Bible Commentaries

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

For the exposition, see the notes at Matthew 12:1-8.

And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

For the exposition, see the notes at Matthew 12:9-14.

Our Lord has now reached the most important period in His public ministry, when His Twelve Apostles have to be chosen; and it is done with a solemnity corresponding to the weighty issues involved in it.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out (probably from Capernaum), and continued all night in prayer to God.

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles , [ apostolous ] - 'sent,' or 'commissioned;' as if to put upon the very name by which they were in all future time to be known the seal of their Master's appointment. The work with which the day began shows what had been the burden of this whole night's devotions. As He directed His disciples to pray for "labourers" just before sending themselves forth (see the notes at Matthew 9:35-38; Matthew 10:1-5, Remarks 1 and 2), so here we find the Lord Himself in prolonged communion with His Father in preparation for the solemn appointment of those men who were to give birth to His Church, and from whom the world in all time was to take a new mould. How instructive is this! They appear all to have been first selected from among those who had been disciples of John the Baptist (see Acts 1:21-22), as probably the most advanced or the most teachable; with a view also, no doubt, to diversity of gifts. And after watching the steadiness with which they had followed Him, the progress they had made in the knowledge of the truth, and their preparedness to enter the higher school to which they were now to be advanced, He, solemnly "ordained." [ epoieesen ], or 'constituted' these Twelve men, "that they should be with Him" (Mark 3:14) as a Family, and enjoy His most private fellowship, as none of His other followers were permitted to do. By this they would not only hear much more from Him, and have it impressed upon them as it could not else have been, but catch His spirit, and take on a stamp which, when He was removed from them, and they had to prosecute His work, would bring their Master Himself to the recollection of His enemies. (See the note at Acts 4:13.)

Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

Simon ... See the notes at Matthew 10:1-4.

And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

And he came down with them, and stood in the plain , [ epi topou pedinou ] - or, 'on a level place;' that is, probably on some level plat below the mountain, while the listening multitudes lay beneath Him on what was more strictly "the plain."

And the company of his disciples - the outer circle of His stated followers,

And a great multitude ... which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue , [ dunamis ] - or healing 'efficacy'-compare Mark Luke 6:30,

Out of him, and healed them all , [ iato ] - or 'kept healing,' denoting successive acts of mercy, until it went over "all" that needed it. There is something unusually grand in this touch of description, giving to the reader the impression of a more than usual exuberance of His majesty and grace in this succession of healings, which made itself felt among all the vast multitude.

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said. Referring to our ample comments on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29), we here only note a few things suggested by the present form of the discourse, winch could not be so properly taken up under the other form of it. Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. In the Sermon on the Mount the benediction is pronounced upon the "poor in spirit" and those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness." Here it is simply on the "poor" and the "hungry now." In this form of the discourse, then, our Lord seems to have had in view "the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love Him," as these very beatitudes are paraphrased by James (James 2:5).

Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh , [ gelasate ]. How charming is the liveliness of this word, to express what in Matthew is calmly set forth by the word "comfort!"

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company] , [ aforisoosin ] - whether from Church-fellowship, by excommunition, or from their social circles-both hard to flesh and blood.

And shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Compare the following: "Being reviled we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat; we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day" (1 Corinthians 4:12-13). Observe the language of our Lord in regard to the cause of all this ill treatment. "For the Son of man's sake," says He in Luke 6:22 : "For My sake," says He in Matthew 5:11 : "For righteousness sake," says He in the immediately preceding Luke 6:10. Thus does Christ bind up the cause of Righteousness in the world with the reception of Himself.

Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Rejoice ye in that day, and leap [for joy] , [ skirteesate ] - a livelier word than even "be exceeding glad," or 'exult' in Matthew 5:12;

For, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

As five of the benedictions in the Sermon on the Mount are omitted in this discourse, so now follow four woes not to be found there. And yet, being but the opposites of the benedictions pronounced, they need hardly any illustration.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger - your inward craving strong as ever, but the materials of satisfaction forever gone.

Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep - who have all your good things and joyous feelings here and now, in perishable objects. See the notes at Luke 16:25.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets - paying court to them because they flattered them with peace when there was no peace. See Micah 2:11. For the principle of this woe and its proper limits, see John 15:19.

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not ... forgive ... give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down ... It will be observed, on comparing this with Matthew 7:1-2, that here it is much fuller and more graphic.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

And he spake a parable unto them: Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

This is not in the Sermon on the Mount; but it is recorded by Matthew in another and very striking connection (Luke 15:14).

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

The disciple is not above his master: but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master - q.d., 'The disciple's aim is to come up to his master, and he thinks himself complete when he does so: if ye then be but blind leaders of the blind, the perfection of your training will be but the certain and complete ruin of both. For Remarks on this section, see those on the Sermon of the Mount generally, and particularly on the portions of it with which this discourse corresponds.