(which nevertheless would have been a most true application of the text:) but simply in proof that, as Man, He could not lawfully comply with the suggestion of His Adversary. It is therefore such a reply as any one of ourselves, His members, might make at any time; whence its peculiar graciousness and value on the lips of our glorified Head, who hereby teaches us by His example how to encounter temptation in our own person, and in what spirit to overcome the Tempter. The guilt, then, of tempting GOD is incurred as often as we forsake the ordinary path of duty, without obligation or necessity; and thus, without the Word or Providence of GOD inviting us, become involved in strange difficulties or imminent dangers. In this course," (to use the words of a great man,) no support is to be calculated on from that Power without which we can do nothing." 66 66 The Scripture quoted to Satan by our SAVIOUR CHRIST, is full of instruction, as thus applied by Him. Moses spoke the words in question with reference to the distrustful murmuring of the people, whereby they tempted GOD. But our SAVIOUR, by His present application of them, reminds us that impetuous and unwarrantable presumption on the Divine protection, no less than impatient distrust of His Power, and Love, is Unbelief; disguised under a more subtle, perhaps, but certainly not under a less dangerous, form. It may seem to be Reliance upon GOD; but, in reality, it is Idolatry of Self. To Faith, must be added Patience,the patient waiting for GOD,-if we would escape the snare which Satan spread no less for the Holy One, when he had " set Him on a pinnacle of the Temple," than for the Israelites when they tempted GoD at Massah.(k) And this is, perhaps, the reason of the remarkable prominence given to the grace of Patience, both by our LORD and His Apostles;(7) a circumstance, as it may be thought, which has not altogether attracted the attention which it deserves. 8 Again, the Devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; It is impossible to say what Mountain was the scene of this, the Third Temptation. But since there is no Mountain in the world which commands such a spectacle which is here indicated, (neither, indeed, can be,) we may rest well assured that it was by some subtle device of him who is elsewhere styled "the Prince of the Power of the Air,"(m) that "all the kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them," were made to display themselves in dazzling order before the human eyes of the second Adam. This becomes plainer from St. Luke's account of the same transaction,-iv. 5; where see the note. 9 and saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. The remark which was made on ver. 6, here again presents itself. Notwithstanding this boastful speech of the Enemy, it is evident that the surrender of the will is needful before he can proceed a single step with his infernal purpose. The Devil cannot give riches to whom he will: but to those only who are willing to receive them of him. Far higher consolation, however, is contained in this place of Scripture. Many holy men have been thrown into dismay and perplexity by the blasphemous thoughts with which they have been occasionally tormented. Let all such take comfort in the discovery that Satan here suggests foul blasphemy to their Incarnate LORD. He knew him not, for certain, to be GoD, indeed; but he already suspected no less: and that he had to do with one of wondrous spiritual attainment,a most holy person, he had at least discovered. Yet did Satan dare to suggest to Him no less sin than devil-worship! 10 Then saith JESUS unto him, Get thee hence Satan: for it is (k) Deut. vi. 16, &c. (1) St. Luke xxi. 19; Rom. ii. 7; v. 3, 4; viii. 25; xii. 12; xv. 4, 5; 2 Cor. vi. 4; xii. 12; Coloss. i. 11; 1 Thess. i. 3; v. 14; 2 Thess. i. 4; iii. 5; 1 Tim. iii. 3; vi. 11; 2 Tim. ii. 24; iii. 10; Titus ii. 2; Hebr. vi. 12; x. 36; xii. 1; St. James i. 3, 4; v. 7, 8, 10, 11; 1 Pet. ii. 20; 2 Peter i. 6; Rev. i. 9; ii. 2, 3, 19; iii. 10; xiv. 12. (m) Ephes. ii. 2. written, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy GOD, and Him only shalt thou serve. The Captain of our Salvation is found to answer every suggestion of the Enemy by a single sentence of THE LAW,- -as contained in the Book of Deuteronomy: viz., viii. 3; vi. 16; vi. 13. These were His "smooth stones out of the brook."(n) He condescends not to His Adversary,-no, not even to point out the hollowness of each proposal; but pierces him at once with the "sharp two-edged sword which goeth out of His mouth," (o)-'the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the Word of GOD.'