heart; the gaiety of the king vanished; he was confounded and vexed. But being unwilling to appear either rash, or fickle, or false, before a company of the first persons of his kingdom for rank and character, he commanded her request to be given her; not one of the guests-being so friendly as to speak the least word to divert him from his mad purpose, though he gave them an opportunity to do it, by signifying to them that he performed his oath out of regard to the company. Perhaps they dreaded Herodias's resentment. 26. And the king was exceeding sorry, yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. (Matth. he commanded it to be given her.) Thus, out of a misplaced regard to his oath and his guests, king Herod committed a most unjust and cruel action, which will ever reflect the greatest dishonour upon his memory. Matt. xiv. 10. And he sent (Mark, an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought, and he went) and beheaded John in the prison. 11. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel. The head of the prophet whose rebukes had awed the king in his loosest moments, and whose exhortations had often excited him to virtuous actions, was immediately brought pale and bloody in a charger, and given to the daughter of Herodias, in presence of the guests, and she brought it to her mother. The young lady gladly received the bloody present, and carried it to her mother, who enjoyed the whole pleasure of revenge, and feasted her eyes with the sight of her enemy's head, now rendered silent and harmless. But the Baptist's voice became the louder for his being murdered, filling the earth, reaching up to heaven, and publishing the woman's adultery to all ages, and to all people. Mark vi. 29. And when his disciples keard of it, they came and tok up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb: for it was thrown over the ▸ prison-walls without burial, probably by order of Herodias.

The history of this birth-day, transmitted to posterity in the Scriptures, stands a perpetual beacon to warn the great, the gay, and the young, to beware of dissolute mirth. Admonished by so fatal an example, they ought to maintain, even in the midst of their jollity, an habitual recollection of spirit, lest reason, at any time enervated by the pleasures of sense, should slacken the rein of wisdom, or let it drop, though but for a moment; because VOL. II. their

N

In presence of the guests.] This circumstance proves that the prison in which they confined the Baptist was at hand in Tiberias, where Herod kept his court, and not in Macherus Castl, as Josephus affirms; for Macharus stood upon the frontier of Perea towards Arabia, at the distance of two days journey from the captital.

Ver. 11. And she brought it to her mother.] It secins Salome was of age, as may be gathered likewise from the other circumstances of the history, particularly the pleasure that her dancing gave to the company, the solem nity with which the king swore to her, and the regard which, contrary to his inclination, he shewed to his oath.

their headstrong passions, ever impatient of the curb, may catch the opportunity, and rush with them into follies, whose consequences will be unspeakably, it may be also perpetually bitter.

§ LX. After the Baptist's death, the apostles return to Capernaum, where they find Jesus. He leaves Capernaum, and sails with them over the lake to the desert of Bethsaida. Here the people are fed by miracle the first time. See § 67. Matth. xiv. 12, -21. Mark vi. 29,-44. Luke ix. 10,-17. John vi. 1,

-13.

MATTHEW informs us, that the disciples of John, after burying their master, came and told Jesus what had happened, and that he, upon hearing the news, departed by ship to a desert place apart. Matth. xiv. 12. And his disciples came (Mark, And when his disciples heard of it, they came) and took up the body and buried it, (Mark, laid it in a tomb) and went and told Jesus. 13. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart. Mark says, vi. 30. And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while; for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. About the time that the apostles returned from their mission, and gave their Master an account of the miracles which they had performed, and of the sermons which they had preached, the Baptist's disciples arrived with the news of their Master's death. Wherefore, as Matthew hath introduced his history of our Lord's retiring into the desert of Bethsaida with an account of these things, he has assigned them as the reason for our Lord's retreat. It seems the apostles were thrown into great consternation, by the news which the Baptist's disciples brought of his death. Perhaps the account had reached them before, and had hastened their return to their Master. Mark assigns a second cause of our Lord's retreat on this occasion, namely, the continual hurry the apostles were kept in by the multitude, which thronged about Jesus to such a degree, that they had not leisure to eat their meals. The truth is, our Lord's retiring with his apostles on this occasion into a desert place, was well calculated to allay that perturbation which the idea of Herod's cruelty and injustice must have raised in their breasts, whether they had heard of it before, or whether they received the news of it only upon their return. Farther, as the fame of our Lord's miracles had brought vast crowds to Capernaum, the voyage to the desert served likewise to refresh the apostles after the fatigue of their journey, and to free them from the importunity of the multitude, who solicited cures for themselves and for their relations. Perhaps likewise

by

by this retreat our Lord proposed to shun Herod, who desired to see him, and might be contriving some method of obtaining an interview with him; for Jesus had perfect knowledge, not only of the conversation which passed at the court of Galilee, but of Herod's thoughts also. John vi. 1. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. Luke tells us, that he went with his disciples into a desert belonging to Bethsaida. ix. 10. And he took them and went privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida *.* Jesus chose this

