[30. it from the final judgment.... 24: 1-26:13: 1–37. 21: 5-36. 119 Picture of the final judgment. How Jesus employed himself during the week. 120 The remaining transactions of the Tuesday preceding the crucifixion... PERIOD EIGHTH. THE SUFFERING. 121 Jesus prepares to keep the pass over. 122 Jesus sits down with the twelve. There is an ambitious contention among the twelve. 123 Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. 124 Jesus foretells that Judas would betray him. The conduct of 25:31-46 21: 37,38. 26: 1-16. 14: 1-11. 22: 1-6. 12: 2-11. the disciples and of Judas.... 26:21-25. 14:18-21. 22:21-23. 13:21-35. 125 Jesus foretells to the apostles the fall of Peter, and their common danger 126 Jesus institutes the breaking of 127 Jesus comforts his disciples.. 129 Jesus resumes his discourse to his disciples.. 130 Jesus's prayer.. 131 The agony of Jesus in Gethsem ane... 132 The betrayal of Jesus.. and Caiaphas. Peter denies 134 Jesus stands before Caiaphas, 26:31-35. 14:27-31. 22:31-38. 13:36-38. [42. |26:30,36-14:26,32-22:39-46. 18: 1. 26:47-56. 14:43-52. 22:47-53. 18: 2-12. [24-27. 26:57-75. 14:53-72. 22:54-62. 18:13-18. [68. [65. pronounced guilty of death... 26:57,59-14;53,55-22:63–71. 18:19-23. Sec. Harmony. Matthew. Mark. Luke. John. 135 Jesus is taken before Pilate.... 27: 1-14. 15: 1-5. 23: 1-5. 18:28-38. 136 Jesus is sent to Herod by Pilate; he is sent back by Herod.. 23: 6-12. 137 Pilate seeks to release Jesus... 27:15-23. 15: 6-14. 23:13–23. 18: 39,40. 138 Pilate, having scourged Jesus, and having repeated his at tempts to release him, deliv ered him, because of the clam ors of the Jews, to be crucified. 27:24-31. 15:15-20. 23:23-25. 19: 1-16. 139 Repentance and death of Judas. 27: 3-10. Acts 1:18, 140 Leading forth and crucifixion of Jesus... 141 Transactions while Jesus was on [19. 27:32-34. 15:21-23. 23:26-33. 19: 17. the cross till he expired..... 27:35-50. 15:24-37. 23:33-46. 19:18-30. 142 Transactions at Jesus's death. Who were present during the [56. transactions of the day...... 27:51-61. 15:38-47. 23:45,47-19:31-42. 143 The transactions on the day after the crucifixion.... PERIOD NINTH. RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. 144 The transactions on the day of 27:62-66. the resurrection before the [28:2-4. women visit the sepulchre... 27: 52,53; 16: 1. 145 The women visit the sepulchre the first time... 28: 1,5-8. 16: 2-8. 146 Peter and John visit the sepulchre 147 Jesus appears first to Mary Mag 24: 1-11. 20: 1, 2. 24: 12. 20: 3-10. dalene..... 148 Second appearance of Jesus.. 149 The watch report, and are bribed to silence.... 150 Jesus, having been seen by Peter, appears to the two disci ples who went to Emmaus... 1 Cor.15:5 16:12, 13. 24:13-35. 151 Jesus appears to the apostles in the absence of Thomas...... 1Cor.15:5 16:14-18. 24:36-49. 20:19-23. 152 Jesus again appears to the apos tles while Thomas is present. 153 The Apostles go into Galilee. Jesus appears at the sea of Tiberias... 154 The appearance of Jesus to his disciples in Galilee.. 155 Other appearances of Jesus....1 Cor. 15: Acts 1:3156 Ascension of Jesus.. 157 St. John's conclusion... 20:24-29. 21:1-24. For modification of a part of the above Synopsis, sec vol. ii, page 101. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. CHAPTER I. of David, the son of Abra Tof Jesus Christ, HE book of the generation ham. a Luke 3. 23.-b Psa. 132. 11; Isa. 11. 1; Jer. 23.5; chap. 22. 42; John 7. 42; Acts 2. 30; 13. 23; The Gospel.-The term Gospel is compounded of the two Saxon words god, good, and spel, news. It is the good news of a Saviour's birth, life, and death, sent from God to man. The Greek word evayyéniov, evangelium, (whence comes our word evangelist,) has precisely a parallel etymology. The word gospel, from being the name for the subject of the four histories of our Lord, became, almost immediately after their publication, the title of the books themselves. Hence this book is called the Gospel according to Matthew, as being its author. d 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Rom. 1. 3.c Gen. 12. 3; 22. 18; Gal. 3. 16. d Gen. 21. 2. 