He came into his own city; Matt. ix. 1. [and] when Jesus was returned, the people gladly Luke viii. 40. received him, originally wrote in Hebrew. Michaelis renders into Hebrew a few passages of the Greek Gospel, and varying the expression of the Evangelist, so as to suit his own ingenious but imaginary conjectures, he endeavours to prove that St. Matthew used the Hebrew words into which Michaelis translates his Greek, and that St. Matthew's translator actually misunderstood the meaning of his original. The inspiration of St. Matthew is thus destroyed at once. The boldest conjectures of the most adventurous of our English critics sink into insignificance when compared with this effort. Bowyer and Markland would have been terrified. Even the editors of the new and improved version would have seen, without regret, their star-like lustre eclipsed by the superior splendour of this baneful meteor. Michaelis, however, has provided his reader with arguments against his own error. In the preceding section he reasons against the possibility of proving the existence of any mistakes of translation in the Greek Gospel of St. Matthew and he there observes, "that no one can shew any such mistakes ;" and, "if the Greek Gospel is a translation, the original is lost; and therefore a comparison between them, which alone can determine the question, cannot take place." I may observe here, that Michaelis, though a learned and useful authority in many instances, must be read with caution, and many of his conclusions rejected. Bishop Randolph wrote a tract on this subject, which did justice to the learned German, while it pointed out his errors (a). : The opinion of Michaelis on the evangelical narrative of the raising of Jairus's daughter is contained in that part of his work to which I am now referring. In Matt. ix. 18. he observes, that "Jairus says of his daughter, apre èreλeútnoe, she is already dead; whereas, according to St. Mark, v. 23. he says, loɣárwc Exe, she is at the point of death; and receives the first intelligence of her death as he was returning home, accompanied by Christ. Various artifices have been used by the harmonists to reconcile this contradiction, and with very little success; but as soon as we reflect on the words, which must have stood in the original, all difficulty vanishes on this head. For nn nny may signify either, 'she is now dead,' or, she is now dying.' St. Matthew's translator rendered the word according to the former punctuation, whereas he ought rather to have adopted the latter; as appears from what is related by the two other Evangelists." To this, Archbishop Laurence, in his Sermon upon Philological Speculation, observes, that the ἡ θυγάτηρ μοῦ ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν, is suficiently explained by commentators, (in order to reconcile it with St. Mark's account,) in the sense of my daughter is (perhaps) by this time dead:" but, even taking it in the strongest point of view, it can only be considered as one of those minute variations which tend to prove that the Evangelists did not write in concert. But, as Bishop Marsh remarks, it is not St. Matthew alone who on this occasion uses the past tense; for St. Luke has the perfectly synonymous expression áté☺vn (a) See Bishop Marsh's Michaelis, vol. iii. part i. p. 151-2. and Archbishop Laurence's notes to the Sermon on Philological Speculation, p. 34. Mark v. 21. much people gathered unto him, Luke viii. 40. for they were all waiting for him, and he was nigh unto the sea. Mark v. 21. Mark v. 22. And While he spake these things unto them, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, Luke viii. 41. down at Jesus' feet, and besought him and worshipped him, Matt. ix. 18. And besought him greatly, that he would come into his house: 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. For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. And Jesus arose, And Jesus went with him; and so did his disciples. But as he went, the people thronged him; a certain woman, Matt. ix. 20. which was diseased Mark v. 25. Mark v. 26. Luke viit. 43. Mark v. 26. σκεν. T.. which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, With the points, 3 pers. sing. perf. fæm, signifies mortua est; and past fæm, signifies moriens (b). I have rejected the points of the vari ous Hebrew words used in the several quotations in these notes: because the arguments which may satisfy us of their antiquity, do not entirely prove their authority. In the fifth volume, 4to. edit. p. 332-372. of Lardner's Works, is a long and admirable vindication of the three miracles of our Saviour-the raising the widow's son, the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus; it is too long to abridge. Among the Barrington papers I find an inquiry into the circumstances of this miracle. It is contained in a letter to Dr. Lardner, dated Dec. 30, 1729. Among the papers prefixed to the Life of Dr. Lardner, in the beginning of the first volume, is a reply throughout. As it is probable these papers of Lord Barrington may be eventually submitted to the approbation of the public, it is not worth while entering, at present, into any farther discussion on this subject. (b) Vide Bishop Marsh's note, Michaelis, vol. iii. part ii. p. 127. When she heard of Jesus, came in the behind, and touched his garment; touched the hem of his garment: For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I Mark v. 28. shall be whole. and immediately her issue of blood stanched. Luke viii. 44. And straightway the fountain of her blood was Mark v. 29. dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself Mark v. 30. that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And Mark v. 31. When all denied, Peter and they that were with Luke viii. 45. him said, his disciples said unto him, Master, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? Mark v. 31. Luke viii. 45. Mark v. 31. Luke viii. 45. Mark v. 31. And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: Luke viii. 46. for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And he looked round about to see her that had Mark v. 32. done this thing. But the woman Mark v. 33. when the woman saw that she was not hid, she Luke viii. 47. came fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in Mark v. 33. her, and fell down before him, and told him all the truth; she declared unto him, before all the people, for Luke viii. 47. what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. and when he saw her, he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: Matt. ix. 22. Luke viii. 48. Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go Mark v. 34. in peace, and be whole of thy plague. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matt. ix. 22. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler Mark v. 35. of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any farther? But when Jesus heard it, Luke viii, 50. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, Mark v. 36. he answered him, and said unto the ruler of the synagogue, saying, Luke viii. 50. Mark v. 36. Luke viii. 50. Mark v. 36. Be not afraid, only believe. Luke viii. 50. Fear not-and she shall be made whole. Luke viii. 51. And when he came into the house, Mark v. 37. he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and Mark v. 38. Matt. ix. 23. Mark v. 38. Mark v. 39. Matt. ix. 24. Luke viii. 52. Mark v. 39. Mark v. 40. Luke viii. 53. Mark v. 40. Matt. ix. 25. Mark v. 41. Luke viii. 54. Luke viii. 55. Mark v. 42. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the and saw the minstrels and the people making a and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Give place: Weep not; for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. knowing that she was dead. But when he had put them all out, (and) he taketh the father and mother of the damsel, And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; Luke viii. 55. and he commanded Mark v. 43. Luke viii. 56. that something should be given her to eat. Mark v. 42. they were astonished with a great astonishment. Mark v. 43. Luke viii. 56. that they should tell no man what was done. Matt. ix. 26. And the fame thereof went abroad into all that Or, this fame. land. MATT. ix. part of ver. 1. 18, 19, 20. ver. 21. and part of ver. 22, 23, 24, 25. 1 -and entered into a ship, and passed over, and 18-behold, there came a certain ruler-saying, My daughter is even now dead but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. : 19 and followed him, and 20 And a woman-with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him and 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about-Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house 24 He said unto them-for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. LUKE viii. part of ver. 41, 43, 44, 45, 47. ver. 48, 49. and part of ver. 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me?-said—the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 47 And trembling, and, falling down before him— 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. 49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 51 he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept and bewailed her: but he said she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laughed him to scorn 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand-saying, Maid, arise. 55 and she arose straightway-to give her meat. 56 but he charged them- SECTION XXXIX. Christ restores two Blind Men to Sight. MATT. ix. 27-32. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind Matt. ix. 27. men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind Matt. ix. 28. men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According Matt. ix. 29. to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly Matt. ix. 30. charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread Matt. ix. 31. abroad his fame in all that country. |