A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
NOW Chriſt, meeting with this Affront from the Phariſees upon his very Arrival to Shore upon the Coaſts of Magdala, immediately ſteps back into the Ship, and croſſes over to Bethſaida, in whoſe Deſart he had fed 5000 with five Loaves, as above, and therefore it may well be wondred at why his Diſciples made ſuch a ſtrange miſconſtruction upon their Maſters words [Beware of the Leaven of the Phariſees, &c.] wherein they thought he blamed their neglect of bringing Bread, Mat. 16.5, 6, 7, 8, &c. to 13. and Mark 8.14, to 22. (which omiſſion might be occaſioned either by their quick return, not going up into the Town, or from their ferveſcency in following Chriſt the Bread of Life.) However, the place they now arrived at, might have corrected their miſtakes; had they call'd to mind their former Experiences, they would not have underſtood literally, what Chriſt delivered mystically, to wit, the Leaven of Phariſees Juſtification by Works, and Sadducees againſt Reſurrection, &c. both which, they better underſtood, when Chriſt had well chided them out of their miſtake: All this diſcourſe with his Diſciples was in the Ship as they ſailed to Bethſaida, Mark 8.22. where they bring him a blind Man, to heal him of his Blindneſs. In which Miracle are theſe ſhort Remarks; (1.) As ſoon as Chriſt had cured his Diſciples of their blindneſs of Mind in the Ship, he comes to Bethſaida to heal this Man of the blindneſs of his Body. In the former he put forth a Beam of his Divine Wiſdom, and in the latter a Beam of his Divine Power. (2.) Thoſe bringers of the blind Man beſought Chriſt to touch him, Mark 8.22. they believed a touch with Chriſt's hand would open his blind Eyes. The like healing Touch Naaman the Syrian expected, 2 Kings 5.13. N.B. Note well; Thus ſhould we bring our Blind to Chriſt, and beſeech him to heal them. (3.) Chriſt took him by the hand, ver. 23. to lead him, which he might have bid his Friends (that brought him thither) ſtill to do, but he did it himſelf, to ſhew, he is the beſt Leader of the Blind. N. B. Note well; And that we ſhould (as he did) hold it an honour and a pleaſure to do men in miſery any office of Courteſie. (4.) Chriſt led him out of the Town, as holding the Inhabitants (whom he had upbraided for Contumacy, &c. before, Mat. 11.21.) unworthy to behold the cure, therefore muſt it be done at the Towns end. They muſt not have the favour to be Eye-witneſſes of his mighty Miracles, they had ſinned it away by their unthankfulneſs, God grant we may not do ſo.
The 5th Remark is; [He ſpit upon his Eyes, and put his hands upon them.] This Collyrium or Eye-Balſom, &c. ſometime he uſed to heal the Blind with, together with other Geſtures and Actions, and ſometimes not, Mark 7.33. and here they are uſed, not in Mark 10.52. but John 9.6. they are, to ſhew, that he healed by his Almighty Power, beyond the courſe and order of Nature, either with means, or without, at his own pleaſure, and ſo in an inſtant, or ſucceſſively, as here. Hence
The 6th Remark is; The Lord here takes time in working this Miracle; by the firſt Touch he made him ſee Men like Trees (not much unlike that in Judges 9.36) having yet but a dim ſight whereby he diſcerned the motion, better than the form of Men: But Christ's ſecond Touch made him ſee every Man clearly; not becauſe he could not perfect his cure with the first Touch, or muſt have more time for it, ſeeing by his Omnipency he could have cured him without either Touch or Time, even in a moment, as he did Blind Bartimeus, Mark 10.52. And though he made an Opthalmick of Clay and Spittle, &c. for him that was born blind, yet was he healed at once, John 9.6, 7. but this Man gradually. N.B. Note well; To teach us, our Spiritual Illumination is done by degrees, and not all at one inſtant, 1 Cor. 13.12.
