were known, by generally carrying a caduceus. This was a rod with two spread wings at the top, and about which two serpents were entwined. The poets fabled, that this rod was given by Apollo, the god of wisdom and music, to Mercury, the god of eloquence, and the messenger of the gods. To it wonderful properties are ascribed especially that it produces sleep, and that it raises the dead. Who does not at once see, that the caduceus and its properties clearly point out the office, honor, and influence of the herald? As persons of strong voice, and ready speech, and copious eloquence, were always chosen for heralds, they were represented as endued with wisdom and eloquence from above. They lulled men to sleep, i. e. by their persuasive powers of speech, they calmed the turbulent dispositions of an enflamed populace, when proceeding to acts of rebellion and anarchy:---or they roused the dormant zeal of the community, who, through long oppression, despairing of succour or relief, seemed careless about their best interests; being stupidly resolved to sink under their burdens, and expect release only in death.

As to the caduceus itself, it was ever the emblem of peace among the ancients: the rod was the emblem of power, the two serpents of wisdom and prudence, and the two wings of diligence and dispatch. The first idea of this wonderful rod, seems to have been borrowed from the rod of Moses. See the note on Exod. iv. 17.

The word κηρυξ kerux, or herald, here used, is evidently derived from κηρύσσειν, to proclaim, call aloud; and this from γηρυς, the voice: because these persons were never employed in any business, but such only as could not be transacted, but by the powers of speech, and the energy of ratiocination.

For the derivation of the word herald, we must look to the northern languages. Its meanings in Junius, Skinner, and Minshieu, are various, but not essentially different; they all seem to point out different parts of the herald's office. 1. In the Belgic, heer signifies army. Hence heer-alt, a senior officer, or general, in the army. 2. Or heer-held, the hero of the army: he who had distinguished himself most in his country's behalf. 3. Or from the Gallo-teutonic herr-haut, the high lord, because their persons were so universally respected, as we have already seen. 4. Or from the simple Teutonic herr-hold, he who is faithful to his lord. And lastly, according to Minshicu, from the verb hier-holden, stop here; because, in proclaiming peace, they arrested bloodshed and death, and prevented the farther progress of war.

These officers act an important part in all heroic history, and particularly in the Iliad and Odyssey, from which, as the subject is of so much importance, I shall make a few extracts. I. Their character was sacred. Homer gives them the epi

thet of divine, θειοι.

of the herald's office.

heralds, and the inviolability of their persons. Agamemnon commands the heralds, Talthybius and Eurybates, his faithful ministers, to go to the tent of Achilles, seize the young Briseis, and bring her to him. They reluctantly obey; but when they come into the presence of Achilles, knowing the injustice of their master's cause, they are afraid to announce their mission. Achilles, guessing their errand, thus addresses them:

Χαιρετε, κηρυκες, Διος αγγελοι, ηδε και ανδρων. κ. τ. λ. "Hail, O ye heralds, messengers of God and of men! come forward. I cannot blame you-Agamemnon only is culpable, who has sent you for the beautiful Briseis. But come, O godlike Patroclus, bring forth the damsel, and deliver her to them, that they may lead her away, &c." Iliad. i. 334, &c. II. Their functions were numerous; they might enter without danger into besieged cities, or even into battles. III. They convoked the assemblies of the leaders, according to the orders they received from the general or king.

IV. They commanded silence, when kings were to address the assembly (Iliad. xviii. 503. Κηρυκες δ'αρα λαων ερητυον. See also Iliad. ii. 280.) and delivered the sceptre into their hands, before they began their harangue.

Ην δ'αρα κηρυξ

Χέρσι σκηπτρον εθηκε, σιωπησαι τ' εκελευσεν. Iliad xxiii. 567. V. They were the carriers and executors of the royal commands (Iliad. i. 320.) and went in search of those who were summoned to appear, or whose presence was desired.

VI. They were entrusted with the most important missions; and accompanied princes in the most difficult circumstances. Priam, when he went to Achilles, took no person besides, a herald with him. (Iliad. xxiv. 674, 689.) When Ulysses sent two of his companions to treat with the Lestrygons, he sent a herald at the same time. (Odys. x. 102.) Agamemnon, when he wished to soften Achilles, joined Eurybates and Hodius, his heralds, to the deputation of the princes. (Iliad. ix. 170.) VII. Heralds were employed to proclaim and publish whatever was to be known by the people. (Odys. xx. 276.) VIII. They declared war and proclaimed peace. (Odys. xviii. 334.)

