8 But when the multitudes saw | Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his discples. it, they marvelled, and glorified 1 God, which had given such power unto men. ing the hearts and knowing the thoughts of men, belongs only to God. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Jer. xvii. 10. Rom. viii. 27. Rev. ii, 23. In claiming this, as Jesus did here, and often elsewhere, he gave clear proofs of his omniscience. John ii. 24, 25. 8. They glorified God. See Note, Matt. v. 16. To glorify God, here, means to praise him, or to acknowledge his power. The expression, which had given such power to men, was a part of their praise. It expresses no sentiment of the evangelist about the nature of Christ, but is a record of their feelings and their praise. 9. Sitting at the receipt of custom. That is, at the place where custom, or tribute, was received; or, in other words, he was a publican, or tax-gatherer. See Note, Matt. v. 47. This man was Matthew, the writer of this gospel. The same account is found in Mark ii. 14, and Luke v. 27, 28. Both those evangelists call him Levi. That it was the same man is known by the circumstances in which he was called being the same in all the evangelists, and by all concurring in the statement that our Saviour was present at a feast soon after he called him, and by the fact that Levi is not mentioned in the catalogue of the apostles. The Jews were in the habit of giving several names to the same person. Thus Peter was also called Simon and Cephas. It is worthy of remark that Luke has mentioned a circumstance favourable to Matthew, which Matthew himself has omitted. Luke says, "he left all." Had Matthew said this, it would have been a commendation of himself, utterly unlike 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 3 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 3 Ch. xi. 19. Luke xv. 2. Heb. v. 2. the evangelists. No men were ever farther from praising themselves, than they | were. 10. And it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house. This feast was given to him by Levi, or Matthew. Luke v. 29. This is another circumstance favourable to Matthew, but omitted by him, and recorded by Luke; showing, also, that the apostles were averse to praising themselves. To receive Christ hospitably and kindly was a commendable act, and it strongly evinces Matthew's freedom from ostentation that he has suppressed the fact. It thus illustrates the command of the Saviour, as recorded by himself. Matt. vi. 1-4. ¶At meat. At the table, at supper. 11. Why eateth and drinketh, &c. To eat and drink with others denotes intimacy and familiarity. The Pharisees, by asking this question, accused him of seeking the society of such men, and of being the companion of the wicked. The inference which they would draw was, that he could not be himself righteous, since he delighted in the company of abandoned men. Jesus, in 12. They that be whole, &c. reply, said that the whole needed not a physician. Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those that were in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, if you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves, already pure and holy, you do not need my aid. It would be of no use to you, and you would not thank me for it. With those persons who feel that they are sinners I may be useful. And there is my proper place. 13 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. 14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we Ch. xii. 7. Prov. xxi. 3. Hos. vi. 6. Mic. vi. 8. Luke xxiv. 47. Acts v. 31. 2 Pet. iii. 9. Or, the expression may mean: I came on purpose to save sinners. My business is with them. There are none righteous; and as a physician is in his proper place with the sick, so am I with guilty and miserable sinners. 13. But go ye and learn, &c. To reprove them, and to vindicate his own conduct, he appealed to a passage of scripture with which they ought to have been acquainted: "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." Hos. vi. 6. This is not a declaration on the part of God that he was opposed to sacrifices or offerings for sin, for he had appointed and commanded many, and had, therefore, expressed his approbation of them. It is a Hebrew mode of speaking, and means,I prefer mercy to sacrifice; or, I am more pleased with acts of benevolence and kindness than with a mere external compliance with the duties of religion. Mercy, here, means benevolence or kindness towards others. Sacrifices were offerings, made to God on account of sin, or as an expression of thanksgiving. They were commonly bloody offerings, or animals alain, signifying that the sinner offering them deserved to die himself, and pointing to the great sacrifice or offering, which Christ was to make for the sins of the world. Sacrifices were the principal part of the worship of the Jews, and hence they came to signify external worship in general. This is the meaning of the word here. The sense in which our Saviour applies it is this: You Pharisees are exceedingly tenacious of the external duties of religion. But God has declared that he prefers benevolence or mercy to those external duties. It is proper, therefore, that I should associate with sinners for the purpose of doing them good. esme not to call the righteous, &c. No human beings are by nature righteous. Psa. xiv. 3. Rom. i. 18-32; iii. 10-18. and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom 3 is with them? but the days will come, when the bride 3 Ch. xxv. 1-10. John. iii. 29. Rev. xxi. 2. The Pharisees, however, pretended to be righteous. Christ might have meant by this answer, that it was not the design of his coming to call such persons to repentance, knowing that they would spurn his efforts, and that, to a great extent, they would be vain: or, more probably, he meant to affirm that his proper and only business was to call to repentance such men as he was now with. He came to seek and save such, and it was his proper business, therefore, to associate with them. ¶ Repentance. Note, Matt. iii. 2. 