Annotations Upon the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
IN this Chapter are specified foure severall miracles: 1. The cleansing of the Leprous man. 2. The curing of a woman troubled with a fever. 3. The healing of the Centurions servant. 4. Lastly, the strange appeasing of the wind, and therefore this is rightly called by Ambrose, scriptura miraculosa, the miraculous scripture.
Vers. 1. The mountain] Where he preached the Sermon which is contained in the three precedent Chapters.
Vers. 2. And worshipped him] Marke saith, he kneeled down; and Luke saith, he fell upon his face, Luke 5.12. He shewed reverence in his gesture. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane] He acknowledgeth a divine power in Christ, in that he saith, he could make him clean if he would; a short prayer but a sign of great faith and speciall modesty.
Vers. 3. The Law did not forbid to touch the Leprosie. That the Lepers might be healed thereby, but contrariwise, lest those that were not Lepers might be infected thereby.
Hand] A right one it is probable. Piscat.
Vers. 4. See thou tell no man] Some (that they may excuse the leprous person) do not think that he was seriously forbidden by Christ from divulging the miracle, but rather to provoke him to tell it: Others more rightly, that he was seriously forbidden, and think the cause was, because the seasonable time was not yet come.Calvin.
Shew thy self to the Priest] 1. To confirme the truth. Marlorate. 2. The Law is the witness of Christ. Jerome. 3. To magnifie the Priests calling. Melancthon.Quia nondum abrogatae erant ceremoniae legis, eas contemni vel praetermitti noluit Christus. vide Levit. 14.22. Calvin.
He sends him to the Priest, (saith Jerome) 1. For humility, that he may seem to give honour to the Priests, for it was commanded in the Law, that those which were cleansed of their Leprosie should offer their gifts to the Priests. 2. That they seeing the Leper cleansed, might beleeve in Christ, and then they should be saved, or if not, they were inexcusable.
Vers. 5. Luke setteth down the same history; the two Evangelists do so agree in all circumstances, as it were folly to imagine two miracles of one. Calv. Piscator is of the contrary opinion; this only is different in the words, that in Matthew, the Centurion is said to come to Christ, in Luke he is said to send some of the Jews, which in his name did speak to him. Jansenius also saith, it is the same history.
Vers. 6. Matthew saith, the young man was grievously vexed; Luke that he was neare unto death.
Vers. 10. aDictum est secundum quid non simpliciter, hoc praesertim nomine ipsum commendat quod acquiescat in nudo verbo. Calvin.Not that he was ignorant of his faith, but that he might make it wonderfull to others, and upbraid the Jews of their incredulity.
Ver. 11. Many shall come from the east and the west] That is, from all the parts of the world, and shall sit down as at a feast. See Luk. 22.30. See Beza and Piscator.
Vers. 12. Children of the kingdom] That is, many Jews aFilij regni potius quam filij regis, quoniam multi sunt in regno quos tamen rex tandem ut infidos reijcit: omnes autem regis filij sunt unici illius naturalis fillij cohaeredes. Beza.by birth borne in the Church.
Vtter, or outward darkness] It notes two things, 1. The extremity, 2. The eternity of the torments. See 22.13. & 25.30. A state far removed from heavenly joy, called light.
Gnashing of teeth] Signifies either horror from the thoughts of their consciences mutually accusing them, as Rom. 2.15. or most bitter indignation and murmuring proceeding from impatience; for so to gnash with the teeth is used, Psal. 35.16. and 37.12. and 118.18. Lamen. 2.16. Acts 7.54. That is foolish which some imagine from the phrase,Chemnit. that hell fire with its smoak doth stir up weeping, and that there is so much cold there that the teeth gnash again with it.
Vers. 17. In Esay, it is he hath borne our griefes, or diseases: Here it is applyed to Christs healing of diseases,Mr Burges of justification. Propheta non de morbis agit propriò, sed de vitiisanimi, quae nos peccata dicimus, & morbi appellantur ducta metaphora à corpore ad animum. Ad hanc objectionem respondent nonnulli, ut dicant morborum causas, ut plurimum peccata esse, secundum illud Hieronymi, Propter peccata pleraeque eveniunt corporum debilitates. Itaque qui haec è medio tollit, & morbos quoque non inscitè auferre, dicitur, aut in se recipere: Ego magis putarim verba Esatae latè accipienda, ut morbos corporis etiam comprehendant, quibus sanandie Christus quasi specimen & imaginem exhibuit sanationis animi, quae fit criminum condonatione. Proinde quum paraliticum sanaret, confide, inquit, fili remissa sunt tibi peccata. Drus. notae in parallela sacra. and 1 Pet. 2. to his suffering upon the Cross. This may well be, because the outward healing of diseases, was a Symbole or testimony of his inward healing; Although Grotius observeth, that Christ is therefore said to beare our diseases when he cured them, because of the great paines and travell he took therein, for it was after sun-set, and the multitude did much throng him.