(p) 11 Then the Devil leaveth Him, and, behold, Angels came and ministered unto Him. The Tempter, baffled in every endeavour,—withdraws in wonder: and, oh blessed contrast! behold Angels are hastening to minister to the mysterious necessity of the Son of Man. Leighton says beautifully,-"This know, that our LORD is tender of us, and will inlay our painful conflicts with sweet comforts. And these, in a high degree, usually follow hard encounters patiently and stoutly sustained. Our LORD had a cordial draught both before and after this conflict: before, in the last verse of chap. iii. He was confirmed in the very point He was assaulted in: This is My Beloved SoN.' And as He was confirmed before, so was He comforted after: Angels came, and ministered unto Him.' Oh! the sweet issue our LORD gives to many a sad battle of weak Christians, wherein they possibly thought once that all was lost, and that they never should hold out, and come through it! But never think 80. We shall come through all, and the day shall be ours.' 12 Now when JESUS had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee; Between the last verse, (q) and the present, if you would know what happened, read St. John's Gospel from the 19th verse of chapter i. to the 43rd verse of chapter iv. The Imprisonment of John is thus distinctly noticed by all the four Evangelists (St. Matt. iv. 12,-St. Mark i. 14,-St. Luke iv. 14,-St. John iv. 43,) in order, with the greater clearness, to mark the beginning of our LORD's Ministry. He had already wrought miracles, and made disciples; but it is from this event that His public career more especially dates. See ver. 17, and the note there. Notice also what St. Peter says, in Acts x. 37. Concerning the circumstances which led to John's imprisonment by Herod the Tetrarch, see the note on St. Mark vi. 17. The event itself is related by the present Evangelist, in chap. xiv. 3, 4. No remark, however, will be found,-either there or elsewhere, -on the extremely short duration of the Baptist's Ministry; to which, in the infinite Wisdom of GoD, the space of one year, at the utmost, was assigned. Nor, indeed, is it the manner of the SPIRIT So to convey instruction. The facts are given; or the facts may, by careful study, be found out. To draw inferences from them, is almost always left to individual hearts. Let us not, from this place of Scripture, for instance, fail to derive two important lessons: first, an intimation of the mighty result which may be achieved in a very small space of time: next,-a hint that there is no knowing how soon GoD may have done with us; and that it is quite a mistake to covet for ourselves, or for others, a prolonged life, -on the supposition that we might thereby be able to serve God effectually for a longer time. He does not require our services, at all. He certainly does not take us out of the World, till He has no more work left for us to do in it. "Let all rather study for themselves, and wish unto others, that they may be diligent in their work while their day lasts, be it short or long; faithful and fruitful in their generation; and the shorter their day is like to be, work the faster. For, certainly, the good of life is not in the length of it; but in the use of it."-They are the words of Archbishop Leighton. (n) 1 Sam. xvii. 40. (0) Rev. i. 16 and xix. 15, 21. Compare 2 Thess. ii. 8; Rev. ii. 16. (p) Ephes. vi. 17. Compare Hebrews iv. 12. (q) ver. 11. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum. When the Forerunner's Imprisonment was announced to our LORD, He was staying for two days at Sychar in Samaria.(r) Thereupon, He departed into Galilee,taking Nazareth, "where he had been brought up,"(s) in His way. For the account of what then occurred, see St. Luke's Gospel,-iv. 16-30. "Leaving Nazareth," -"not being honoured in His own Country. So, commonness of things make them cheap with us, how excellent soever;""He came and dwelt in Capernaum." The town stood near the North-Western extremity of the Lake of Tiberias, or (as it is oftener called) the Sea of Galilee; but there exist no remains of it, and its very site is uncertain. Our SAVIOUR came to dwell by the sea-side, in order to fish for men. 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, Not till now, therefore, was the veil removed from this place of ancient Prophecy. Yet how mysterious was the fulfillment of what had been here foretold! A forlorn Stranger, a houseless Wanderer,-a poor, persecuted man: yet, this was the "great Light!" This was He who was to "make glorious" the land of Zabulon and the land of Naphtali! Such discoveries become lessons and warnings to ourselves. Not only with reference to unfulfilled prophecy, are they in the highest degree suggestive; but they surely invite also to a more watchful study of incidents altogether private and personal. Promises of Divine Help, duly fulfilled, but fulfilled in a shape under which they fail to strike us;-offers of Mercy,-opportunities of Blessing, the very presence of our LORD,-all duly vouchsafed to us; yet, it may