they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

Kingdom of God, and embraces warnings against the leaven of the Pharisees (16: 1-12), the full disclosure of his own divinity (16: 13-20), accompanied by clearer prophecies of his death and resurrection (16:21-23), the manifestation of his glory in the transfiguration (17:1-8), and instructions respecting faith, humility, and forgiveness and kindness (ch. 17: 19 to ch. 18: 35). The account of the miracles of healing here referred to, as well as of the feeding of the four thousand, is fullest in Mark; see notes there (Mark 7: 31-37; 8: 1–9).

29. It is evident from the fact that after the feeding Christ took ship to come into the coasts of Magdala, which was on the western and populous side of the sea, that he came at first into the eastern coasts. Mark adds that he came through the coast of Decapolis, a district chiefly on the eastern shore. See note there. Went up into a hill country. Not a particular mountain, as might be supposed from our version, but up into the hill district east of the sea of Galilee; for the most part then, as now, wild and uninhabited. Sat down there. That is, stopped there. Sit is sometimes thus used in the N. T. as equivalent to dwell or abide, e. g. Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:79; Acts 14: 8.

God of Israel. The Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy under a statute (Deut. 13:1-5) which punished with death all attempts to divert the allegiance of the people from Jehovah to other gods, and subsequently condemned him to death on the ground that he had thus attempted to divert the allegiance of the people to himself. Observe the refutation of his charge here; their reverence for the God of Israel was increased, not lessened. It is still charged that the doctrine of the divinity of Christ leads to idolatry, the substitution of a hero worship for the worship of a Divine Spirit. In fact, Christianity has produced the highest and most intelligent and spiritual worship of the Infinite and Invisible God (compare John 5: 23).

32-39. This miracle of the feeding of the four thousand, not to be confounded with the feeding of the five thousand before described by Matthew, is more fully described by Mark 8:1-9. See notes there. It is not mentioned by the other two Evangelists. The only material variation in the two accounts is in the description of Christ's subsequent departure from the eastern shore. Matthew says he came into the coasts of Magdala, that is, its environs. Mark says

31. The maimed to be whole. Tischendorf omits this clause. Alford retains it. It does not imply that any missing members were restored. The word rendered maimed signifies literally bent or crooked, and nothing more is necessarily involved than a restoration of vitality to a before useless member, as from paralysis. The word applies particularly to the hands, as the word lame to the feet. In no recorded instance did our Lord create members which were missing. Even his miraculous powers Christ did not put forth, says Olshausen, without internal law or order. In this respect, it may be added, his miracles differ from the mere prodigies of the pseudo wonder-workers. Mark (7:31-37) gives an account of a particular miracle, the healing of one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech.

ther place is elsewhere mentioned in the N. T. Magdala or Magadar is undoubtedly identical with the modern El-Mejdel. It is situated on the western coast of the sea of Galilee. See map. It was probably the birth-place, and gave the cognomen to Mary Magdalene, that is, Mary of Magdala. Dalmanutha was either identical with it, being only another name for the same place, or a village in the immediate vicinity.

Ch. 16 1-4. DEMAND OF A SIGN.-OUR DUTY: TO STUDY THE SIGNS OF THE SPIRITUAL SEASONS.-THE ANSWER TO MODERN SKEPTICISM: THE SIGNS OF THE PRESENT TIMES.

Peculiar to Matthew and Mark 8:10-12; fuller here. An analogous demand had been previously made and compliance refused. For there is no reason for identifying this account with that given by Matthew, in chapter 12: 38-40.

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day, for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after

a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6 Then Jesus said unto them," Take heed, and beware of the leaven' of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The Jews believed that false gods could work signs on earth, but only the true God could give a sign from heaven. It is not at all strange that the Pharisees and Sadducees should repeat their demand for such a sign, nor that Christ should reply, as before, by referring them to his future resurrection, as typified by the miraculous rescue of Jonah. That this was the second demand of this sort is incidentally confirmed by the touching allusion, in Mark, to the effect which their resolute unbelief produced on the mind of Jesus: He sighed deeply in his spirit. Observe that in Christ, skepticism, even the most obdurate, awoke pity rather than indignation or a spirit of controversy. "He pities and bewails them, as incurably diseased."—(Chrysostom.)

