disciples of John then saw and heard, are meant ; cf. Luke iv. 18, concerning the prediction of this work.1 Nor did all poor men as yet preach the Gospel, but only the apostles. See Matt. x. 7.
6. JViaxa^/oj, blessed) A rare felicity. That very circumstance, that many should be offended in Him, was foretold as a sign of the Messiah.2 He loaded others with benefits ; He Himself was weak, poor, despised. — 85 sav, whosoever) especially of the dis ciples of John, who saw the difference between his mode of living and that of our Lord. See ver. 18, 19.
7. ttopiuop'svuv, as they departed) Otherwise they might have become puffed up. The world praises to the face, reviles be hind the back. Divine truth does the opposite. — r;V^a7"°? began) The multitude would not have begun, had He not done so first. — <repi 'itodvvou, concerning John) The state of John is described in ver. 7, 8, 9, with reference to men, to himself, to God. — Qidaaffdui, to see as a spectacle) idly. See John v. 35. — xaXa/^oi/, a reed) The ford of Jordan abounded with them. They would have wished John to be such in conduct as they liked to be themselves, and as they are described in this verse and the fol lowing. They sought a man of easy disposition, and one ready to second their desires, whom they would not themselves style a reed ; but Jesus calls a reed, a reed. For often does truth attribute to man a speech, not such as he frames himself, but such as expresses the reality. See Jer. xviii. 12. The people themselves did not sufficiently know why they had gone forth. On the other hand, the character of John is described (cf. ver. 18), and at the same time the stumbling-block is taken away, which might have arisen from the imprisonment of our Lord's precursor. — avi/j,ou, by the tuind) of favour (by his having been supposed to be the Messiah) or persecution. — ffa1.iu6/j,svov, agitated) The word is here in the middle voice, and signifies permitting himself to be agitated. This opinion is not refuted like those which follow, because it refutes itself.
' Which was peculiarly a work of the Christ, who was anointed for that very purpose, Isa. Ixi. 1 — V. g. Comp. Luke iv. 1. — ED.
2 Isa. Hi. 14. That very fact was an argument likely to be easily ap preciated, especially by the disciples of John. See ver. 18, with which comp. ver. 19.— V. s.