of a nobleman lying ill at Capernaum. Cana of Galilee. LUKE. JOHN. CH. IV. 46-54. come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 28. Jesus is rejected at Nazareth, MATTHEW. XII. 54-58. MARK. Luke iv. 20. sat down.] The service of the synagogue consisted of reading the scriptures, prayer, and preaching. The posture in which the latter was performed, whether in the synagogue or elsewhere, (see Matth. v. 1; Luke v. 3,) was sitting. Accordingly when our Savior had read the portion of scripture, in the synagogue at Nazareth, of which he was a member, having been brought up in that city, and then, instead of retiring to his place, sat down in the desk or pulpit, it is said "the eyes of all that were present were fastened upon him," because they perceived, by his posture, that he was about to preach to them. See also Acts xiii. 14, 15. JENNINGS, Ant. 375. and fixes his abode at Capernaum. LUKE. CH. IV. 16-31. 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 24 And he said, Verily, I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land: 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.a 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.b 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill, (whereon their city was built,) that they might cast him down headlong. a 1 Kings xvii. 1, 9. JOHN. b2 Kings v. 14. Luke iv. 20. to the minister.] This word denotes only a subordinate officer, who attended the minister and obeyed his orders in what concerned the more servile part of the work. Among other things he had charge of the sacred books, and delivered them to those to whom he was commanded by his superiors to deliver them. After the reading was over, he deposited them in their proper place. CAMPBELL, in loc. 28. Jesus is rejected at Nazareth, MATTHEW. CH. IV. 13-16. 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea-coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim; 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying," 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people which sat in darkness, saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, MARK. 29. The call of Simon Peter and Andrew, and of James a Is. ix. 1. 16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, "We say Matth. iv. 18. walking.] Matthew says that the disciples were called by Christ while walking by the sea, because that calling followed the walk by the sea. that a thing was done by one walking in this or that place, because he took such a walk, whether he who did the act was then walking, or sitting or standing." Spanh. dub. lxxii. v. 2. his remark reconciles "walking," Matth. iv. 18. with "stood," Luke v. 1. A like remark may be made with respect to the passages placed parallel to Luke v. 6. Jesus is concisely represented as if he had at first seen Peter and Andrew casting a net into the sea, because they were employed thus in consequence of the interview. Luke does not deny that more than Simon were seen, nor does he affirm that Simon and fixes his abode at Capernaum. LUKE. CH. IV. 16-31. 30 But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way, 31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now, when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. JOHN. and John, with the miraculous draught of fishes. Near Capernaum. CH. V. 1-11. AND it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 5 And Simon, answering, said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. alone was seen. Indeed our Lord is said to have seen two ships by the lake. The calling of others besides Simon not only is not denied by Luke, but is sufficiently indicated in v. 11. The words of Matthew (v. 21) "going on from thence," are not to be understood as implying a great distance, but as relating to the neighboring shore. Matthew relates the principal fact, the calling and the following; Luke has the accompanying circumstances. And there is a remarkable harmony between them. Matthew records the repairing of their nets by the fishermen ; Luke shows how they became broken, by the great draught they had taken. What is related by Luke, is not denied by Matthew, but omitted only. Nothing, indeed, is more common than to find the omission of some supplied by the other Evangelists. NEWCOME. |