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p ch. xxvi. 64. his a soul? 27 For P the Son of man shall come in the glory

q Dan. vii. 10.

Zech. xiv.

ch. xxv. 31. Jude 14.

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r Job xxxiv. 11. every man according to his bworks.

Ps. lxii. 12.

Prove

xxiv.

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5. of his Father 9 with his angels; and then he shall reward 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. XVII. 1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James,

10: xxxii. 19. Rom. ii. 6.

1 Cor. iii. 8.

2 Cor. v. 10.

1 Pet. i. 17.

Rev. ii. 23: xxii. 12.

a render, life.

b

work.

render, ing it in the higher sense, life here and hereafter. 27.] A further revelation of this important chapter respecting the Son of Man. He is to be JUDGE OF ALLand, as in ch. xiii. 41, is to appear with His angels, and in the glory of His Father -the "glory which thou hast given me," John xvii. 22. Mark and Luke place here, not this declaration, but that of our ch. x. 33. Our Lord doubtless joined the two. Compare ch. xxiv. 30; xxv. 31. For implies, "And it is not without reason that I thus speak: a time will come when the truth of what I say will be shewn."

his work, considered as a whole: his habit of action. 28.] This declaration refers, in its full meaning, certainly not to the transfiguration which follows, for that could in no sense (except that of being a foretaste: compare Peter's own allusion to it, 2 Pet. i. 17, where he evidently treats it as such) be named 'the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom,' and the expression, some... which shall not taste of death, till. indicates a distant event,-but to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the full manifestation of the Kingdom of Christ by the arnihilation of the Jewish polity; which event, in this aspect as well as in all its terrible attendant details, was a type and earnest of the final coming of Christ. See John xxi. 22, and compare Deut. xxxii. 36 with Heb. x. 30. This dreadful destruction was indeed judgment beginning at the house of God. The interpretation of Meyer, &c., that our Lord referred to His ultimate glorious coming, the time of which was hidden from Himself (see Mark xiii. 32: Acts i. 7), is selfcontradictory on his own view of the Person of Christ. That our Lord, in His humanity in the flesh, did not know the day and the hour, we have from His own lips: but that not knowing it, He should have uttered a determinate and solemn prophecy of it, is utterly impossible. His verily I say unto you always introduces His solemn and authoritative revelations of divine truth. The fact is, there is a reference back in this discourse to that in ch. x., and the coming here spoken of is the

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read, of those standing.

same as that in ver. 23 there. Stier well remarks that this cannot be the great and ultimate coming, on account of the terms of the announcement, which imply that they should taste of death after they had seen it, and would therefore be inapplicable to the final coming. This is denied by Wordsworth, who substitutes for the simple sense of "shall not taste of death," the far-fetched one, "shall not feel its bitterness," "shall not taste of the death of the soul," and then, thus interpreting, gives the prophecy, as it seems to me, the very opposite of its plain sense: "they will not taste of death till I come: much less will they taste of it then."

CHAP. XVII. 1-13.] THE TRANSFIGURATION. Mark ix. 2-13. Luke ix. 28-36. This weighty event forms the solemn installation of our Lord to His sufferings and their result. Those three Apostles were chosen to witness it, who had before witnessed His power over death (Mark v. 37), and who afterwards were chosen to accompany Him in His agony (ch. xxvi. 37), and were (John xx. 2: Mark xvi. 7) in an especial sense witnesses of His resurrection. The Two who appeared to them were the representatives of the law and the prophets: both had been removed from this world in a mysterious manner the one without death,-the other by death indeed, but so that his body followed not the lot of the bodies of all; both, like the Greater One with whom they spoke, had endured that supernatural fast of forty days and nights: both had been on the holy mount in the visions of God. And now they came, endowed with glorified bodies before the rest of the dead, to hold converse with the Lord on that sublime event, which had been the great central subject of all their teaching, and solemnly to consign into His hands, once and for all, in a symbolical and glorious representation, their delegated and expiring power. And then follows the Divine Voice, as at the Baptism, commanding however here in addition the sole hearing and obedience of Him whose power and glory were thus

