Ver. 1. Shall not taste of death] Saints only taste of death; sinners are swallowed up of it, they are “killed with death,” Revelation 2:23. Whereas the righteous do mori vitaliter; death is to them neither total nor perpetual, Romans 8:10,11.
Ver. 2. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:1”]
Ver. 3. Became shining] στιλβοντα, glistering and sparkling as stars, which twinkle and beckon to us as it were to remember their and our Creato r.
Ver. 4. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:3”]
Ver. 5. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:4”]
Ver. 6. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:6”] They were sore afraid] εκφοβοι. And even ready to run away, as unworthy, Deuteronomy 9:19.
Ver. 7. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:5”]
Ver. 8. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:8”]
Ver. 9. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:9”]
Ver. 10. And they kept that saying] With much ado they kept it (as the word εκρατησαν imports), for the rest of the disciples were very inquisitive, likely, what was said and done in the mount. A friend that can both ke ep counsel and give counsel is worth his weight in gold.
Ver. 11. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:10”]
Ver. 12. Set at nought] Vilified and nullified mean ουτιδανος, or one that had nothing in him, εξουθενωθη. Vermis sum et non homo, I am a worm, and no man, saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ.
Ver. 13. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:12”] [See Trapp on “Mt 17:13”]
Ver. 14. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:14”] And the scribes questioning with them] Purposely to put them to shame in their Master’s absence: Marcian the heretic, for his arroding the good names of others, was called Mus Ponticus. (Tertull.) And Epiphanius fitly resembleth heretics to moles, who do all their mischief by working underground. But if once they be above ground, they are weak and contemptible creatures.
Ver. 15. Were greatly amazed] To see him come in so opportunely, in the very nick, which is his usual time. [See Trapp on “Mt 17:14”]
Ver. 18. Teareth him] “Teareth him as dogs do”: so the Greek word ρησσει signifieth, Matthew 7:6.
Ver. 19. Bring him unto me] Thus man’s perverseness doth not interrupt the course of Christ’s goodness.
Ver. 20. The spirit tare him] Thus things often go backward ere they come forward; as the corn grows downward before it comes upward. Duplicantur lateres, venit Moses. This child had never such a sore fit, as now that he was to be cured. See Mark 9:26.
Ver. 21. Of a child] παιδιοθεν. Neither yet is there any injustice with God, that little ones thus suffer: they are not inno cents, but “estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born,” Psalms 58:3; the first sheet or blanket wherein they are covered is woven of sin, shame, blood, and filth, Ezekiel 16:4,6. Infants have sin, though unable to act it; as Paul’s viper, stiff with cold, might be handled without harm, yet was no less venomous. But no sooner can they do anything, but they are evil doing, Ut urtica statim urit, et cancri retrocedunt, et echinus asper est, as young nettles will sting, young crab fish go backward, and as the young urchin is rough, &c.
Ver. 22. It hath cast him into the fire, &c.] So doth blind zeal deal by them in whom it is.
Ver. 23. All things are possible, &c.] Questionless (saith a reverend man, Mr. S. Ward) justifying faith is not beneath miraculous in the sphere of its own activity, and where it hath warrant of God’s word. The prayer of faith is after a sort omnipotent, saith Luther. But if thou canst do anything] This woeful father had no further patience to parley; but through weakness of faith, and strength of affection to his distressed child, breaks off his tale, and begs present help. “He that believeth, maketh not haste,” Isaiah 28:16.
Ver. 24. I believe] This act of his in putting forth his faith to believe as he could, was the way to believe as he would. Help thou mine unbelief] That is, my weak faith, which he counteth no better than unbelief; howbeit, God counts the preparation of the heart to believe, faith, as in those Samaritans, John 4:39-42. Dr Cruger cried out on his death bed, Credo languida fide, sed tamen fide. Much faith will yield unto us here our heaven; and any faith, if true, will yield us heaven hereafter. Selnever Paedagog.
Ver. 25. I charge thee] Cum emphasi dictum et magna authoritate, saith one, when the Lion of the tribe of Judah roar on this wise, devils run and wriggle into their holes, as worms use to do in time of thunder.
Ver. 26. And rent him sore] The nearer any is to help and comfort, the more Satan roareth and rageth.
Ver. 27. But Jesus took him by the hand] Christ ever reserveth his holy hand for a deadlift.
Ver. 28. See Matthew 17:19,20,21. The history of the dispossession of the devil out of many persons together in a room in Lancashire, at the prayer of some godly ministers, is very famous. Read the book and judge. These ministers (being Nonconformists) were questioned for it in the High Commission Court, as if it had been a device to strengthen the credit of their cause. Saint’s Everl. Rest.
Ver. 29. But by prayer and fasting] The cause why they could not cure the child, was unbelief; the cure of unbelief is sought and wrought by fasting and prayer.
Ver. 30. And they departed thence] Clam et celeriter, privily and hastily, as the Greek παρεπορευαντο imports; and why t hey did so, see Luke 9:53.
Ver. 31. For he taught his disciples and said] i.e. He said it often, that they might remember it once; which they had no mind to do, Luke 9:43.
Ver. 32. They understood not that saying] They could not conceive that the Saviour of the world should suffer as a malefactor.
Ver. 33. And being in the house] sc. That he had hired there, [See Trapp on “Mt 18:1”]
Ver. 34. Who should be the greatest] viz. In Christ’s earthly kingdom, in the which they vainly dreamt of a distribution of honours and offices, as once in the days of David and Solomon.
Ver. 35. He sat down] Tanquam serii quicquam traditurus: the teacher sat, the learners lay at his feet. [See Trapp on “Mt 5:2”]
Ver. 36. [See Trapp on “Mt 18:2”] [See Trapp on “Mt 18:3”]
Ver. 37. Receiveth not me] Non removet sed corrigit, saith Erasmus. He receiveth not me only, but him that sent me.
