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And accounts for it to his mother, when she found him.

47 And all that heard

him were astonished at his understanding and

answers.

48 And when they

saw him, they were

amazed and his mo

xiv.

91

with all possible diligence, both attending to them, SECT. and asking them such questions as he judged proper for the further illustration of what they Luke said.

II. 46.

And all who heard him, considering the ten- 47 derness of his age, were in a perfect transport of admiration at his understanding, and at the penetration which he shewed, both in the questions he put to them, and also in the answers he returned to what they asked him.

And when he was discovered by his parents, 48 and they saw him thus employed, they likewise ther said unto him, were struck with wonder: and his mother said Son, why hast thou unto him, O my son, why hast thou dealt thus thus dealt with us? be- with us? behold, this is now the third day that hold, thy father and I thy father and I have sought thee, from place to place, with inexpressible anxiety and distress.

have sought thee sor

rowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye

not that I must be about my Father's business?

50 And they understood not the say

ing which he spake unto them.

you

And he said unto them, What is the cause that 49 you have sought me with so much concern? and why is it, you were at such a loss where should find me? Did ye not know that I ought to be at my Father's? and that wherever I was, I should be so employed in his service as to be secure of his protection? And they did not per- 50 fectly understand the words which he spake unto them this occasion, as being expressed in upon something of a concise and ambiguous manner.

with them. Not one word is said of his disputing by the Evangelist, but only of his asking some questions and answering others, which was a very usual thing in these assemblies and indeed the very end of them. All was, no doubt, conducted with the utmost modesty and decorum. And if he were with others at the feet of these teachers (where learners generally sat, see Luke x. 39. and Acts xxii. 3.) he might be said to be in the midst of them, as they sat on benches of a semicircular form, raised above their auditors and disciples.

e Were in a transport of admiration.] Every learned reader must know that the word als here, and haynoar in the next verse, are much more forcible than our translation of them, and much more literally rendered here.

f I ought to be at my Father's; 29 TO TH walgas par du ura .] There is a known ambiguity in the original. I have chosen with Grotius, Capellus, Fuller, &c. to follow the Syriac version of the words, where it is rendered in my Father's house, which it is certain they will well bear; and so Josephus puts y T5 T8 As for in Jupiter's temple; contra Apion. lib. i. § 18. p. 449.

And

Haverc. (Compare John xix. 27. Esther
v. 10. vi. 12. vii. 9. Gr.) And indeed,
though a general apprehension of his being
well employed might be a reason (as it is in-
timated in the paraphrase) against their ex-
cessive anxiety, yet it could not (as the
words in this connection seem to imply)
have directed them where to find him. It
is to be remembered this was the first visit
Christ had ever made to the temple since
he was a child in arms; and it is no won-
der, therefore, that the delight he found
there inclined him to prolong it.

g They did not perfectly understand the
words that he spake unto them.] It is
strange Grotius should think ovvnav should
here be rendered, They did not attentively
consider what he said, when the very next
verse assures us Mary kept all these sayings
in her heart. The phrase only implies
that there was something more in Christ's
words than at first appeared. He con-
jectures there might be a reference to his
being the Lord who was to come into his
temple (Mal. iii. 1.) which, if there be,
it is indeed very obscure. It seems more
probable it may be an intimation that he
had many other important visits to make

to

$2

SECT.

xiv.

Reflections on the childhood of Jesus.

5! And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and

was subject unto them :

heart.

And he went down into the country with them, and came to Nazareth; and there he did not asLuke sume any air of superiority on account of the II. 51. extraordinary applause he had met with from but his mother kept the people who had heard him in the temple, all these sayings in her but still continued subject to his parents, and respectful to them, as a most dutiful and obedient child. And his mother kept all these sayings and occurrences in her heart and often reflected very seriously upon them.

52

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and

stature, and in favour

And Jesus advanced considerably in wisdom, as well as in age and stature, and grew proportionably in favour both with God and men; with God and men. his behaviour being not only remarkably religious, but so benevolent and obliging, as to gain the friendship and affection of all that were about him.

IMPROVEMENT.

Ver. LET us, who are heads of families, take occasion from the 41, 42 story before us to renew our resolutions, that we and our house will serve the Lord; and remember that it is a part of our duty, not only to God but to our domestics, to engage them with us in his public worship; the pleasures of which will surely be increased when we see them, and, especially our dear children, joining with us in attendance on our great common Father.

Let children view the example of the holy child Jesus with an humble desire to copy after it. Let them love the house and ordinances of God and thirst for the instructions of his good word. 43, 46 Let them think themselves happy if his servants in the ministry will bestow a part of their important time in those exercises which are especially suited for their instruction; and let them not only be careful to return the properest answers they can, but at convenient times, with modesty and respect, ask such questions as may be likely to improve them in knowledge and grace.