Vers. 20. Son of man] Some think he was so called, because he was borne of a Virgin,Hellenistis foreign dicitur Ezekiel, Cum ubique Dominus servator, foreign dicatur: primi hominis respectu sine dubio, qui Adam, sive foreign vocatur, ut foreign sit homo primus, foreign, qui secundus Adam dicitur. and had but one Parent, and so was a Son of man, not of men, that is, only of a Mother, and not of a Father and Mother both, as others are; but by the same reason it might be inferred that Ezekiel had but one Parent, because he is called son of man: but this title is given him to shew, 1. That Christ was true man. 2. That he came of the stock of man. 3. That he descended very low for our sakes. Dr Gouge.
Adeo se remotum à divitiore fortuna Christus ostendit, ut ne domum quidem habeat propriam. Grotius.It is a wonder that Christ denied that he had any where to lay his head, when he had many godly, and curteous men who would willingly have entertained him, but this is spoken by way of caution, lest the Scrib should expect an ample and rich reward from him as a rich Lord, since he himselfe lived precariò in others houses. Calvin.
Dr Denison. Tantum docere voluit, quicquid nos à recto cursu revocat velmoratur, nihil nisi mortem sapere. Calv.Ver. 22. As if he should say, if thou wilt be my follower, thou must totally addict thy self to me.
Ver. 24. He was in a fast and dead sleep (for so much the word signifies) foreign, ex foreign & foreign, ex foreign & foreign ligo, Verê soporatus aut demersus somno profundo, his senses were well and fast bound, as if he had had no operation of life, and therefore the Disciples are said to raise him, as it were from the dead, suscitaverunt, the same Greek word is used in many places where mention is made of the resurrection, Joh. 2.19. Mat. 27.52. 1 Cor. 15.12. Stulte quid est somnus. &c.
Ver. 25. The three Evangelists use three severall titles to our Saviour in this compendious forme of prayer, all which (though the Latine and our English express not) are significant and emphatical in their original proprieties, That here importeth power, or might, answerable to Jehova; Markes title signifies, a teacher of letters, or any art; Lukes is englished, Defender, a present helper, and he to express the Disciples zealous devotion ingeminates the title with a double appellation.
They stucke too much to the carnall presence of their Master, for as it appeareth by Marke they doe not simply intreat him, but they expostulate the matter with him, Master carest thou not that we perish, Luke also noteth an amazed trembling, Master, Master?
Vers. 26. aVt ostenderet se element… rumomnium Dominum.Rebuked] Restrained and stopped.
Vers. 28. The unclean Spirit kept this miserable man among the graves that he might torment him with continuall terrour, from the sad sight of death, as if being exempted from the number of men, hee now conversed with the dead. Calvin.
Vers. 29. Torment] bJudicis sui praesentia expavefacti de poena sua cogitassent, mala enim conscientia quid meriti essent, ipsis tacente Christo, dictabat. Calvin.The word in the originall is very significant, to cast us into the torments of hell, so the same word is expresly used by Luke 16.23. and 28. verses.
Before the time] Either before we expected, or before the last day of judgement. So Gotius. See Aug. de civitate Dei. l. 8. c. 23. They who scorne the day of judgement are worse than the Devils; those who deny the Deity of Christ are worse than the devils, are Piscat.
Vers. 31. The Devils desire to goe into the Swine, being the most uncleane of all Beasts; and having his name porcus quasi spurcus, Non quod concesserit salvator daemonibus quod petebant, dixit ite, sed ut per interfectionem porcorum, hominibus salutis occasio praeberetur: pastores enim ista cernentes, statim nunciant civitati. Erubescat Manichaeus, si de eadem substantia, & ex eodem auctore hominum bestiarumque sunt animae, quomodo ob unius hominis salutem, duo millia porcorum suffocantur. Hieron. in loc.delighting in filthinesse as the Devill with sin, given to devouring, as he himselfe is. 2. That doing so much hurt they might stirre up the inhabitants against Christ, and cause them to curse him for the losse of their Swine.