and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high
mountain apart, 2 and was transfigured before them and
his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as
the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses
and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and
said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here if thou

testified. There can arise no question of
the absolute historical reality of this nar-
ration. It is united by definite marks
of date with what goes before; and by
intimate connexion with what follows. It
cannot by any unfairness be severed from
its context. Nor again is there any thing
mentioned which casts a doubt on the
reality of the appearances (see below, on
vision, ver. 9). The persons mentioned
were seen by all-spoke-and were re-
cognized. The concurrence between the
three Evangelists is exact in all the cir-
cumstances, and the fourth alludes, not
obscurely, to the event, which it was not
part of his purpose to relate; John i. 14.
Another of the three spectators distinctly
makes mention of the facts here related,
2 Pet. i. 16-18. I cannot but add,
having recently returned from the sight
of the wonderful original at Rome, that
the great last picture of Raffaelle is one
of the best and noblest comments on this
portion of the Gospel history. The events
passing, at the same time, on, and under,
the Mount of Transfiguration, are by the
painter combined, to carry to the mind
of the spectator the great central truth,
There is none but Christ to console and to
glorify our nature. It is a touching re-
flection, that this picture was left un-
finished by the painter, and carried in his
funeral procession.
1.] "About an
eight days after these sayings," Luke ix.
28. The one computation is inclusive, the
other not; or perhaps, from the "about"
being inserted, the one is precise, the
other roughly stated. The time of the
transfiguration was probably night, for the
following reasons. (1) St. Luke informs us
that the Lord had gone up to the mount
to pray; which He usually did at night
(Luke vi. 12; xxi. 37; xxii. 39: Matt. xiv.
23, 24 al.). (2) All the circumstances con-
nected with the glorification and accom-
panying appearances would thus be more
prominently seen. (3) The Apostles were
asleep, and are described, Luke, ver. 32,
as having kept awake through it.' (4)
They did not descend till the next day
(Luke, ver. 37), which would be almost
inexplicable had the event happened by
day, but a matter of course if by night.

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an high mountain] The situation

of this mountain is uncertain. It was pro-
bably not Tabor, according to the legend;
for on the top of Tabor then most likely
stood a fortified town (De Wette, from
Robinson). Nor is there any likelihood
that it was Panium, near Cæsarea Philippi,
for the six days would probably be spent
in journeying; and they appear imme-
diately after to have come to Capernaum.
It was most likely one of the mountains
bordering the lake. St. Luke speaks of it
merely as "the mountain" (country).
Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 399, con-
tends for Hermon: as does, though doubt-
ingly, Dr. Thomson, The Land and the
Book, p. 231. Stanley thinks that our
Lord would still be in the neighbourhood
of Cæsarea Philippi: and that "it is im-
possible to look up from the plain to the
towering peaks of Hermon, almost the
only mountain which deserves the name
in Palestine, and one of whose ancient
titles (the lofty peak') was derived from
this very circumstance, and not be struck
with its appropriateness to the scene....
High up on its southern slopes there must
be many a point where the disciples could
be taken apart by themselves.' Even the
transient comparison of the celestial splen-
dour with the snow, where alone it could
be seen in Palestine, should not perhaps
be wholly overlooked." 2.] was trans-
figured" the fashion of his countenance
was altered," Luke. In what way, is not
stated; but we may conclude from what
follows, by being lighted with radiance
both from without and from within.
white as the light: ="white and glisten-
ing,'
," Luke; = exceeding white [as
snow] so as no fuller on earth can white
them," Mark. 3.] There need be no
question concerning the manner of the
recognition of Moses and Elias by the dis-
ciples: it may have been intuitive and im-
mediate. We can certainly not answer
with Olshausen, that it may have arisen
from subsequent information derived from
our Lord, for Peter's words in the next
verse preclude this. St. Luke adds, "who
appeared in glory, and spake of his de-
cease, which he should accomplish in Jeru-
salem." 4.] St. Luke inserts, that the
Apostles had been asleep, but wakened
through this whole occurrence ;-thereby

a 2 Pet. i. 17.

b ch. iii. 17.

c Isa. xlii. 1.