Let those children, whose genius is most promising and most 51 admired, learn from the blessed Jesus to behave themselves in an humble and submissive manner to all their elders and especially to their parents; for though he was the Lord of all, yet was he subject not only to Mary his real mother, but to Joseph, though only supposed

to his Father's house; which evidently ap-
pears by the sequel of the history.

h In wisdom, as well as in age and sta-
ture. It is well known that hixia may
signify either age or stature; but I think
the latter is meant here, because the former
was too apparent to need the mention. It

seems a very just and important remark of Erasmus here, that all the endowments of the Man Christ Jesus were, owing to the Divine beneficence, and that the Deity communicated itself in a gradual manner to that human nature which it had assumed.

Those

John was the Messiah's forerunner foretold by the prophets.

xiv.

93

supposed to be his father. Such children may well hope that the SECT. grace of God will still be upon them; and, growing in wisdom as they do in stature, they will also advance in favour with God and Ver. men, and be the darlings of heaven as well as of earth.

40, 52

And, oh, that the greatest and wisest of us, those of the longest standing and of the most eminent stations in the church, might learn of this admirable and Divine Child; that, always remembering our relation to God, and ever intent on learning his will and 49 promoting his glory, we might, with humble acquiescence, accommodate ourselves to all the disposals of his providence! How easily could he, who discovered such early marks of a sublime genius and a lively wit, have relished the most elegant delights of 47 science and have eclipsed all the most celebrated poets, orators and philosophers of that learned and polite age! But he laid all those views aside, that he might pursue the duties of that humble rank of life which his heavenly Father's infinite wisdom had 51 assigned him; and joined, as it would seem, to assist in maintaining himself and his parents too by the daily labour of his hands. Let us learn from hence, that it is the truest greatness of soul to know our own place and office, and to deny ourselves those amusements of the mind, as well as those gratifications of the senses, which are inconsistent with the proper services of our different relations and callings.

SECT. XV.

The opening of John the Baptist's ministry. Mark I. 1-6.
Luke III. 1-6. Mat. III. 1-6.

MARK I. 1.

THE beginning of the gospel of Je

sus Christ, the Son of God;

MARK I. 1.

XV.

Mark

THE beginning of the gospel-history of Jesus SECT. Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, as it is recorded by the evangelist Mark, thus takes its rise from the first opening of John's ministry. 1. 1. 2 As it is written in It was this John that came under the character the prophets, Behold, of the great forerunner of the Messiah; As it is 2 before thy face, which written in the prophets, and particularly in Mashall prepare thy way lachi (chap. iii. 1.) Behold, I will send my messenger before thy face, O my Anointed Son, who shall prepare thy way before thee; and, as

I send my messenger

before thee.

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94

XV.

Mark

John the Baptist enters on his ministry;

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3 The voice of one

SECT. the harbinger appointed to proclaim thy coming, shall, with remarkable solemnity, make it the business of his ministry to introduce thy 1.2. kingdom." So also it was prophesied con3 cerning him by Isaiah (chap. xl. 3.) There shall be heard the voice of one crying in the crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the wilderness", and solemnly proclaiming to this way of the Lord, make purpose in the deserts of Judea, Prepare ye his paths straight. with readiness the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight and smooth by removing every thing which might prove an obstruction to his gracious appearance." These prophecies (as it will presently be seen) received a very signal and remarkable accomplishment in John, who, from his office, was surnamed the Baptist.

III. 1.

LUKE III. 1. Now in the fifteenth year of

of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias

Luke Now this eminent person made his first public appearance in the fifteenth year of the reign of the the reign of Tiberius emperor Tiberius Cæsar, (reckoning the begin- Caesar, Pontius Pilate ning of his reign from the time when Augustus being governor of Jumade him his colleague in the empire), when dea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, Archelaus being banished, and his kingdom re- and his brother Philip duced into a Roman province, Pontius Pilate tetrarch of Iturea, and was governor, or procurator, of Judea; and, as the dominions of Herod the Great had been divided after his death, Herod Antipas, one of his sons, was tetrarch of Galilee, or governor of that fourth part of his dominions; and his brother Philip tetrarch of another fourth part, which was the region of Iturea and Trachonitis (the name now given to that tract of land on the other side Jordan which had formerly belonged

a The voice of one crying in the wilder ness.] Most commentators have imagined these words originally to refer to the proclamation of deliverance from the Babylonish captivity: but there is no imaginable reason for supposing an immediate connection between the conclusion of the thirty-ninth chapter of Isaiah and the beginning of the fortieth; nor can I observe any thing in the process of this chapter which may not literally suit the evangelical sense here given it by Mark as well as Matthew and Luke.

