Bible Commentaries

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

This incident appears to follow next in order of time to the cure of the leper (Matthew 8:1-4). For the exposition, see the notes at Mark 2:1-2.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence - that is, from the scene of the paralytic's cure in Capernum, toward the shore of the sea of Galilee, on which that town lay. Mark, as usual, pictures the scene more in detail, thus (Mark 2:13): "And He went forth again by the sea-side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them" [ edidasken autous ] - or, 'kept teaching them.' "And as be passed by,"

He saw a man, named Matthew - the writer of this precious Gospel, who here, with singular modesty and brevity, relates the story of his own calling. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi [ Leues , or, according to the preferable reading, Leuin ], which seems to have been his family name. In their lists of the twelve apostles, however, Mark and Luke give him the name of Matthew, which seems to have been the name by which he was known as a disciple. While he himself sinks his family name, he is careful not to sink his occupation, the obnoxious associations with which he would place over against the grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle. (See the note at Matthew 10:3) Mark alone tells us (Mark 2:14) that he was "the son of Alpheus" - the same, probably, with the father of James the less. From this and other considerations it is pretty certain that he must at least have heard of our Lord before this meeting. Unnecessary doubts, even from an early Period, have been raised about the identity of Levi and Matthew. No English jury, with the evidence before them which we have in the Gospels, would hesitate in giving in a unanimous verdict of identity.

Sitting at the receipt of custom - publican, which Luke (Luke 5:27) calls him. It means the place of receipt, the toll-house or booth in which the collector sat. Being in this case By the sea-side, it might be the ferry-tax, for the transit of persons and goods across the lake, which he collected. (See the note at Matthew 5:46)

And he saith unto him, Follow me. Witching words these, from the lips of Him who never employed them without giving them resistless efficacy in the hearts of those they were spoken to.

And he "left all" (Luke 5:28), arose and followed him.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house. The modesty of our Evangelist signally appears here. Luke says (Luke 5:29) that "Levi made Him a great feast," or 'reception' [ docheen megaleen autois , denoting great earnestness.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. See the note at Matthew 7:4, and Remark 4 on that section.)

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil , [ daimonizomenon ] - 'demonized.' The deaf-mute condition was not natural; it was the effect of the demon possession.

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

And when the devil (or 'demon') was cast out, the dumb spake. The particulars in this case are not given; the object being simply to record the instantaneous restoration of the natural faculties, on the removal of the malignant oppression of them, the form which the popular astonishment took and the very different effect of it upon another class.

And the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel - referring, probably, not to this case only, but to all those miraculous displays of healing power which seemed to promise a new era in the history of Israel. Probably they meant by this language to indicate, as far as they thought it safe to do so, their inclination to regard Him as the promised Messiah.

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devels through the prince of the devils - `the demons through the prince of the demons.' This seems to be the first muttering of a theory of such miracles which soon became a fixed mode of calumniating them-a theory which would be ridiculous if it were not melancholy, as an outburst of the darkest malignity. (See the note at Matthew 12:24, etc.)

Remarks:

(1) So manifestly were these bodily cures designed to set forth analogous operations of grace on the soul, that in the case of opening the eyes of the blind, our Lord, before performing it, in one notable instance, expressly announced the higher design of it, saying, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:5). Nor would it have been possible beforehand to tell with certainty whether the predictions of such glorious miracles (for example, in Isaiah 35:5-6; Isaiah 42:7) - as inaugurating and distinguishing the Messianic economy-were designed to be understood literally, or spiritually, or both. Hence, we are to regard all such incidents as are here recorded as having higher aspects and bearings than any that terminate on the body; and on the same principle, the honour which our Lord here put upon the faith and patience of these blind men may surely be reckoned on by all who sigh to be "turned by Him from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God."

(2) How differently are the same operations and events regarded by the unsophisticated and the prejudiced! 'More light.' is the cry of many besides these prejudiced Pharisees. But what they want is more simplicity and godly sincerity, the sifting of which leaves the soul a prey to the darkest passions.

As the Mission of the Twelve supposes the previous Choice of them-of which our Evangelist gives no account, and which did not take place until a later stage of our Lord's public life-it is introduced here out of its proper place, which is after what is recorded in Luke 6:12-19.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease, [among the people]. The bracketed words are of more than doubtful authority here, and were probably introduced from Matthew 4:23. The language here is so identical with that used in describing the first circuit (Matthew 4:23), that we may presume the work done on both occasions was much the same. It was just a further preparation of the soil, and a fresh sowing of the precious seed. (See the note at Matthew 4:23.) To these fruitful journeyings of the Redeemer, "with healing in His wings," Peter no doubt alludes, when, in his address to the household of Cornelius, he spoke of "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good [ dieelthen euergetoon ], and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).

He had now returned from His preaching and healing circuit, and the result, as at the close of the first one, was the gathering of a vast and motley multitude around Him. After a whole night spent in prayer, He had called His more immediate disciples, and from them had solemnly chosen the Twelve; then, coming down from the mountain, on which this was transacted, to the multitudes that waited for Him below, He had addressed to them-as we take it-that discourse which bears so strong a resemblance to the Sermon on the Mount that many critics take it to be the same. (See the notes at Luke 6:12-49; and at Matthew 5:1-48, Introductory Remarks.) Soon after this, it should seem, the multitudes still hanging on Him, Jesus is touched with their wretched and helpless condition, and acts as is now to be described.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted. [ eesan eklelummenoi]. This reading, however, has hardly any authority at all. The true reading doubtless is, 'were harassed' [ eesan eskulmenoi .]

And were scattered abroad , [ errimmenoi ] - rather, 'lying about,' 'abandoned,' or 'neglected' --

As sheep having no shepherd - their pitiable condition as wearied and couching under bodily fatigue, a vast disorganized mass, being but a faint picture of their wretchedness as the victims of Pharisaic guidance; their souls uncared for, yet drawn after and hanging upon Him. This moved the Redemmer's compassion.

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous. His eye doubtless rested immediately on the Jewish field, but this he saw widening into the vast field of "the world" (Matthew 13:38), teeming with souls having to be gathered to Him.

But the labourers - men divinely qualified and called to gather them in - "are few;"

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest - the great Lord and Proprietor of all. Compare John 15:1 - "I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman."

That he will send forth labourers into his harvest. The word [ ekbalee ] properly means 'thrust forth;' but this emphatic sense disappears in some places, as in Matthew 9:25, and John 10:4 - "When He putteth forth His own sheep." (See the note at Matthew 4:1.)