Ver. 12. The Spirit driveth him] That is, suddenly carrieth him (who was most willing to go) as that legal scape goat, Leviticus 16:8-10, into the wilderness, and there permitted him to be tempted, but supported him under the temptation, that he came safe off again. Sancti etiam nequaquam sui iuris sunt, sed toti spiritus cedunt imperio. The saints are at God’s beck and check.

Ver. 13. And was with the wild beasts] Unhurt by them, as Adam was in the state of integrity. These fell creatures saw in Christ the perfect image of God; and therefore reverenced him as their Lord, as they did Adam before his fall, see Job 5:21,22.

Ver. 14. Jesus came into Galilee] To decline Herod’s rage. And whereas it may seem that our Saviour herein took a wrong course, since Herod was governor of Galilee; we must know that the Pharisees were the men that delivered up John to Herod, Matthew 17:11,12; and that but for them there was no great fear of Herod.

Ver. 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled] These were four of our Saviour’s sermon heads. The prophets of old were wont to set down some short notes of their larger discourses to the people, and to fasten them to the doors of the temple till the people had read them. And then they were taken down by the priests, and laid up for the use of posterity. Repent ye and believe, &c.] Repentance, then, is a gospel duty, and (as some argue from this text) before faith; the proper purchase of Christ’s blood, Acts 5:31. Indeed, faith and repentance keep up a Christian’s life (saith a learned man), as the natural heat and radical moisture do the natural life. Faith is like the innate heat; repentance like the natural moisture. And, as the philosopher saith, if the innate heat devour too much the radical moisture, or on the contrary, there breed presently diseases; so, if believing make a man repent less, or repenting make a man believe less, this turneth to a distemper. Lord, cast me down (said a holy man upon his deathbed) as low as hell in repentance; and lift me up by faith into the highest heavens, in confidence of thy salvation. Calvin in Esaiam.

Ver. 16. [See Trapp on “Mt 4:18”]

Ver. 17. [See Trapp on “Mt 4:19”]

Ver. 18. [See Trapp on “Mt 4:20”]

Ver. 19. [See Trapp on “Mt 4:21”]

Ver. 20. [See Trapp on “Mt 4:21”]

Ver. 21. He entered into the synagogue, and taught] This is noted as remarkable in St Mark, that he often stated that our Saviour taught.

Ver. 22. And they were astonished] If it could be said of Dr Whittaker, that no man ever saw him without reverence, or heard him without wonder, how much more of Christ, since grace was “poured into his lips?” Psalms 45:2. As one that had authority] Seest thou a preacher deliver the word with singular authority (as Paul, “We believe, therefore we speak”), esteem him very highly for the work’s sake. The Corinthians are checked, for that they were unruly, and would reign without Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:8. Zedekiah is blamed, 2 Chronicles 36:12, because he humbled not himself before Jeremiah, a poor prophet, speaking to him from the Lord. And not as the Scribes] Frigidly and jejunely (meagrely, insipidly). Didst thou believe thyself, thou wouldst never plead thy client’s cause so coldly and carelessly, said Cicero to his adversary.

Ver. 23. With an unclean spirit] Gr. εν πρευματι ακαθαρτω. In an unclean spirit. An unregenerate man is in maligno positus, as St John saith of the world, 1 John 5:19. He is inversus decalogus; whole evil is in man, and whole man in evil, till at last (without grace) he be satanized and transformed into a breathing devil. By reason of the inhabitation of unclean spirits, our spirits have in them trenches, cages, forts, and strongholds of Satan, 2 Corinthians 10:4.

Ver. 24. What have we to do with thee?] Not to do with Christ, and yet vex a servant of Christ? Could the devil so mistake him, whom he confessed? It is an idle misprision, to sever the sense of an injury done to any of the members, from the head. Thou Jesus of Nazareth] Though the devils confessed Christ to be the Holy One of God, yet they call him Jesus of Nazareth; to nourish the error of the multitude that thought he was born there, and so not the Messiah. Neither did the devil’s cunning fail him herein, as appears, John 7:44. Art thou come to destroy us?] Before the time: such is the infinite goodness of God that he respites even wicked men and spirits the utmost of their torments. I know thee who thou art] This he spake, not to honour Christ, but to denigrate him, as commended by so lying a spirit. Laudari ab illaudalo, non est laus, saith Seneca. The Holy One of God] Some rest in praising the sermon, and speaking fair to the preacher. The devil here did as much to Christ, to be rid of him. So did Herod, Mark 6:20.

Ver. 25. Hold thy peace] φιμωθητι capistrator, be thou haltered up, or muzzled. Christ would not hear good words from an evil mouth. High words become not a fool, saith Solomon. The leper’s lips should be covered, according to the law.

