NOTES ON ST. MATTHEW.

Out of the temple

1. His discourse of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of

the world

2. The ten virgins, the talents; the last judgment

VI. His passion and resurrection

A. His passion, death, and burial

The consultation of the chief priests and elders

3-5

6-16

a. Wednesday

His prediction.

17-19

The traitor discovered

20-25

26-29

1. Jesus foretells the cowardice of the apostles

33-35

2. Is in an agony

36-46

3. Is apprehended, reproves Peter and the multitude; is forsaken

of all

47-56

4. Is led to Caiaphas, falsely accused, owns himself the Son of God,
is condemned, derided

The vinegar and gall: the crucifixion; his garments divided;
the inscription on the cross; the two robbers; blasphemies

1

ST. MATTHEW.

THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of Da2 vid, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat 3 Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; And Judah

begat Pharez and Zarah of Thamar, and Pharez begat Esrom, and 4 Esrom begat Aram; and Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab 5 begat Naasson, and Naasson begat Salmon; and Salmon begat 6 Boaz of Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king.

And David the king begat Solomon, of the wife of Uriah; and Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begat Abijah, and Abijah 8 begat Asa; and Asa begat Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begat 9 Jehoram, and Jehoram begat Uzziah: and Uzziah begat Jotham, and 10 Jotham begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah, and Hezekiah begat

Manasseth, and Manasseth begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah : 11 and Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brethren, about the time they 12 were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to

Babylon, Jeconiah begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel; 13 And Zerubbabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Elia

Verse 1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ-That is, strictly speaking, the account of his birth and genealogy. This title therefore properly relates to the verses that immediately follow: but as it sometimes signifies the history of a person, in that sense it may belong to the whole book. If there were any diffi. culties in this genealogy, or that given by St. Luke, which could not easily be removed, they would rather affect the Jewish tables, than the credit of the evangelists for they act only as historians setting down these genealogies, as they stood in those public and allowed records. Therefore they were to take them as they found them. Nor was it needful they should correct the mistakes, if there were any. For these accounts sufficiently answer the end for which they are recited. They unquestionably prove the grand point in view, that Jesus was of the family from which the promised seed was to come. And they had more weight with the Jews for this purpose, than if alterations had been made by inspiration itself. For such alterations would have occasioned endless disputes between them and the disciples of our Lord. The son of David, the son of Abraham-He is so called, because to these he was more peculiarly promised; and of these it was often foretold the Messiah should spring.

3. Of Thamar-St. Matthew adds the names of those women also, that were remarkable in the sacred history.

4. Naasson-Who was prince of the tribe of Judah, when the Israelites entered into Canaan.

5. Obed begat Jesse-The providence of God was peculiarly shown in this, that Salmon, Boaz, and Obed, must each of them have been near a hundred years old, at the birth of his son here recorded.

6. David the king-Particularly mentioned under this character, because his throne is given to the Messiah.

8. Jehoram begat Uzziah-Jehoahaz, Joash, and Amaziah coming between. So that he begat him mediately, as Christ is mediately the son of David and of Abraham. So the progeny of Hezekiah, after many generations, are called the sons that should issue from him, which he should beget, Isaiah xxxix, 7.

11. Josiah begat Jeconiah-Mediately, Jehoiakim coming between. And his brethren-That is, his uncles. The Jews term all kinsmen brethren. About the time they were carried away-Which was a little after the birth of Jeconiah.

* Luke iii, 31.

14 Kim begat Azor; and Azor begat Zadock, and Zadock begat 15 Achim, and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar, and 16 Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat

Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

:

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David to the carrying away to Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the carrying away to Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.

18

Now the birth of Christ was on this wise: his mother Mary, being espoused to Joseph, before they came together she was found 19 with child by the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and yet not willing to make her a public example, pur20 posed to put her away privately. But while he was thinking on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy 21 Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name 22 Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins. (Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord

16. The husband of Mary-Jesus was generally believed to be the son of Joseph. It was needful for all who believed this, to know, that Joseph was sprung from David. Otherwise they would not allow Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus, who is called Christ-The name Jesus respects chiefly the promise of blessing made to Abraham: the name Christ, the promise of the Messiah's kingdom, which was made to David.

It may be farther observed, that the word Christ in Greek, and Messiah in Hebrew, signify anointed, and imply the prophetic, priestly, and royal characters, which were to meet in the Messiah. Among the Jews, anointing was the cere mony whereby prophets, priests, and kings were initiated into those offices. And if we look into ourselves, we shall find a want of Christ in all these respects.We are by nature at a distance from God, alienated from him, and incapable of a free access to him. Hence we want a mediator, an intercessor, in a word, a Christ, in his priestly office. This regards our state with respect to God. And with respect to ourselves, we find a total darkness, blindness, ignorance of God, and the things of God. Now here we want Christ in his prophetic office, to enlighten our minds, and teach us the whole will of God. We find also within us a strange misrule of appetites and passions. For these we want Christ in his royal character, to reign in our hearts, and subdue all things to himself.

17. So all the generations-Observe, in order to complete the three fourteens, David ends the first fourteen, and begins the second (which reaches to the captivity) and Jesus ends the third fourteen.

When we survey such a series of generations, it is a natural and obvious reflection, how like the leaves of a tree one passeth away, and another cometh! Yet the earth still abideth. And with it the goodness of the Lord which runs from generation to generation, the common hope of parents and children.

Of those who formerly lived upon earth, and perhaps made the most conspicuous figure, how many are there whose names are perished with them? How many, of whom only the names are remaining? Thus are we likewise passing away! And thus shall we shortly be forgotten! Happy are we, if, while we are forgotten by men, we are remembered by God! If our names, lost on earth, are at length found written in the book of life!

