2 " Jesus had indeed begun to teach in the schools at Nazareth before He had come thence to Capernaum (see Luke iv. 16), but now raising His voice, He betook Himself to x,ypvyp.a. also, or proclaiming the kingdom of Goo. The King Himself acted as His own herald."— B. H. E., p. 190.
3 The Kingdom of the heavens, Repentance, and the Gospel, are three terms which are found most frequently, not only in St Matthew, but also in SS. Mark and Luke ; but never in the Gospel of John. But the latter propounds the same truths substantially by very graceful modes of expression. ' He no doubt uses the phrase, the Kingdom of God, in accordance with the custom of the rest of the Evangelists, but only in the conference with Nicodemus ; indicating that same truth by implication, when Jesus is described as the Son of God, as the Life, as the Light, as the Bridegroom, as He into whose hands the Father hath given all things, to whom He hath committed power over all flesh, as also all judgment ; who, in fine, is to draw all men to Himself, and such like declarations. John intimates Repentance, when he urges on us the birth from above, the need of coming to Jesus, and having faith in Him, etc. That which he delights in terming the Testimony, is the same thing
31, and Rom. xiv. 17. The Metonomy by which Heaven is sub stituted for God, is of frequent occurrence, and very suitable to the first times of the Gospel. — See ch. iii. 2. By the expression, " The Kingdom of the Heavens" which is almost peculiar to the books of the New Testament, the hope of an earthly king dom was cut away,1 and all were invited to Heavenly things. It is thus called with a regard to its final consummation. — See Luke xxi. 31, and Acts i. 3.
18. QaXaffffav rr^c, TaXaXa/as, Sea of Galilee) See verses 15, 23. — S/^wva, Simon) Simon, the first who followed on this occasion, was the first to remain.
19. AeDrE, come ye) This word has the force of calling com bined with the idea of the present moment ; see xi. 28, xxi. 38, etc. This is evident from the singular dtupo, hither. — OT>;?j<rw, x.r.X., / will make, etc.) The authority of Jesus Christ [is here asserted]. — «X/£%, fishers) See Jer. xvi. 16.
20. Evd'eus, straightway) A promptitude and quickness in fol lowing our Lord is denoted in James and John, in ver. 22, where eld'sus occurs again. The same quickness is denoted in ver. 19, in the case of Peter and Andrew, by the word AsDrs, whether you read evd'ius or not. In the very ardour of doing their daily work, they received the call. Thus also Matthew ch. ix. 9, blessed moment ! — fixo'hovdritfav, they followed) Ingenu ously, without any immediate stipulation concerning reward. — See ch. xix. 27.
21. MfTa Ztfiedalov, with Zebedee),Tliey were therefore youths ; their father Zebedee being still in his prime, and both their parents alive. John lived seventy years longer. James was the first of the apostles who died ; John survived him a long time.2 — xaraprifyvrac, adjusting for work) This word is said of a vessel or tool, which is either prepared for work or repaired after work. The first meaning is more suitable to this passage. The sons of Zebedee, as well as those of Jonas, on more than one occa-
as the Gospel. These his variations of phraseology are calculated to edify the attentive reader, provided only that we do not fasten wholly on the mere •words, but admit their power to pervade the inmost recesses of the heart. — Harm., p. 190, 191.
1 "Prjecidebatur."— (I. B.)
2 These two are more frequently joined together in the New Testament than Peter and Andrew. — B. G. V.