The 7th Remark is; Christ would not vouchſafe that ungrateful Town the benefit of one more Preacher, though never ſo mean, Mark 8.26. This was a greater Judgment on them, than if he had turn'd into ſome other Channel that Arm of the Sea that brought in ſo much Wealth to them; he had already call'd out of Bethſaida thoſe that belong'd to him, and now no longer will he ſtrive with her perverſeneſs. Now Chriſt turns his back upon Bethſaida, which had turned their backs upon the Doctrine and Miracles from him and his Diſciples, three of which, at leaſt, he had taken from thence to be the Lights of the World, John 1.44, &c. yet thoſe very Apoſtles (their Towns-men) could do no good on them, for they loved darkneſs better than light, John 3.19. And ſeeing they had ſeen his healing the Sick, cleanſing the Lepers, and raiſing the Dead, yet did not they repent, Mat. 11.20. therefore we hear no more of Bethſaida, but Chriſt went from thence to Ceſarea Philippi before he went into Judea to finiſh his Miniſtry by his Paſſion, which now approached: His laſt Miracle at Bethſaida, in healing the blind Man out of the Town, is Recorded only by the Evangeliſt Mark, but the Confeſſion of the Apoſtles and of Peter [who Christ was] in his paſſage to this Caeſarea Philippi, is Recorded at large in Mat. 16.13, &c. and Mark 8.27, &c. and Luke 9.18, &c. there more briefly in both theſe; and ſomething conſonant hereunto we find upon Record alſo, John 6.69. In theſe Coaſts of Caeſarea, Christ was out of Herod's reach.
Upon this Journey we have theſe Remarks: 1. That our Lord wandred from place to place, and even wearied himſelf by much toil and travel to fulfil his Miniſtry, &c. N.B. Note well; All Chriſt's Travels from his Infancy to his Aſcenſion (beſide his particular Viſits) are computed 3093. as before. Many a weary footſtep for his Spouſe did he take; as Jacob for a Wife to Syria, ſo he to Caeſarea, the utmoſt Border of Paleſtine, whither he footed it to ſow ſome ſeeds of Grace among the Gentiles.
The 2d Remark is; Christ confirms his Diſciples in the knowledge of himſelf by way of Queſtions here, teaching, 1. That Paſtors ought to examine the ſtate of their Flock. 2. That there will be various Opinions of Chriſt and his Kingdom; beſide not only among his Foes (that call'd him a Samaritan, a Sorcerer, a Devil) but alſo among his Friends and Well-wiſhers, ſome thought him John Baptiſt revived, as Mat. 14.2. holding the Doctrine of Pythagoras's foreign, or Tranſanimation, others thought him Elias return'd, from the luſtre of his life in ſo many mighty Miracles, or Jeremy that weeping Prophet, from his eminent compaſſion and commiſeration to Mankind, or one of the Prophets, to wit, Eliſha, who had the double ſpirit of Elijah upon him. So many were the miſtakes, even of good men, concerning the Mediator, while they minded their own Fancies more than God's Word. But 3. He expected better Sentiments and Cenſures than thoſe vulgar Men had of him from his own ſo long Followers and Familiars, therefore he ſaith [But whom ſay ye that I am?] To which Peter, as perhaps older, and without a peradventure bolder than the reſt (who gave joyntly the anſwer to the firſt Queſtion) anſwered for them all in a little, yet ſo large a Confeſſion, as contains whatſoever is to be believed concerning the Perſon and the Office of Chriſt, &c.
The 3d Remark is; Christ first commendeth this comprehenſive Confeſſion of Peter, and then adorns it with a double promiſe, both perſonal or particular, and univerſal. 1. He tells Peter why at firſt he gave him that Name, John 1.42. Mat. 4.18. pronounces him bleſſed for having knowledge of this ſaving Truth by Divine Revelation; 'tis no leſs than Life Eternal to know Chriſt aright, John 17.3. 2. Upon this ſaving Truth (which Peter profeſſed in the name of all the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors in Paſtoral Charge) he promiſed ſo to found his Church, as all the combined Power and Policy of Hell ſhould not be able to overturn it, but would govern it ſo by the Miniſtry of his Servants, that in deſpight of Satan he would ratifie in Heaven their Service on Earth.
The 4th Remark is; Then charged he his Diſciples to keep this Myſtery of his Incarnation (which they had now profeſſed) to themſelves till a due time ordered by himſelf; for had his Enemies known that Jeſus was the promiſed Meſſiah, or Christ, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. The Diſciples might Preach that Christ, the Son of David, was come to ſave the World (for therefore were they ſent forth by two and two, Mat. 10, &c.) but they muſt not particularly point him out as the Son of the Living God, which when Pilate himſelf heard, he was afraid, and ſought to deliver him, John 19.6, 7. nor indeed were the Diſciples fully qualified to publiſh his Divine Nature, till the Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt were given them after his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, &c. as Mat. 17.9. ſays. Where Chriſt lays the like Reſtraint upon the Diſciples touching their Divulging his Transfiguration, till the Son of Man was riſen from the Dead.