2, 3. A figure analogous to that employed in these verses is to be found in Luke after the words, He answered and said unto them, are omitted in several of the best manuscripts, including the Vatican and the Sinaitic. Tischendorf omits them. This figure is not found, either, in Mark's account. But the internal evidence of genuineness is conclusive to my mind. I can easily imagine that an early copyist might, with Strauss, think the passage "totally unintelligible;" but I cannot as readily believe that any one should have had the genius to conceive and interpolate it.

Lowering. Gloomy, with an aspect analogous to that of one who lowers his brows in depression or anger. Ye can discern the face of the sky. The Jews were curious in observing the face of the heavens, and the temperature of the air, from which they believed they could discern the prospects of the season. Thus, from the direction which the smoke took on the last day of the feast of the Tabernacles, they undertook to foretell the quantity of the rain for the ensuing year. Signs of the times. The original word (zuig's) rendered times, signifies properly an appointed or set time. It is used in this sense in John the Baptist's preaching, "The time is fulfilled" (Mark 1: 15), and in this sense here, Christ's question is, Cannot ye discern the signs or tokens of the time appointed, by symbol and prophet in the O. T., for the coming of the Messiah? in the overthrow of the throne of Herod and the subjection of Israel to Rome, in the degradation, political and moral, of the realm, in the coming of John the Baptist in the spirit of

Elijah, and in the miracles wrought for the blessing of the people in fulfillment of such prophecies as that of Isaiah 61: 1-3.

The word miracle in the N. T. is generally a translation of the Greek word (outov) here rendered sign; for the miracle is always a sign or token of the divine presence and power. Observe then two practical lessons to ourselves in Christ's reply here. It is the duty of Christians to study the signs of God's seasons in church and state, and adapt their work accordingly. The answer to modern skepticism is not chiefly the miracles of the past, i. e. the signs of divine power in the first century, but the signs of divine presence and power in our own times. Christ never employs miracles to overthrow unbelief; in employing the argument from them for that purpose we do not use them as Christ used them. Compare note on Matt. 13:58.

Ch. 16:5-12. WARNING AGAINST THE LEAVEN OF FALSEHOOD.-THE DANGERS OF FALSE TEACHING AND PERNICIOUS INFLUENCE-THE DUTY OF WATCHFULNESS.-FORMAlism, RationaLISM, WORLDLINESS, ARE

SINS AKIN TO EACH OTHER.

Peculiar to Matthew and Mark 8: 13-21. The latter account is more graphic and minute. The same caution against the leaven of the Pharisees was repeated on another occasion. See Luke 12 : 1.

5. To the other side. From the western and populous side of the Sea of Galilee to the north-eastern shore. Immediately after this conversation they went, perhaps to get bread, to Bethsaida (Mark 8:22) which is situated at the entrance of the Jordan into the lake (see map). To take bread. Rather loaves. Mark with characteristic particularity adds that "neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf." The loaf was a thin cake or cracker, made of flower and water or milk, ordinarily mixed with leaven and left to rise, and baked in the oven. It was generally about a finger's breadth in thickness. Three were not too much for a meal for a single person (Luke 11:5), and one was considered barely sufficient to sustain life. It is one of these crackers or cakes that is intended by the phrase "morsel" in 1 Sam. 2:36, and "piece" in Jer. 37: 21. Two hundred were not a great supply for a company. See 1 Sam. 25:18; 2 Sam. 16:1.

6. Take heed and beware. A double in

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them," O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

11 How is it that ye do not understand, that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

junction. Be on the watch for secret errors and evil influences, and guard yourselves against them. Leaven. This answered to the yeast of modern times. It is in the Bible a symbol of a secret, subtle and pervasive influence; generally of an evil character. Compare 1 Cor. 5:6-8 and notes on Matt. 13: 33. Of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Mark omits of the Sadducees and substitutes of Herod. The Pharisees were the formalists of the first century, the Sadducees the rationalists, the Herodians the unprincipled and worldly politicians. The leaven against which Christ warns his disciples is that of formalism and pretence, of sneering unbelief, and of the craft and cunning of worldliness. Compare his characterization of Herod in Luke 13: 32.

