Bible Commentaries

1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

Ver. 1. There was a man there, &c.] A fit object inciteth and should elicit our bounty. Where God sets us up an altar, we should be ready with our sacrifices, with such sacrifice "God is well pleased," Hebrews 13:16.

2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

Ver. 2. And they watched him] So carnal men do still watch and pry into professors and their conversation, εποπτευοντες, 1 Peter 3:2, curiously observing what they may catch and carp at. But it is a brave thing to throttle envy, to stop an evil mouth, to deny them occasion to blaspheme, as Christ did; to lead convincing lives, as Bradford and Bucer did, whom neither their friends could sufficiently praise, nor their foes find anything to fasten on. (Acts and Mon.)

3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

Ver. 3. Stand forth] That the miracle might be notified, and God the more glorified. It is a dishonour to a parent to hang his picture in a dark corner; so here, we should show forth the virtues of him who hath called us, 1 Peter 2:9.

4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Ver. 4. To do good or to do evil] Not to do good, then, as there is opportunity, is to do evil. Qui non, cum potest, servat, occidit. Non faciendo nocens, sed patiendo fuit, it is said of the Emperor Claudius. Not robbing only, but the not relieving of the poor, was the rich man’s ruin, Luke 16:19-23; passive wickedness is taxed in some of the churches, Revelation 2:4; Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:20; Revelation 3:4; Revelation 3:15-16.

To save life] Gr. ψυχην, soul, for man, and man for the body of man. So Psalms 16:10; "Thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave," that is, my body, as Piscator senseth it.

5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Ver. 5. With anger, being grieved] A sweet mixture of sinless passions, συλλυπουμενος, simul dolens. It is difficult to kindle and keep quick the fire of zeal without all smoke of sin.

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Ver. 6. With the Herodians] Whom yet they hated in their hearts; but they can easily comport and comply to do Christ a mischief, as conceiving that Christ pertained to Herod’s jurisdiction.

7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

Ver. 7. But Jesus withdrew himself] Tertullian condemneth flight in any case: {a} but Patres legendi cum venia. His scholar Cyprian was of another and better judgment. Magister non tenetur in omnibus.

{a} Lib. de fuga persecut.

8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

Ver. 8. From beyond Jordan] περαν του ιορδανου. This country by Josephus is called Peraea, as Ultrajectum in Germany.

9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

Ver. 9. Lest they should throng him] Gr. θλιβωσιν, afflict him, press, or pinch him, as they did a piece of his passion, Mark 3:10.

10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

Ver. 10. As many as had plagues] Gr. μαστιγας, stripes, scourgings. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth with lesser and lighter afflictions, and scourgeth every son, &c., with hard and heavy judgments, as plagues, banishments, persecutions. Oh, the bloody wales that God hath left on the back of his best children! Hebrews 12:6. Non vulgares morbi sed saeviores, et inustulati, qui quasi clamitant de ira et poena divina.

11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

Ver. 11. Thou art the Son, &c.] The matter is well amended since Satan’s first onset upon Christ. Then it was, If thou be the Son of God. The same power, when he listeth, can change the note of the tempter to us.

12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

Ver. 12. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:16"}

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

Ver. 13. And calleth unto him whom he would] Nec volentis, nec volantis, sed Dei miserentis, as a nobleman, after Paul gave it for his motto. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, though he run as fast as a bird can fly; but in God that showeth mercy.

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

Ver. 14. That they should be with him] As his household servants, more happy therein than those of Solomon. Christ hath many retainers, few fast and faithful servants that follow him in the regeneration. There are those that will wear his livery, but serve themselves.

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

Ver. 15. {See Trapp on "Matthew 10:8"} Mallem obedire quam miracula facere, saith Luther. A man may do miracles in Christ’s name, and yet perish. But whoso calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;

Ver. 16. And Simon he surnamed Peter] Not now, but after that famous confession of his, Matthew 16:16.

17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

Ver. 17. Boanerges] Syr. Benai regeschi, filii fragoris. Nazianzen saith they were so called, δια το μεγαλοφωνον, for the volume of their voice. Farellus was famous for his loud speaking, when the envious monks rang the bells to drown his voice as he was preaching at Metis, ille contra ad ravim usque vocem intendit, nec vinci se a strepitu ullo passus est. (Melch. Adam.) But there may be a great deal of force in a low language. Basil was said to thunder in his preaching, lighten in his life. Jerome was called Fulmen Ecclesiasticum, thunder of the chucrh, Athanasius Magnes et Adamas, A loadstone for his sweetness, and an adamant for his stoutness. The apostles had fiery tongues, but yet cloven. Barnabas and Boanerges "the son of consolation and of thunder," make a good mixture. The good Samaritan pours in wine to search the sores and oil to supple them. Discretion must hold zeal by the heel, as Jacob did his brother; these two must be as the two lions that supported Solomon’s throne. He that hath them, may be a Moses for his meekness and a Phineas for his fervour. It was a good caution that Oecolampadius gave Farellus, Evangelizatum, non maledictum missus, et laudo zelum, modo non desideretur mansuetudo. Thou art sent, not to rail, but to reveal holy trust in meekness of wisdom.

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

Ver. 18. And Bartholomew] {See Trapp on "Matthew 10:3"}

19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

Ver. 19. And they went into the house] But could not rest in the house; for a demoniac was brought home to him, and the multitude met to hear; and Christ gratified them, with the neglect of himself, Matthew 12:22. Now to all his he saith, as Abimelech did to his soldiers, "What ye have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done," 9:48.

20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

Ver. 20. They could not so much as eat bread] For when he was in the house to repose and refresh himself, they brought unto him a possessed person.

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

Ver. 21. They went out to lay hold on him] Some read, to lay hold on the multitude, as mad, because so eager and earnest, that they left not our Lord liberty for his necessary repose and repast. But if it be meant of Christ, his mother also may seem to have been in the common error, Mark 3:31. She was not then without original sin (as the Franciscans would have it, and do therefore name Joachim and Anna kissing, by which kiss Anna conceived, say they, with the Virgin Mary), neither yet without actual sin, as here, John 2:4. Sed si peccatrix, non deprecatrix: quae egebat, non agebat advocatum, saith an ancient.

22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

Ver. 22. By the prince of devils, &c.] A devilish blasphemy, occasioned perhaps by the former calumny of his kinsmen. What advantages make our adversaries of our smaller differences! Every subdivision is a strong weapon in the hand of the contrary party.

23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

Ver. 23. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:25"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:26"}

24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Ver. 24. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:25"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:26"}

25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Ver. 25. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:25"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:26"}

26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

Ver. 26. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:25"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:26"}

27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Ver. 27. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:29"}

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

Ver. 28. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:31"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:32"}

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Ver. 29. Hath never forgiveness] And yet Bellarmine teacheth that the sin against the Holy Ghost may be forgiven (lib. 2, de Poenitentia, cap. 16). But it may be he was of their opinion that taught here in England in the reign of Henry III, that to question the pope’s sanctions was the sin against the Holy Ghost. (Daniel’s Hist. of England, p. 163.)

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Ver. 30. Because they said] That sin unto death begins in apostasy, goes on in persecution, and ends in blasphemy.

31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

Ver. 31. Then came his brethren] Here the Evangelist returneth to the history he had begun to set forth Mark 3:21.

32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

Ver. 32. {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:47"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 12:48"}

33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

Ver. 33. Who is my mother, &c.] Bishop Ridley is likewise said to have been very kind to his kinsfolks, yet not bearing with them any otherwise than right would require. (Acts and Mon.)

34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.