IX. They took part in all sacred ceremonies: they mingled the wine and water in the large bowls for the libations, which were made at the conclusion of treaties. They were the priests of the people in inany cases; they led forth the victims, cut them in pieces, and divided them among those engaged in the sacrifices. (Odys. i. 109, &c.)

X. In Odyssey lib. xvii. a herald presents a piece of flesh to Telemachus, and pours out his wine.

XI. They sometimes waited on princes at table, and rendered them many other personal services. (Iliad. ii. 280. Odyss. i. 143, &c. 146, 153. ii. 6, 38.) In the Iliad. lib. x. 3. Eurybates carries the clothes to Ulysses. And a herald of Alcinous conducts Demodocus, the singer, into the festive hall. (Odys. viii. 470.) Many others of their functions, services, and privileges, the Reader may see, by consulting DAMM'S Homeric Lexicon, under Kew.

Christ fasts forty days in the desart,

and is tempted by Satan.

Α.Μ. 4031.
A. D. 27.

An. Olymp.
CCL. 3.

HEN was

* Jesus led up of the

3 And when the tempter came to

A.M. 4081. A. D. 27.

tempted of the devil.

* Mark 1. 12, &c. Luke 4. 1, &c. See 1 Kings 18. 12.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV.

Verse 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit] This transaction appears to have taken place immediately after Christ's baptism; and this bringing up of Christ was through the influence of the Spirit of God; that Spirit which had rested upon him in his baptism.

To be tempted] The first act of the ministry of Jesus Christ, was a combat with Satan. Does not this receive light from Gen. iii. 17. I will put enmity between the woman's seed and thy seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Verse 2. And when he had fasted forty days] It is remarkable, that Moses, the great law-giver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the Law from God, fasted forty days in the mount: that Elijah, the chief of the prophets, fasted also forty days: and that Christ, the giver of the New Covenant, should act in the same way. Was not all this intended to shew, that God's kingdom on earth, was to be spiritual and divine? that it should not consist in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Rom. xiv. 17. Relative to the forty days' fast of Moses, there is a beautiful saying in the Talmudists. " Is it possible, that any man can fast forty days and forty nights To which Rabbi Meir answered, When thou takest up thy abode in any particular city, thou must live according to its customs. Moses, ascended to heaven, where they neither eat nor drink, therefore he became assimilated to them. We are accustomed to eat and drink, and when angels descend to us, they eat and drink also." Moses, Eijah, and our blessed Lord could fast forty days and forty nights, because they were in communion with God, and living a heavenly life.

Verse 3. And when the tempter] This onset of Satan was made (speaking after the manner of men) judiciously: he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty days and forty

CCI. 3.

4 But he answered and said, It is written,

Ezek. 3. 14. & 8. 3. & 11. 1, 24. & 40. 2. & 43. 5. Acts 8. 39.

nights, was hungry: now as hunger naturally diminishes the strength of the body, the mind gets enfeebled, and becomes easily irritated; and if much watching and prayer be not employed, the uneasiness which is occasioned by a lack of food, may soon produce impatience, and in this state of mind the tempter has great advantages. The following advice of an Arabian philosopher to his son, is worthy of attention.

My son, never go out of the house in the morning, till thou hast eaten something: by so doing, thy mind will be more firm; and shouldest thou be insulted by any person, thou wilt find thyself more disposed to suffer patiently: for hunger dries up, and disorders the brain." Bibliot. Orient. Suppl. p. 449. The state of our bodily health and worldly circumstances, may afford our adversary many opportunities of doing us immense mischief. In such cases, the sin to which we are tempted, may be justly termed, as in Heb. xii. 1. την ευπεριστατον αμαρτιαν, the well circumstanced sin, because all the circumstances of time, place, and state of body and mind, are favourable to it.

