cy and Peter's groundless distrust. And even as He caught him, and while the terrified Apostle was yet in His arms, He expostulated with him at his doubting. So when Christ stretches forth His hand, and shows us His salvation, He makes us wonder that we could have doubted His power and grace at all.

32. When they were come into the ship. John says, "they willingly received Him," and on account of the wind abating, they came at once to port. Christ's getting in the ship was their salvation. He can both calm the tempest round us, and carry us safe to heaven.

33. Worshipped Him. "They that were in the ship, may mean the crew, who were moved by this display of Divine power over the elements (Psalm 77. 19. Hab. 3. 15). They were satisfied that He was God, and this was what He claimed to be. No mere man could have done this. And He both walked on the sea Himself, and saved Peter from sinking.

34. Gennesaret. This land or region of country was on the northwest shore of the Lake of Galilee, sometimes called the Lake of Gennesaret. John states that the disciples went to or about Capernaum, and Mark says that they were to go to Bethsaida on the west, which was a town in the land of Gennesaret. (See Map.) From John we learn (6. 25), that the people wondered how Christ

35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

W

w Nu.15.38. c.9.20 Mar.3.10. Lu.6.19. Ac. 19.12. Jno.6.37.

came thither. They had seen the disciples go in the boat without Christ, and the storm would not have allowed His crossing afterward-" for the wind was contrary" (vs. 24). So the gospels explain each other. See Blunt's Veracity.

35, 36. Here the people expressed their confidence in Christ as divine, bringing to Him their sick for a cure. They were now persuaded that only a touch was requisite ! And even at this they were made perfectly whole. It could not be in the touch, but in the fulness of Christ. See note, 9. 20.

OBSERVE, (1.) That when the disciples were in a situation to feel their helplessness, and perishing need of Him, He came near. So is it always. Here, too, He would show them the plan of His grace. Christ puts them forth unto the danger alone, even as some loving mother-bird thrusts her fledgelings from the nest, that they may find their own wings, and learn to use them.- Trench. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore will not we fear." (2.) It is further taught that the church, though as that little bark upon the stormy sea, buffetted and struggling, and making little headway, and even ready to be swallowed up, is not lost sight of nor forsaken by Christ. In her extremity He does appear to save. He descries her at a distance, and at

night. "When the Lord shall build up Zion He will appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer." He is on the mountain apart praying, ever living to make intercession for us. He suddenly appears in the time of urgent necessity, and anon the toiling rowers are at the haven where they would be.-Trench. Mark relates that "He would have passed them by." This appearance of things to them, served only to draw out their entreaties. So is it often with the church. He never has an intent like

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the eldhands when they eat bread.

this; for He will not depart from us to do us good, but He will often hide His face, or seem to turn aside. The bride must say, come! "Though Christ appeared at the proper time for rendering assistance, yet the storm did not immediately cease till the disciples were more fully aroused to desire and expect His grace." -Calvin. (3.) They who trust the more, are the more powerfully kept. They who have begun to trust in grace, says Bengel, can the less use nature. Peter feared. He had not thought to swim, but to walk to Christ, the Lord helping.

CHAPTER XV.

Moses to Joshua, and so down to their time.

tend to have in the Mishna, containA collection of these they preing various precepts and customs of the elders, handed down as binding on their generations. This was one of the traditions: That it was unlawful to eat with unwashen hands. And one Rabbi asserted that neglect of washing was a greater sin than whoredom; another, that it was better to die than to omit it. Traditions cannot be of equal authority with documents written by inspiration, as the Scriptures. (See Greenleaf on the Evangelists. Appendix, No. 2.) The very existence and use of Scripture is to dispense with traditions.

3. Why do ye? Christ replied that these traditions were themselves unlawful, and violated the command

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

:

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me:

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.

b Col.2.8,23. Tit. 1.14. c Ex.20.12. De.5.16. d Ex. 21.17. Le.20.9. e De.27.16.

ments of God. He gives an instance as to the fifth commandment. Men are willing to make void God's law. They are prone to be governed more by current maxims than by Divine precepts. The use of traditions among men, is mostly to set aside the Scrip

tures.

4. Honour. This includes respect, obedience and support. Curseth. Revileth. (Exodus 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9.) God's law has always been most rigorous and severe against filial ingratitude or disrespect. The language is here the strongest possible, "denoting a capital punishment of the worst sort.”— -Bloomfield.- -T Let him die the death. "Let him be put to death without mercy." God commanded. Exod. 20. 12-17. They pleaded for traditions, the honour due to their ancestry. Christ takes this very commandment on this point.

5. A gift. Corban, is the Hebrew word meaning gift, and Mark has the word as it is in Hebrew; that is, their word which they used. It means a consecrated offering, a thing devoted to God. When they put any thing out of their power for a sacred use, they called it corban, dedicated. And this tradition was, that they who, to avoid doing their parents a benefit, should say, as a pretext, that what they had and might help them with, was

7 Ye hypocrites! well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines & the commandments of men.

10 T And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

f Is.29.13. g Col.2.22.

corban, that is, devoted to God, should go free. Thus they encouraged filial ingratitude and hypocrisy, by authorizing the use of a religious term, as a release from filial obligation.

7. Hypocrites. Because both in their zeal for forms of worship and in their pious pretensions for an excuse of pious actions they were full of hypocrisy. God hates filial ingratitude. Christ was a son. He hates vain worship.

