave sight.] Rather, he kindly gave sight—exayicato to Bhet; or, he graciously gave sight. This is the proper meaning of the original words. In all his miracles, Jesus shewed the tenderest mercy and kindness: not Verse 19. Art thou he that should come ?] That is, to save. only the cure, but the manner in which he performed it, enArt thou the promised Messiah? See on Matt. xi. 3. deared him to those who were objects of his compassionate Verses 22--28. See these verses explained at large, on Matt. Some have thought that this character of our Lord, o exo-regards. μssos, he who cometh, refers to the prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xlix 10. where he is called Shiloh, which Grotius and xi. 4—15. Verse 29. Justified God] Or, declared God to be just DIXαINGAY TOV DEO. The sense is this: John preached, that the divine wrath was coming upon the Jews, from which they might flee by repentance, chap. iii. 7. The Jews therefore, who were baptized by him, with the baptism of repentance, did thereby acknowledge, that it is but justice in God to punish them for their wickedness, unless they repented, and were baptized in token of it. Bp. PEARCE proves, that this is the sense in which the word dixa is used here and in Psal. || 1. 3. compared with Job xxxii. 2. and by this Evangelist again in chap. x. 29. and xvi. 15. Verse 30. Rejected the counsel of God] Or, frustrated the will of God-TY BOUλNY TOU FOυ ndernσav. Kypke says the verb has two meanings: 1. to dishelieve; 2. to despise or disobey: and that both senses may be properly conjoined here. The will of God was, that all the inhabitants of Judea should repent at the preaching of John, be baptized, and be- || lieve in Christ Jesus. Now as they did not repent, &c. at John's preaching, so they did not believe his testimony concerning Christ: thus the will, gracious counsel, or design of God, relative to their salvation, was annulled or frustrated. || They disbelieved his promises, despised the Messiah, and disobeyed his precepts. Verse 31. And the Lord said] Almost every MS. of authority and importance, with most of the Versions, omit these words. As the Evangelistaria (the books which contained those portions of the Gospels, which were read in the churches) began at this verse, the words were probably at first useď by them, to introduce the following parable. There is the fullest proof, that they never made a part of Luke's text. Every critic rejects them. Bengel and Griesbach leave them out of the text. Verse 32. They are like unto children] See on Matt. xi. 16-19. It is probable that our Lord alludes here to some play or game among the Jewish children, no account of which is now on record. Verse 35. Wisdom is justified, &c.] Probably the children of wisdom is a mere Hebraism here for the products or fruits of wisdom; hence the Vatican MS. one other, and some Versions have gywy, works, in-tead of Tex, sons, in the parallel. place, Matt. xi. 19. True wisdom shews itself by its works; folly is never found in the wise man's way, no more than wisdom is in the path of a fool. Theophylact's note on this place should not be overlooked. Edixzwŷn, TOUT’EOTIY ethμnŷn, Wisdom IS JUSTIFIED, that is, IS HONOURED by all her children. Verse 36. One of the Pharisees] Called Simon, ver. 40. This account is considered by many critics and commentators to be the same with that in Matt. xxvi. 6, &c. Mark xiv. S, and John xii. 3. This subject is considered pretty much at large in the notes on Matt. xxvi. 6, &c. to which the Reader is requested to refer. Verse 37. A woman-which was a sinner] Many suppose A woman anoints our Lord; at A. M. 4031. CCI. 3. A D. 27. An. Olymp. 38 And stood at his feet behind him that toucheth him: for she is a sin, A M. 4031. An. Olymp. weeping, and began to wash his feet ner. with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him, saw it, he spake within himself, saying, *This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee, And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred " pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he Verse 38. Stood at his feet behind him] In taking their meals, the Eastern people reclined on one side, the loins and knees being bent to make the more room; the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing BEHIND at his FEET. Began to wash his fect with tears] Ηρξατο βρεχειν τοις δαxgvo, she began to water his feet-to let a shower of tears fall on them. As the Jews wore nothing like our shoes, (theirs being a mere sole, bound about the foot and ancle with thongs) their feet being so much exposed had frequent need of washing, and this they ordinarily did before taking their meals. Kissed his feet] With affectionate tenderness, xxtepiña, or kissed them again and again. See on Matt. xxvi. 49. that this woman had been a notorious public prostitute;-but this is taking the subject by the very worst handle. My own opinion is that she had been a mere heathen who dwelt in this city, (probably Capernaum) who, through the ministry of Christ, had been before this converted to God, and came now to give this public testimony of her gratitude to her gracious deliverer from the darkness and guilt of sin. I am inclined to think that the original word auagτwhos is used for heathen or Gentile in several places of the sacred writings. I am fully persuaded that this is its meaning in Matt. ix. 10, 11, 13. xi. 19. and xxvi. 45. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, i. e. is delivered into the hands of the heathens, viz. the Romans who alone could put him to death. See Mark ii. 15, 16, and 17. xiv. 41. I think also it has this meaning in Luke vi. 32, 33, 34. xv. 1, 2, 7, 10. xix. 7. John ix. 31. I think no other sense can be justly assigned to it in Gal. ii. 15. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles. We Jews who have had the benefit of a divine revelation, know || that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ, (ver. 16.) which other nations, who were heathens, not having a divine revelation, could not know. It is, I think, likely that the grand subject of the self-righteous Pharisee's complaint was her being a heathen. As those who were touched by such, contracted a legal defilement, he could not believe that Christ was a conscientious observer of the law, seeing he permitted her to touch him, knowing who she was; or if he did not know that she was a heathen, it was a proof that he was no prophet, ver. 39. and consequently had not the discern-sadors when supplicating the Romans for peace. With an humment of spirits which prophets were supposed to possess. As the Jews had a law which forbad all iniquity, and they who embraced it, being according to its requisitions and their profession, saints; and as the Gentiles had no law to restrain evil, nor made any profession of holiness, the term aμagtwñol, or sinners, was first with peculiar propriety applied to them, and afterwards to all others who, though they professed to be under the law, yet lived as Gentiles without the law. Many suppose this person to be the same as Mary Magdalene, but of this there is no solid proof. Brought an alabaster box] See on Mark xiv. 3. The kiss was used in ancient times as the emblem of love, religious reverence, subjection, and supplication. It has the meaning of supplication, in the way of adoration, accompanied with subjection, in 1 Kings xix. 18. whose mouths have not kissed Baal, and in Job xxxi. 27. my mouth hath not kissed my hand; I have paid no sort of adoration to false gods; and in Psal. ii. xii. kiss the son lest he be angry,-close in with, embrace affectionately the offers of mercy made unto you through Christ Jesus, lest he (the Lord) be angry with you, and ye perish; which commandment this woman seems to have obeyed, both in the literal and spiritual sense. Kissing the feet was practised also among the heathens, to express subjection of spirit, and earnest supplication. See a long example in Rapkelius produced from Polybius concerning the Carthaginian ambas ble and abject mind, wecortes exɩ tny yny, they fell down on the earth, rous rodas xarapiλoler Tw ouredgiw, and kissed the feet of the council. See also several examples in Kypke. Kissing the feet is a farther proof that this person had been educated a heathen. Verse 41. A certain creditor, &c.] It is plain that in this parable our Lord means by the creditor, GOD, and by the two debtors, Simon and the woman who was present. Simon who had the light of the law, and who, in consequence of his profession as a Pharisee, was obliged to abstain from outward iniquity, might be considered as the debtor who owed only |