Luke 10. The city called Bethsaida.] Bethsaida was only a village till Philip the tetrarch of Iturea adorned it with new buildings, drew a wall round it, (Ant. xviii. 3.) and called it Julias, in honour of Julia the daughter of Augustus, Bell. ii. 13. This city therefore being under Philip's jurisdiction, must have stood somewhere to the east of Jordan. Josephus has marked its situation distinctly, (Bell. iii. 18.) where he tells us, that the river Jordan falls into the lake of Gennesar, μετά την πολιν Ιλιάδα, behind the city Julias. All the circumstances mentioned in the gospels, which have any relation to Bethsaida, quadrate exactly with this situation of it. Josephus indeed (Bell. ii. 8.) mentions another city called Julia, in Perea, which was rebuilt by Herod, and whose ancient name was Betharamptha, Ant. xviii. 3. But he commonly names it Julia of Perea, to distinguish it from the former. Most geographers have placed Bethsaida near Tiberias, on the western shore of the lake, founding their opinion upon John vi. 23. There came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, as if Tiberias had been near the desert of Bethsaida, and consequently near Bethsaida itself. But the original, rightly pointed, imports only, that boats from Tiberias came into some creek or harbour, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread. The quarter from whence the storm blew, which brought them into that creek, is not inconsistent with this interpretation, because the storm may have been variable; or the boats may have come from Tiberias after the storm was laid; or Thoingia ex Tibigiados may signify boats of, or belonging to Tiberias, not boats from Tiberias. Reland is of opinion that there were two Bethsaidas, one subject to Herod, on the western shore in Galilee; another in Perea, belonging to Philip. And it must be acknowledged, that Bethsaida is called a town of Galilee, John xii. 21. Whereas the city of this name which Philip rebuilt, was in Gaulanitis, a division of the country different from the former, Bell. iii. 2. But to this it may be answered, that Bethsaida being situated hard by the Jordan, which, according to Josephus, divided Galilee from Gaulanitis, it might be called a town of either country. Perhaps it belonged sometimes to the one, and sometimes to the other. Farther, although, when Josephus wrote, Galilee did not extend beyond Jordan, the boundary of Herod's dominions, which that historian is describing in the passage quoted, the scriptures give the name of Galilee to the whole region lying north of the sea, (Mat. iv. 13, 14, 15.) and particularly to the tract which Josephus names Gaulanitis; for (Acts v. 37.) Gamaliel calls him Judas of Galilee, whom Josephus names Judas Gaulanitis. Nay, the latter calls him sometimes Judas of Galilee, for instance, Antiq. xx. 3. As for the argument drawn from Mark vi. 45. where it is said, that after the multitude was fed, Jesus ordered his disciples to sail, εις το περαν προς Βεθσαιδα, to the other side unto Betbsaida, it will not prove that the dinner was given in a desert on the eastern side of the lake, opposite to Bethsaida on the west. Luke says expressly, that the desert belonged to Bethsaida, consequently in all probability it made part of its adjacent

territory.

this desert as the place of his retirement, because Bethsaida, with its territory, was under Philip's jurisdiction. It is true he remaine ed there but a little while, perhaps two or three days only, for Herod's perplexity quickly wore off. And therefore, though about the time that our Lord retired, he might be contriving means to get a sight of him, yet as he soon returned to his former state of mind, he troubled himself no farther with the matter. Or if he still desired to see Jesus, he may have left the country to go to the approaching passover, John vi. 4. (See Luke xxiii. 27.) When Jesus departed, the multitude went after him by land, and travelled with such eagerness, that they arrived at the place before him, and met him as he came ashore. Mark vi. 33. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, (avtor, ir) knew the place whither he was going, the disciples having informed them of it. Accordingly Matthew tells us, xiv. 19. When the people had heard thereof, they followed him. It seems the disciples loved to have the crowd always with them, for which purpose they failed not, as often as Jesus took any journey or voyage, to publish where he was going. The people who attended Jesus when he took ship, being thus informed by the apostles, that he was going to the desert of Bethsaida, published the news in all the towns through which they passed in their way

