_THE PHARISEES REQUIRE A SIGN. JESUS WARNETH HIS DISCIPLES OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES. THE PEOPLE'S OPINION OF CHRIST, AND PETER'S CONFESSION OF HIM. JESUS FORESHEWETH HIS DEATH, REPROVETH PETER FOR DISSUADING HIM FROM IT: AND ADMONISHETH THOSE THAT WILL FOLLOW HIM, TO BEAR THE CRO... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PHARISEES ALSO— Dr. Campbell reads the last verse of the last chapter and the prefect verse, _Then having dismissed the multitude, he embarked, and sailed to the coast of Magdala. Thither some Pharisees and Sadducees repaired, who, to try him, desired that he would shew them a sign in the sky._... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE—SAID UNTO THEM,_ &C.— Our Saviour's reply may be thus paraphrased: "It is most apparent that you ask this out of a desire to cavil, rather than to learn the divine will: for, in other cases you take up with degrees of evidence, far short of those which you here reject. As for instance, _you_ rea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES WERE COME, &C.— This would be rendered more properly, _Now the disciples, going to the other side, had forgotten to take bread;_ for it is more agreeable to the nature of the thing to suppose, that this conversation happened as they sailed, than when they were come to the othe... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE COASTS, &C.— _When Jesus came into the territories of,_ or _was going towards, Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say I am? the son of man?_ Heylin. Cesarea Philippi, while it was possessed by the Canaanites, was called _Leshem_, Judges 19:47 and _... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID, SOME, &C.— Perhaps those who held Christ to be Elias, did not think him the Messiah, but only his forerunner; this being the received opinion of the whole nation, that Elias was to come before the Messiah, and anoint him when he came. Those who thought that he was _John the Baptist_ r... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ART THOU, SIMON BAR-JONA, &C.— _Bar-jona_ is _the Son of Jona._ Some authors suppose, that _John_ and _Jona_ are one and the same. _Flesh and blood_ is a Hebraism, signifying his own reason, or any natural power whatever. This knowledge had not been communicated to him, either by the sentenc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL GIVE UNTO THEE THE KEYS— As stewards of great families, especially of the royal household, bore a _key,_ (probably _a golden one,_ as Lords of the bed-chamber do with us, in token of their office,) the phrase of _giving_ a person _the key_ naturally grew into an expression of _raising him... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CHARGED HE HIS DISCIPLES, &C.— Jesus forbade his disciples to tell any man that he was the Messiah, because he was to suffer the punishment of death;—a circumstance, which could not fail to give his followers great offence, as they did not yet understand the nature of his kingdom; for which rea... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THAT TIME FORTH BEGAN JESUS, &C.— Though all the circumstances mentioned in this verse were marks of the Messiah, yet, says a commentator, how little they were understood by the Apostles, or suited to their expectation of the Messiah, appears from the manner in which they were received by Peter... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PETER, &C.— _Then Peter—began to expostulate with him,_ &c. Dr. Doddridge renders the original word προσλαβομενος, by _taking him by the hand:_ Dr. Fuller supposes that phrase Ιλεως σοι, should be rendered, _may God have compassion upon thee:_ Heinsius, Grotius, and Le Clerc give the same inter... [ Continue Reading ]
GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN!— See Luke 4:8. The word _Satan,_ which is originally Hebrew, and has thence been taken into several languages, is often used in the Old Testament, as we have had occasion to observe, to signify _an adversary;_ and the expression has appeared so harsh to some, as coming fro... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME— Because Peter's improper behaviour, just before mentioned, proceeded from his love to the world and its pleasures, Jesus declares publicly, that all who would be his disciples, and share with him in the glory of his kingdom, must deny themselves; that is to say, be in... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED, &C.— To carry home the argument more closely, he puts them in mind of the method according to which men estimate things. If God should offer the riches of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the policy of Ahithophel, the beauty of Absalom, the eloquence of Apollos, universal... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME, &C.— That the argument in the preceding verse, by which the necessity of self-denial is so clearly established, might have the greater weight, our Lord spake more particularly concerning the rewards and punishments of a future state; assuring his disciples, that they a... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU— Because the doctrine of Christ's being constituted universal judge might appear to the disciples incredible at that time, on account of his humiliation, he told them, that some of them should not taste of death till they saw him coming in his kingdom; and by that should have n... [ Continue Reading ]