14-17. Then came the disciples of John, &c. See also Mark ii. 18-22; Luke v. 33-39. That is, of John the Baptist. It is probable that they had understood that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; and if such was the case they could not account for the fact that there was such a difference between them and the disciples of Jesus. The Pharisees fasted often, regularly twice a week, besides the great national days of fasting, Luke xviii. 12. See Note, Matt. vi. 16-18. This was the established custom of the land, and John did not feel himself authorized to make so great a change as to dispense with it. They were desirous of knowing, therefore, why Jesus had done it. Besides, it is probable that this question was put to him when John was in prison, and his disciples, involved in deep grief on account of it, observed days of fasting. Fasting was the natural expression of sorrow, and they wondered that the followers of Jesus did not join with them in lamenting the captivity of him who was the forerunner and baptizer of their Lord. Christ, in reply to them, used three ilIlustrations, all of them going to establish the same thing, that we should observe a fitness and propriety in things. first is taken from a marriage. The The groom shall be taken from them, and then shall1 they fast 16 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. 1Isa. xxii. 12. Or, raw, or, unwrought cloth. children of the bride-chamber, that is, the bridemen, or men who had the special care of the bridal chamber, and who were therefore his special friends, do not think of fasting while he is with them. With them it is a time of festivity and rejoicing, and mourning would not be appropriate. When he is removed, or taken away, then their festivity will be ended, and then will be the proper time of sorrow. So, says he, John, your friend and teacher, is in captivity. With you it is a time of deep grief, and it is fit that you should fast. I am with my disciples. It is with them a time of joy. It is not fit that they should use the tokens of grief, and fast now. When I am taken away, it will then be proper that they should fast. For an account of the ceremonies of an eastern marriage, see Note, Matt. XXV. 1-13. 16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth, &c. A second illustration was drawn from a well-known fact, showing also that there was a propriety or fitness of things. None of you, says he, in mending an old garment, would take a piece of entire new cloth. There would be a waste in it. An old piece, or a piece like the garment, would be better. The word here translated new, in the original means rude, undressed, or not fulled or cleansed by the cloth-dresser. In this state, if applied to an old garment, and if wet, it would contract and draw off a part of the garment to which it was attached, and thus make the rent worse than it was So, says he, my new doctrines do not match with the old rites of the Pharisees. There is a fitness of things. Their doctrines required much fasting. In my system it would be incongruous; and if my new doctrines were to be attached to their old ones, it would only make the matter worse. 17. Neither do men put new wine, &c. The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles. Bottles, in eastern nations, were made anciently, and are still made, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin from a sheep or a goat was taken entire, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. They are still used, because, in crossing deserts of sand, there are no conveyances but camels, or other beasts of burden. It would be difficult for them to carry glass-bottles or kegs on them. They, therefore, fill two skins, and fasten them together, and lay them across the back of a camel, and thus carry wine or water to a great distance. They were of course of different sizes, as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen might be used. Bruce describes particularly a bottle which he saw in Arabia, made in this manner, of an ox-skin, which would hold sixty gallons, and two of which were a load for a camel. By long usage, such bottles of course become tender, and are easily ruptured. New wine, put into them, would ferment, and swell and burst them open. New skins or bottles would yield to the fermenting wine, and be strong enough to hold it from bursting. So, says Christ, there is a fitness or propriety of things. It is not fit that my doctrine should be attached to, or connected with, the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New things should be put together, and made to match This account of eastern bottles may illustrate the following passages in the Bible. The Gibeonites took "wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up." Josh. ix. 4. My belly is ready to burst, like new bottles." Job xxxii. 19. "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," Psa. cxix. 83; i. e. like a bottle of skin hung up in a tent filled with smoke. 18-26. The account contained in these verses is also recorded, with some additional circumstances, in Mark v. 2243, and Luke viii. 41–56. 18. There came a certain ruler. garment: things unto them, behold, there him, and touched the hem of his 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.1 Mark and Luke say that his name was Jairus, and that he was a ruler of the synagogue; that is, one of the elders to whom was committed the care of the synagogue. See Note, Matt. iv. 23. And worshipped him. That is, fell down before him, or expressed his respect for him by a token of profound regard. See Note, Matt. ii. 2. My daughter is even now dead. Luke says that this was his only daughter, and that she was twelve years of age. Mark and Luke say that she was at the point of death, and that information of her actual death was brought to him by one who was sent by the ruler of the synagogue, while Jesus was going. Matthew combined the two facts, and stated the representation which was made to Jesus, without stopping particularly to exhibit the manner in which i was done. In a summary way he says that the ruler communicated the inforration. Luke and Mark, dwelling more particularly on the circumstances, state at ength the way in which it was done; that 8, by himself stating, in a hurry, that she was about to die, or dying, and then in a few moments sending word that she was dead. The Greek word, rendered is even note dead, does not of necessity mean, as cur translation would express, that she had actually expired, but only that she was dying or about to die. Compare Gen. xlviii. 