If thou be the Son of God] Or, a son of God, υιος του Θεου. νιος is here, and in Luke iv. 3. written without the article; and therefore should not be translated THE Son, as if it were |ο' υιος, which is a phrase that is applicable to Christ as the Messiah: but it is certain, whatever Satan might suspect, he did not fully know that the person he tempted was the true Messiah. Perhaps one grand object of his temptation, was to find this out.

Command that these stones] The meaning of this temptation is: "Distrust the divine providence and support, and make use of illicit means to supply thy necessities."

Verse 4. But by (or, upon, επι) every word] Ρημα, in Greek, answers to דבר dabar in Hebrew, which means not only a word spoken, but also thing, purpose, appointment, &c. Our Lord's meaning seems to be this: God purposes the welfare of his The devil continuing his

Α. Μ. 4031. A. D. 27.

CCI. 3.

out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest

Deut. 8. 3.. -b Neh. 11.1, 18. Isai. 48. 2. & 52. 1. ch. 27.53. Rev. 11. 2.

creatures-all his appointments are calculated to promote this end. Some of them may appear to man to have a contrary tendency; but even fasting itself, when used in consequence of a divine injunction, becomes a mean of supporting that life which it seems naturally calculated to impair or destroy.

Verse 5. Pinnacle of the temple] It is very likely that this was what was called the στοα βασιλικη, the king's gallery; which, as Josephus says, "deserves to be mentioned among the most magnificent things under the sun: for upon a stupendous depth of a valley, scarcely to be fathomed by the eye of him that stands above, Herod erected a gallery of a vast height, from the top of which if any looked down, he would grow dizzy, his eyes not being able to reach so vast a depth."-Ant. l. xv. c. 14. See Dr. Lightfoot on this place.

Verse 6. Cast thyself down] Our Lord had repelled the first temptation by an act of confidence in the power and goodness of God; and now Satan solicits him to make trial of it. Through the unparalleled subtlety of Satan, the very means we make use of to repel one temptation, may be used by him as the ground-work of another. This method he often uses, in order to confound us in our confidence.

He shall give his angels charge, &c.] This is a mutilated quotation of Psal. xci. 11. The clause, to keep thee in all thy ways, Satan chose to leave out, as quite unsuitable to his design. That God has promised to protect and support his servants, admits of no dispute; but as the path of duty is the way of safety, they are entitled to no good, when they

walk out of it.

In their hands they shall bear thee up] This quotation from Psal. xci. 11. is a metaphor taken from a nurse's management of her child: in teaching it to walk, she guides it along plain ground; but when stones or other obstacles occur, she lifts up the child, and carries it over them, and then sets it down to walk again. Thus she keeps it in all its ways, watching over, and guarding every step it takes. To this St. Paul seems also to allude, 1 Thess. ii. 7. We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. Thus the

4

A. Μ. 4031. A. D. 27. An. Olymp.

CCI. 3.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

'c Psal. 91. 11, 12. Deut. 6. 16.

most merciful God deals with the children of men, ever guarding them by his eye, and defending them by his power.

Verse 7. Thou shalt not tempt] To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ruinous consequences of my imprudent conduct, is to tempt God.

Verse 8. An exceeding high mountain, and sherweth him] If the words, all the kingdoms of the world, be taken in a literal sense, then this must have been a visionary representation, as the highest mountain on the face of the globe could not suffice to make evident even one hemisphere of the earth, and the other must of necessity be in darkness.

But if we take the world to mean only the land of Judea, and some of the surrounding nations, as it appears sometimes to signify, (see on Luke ii. 1.) then the mountain described by the Abbé Mariti (Travels through Cyprus, &c.) could have afforded the prospect in question. Speaking of it, he says, " Here we enjoyed the most beautiful prospect imaginable. This part of the mountain overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, the country of the Amorites, the plains of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the river Jordan, and the whole extent of the Dead Sea. It was here that the Devil said to the Son of God, All these kingdoms will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Probably St. Matthew, in the Hebrew original, wrote הארץ haarets, which signifies the world, the earth, and often the land of Judea only. What renders this more probable, is, that at this time Judea was divided into several kingdoms, or governments, under the three sons of Herod the Great, viz. Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip; which are not only called Ethnarchs and Tetrarchs in the Gospels, but also βασιλεις, kings, and are said βασιλεύειν, to reign, as Rosenmuller has properly remarked. See chap. ii. 22. xiv. 9.

