thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts."

Matt., Mark, and Luke narrate this incident, with considerable differences.

Matt's account is very condensed as compared with the others.

Mark and Luke call the place of the miracle "the country of the Gadarenes." They wrote for those at a distance, and so called the country thus, because Gadara was its chief city: Matthew, writing for the Jews who knew the topography of the country mentions Gergesa, the very scene of the miracle.

Mark and Luke say there was one demoniac.

There were doubtless two; but one of them was probably more violent and prominent than the other, and is hence alone mentioned by two of the Evangelists.

Mark and Luke also add that the demoniac had been fearfully violent in the past; that Jesus asked his name, and was answered, "Legion;" that the city on coming out found the late demoniac sitting "clothed and in his right mind" at Christ's feet, that he desired to follow Jesus, was not allowed, but told to return and proclaim his cure to his friends, and that he accordingly spread Christ's fame throughout the district.

"The tombs."-The E. of the Lake was rocky and cavernous, its caves being used as catacombs, and dwellings for the destitute, lepers, robbers, and all who wished to shun their fellows.

"What have we," &c.,-i.e., "What authority hast thou over us"?

"The whole herd," &c.-The Jews were forbidden by their laws to keep swine, so that Christ was not wantonly destroying property, but inflicting merited punishment in what followed, if the herd belonged to Jews. If it belonged to Gentiles, this act of our Lord's is still perfectly justifiable. He is "Lord of all," and can "kill and make alive" as He pleases. In all trials and losses we may be sure that the Judge of all the earth does right.

The destruction of the Barren Fig Tree was the only other miracle of Christ's, causing loss of property.

Christ returns to Capernaum: the Pharisees murmur at His sitting at meat with Publicans and Sinners: the Disciples of John ask His Disciples why they do not fast: Christ replies. (AT CAPERNAUM.)

(c. ix. 10-17.)

“And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the

Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."

These incidents are almost identical in features with an account given by Mark and Luke of a feast in Levi's house, after his call; but there is no doubt the two occurrences, though so similar, happened at different periods.

"Passed over,

"-from the E. of the Lake. "Sinners,"-heathens, and such Jews as associated with

them.

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They that be whole

not sacrifice."-Christ here

answers the self-righteous Pharisees according to their folly. He virtually says, "You are sure of salvation yourselves, and do not need any ministrations; therefore, you need not grudge my attending to these poor sinful creatures."

"Go ye and learn,"-a frequent form of admonition, by the rabbins, to their pupils.

"The children of the bridechamber," the male friends of the bridegroom, who formed the marriage procession, and remained with him during the 7 days' festival. Their relation to him was most intimate, owing to the offices they performed. In this passage the expression indicates the Apostles.

"The bridegroom,"-Christ.

"Then shall they fast," (i.e., mourn and suffer).—It is remarkable that during Christ's life His Apostles never suffered any persecution; but after His death it immediately burst upon them, and followed them always more or less.

"New cloth,"-unfulled cloth.

66 Bottles," "-flasks of goat-skin or sheep-skin.

"No man putteth," &c.-" Neither do men," &c.-Christ intends by these illustrations to shew that there is a certain fitness in all things, and that it would be as inappropriate and out of place for the disciples to mourn, while they enjoyed His presence, as it would be to patch a garment with unfulled material, or to put new wine to ferment in old, dry, unelastic skins. He may, also, be understood to mean that "the institutes of Christ, and those of the Pharisees, could never be brought to accord; an attempt to combine the two systems would be as absurd as it would be destructive."

Christ heals Jairus's Daughter, and a Woman with an Issue of Blood.

(AT CAPERNAUM.)

(c. ix. 18-26.)

"While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My

daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them, Give place for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land."

The raising of Jairus's Daughter is narrated by Matt., Mark, and Luke, the latter two agreeing almost exactly, with the exception of Mark alone recording the very words that Christ used to the maiden, and Luke alone stating her age, and that she was an only daughter. Matt. omits the following particulars which the other two narrate :—

1. The ruler's name,-Jairus.

2. A messenger's coming to meet Christ and Jairus, with news that the damsel was dead.

3. Christ's taking only Peter, James, and John, and the parents, into the girl's room.

4. His addressing her.

5. His subsequent directions to her parents.

The Healing of the Issue of Blood is recorded by Matthew Mark, and Luke.

Mark and Luke agree.

Matthew omits the following particulars, which they give :

1. That Christ felt that virtue had gone out of Him. 2. That He turned round, and asked who had touched Him,-with the disciples' reply.

3. That the woman came trembling, and owned her deed. This double narrative displays, most strikingly, one of

Matthew's peculiarities,―viz., his frequent omission of details.

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Rulers," of the synagogue, as Mark and Luke add.

"Is even now dead,"-i.e., "is, as it were, dead." —From the statement of Mark and Luke that a message came to the Centurion, (while Christ was speaking to the Woman with the Issue of Blood), "Thy daughter is dead," it is clear that she was almost lifeless when he left the house, and died while he was away bringing Jesus.

"Came behind him."-A flux of blood rendered a person unclean, according to the Law. Consequently, this woman dared not make personal application to Christ, or touch any part of His person.

"The hem,"-probably this means one of the two lower tassels of the garment, which had four corners from each of which a tassel depended. To touch either of the lower ones was a mark of deep respect.

"The minstrels," (or "pipers,") "and the people making a noise," (or "mourners").-When a person died, the relatives and neighbours used to flock into the death-chamber with professional hired mourners and pipers, who led the lamentations, and recited the good deeds of the departed. "Is not dead,"-i.e., is not finally dead.

"They laughed him to scorn,"-i.e., ridiculed Him. "Took her by the hand," and, as Mark tells us, said "Talitha! cumi"! i.e., "Damsel! arise!"

Christ heals two Blind Men.

(AT CAPERNAUM.)

(c. ix. 27-31.)

:

"And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country."