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The third is part of Moses' farewell charge to the Israelites; the words in Deuteronomy are, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; Him shalt thou serve."

Satan's quotation is from Ps. xci. 11, 12., celebrating God's care of the godly but the tempter omits the most important part of the passage-"He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," &c. God will keep us only when we are in the "way" of duty, which Christ would not have been in casting Himself from the Temple.

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Forty days and forty nights,"-the time that Moses was on the Mount, when the Law was given.

"A pinnacle of the Temple,"-most likely Solomon's Porch, which was 150 feet high, on a wall of 400 cubits built up from the bottom of the valley beneath.

"An exceeding high mountain,"-most probably Mons Quarantania, N. of Jericho. Some say Nebo.

"All the kingdoms of the world,”—i.e., all that could be seen from the top of the mountain,

Christ chooses Capernaum as His abode. A.D. 27.

(c. iv. 12-17.)

"Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

"John was cast into prison,"-after about 6 months' ministry, because he upbraided Herod for taking his

brother Philip's wife. He lay in Machærus, a castle and palace of Herod, in Peræa.

"That it might be fulfilled," &c.—The original passage is Is. ix. 1, 2.

"Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

It describes the joy that "shall be in the midst of afflictions, by the Kingdom and birth of Christ."

"Galilee of the Gentiles."-Galilee comprised the district formerly occupied by Asher, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, and part of Manasseh. It was divided into

1. Lower Galilee, including the Plain of Jezreel, and from the Plain of Akka to the Sea of Galilee.

2. Upper Galilee, including the mountain-range between the Upper Jordan and Phoenicia.

This was called also Galilee of the Gentiles, because twenty of its towns were given by Solomon to Hiram of Tyre, and were then, and afterwards, settled by foreigners, who grew in number under the Captivity and the Maccabees, and consisted mostly of Syrians, Phoenicians, Arabs, and Greeks. Association with these foreigners no doubt gave the Galilæans that peculiarity of pronunciation which marked them, and which we find betraying Peter.

Simon, Andrew, James, and John called.
(AT THE SEA OF GALILEE.)

(c. iv. 18-22.)

"And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren,

James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship, and their father, and followed him."

"And followed him."-They afterwards returned to their regular occupation, and did not finally "leave all and follow Him" until after the miraculous draught of fishes, (as narrated by Luke.)

Christ heals Peter's wife's mother: heals, and dispossesses, others.

(AT CAPERNAUM.)
(c. viii. 14-17.)

"And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her and she arose, and ministered unto them.

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When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 'Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.""

"That it might be fulfilled," &c.-Is. liii. 4, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.'

Christ starts on His first circuit of Galilee.
(FROM CAPERNAUM.)

(c. iv. 23-25.)

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed

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them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan."

Synagogues, where the Jews met for ordinary worship. The service consisted of

1. Reading a portion of the Pentateuch, and of the Prophets, which was done standing.

2. Expounding the portion read. Any devout person was invited to do this, and the expounder sat during his discourse.

3. A short concluding prayer.

Each synagogue was managed by a Council of Elders, who chose a President, called the Ruler of the Synagogue.

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Syria,"-used here in its restricted sense as the name of the country N. E. of Palestine. In its extended sense it meant the country between the Euphrates on the E., and the Mediterranean on the W.

"Possessed with devils."-That those represented as demoniacs in the Gospels were really possessed by devils, and not merely afflicted with diseases, appears from the facts that

1. The Evangelists distinguish between healing diseases and casting out devils.

2. The demons themselves are represented as capable of, and as exercising, powers of speech and motion, apart from the demoniacs.

In many cases, however, the demons tormented those whom they possessed, by causing diseases, which were healed as soon as they were exorcised.

Doubtless Satan was peculiarly active during Christ's life, and was allowed to exercise his power in this extraordinary manner, that Christ might have a striking opportunity of shewing his Godhead by casting out the evil spirits.

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Decapolis,"—a district containing ten cities, which were, probably, Scythopolis, Capitolias, Canatha, Abila, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Duim, Gerasa, (Gergesa), and Philadelphia. Of these Scythopolis was in Galilee, and the rest were E. of the Jordan.

The Sermon on the Mount, at the close of the Circuit.

(ON A MOUNTAIN N. OF CAPERNAUM.)

(c. v.)

"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

men.

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Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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