righteousness; he was notoriously wicked, and capable of any enormity. If one of our Lord's disciples had made the suggestion, it would have appeared as a friendly warning of danger. But it came through a different channel. It came from one who was bitterly opposed to Jesus, envied his present popularity, feared his influence, and was exasperated by his searching and solemn rebukes for iniquity and hypocrisy. It cannot be supposed that he was anxious for our Lord's safety, or desirous to shield him from harm; nor that he made this intimation of danger, out of pure friendship. We must regard it rather as a threat, designed to intimidate Jesus, and induce him to cease from his labors which occasioned the Pharisees so much anxiety and indignation; as if he had said, Depart immediately, and trouble us no more; if you remain longer, it will be at your peril; for Herod, who rules here, will presently apprehend you, and put you to death, as a disturber of the peace. But he grossly mistook our Saviour's character. Danger did not affright him. He knew the trials which awaited him, and he was ready to meet them. He had a keen sensibility of suffering, and shuddered at the prospect before him; yet his faith in God triumphed over fear, and he pursued his path with unblenching fortitude. When the appointed hour came, the victim was ready, having voluntarily presented himself at Jerusalem, where sacrifices were appointed to be offered,

32. Tell that fox. Our Lord uses a descriptive epithet here, with reference to Herod's cunning and dissimulation. Wetstein describes him as "one who, like most of the princes and magistrates of his time, formed himself in resemblance of Tiberius, who valued no trait of his own mind more highly than his dissimulation. He was now an experienced fox, having held his government for thirty years, and sustaining the most opposite and various relations; of a vassal to Tiberius, a master over the Galileans, an ally to Sejanus, to his brothers Philip and Archelaus, and to the other Herod; whose tempers were very unlike among themselves,

out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

and very wide from his own." It has also been well observed, that "to impose this ignominious but agreeable name on Herod, is not contrary to the command, not to speak evil of the ruler of thy people; it being the office of a prophet, not to spare kings when they reprove their offences, Jer. i. 10. Christ therefore here uses his prophetical power, in giving this tyrant a name so suitable to his actions."- -Whitby.

For

Cast out devils, and I do cures. the meaning of casting out devils, see note on Mark, chap. v. He would have Herod distinctly understand that he did not interfere in political concerns, hut confined himself to the benevolent objects of his mission, doing good and healing diseases, both of body and mind; and therefore that he was not justly obnoxious to any punishment whatever. To-day, and to-morrow, and the third day, &c. Some, understanding this phrase literally, suppose that this message was sent by our Lord only three days before his crucifixion. But this seems unreasonable, because Jesus had not yet arrived at Jerusalem; indeed if he were, as it would seem, in the dominions of Herod, he was yet in Galilee. But it appears that he arrived at Bethany, within two miles of Jerusalem, at least six days before his crucifixion. John xii. 2. Others, more probably, understand the three days to indicate a short but indefinite time. He had more labor to perform, but should accomplish it soon. Within a few days, he would be ready to depart out of Herod's jurisdiction. Perfected. Of course not meaning that he should be made perfect, for he was not imperfect then: he was sinless, without spot, and undefiled. Some suppose he referred to his crucifixion, as the event which would complete his work, and make perfect the development of his character. But I prefer the opinion of those who understand the meaning thus: in a short time, I shall have completed or made an end of my work in Galilee, and shall be ready to depart. To the same purpose Campbell translates the phrase, "my course will be completed" that is, my work here will

following for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

CHAPTER XIV.

ND it came to pass, as he

stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. And verily, I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall

be ended. The same word occurs, Acts xx. 24, where it is rendered finish. 33. I must walk, &c. I must remain at liberty and continue my labor, for a short time. For it cannot be, &c. Jesus knew that he should die at Jerusalem; of course, Herod could not kill him in Galilee. He referred also to a well known fact, that scarcely a true prophet had ever perished in Israel, except at Jerusalem. His declaration then was this: I shall continue steadily in the work assigned me; when I have accomplished my labor in Galilee, and not before, I shall go up to Jerusalem, and die there; that being the place where other prophets have been slaughtered, and where I know a similar fate awaits me.

34, 35. See notes on Matt. xxiii. 3739. Matthew records this language, as spoken at Jerusalem. It discloses the compassionate nature of Jesus, who thus loved his enemies and desired their happiness. See also Luke xix.

41-44.

CHAPTER XIV.

