troduced by some persons from ver. 2. St Mark and St Luke have Icr/yvo-jg in the parallel passages. Thus too we find tlo&s in ch. xii. 25. — U/M.E/S, you) The pronoun is expressed for the sake of emphasis.1
5. T/ yap, for which ?) In itself either is the sign of Divine authority and power ; and the connection between sin and disease is in itself most close : the power which removes both is one. According to human judgment, it is easier to say, " Thy sins are remitted ;" and he who can say " Arise" which appears greater, can also say this, which appears less.
6. E/'^rs, ye may knoic) This word also breathes authority?— siri Tr,g y5j$, on earth) This is exclusively the place where sins are committed and remitted. Earth was the scene of Christ's works from the beginning.3 See Prov. viii. 31 ; cf. the two clauses in Ps. xvi. 3 ; see4 Jer. ix. 24 ; John xvii. 4 ; Luke ii. 14. I have, says He, all authority in heaven, much more on earth ; see ch. xvi. 19, xxviii. 18.5 This speech savours of a heavenly origin. — t£aua/av, authority) The argument from power to authority holds good in this passage. — 7J/?/, He saith) A similar change of person between the protasis and apodosis occurs in Num. v. 20, 21, and Jer. v. 14.
8. 'E^ouo/av ro/atirjjv, such authority) sc. to heal and save (see ver. 6), and that close at hand in the man Jesus Christ. — roTg avOputfois, to men) so long afflicted with sin.6 An expansive ex pression (lata oratio), as in ver. 6.7 They rejoiced that there was one of the human race endued with this authority.
1 Often one, whilst he is arraigning others for their sins, is sinning him self. And indeed the most heinous sins can be committed even in the heart alone. — V. g.
2 Bengel just below translates i^owietv (rendered in E. V. power) by " authority," and refers to it by anticipation. — (I. B.)
3 Nay more, it is the wrestling arena between sin and grace. — V. g.
4 E. B. inserts here "Gen. vi. 5," which has been adopted by the later editions.— (I. B.)
& We also in our turn may now say : Seeing that He had that power, when sojourning on the earth, why should He not also have the same, now that He has been raised from the dead and taken up into heaven 1 Acts v. 31.— V. g.
6 A Dativus Commodi. — V. g. i.e. for the good of men. — ED.
7 Beng. seems to me, not to take AvSpu^ot? as Engl. V., " God who had given such power to men," but, as the Dative of advantage, " Who had be-