7. They reasoned among themselves, etc. Great care was taken by the Pharisaic canons what leaven was to be used and what not; e. g. whether heathen leaven might be employed, is the subject of rabbinical discussions. The disciples thought that Christ reproved them for their carelessness in forgetting to provide bread, lest they corrupt themselves by using bread mixed with the Pharisees' leaven. The incident indicates the spiritual dullness of the disciples (compare Luke 29: 88), and refutes the idea of one school of modern rationalists, that many of the spiritual ideas of the Gospels originated with the Evangelists and were imputed by them to Christ. So far from originating any, they could not even understand his. Observe the indication that, in their ordinary travels, they provided themselves with food, the injunction of Matt. 10:9, 10 being purely temporary in its application; and also that in their travels our Lord depended on the disciples to provide the necessary food for their journey. (Compare John 4:8).

8. Which when Jesus knew. Perhaps from observation, perhaps by that immediate knowledge of the heart of which the N. T. affords so many illustrations (Mark 2: 8; Luke 5: 22; 6:8). O ye of little faith. Observe the implication as to the meaning of the word faith, as Christ uses it. Not here, Ye of small belief, limited creed, or even defective spirit of trust; but Ye of little spiritual perception. Compare for Scripture significance of faith 2 Cor. 4: 18 and Hebrews 11:1. To this report of Christ's rebuke, Mark makes an important addition. See

Mark 8: 17, 18. He also gives the questions below respecting the two miracles more fully than Matthew. See Mark 8:19-21. Observe the fact indicated in the account there, that the disciples remembered definitely the two miracles, and the exact number of baskets of fragments left, but did not learn their spiritual lessons. A striking illustration of "having eyes, yet seeing not."

9-10. Do ye not understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many traveling baskets (zóquros) ye took up? neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many grain baskets (oлvo̟iç) ye took up? Observe that Christ distinctly refers to two miracles of feeding; that he discriminates between them by his reference to the "five loaves of the five thousand" and the "seven loaves of the four thousand," and by referring to the different kinds of baskets used. This contrast corresponds exactly to the two accounts (compare notes on Mark 8:1-10 and John 6: 1-13), and to the recollection of the apostles who (Mark 8: 19-20) respond to Christ's question that in one case they gathered up twelve traveling baskets, in the other seven grain baskets. It is impossible in the face of this testimony to believe that the account of both miracles is derived from the same event, if we attach any credence to the Evangelist's narratives.

The two accompanying illustrations show the difference in kind between the baskets used on the two occasions. The Cophinus is taken from an engraved gem; the Sporta from the statue of a young fisherman in the Royal Neapolitan Museum. The Sporta was commonly used by the Romans as a provision basket; the Cophinus was used by the Jews as a kind of traveling basket. The scholars are not agreed as to which was the larger; perhaps there was no generic difference in size.

11. The best critics give, by a slight change in

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Phlippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whomy do men say that I, the Son of man, am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

reading and punctuation, a different rendering to this verse, which should read: "How is it that ye do not understand that I spake not to you concerning bread? But be ware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Christ does not explain; but he chides their dullness, then repeats his warning, and leaves them to study out its meaning for themselves, which they do.

12. But of the teaching of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Not merely the doctrine, that is, the things taught, but the teaching, which includes the spirit and method. Luke, in his account of Christ's use of the same symbol on another occasion (Luke 12: 1), gives Christ's own interpretation, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

In considering the practical significance of this teaching, observe that (1) Christ rebukes his disciples, not for a fragrant dereliction, but for a lack of spiritual perception; (2) he teaches in enigma, and requires them to study out its meaning for themselves; (3) their dullness to perceive the spiritual meaning of his teaching was akin to that of the Pharisees, for which he had just before rebuked them (verses 1-4), and both spring from the same source, lack of spiritual life and consequently spiritual perception; (4) false teaching and pernicious influences are ranked by our Lord together and compared to leaven, because subtle, unobserved, and pervasive; (5) the false doctrine of the Sadducees, the worldly spirit of the Herodians, and the religious formalism of the Pharisees are classed together; (6) the disciples are warned to be on the watch against evil teaching in the very quarters where the nation looked and had a right to look for its religious, philosophical, and political leaders.