Verse 9. If thou wilt fall down and worship me.) As if he had said, "The whole of this land is now under my government, do me homage for it, and I will deliver it into thy hand."

Verse 10. Get thee hence] Or, behind me, οπίσω μου. This is added by a multitude of the best MSS. VERSIONS, and FATHERS. This temptation, savouring of nothing but diabolic impudence, Jesus did not treat it as the others; but, with divine authority, commanded the tempter to return to his own place.

In the course of this trial, it appears that our blessed Lord was tempted, 1st. TO DISTRUST. Command these stones to become bread. 2dly. TO PRESUMPTION. Cast thyself down. 3dly. To worldly AMBITION. All these will I gire. 4thly. To IDOLATRY. Fall down and worship me, or, do me homage. There is probably not a temptation of Satan, but is reducible

to one or other of these four articles.

From the whole we may learn:

First. No man, howsoever holy, is exempted from temptation: for God manifested in the flesh, was tempted by the Devil

Secondly. That the best way to foil the adversary, is by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph. vi. 17. Thirdly. That to be tempted even to the greatest abominations, (while a person resists) is not sin: for Christ was tempted to worship the DEVIL.

Fourthly. That there is no temptation which is from its own nature, or favouring circumstances, irresistible. God has promised to bruise even Satan under our feet.

C

He resides at Capernaum.

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

A. D. 27.

A.M. 4051. An. Olymp.

CCI.3.

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim;

Mark 1. 14. Luke 3. 20. & 4. 14, 31. John 4.43. Or, delivered up.

تن

thee, and to prove thee, TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN THY HEART: לנסתך linesteca, πειραση σε, Lxx. that he might bore thee through. The quality and goodness of many things are proved by piercing or boring through; for this shews what is in the heart. Perhaps nothing tends so much to discover what we are, as trials either from men or devils.

Shalt thou serve, or pay religious veneration, λατρευσεις. This is Mr. Wakefield's translation, and I think cannot be mended. Λατρεια comes from λα, very much, and τρεw, I tremble. When a sinner approaches the presence of God, conscious of HIS infinite holiness and justice, and of his own vileness, he will then fully comprehend what this word means. See this religious reverence exemplified in the case of Moses, when in the presence of God: I exceedingly fear, said he, and tremble, Heb. xii. 21. And yet this fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. See the observations at the end of the chapter.

Verse 13. And leaving Nazareth] Or, entirely leaving Nazureth, και καταλιπων την Ναξαρετ, from κατα, intensive, and Λείπω, I leave. It seems that, from this time, our blessed Lord made Capernaum his ordinary place of residence; and utterly forsook Nazareth, because they had wholly rejected his word, and even attempted to take away his life. See Luke iv. 29.

Galilee was bounded by mount Lebanon on the north, by the river Jordan and the sea of Galilee on the east, by Chison on the south, and by the Mediterranean on the

to

Thirdly, That our spiritual interests shall be always advanced, in proportion to our trials and faithful resistance, Fourthly, That a more than ordinary measure of divine consolation shall be the consequence of every victory.

Verse 11. Behold, angels came and ministered unto him.] That is, brought that food which was necessary to support

nature.

The name given to Satan in the third verse is very emphatic, ο πειραζων, the tempter, or trier, from πειρω, to pierce through. To this import of the name, there seems to be an allusion Eph. vi, 16. The fiery DARTS of the wicked one. This is the precise idea of the word in Deut. viii. 2. To humble

Nazareth, a little city in the tribe of Zebulon, in lower Galilee, with Tabor on the west, and Ptolemais on the east. It is supposed that this city was the usual residence of our Lord for the first thirty years of his life. It was here he became incarnate, lived in subjection to Joseph and Mary, and from which he took the name of a Nazorean.

Capernaum, a city famous in the New Testament, but never mentioned in the Old. Probably it was one of those cities which the Jews built after their return from Babylon. It stood on the sea-coast of Galilee, on the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, as mentioned in the text. This was called his own city, chap. ix. 1, &c. and here, as a citizen, he paid the half shekel, chap. xvii. 24. Among the Jews, if a man became a resident in any city for twelve months, he thereby became a citizen, and paid his proportion of dues and taxes. See Lightfoot. Capernaum is well known to

F

3

Christ enters on

Α.Μ. 4031. A. D. 27.

