55 But he turned, and rebuked

energy and boldness in proclaiming the gospel, or, as some suppose, from their rash zeal. I incline to the former opinion. For although a spirit of rashness and violence was manifested on this occasion, yet of John particularly it may be said, that no other one of the apostles manifested such a mild, tender, affectionate spirit as he; and no one of them, in this respect, so closely resembled their Master. I cannot think, therefore, he would bestow on John a name indicative of a bad spirit. And in regard to James, there is no evidence that he was more rash or violent in disposition that the others; but rather the contrary. ¶ Wilt thou, &c. They regarded the conduct of the Samaritans as a direct insult to Jesus, and requested his permission, as the party chiefly concerned, to inflict summary vengeance. Fire from heaven. Either lightning, generally so called; or, more probably, supernatural fire; because, although the specific character of lightning was not then understood, common and uniform observation must have satisfied them that lightning was not to be expected from a clear atmosphere, and there is no evidence that it was then cloudy. They manifestly suggested a miraculous destruction, and it is most natural to suppose they contemplated its execution by supernatural means. ¶ As Elias did. Men have an exceeding fondness to plead a precedent for their violent and rash proceedings. If they can find a similar case on record, they appeal to it confidently, without carefully noticing the points of difference. Had the erring disciples sufficiently noticed all the circumstances attending the case of Elijah, as recorded in 2 Kings chap. i., they might have seen that the two cases were not parallel.

55. Rebuked them. For manifesting a disposition so utterly inconsistent with the spirit of his gospel, and the object of his labors. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. You are not sensible of your actual motives. You imagine you are only

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

displaying a suitable regard for my honor and affection to my person; but, in fact, you are influenced by that spirit of hatred which all Jews bear towards the Samaritans, excited to an unwonted violence by their present conduct. It is a vindictive passion, which moves you; not a true zeal for my honor. Of similar mistakes, history is full of melancholy examples. The persecutions of Christians by Christians, in name at least, must be chiefly attributed to this source. Men begin to contend for points of religious doctrine, in good faith, and under the influence of a pure love for the truth and a pure zeal for God's glory. But as the contest progresses, the baser passions become excited; impatience of contradiction, a desire for victory, resentment for actual or supposed affronts, gradually and insensibly become predominant, until the destructive propensity is powerfully excited; and then follow deeds of cruelty and blood. And, all the while, the unhappy actors do not realize any fundamental change of motive, but confidently believe that they are merely striving for truth and righteousness, and are doing God service. They know not the true nature of their spirit.

56. For the Son of man, &c. As the readiest means of convincing the disciples that their excitement was improper, and their spirit unholy, Jesus calls their attention to his own desire, doctrine, and labor. He assures them he came, not to destroy, but to save. His mission was not destructive, but conservative. His spirit was not vindictive, but affectionate. If they would imitate him, they must cultivate a similar spirit, and labor in the same cause. If they failed to do this, they were not worthy disciples. If they did imitate him, they would at once and forever banish all such unholy thoughts and desires as they had just expressed. This admonition was effectual; and, from this time forward, we find no repetition of the fault in regard to these two disciples. Other things they did

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send

ing that particular number, perhaps not; and possibly, the evangelist did not intend the exact number of seventy, but used the term, as was customary among the Jews, to denote simply a large number. Two and two. That they might counsel and encourage each other. They had a difficult and hazardous task to perform; and their Master would not deprive them of mutual aid. See note on Matt. x. 1-5. ¶ Whither he himself would come. Jesus was now on a journey to Jerusalem, as it would seem. And he sent forward these messengers to proclaim, as John the Baptist had before done, that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, or that the kingdom of God was drawing nigh. Thus should the attention of the people be aroused, and they be ready to hear his testimony and scrutinize it closely.

2. See note on Matt. ix. 37, 38. 3. See note on Matt. x. 16. 4. See note on Matt. x. 9, 10. Salutations among the Orientals were much more formal, and occupied much more time, than the bowing of the head or the hasty word of recognition, by which friends here salute each other without abating the speed of their progress or losing one moment of time. The forms of salutation that prevailed among the ancient Hebrews were as follows: (1.) Be thou blessed of Jehovah. (2.) The blessing of Jehovah be upon thee. (3.) May God be with thee. (4.) May peace (that is, every blessing and prosperity) be yours. (5.) Sir, be your life prospered.

In pronouncing the forms of salutation just given, the Orientals place the right hand upon the left breast, and with much gravity incline the head. If two Arab friends of equal rank in life meet together, they mutually extend to each other the right hand, and, having clasped, they elevate them, as if to kiss them. Having advanced thus far in the ceremony, each one draws back his hand, and kisses it instead of his friend's, and then places it upon his forehead.