Ch. 16 13-20. PETER'S CONFESSION OF CHRIST.THE FALSE AND THE TRUE CONCEPTION OF JESUS CONTRASTED: A PROPHET; THE MESSIAH.-THE SECRET OF ALL TRUE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE: THE TEACHING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD (1 Cor. 2: 10).-THE SECRET OF ALL STABILITY IN CHRISTIAN CHARACTER: FAITH IN A LIVING AND LIFE-GIVING CHRIST. THIS MAKES EVERY POSSESSOR A PETER.—THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: LIVING FAITH IN A LIVING SAVIOUR.-HOW TO MAKE THE CHURCH STRONG AGAINST

THE GATES OF HELL: A REVIVAL OF THIS LIVING FAITH BY RECEIVING THE SPIRIT OF GOD.-THE POWER OF THE CHRISTIAN IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD: POWER TO BIND AND LOOSE, i. e., TO WALK IN THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY.-NECESSITY OF CAUTION IN PREACHING THE TRUTH: PREACH ONLY WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE TRULY PREPARED TO HEAR (John 16: 12).

This significant and solemn colloquy is recorded by Mark (8: 27-30) and Luke (9 : 18-21), though less fully than here. Matthew alone gives the blessing of Christ pronounced on Peter in verses 18 and 19. John, who wrote his Gospel to make clear his Lord's divinity (John 20: 31), omits this incident altogether. The omission is an indication that he wrote with the other Gospels before him, and supplied only what they lacked. The time is correctly indicated in the course of the narrative here. It was after Christ had closed his public ministry in Galilee, and was seeking repose with his disciples for the purpose of imparting to them especial instruction in the principles of his kingdom.

13. When Jesus came into the region of Cæsarea of Philippi. There were two Cæsareas in Palestine; one on the coast, midway between Joppa and Mount Carmel, the other north of Galilee at the head waters of the Jordan, about four miles east of Dan, the northernmost town of the Holy Land proper (see map). It was termed Cæsarea in honor of Augustus Cæsar, the great patron of the Herodian family, to whom the great temple erected here by Herod was dedicated, and Philippi, i. e. of Philip, to distinguish it from the other Cæsarea and in honor of Herod Philip the tetrarch (Matt. 14: 1, and note), who made it the site of his villas and palaces. It is probably to be identified historically with the Baal-gad under Mount Hermon, which marked the northern boundary of Joshua's conquest (Joshua 11:17). Here, subsequently, was erected a sanctuary to the heathen god Pan, which gave to the town the new name of Paneas, which still lingers in the modern appellation Banias. This sanctuary of Pan was constructed in a cave in the rock (Stanley's Sinai and Palestine, p. 390); Greek inscriptions on the face of the rock, testifying to the former existence of this sanctuary, still remain. Above this sanctuary, and on the cliff itself, Herod built the white marble temple in honor of Augustus. It is conjectured, not unreasonably, that Christ's colloquy with his disciples took place within sight of this temple; that he referred indirectly to the temple thus founded on a rock, yet not to abide. From this same cliff burst forth, in rivulets, which just below unite in a single stream, the waters which constitute the higher source of the Jordan.