CCI. 3.

Α. Μ. 4031.
A. D. 27.

An. Olymp.

CCI. S.

sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Ga

Mark 1. 14, 15. ch. 3. 2. & 10.7. Mark 1. 16, 17, 18. Luke 5. 2.

this glorious time, when Jesus Christ, the true Light, shone forth in the beauty of holiness and truth. Christ began his ministry in Galilee, and frequented this uncultivated place

sareth, stretching to the frontiers of Sidon, Gen. xlix. 13. Nephthalim was contiguous to it, and both were on the east side of Jordan, Josh. xix. 34.

-Verse 15. Galilee of the Gentiles] Or of the nations. So called, because it was inhabited by Egyptians, Arabians, and Phanicians, according to the testimony of Strabo and others. The Hebrew גויס goyim, and the Greek εθνων, signify nations; and in the Old and New Testaments, mean those people who were not descendants of any of the twelve tribes. The word Gentiles, from gens, a nation, signifies the same. It is worthy of remark, that it was a regular tradition among the ancient Jews, that the Messiah should begin his ministry in Galilee. See the proofs in Schoetgen.

Verse 16. The people which sat in darkness] This is quoted from Isa. ix. 2. where, instead of sitting, the prophet used the word walked. The Evangelist might on purpose change the term, to point out the increased misery of the state of these persons. Sitting in darkness, expresses a greater degree of intellectual blindness, than walking in darkness does. In the time of Christ's appearing, the people were in a much worse state, than in the time of the prophet, which was nearly 700 years before; as, during all this period, they were growing more ignorant and sinful.

The region and shadow of death] These words are amazingly descriptive. A region of death-DEATH's country, where, in a peculiar manner, Death lived, reigned, and triumphed, subjecting all the people to his sway,

Shadow of death] Σκια θανατου, used only here and in Luke i. 79. but often in the Old Covenant, where the Hebrew is צל מות tsal mareth. It is not easy to enter fully into the ideal meaning of this term. As in the former clause, Death is personified, so here. A shadow is that darkness cast upon a place by a body raised between it and the light or sun. Death is here represented as standing between the land abovementioned, and the Light of Life, or Sun of Righteousness; in consequence of which, all the inhabitants were involved in a continual cloud of intellectual darkness, misery, and sin. The heavenly Sun was continually eclipsed to them, till

his preaching was peculiarly needful; and by this was the prophecy fulfilled.

Verse 17. Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent] See on chap. iii. 1, 2. Every preacher commissioned by God to proclaim salvation to a lost world, begins his work with preaching the doctrine of repentance. This was the case with all the Prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, all the Apostles, and all their genuine successors in the Christian ministry. The reasons are evident in the notes already referred to; and for the explanation of the word κηρύσσειν, preaching, or proclaiming as a herald, see at the end of chap. iii.

Verse 18. Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother] Why did not Jesus Christ call some of the eminent scribes or Pharisees to publish his gospel, and not poor unlearned fishermen, without credit or authority? Because it was the kingdom of heaven they were to preach, and their teaching unust come from above: besides, the conversion of sinners, though it be effected instrumentally by the preaching of the gospel, yet the grand agent in it is the Spirit of God. As the instruments were comparatively mean, and the work which was accoinplished by them, was grand and glorious, the excellency of the power at once appeared to be of God, and not of man; and thus the glory, due alone to his name, was secured, and the great Operator of all good had the deserved praise. Seminaries of learning, in the order of God's providence and grace, have great and important uses; and in reference to such uses, they should be treated with great respect: but to make preachers of the gospel, is a matter to which they are utterly inadequate; it is a prerogative that God never did, and never will, delegate to man.

Where the seed of the kingdom of God is sowed, and a dispensation of the gospel is committed to a man, a good education may be of great and general use: but it no more follows, because a man has had a good education, that therefore he is qualified to preach the gospel, than it does, that because he has not had that, therefore he is unqualified; for there may be much ignorance of divine things where there