be, all despised, neglected, overlooked:-and that, because we have not the ears to hear, or the hearts to discover, or the eyes to recognize Him when we see Him! 15, 16 saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthalim, 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. The finger of Prophecy had not failed to point out the spot where MESSIAH was to dwell so long, and work so many wonders. The place of Isaiah here quoted, is found in chap. ix. 1-2. Divinely indeed did it happen that, in "the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalim," the spot, namely, where the territory respectively assigned to those patriarchs,(t) met, the SAVIOUR of His people should have come to dwell: for it was precisely the inhabitants of this district, who, first of all the Jews, were led into Captivity by Tiglath Pileser, King of Assyria, B.C. 740; as related in the Second Book of Kings.(u) So that, as one of the ancients points out," where the Law was first forgotten, there the Gospel was first preached." The Region which had been the first to suffer Captivity, was the first to enjoy the Light of that Truth which maketh free.(x) The prophecy of Isaiah here quoted, contains a special allusion to the Assyrian Captivity; for,-contrasting the fate of the region here spoken of, in the days of Messiah, with its former desolate condition,-the Prophet is thought by learned men to have written somewhat as follows:-"Nevertheless, there shall not hereafter be darkness in the Land which was distressed. In the former time, He debased the land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time He hath made it glorious: even the way of the Sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Nations." And then follows,-"The people which walked in darkness have seen a great Light," (y) &c. (r) St. John iv. 5 and 43. (t) Joshua xix. 10 to 16; 32 to 39. (x) St. John viii. 32, 36. (8) See St. Matt. ii. 23; St. Luke iv. 16 and St. Mark i. 9. (u) xv. 29: and see 1 Chron. v. 26. (y) Compare this with the rendering of Isaiah ix. 1, 2, in the authorized version of the English Bible. The Northern part of Galilee was called "Galilee of the Gentiles" because it bordered upon a heathen land, and was itself partly heathen. "Twenty cities" of Galilee had been given by Solomon to Hiram, king of Tyre.(z) Well, therefore, might such a people be said to "sit in darkness;" as not knowing which way they should go. The constancy of the Imagery employed by the HOLY SPIRIT, cannot fail to strike every one who is at all familiar with the Gospels. Consider, in connection with the appellation in the text, such places as the following:-St. John i. 5 to 9; iii. 19 to 21; viii. 12; ix. 5; xi. 9, 10; xii. 35, 36, and 46. 17 From that time JESUS began to preach, That is to say, from the time that John was cast into prison,-which was the occasion of our SAVIOUR's departure into Galilee, spoken of in ver. 12. and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This had been the Sermon of the Baptist, also. See chap. iii. 2, and the note there. "Not only the same sense, but the very same words. He who needed to borrow from none, but gives all to all, yet disdains not to preach this over after John Baptist." "Oh, sweet invitation,-the offer of pardon to a repenting sinner! But how much more that of a Kingdom! He might have said, 'Repent, for the Prison of Hell is at hand,' if ye do not: but He rather draws by the happiness and glory attending our return." So far, pious Leighton. 18 And JESUS, walking by the sea of Galilee, For some account of this Lake, see the note on St. Mark i. 16. saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: To read this, no one would suppose that Simon and Andrew were well known to the SAVIOUR, and had already become His Disciples: but it is the manner of the Evangelists when they mention a person or place for the first time, to introduce the name in this manner. Observe how Nazareth,-for thirty years' CHRIST's home,— is mentioned by St. Matthew, in chap. ii. 23. Very surprising indeed will the ensuing brief narrative appear, to one who reads it with the first chapter of St. John's Gospel(a) fresh in his memory. The comparison of the two histories leads to many an important inference concerning our SAVIOUR'S method with His Disciples. There was no constraint put upon their wills or affections. To "abide with Him," (b) might, or might not, avail to draw the heart effectually to Him. The very witnessing of a Miracle, (like that performed at Cana of Galilee, (c) was not enough to produce, even in faithful men, the kind of conviction we are apt to suppose. GOD left them to themselves. The seed of His spoken Word fell,-as in the parable,-by the way-side, or upon stony places, or among thorns, or into good ground, and it met with a corresponding fate.