Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verse 1. Pontius Pilate being governour]
TAcitus calleth him Procurator only of Judea. But Saint Luke foreignhere makes little difference betwixt his office and the Imperiall honour of his Master Tiberius: for he useth the same word to expresse both. The Earle of Flanders counts it a great prerogative, that he writes himself Comes Dei gratiâ. Others only Dei clementiâ. The Duke of Millain, that he is the prime Duke of Europe. The Deputy of Ireland, that there commeth no Vicegerent in Europe more neer the Majesty and prerogative of a King then he, &c.
Verse 2. Annas and Caiaphas being high Priests]
By turnes, Joh. 11. 44. Act. 4. 6. contrary to the old order. Throughout the whole Turkish Territories, there is but one Mufta or HighPriest, and he is the supream Judge and rectifier of all actions, as well Civil as Ecclesiastical.
Verse 3. Preaching the Baptisme of Repentance]
Johns note was still, Repentance. Christ comes not, where this Herald hath not been before him. Yet now it is come to that passe, that many men scorn to hear a Sermon of Repentance. Its a sign, say some; that the Minister hath been idle that week, or that his stock is spent when he comes to preach of such a common theame as Repentance. If God be not mercifull, we shall quickly dispute away all our Repentance, as a famous preacher justly complaineth.
Verse 4. In the book of the words of Esaias]
Called a great foreign Barathrum.roule, Esay 8. 1. (because it treates of great things, Maxima in minimo) and said to be written with the Pen of a man, that is cleerly that the simplest of men may understand it, Deuteronomie 30. 11.
Verse 5. Every vally shall be filled]
Every hole, or hollow. Fainting of heart unfits the way for Christ, as well as the swelling hills of pride. Plain things will joyn in every point one with another; not so, rough and hollow things: so plain spirits close with Gods Truths; not so those that are swolne, and uneven.
Verse 6. All flesh shall see]
Viz. All that order their conversation aright, Psal. 50. 23. which is the life of thankfulnesse. ib.
Verse 7, 8, 9.]
See the Notes on Matthew 3. 7, 8, 9, 10.
Verse 10. What shall we doe?]
q. d. What are those fruits worthy of Repentance, that we in our places must bring forth?
Verse 11. He that hath two coates]
Thus Tyrus evidenced her repentance, Isa. 23. 18. by feeding and cloathing Gods Saints with her merchandize. Thus Zacheus, Dorcas, &c. This is all the lesson that for the present he sets them, being but young scholars in the schoole of Christ.
Verse 13. Exact no more]
Make no more of your places, thenforeign ye may with a good conscience. Shun that mystery of iniquity that is crept into most callings. A great part of the Turks Civil JusticeSands his Travels. at this day is grounded upon Christs words, Thou shalt not do what thou wouldst not have done to thee.
Verse 14. Do violence to no man]
Shake no man by the shoulders,foreign tosse no man to and fro, to put him into a fright, smite no man with the fist of wickednesse. Tamerlaine took such order with his Souldiers that none were injuried by them: If any souldier of his had but taken an apple or the like from any man, he died for it. One of his souldiers having taken a little milk from a country woman, and she thereof complaining, he caused the said souldier to be presently killed, and his stomack to be ript, where the milkTurk. hist f. 213 that he had of late drunk being found, he contented the woman and so sent her away: who had otherwise undoubtedly dyed for her false accusation, had it not so appeared.
Neither accuse any falsely]
Get nothing by sycophancie. Oppresseforeign no man either by force or fraud, and forged cavilation, as it is rendred, Luke 19. 8.
Verse 15. Whether he were the Christ]
Yet John did no miracle, but he was a burning and a shining light, he thundered in his doctrine, and lightened in his life. Hence was he so much admired.
Verse 16. The latchet of whose shooes, &c.]