Asked his disciples. Apparently the twelve only. Whom do men. Luke says, the people. (Greek los), that is, the common people, the multitude, as distinguished from the Scribes and

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed

art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath nct revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter;

the Pharisaic leaders. That the Son of man is. This is the reading of the best manuscripts. The Son of man in the N. T. always signifies the Messiah. According to one interpretation, and one which the reading I have given seems to sustain, the question would be, what sort of a person do the public think the expected Messiah to be. But our English version evidently represents the spirit of the question more accurately: What estimate do the public put upon me, the Messiah? For (a) the question is thus reported by both Mark and Luke, where there is no doubt as to the reading, and (b) Christ's second question to his disciples, Whom say ye that I am? shows that he inquires not merely into the commonly received doctrine respecting the Messiah, but into the public opinion, and into his disciples' opinion, respecting himself. Why does he ask this question? To lead his disciples on to a confession of their own higher faith. If one is uncertain respecting the divine character of Jesus Christ, let him, as here, compare that with other hypotheses, and by a comparison reach the truth. 14. They said, Some, John the Baptist. This was the opinion of Herod, who thought John whom he had beheaded was risen from the dead (Matt. 14 : 2). Others, Elijah. Malachi (45) had prophesied that Elijah the prophet should come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, a prophesy fulfilled by the advent of John the Baptist. See Matt. 11 : 14, and note. Some of the people thought Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, and looked forward to the coming of another Messiah. And others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets, i. e. "that one of the old prophets is risen again" (Luke 9: 19). Jeremiah is placed first, because in Jewish canon he was placed first among the O. T. prophets.

His

16. And Simon Peter answered. original name was Simon or Simeon. The appellation Peter was given him by our Lord, when he first and but temporarily joined Jesus at the ford of Bethabara (John 1: 40, 41). Chrysostom characterizes him as the "mouth of the apostles and the leader of the apostolic choir." But there is nothing to indicate here that he spoke for them; rather impulsively and ardently, he gave instant expression to his own conviction. Observe his language; not, I say that thou art, nor, We say that thou art, but Thou art. He expresses not an opinion, but an assured and certain fact. Thou art the Christ. That is, the Messiah, literally the Anointed. See note on the names of

us, p. 21. The Son of the living God.

Mark says simply Thou art the Christ; Luke, The Christ of God. The phrase living God was common among the Jews, not merely to distinguish Jehovah from idols (Josh. 3 : 10; Acts 14: 15; 1 Thess. 1 : 9), but also to indicate his character as a personal Being, who enters into sympathetic relations with the soul of man, and by the warmth of his own life imparts to the needs of the human soul. (Psalm 42: 2; 84: 2; 2 Cor. 3:3; 1 Tim. 4: 10). It is thus peculiarly appropriate as a designation of Christ, who is the highest manifestation of this personal, living, and life-giving character of our God.

17. Happy art thou, Simon, son of Jonas. The meaning of Jonas is dove. Some of the commentators see in this an allegorical meaning-Simon, son of the Dove, that is, child of the Holy Spirit. Others think that it recalls his earthly origin in contrast with the spiritual blessing conferred upon him. I should rather regard it simply as an emphatic address, as in John 21 15-17, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest

thou me.' Such an employment of the double name is common with us in emphatic address. Why peculiarly happy? A similar confession of faith had apparently been made before; by the disciples when Jesus quelled the storm on the lake of Galilee (Matt. 14: 38), and by Nathaniel on his first meeting with Christ (John 1:49). Christ himself answers the question. For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. The previous expressions of faith were produced by wonder, and were founded on extraordinary displays of power or knowledge, which are of themselves very inadequate foundations on which to build such a faith. Peter's language here was the expression, in calmness, of a settled conviction, which was produced by a disclosure of the divine character of Christ to the spiritual apprehension of the disciples, by the direct influence of the Spirit of God. True spiritual blessedness consists not in a merely intellectual belief, but in the spiritual apprehension of Christ's divine characCompare Matt. 11:27; 1 Cor. 2:5; Gal. 1:15, 16. Flesh and blood was a phrase in common use among the rabbis to designate man in contradistinction to God. Here, it is equivalent to anything human, i. e., Christ declares, No power or faculty of man, in yourself or others, has imparted this knowledge to you. Compare 1 Cor. 15: 50; Gal. 1:16; Ephes. 6:12; Heb. 2: 14. Observe the implication of a direct disclosure of the truth by the Spirit of God to the soul. Observe, too, that, whilst modern theology

ter.