21. It is likely that a father, in these circumstances, would use a word as nearly expressing actual death as would be consistent with the fact that she was alive. The passage may be expressed thus: My daughter was so sick that she must be, by this time, dead. Come and lay thy hand upon her. It was customary 3 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 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.5 3 Acts xix. 12. 4 Luke vii. 50; xvii. 19; xviii. 42. Acts xiv. 9. 5 John iv. 53. for the jewish prophets, in conferring favours, to lay their hand on the person benefited. Jesus had probably done so also, and the ruler had probably witnessed the fact. 20. And behold a woman, &c. This disease was by the Jews reckoned unclean, Lev. xv. 25, and she was unwilling to make personal application to Jesus, or even to touch his person. The disease was regarded as incurable. She had expended all her property, and grew worse. Mark v. 26. Touched the hem of his garment. This garment was probably the square garment which was thrown over the shoulders. Note, Matt. v. 40. This was surrounded by a border, or fringe; and this fringe, or the loose threads hanging down, is what is meant by the hem. The Jews were commanded to wear this in order to distinguish them from other nations. See Num. xv. 38, 39; Deut. xxii. 12. Mark says that the woman, fearing and trembling, came and told him all the truth. Perhaps she feared that, from the impure nature of her disease, he would be offended that she touched him. ¶ Be of good comfort. Jesus silenced her fears, commended her faith, and sent her away in peace. He used an endearing appellation, calling her daughter, a word of tenderness and affection, and dismissed her who had been twelve long and tedious years labouring under a weakening and offensive disease, now in an instant made whole. Her faith, her strong confidence in Jesus, had been the means of her restoration. It was the power of Jesus that cured her; but that power would not have been exerted but in connexion with faith. So in the salvation of a 23 ¶ And1 when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the 2 minstrels and the people making a noise, Mark v. 38. Luke viii. 51. 22 Chron. xxxv. 25. sinner. No one is saved who does not believe; but faith is the instrument, and not the power, that saves. learning; on the comforts of his family and home, and in doleful strains ask him why he left his family and friends. To all this they add soft and melancholy music. They employ minstrels to aid their grief, and increase the expression of their sorrow. This violent grief continues, commonly, eight days. In the case of a king, or other very distinguished personage, it is prolonged through an entire month. This grief does not cease at the house; it is exhibited in the procession to the grave; and the air is rent with the wailings of real and of hired mourners. The Jews were forbidden to tear their hair and cut their flesh. See Lev. xix. 28. Deut. xiv. 1. They showed their grief by howling, by music, by conceal rending the outer garment, by refusing to wash or anoint themselves, or to converse with people, by scattering ashes or dust in the air, or by lying down in them. 2 Sam. i. 2-4; xiv. 2; xv. 30. Job i. 20; ii. 12. Mark xiv. 63. The expressions of grief, therefore, mentioned on this occasion, though excessive and foolish, were yet strictly in accordance with eastern customs. 23. And when Jesus came in, &c. Jesus admitted only three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and the father and mother of the damsel, to go in with him where the corpse lay. Mark v. 37-40. It was important that there should be witnesses of the miracle, and he chose a sufficient number. Five witnesses were enough to establish the fact. The witnesses were impartial. The fact that she was dead was established beyond a doubt. Of this the mourners, the parents, the messengers, the people were satisfied. If she was presented to the people alive, the proof of the miracle was complete. The pre-ing the chin with their garment, by sence of more than the five witnesses would have made the scene tumultuous, and have been less satisfactory evidence of the fact of the restoration of the child. Five sober witnesses are always better than the confused voices of a rabble. These were the same disciples that were with him in the mount of transfiguration and garden of Gethsemane. Mark ix. 2, and xiv. 33. 2 Pet. i. 17, 18. He saw the ministrels and people making a noise. Minstrels are persons who play on instruments of music. The people of the east used to bewail the dead by cutting the flesh, tearing the hair, and crying bitterly. See Jer. ix. 17; xvi. 6, 7. Ezek. xxiv. 17. The expressions of grief at the death of a friend, in eastern countries, are extreme. As soon as a person dies, all the females in the family set up a loud and doleful cry. They continue it as long as they can without taking breath, and the shriek of wailing dies away in a low sob. Nor do the relatives satisfy themselves with these expressions of violent grief. They hire persons of both sexes, whose employment it is to mourn for the dead in the like frantic manner. See Jer. ix. 20. Am. v. 16. They sing the virtues of the deceased, recount his acts, dwell on his beauty, strength, or 24. The maid is not dead, but sleepeth. It cannot be supposed that our Lord means literally to say that the child was not dead. Every possible evidence of her death had been given, and he acted on that himself, and conveyed to the people the idea that he raised her from the dead. He meant to speak in opposition to their opinions. It is not unlikely that Jairus and the people favoured the opinions of the Sadducees, and that they understood by her being dead that she had ceased to be, and that she would never be raised up again. In opposition to this he used the expression she sleepeth; affirming mildly both that the body was dead, and implying that her spirit still lived, and that she would be raised up again. A similar mode of speaking is seen in John xi. 11: "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." The sacred writers, who hold the doctrine |