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S. Matt. viii. 14, 15.

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw 14 his wife's mother lying sick of a fever. And he touched her 15 hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto him.

LIII.

THE UNIVERSALITY OF CHRIST'S POWER.

S. Mark i. 32-34.

AND at even, when the sun did set, they brought 32 unto him all that were sick, and them that were 'possessed with devils.

And all the city was gathered together at the door. 33 And he healed many that were sick with divers dis- 34 eases, and cast out many devils; and he suffered not the 'devils to speak, because they knew him3.

2

S. Luke iv. 40, 41.

And when the sun was setting, all they that had any 40 sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

And 'devils also came out from many, crying out, and 41 saying,

Thou art the Son of God.

And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

1 Or, demoniacs

2 Gr. demons.

3 Many ancient authorities add to be Christ. See Luke iv. 41.

16

S. Matt. viii. 16, 17.

And when even was come, they brought unto him many 'possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with a 17 word, and healed all that were sick that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.

LIV.

SECOND SPRING CIRCUIT IN JUDEA.

Time. Probably about the time when the people were going up to the Passover, i. e. partly at the end of the first and partly at the beginning of the Second Year of our Lord's Ministry.

Note. The R. V. reads Galilee in v. 44, adding in the margin "Very many ancient authorities read Judea." The latter is the reading adopted in Messrs Westcott and Hort's Greek Testament.

Dr Scrivener (Introduction to the Criticism of The New Testament, P. 545), says that the authorities for the reading Judæa are "enough to prove anything not in itself impossible as 'Iovdaías is in this place."

In this uncompromising assertion of impossibility we seem to catch an unmistakeable echo of the reason which first led to the adoption of Galilee as the revised reading. Without the least reference to the peculiarities of S. Luke's method of writing, and entirely ignoring the fact that the substitution of Galilee for Judæa only creates several real instead of one purely imaginary difficulty, Mr Scrivener proceeds:

"Not only is Galilee the scene of the events recorded immediately before and after the present verse, but the passage is manifestly parallel to Mark i. 39. The three Synoptic Gospels are broadly distinguished from that of S. John by their silence respecting the Lord's Ministry in Judæa before He went up to the last Passover. Yet Alford in loco, while admitting that 'our narrative is thus brought into the more startling discrepancy with that of S. Mark, in which unquestionably the same portion of the sacred history is related,' most strangely adds 'Still these are considerations which must not weigh in the least degree 2 Or, through

1 Or, demoniacs

with the critic. It is his province simply to track out what is the sacred text, not what in his own feeble and partial judgment, it ought to have been.""

In this reference to Dean Alford's comments it is much to be wished that it were possible to read "most wisely" instead of "most strangely." A wish practically endorsed by Messrs Westcott and Hort by their adoption of the so-called "impossible" reading.

The connexion between the words "for therefore was I sent" and the statement that Christ "preached in the synagogues of Judaa" is illustrated by many passages which will at once occur to the reader.

S. Luke iv. 42-44.

AND when it was day, he came out and went into a 42 desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have stayed him, that he should not go from them.

But he said unto them,

I must preach the 'good tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also: for therefore was I sent.

And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judæa.

S. Mark i. 35-38.

43

44

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose 35 up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and

there prayed.

And Simon and they that were with him followed after 36 him; and they found him, and say unto him,

37

All are seeking thee.

And he saith unto them,

38

Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth.

1 Or, gospel

CHAPTER VI.

PART OF THE SECOND YEAR OF THE

MINISTRY.

S LV.S LIX.

From the Call of the First Four Disciples

ΤΟ

The Return to Capernaum after a prolonged Circuit in Galilee.

Time. From the Feast of Pentecost (May) in the Second Year of the Ministry to the end of the following

autumn.

LV.

I

CALL OF THE FIRST FOUR DISCIPLES.

Time. Probably the Feast of Pentecost in the Second Year of
Christ's Ministry.

S. Luke v. I—II.

Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by 2 the lake of Gennesaret; and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.

And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.

4

And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a

draught.

And Simon answered and said,

Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets.

5

And when they had this done, they inclosed a great 6 multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; and they 7 beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them.

And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' 8 knees, saying,

Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the 9 draught of the fishes which they had taken; and so were 10 also James and John, sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said unto Simon,

Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt 'catch men.

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.

S. Matt. iv. 18-22.

And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, 18 Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers.

And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will 19

1 Gr. take alive.

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