by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

α

out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon, answering, said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word 1 will let down the net.

7 And they beckoned unto their

2. Two ships. The ships used on so small a lake were probably no more than fishing boats, probably without decks, and easily drawn up on the beach. Josephus says there were two hundred and thirty of them on the lake, attended by four or five me each. This is also clear, from the account commonly given of them. A single large draught of fishes endangered them, and came near sinking them. T Standing by the lake, Anchored by the lake, or drawn up upon the beach.

3. Which was Simon's. Simon Peter's. ¶ Prayed him. Asked him. THe sat down. This was the common posture of Jewish teachers. They seldom or never spoke to the people standing. Compare Mat. v. 1. It may be somewhat difficult to conceive why Jesus should go into a boat, and put off from the shore, in order to speak to the multitude. But it is probable that this was a small bay or cove, and that when he was in the boat, the people on the shore stood round him in the form of an amphitheatre. It is not improbable that the lake was still; that scarcely a breeze passed over it; that all was silence on the shore, and nothing to disturb his voice. In such a situation he could be heard by multitudes; and no spectacle could be more beautiful than the Son of God-the Redeemer of the world-thus speaking from the bosom of a placid lake-the emblem of the peace of his own doctrines-to the poor, the ignorant, and the attentive multitudes assembled on the shore. O how much more effect may we suppose the gospel would have in such circumstances, than when proclaimed among the proud, the gay, the honored, even when assembled in the most splendid edifice that wealth and art could furnish!

c Ec.11.6. Ga.6.9.

4. Launch out. Go out with your vessels. ¶ Into the deep. Into the sea: at a distance from the shore. It is not improbable that this appeared strange to Peter, and served to render the miracle more striking. Nets were commonly drawn near the shore, in somewhat shoal water. An order to go, therefore, into the deep, was contrary to the usual rules of fishing. T For a draught. A draught of fish; or let down your nets for the taking of fish.

5. Master. This is the first time that the word translated here Master, is used in the New Testament; and it is used only by Luke. The other evangelists call him Rabbi, or Lord. The word here means a prefect, or one placed over others; and hence it comes to mean teacher, or guide. ¶ At thy word. At thy command. Though it seemed so improbable that they should take any thing after having in vain toiled all night, and still more improbable by launching into the deep, yet he was willing to trust the word of Jesus, and make the trial. This was a remarkable instance of faith. Peter, as it appears, knew little then of Jesus. He was not then a chosen apostle.

Jesus came to them almost a stranger, unknown; and yet at his command, Peter resolved to make another trial, and go once more out into the deep. O if all would as readily obey Jesus, all would be in like manner blessed. If sinners would thus obey him, they would find all his promises sure. He never disappoints He asks only that we have confidence in him, and he will give to us every needed blessing.

6. Their net brake. Or their net began to break; or was about to break. This is all that is implied in the Greek word. If their nets had actually broken, as our English word seems to suppose, the fish would have escaped. But no

f

15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together, to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

e

18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus.

20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he, answering, said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say Rise up and walk?

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thine house.

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

h

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

17-26. See this passage explained in Mat. ix. 1-7.

17. On a certain day. The time and place are not particularly mentioned, but from Mat. ix. 1, it seems it was at Ca

pernaum.

19. The tiling. See Mat. ix. 1-7. 27-32. See Mat. ix. 9-13. 29. Made him a great feast. This circumstance Matthew, or Levi, as he is here called, has omitted. It shows how little inclined the evangelists are to say any thing in favor of themselves, or to praise themselves. True religion does not seek to commend itself, or to speak

of what it does, even when it is done for the Son of God. It seeks retirement; delights rather in the consciousness of doing well, than in its being known; and leaves its good deeds to be spoken of, if spoken of at all, by others. This is agreeable to the direction of Solomon (Prov. xxvii. 2): "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.” This feast was made expressly for our Lord, and attended by many publicans, probably men of wicked character; and it is not improbable that Matthew got them together for the purpose of bringing them into contact with our Lord, to de

31 And Jesus, answering, said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they

that are sick.

a

37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine

33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but c thine eat and drink?

