The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament, Part 1 · Section 39 – Section 40

The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament · Part 1 · Section 39 – Section 40

p. 32SECTION XXXIX.

CHRIST calmeth the sea: casteth out a Legion of Devils, &c.

THe order needeth no cleering, it is so plainly asserted by all the three: only among them in relating the story thus ordered, there seems to be some difference: 1. Mark sayes, They took him in the ship as he was, namely as he was now in it, having gone into it to preach to the people, as ver. 1. The other two speak of his entring into the ship now, as if he had not been in it before, because they continue not this story, to the story of his speaking of the Parables out of the ship as Mark do…h, but speak of this after other stories. 2. Matthews calling of the Country beyond Iordan whither he went, the Country of the Gergasens, whereas the other two call it the Country of the Gadarens, is no great scruple, since it bare two names, ancient and modern. But 3. the main doubt lies in this; that whereas Mark and Luke speak but of one possessed, Matthew speaks of two. So I observe that Matthew speaks of two blind men begging at Iericho, Matth. 20.30. whereas Mark speaketh but of one, Mark 10.46. And so likewise Matthew speaks of both the theeves mocking Christ, Matth. 27.44. whereas Luke speaks but of one of them so doing, Luk. 23.39, &c.

It might be answered, as to this story, that it may be that these two that Matthew speaketh of were not alike furious, but that the impetuousnesse of the one was more then the other: and that Mark and Luke speak of him only that was in the worse case. Or for ought that Matthews Greek prohibiteth, the two might be understood for man and wife, whom the two other Evangelists treat of as one person. But by the other examples adduced, where Matthew speaking of two, Mark and Luke speak but of one, it is plain and satisfactory, that these two latter, writing after Matthew, and he having given the story before them, numbring the persons concerned in it, they have not been curious so much to specifie the number of persons on whom the miracles were wrought, which he had done before, as carefull to record the miracle done, that none of Christs workings might be left unrecorded, as to the nature of the thing done.

The Evangelists describe the condition of these poor possessed ones, much in the same colours that the Jews do him that they call foreign, who is one of the five sorts of persons whom they seclude from all actings of import or trust. foreign say they [or a distract person] is he that goes out in the night and lodgeth among the graves, and tears his clothes to pieces, and spoils whatsoever men give him. Jerus. in Trumeth fol. 4. col. 2.

It is of some scrupulousnesse to cast, how so many swine should be in those parts, since swines flesh was such an abomination among the Jews, and those that kept and bred swine little lesse abominated. Their wise men said, Cursed be he that brings up dogs and swine, Maymon. in Niz. Mammon per. 5. And there is a story of a woman reviling one of their Rabbies, in these words, One of these three things is in thee, either thou art a drinker of wine, or a usurer, or one that breeds swine. Jerus. Shekalim fol. 47. col. 3. But even Pliny may help us to an Answer and resolution in this doubt, who tells us how rare dainties swines flesh is accounted of by the Romans, Neque alio ex animali numerosior materia ganiae,: quinquaginta prope sapores, cum caeteris singuli. Of one creature, saith he, is there made more numerous matter for luxury: Almost fifty severall tastes in it, whereas in other creatures there is but one. And hence those pages of the Censors Laws; Interdictaque caenis abdomina, glandia, testiculi, vulvae, sincipita verina, [A Roman Cook were fittest to english this. And a p. 33little after he tells, that Solidum aprum Romanorum primus in epulis apposuit P. Servilius Rullus: Publius Servilius Rullus first of the Romans, served in a whole Swine to the table, the father of that Rullus that promulgated the Lex Agraria in Tullies Consulship. Tam propinqua origo nunc quotidianae rei est: A thing now in daily use, had its beginning no longer ago. Observe that it was of ordinary use among the Romans, to serve in solidum aprum at their feasts. Vid. Plin. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 51. Now were it granted that the Gadarens were Jews, which for the generality they were not [and to finde Swine feeding among the Heathen was no strange thing] yet when there might be such trading in Swine as the Roman cookery and luxury caused to be, the covetousnesse of a Jew would strain him farre for his profit, especially it being not directly against the Law to deal with these cattell alive, though so strictly forbidden to eat them dead.

SECTION XL.

Levies Feast: Concerning Fasting, &c.

MUch needeth not to be spoken concerning the order here. Why Levies, or Matthews Call and Feast are set together by all the Evangelists that speak of them, we have observed before, namely because they would dispatch the whole story of that man at once or alltogether: And that his call was at the place where we have laid it, the current of the story thither confirmeth past deniall. Likewise that his Feast must come in here, Matthews words, ver. 18. do make it plain: for he saith, that while Iesus was speaking those things concerning fasting, &c. Iairus came to him: whose coming the other two Evangelists have cleerly pitched in this place.

In Matthew the late Publicans house, when Christ is invited to dinner, many Publicans and sinners sit down at meat with him, a thing as far contrary to the Pharisaicall discipline as what was most contrary, for which the Pharisees callenge him and his Disciples. They looked upon Christ and his Disciples, as foreign men of religion and devotion, and therefore that ought to separate themselves from the vulgar sort of people; especially from such as these were of an infamous stamp and character: A Scholer of the wise, by their Canons, might not eat with one of the vulgar, much lesse with Publicans and sinners, the worst sort of all the vulgar that were.