the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And 2 shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an 1 Ch. xxv. 32. 2 Ver. 42. householder, which bringeth forth out 3 of his treasure things new and old." 53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54 And 5 when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's 3 Prov. x. 21; xv. 7; xviii. 4. Cant. vii. 13. 5 Mark vi. 2-6. to understand the Bible, and to communicate its truths, is valuable, and should, if possible, be gained. A minister should be like the father of a family: distri of his treasures bringing forth truth to confirm the feeble, enlighten the ignorant, and guide those in danger of straying A away. 54. Into his own country. That is, into Nazareth. Mark, who has also recorded this, ch. vi. 1-6, says that it took place on the sabbath. It was common for our Saviour to speak in the synagogues. Any Jew had a right to address the people, if called on by the minister; and our Saviour often availed himself of the right to instruct the people, and declare his doctrines. See Matt. iv. 23. 51-53. Jesus kindly asked them whether they had understood these things. If not, he was still willing to teach them. He enjoined on them their duty to make a proper use of this knowledge, by speak-buting to the church as it needs; and out ing another parable. Every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven. That is, every man that is acquainted with the gospel, or with the truth. scribe was a learned man. As the disciples had said that they had understood the truth, he says that it should not be unemployed. They should bring it forth in due time, like a householder bringing out of his treasury, or place of deposit, what had been laid up there at any time, as it was needed. ¶ Bringeth forth. As occasion demands; as sickness, or calamity, or the wants of his family, or the poor require. ¶ Treasure. The word treasure here means a place of deposit, not for money merely, but for any thing necessary for the comfort of a family. It is the same as treasury or a place of deposit. New and old. Things lately acquired, or things that had been laid up for a long time. So, said Christ, be you. This truth, new or old, which you have gained, keep it not laid up and hid, but bring it forth, in due season, and on proper occasions, to benefit others. Every preacher should be properly instructed. Christ for three years gave instructions to the apostles; and they who preach should be able to understand the gospel, to defend it, and to communicate its truth to others. Human learning aloue is indeed of no value to a minister; but all learning that will enable him better 55, 56. Is not this the carpenter's son? Mark says, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?" Both these expressions would probably be used in the course of the conversation; and Matthew has recorded one, and Mark the other. The expression recorded by Mark is a strong, perhaps decisive, proof that he had worked at the business till he was thirty years of age. The people in the neighbourhood would understand well the nature of his early employments. It is, therefore, almost certain that this had been his manner of life. A useful employment is always honourable. Idleness is the parent of mischief. Our Saviour, therefore, spent the greatest part of his life in honest, useful industry. Till the age of thirty he did not choose to enter on his great work; and it was proper before that time, that him. But Jesus said unto them, 58 And 2 he did not many mighty 57 And they were offended 1 in belief. he should set an example to the world of honourable, though humble industry. Life is not wasted in such employments. They are appointed as the lot of man. And in fidelity, in the relations of life though obscure; in honest industry, however humble; in patient labour, if connected with a life of religion; we may be sure that God will approve our conduct. It was, moreover, the custom of the Jews to train all their children, even those of wealth and learning, to some trade, or manual occupation. Thus Paul was a tent-maker. Compare Acts xviii. 3. This was an example of great condescension and humility. It staggers the faith of many that the Son of God should labour in an occupation so obscure and lowly. The infidel sneers at the idea that He that made the worlds should live thirty years in humble life, as a poor and unknown mechanic. Yet the same infidel will loudly praise Peter the Great of Russia, because he laid aside his imperial dignity, and entered the British service as a ship-carpenter, that he might learn the art of ship building. Was the purpose of Peter of more importance than that of the Son of God? If Peter, the heir to the throne of the Czars, might leave his elevated rank, and descend to an humble employment, and secure by it the applause of the world, why not the King of kings, for an infinitely higher object? His brethren, James, &c. The fair interpretation of this passage is, that these were the sons and daughters of Joseph and Mary. The people in the neighbourhood thought so, and spoke of them 23 such. 57. They were offended in him. That is, they took offence at his humble birth; and at the indigent circumstances of his family. They were too proud to be taught by one whom they took to be their equal or inferior in family connexions. 2 Mark vi. 5, 6. 