34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride

chamber fast, while the bridegroom

is with them?

them good. Our Saviour did not refuse to go, and to go, too, at the risk of being accused as a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. Mat. xi. 19. But his motives were pure. In the thing itself, there was no harm. It afforded an opportunity of doing good, and we have no reason to doubt that it was improved by the Lord Jesus. Happy would it be if all the great feasts that are made, were made in honor of our Lord. Happy, if he would be a welcome guest there; and happy if ministers and pious people who attend them demeaned themselves as the Lord Jesus did, and they were made the means of advancing his kingdom. But, alas! there are few places where our Lord would be so unwelcome as at great feasts; and few places that serve so much to render the mind more gross, dissipated, and irreligious.

33-39. See this passage illustrated in Mat. ix. 14-17.

39. Having drunk old wine, &c. Wine increases its strength and flavor, and its mildness and mellowness, by age, and is therefore preferable. They who had tasted such mild and mellow wine

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new for he saith, The old is better. CHAPTER VI.

And sabbath after the first, that ND it came to pass on the second

he went through the corn-fields and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

2 And certain of the Pharisees

e Mat.9.16,17. Mar.2.21,22. fLe.19.19. De 22.11. 2Cor.6.16. g Je.6.16. h Mat.12.1.&c Mar.2.23,&c.

would not readily drink the comparatively sour and astringent juice of the grape as it came from the press. The meaning of this proverb in this place seems to be this. You, Pharisees, wish to draw my disciples to the austere and rigid duties of the ceremonial law: to fasting, and painful rites. But they have come under a milder system. They have tasted the gentle and tender blessings of the gospel. They have no relish for your stern and harsh requirements. To insist now on their observing them, would be like telling a man who had tasted of good, ripe, and mild wine, to partake of that which is sour and unpalatable. time all this will be regarded. But at present to teach them to fast, when they see no occasion for it: when they are full of joy at the presence of their Master: would be like putting a piece of new cloth on an old garment; or new wine into old bottles; or drinking unpleasant wine, after one had tasted that which was pleasanter. It would all be ill-timed, inappropriate, and incongruous. CHAPTER VI.

At the proper

1-11. See this passage explained in notes ou Mat xii. 1-13.

1. Second sabbath after the first. See Mat. xii. 1. This phrase has given great perplexity to commentators. A literal translation would be, "on the sabbath called second prime," or second first sabbath. The word occurs nowhere else in any writing. It is, therefore, exceedingly difficult of interpretation. The most natural and easy interpretation is that proposed by Scaliger. The second day of the passover was a great festival, on which the wave sheaf was offered. Lev. xxiii. 11. From that day they reckoned seven weeks, or seven sabbaths to the day of pentecost. The first sabbath after that second day was called the second prime, or the first from the second day of the feast. The second sabbath was called the second second, or he second sabbath from the second day of the feast; the third, the third second,

&c.

This day, therefore, on which the Saviour went through the fields, was the first sabbath that occurred after the second day of the feast. ¶ Rubbing them in their hands. The word corn here means wheat or barley, and not maize, as with us. They rubbed it in their hands, to separate the grain from the chaff.

8. But he knew their thoughts.

He

knew their thoughts-their dark malicious designs-by the question which they proposed to him, whether it was lawful to heal on the sabbath days. (Matthew.) In reply to their question, Jesus asked them whether they would not release a sheep on the sabbath-day, if it was fallen into a pit? and also asked them, whether it was better to do good than to do evil on that day? implying that to omit to do good was, in fact, doing evil.

11. Were filled with madness. Probably: 1st. Because he had shown his power to work a miracle. 2d. Because he had shown his power to do it contrary to what they thought was right. 3d. Because by doing it he had shown that he was from God, and that they were, therefore, wrong in their views of the sabbath. And, 4th. Because he had shown no respect to their views of what the law of God demanded. Pride, obstinacy, malice, and disappointed selfconfidence were all combined, therefore, in producing madness. Nor are they alone. Men are often enraged because others do good in a way which they do not approve of. God gives success to others, and because God has not bowed himself to their views of what is right