8,9. People. (Isa. 29. 13.) Though the prophet spoke of the Jews in his own time, his language still applied prophetically to these, for they were one with those ancient hypocrites. It was a prophecy, remotely, of their character as a nation. 1st. They were insincere and heartless in their worship. It was with their lips—no lack of profession and words. This made it more hypocritical as there was so little in deed and truth. 2d. They followed the commandments (or institutions, ordinances) of men, as the doctrines and law of God. "Their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men" (Isa. 29. 13). The commandments of God are to be distinguished from the traditions of men in this, that they are found in the Scripture. Traditions, however, are now enjoined and regarded as authoritative, by the Romish church.

h

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

13 But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

h Ac. 10.15. Ro. 14.14-20. 1Tim, 4.4. Tit-1.15. i Jno.15.2,6. j c.23.16. Lu.6.39.

Their error is, that they set up something as binding on the conscience and practice which God has not enjoined, and these usually have the effect to set aside the precepts of revelation. The word of God in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

11, 12. Christ here states a general truth, that it is not the eating or not, in itself, which is the moral pollution, but something from within the man; that is, that sin is not from without, a thing of externals and ceremonies, of contact and observance, or uncleanness of the flesh, but a thing of the heart. The source of all our corruption is in the evil nature within. Yet Pharisees and proud formalists of every age are offended at this sentiment.

18, 14. As they were offended, and the disciples seem to have been disturbed by this (vs. 12), Christ took occasion to lay down this doctrine: that only the truth can ultimately triumph, and that such a course of infatuation and delusion as the Pharisees pursued, would issue in ruin. Christians need not be over-much concerned, nor make battle always

15 Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. also

16 And Jesus said, Are ye yet without understanding?

k

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

k Lu.6.45. Ja.3.6. 7 Ge.6.5; 8.21. Pr.6.14; 24.9. Je.17.9. Ro.3.10-19. Ga.5.19-21. Ep.2.3. Tit.3.3.

upon error. Blind leading the blind are doomed to the ditch. Errorists are offended at being exposed. But error must ultimately fail.- -T Ditch, or pit, such as was dug for holding rain water.

15. This parable—or saying, viz. : this last about meats. "When He was entered into the house (says Mark) from the people, His disciples asked Him" —especially Peter, who was deeply attached to the law and its injunctions.

16, 17. Are ye also yet, &c. Mark has it, "Are ye so without understanding also?" Christ means to represent by this distinction, that the pollution of sin comes from the heart, and not from outside distinctions of clean and unclean, washings, &c.

19. Out of the heart. These dreadful sins have their origin in the heart. They spring from depraved principles deeply seated within. An evil nature in us, is the root of all corruption. All evil is there before it breaks out into acts.-Evil thoughts. The word means reasonings or "contrivances."-Campbell. This is a general declaration that actual transgressions, of all kinds, even the most horrid and malignant, come from this seat in the bosom. Who can deny

man.

21 TThen Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, say

m Mar.7.24.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, P I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

n Lu.18.38,39. Ac.3.28.

o Ps.28.1. La.3.8. p c.10.5,6.

20. These are, &c. The natural state of the human heart is desperately wicked, "deceitful above all things," an unknown depth of iniquity. Evil acts have their character from the inward tempers. Bad deeds springing from an evil nature are the real defilement. Such being the disease, the remedy must be Divine and Omnipotent. No power but that which made the soul, can renew its fallen nature, We are urged by this to an immediate seeking of Christ for the new birth-" Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Psalm 51). It is not man's will that renews, for it is the will that is renewed. "Thy people shall be willing." "Born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1).

OBSERVE, (1.) The maxims that sanction filial ingratitude or disrespect, God especially hates. The Apostle notes it as a mark of perilous times, when youth shall be disobedient to parents (2 Tim. 3. 1), and yet he prophecies that in the last days such times shall come." Wo to the children of such a character, (2.) Men may adopt a religion of rites and Vows, even, to escape a religion of the heart and lite, and these hate Christ's doctrine, which exposes them. But the true religion will at length prevail. (3.) So far from all sin consisting in acts, all acts of evil have their sinfulness in the heart,

Matt.

Mark.

15. 21-28 7.24-30

Luke.

John.

21. The coasts of Tyre and Sidon. These cities were of Phenicia, in the north-west part of Palestine, on the sea-coast. They were in the northwest direction from Jerusalem, and distant from it some 90 to 100 geographical miles. He departed to the confines (or " borders," Mark) of that heathen country.

22. A woman of Canaan. Mark. calls her a Greek, and says she was "a Syrophenician by nation" (among whom she dwelt); that is, from Phenicia, which was connected with the province of Syria, under the Roman government: yet a Canaanite, that is, belonging to the people of Canaan. The country was taken by Alexander the Great, and in the time of Christ, these were Greek cities. They called all foreign nations GREEKS. Our Lord's fame was abroad in Syria (4. 24). Attention is here called to her nation, because this is a remarkable instance of grace to the Gentiles. It appears from Mark that He had gone into a house, wishing not to be known; But the ointment bewrayeth itself.—

Came out of. For Christ did not enter those coasts.

24. I am not sent but unto, &c. He meant that His mission was first of all to the Jews, rather than to the Gentiles, of which she was one. (Comp. ch. 10, 5 and 6.) This refer