The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 118

before both by the presence of the evil one, into prilon ; "wBB delivered up" (Revised and by the need for the God-Mnn to contend Version and Authorized Version margin); alone, they now came np to him and minis- -rap,3&1h,, absolately ( cf. Mark i. 14 ; R,,m. tered to him so long BB they could be holp- iv. 25; also infra, eh. x. 19; I Cor. xiii. 3). ful (for the change of tenses, cf. eh. viii. 15). If the more proper meaning of the word Mark however (i. 13) implies that they he.d may be insisted on, the thought is of the been present nt other times than after this person to whom John was committed rather le.et crisis. Ministered; possibly supplying than of the place; John being delivered np, his bodily need (cf. rh. viii.15; Luke x. 40); that is to say, by Herod to his officials but e.s, after all, bodily sustenance is but But in usage it appears rather to mean only secondary to spiritual, the latter must at compulsory remove.I, loss of liberty. Mark least be included (of. Heb. i. 14). In Luke (vi. 19, 20) points out the temporary pro- xxii. 43 the "strengthening" would appear tection that the impriaonment gave to John to be of his whole nature within and without, against the resentment of Herodias. He through the mediwn of his spirit. departed; Revised Version, he u:ithdrew; a.v,xr1,f171'""· A favourite word of St. Mat- Vera. 12-16.--,JEsus' WITHDRAWAL INTO thew'e (ten times; Mark e.od John once GALILEE. (Parallel passages: Mark i 14; each: Acts twice). It always implies some Luke iv. 14, 15.) According to some com- motive for the change of place, and is fre- mentators, a new section begins here; but quently used of departure directly conse- quent upon knowledge acquired. Hence probably these verses are still preliminary. it often implies a feeling of danger. Into Our Lord's activity does not begin till ver. G&lilee; whence he had come ( eh. iii. 13). 17. But now he withdraws to Galilee, Hence "returned" (Luke). In Galilee he settling in Capernaum, thus fulfilling pro- would still be in Herod's dominions ; but, phecy. as being in his own home, he would not attract so much attention. N.B.-Between Ver. 12.--Now when Jesus had heard. If vere. 12 and 13 aome place the incident of we bad the synoptic Gospels alone, we should his prca.ching at Nazareth (Luke iv. 16- have supposed that the Baptist was im- 30); but ver. 23 of that passage nasumes prisoned immediately after the end of our much previous work at Capernaum, aud c11n Lord's temptation (cf. this verse with Luke therefore hardly be as early as thil!. iv. 14); but St. John (iii. 24) expressly Ver. 13.-And leaving Nazareth. Finally 1tates that he had not been cast into prison as a plllce of residence. The form N a(2p<1 when the events recorded in John i. 43-- occurs only here and Luke iv. 16, which iii. 23 look place. "For a time Christ and iu itself well suite the opinion that the Baptist worked side by side, preaching Luke iv. 16--30 is only a fuller o.ccount 'repentance' (Mark i. 15 (also Matt. iv. 17]) of this eojoam at Nazareth (cf. Weise, o.nd baptizing [John iii. 22]. '.rhe Messiah 'Me.tthii.ue-Evnng.'). He came and dwelt; i.e. took up the position of a prophet in Judme., mnde his home in (cf. eh. ii. 23). Not us o.s afterwards iu Galilee" (Bishop Westcott, having a house of his own there, so that he ou John iii. 22-24). The events in Go.lilee could take shelter in it as of right (cf. eh. related in John ii. 1-12 were" preparatory viii. 20, "The foxes have holes," etc.); but to the manifestation at Jerusalem which was probably settling hie motlier there, aml the re11l commencement of Christ's Messianic bciug himself generally aclmitte,l to some work. St. John records the course and issue of one's house (perhaps Peter'e, cf. eh. viii. this manifestation :the other Ev11ngelistsetart 14, 16) when he c11me to the town. In with the 1·ecord of the Galilman ministry, Capernanm. l\Iost probnbly the modern which <lutes from the imprisonment of tho Tell-Ifum, upon the north-western shore, Baptist" (Bishop Westcott, on John iii. 24). two miles from where tho Jord11n enters tho He udds,on John iv. i3, "It seems prob11ble lake. On the inlercstiug relic of the sy1111- tho.t the earlier pa.rt of the synoptio narra- gogue,presumublythat built by the centurion tives (Mark i.14-ii.14, aud parallels) must (Luke vii. 5), vide cspcciully Bishop Westcott be placed in the interval which extended on John vi. 59. '.rhe iJeutific11tion with from John iv. 43-v. I." Matthew nlone Tell-.flum co.n, however, h1-.rdly be consi,lertJ<l states directly that the news of the Baptist ns absolutely settled. "Some of the uarrn- having been token by Herod wue the motive tivee of pilgrims of the sixth 11ncl sovcnth of our Lord's witildrnw11l into Galilee. He centuries nppeo.r to pluco Cnperuaum here. s11ye nothing to ehow whether our Lord with- Jewish 11uthors meution B phic,, called drew becalllle h.i would avoid a like trmtmcnt ](afar Tankhum, or Nakhum; aad as the himself, or, ne is on the whole more likely, Arubio Tell(" hill") might e11sily be substi- bccuuee he did not wish to be mixed up in tute,] for the word Knph11r (" villngo "), allll tho tumultd lo which John's capture oppco.rs Nakhnm corrupted to HO.m, C11pcrna.um and to havti given rise (cf. eh, xiv. 5). Was oaat Tell-HO.m may be identical. On the other 108 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. xv. 1-211.