Ver. 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him] So he will serve all that he is now at one with, as Bradford hath it. You are the devil’s birds (saith he to all wicked ones), whom, when he hath well fed, he will broach you, and eat you, chew you, and champ you, world without end, in eternal woe and misery. And cried with a loud voice] But said nothing, according to Mark 1:25. He came out of him] With as ill a will goes the worldling’s soul out of his body. God tears it out, as Job somewhere hath it; death makes forcible entry, Job 27:8.

Ver. 27. For with authority] As he taught, so he wrought with authority, εξουσια. The same word is used Mark 1:22.

Ver. 28. His fame spread] Those that do worthily in Ephratah shall be famous in Bethlehem, Ruth 4:11. Cicero worthily preferreth Cato before Socrates, quoniam huius dicta, illius facta laudantur. because in saying these things, he is praised in doing those things. But our Lord Christ was mighty both “in deed and word,” Luke 24:19.

Ver. 29. They entered into the house] Happy house in such a guest. If Elisabeth held it so great a matter, that the mother of her Lord should come unto her, Luke 1:43, what may Peter think, since the Lord himself comes to give him a visit!

Ver. 30. Sick of a fever] πυρετος, which the Greeks denominate of the heat that is in it; the Germans of the cold. [See Trapp on “Mt 8:14”]

Ver. 31. The fever left her] For Christ (the great Centurion that hath the command of all diseases, Matthew 8:9) had rebuked it, Luke 4:39, as once he did the Red Sea, Psalms 106:9, which therefore fled, Psalms 114:3.

Ver. 32. When the sun did set] And the Sabbath was ended; for till then many held it not lawful.

Ver. 33. All the city] i.e. The sick folk in the city by a synecdoche. As all that were in debt or distress came to David, and he received them; so all that were diseased came to this Son of David, and he relieved them. A figure by which a more comprehensive term is used for a less comprehensive or vice versa; as whole for part or part for whole, genus for species or species for genus, etc. Formerly sometimes used loosely or vaguely, and not infrequently misexplained. ŒD

Ver. 34. Suffered not the devils to speak] For what calling had they to preach the gospel?

Ver. 35. And in the morning, &c.] The fittest time for prayer, or any serious business. Therefore not only David, Psalms 5:3, and other saints, but also heathens chose the morning chiefly for sacrifice; as Nestor in Homer, the Argonauts in Apollonius. The Persian magi sang hymns to their gods at break of day, and worshipped the rising sun. The Pinarii and Potitii sacrificed every morning and evening to Hercules, upon the great altar at Rome, &c. Men should rise early, on the Sabbath day especially, both the better to prepare for the public, as also to consecrate as much time as they can, Psalms 92:2 Ex 19:14-16 Shall Philistines be up early to go to see Dagon, Papists to matins, Israel to dance before their golden calf, Exodus 32:5,6; young men may go Maying, ringing, &c.; worldlings to their markets, fairs, by peep of day; and shall Christians lie bathing in their beds on their Lord’s day?

Ver. 36. Followed after him] Gr. “Followed hard after him,” as David’s soul did after God, Psalms 63:8, and as God’s grace did after David, Psalms 23:6.

Ver. 37. All men seek for thee] But few seek Christ seriously, seasonably, sincerely. Hence so many miss him: Vix quaeritur Iesus propter Iesum. All men seek themselves, and not the things of Jesus Christ, Philippians 2:21.

Ver. 38. Let us go into the next towns] The neighbouring boroughs, κωμωπολεις, such as were between a city and a town. Though secret prayer were sweet to our Saviour, yet he left it to preach and profit many.

Ver. 39. In their synagogues] Which were as chapels of ease, or petty parish churches, belonging to the temple, as the cathedral. In these it was lawful to pray, preach, and dispute, but not to sacrifice, Acts 15:21.

Ver. 40. Beseeching him, &c.] Morbi virtutum officina, saith Ambrose. We are best when we are worst, saith another. Therefore King Alured prayed God to send him always some sickness.

Ver. 41. Touched him] Immensae gratiae et bonitatis signum et tessera, saith Calvin. And so it is of his infinite goodness, that he will touch our menstruous clouts, take at our hands our polluted performances.

Ver. 42. [See Trapp on “Mt 8:3”] [See Trapp on “Mt 8:4”]

Ver. 43. [See Trapp on “Mt 8:3”] [See Trapp on “Mt 8:4”]

Ver. 44. [See Trapp on “Mt 8:3”] [See Trapp on “Mt 8:4”]

Ver. 45. Could no more openly enter] For press of people, he was so frequented that he was forced to withdraw.

---

← Matthew 28 · Contents · Mark 2 →