Ver. 38. And John answered him] John was soon sated with that sad discourse of our Saviour, and begins a relation of another business, little to the purpose.
Ver. 39. Forbid him not] It is probable that this man would not forbear, unless Christ himself should forbid him; which here he refuseth to do, and shows reason for it.
Ver. 40. Is on our part] Is to be esteemed among such as favour me in this furious age.
Ver. 41. For whosoever shall give, &c.] Much more he that shall cast out devils in my name, and out of love to me.
Ver. 42. [See Trapp on “Mt 18:6”] He shall not rose his reward] For his cup of cold water he shall have a torrent of pleasure. If therefore ye will be wise merchants, happy usurers, part with that which ye cannot keep, that ye may gain that which ye cannot lose.
Ver. 43. It is better for thee to enter] The Trojans, after long debate, concluded it better to part with Helen, though a lady of incomparable beauty, than by retaining her longer, to venture their utter wreck and ruin. Αλλα και ως τοιηπερ εους εν νηυσι νεεσθω, say they. (Hom. Iliad.) Did we but forethink what sin will cost us, we dare not but be innocent.
Ver. 44. Where their worm] As out of the corruption of our bodies worms breed, which consume the flesh; so out of the corruption of our souls this never dying worm. This worm (say divines) is only a continual remorse and furious reflection of the soul upon its own wilful folly, and now woeful misery. Oh, consider this before thy friends be scrambling for thy goods, worms for thy body, devils for thy soul. Go not dancing to hell in thy bolts, rejoice not in thy bondage, as many do; to whom the preaching of hell is but as the painting of a toad, which men can look on and handle without fear. Never dieth, and the fire is not quenched] O quam diuturua et immensa est eternitas! Oh how long and enormous is eternity, said the devil once. A child with a spoon may sooner empty the sea than the damned accomplish their misery. A river of brimstone is not consumed by burning. Manlii loc. com.
Ver. 45. It is better for thee] καλον εστι. It is a goodly thing to go, though maimed, to heaven. To be cast into hell, where the fire] About the year 1152, King Louis of France cast the pope’s bulls (whereby he required all fruits of vacancies of all cathedral churches in France) into the fire; saying, he had rather the pope’s bulls should rest in the fire, than his own soul should fry in hell. (Speed’s Hist.)
Ver. 46. Where their worm dieth not] i.e. Where there is eternity of extremity. Of all outward torments none more insufferable than that by fire; as of all inward, none like that of having worms ever grubbing and gnawing upon the entrails. Add hereunto, that worms and fire use to make an end of other things; not so here. The fire fails not, as did that fire in the valley of Hinnom, wherein the dead carcases were burnt without Jerusalem, Jeremiah 19:6 The worm dies not, as do those worms that swarm in sepulchres. Oh, the terrors and torments, the fatho mless perdition, the remediless misery into which the damned are plunged, without the least hope of ever either mending or ending! Plato travelling into Egypt together with Euripides the tragedian, got much Hebrew learning; he calleth hell πυριφλεγεθων, a fiery lake, and saith that there their worm dieth not, their fire is not quenched. (Phaed. p. 400.) This he might have from Isaiah 66:24, though it be his practice, lacte gypsum miscere, as Irenaeus spake, to stain the pure streams of divine truths with fabulous narrations.
Ver. 47. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out] Out with it, away with that earthly idol, that image of jealousy, Ezekiel 8:3, though it be to thee as a hand for profit, or an eye for pleasure.
Ver. 48. Where the worm never dies] This is three different times repeated, that it may the better be observed. Utinam de Gehenna ubique dissereretur, saith a father. Oh that word never (said a poor despairing creature on his death bed) breaks my heart. This worm of conscience is worse than the fire, if worse may be: it is the very hell of hell, as being the furious reflection of the soul upon itself for all its neglected opportunities and flagitious practices. This will be a bodkin at thy heart one day (saith a reverend man), I might have been delivered.
Ver. 49. For every one shall be salted with fire] The spirit, as salt, must dry up those bad humours in us that breed the never dying worm; and as fire, must waste our corruptions, which else will carry us on to the unquenchable fire.
Ver. 50. Salt is good] Nature hath prudently mingled salt with all things, that they may not easily putrefy. Greges enim pecorum urinam salsissimam effundere videmus, et in omnes stirpes salem infusum. John Bodin. Theat. Naturoe. Have salt in yourselves] Habete in vobis sal. A cuius admonemur tribus literis (ut curlose observat quidam), Sapere, Agere, Loqui. The conjuring of salt among the Papists is intolerably blasphemous; it is thus: I conjure thee, O salt, by the living God, &c., that thou mayest be made a conjured salt to the salvation of them that believe. And that unto all such as receive thee, thou mayest be health of soul and body; and that from out of the place wherein thou shalt be sprinkled, may fly away and depart all fantasy, wickedness, or craftiness of the devil’s subtlety, and every foul spirit. By salt here we may understand mortification and holy discretion, or sincerity of doctrine and discipline, whereby the saints are seasoned and preserved from the putrefaction of sin and error; from the plague of emulation and dissension, as those good souls (Miconins and his colleagues) who could say with comfort, Cucurrimus, certavimus, laboravimus, pugnavimus, vicimus, et viximus semper coniunctissime, &c. We have run together, striven, laboured, fought, overcome, and lived always together in much peace and concord. And have peace one with another] By mortification, season, tame, and purge your own hearts of those lusts that war in your members, James 4:1, and prove offensive to others, Mark 9:43, so shall you be at peace one with another. Stomach worms are killed with salt.