12-19. Men always look with envy on those of A prophet is not without honour, &c. 58. Did not many mighty works. MiThis implies that he performed racles. some miracles. Mark tells us what they He laid his hands on a few sick Because of were. folk, and healed them. been useless to the great purposes of their unbelief. That is, it would have his mission to work miracles there. We are not to suppose that his power was limited by the belief, or unbelief, of men. But they were so prejudiced, so set against him, that they were not in a condition to 169 judge of evidence, and to be convinced. They would have charged it to derangement, or sorcery, or the agency of the devil. Compare John x. 20. It would have been of no use, therefore, in proving to them that he was from God, to have worked miracles. He did, therefore, only those things which were the proper work of benevolence, and which could not easily be charged on the devil. He gave sufficient proof of his mission, and left them, in their chosen unbelief, without excuse. It is also true, in spiritual things, that the unbelief of a people prevents the influences of the Holy Spirit from being sent down to bless them. God requires faith. He hears only the prayers of faith. And when there is little true belief, and prayer is cold and formal, there the people sleep in spiritual death, and are unblessed. CHAPTER XIV. 1. Herod the tetrarch. See also Mark vi. 14-16. Luke ix. 7-9. This was a son of Herod the Great. Herod the Great died probably in the first year after the birth of Christ, and left his kingdom to his three sons, of whom this Herod Antipas was one. He ruled over Galilee and Perea. See Note, Matt. ii. 15. The title tetrarch literally denotes one who rules over a fourth part of any country. In a remote signification, it means one who rules over a third, or even a half of a nation. Heard of the fame of Jesus. Jesus had then been a considerable time engaged in the work of the ministry, and it may seem remarkable that Herod had not before heard of him. He might have, however, been absent on some ex 2 Or, are wrought by him. 3 Lev. xviii. 16; xx. 21. 4 Ch. xxi. 26. Luke xx. 6. pedition to a remote par of the country. It is to be remembered, also, that he was a man of much dissoluteness of morals; and that he paid little attention to the affairs of the people. He might have heard of Jesus before, but the report had not arrested his attention. He did not think it a matter worthy of much regard. 2. This is John the Baptist. Herod feared John. His conscience smote him for his crimes. He remembered that he had wickedly put John to death. He knew him to be a distinguished prophet; and he concluded that no other one was capable of working such miracles but he who had been distinguished in his life, and who had again risen from the dead, and entered the dominions of his murderer. The alarm in his court it seems was general. Herod's conscience told him that this was John. Others thought that it might be the expected Elijah, or one of the old prophets. Mark vi. 15. 3-5. For Herod had laid hold on John, &c. See Mark vi. 17-20. Luke iii. 19, 20. This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great. She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod. Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother's; fell in love with his brother's wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the daughter of Aretas, king of Petræa; and Herodias agreed to leave her own husband, and live with him. They were living, therefore, in adultery; and John in faithfulness, though at the risk of his life, had reHerod proved them for their crimes. was guilty of two crimes in this act: 1. Of adultery, as she was the wife of another man. 2. Of incest, as she was a near relation, and such marriages were expressly forbidden. Lev. xviii. 16. 6-13. See also Mark vi. 21-29. But when Herod's birthday was come. Kings were accustomed to observe the day of their birth with much pomp, and commonly also by giving a feast to their principal nobility. See Gen. xl. 20. Mark adds, that this birthday was kept by making a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates in Galilee." That is, to the chief men in office. High captains means, in the original, commanders of thousands, or a division of a thousand men. The daughter of Herodias. That is Salome, her daughter by her former husband. This was a violation of all the rules of modesty and propriety. One great principle of all eastern nations is to keep their females from public view. For this purpose they are confined in a particular part of the house, called the harem. If they appear in public, it is always with a veil, so closely drawn that their faces cannot be seen. No modest woman would have appeared in this manner before the court; and it is probable, therefore, that she partook of the dissolute principles of her mother. It is also probable that the dance was one well known in Greece, the lascivious and wanton dance of the Ionics. 7. He promised with an oath. This was a foolish and wicked oath. To please a wanton girl, the monarch called the eternal God to witness his willingness to give her half his kingdom. It seems also that he was willing to shed the holiest blood it contained. An oath like this it XXV. 22. was not lawful to make, and it should have been broken. See ver. 9. 