3. iron pen, very expensive, and to be read by unrolling successive portions. When rolled up, it was bound round with thongs, called in Latin, lora. The scroll was continuous in length, and was read by unrolling the one end, and rolling up the other end, so as to glide the eye down the open page, as is seen by the illustration on the next page. The Latin word for roll, volumen, (from volvo, to roll,) is the origin of our word volume. When the reading was finished the Romans deposited the roll in a round case or box called scrinium. As comparatively few could possess a book, authors often read their productions in public. And it was important that very valuable documents should be kept in a safe repository. Manuscript copies of the Old Testament were kept in the temple and the synagogues. So also copies of the Gospels and Epistles were preserved in the Christian churches. When the author produced his book, it was immediately transcribed, and copies were put in circulation among purchasers; others were deposited in the archives of the various churches. The multiplied copies were checks upon each others' correctness. Of the Gospels and Epistles, numerous copies were circulated in Europe, Asia, and Africa within a century after their first publication. It was therefore impossible that any counterfeit, or any great alteration, should come into existence. The very perfect agreement (with the exception with a calamus or reed pen, or a stilus or of slight mistakes in copying) of all 9.-THE ROYAL PEDIGREE OF JESUS THROUGH HIS LEGAL FATHER, 1-17. 1. The book-Rather a roll or scroll than a book. For when we read the word book in the Bible, or any work of antiquity, we must completely banish all conception of a modern volume from the press, bound in leather, neatly printed on fine paper, cheap, and easy to handle. On the contrary, we must shape in thought a cumbrous roll of linen, papyrus, or parchment, with letters laboriously written VOL. I.-2 manuscript copies throughout the world, places beyond all doubt the genuineness of all the four Gospels. The first two chapters of Matthew are in some degree a sort of separate part or section, giving an account of the royal pedigree and divine birth and infancy of the Saviour. They are so given as to demonstrate, both by miracle and prophecy, that he is the true Messiah, the God-man, the Divine Saviour which was to come. through the Old Testament. They were cherished especially from the fact that in some family the Messiah was to be born. So Josephus, who was of priestly family, says: "I give the descent of our family exactly as I find it written in the public records." So noble a family line as that of the royal David, of course had its records public at Bethlehem, the place of David's birth; to which place Mary had to go and be enrolled by public authority. Matthew either gives the public record verbatim, or perhaps the family tree with its abridgements and annotations, as kept in Joseph's home. In the time of the Emperor Domitian, about the close of the first century, all the descendants of David were sought out by royal command. The rumour of their regal descent had rendered the emperor jealous. The descendants of our Lord's brethren were brought into his presence, and questioned as to their claims of roy alty. But as they appeared to be unambitious Christian men, looking only for a heavenly kingdom, the emperor dismissed them in peace. That the record of David's royal line was preserved, we are expressly told by Josephus, who says in his autobiography, "I am myself of the royal lineage by my mother." When Jerusalem was sacked, the genealogical records were completely destroyed; so that it is impossible for the Jews to trace the line of David for any Messiah yet to come. This is a complete refutation of their expectations of that kind. Jesus Christ-The word Jesus is, in Greek form, the same as Joshua in Hebrew, and implies Saviour. Our Lord was so named (ver. 21) by express comThe book of the generation-Strictly, mand of the angel: first, to indicate that this is the title of the genealogy or pedi- he was the Saviour from sin; and secgree only which now follows. But as in ond, to show that he was the antitype the Old Testament, so here, the pedigree of Joshua, his type; for as Joshua was is naturally followed by biographical leader of Israel, bringing them into the sketches and narrations. Matthew earthly Canaan, Jesus is a Saviour, doubtless gives the genealogy of Joseph; bringing his people into a heavenly (and so it was only the legal genealogy Canaan. So, often in the Bible, names of Mary and Jesus;) whereas Luke gives are significant and typical, being dithe natural descent of Mary. It was vinely and prophetically given for that customary with the Jews very carefully very purpose. The word Christ is not to preserve their pedigrees or family primarily a proper name, but is a word registers. We sen them distributed all of royal off. It is derived from the A g Isaac begat Jacob; and 'Jacob 3 And Judas begat Phares begat Judas and his brethren; and Zara of Thamar; and 1 Pha o Gen. 25. 