wife's mother lying sick of a fever. At the request of her friends, he "took her by the hand, and immediately the fever left her;" and she arose in perfect health, and thankfully ministered to her divine Physician.1 At even, when the sun was setting, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and sick of divers diseases, and the true Physician "laid his hands on every one of them, cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick." By the setting of the sun the death of our Lord was foreshadowed; which happened when the Gentiles were delivered from the power of Satan, through faith, and when those who were sick with the disease of sin were healed by the remedy of a reformed life.2 CH. VII. Christ at the sea of Galilee. WHEN Jesus saw great multitudes about him, late in the evening, he commanded his disciples to go over unto the other side of the lake; and when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. It was but right that, as he had performed miracles upon the land, he should exhibit the same power upon the water, in order to prove himself master both of the earth and the sea. As soon, therefore, as he had got on board, he caused the sea to be greatly agitated, the winds to blow, and the waves to rise. His body was indeed asleep, but his mind remained awake; and when this tempest arose, his disciples awoke him, saying: "Lord, save us; we perish." Then he arose, commanded the winds and the sea to be still, and there was a great calm.3 Thus does the same Emmanuel exert his power every day on the troubled sea of the world, while the vessel of his church is tossed about by the storms of so many different tribulations, and its safety is almost endangered by the extremity of the peril to which it is exposed. But when he is invoked with faith and tears by his true followers, he soon listens to their prayers for succour, and helps them in a marvellous manner, by virtue of his divine nature, presently removing the 1 Matt. viii. 14, 15; Mark i. 29-31; Luke iv. 38, 39. 2 Matt. viii. 16, 17; Mark i. 32-34; Luke iv. 40, 41. 3 Matt. viii. 18, 23-27; Mark iv. 35-39; Luke viii. 22-24. trials which beset them, and strengthening them with his arm. When he had crossed the lake to come into the country of the Gergesenes, two men possessed with devils, exceedingly fierce, came out of the tombs, and running up to him, cried out: "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine." And he said unto them, "Go." Then the devils immediately entered into the swine, and cast the whole herd into the lake. In this manner a herd of about two thousand swine, driven into the sea by a legion of devils, was drowned; and they that kept them fled, and coming into the city, told everything. The Gergesenes, seeing how the two men had been healed, and their swine cast into the sea, were beyond measure affrighted; and foolishly came forth from their city to beseech the Lord that he would depart out of their coasts.1 Gerasa is a town in Arabia,2 beyond Jordan, close to Mount Gilead; it belonged to the tribe of Manasses, and is at no great distance from the sea of Tiberias, in which the swine were drowned. The name signifies ejecting the inhabitants, or, the stranger approaching; in allusion to the Gentiles, whom the Son of God came into the world to save, when he had clothed himself with human flesh. The two men whom the legion of devils had possessed, represent two nations, the Jews and the Gentiles, who were governed by the whole "body of sins." They lived in tombs, because they were the servants of dead works, that is to say, of sin. The impotence of Satan is plainly manifested in this circumstance, that he was not even able to injure the swine without the permission of God. It is worthy of notice, that, while those who are predestinated to eternal life turn to the Lord, and, by the use of a sound understanding, save themselves; filthy and proud idol 1 Matt. viii. 28-34; Mark v. 1-17; Luke viii. 26-37. Ordericus calls these people "Geraseni ;" Mark and Luke, " Gadarenes," St. Matthew," Gergasenes." 2 Jerash was in the Decapolis, and formed the eastern boundary of Petræa. Origen calls it a city of Arabia.-Kitto. This town must not be confounded with Gadara, the capital of Petræa. aters, and all reprobate men who cleave to their wickedness, here designated by the word swine, are condemned to live polluted in the stagnant pond of their foul deeds. Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into Capernaum. While he was there, so great a multitude came to him to hear his word that they filled the house where he was. Then four men brought to him one afflicted with the palsy; and having uncovered the roof of the house, they let down before Jesus the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay. Our merciful Lord, perceiving the faith of the bearers, forgave the sins of the paralytic man, and said to him, although the Scribes were murmuring against him: "Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way unto thine house." And immediately he arose, took up his bed before them all, and returned to his own home.' As Jesus passed forth from thence, he called to him a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom; the man followed him, and from the mean station of a publican was raised to the high office of an apostle and an evangelist. As Jesus sat at meat in the house of Levi, the Pharisees murmured, and spoke to him in reproachful terms, because he ate with publicans and sinners; but the benign Teacher, perceiving their evil thoughts, uttered this useful maxim: "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Our Lord frequented the society of sinners, in order that, by teaching his hosts, he might invite and lead them to the heavenly feast. When Jesus was talking with the disciples of John, and was rebuked by the Pharisees, because his own disciples did not fast like the followers of John, he drew a suitable comparison from the example of the children of the bridechamber, who could. not mourn as long as the bridegroom was with them; from the story of the piece of new cloth, which must not be joined to an old garment; and of the new wine, which must not be put into old 1 Matt. ix. 1-7; Mark ii. 3—12; Luke v. 18-26. 2 Matt. ix. 9-13; Mark ii. 14-17; Luke v. 27-32. "Our author seems to be ignorant of the fact that Matthew and Levi are the same person."-Le Prévost. bottles.1 He thus proves that the severe observances of the new law are not to be required of carnal men who have not yet been regenerated, until it be plainly manifest that this spiritual renovation has taken place in them, through the mystery of the passion and resurrection of our Lord." While Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came near him, threw himself at his feet, and worshipped him, saying: "Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." The good Physician arose, and immediately followed him. But a great multitude surrounded and pressed upon him, and a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, and had spent all her living upon physicians (by which term are meant the false theologians or philosophers, and the doctors of the secular laws), neither could be healed of any, 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 straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she was made whole. And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said: "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 into the chamber, but suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden; and he took the damsel by the hand, and commanded her to arise, and that something should be given her to eat. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. Jairus, whose name signifies illuminating, or illuminated, represents Moses and the other doctors of the law; the damsel, about twelve years of age, is the symbol of the synagogue; the woman with the issue of. blood is the emblem of the church of the Gentiles, which had before received the faith through Christ, and was graciously saved from the corruptions of idolatry and carnal pleasures. Lastly: as the young maiden is said 1 Matt. ix. 14-17; Mark ii. 18-22; Luke v. 33-39. Utres, "winebags. 2 Matt. ix. 18-26; Mark v. 21-43; Luke viii. 40—55. to have come to life again by the command of the Lord, in the same way will Israel at last be saved, when the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Jesus departing thence, two blind men followed him, crying: "Thou Son of David, have mercy on us." And when he was come into the house, he touched their eyes, and they again saw the light of heaven.' As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man, possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake; and the multitudes marvelled, saying, “It was never so seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.' 12 The multitudes sought Jesus in the desert place, and when they had found him they wished to stay him, that he should not depart from them.3 As the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, Jesus entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land, into the lake of Genesareth. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, who had toiled all the night in vain: "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake with the weight. In those days he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples; and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named Apostles, that is to say, "sent." Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; Simon Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew; James, the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus ; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed. him.5 The sacred number of the apostles is not free from mystery; for the number twelve designates those who were to preach faith in the Holy Trinity throughout the four 1 Matt. ix. 27-31. 2 Matt. ix. 32-34. Mark i. 35-37; Luke iv. 42. |