The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 355

(d. eh. xvii. 24). Peter bad a h<>use; his Master had not one. Here the servant w:1.s above his Lord. (2) Peter formerly resided at Bethsaida (John i. 44), Probably he removed his dwelling to be ~ear to Jesus-to render him hospitality, and to benefit by his heavenly conversation. In changing residences Christians should not remove from the ordinances of religion. In seeking the health of the body the health of the -soul must not be imperilled. Israel journeyed ever under the Shechinah. (3) Peter's wife's mother ministered to Jesus, or supplied him with refreshments. Jesus needed •such hosp_itality! for hi~ h~manity was real.- So are sJill his human sympathies. ~4) In acc_eptmg this hosp1tahty, ?esus sanctioned marriage amongst his clergy. With wh~t little ~ ~o t~e .~omamsts contend for the celibacy of those who, while pro- fessmg to_ denve 1nfalhb1hty_ fro!ll Peter, go contrary to his example (cf. 1 Cor. ix. 6) I 2. He will accept tM hospitality of our Marts. (1) Though corporeally gone into heaven, Jesus is still spiritually present with us. Be sups in blessed friendship with the loyal, loving heart. He looks for a spiritual ministry to him. Temporal things are va.(u~ble as they are prompted by sp_iritual motives and aim ~t spiritual ends, (2) We minister to Jesus when we serve his Church. The Church 1s the mystical Christ -( cf. Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. viii. 12; Gal. iii. 16 with ver. 29). (3) Individual believers are specimens of the Church and representatives of Jesus. So he takes home as to himself hospitalities, or conversely unkindnesse!l, shown to them (cf. eh. xxv. 40, 45; Acts ix. 5). (4) We are quali.6.ed by the grace of Christ to minister to Christ. Peter was made a disciple of Jesus before Jesus accepted his hospitality. Peter's wife's mother was empowered by Jesus before she ministered to Jesus. "We, give thee of ·thine own." (5) Peter was a young man-for his wife's mother was an active woman -yet Peter was a senior among the apostles. They were, therefore, all young men. Yonth is the period for enterprise. Those who waste their youth waste their lives. II. THAT JESUS EXERCISES THE MINISTRY OF SALVATION, 1. He healed all manner ef diseases. (1) "The fever owned his touch, and fled." The touch of that band intimated the tenderness of a heart that is" touched with the feeling of our infirmities." It also evinced Divinity. The healing was as sudden as the touch. There was no -interval of convalescence. (2) Jesus healed Peter's wife's mother on the sabbath ( cf. Mark i. 21, 29). For "it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day." But the Jews <lid not bring their sick until after sundown, when the sabbath ended (see Lev. xxiii. 32; also eh. xii. 10; Luke xiii. 4). He respected their prejudices, and healed them all 2. He cast out tM spirits with his word. (1) A.n essential distinction is here strongly marked between the spirits" cast out" and the diseases" healed" (cf. Mark i. 34). (2) Demoniacs were prevalent in Judsaa in the time of Christ because the nation was then advanced to a height of impiety. The Jews were then also strongly -addicted to magic, and invited spirits to be familiar with them. (3) If there is any- thing beyond charlatanry in the spiritualism of these days it is like a revival of the necromancy denounced in the holy oracles (see Deut. xviii. 9-12). (4) Evil spirits have never ceased to dwell in impure affections; and they still possess tbe souls of the wicked as formerly they possessed their bodies. 3. These works denoted tlui Messiah . .(1) They were wrought in fulfilment of prophecy. The citation of Isa. liii. 4 here evinces this. But the words of the prophet also have reference to the atonement for -sin, for so they are applied elsewhere (see 1 Pet. ii. 14). (2) The miracles were wrought in anticipation of the atonement. For sickness is a consequence of sin. The removal of the consequence was a pledge that the Miracle-worker would remove the cause. Upon the same principle of anticipation Old Testament believers were saved by the death of Christ. (3) The miracles of Jesus, together with the sympathy of his whole life, must be viewed as belonging to his great work of atonement, which was therefore only "finished" on the cross. So, in working his miracles, Jesus sometimes--perhaps always-"groaned in spirit, and was troubled." Both kinds of"bearing our diseases" were requisite to our great High Priest (see Heb. iv. 15; v. 1, 2). Remarkably this view is expressed in the rabbinical book of Zohar: "There is one temple which ie called the temple of the sons of affliction ; and when Messiah comes into that temple, and reads all the afflictions, all the griefs, and all the chastisements of Israel, which .ell.me upon them, then all of them ,hall come upon him; and if there were any that would lighten them off from I@rael, and take them upon himself, there is no son of man that can bear the chastisements of Israel, becaueo of the punishment of the Law. ·OH. vm.1-34.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 351