15, 19. Acts

iii. 22, 23.

e 2 Pet. i. 18.

d

wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5a While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, "This is my beloved & Deut. xviii. Son, in whom I am well pleased; d hear ye him. 6 e And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and Dan. viii. 18: were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, 18. Rev. 1.17. and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, & Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, " Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said shall first come, and 'restore all

ix. 21: x. 10,

g ch. xvi. 20.

h Mal. iv. 5. ch, xi. 14.

i Mal, iv. 6.

Luke i. 16,

k ch. xỉ. 14

unto them, Elias truly

17. Acts iii. things. 12k But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, 1 ch. xiv. 3, 10. and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatLikewise m shall also the Son of man Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. 14 And when they

m ch. xvi. 21.

n ch. xi. 14

soever they listed.

suffer of them. 13

d read, I will make.
e read, he.
f some of the oldest authorities read, truly cometh and shall restore.

distinguishing it from a mere vision of
sleep; and that this speech was made
Both
"as they departed from him."
Mark and Luke add, that Peter knew not
what he said: and Mark- for they were
sore afraid." The speech was probably
uttered with reference to the sad an-
nouncement recently made by our Lord,
and to which his attention had been re-
called by the converse of Moses and Elias.

It is one of those remarkable coin-
cidences of words which lead men on, in
writing, to remembrances connected with
those words, that in 2 Peter i. 14, 15,
tabernacle and decease (exodus, as here)
have just been mentioned before the allu-
sion to this event: see note there.
Lord] Rabbi, Mark,-Master, Luke.
5.] them, viz. our Lord, Moses and Elias.
St. Luke adds, "they feared as they entered
into the cloud." That the Apostles did
not enter the cloud, is shewn by the voice
being heard out of the cloud. The hear
him, and disappearance of the two hea-
venly attendants, are symbolically con-
nected, as signifying that God, who had
spoken in times past to the Fathers by the
Prophets, henceforth would speak by His
Son.

Vv. 6, 7 are peculiar to Matthew.

9.] No unreality is implied in the word vision, for it is expressed by "what they had seen "" in Mark and in Luke: see Num. xxiv. 3, 4. St. Luke, without mentioning the condition of time imposed on them, remarkably confirms it by saying, "they told no man in those days

10.] The occasion of this enquiry was, that they had just seen Elias withdrawn from their eyes, and were enjoined not to tell the vision. How then should this be?

Our

If this was not the coming of Elias,
was he yet to come? If it was, how was
it so secret and so short ?
On ver.
12, see note on ch. xi. 14.
Lord speaks here plainly in the future,
and uses the very word of the prophecy
Mal. iv. 6. The double allusion is only
the assertion that the Elias (in spirit and
power) who foreran our Lord's first coming,
was a partial fulfilment of the great pro-
phecy which announces the real Elias (the
words of Malachi will hardly bear any
other than a personal meaning), who is
to forerun His greater and second coming.

14-21.] HEALING OF A POSSESSED LUNATIC. Mark ix. 14-29. Luke ix. 37-42. By much the fullest account of this miracle is contained in Mark, where

were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus & rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him : and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have och. xxi. 21. faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. [21 i Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.] 22 P And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said pch. xvi. 21: unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the Luke xxiv. 6, hands of men: 23 and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding

sorry.

1 Cor. xiii. 2.

XX. 17.

7.

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received a tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth Exod. xxx.

g render, rebuked him, and the devil departed out of him. h some old MSS. read, little faith.

k

render, the two drachmas.

see notes. It was the next day: see Luke
ix. 37, and note on our ver. 1. Our Lord
found the Scribes and the disciples dis-
puting (Mark). 15.] He was an only
son, Luke ix. 38. The dæmon had de-
prived him of speech, Mark ix. 17.
17.] Bengel remarks, that in our Lord's
severe reproof, the disciples are numbered
with the multitude.
19.] It was in

the house, Mark ix. 28.

