Bible Commentaries

1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

Ver. 1. As the people pressed upon him] This was both an argument of the truth of his humanity (that he was thronged and thrust together by the unmannerly multitude) and a part of his passion.

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

Ver. 2. Were washing their nets] Though they laboured last night, and had taken nothing. Ferendum et sperandum. Hope beguiles calamity, as good company doth the way.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Ver. 3. He prayed him] Gr. He gently asked him, ηρωτησεν, will you be pleased to thrust out a little? See Philippians 2:8-9. Posse el nolle, nobile est.

Taught the people out of the ship] Any place served him for a pulpit. So if men be desirous to hear, they will make a mat a seat, a pair of legs a seat.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Ver. 4. Let down your nets] This is the fare he pays them, for the use of their ship. No man loseth by Christ.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Ver. 5. We have toiled all night, &c.] Omnia feci, et nihil expedit, said Severus the emperor. (Spartian.) See Hebrews 2:13; Haggai 2:6. if God stop not that hole in the bottom of the bag, all will run through.

And have taken nothing] If ministers be put so to complain, it is to be feared that Satan caught the fish ere they came to their net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Ver. 6. And their net brake] Yet the fishes got not out, which some note for another miracle.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Ver. 7. Filled both the ships] Here the dumb fishes do clearly preach Christ to be the Son of God.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Ver. 8. For I am a sinful man] Gr. A man a sinner, ανηρ αμαρτωλος, a very mixture and compound of dirt and sin. See the like phrase, Numbers 32:14.

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

Ver. 9. And he was astonished] Gr. Fear seized upon him, and surrounded him, περιεσχεν, as Tacitus saith, Induere pavores.

10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Ver. 10. Thou shalt catch men] {See Trapp on "Matthew 4:19"}

11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Ver. 11. They forsook all, and followed him] They had given their names to him before, John 1:43; but now they see by this miracle his power to provide for them, they leave all to live with him. We love to see how we shall subsist.

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Ver. 12. If thou wilt, thou canst] It is a ready way to speed, to found our prayers upon the power of God.

13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Ver. 13. I will, be thou clean] So ready is Christ to gratify his suppliants, yea, to be commanded by them, Isaiah 45:11.

14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Ver. 14. For a testimony unto them] For a Bill of Indictment against them. Reprobates shall give a heavy account to God of all the means and offers of grace.

15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

Ver. 15. But so much the more] Fame follows them that comes from it, and the contrary: as the crocodile doth.

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

Ver. 16. And he withdrew] Pray, if you mean to prosper.

17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Ver. 17. And the power of the Lord] So it is, when any ordinance is afoot.

18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

Ver. 18. And, behold, men brought] {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:2"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:3"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:3"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:4"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:5"}

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

Ver. 19. They went upon the housetop] Which (according to the custom of building in those Eastern countries) was flat laid, and surrounded with battlements, Deuteronomy 22:8.

20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Ver. 20. Thy sins are forgiven thee] Let our sicknesses mind us of our sins, that we soon seek pardon.

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

Ver. 23. Whether is easier] q.d. Neither of either: for both are equally hard, and feasible to God alone.

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

Ver. 24. {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:2"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:3"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:5"}

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

Ver. 25. {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:8"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:12"}

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Ver. 26. Strange things] Gr. παραδοξα, paradoxes, things that we never thought to have seen; and above belief, had we not seen them.

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

Ver. 29. And Levi made him a great feast] Epulum splendidum, a sumptuous feast; so St Luke’s word δοχην here signifieth. But when St Matthew himself speaks of it, he saith only that Christ came home and ate bread with him: to teach us, saith one, that another man’s mouth should praise us, and not our own, Proverbs 27:2. {See Trapp on "Proverbs 27:2"}

30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Ver. 33. {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:14"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:18"}

34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

Ver. 34. {See Trapp on "Matthew 9:15"} {See Trapp on "Mark 2:19"}

35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Ver. 35. And then shall they fast] This is fulfilled, saith Bellarmine, in our Lent fasts. But this was fulfilled, say we, when Christ was crucified, and the apostles mourned. Papists’ set fasts are mere mock fasts.

36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Ver. 39. The old is better] That is, milder, and so more pleasant. Vetustate enim vina mitescunt, quia velustas igneum calorem, acerbitatem, et faeces e vino tollit. (Piscator.) Age clarifies wine, and ripens it.