Annotations Upon the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 10
CHAP X.
Vers. 1. APpointed] The Greeke word *foreign Signifieth both to demonstrate and create, whence we may collect, that Christ did not onelyonly rightly choose these seventy Disciples, demonstrated them to his Apostles, because he thought them fit for this embassage, but also by certaine ceremonies ordained them to this office, for so the Greek word signifieth in this place. Polyc. Lyser.signifies to designe to a publicke office.
The seventy also] As there were twelve in the old Testament, from which the twelve Tribes were propagated; and which the whole nation of the Jews acknowledged for their Progenitors, so Christ also would have twelve Apostles which should regenerate both the Jews and Gentiles by the word, and which the whole Christian Nation should acknowledge for their Patriarkes; and as Iacob descended with seventy soules into Aegypt, Gen. 46. v. 27. So Christ would have seventy *Quod Latinus posuit LXXII Non aliunde est quam ex antiqua traditione. Nam tot fuisse à Christo Creatos antiquitas credidit, etiam Graeci, qui hoc loco legerunt foreign, ut Origenes & Epiphanius. Neque vero temerè, nam moris erat Hebraeis LXX. nominare numero rotundo etiam ubi constabat esse LXXII. Grotius.Disciples, but who these seventy Disciples were it is no where expressed in Scripture.
And sent them two and two before his face into every City] This sending of two together commends brotherly conjunction, makes for consolation in adversitie, and for the greater confirmation of the truth, thereby is also signified that this businesse is such to which one sufficeth not; but two eyes alwayes see more than one; Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharoah, Paul and Barnabas by the Church, foreign i. e. foreign, as Marke speakes from the idiome of the Hebrewes, ch. 6. v. 7. as we by interposing the copulation say in english two and two.
Vers. 2. The harvest truely is great but the labourers are few] This is the force of the speech, a great harvest requires many workemen, the doctrine of the Gospell hitherto expounded by me in all Palaestina, hath the reason of a great harvest, therefore it requires many Ministers. And Christ saith this for the consolation of these his Embassadours that they may hopewell.
Vers. 3. As Lambes] Here we must not scrupulously inquire, why Christ names his Disciples here lambes, when he had called his Apostles before sheepe? for the sense is the same in both places, and the Syriacke useth the same word in both places, by this name *Agnus à Groeco foreign derivatur quod castum significat, innatam habet simplicitatem & hero suo utilis est. Caro et lac cibo inserviunt, vellus & lana indumento, stercus medicinae & foecundandis agriis. Polyc. Lyser.He admonished the Disciples of chastitie, simplicity and publicke profit.
Among wolves] So he calls the Priests and Pharisees, partly for their rage, against Christ and his Apostles, and partly for their power with which they were furnished to hurt.
Vers. 4. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes] This he saith not onelyonly to warne them that they ought to be quicke in this journie that they may returne speedily to him, but also, that he might shew his divine power, that he can provide for them and all others following their lawfull vocation, though they be destitute of these things.
Salute no man by the way] He would warne them to make speed, so 2 Kings 4.29.*Festinationis signum ut supra. 9.61. Est hyperbole, quasi dicat, Ne divertatis ad privatas salutationes & familiares prolixasque collocutiones, nam alioqui non vult Christus Discipulos suos esse inciviles & rusticos. Cornel. à Lap. Those salutations (saith Grotius) among the people of the East, were not done with a light gesture or word, but with many bendings of the body, kisses, embraces.
Vers. 6. The son of peace be there] He cals him so who doth not disdaine the doctrine of peace, or the Gospell, hears that attentively and receives it into an honest heart, one worthy of peace, as 2 Sam. 12.5. saith Drusius.
It shall turne to you againe] Christ would teach them that they lost nothing by discharging their duty by reason of the others incredulity.
Vers. 7. Eating and drinking] He implies that necessary food shall not be wanting to them, although he send them without purse and scrip.
Go not from house to house] He would not have them rashly change their Inne, which is signe of an inconstant and mutable mind,Lautiores mensas sectando. Quistorpius. or is joyned with a contempt of the first Host; as if he by his inhumanity or basenesse had driven away his guest.
Vers. 8. Eat such things as are set before you] That is, be content with any meane provision.
Vers. 11. Even the very dust of your City] By which symbole the Jews did witnesse that those men against whom they did shake off their dust,Erasmus in Adag: cum pulvisculo. Eodem pertinet Evangelicum illud quo jubentur etiam pulverem excutere Apostoli ne minimum quidem ab eis secum auferre. were so execrable to them that they would not communicate with them in their dust. This shaking off the dust ought also to admonish us, that we have nothing common with wicked men, so that their dust may not cleave to us.
Vers. 13. Wo unto thee Chorazin, wo unto thee Bethsaida] Which is thought to bee the country of five Apostles, Peter, Andrew, Philip, Iames and Iohn. Iohn 1.44.
Vers. 15. And thou Capernam] Where Christ besides many excellent Sermons wrought so many Miracles that the Nazarites his Country-men objected it to him. Luke 4.23.
Vers. 16. He that heareth you] viz. Teaching and prescribing what is right.
Vers. 17. Through thy name] Christ wrought Miracles by his own power, the Disciples by Christs; whose name they also called upon, as we may see in the Acts and Books of the Jews; as before the Devils yielded to the name of the God of Israel, so now to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Omni sua gloria & potestate.Vers. 18. I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven] From the degrees of knowledge, power, and dominion he had in the hearts of men, as Capernaum exalted to heaven, as sodainly as lightning is wont to shine from heaven; this prediction is to be referred to the incredible swiftnesse of propagating the Gospell to the destroying of false religions, and all the workes of the Devill.
