Works, Sermon · Verse 4
Verſ. 37 Yee know the word which came through all Judea, beginning in Galilee, after the Baptiſm which John Preached.
THE holy Apoſtle here beginneth the confirmation of that which hee had formerly ſpoken; that Chriſt is the Meſſias and Lord of all; to prove which, hee beginneth orderly with the Hiſtory of his life and death, of which even theſe Gentiles could not bee ignorant, therefore hee ſaith, yee know the word.
Where if it be asked, how they ſhould come to know the doctrin of the Goſpel, ſeeing the Apoſtles were not yet turned to the Gentiles, and Peter was now ſent extraordinarily to teach them concerning Chriſt, which had been in vain if they knew the word before: we muſt obſerve, Not foreign, but foreign.that by the word here, is not meant the word preached, as in the former verſe, but as the word is different in the original, ſo alſo is the ſignification; and betokeneth rather a thing done, than a word uttered; as Matth. 18.16. foreign.By the mouth of two or three witneſſes ſhall every word or fact be confirmed. Luke 2.15. Let us goo to Bethlem and ſee this word, that is, this thing which the Lord hath brought to paſſe. The plain ſence then is this, Yee know the word, that is, the ſame of Chriſt which was quickly diſperſed through all Judea in the mouthes of common men.
Which fame, that they ſhould not miſtake him or themſelves, he deſcribeth, 1 By the place, where it aroſe, beginning in Galilee. 2 By the time, when it moſt prevailed, after the Baptiſm which John preached, which ſome expound thus, After the Baptiſm of Chriſt by John, which he preached, that is, adminiſtred: but the natural ſence is, after the doctrin which John preached concerning him: for uſually in the New Teſtament, by Johns Baptiſm (eſpecially which John preached) is meant all his doctrin, and his whole Miniſtery, Matth. 21.25. The baptiſm of John whence was it? that is, the doctrin, as the words after imply; Why did yee not beleeve him? and all men held John for a Prophet, Mark 1.4. He preached the baptiſm of repentance unto remiſſion of ſins, that is, the doctrin of repentance: for 1 Elſe it were improperly ſaid to preach baptiſm. 2 Johns doctrin was this, Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, Acts 18.25. Apollos knew only the baptiſm of John, that is, his doctrin: and therefore is it ſaid in the next verſe, that Priſcilla and Aquila took him home, and ſhewed him the way of God more clearly. And in Acts 19.3, 4. Into what were yee baptiſed? that is, into what doctrin were yee initiated and inſtructed: they ſaid, into Johns baptiſm; that is, into Johns doctrin: the which interpretation notably freeth that hard text from the falſe collection of Anabaptiſts, who thence would gather, that thoſe were by Paul rebaptiſed, who were formerly baptized by John: but the difficulty will be removed, if the words of Paul be wiſely diſtinguiſhed from the words of the Evangeliſt, and Writer of that Hiſtory: John baptiſed (ſaith Paul) the baptiſm of repentance: that is, taught the doctrin of repentance, ſaying, that they ſhould beleeve: which when they heard, namely, they which heard by Johns Miniſtery, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jeſus, namely, by John, not by Paul. Then addeth the Evangeliſt …erſ. 6. And Paul put his hands on them, and the Holy Ghoſt came on them, and furniſhed them with ſuch gifts, as they by their own confeſſion, ver. 2. had not heard of before. And thus according to the plain ſence of other Scriptures, is that difficult place made very plain alſo.
Queſt. But why is the miniſtery and preaching of John called his baptiſm?The miniſtery of John called his Baptiſm. Why.
Anſ. Becauſe his doctrin was firſt of all ſealed with the ſeal of Baptiſm, in which regard, as his perſon is called the Baptiſt, ſo is his doctrin by the name of baptiſm.
Queſt. But why is this circumſtance of place noted, that this fame began in Galilee?
Anſ. 1 To note the accompliſhment of that Prophecy in Iſa. 9.1. which alſo was obſerved by the Evangeliſt, Matthew 4.14. 2 To ſhew that this fame was no bare, or ungrounded rumour, but raiſed upon juſt cauſe: for Jeſus was baptized by John not farre from the borders of Galilee about Enou, Joh. 3.23. And preſently after he returned by vertue of the Spirit, and came into Galilee preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom, Mark 1.14. and made no end till he had taught all their Cities in all their Synagogues, Luke 4.14. adde to his Baptiſm and Doctrin, that he wrought his firſt Miracle of turning Water into Wine at Cana a Town of Galilee; and that he called his Diſciples in Galilee; all which beginnings muſt needs raiſe a rumour and fame of him, which, as Luke reporteth, went through all the adjacent region round about. 3 This circumſtance notably befitteth this argument, to prove him Lord of all, both Jews and Gentiles, becauſe he begun and was ſo famous in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Queſt. But was not Chriſt ſent to the laſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael? Did hee not come to his own? how then did hee begin his miniſtery in Galilee of the Gentiles?