By this expression the Baptist acknowledgeth Christs Godhead, as did also Mary by washing his feet. But what doth the Pope that holds forth his feet to be kissed? Is not this he that sits as God in the Temple of God? Is not this Dominus Deus noster Papa? Learned he not this abominable insolency of Dioclesian that bloudy Persecutor? who as he was the first Roman Emperour that would be worshippedEatrop. as God, so he was the first that wore shooes embellished with precious stones, and held forth his feet to be kissed of his prostrate suitors.
Verse 17. Whose fanne]
Viz. The preaching of the Gospel.
Verse 19. For Herodias his brother Philips wife]
Whom it was not lawfull for Herod to have, though Philip were dead, as Josephus saith he was. This was the case so much controvertedJoseph. Antiq. lib. …. cap. 7. here and beyond Seas in Henry the eighths time, touching his marriage with his brother Arthurs widow, by Papall dispensation. The King had first a scruple cast into his mind about it by the Bishop of Baion the French Embassadour, who came to him to consult of a Marriage between the Lady Mary, and the Duke of Orleans, whether Mary were legitimate, &c. This gave occasion to the casting the Popes authority out of England. Mary was forced, for fear of death, to renounce the Bishop of Rome, and to acknowledgeCamdens Elisab. Introd. her Mothers marriage to have bin incestuous and unjust, &c. Though afterwards, she set up the Pope here again: and it was her policy, so to get, and keep the Crown upon … head.
And for all the evills, which Herod, &c.]
John reproved him with the same liberty that Herod committed them. So did John Chrysostome, …. Hist. …. Cent. 5. …. 1. cap. 6.the great ones of his time. Ità quidem ut etiam Ducum, Eutropii & Gainae, imò ipsius Imperatoris errata reprehenderet: He spared not Dukes, Princes, nay not the Emperour himself.
Verse 20. Added yet this]
There is no stint in sin: but as one wedge makes way for another: so here. As after Jonathan and … Armour-bearer, came the whole host: So.
Verse 21. And praying, the heaven was opened]
Prayer is the key of Gods Kingdom: And must be used, as at other times, so especially when we or ours receive the Sacraments: though the most, if urged hereto, must say, if they say truely as 1 Sam. 17. 39. I cannot go with these accoutrements: for I am not accustomed to them.
Verse 23. Being (as was supposed)]
But falsly: for Joseph was no more then his Pater politicus, as Postellus calleth him his foster-father, reputed father.
Which was the sonne of Heli]
That is, his son in law. For Heli was Maries naturall father: and it is Maries genealogy that is hereSo Ruth 1. 11, 12, 13. described: but put upon Joseph, because the Hebrewes reckon not their genealogies by women, but by men only.
Verse 27. Which was the sonne of Neri]
Salathiel was naturally the son of Neri, but legally, and by succession the son of Jechoniah, Matt. 4. 12. for he succeeded him in the Kingdom. Neri which signifieth My candle, seemeth to have bin so named from the candle which the Lord reserved for David and his house, 2 Chron. 21. 7.
Verse 30. Which was the son of Simeon]
Our Saviours genealogy is here the more accurately described, because there were that would have substituted and put false Christs upon the Church Ezek. 2. 62. The Preists that could not produce their genealogies were outed.
Verse 36. Which was the son of Cainan]
This name crept byBez. in loc. Pareus in Gen. 11 some meanes, into the Greek copies after Jeromies time, saith Beza and …. Others say, that Saint Luke herein followed the Septuagints translation, out of wisdom and charity to the HellenistsAlsted. Chron. or Greek-Jewes, that had received it, and read it. 2. ThatM. Lightfoots …. p. 312. writing for heathens, he followed the heathens Bible in his quotations. 3. That in his genealogies he was to be a Coppier, not a Corector.
Verse 38. Which was the son of God]
Not by generation, but creation. Therefore the Syriack translatour hath it Demen Elaba, A Deo, Of God, not Bar Elaha, the son of God.