b Reckoning from the time when Augustus made him his colleague in the empire.] Supposing Christ was born A. U. C. 747. (as in note c) it is absolutely necessary to interpret the words thus; because the fifteenth year of Tiberius, if reckoned from the death of Augustus, began in August, A. U. 781. and would thus be the thirty-fourth year of Christ's life,

to

the tetrarch of Abilene,

which is plainly inconsistent with Luke iii. 23. (See Manne's Dissert. p. 136-140.) But if the birth of Christ be placed (as seems most probable) in September, A. U. 749. and Tiberius was admitted to a part in the empire (three years before Augustus died) in August, 764. the fifteenth year of Tiberius on this computation began in August 778. And if John entered on his ministry in the spring following, A. U. 779. in the same year of Tiberius; and, after he had preached about twelve months, baptized Jesus in the spring 780. then Jesus at his baptism would be but thirty years of age, and some odd months, which perfectly agrees with what St. Luke says of his being at that time about thirty years old. See Dr. Lardner's Credib. Part I. Vol. II. p. 838, 833.

c Divided after his death.] See note ",. on Mat. ii. 22.

d Lysanias

1

And preaches the baptism of repentance.

XV.

95

Luke

to the tribe of Manasseh): and Lysanias was te- ICT. trarch of Abilene, a fair city of Syria, whose territories reached even to Lebanon and Damascus, and were peopled with great numbers of III. 2. Annas and Cai- Jews. In those days, while Annas and Caiaaphas being the high phas were high priests, the word of God, by proGod [in those days] phetic inspiration, came unto John the Baptist, came unto John [the the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who had Baptist) the son of lived for several years retired in the wilderness derness [of Judea.] of Judea. Compare Luke i. 80. p. 31.

priests, the word of

Zacharias, in the wil

{MAT. III. I.]

3

John did baptize in

And John, at the first opening of his ministry, 3 And [MARK. did preach with great power, and baptize in the the wilderness, and] wilderness; and perceiving the people inclined came into all the to pay an attentive regard to his doctrine, he did country about Jor- not confine himself to that wilderness alone, but dan, preaching the baptism of repentance came into all the country about Jordan, and went for the remission of a progress over it, from one place to another, sins; [MAT. III. 1. on both sides the river, preaching every where,

MARK I. 4.]

as he went along, the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins, earnestly exhorting men to re-
pent of all the irregularities of their lives, and
to be baptized in token of their sincere desire to
be washed and cleansed from them; and assur-
ing them at the same time that, if they attended
on this institution in a truly penitent manner,
they might consider it as a pledge and token of
their being forgiven by God.

Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene.] Some have thought this Lysanias another son of Herod the Great; but it seems much more probable that he was descended from a prince of that name, who had been governor of that country several years before. See Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xiv. cap. 13. (al. 23.) § 5. p. 722. Havercamp.

e In those days.] This is supplied from Mat. iii. 1. where it is proper to observe that the phrase als gas exavas is used in a very extensive sense for that age of which he had spoken in the preceding words, though these events happened near thirty years after those recorded in the former chapter of that gospel. And the phrase is here used with the greater propriety, as John did indeed appear under his public character while Christ continued to dwell at Nazareth; which was the event that Matthew had last mentioned.

While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests.] As it was not Caiaphas but Ishmael that immediately succeeded Annas or Ananus (Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. cap. 2. (al. 3.) § 2. p. 873.) I cannot suppose, as some have done, that Annas was high priest the former part of this year,

K

And

and Caiaphas the latter; much less that
Luke knew so little of the Jewish constitu-
tion as to suppose there could be two high
priests properly so called. The easiest so-
lution is, that one was the high priest, and
the other his sagan or deputy; so that the
title might, with a very pardonable liberty,
be applied to both. See note a on John xviii.
13. Vol. II. sect. 184.

g The word of God came unto John the
Baptist.] I think these words declare, as
expressly as any words can, that John
was called to his prophetic work in the
fifteenth year of Tiberius; so that, if Mr.
Manne's arguments prove (as he supposes
they do) that Christ was crucified in that
fifteenth year, then it will follow, that all
the events, both of John's ministry and
of our Lord's must be reduced within the
compass of one year; which is, for rea-
sons elsewhere given, utterly incredible.
To conclude, that by the language which
Luke here uses, he intends to express the
time of Christ's death, though it did not
happen in the same year, is doing the
greatest violence imaginable to the whole
passage. How much easier would it be to
admit of a little more latitude in the in-

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