The 5th Remark is; Then Chriſt communicateth to them the Myſtery of Redemption in Preaching that predicting Sermon of his own approaching Death, Mat. 16.21. Mark 8.31. and Luke 9.22. Chriſt repeated this very Sermon four times to his Diſciples after they underſtood the Myſtery of Incarnation in his Perſon and Office; the firſt was here nigh Caeſarea Philippi; the ſecond was when he returned into Galilee, Mat. 17. v. 22, 23. the third time was in his way to Jeruſalem nigh Jericho, Mat. 20.18, 19. the laſt was when his laſt Paſſover was at hand, and the end of his Miniſtry and Life, Mat. 26.1, 2. All this he ſpake to prevent their ſtumbling at his Sufferings, telling them, (1.) That [it must be] Voluntas Dei was Neceſſitas Rei, it being ſuppoſed that God had Decreed this way (and no other) to glorifie himſelf in Man's Salvation by the Death of his dear Son. Hence thoſe ſayings [It must be ſo, that the Scriptures ſhall be fulfilled] Mat. 26.54. Luke 24.44.46, &c. (2.) That his ſad Sufferings ſhould have a glad Cataſtrophe, for he ſhould riſe again the third day; wherein he qualifies the Scandal of the Croſs with the comfort of his Reſurrection: They ſhould loſe him but for two days, the third ſhould revive both him and them, as Hoſ. 6.2. Hereby Chriſt made known his own Omniſciency, and calls them off from expecting a Temporal Kingdom by him: Teaching us alſo to look beyond the Croſs at the Crown, and Victory over all evils.
The 6th Remark is; At the ſame time Peter falls from the Holineſs of Faith into the Sawcineſs of Preſumption; for after he had made ſuch a notable Profeſſion of his Faith, as Chriſt thereupon promiſed him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and him only of all the Apostles in this ſenſe, that he ſhould be the Man who muſt firſt unlock the Door of Faith in Preaching the Goſpel the firſt to the Gentiles (which was accompliſhed in Asts 10. Where, as Jonah at Joppa, ſo Bar-jonah there, were both ſent to the Gentiles, &c.) Though his power of binding and looſing was given in common (with him) to all the Diſciples, Mat. 18.18. &c. yet when this Man heard of Chriſt's dying, whom he expected to ſee ſhortly Reigning, his Carnal Wiſdom prompts him raſhly to prohibit his Lords Journey to Jeruſalem, to prevent all thoſe miſchiefs He had mentioned, whereupon He takes hold of Chriſt's Garment behind (as He was going before) pulls him back, and forbids him to go on to expoſe himſelf unto ſuch dangers, or (as foreign, ſignifies) Peter took his Maſter by the Hand, and led him aſide (as we do thoſe we are moſt intimate with) in great courteſie and ſecrecy, to remind him of his forgetting himſelf, in no more conſulting his own ſafety, and the ſafety of his Servants, &c. N. B. Notewell; Thus Honeſt Peter out of a good intention doubtleſs Indeavours to hinder both the World's and his own Redemption, and the Ʋnchangeable Decree of God, which ſhews us, (1.) That good Intentions (not conſonant with Gods Word) may be hurtful. (2.) That carnal Reaſon cannot hear of the Croſs. (3.) When the beſt Saints conſult with reaſon about ſuffering, they will be offended, as good Peter was, whoſe groſs miſtake did here exceedingly darken that Eminent Honour lately put upon him.
The 7th Remark is, Chriſt ſharply Reproves this his ſaucy Rebuker, ſaying [Get thee behind me Satan, &c.] almoſt the ſame words to the Devil himſelf, Mat. 4.10. who can creep into the Godly as well as the Wicked to ſerve his own turn; Here this good man acted the Devil's part more than a Diſciple's, whoſe place is to keep behind as a Learner, not to go before as a Teacher, [Thou art an offence to me, &c.] Chriſt eaſily deſcried a Devil in him, who can uſe ſin (in friends or foes) to his own ends. This is Recorded as Peter's moſt grievous ſin in hindring the Work of Redemption, as likewiſe that of his fighting with his Sword in the Garden againſt the Chriſt-killers, beſide his denying his Lord with Swearing and Curſing, &c. foreſeeing how the Roman Church would after Canonize Peter as a God, and make him Collateral to Chriſt, tho' his faults were more than the other Apoſtles, to ſay nothing of that in John 13.8. Thou ſhalt never waſh my feet—Paul's withſtanding him, &c. Gal. 2.11, 14, &c.