22, 23.] OUR LORD'S SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. Mark ix. 30-32. Luke ix. 43-45. This followed immediately after the miracle (Mark ix. 30). Our Lord went privately through Galilee; For he taught his disciples, &c.:-the imparting of this knowledge more accurately to His disciples, which he had begun to do in the last chapter, was the reason for his privacy. For more particulars, see Luke ver. 45: Mark ver. 32.

13. xxxviii.

26.

i omitted by our two oldest MSS.

24-27.] DEMAND OF THE SACRED TRIBUTE, AND OUR LORD'S REPLY. Peculiar to Matthew. The narrative connects well with the whole chapter, the aim of the events narrated in which is, to set forth Jesus as the undoubted SON of God. 24. the two drachmas] This was a sum paid annually by the Jews of twenty years old and upwards, towards the temple in Jerusalem. Exod. xxx. 13: 2 Kings xii. 4: 2 Chron. xxiv. 6, 9. Josephus says of Vespasian, "He levied a tribute on the Jews all over the world, compelling each man to pay two drachmas yearly into the Capitol, as they formerly used to do to the temple at Jerusalem." It does not quite appear whether this payment was compulsory or not; the question here asked would look as if it were voluntary, and therefore by some declined.

Many Commentators both ancient and modern, and among them no less names

a Luke xxii. 24.

1

not your master pay tribute? 25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus m prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own n children, or strangers? 26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

XVIII. 1 At a that same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, P Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and mi. e. anticipated.

render, the two drachmas.

n render, sons.

• render, a stater.

than Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Je-
rome, and Augustine, seem to have missed
the meaning of this miracle, by interpret-
ing the payment as a civil one, which it
certainly was not. Peter answered in the
affirmative, probably because he had known
it paid before. 25, 26.] The whole

force of this argument depends on the fact
of the payment being a divine one. It
rests on this: If the sons are free, then
on Me, being the Son of God, has this tax
no claim.'
tribute is here the ren-
dering of census, money taken according
to the reckoning of the census,-a capita-
tion tax.
strangers, all who are not
their children, those out of their family.
27.] In this, which has been pro-
nounced the most difficult miracle in the
Gospels, the deeper student of our Lord's
life and actions will find no difficulty.
Our Lord's words amount to this:-"that,
notwithstanding this immunity, we (gra-
ciously including the Apostle in the earthly
payment, and omitting the distinction be-
tween them, which was not now to be
told to any), that we may not offend
them, will pay what is required-and shall
find it furnished by God's special provi-
dence for us." In the foreknowledge and
power which this miracle implies, the Lord
recalls Peter to that great confession
(ch. xvi. 16), which his hasty answer to
the collectors shews him to have again
in part forgotten.
Of course the
miracle is to be understood in its literal
historic sense. The rationalistic interpre-
tation, that the fish was to be sold for the
money (and a wonderful price it would be

P render, Who then is.

for a fish caught with a hook), is refuted
by the terms of the narrative,-and the
mythical one, besides the utter inapplica-
bility of all mythical interpretation to any
part of the evangelic history,-by the ab-
sence of all possible occasion, and all pos-
sible significancy, of such a myth. The
stater four drachmas-the exact pay-
ment required for two persons.
literally, instead of, because the payment
was a redemption paid for the person,
Exod. xxx. 12. To this also refers the
"free" above. me and thee-not us;
-as in John xx. 17:-because the footing
on which it was given was different.

for,

CHAP. XVIII. 1-35.] DISCOURSE RE

SPECTING THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Mark ix. 33-50. Luke ix. 46-50. 1.] In Mark we learn that this discourse arose out of a dispute among the disciples who should be the greatest. It took place soon after the last incident. Peter had returned from his fishing: see ver. 21. The dispute had taken place before, on the way to Capernaum. It had probably been caused by the mention of the Kingdom of God as at hand in ch. xvi. 19, 28, and the preference given by the Lord to the Three. In Mark it is our Lord who asks them what they were disputing about, and they are silent. At that same time need not necessarily refer to the incident last related. It may equally well be understood as indicating the presence in the mind of the querist of something that had passed in the preceding dispute. 2.] From Mark ix. 36 it appears that our Lord first

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