19. A just man-A strict observer of the law: therefore not thinking it right to keep her.

21. Jesus-That is, a Saviour. It is the same name with Joshua (who was a type of him) which properly signifies, The Lord, Salvation. His people-Israel. And all the Israel of God.

23 by the prophet, saying, *Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, 24 (which is, being interpreted, God with us.) Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded 25 him, and took unto him his wife: but he knew her not, till she had brought forth her Son, the first born. And he called his name Jesus.

II. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men came from the east to Jerusa2 lem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to do him homage. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and 4 all Jerusalem with him. And having assembled all the chief

priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them, Where the 5 Christ was to be born? And they said to him, in Bethlehem of

23. They shall call his name Emmanuel-To be called, only means, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, that the person spoken of shall really and effectually be what he is called, and actually fulfil that title. Thus, Unto us a child is born-and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace-That is, he shall be all these, though not so much nominally, as really, and in effect. And thus was he called Emmanuel; which was no common name of Christ, but points out his nature and office; as he is God incarnate, and dwells by his Spirit in the hearts of his people.

It is observable, the words in Isaiah are, Thou (namely, his mother) shalt call; but here, They-that is, all his people, shall call-shall acknowledge him to be Emmanuel, God with us. Which being interpreted-This is a clear proof that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Greek, and not in Hebrew.

25. He knew her not, till after she had brought forth-It cannot be inferred from hence, that he knew her afterward: no more than it can be inferred from that expression, 2 Sam. vi, 23, Michal had no child till the day of her death, that she had children afterward. Nor do the words that follow, the first-born son, alter the case. For there are abundance of places, wherein the term first born is used, though there were no subsequent children.

II. 1. Bethlehem of Judea-There was another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebu. lon. In the days of Herod-commonly called Herod the Great, born at Ascalon. The sceptre was now on the point of departing from Judah. Among his sons were Archelaus, mentioned ver. 22; Herod Antipas, mentioned chap. xiv; and Philip, mentioned Luke iii. Herod Agrippa, mentioned Acts xii, was his grandson. Wise men-The first fruits of the Gentiles. Probably they were Gentile philosophers, who, through the Divine assistance, had improved their knowledge of nature, as a means of leading to the knowledge of the one true God. Nor is it unreasonable to suppose, that God had favoured them with some extraordinary revelations of himself, as he did Melchisedec, Job, and several others, who were not of the family of Abraham; to which he never intended absolutely to confine his favours. The title given them in the original was anciently given to all philosophers, or men of learning; those particularly who were curious in examining the works of nature, and observing the motions of the heavenly bodies.

From the east-So Arabia is frequently called in Scripture. It lay to the east of Judea, and was famous for gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We have seen his star-Undoubtedly they had before heard Balaam's prophecy. And probably when they saw this unusual star, it was revealed to them that this prophecy was fulfilled. In the east-That is, while we were in the east.

2. To do him homage-To pay him that honour, by bowing to the earth before him, which the eastern nations used to pay to their monarchs.

4. The chief priests-That is, not only the high priest and his deputy, with those who formerly had borne that office: but also the chief man in each of those twenty-four courses, into which the body of priests were divided, 1 Chron. xxiv, 10. The scribes were those whose peculiar business it was to explain the

* Isaiah vii, 14. + Luke ii, 7.

6 Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet, * And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art in nowise the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Governor, who shall rule 7 my people Israel. Then Herod, having privately called the wise men, inquired of them with great exactness, at what time the star 8 appeared: And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, Go, inquire exactly concerning the young child, and if ye find him, bring me 9 word again, that I also may come and do him homage. And having heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they had seen in the east, moved on before them, till it came and stood over 10 where the young child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced 11 with exceeding great joy. And being come into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother; and falling down, they did him homage. And opening their treasures, they presented to 12 him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod, they retired into their own country another way.

13 And when they had retired, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and continue there till I shall tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy 14 him. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother by 15 night, and retired into Egypt, And continued there till the death of

Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by 16 the prophet, saying, †Out of Egypt have I called my Son. Then

Scriptures to the people. They were the public preachers, or expounders of the law of Moses. Whence the chief of them were called doctors of the law.

6. Thou art in nowise the least among the princes of Judah-That is, among the cities belonging to the princes or heads of thousands in Judah. When this and several other quotations from the Old Testament are compared with the original, it plainly appears, the apostles did not always think it necessary exactly to transcribe the passages they cited, but contented themselves with giving the general sense, though with some diversity of language. The words of Micah, which we render, Though thou be little, may be rendered, Art thou little? And then the difference which seems to be here between the prophet and the evangelist vanishes away.

8. And if ye find him, bring me word-Probably Herod did not believe he was born; otherwise would not so suspicious a prince have tried to make sure work at once?

10. Seeing the star-Standing over where the child was.

11. They presented to him gifts-It was customary to offer some present to any eminent person whom they visited. And so it is, as travellers observe, in the eastern countries to this day. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh-Probably these were the best things their country afforded; and the presents ordinarily made to great persons.

This was a most seasonable, providential assistance for a long and expensive journey into Egypt, a country where they were entirely strangers, and were to stay for a considerable time.

15. That it might be fulfilled-That is, whereby was fulfilled. The original word frequently signifies, not the design of an action, but barely the consequence or event of it. Which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet-on another occasion: Out of Egypt have I called my Son-which was now fulfilled as it were anew; Christ being in a far higher sense the Son of God than Israel, of whom the words were originally spoken.

16. Then Herod, seeing that he was deluded by the wise men-So did his pride teach him to regard this action, as if it were intended to expose him to the deri

* Micah v, 2. + Hosea xi, 1.