Anſ. Galilee of the Gentiles is ſo called, not becauſe it was not in Judea, but 1 To diſtinguiſh it from another Galilee, which was alſo in Judea, and called Galilea inferior, in the tribe of Zabulon, where Nazaret was ſituate: But this was called Galilea ſuperior, or Gentium, in the tribe of Nephtali, not farre from Capernaum. 2 Becauſe there were twenty Cities in Galilee given by Salomon to Hyram a Gentile, 1 King. 9.11. 3 Becauſe being in the extremity of Paleſtina, near the Sea, and not farre from Tyrus and Sidon, they were ever mixt with many Gentiles that were foreiners; beſides that, they were ſo ſeated within that Country in Salomons time, as they could never after bee removed. G…lilaea ge…tium vel populorum.4 M. Junius thinketh it to be ſo called, not only becauſe of the abundance of Gentiles there; but alſo becauſe it was a moſt populous Country, full of inhabitants above the reſt of Paleſtina.
Queſt. But why ſhould Chriſt begin his Miniſtery here, rather than at Jeruſalem, was it for any ſingular diſpoſition or good which hee found in them above other?
I anſwer: No, for they were in regard of the Gentiles, who were mingled among them, Why Chriſt begun his Miniſtery in Galilee.of all other moſt ignorant, moſt ſuperſtitious, moſt rude and indocible: for ſo they are noted, Matth. 4.15. A people ſitting in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death, ſaw a great light. But hereby the Lord Jeſus ſhewed himſelf.
Reaſons. 1 A moſt merciful Saviour, ready to releeve thoſe who of all other were moſt miſerable; yea in that he vouchſafed to make the firſt offer of his grace even to the worſt, who leaſt of all deſerved it.
2 Hence he manifeſted himſelf a true Prophet, who would rather hide himſelf in the furtheſt and moſt remote parts of the Country, amongſt a barbarous and rude people, than ambitiouſly affect the principal City, to get himſelf a name or applauſe in; as falſe Prophets uſe to doe.
Permixtum à Judaeis & Gentibus inhabitata fuit. Chem Har 35 c.3 Not obſcurely hence would he be noted the Lord of all, both Jews and Gentiles, in that he beginneth his Miniſtry in this Country, whoſe inhabitants were mixed of Jews and Gentiles.
Object. But this ſeemeth to croſſe ſundry places of the Scripture, which affirm …hat the preaching of Chriſt muſt begin at Jeruſalem, not in Galilee, Luk. 24.47. And that repentance and remiſſion of ſins, ſhould be preached among all Nations, beginning at Jeruſalem.
Anſ. 1. That place is meant of the preaching of Chriſts Apoſtles, and not of his own, as this is. 2 That of their preaching of him after his Death and Reſurrection; this of his own in his life time. 3 That was a Miniſterial publiſhing of Chriſt; this place ſpeaketh only of a voyce, fame, and good report in the mouthes of the common people, ſuch as followed extraordinary Prophets: and therefore ſuch places cannot croſſe this.
Now for the other circumſtance of time, when this fame went of Chriſt, namely, after the Baptiſm which John preached, it is not without weighty cauſe added by the Apoſtle.
1 To note the truth and accompliſhment of thoſe Prophecies which concerned John himſelf: as Mal. 3.1. Behold I ſend my meſſenger, and he ſhall prepare the way before me, which prophecy Chriſt himſelf applyeth to John, Mat. 11.10. that by this conſideration they might be one ſtep nearer the acknowledging of the true Meſſiah, ſeeing that his Harbinger Elijah was come already.
2 To note that Chriſt appeared in his due ſeaſon, not before John had preached the Baptiſme of Repentance, and amendment of life, and ſo had prepared the way to Chriſt: neither before the people were fitted to receive him; for John had ſpoken many things concerning him, had pointed at him as the onelyonly Lamb of God, that taketh away the ſins of the world: had affirmed that he ſaw the Holy Ghoſt deſcending upon him, and ſitting on his head like a dove: had profeſſed him far worthier than himſelf: had promiſed that he ſhould baptize them with the Holy Ghoſt and fire. Now … …he people deſirous to ſee him of whom they had heard ſo much: and … …erefore was the due time of Chriſts comming after the baptiſm which John preached.
Whence wee may ſhortly note, how the Lord findeth us when hee firſt ſetteth his love upon us, as far from meriting his love, as theſe Galilaeans who were a moſt wretched people: ſo as hee reſpecteth only his own grace in his reſpecting of us: which conſideration hee would often faſten upon his own ancient people the Jews; profeſſing to their face, that hee made no covenant with them for any worthineſs hee ſaw in them above other, for they were the worſt of all people, Deut. 9.4. and much leſſe can hee finde any worthineſs to entitle a man to the heavenly Canaan: the freedome of this grace doth therefore ſhine out more clearly; and deſerveth that wee ſhould with much thankfulneſs, both acknowledge it, and alſo walk worthy of it.
Secondly, Hence is to be noted, That then men ſeaſonably hear of Chriſt, when they are prepared by John in the doctrin of repentance: when the Law hath killed, caſt us down, and made us guilty of the ſentence of death; then the Goſpel doth ſeaſonably propound the grace and mercy of God in Chriſt. Hence for pacifying the troubled conſcience, it is called the Goſpel of peace, Eph. 6.15. for chearing up the heavy heart, it is called a good word, Heb. 6.5. and for healing and bringing the ſick ſoul to health and ſoundneſs, it is called a ſound word, Tit. 2.8. and therefore Miniſters in deſpenſing the promiſes, muſt ſee that men bee fitted for them; b…cauſe if the ground bee not plowed up, all the ſeed is caſt and loſt among thornes: and hearers muſt be as wary of falſe Application; leſt in time they as heavily loſe, as they have haſtily ſnatched, ſuch things as never belonged unto them.