thither,

territory. Wherefore, as the town was situated hard by the Jordan, in sailing thither from the desert mountain, which may be supposed to have stood at the distance of five or six miles on the shore, the disciples might cross some creek or bay of the lake, so that Mark's expression is quite proper, εις το περαν προς Βεθσαιδα.

* Ver. 33. And maný knerv him.] Kai stiɣiacav Qutay Toλλ. Here Mark informs us, that the people knew whither he was going; for the relative AUTOV may be referred to away in the precedent verse. Hence the transla tion should run, many knew it, knew the place. Accordingly it follows, and ran thither a-font. in here, may signify by land, as Blackwell as shewed, (Sac. Class. v 2. vide Indicem) for it appears from Matt. xiv. 142 that there were many with our Lord in the desert, who cannot be supposed to have walked thither. And as for their travelling with such speed as to arrive at the place before Jesus, it may easily be accounted for, if in sailing he met with a contrary wind. Some think when he received the news of the Baptist's death, he was in Perea, whither he had gone after leaving Nazareth, Mark vi. 6. Wherefore, as this country lay at the bottom of the lake westward, in going from thence to the desert of Bethsaida, Jesus had to sail the whole length of the lake northwards. If so, the propie on the shore might easily run a-foot to the place before him. They might do the same, even upon the supposition that Jesus now sailed from Capernaum; because either a contrary wind, or a calm, would retard the motion of his vessel, so as to give the multitude time to arrive at the place before him. The truth is, John (vi. 1.) represents our Lord as sailing cross the lake on this occasion, a circumstance which agrees better with his loosing from Capernaum on the west than from the south coast. It is therefore probable, that after sending the disciples away, Jesus left the country of Nazareth and returned to Capernaum, where he waited their return from their mission, and that from Capernaum he sailed with them to the desert of Bethsaida.

thither. By this means, a much greater multitude was drawn together at his landing, than the one he had left at Capernaum; for vast numbers, upon hearing the news, ran à-foot out of these cities to the desert of Bethsaida. So Mark informs us, vi. 33. And ran a-foot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. John assigns the reason of the eagerness wherewith the people now followed Jesus, vi. 2. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. When Jesus came ashore, he taught the multitude with his usual goodness, and healed their sick. Matt. xiv. 14. And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude, (Mark, much people) and was moved with compassion to ward them, (Mark, because they were as sheep not having a shep herd). Luke ix. 11. And he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, (Mark, he began to teach them many things) spake concerning the gospel dispensation, and he healed them that had need of healing. In these charitable offices he spent several days. This may be collected from the disciples desiring Jesus to send the people away, because they had no victuals. See on Matthew, ver. 15. On the last day of the people's attendance, (John vi. 3. And) Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh: this circumstance, together with the observation which John makes, ver. 10. that there was much grass in the place, determines the time of this miracle with sufficient precision. See on John, ver. 10. Matt. xiv. 15. And when it was evening, i. e. three o'clock in the afternoon, (Mark, When the day was now far spent, Luke, When the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him) his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now passed; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages (Mark, into the country round about, and into the villages) and buy them.selves victuals, (Mark, and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat). The people. had now no meat remaining. Wherefore, as it was the custom in those countries to have two or three days provision with them when they travelled, (see the first note on 682.) we may reasonably presume, that the multitude had been with Jesus several days, before the disciples had any thoughts of dismissing them. Matt. xiv. 16. But Jesus said

*

unto

* Ver. 15. Evening.] That the first evening, which began at three is here meant, is plain from ver. 23. of this chapter, where another evening is said to have come after the people were fed and dismissed, namely, the second evening, which began at sun-setting. See on Matth. xxviii. 1,

149.

Ibid. The time is now passed.] nga denotes the season of doing any thing. Here it signifies the season of the peoples attending on Christ, which was now passed, because they had continued with him till their provision was consumed.