(d) How nearly does our position resemble theirs! How closely does the recep tion which CHRIST now meets with in the World, resemble that which awaited Him "all the time that He went in and out among" men!(e) These men, from being Disciples of John the Baptist, had transferred their obedience to CHRIST. The remarks just now offered are meant to explain how it may have happened that when they beheld the Baptist thrown into prison, they resumed their former calling. for they were fishers. Let us pause for a moment on this short sentence; which declares, by the way, the temporal estate, and lowly calling of the first Apostles. (z) 1 Kings ix. 11. (e) St. John ii. 2. (a) ver. 35 to 42. (b) St. John i. 39. (e) Acts i. 21. It was the will of God to choose the men by whose means He intended to remodel the World, out of the humbler class; that so, no flesh might glory in His presence; (f) nor any pretend that human wit had a share in the miraculous leavening process which ensued. It was God, throughout; acting in, and through, most weak instruments. But it can scarcely require to be stated that no encouragement whatever is thereby given to the rashness of unlearned men of low degree,-thrusting themselves forward, in the vain pretence that they are as the Apostles were; and presuming to usurp the seat of the learned, because (forsooth) it pleased GoD once to "choose the foolish things of the World to confound the wise; and the weak things of the World to confound the things which are mighty."(g) If the fishermen of Galilee taught all mysteries, it was, because in the place of mere Human wisdom, they enjoyed the extraordinary illumination of GoD's HOLY SPIRIT. They were miraculously enabled to speak with new tongues; and, for the subject of their discourse, it was not they who spoke, but the SPIRIT, within them, which gave them utterance.(h) When GOD consents to become our Teacher, and to work Miracles in our behalf, human helps may be neglected; but, not till then. In the mean time, let it be carefully noted that GOD made choice of His Holy Apostles by no irrespective decree. Great indeed was the Faith, great the Zeal, marvellous must have been the Goodness to which those men had attained, who were destined hereafter to "sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."(i) They did not become Saints because they were Apostles. On the contrary. Our SAVIOUR made them Apostles, because they had become Saints. See the note on St. John i. 43, 44. In their personal sanctity, let all seek to resemble and to rival them. Their ministerial rights and privileges, let those who have not been duly called, agree to behold, from a distance, and to revere. And, humble as were the instruments which GoD employed for the Salvation of Mankind, so humbling was the Doctrine which He proposed to men's acceptance. See 1 Cor. i. 18, and 20 to 23. The result might have been expected; namely, that "the poor in spirit," alone,-who, in this case, were also "the poor," as St. Paul expressly informs us, (k)-embraced the Kingdom. 19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. It was a Divine circumstance that these great Apostles should have been of the number of those who "go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters;"() for, to cast the net of the Kingdom, (m)—to fish for souls,-and to capture mighty draughts of men,--("Casting the net in public preaching, and angling in private converse,")-became their wondrous calling. Yet, how little must they have understood of the wondrous prophecy now delivered by Him, who "declareth the end from the beginning; and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done!" (n) The Psalm just quoted proceeds, as if in a prophetic strain,-"These men see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep."-A great "work," and a mighty "wonder," truly, had now been wrought: for, unlikely as it may sound, this piece of narrative is certainly the same with that in St. Luke v. 1 to 11. The first Miraculous Draught of fishes, therefore, was the event which produced an abiding conviction in the minds of these four followers of the LAMB; proved the occasion of that prevailing summons to follow CHRIST, which drew after Him those two wondrous pairs of brethren,-the sons of Jonas, and the sons of Zebedee. You will observe that this miracle was, in effect, an appeal to their Faith. They looked to capture something in their nets: but their success far surpassed the utmost limit of their hopes. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him. St. Peter alluded to this hour, when he asked our LORD, long after,—“Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee: what shall we have therefore?" (o) 21 And going on from thence, He saw other two brethren, (f) 1 Cor. i. 29. (k) 1 Cor. i. 26. (h) Acts ii. 4. (g) 1 Cor. i. 27. (1) Psalm cvii. 23. (0) St. Matthew xix. 27. |