The Arabians are in the habit of in

you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

quiring respecting the health of a person, when they salute him. They give thanks to God that they once more see their friend, they pray to the Almighty on his behalf, and supplicate for him every sort of prosperity. They are sometimes so animated on such occasions, as to repeat not less than ten times the ceremony of grasping hands and kissing, and the interrogations respecting each other's health. It may, therefore, be well concluded, that the salutation between friends was an occurrence which consumed some time; and for this reason it was anciently inculcated upon messengers, who were sent upon business that required despatch, not to salute any one by the way. 2 Kings iv. 29; Luke x. 4."-Jahn. Hence it is seen that our Lord did not forbid his disciples to treat acquaintances and strangers civilly, whom they might meet by the way; but only prohibited those formal salutations which would interfere with the timely accomplishment of the important work he had assigned them.

5. Peace be to this house. This was one of the customary forms of salutation. See note on Matt. x. 12. They were not to salute friends on the way; but when they entered a house, they were to salute the household in one of the usual forms. And the particular form here selected was appropriate; no salutation would more fully correspond with the character of the message they had to deliver, than Peace be to this household or family. They went on an errand of peace. They preached the gospel of peace. They announced that kingdom of God, which is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17; and that Messiah, at whose birth the heavenly hosts united in acclamations of glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. Luke ii. 14. Such was their annunciation. And they exhorted men, in conformity to the spirit of the gospel, to practise that righteousness

again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Mark xi. 12-23. ¶ Devils. Demons. See note on Mark chap. v. Although the disciples were empowered to heal the sick, ver. 9, yet they seem to have supposed their power extended only to ordinary diseases. When they found that lunacy, epilepsy, and that class of diseases supposed by the Jews to be occasioned by demoniacal possession, also yielded to their power through the name of Jesus, they were overjoyed; and, as some think, boastfully, but according to the more probable opinion of others, gratefully, mentioned the fact, on their return.

18. I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. "I beheld satan fall like lightning from heaven."-Campbell. The comparison is not to the brightness, but to the swiftness, of lightning. The downfall was sudden, precipitate. Satan, as is well known, signifies simply an adversary. See notes on Matt. iv. 1; xvi. 23. Peter was addressed by this name, when he manifested an improper opposition to our Lord. In this place, it seems to denote, generally, all which was opposed to the proper work of our Lord and the success of his gospel. He had sent out disciples, giving them power to authenticate their message in his name by miracles. Their power exceeded their own expectations, and they expressed their joy. He then assured them that the same power should perform a still mightier work. It should not only overcome the most obstinate and inveterate diseases, but it should triumph over all the malignity of adversaries, in short, all which opposed itself to the firm establishment of his gospel and its full and perfect work. By a common figure of speech, he personified this spirit of opposition as one grand adversary, and described its overthrow by a fall from heaven. In the notes quoted below, will be found a reference to similar figures, both in the Scriptures and in other writings. "A similar figure is used by Cicero, when he says that Pompey fell from the stars, and by Isaiah, xiv. 12, when he describes the overthrow of the king of Babylon. It is an animated prophetic declaration of the fall of idolatry and sin, here called Satan, before the peace

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

ful triumphs of Christianity. The pure eye of Jesus saw, as with a glance, the decline and downfall of the principalites and powers of wickedness, as with the rapidity of lightning."-Livermore. The succeeding note is substantially to the same purpose; for though its author believed in the existence of a personal devil, called Satan, yet he explains the downfall in reference to the things which were opposed to truth and righteousness, rather than to the supposed author of evil. 66 Though Satan be reckoned among spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places, Eph. vi. 12, yet Christ seems not here so much to respect that, as the dissolution of that kingdom he had erected in the world; he is styled the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4, the ruler of the darkness of this world, Eph. vi. 12, and to him is ascribed the kingdom of darkness, Col. i. 13, and a principality over the children of disobedience. Christ therefore here foretells, that this dominion should be in great part lost by the translation of the heathens from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; and Satan, being thus spoiled of his dominion, may he said to fall from heaven, by a phrase familiar both to sacred and profane writers. So of the fall of the king of Babylon, the prophet saith, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! Isa. xiv. 12. Of the fall of the colleague of Antonius, Cicero saith, thou hast pulled him down from heaven; and when Pompey was overthrown, he is said by him to have fallen from the stars."- Whitby. Thus is the overthrow of idolatry and all evil said to be figuratively represented in this passage. Whitby only erred in supposing Satan to be the author of all this evil, instead of its personification. For a similar personification of the opposite principle, the principle of good or of holiness, sec Prov. chap. viii. "Jesus, in Luke x. 17, does not assert the operations of demons in men, for he couples Satan with serpents and scorpions, which places us under the necessity of interpreting all of these words tropically, and of understanding by them cunning and powerful adversaries, who opposed the progress of the gospel, bnt, with all