1. One of the chief Pharisees. Literally, one of the rulers of the Pharisees, or one of the ruling Pharisees; perhaps a member of the Sanhedrim. To eat bread. That is, to dine. On the sabbath-day. "The Jews' tables were generally better spread on that day than on any others, and that, as they themselves reckoned, upon the account of religion and piety."-Lightfoot. It may be well, on the sabbath, to enjoy the temporal blessings of God

of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath-day, that they watched him.

2 And behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

3 And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees,

with thankfulness. It is not well, however, to be detained from the house of God, by feasting or preparations for feasting. ¶ They watched him. They probably watched, as at other times, hoping they should discover something for which they could accuse him. Luke xi. 54. Very possibly, the Pharisee invited him to his house for the purpose of entangling him in conversation, Matt. xxii. 15, or taking advantage of some unguarded word or action.

2. A certain man before him. This may have been a member of the Pharisee's family, or an invited guest; or he may have been brought thither for the express purpose of tempting Jesus to heal on the sabbath-day, which the Jews considered unlawful. They watched, whether he would do so. ¶ Dropsy. A disease characterized by the accumulation of water in the head, chest, or other parts, or the whole of the body; a painful and frequently fatal disease, always difficult and slow of cure. instantaneous removal, on this occasion, was obviously miraculous.

Its

3. Answering. This word often means no more than commencing or renewing a conversation. We may, however, understand it here in its usual sense, by supposing our Lord to have replied to the thoughts, rather than the words, of the bystanders. See Luke v. 22. Is it lawful, &c. Jesus knew the thoughts of his adversaries. He knew they designed to accuse him, if he should heal the sufferer. To close their mouths afterwards, he first proposed this question, which they dared not deny in direct terms.

saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-day?

4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go:

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath-day?

6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when

4. They held their peace. They were silent. They could not deny that works of mercy were justifiable on the sabbath. And as they did not deny it, when a direct appeal was made to them, they could not consistently accuse him of transgression, after the cure effected. Healed him. Suddenly, instantaneously, miraculously.

was

5, 6. See notes on Matt. xii. 11; Luke xiii. 15, 16. By this argument, our Lord often silenced his adversaries, and put them to shame. Luke xiii. 17. They did not hesitate to relieve brutes; it was absurd that they should accuse him of sin, because he relieved suffering humanity. They saw the absurdity, and could not answer him again to these things; they could neither evade or gainsay the force of his argument. Their mortification must have been the greater, as many were present, ver. 7, among whom doubtless were some who were not accustomed to be thus silenced. Their pride must have been humbled, when their first stratagem against Jesus so signally failed; and they were obliged to admit, tacitly at least, that he was right and they were wrong.

7. Parable. Rather, a precept or instruction; a signification which this word sometimes bears. See note on Matt. xiii. 3. ¶ Those which were bidden. The invited guests; of whom there seems to have been a considerable number. ¶ Chief rooms. Campbell translates the phrase, "observing how eager the guests were to possess the higher places at table, he gave them this injunction." The word protoklisia, (лoorozkioia,) here rendered chief rooms, literally denotes the first or principal reclining place. As the Jews re

he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee comclined, instead of sitting, at the table. the idea is perfectly obvious. See note on Matt. xxiii. 6. It was a common fault of the scribes and Pharisees, though by no means exclusively theirs, to appropriate to themselves the most honorable stations, so far as they could. What follows, in ver. 8-11, though directly addressed to the scribes and Pharisees, contains an important lesson for all; we shall do well to heed it, and profit by it.

8. Bidden. Invited. To a wedding. Perhaps wedding may here be put for any feast; for on such occasions, it was usual to celebrate the joyful event by feasting, which sometimes continued for seven days. Sit not down in the highest room. "Do not occupy the highest place at table."-Campbell. See note on ver. 7. TA more honorable man. One in higher office or station; one whom the master of the feast shall consider more worthy to occupy the higher place. The gospel, in one sense, places all men on a level yet it recognizes those distinctions of rank, without which society cannot exist, and the courtesies to which men are entitled by their moral character or usefulness. Matt. xxii. 21; Rom. xiii.

7.

9. Give this man place. Allow him to occupy the place which you have appropriated to yourself; for he is more deserving of honor. With shame. The first argument to show the propriety of humility and modesty was drawn from the fact, that it must be mortifying to an ambitious man, to be degraded from a higher to a lower seat.

10. Lowest room. Lowest reclining place, or the place near the foot of the