Ver. 1. Told him of the Galileans] So called from Judas Gaulonites, or Galilaeus, their captain; to whose faction also belonged those four thousand murderers, Acts 21:38. For Pilate had not authority over the Galileans properly so called. See Josephus, xviii. 2.
Ver. 2. Because they suffered such things] None out of hell ever suffered more than those worthies, Hebrews 11. Shall any therefore condemn that generation of God’s children? Psalms 73:15. See Lamentations 4:6 Da 9:12.
Ver. 3. Except ye repent] Aut poenitendum, aut pereundum. Either repent or perish. Men must either turn from sin or burn in hell.
Ver. 4. The tower of Siloam] A tower, belike, upon the wall of Jerusalem, which stood by the fish pool of Siloam, mentioned John 9:17.
Ver. 5. But except ye repent] Except the best of you all repent more and more when ye see the examples of God’s wrath, &c. God would not have the wounds of godly sorrow so healed up in his own children, but that they should bleed afresh upon every good occasion. De aliorum plagis faciamus medicamenta vulneribus nostris. Make best use of others’ miseries.
Ver. 6. A vineyard] So the Church is frequently called. [See Trapp on “Mt 21:33”]
Ver. 7. Cut it down] Trees that are not for fruit are for the fire. God will lay down his basket and take up his axe. He will not always serve men for a sinning stock.
Ver. 8. Lord, let it alone this year] Happy that people that have praying vinedressers to intercede for them! God will yield somewhat to prayer, when he is bitterly bent against a people or person. Till I shall dig, &c.] Donec eam ablaqueavero et stercoravero. (Beza.) Ministers must try their utmost to fulfil their ministry that they have received of the Lord, Colossians 4:17.
Ver. 9. Then after that thou shalt cut it down] The fig tree, they say, if it bear not the fourth year after it is planted, will never bear at all. If good be not done at first coming of the gospel to any place, seldom is any good ever done there.
Ver. 10. On the sabbath] The soul’s marketday, on which the Lord Christ sells to his people “gold tried in the fire, white raiment, eye salve,” &c., Revelation 3:18.
Ver. 11. And was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself] This infirmity might proceed from the gonorrhoea; but, besides that, the devil had a hand in it, for she was bound by Satan, Luke 13:16. Novi quandam mulierem (saith Dr Garenceires) quae adhuc in vivis est—quae cum tribus abhinc annis gonorrhaea simplici laboraret, ea neglecta, tantam seminis iacturam intra annum passa est, ut quae prius erectae et firmae staturae fuerat, luxatis vertebris non solum gibbosa facta est, verum etiam in tantum κυβωσιν incidit, ut mentum umbilico (stupendum dictu) ferme insideat: vicinis interea illud pro miraculo habentibus. (De Tabe Anglicana.)
Ver. 12. Thou art loosed] For she had been bound by Satan, Luke 13:16. All wicked worldlings are worse bound, and go grovelling, but feel it not, look not out for help, look not up to heaven, till laid upon their backs by death, as swine ready to be stuck.
Ver. 13. And he laid his hands upon her] Both to show his charity, and to signify that his quickening flesh is that ordinary instrument whereby he maketh us partakers of his saving grace.
Ver. 14. Answered with indignation] He that will be angry and not sin must be angry at nothing but at sin.
Ver. 15. Thou hypocrite] The Syriac rendereth it Assumens vultum, thou that settest a good face upon it, thou that impersonate a better man than thou art; thou picture of piety, &c.
Ver. 16. Whom Satan hath bound] So he held Job in captivity, Job 42:10, by afflicting his body, buffeting his soul for a year together, say the Hebrews; for seven years, saith Suidas.
Ver. 17. For all the glorious things] Which yet his adversaries sought to deprave and denigrate, as if done by I know not what superstitious abuse of the name Jehovah.
Ver. 18. See Mark 4:30,31.
Ver. 19. See Matthew 13:31.
Ver. 20. See Matthew 13:33.
Ver. 21. See Matthew 13:33.
Ver. 22. See Matthew 9:35 Mr 6:6.
Ver. 23. Are there few, &c.] Few received Christ in the flesh, John 1:12: he wondered at one good Nathanael. They are Methe mispar that look towards heaven. Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto. The most rest on that old popish rule, To follow the crowd. Are there few?] A curious question, and therefore not vouchsafed an answer: whereas otherwhere, in things needful to be known, the Scripture often answers the questions and objections of men’s hearts only. “Jesus knowing their thoughts,” &c.
Ver. 24. Strive to enter] Strive even to an agony; or as they di d for the garland in the Olympic games, to the which the word αγωνιζεσθε, here used, seemeth to allude. All would come to heaven, but all like not the way; they would not per angusta ad augusta pervenire: come through the narrow way to paridise, they like well of Abraham’s bosom, but not of Dives’ door. But let none think to live in Delilah’s lap, and then to rest in Abraham’s bosom; to dance with the devil all day, and then to sup with Christ at night; to fly to heaven with pleasant wings, to pass a deliciis ad delicias, e caeno ad coelum, &c., from pleasure to pleasure, out of the mud to heaven, to go to heaven in a feather bed.
Ver. 25. And hath shut to] God is not always with men in the opportunities of grace. He hath his season, his harvest for judgment, Matthew 13:30, when troops of those that forget God are turned into hell, Psalms 9:17.
Ver. 26. We have eaten and drunk, &c.] These pretenders to Christ perish by catching at their own catch, hanging on their own fancy, making a bridge of their own shadow, &c.; they verily believe that Christ is their sweet Saviour, &c., when it is no such matter; they trust to Christ, as the apricot tree that leans against the wall, but is fast rooted in the earth: so are these in the world, &c. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence] Even at thy table, but it became a snare to them.
Ver. 27. See Matthew 7:23 25:40. [See Trapp on “Mt 7:23”] [See Trapp on “Mt 25:40”]
Ver. 28. See Matthew 8:12 13:42 24:51.
Ver. 29. And shall sit down] As at a sumptuous supper. When, therefore, we are invited to a full feast, think of heaven: as Fulgentius beholding at Rome the majesty of the emperor, the glory of the senate, the lustre of the nobility, cried out, How beautiful is Jerusalem the celestial, since Rome the terrestrial appeareth with such splendour. So Master Esty, when he sat and heard a sweet concert of music, seemed upon this occasion carried up for the time beforehand to the place of his rest, saying very passionately, What music may we think there is in heaven? (Dr Hall’s Art of Divine Meditation.)
Ver. 30. See Matthew 19:30 20:16 Mr 10:31.
Ver. 31. For Herod will kill thee] “ Tu vero Herodes sanguinolente timo.” (Beza, Ep.) If Herod or these Pharisees had been as wise as Pilate’s wife, they would never have meddled with that just man.
Ver. 32. Today and tomorrow] i.e. As long as I wish, without his leave. Faith makes a man walk about the world as a conqueror. I shall be perfected] Or, I shall be sacrificed, as Pareus rendereth it, τελειουμαι, In sacrificium offerar.
Ver. 33. Out of Jerusalem] That slanghterhouse of the saints, that bloody city, Isaiah 1:21 Eze 24:6.
Ver. 34. See Matthew 23:37.
Ver. 35. See Matthew 23:38,39.