3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall

is somewhat obscure. Perhaps it is this: "While you must be charitable in judging others, yet you may use common reason to discover who are unworthy to receive your close fellowship, on whom, as on dogs and swine, your pearls would be wasted and only invitations to persecution." Perhaps special reference is had to the Pharisees.- -12. Therefore. This particle shows that there is a connection with what precedes. It is this:

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat :

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

"As your Heavenly Father gives for the asking, and as you would desire your fellows to give in the same way (where it is proper), so do you cherish this kindly spirit, and bestow of your sympathy and help on others."- -13. At the strait gate. Rather, "through the strait gate." Thereat. Rather "through it."-21. Kingdom of heaven. This phrase, whose primary use we have remarked upon at chap. iii. 2, has here its more circum

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many won derful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock :

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

scribed meaning of the church triumphant. -22. Judas, for example, had done all these things.- -24. A rock. Rather "the rock." So in the next verse.

-25. Floods. Rather "rivers," referring to an overflow. So in verse 27. -29. The scribes explained the law to the people in accordance with the traditionary glosses of the Hebrew doctors. The sermon on the mount may be thus epitomised to show its connections: Blessed are God's people, spiritual lights to the world, who keep God's law in the spirit as well as letter, whose religious duties are therefore performed as before God and not men, who, being heavenlyminded, abandon all worldly anxieties

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

W

CHAPTER VIII.

HEN he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

and exercise all kindly, charitable feelings towards their fellow-men (while they reserve their highest human communion for their godly brethren), thus choosing the unfashionable path of a sincere religion without hypocrisy.

VIII-1. The mountain. See note on chap. v. 1.-4. See thou tell no man. From the additional statement in Mark i. 45 we may gather that this command (which was disobeyed, probably through a mistaken exhibition of gratitude) was made to prevent a popular tumult in the cities. Such tumults did occur during our Saviour's course, as, for example, when they sought to make him a king (John vi.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6. And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

15). The gift that Moses commanded. See Levit. xiv. 2-32.-5. Capernaum was on the sea of Galilee. In all probability, according to Dr. Robinson's very clear proof, it stood at the north end of the plain of Gennesaret, west of the lake, near the modern Khan Minyeh, about six miles from the entrance of the Jordan. A centurion, in the Roman army, was the commander of a century or half maniple. The "legion" consisted of 4,200 soldiers, divided into 1,200 hastati, 1,200 principes, 600 triarii, and 1,200 velites. The hastati, principes, and triarii were divided each into ten "maniples." Hence a maniple of either of the former two was composed of 120 men, while a maniple of the triarii was composed of only 60 men. As each maniple had two "centuries," the centurion was a commander of either 60 or 30 men. The same would imply that he commanded a hundred men, but the name had reference to an earlier division, or it is probable that the exact army-division was not always maintained. (Compare Acts xiii. 23.) Came unto him. What we do by another, we do ourselves. From Luke vii. 3 we

.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

That

11 And I say unto you, many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. 14

And when Jesus was come

see that the centurion did not come in person, but sent Jewish friends to Christ.- -9. Under authority. Knowing how servants ought to obey. Having soldiers under me. Knowing how masters can command. The analogy is between master and servants on one hand, and Christ and diseases on the other.—11 Kingdom of heaven. See note on chap. vii. 21. Sit down. Literally "recline" at table, after the custom of the ancients.- -12. The children of the kingdom. i. e., members of God's visible church. In chap. xiii. 38 the same phrase is used for the members of God's true and invisible church. Outer darkness. The darkness outside of the palace feasting-hall, contrasted with the brilliancy of the assembly-room within. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew uses this phrase six times, and Luke once, as spoken by our Lord. The gnashing of teeth as a sign of rage is mentioned several times in the Psalms and once in Job. Indeed, the use of the phrase in Matthew xxiv. 51, where hypocrites are referred to in the context, seems to have special reference to

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her and she arose, and ministered unto them.

16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick :

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

23¶ And when he was enter

Psalm xxxv. 16. The double phrase of the text, I doubt not, is an allusion to Psalm cxii. 10. Grief and rage at their exclusion is thus vividly denoted.

-18. The other side of the sea of Galilee, that is, the eastern shore, the country of the Gergesenes or Gadarenes. (Compare ver. 28.)-20. Holes, i. e., dens.- -22. Let the dead bury their dead. That is, there are enough spirit

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

ually dead, who do not desire to follow me, who can bury their (physically) dead relatives.-27. What manner of man. Rather, "what manner of being. "" -28. Gergesenes. Many would read "Gadarenes " here, as in Mark v. 1 and Luke viii. 26, 37. Gadara was a city of eminence, 6 miles southcast of the sea of Galilee. Its territory probably extended to the sea.

Origen states that Gergesa was an old city, perhaps in ruins, near the lake. Dr. Thomson ("The Land and the Book ") mentions its ruins as Gersa, within a few rods of the shore. Its territory was probably included in that of Gadara. Hence each name would be appropriate. -32. A steep place. Rather, "the steep place."- -34. The whole city, i. e., Gergesa.

IX.-1. A ship. Rather, "the ship" in which he had crossed to the Gadarene country. His own city, i. e., Capernaum, called his own because he spent most of his time there. Hence it was "exalted to heaven" (Luke x. 15 and chap. xi. 23).- -2. This miracle is much more fully described by the other evangelists (Mark ii. 1-12 and Luke v. 17-26).- 5. Whether, i. e., "which." The reasoning of our Lord here seems to be this: "You say that I am assuming

3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of

·

what does not belong to me when I absolve a man from sin, and you believe that an outward visible cure of the man's body would be impossible by me. It is easy, you assert, to say Thy sins be forgiven thee,' for there is no visible proof of the result, but it is a hard thing to say to the paralyzed, 'Walk,' for the visible non-fulfilment of the order would prove the imposture. I therefore meet you on your own ground, and heal the paralytic."- -9. Matthew, called by Mark" Levi, the son of Alpheus." Possibly, but not probably, he was brother to James and Jude the apostles, who wrote the epistles bearing their names. They were the sons of an Alpheus. This Matthew is the author of this gospel. Receipt of custom. Probably a tollhouse on the shore of the lake, where a fish-tax was paid.- -10. In the house, i. e., Matthew's house. (Compare Mark