26. Gen. 29. 35.—g Gen. 38. Greek xpiw, chrio. to anoint; and is exactly parallel with the Hebrew word Messiah, both signifying anointed. For as the Hebrews anointed kings and priests to their dignity, so kings and priests were called anointed; and so the prophets foretold him who was to come under the royal and priestly title of Anointed, Messiah or CHRISTOS. Under this title he was earnestly waited for by the Jews, and even by the Samaritans, as the Samaritan woman testifies: I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. John iv, 25. Hence our Savlour's name was Jesus; and his office was to be the Christ, or royal Messiah. Son of David-The word son here, as often elsewhere in Scripture, signifies descendant at any distance of descent. This parentage from David proves even his human royalty. He was by blood a king; by the law of race entitled to be anointed and crowned. He was entitled to expel Herod from his throne, and reign in his stead king of the Jews. Son of Abraham—We have remarked in the notice of Matthew, that he wrote more particularly for the Jews. For this reason he traces the Lord's genealogy to David, the Jewish king, and to Abraham, the founder of the Jewish dispensation. Luke, on the other hand, writing for Gentiles, traces the genealogy up to Adam, the human, and to God, the divine father of ALL. There are many difficulties found by learned men in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke. Some of these difficulties arise in reconciling the two; others arise from peculiarities of this genealogy itself. The consideration of the former belong to a commentary upon Luke. The latter we shall briefly notice in our notes upon this chapter. 2. Begat Isaac-His birth is given Gen. xxi, 2. Jacob-Gen. xxv, 26. Judas and his brethren-Gen. xxix. And his brethren-At several points in the genealogy there are individual matters added, not forming an essential part of the lineage. Such are the 27, &c.—h Ruth 4. 18, &c.: 1 Chron. 2. 5, 9, &c. clauses and his brethren in this verse; and Zara of Thamar in the third verse; of Rachab in the fifth verse; the king in the sixth verse; and of her that had been the wife of Urias in the same verse. Profound reasons have been sought for these additions, somewhat unnecessarily, by commentators. If we may suppose Matthew to have copied the home genealogy in the family of Joseph, these incidents may easily be supposed to have been freely inserted as interesting allusions to popular points or characters in Jewish sacred history. Certainly no genealogy of that day could have suggested more points of interesting reminiscence than that of this son of David, and putative father of the Messiah. The only difficulty is with the clause concerning Rachab, who, as some have thought, could not, upon chronological grounds, have been identical with the Rahab of Jericho, if she were the wife of Salmon. But Alford well says: "Those very grounds completely tally with their identity. For Naashon (the father of Salmon) offered his offering at the setting up of the tabernacle (Num. vii, 12) thirty-nine years before the taking of Jericho. So that Salmon would be of mature age at or soon after that event; at which time Rahab was probably young, as her father and mother were living (Josh. vi, 23.) Nor is it any objection that Achan, the fourth in descent from Judah by Zara, is contemporary with Salmon, the sixth of the other branch, since the generations in the line of Zara average sixty-nine years, and those in the line of Pharez fortynine; both within the limits of probability. The difficulty of the interval of 366 years between Rahab and David does not belong to this passage only, but equally to Ruth iv, 21, 22; and is by no means insuperable, especially when the extreme old age of Jesse, implied in 1 Sam. xvii, 12, is considered." 3 Phares and Zara-Gen. xxxviii, 27. |