8. Being before instructed of her mother. Not before she danced, but afterwards; and before she made the request of Herod. See Mark vi. 24. The only appearance of what was right in the whole transaction was her honouring her mother, by consulting her; and in this she only intended to accomplish the purposes of wickedness more effectually. In a charger. The original word means a large platter, on which food is placed. We should have supposed that she would have been struck with abhorrence at such a direction. But she seems to have been gratified. John, by his faithfulness, had offended the whole family; and here was ample opportunity for an adulterous mother and dissolute child to gratify their resentment. It was customary then for princes to require the heads of persons ordered for execution to be brought to them. For this there were two reasons: 1. To gratify their resentment-to feast their eyes on the proof that their enemy was dead; and, 2. To ascertain the fact that the sentence had been executed. There is a similar instance in Roman history of a woman requiring the head of an enemy to be brought to her. Agrippina, the mother of Nero, who was afterwards emperor, sent an officer to put to death Lollia Paulina, who had been her rival for the imperial dignity. When Lollia's head was brought to her, not knowing it at first, she examined it with her own hands, till she perceived some particular feature by which the lady was distinguished.* 9. And the king was sorry. There might have been several reasons for this: 1. Herod had a high respect for John, He knew that he and feared him. Lardner's Credibility, Part i. book. i. ch. i. her meat, he commanded it to be given | a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried 3 it, 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.1 16. 11 And his head was brought in and went and told Jesus. 1 Ch. xvii. 12; xxi. 35, 36. 2 Chron. xxxvi. was a holy man, and had "observed him," that is, regarded him with respect and veneration. He had done some things in obedience to John's precepts, Mark vi. 20. 2. John was in high repute among the people, and Herod might have been afraid that his murder might excite commotion. 3. Herod, though a wicked man, does not appear to have been insensible to some of the common principles of human nature. Here was a great and most manifest crime proposed; no less than the murder of an acknowledged prophet of the Lord. It was deliberate. It was to gratify the malice of a wicked woman. It was the price of a few moments' entertainment. His conscience, though in feeble and dying accents, checked him. He would have preferred a request not so manifestly wicked, and that would not have involved him in so much difficulty. For the oath's sake. Herod felt that he was bound by this oath. But he was not. The oath should not have been taken. But, being taken, he could not be bound by it. No oath could justify a man in committing murder. The true principle is, that Herod was bound by a prior obligation, by the law of God, not to commit murder; and no act of his, be it an oath or any thing else, could free him from the obligation. And them which sat with him at meat. This was the strongest reason why Herod murdered John. He had not firmness enough to obey the law of God, and to follow the dictates of conscience, against the opinions of wicked men. He was afraid of the charge of cowardice, and want of spirit, afraid of ridicule and the contempt of the wicked. This is the principle of the laws of honour. This is the foundation of duelling. It is not so much for his own sake that one man murders another in a duel, for the offence is often a mere trifle. It is a word or look that never would injure him. It is because the men of honour, as they call themselves, his companions, would consi 2 Prov. xxvii. 4; xxix. 10. 3 Acts viii. 2. 3 Ezek. xix. 2, 3. der him a coward, and laugh at him. Those companions may be unprincipled contemners of the laws of God and man. And yet the duellist, against his own conscience, against the laws of God, against the good opinion of the virtuous part of the world, and against the laws of his country, seeks, by deadly aim, to murder another, merely to gratify his dissolute companions. And this is the law of honour! This is the secret of duelling! This is the source of that remorse that settles in awful blackness, and that thunders damnation around the duellist in his dying hours! It should be added, this is the source of all youthful guilt. We are led along by others. We have not firmness enough to follow the teachings of a father and of the law of God. Young men are afraid of being called mean and cowardly by the wicked; and they often sink low in vice, never to rise again. As meat. That is, at supper. The word meat, at the time the Bible was translated, meant provisions of all kinds. It is now restricted to flesh, and does not convey a full idea of the original. 10. And he sent and beheaded him. For the sake of these wicked men, the bloody offering, the head of the slaughtered prophet, was brought and given as the reward to the daughter and mother. What an offering to a woman! Josephus says of her that "she was a woman full of ambition and envy, having a mighty influence on Herod, and able to persuade him to things he was not at all inclined to." This is one of the many proofs that we have that the evangelists drew characters according to truth. 12. And his disciples, &c. The head was with Herodias. The body, with pious care, they buried. ¶ And went and told Jesus. This was done, probably for the following reasons: 1. It was an important event, and one particularly connected with the work of Jesus. John was the forerunner, and it was important that he should be made acquainted with his |