Vers. 19. *He may have respect to Esay 11.8. Sicut Latini id quod durabile non est dicunt in vento & aqua scribi, ita Hebraei pari sensu dicunt scribi in terra, id est in pulvere. Ierem. 17.13. Huic contrarium est scribi in Coelo, id est vitae aeternae ascribi atque destinari. Grotius.He alludes to the 91. Psal. 13. alhough there he speakes of the protection of divine providence here of a wonderfull power.
Vers. 20. Rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven] A metaphoricall speech for to be counted sons and heires by God, as if they had been noted downe in a catalogue. It is better to have that which is proper to Saints, than what is communicated also to others. Calvin.
Vers. 21. Rejoyced] He witnessed his joy not only in words but also in his gesture and countenance, so the Greek word signifieth.
Vers. 26. What is written in the law? how readest thou] Taking it for granted aMr. Perkins.that men must read the Scriptures privately. As if he bMr. Hildersam on Psal. 51.6.had said, In the written law of God (and there onelyonly) thou shalt find what those good workes are that God will reward in heaven.
Vers. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind] By the heart is understood all the affections, desires, and inclinations; by the soule, the will, purpose, and resolution; by the mind, the reason, understanding, discourse, and memory; and by the might or strength, all the facultyes of the soule, and parts of the body, with all their functions, actions and operations, both internall and externall.
And thy neighbour as thy selfe] By the name of neighbour, all men, of what condition, sex, or nation soever, are understood.
Polyc. Lyser.As thy selfe] 1. Truely. 2. Ardently. 3. Constantly.
Vers. 28. This do, and thou shalt live] Object. Life is promised to the worker, yet Rom. 4.3. It is said, Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse. Ans. Both speake of the word, but not of the same part of the word, the Law promiseth life to the worker, and the Gospell life to the believer.
Vers. 30. Wounded] With his sins and the sting for them; One glosseth well on it,Chrysost. Ambros. & Stella. Qui locus latrocinijs infamis ut notat Hyeronimus. not from Jericho to Jerusalem, but the contrary; Jericho was a type of hell, Jerusalem of heaven, a man that forsakes God and turnes to the Devill is like to be wounded.
Vers. 31. By chance] Therefore, say*Dr. Taylor. Vide Bezam. & Piscat. some, one may use the word chance. It is a parable, and being uttered in the common received tearms, cannot be stretched so farre beyond the scope of it. 2. The Greek words foreign signifieth properly, it fell out, or came to passe, viz. by the providence of God overruling the matter. 3. It fell out casually to the Priest who expected no such event.
Vers. 34. Pouring in oyle and wine] Wine serves to cleanse, and ease the paine within, oyle to mollifie the flesh, and allay the paine without.
Wine and oyle] That is, the doctrine of Salvation. Ambrose, Stella, Calv. Chemnit. Wine, the Law to eate out the corruption, and oyle, the Gospell to heale it.
Vers. 35. He took out two pence] Christ hath bequeathed unto us for our soules health both lawes, the old and new, say Optatus and Ambrose.
Vers. 39. Which also sat at Iesus feet] It was the custome of old that the Doctors for honours sake sate in a more eminent place, but the Disciples and the common people sate at their feet. Act. 22.3. The same custome is yet to this day observed in Temples and Schooles.Polyc. Lyser.
Mary also commends to us two gifts of the mind which in the greedy hearers of heavenly doctrine are necessary,Sessione significatur quies, attentio, diligentia & assiduitas. Lucas Brugensis. one is tranquillitie of mind without all distraction of body and thoughts, the other is humility and reverence toward the Teacher, the first is noted by the word sate, and the latter by sitting at his feete. Polyc. Lyser.
Vers. 40. And Martha was cumbred about much serving] The Greek word rendred Cumbred, foreign, signifies to be drawne and wried round and round about. The adverbe of that word, foreign, is used 1 Cor. 7.35. and rendred without distraction, not being torne, vexed and drawn asunder.Evangelista tribus verbis utitur foreign distendi & distrahi, foreign solicisum esse, & foreign tumultuari, quibus excessum Marthae circa curam rei familiaris notare voluit. Polyc. Lyser.
Vers. 41. Martha, Martha] A friendly compellation, as Matth. 7.21. Martha is named twice, it signifieth bitter, as if hee had said, bitter bitter. 1. Bitter to her selfe, in making a drudge of her selfe, and neglecting the word. 2. To her sister, in chiding and accusing her. The doubling of the name among the Hebrewes partly signifies vehemency of affection, partly greatnesse of good will, as Matth. 7.22. See. 22.31.
41.42. Verses. 4. Attributes are given to riches. 1. They are many things and require much labour. 2. Vnnecessary. 3. They will be taken from us. 4. They are not the best. See Luke. 16.2.Porro unum est necessarium Vulg. Atqui una re opus est. Beza.
Vers. 42. One thing is needfull] So we read it with the Vulgar, that is, the word of God. Chrysost. Ambrose, Calvin. Primarily, simply, and per se needfull. The originall is, there is need of one thing, one dish is enough, but Grotius *Non puto de uno ferculo Christum hic agere quod tamen quibusdam valde placere video: Satius est intelligamus Christum ex occasione ejus quod gerebatur generalem pronuntiasse sententiam: varias esse ac multiplices hujus vitae curas, sed unam esse rem quae si salvi esse velimus omnino nobis sit necessaria, curam scilicet pietatis. Matth. 16.26. Grotius.dislikes this. That good part] By an excellencie, that is, the best. Austin, Non tu malam sed illa meliorem.
Which shall not be taken away from her] That hath once received it.
Christ would not suffer Mary to be drawne away from an extraordinary exercise of the word, though there was much businesse by reason of his unlooked-for coming with his Disciples.