The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 100

Jh.imed; .-v;1.Milr: deMle8 (Vulgate). In for these distres3ed followers i hie perfect eh. uiii. 8 the word means "deprived of eympnthy was a.roused in their behalf, Wo a member;" but it has beeu doubted observe references to this tender feeling in whether our Lord ever exerted his crenti.ve many other instances (eeo eh. ix. 86: power to repli\ce an absent limb. In the xiv. H; :tx. 84; Mark· i. 41 ; v. 19; Luke case of l\lalchus the ear probably was not vii. IS. And in the Old 'festameut, e.g. wholly severed from the skull, but was still Isa. xlix. 15; J er. xii. 15; Mice.h vii. 1-9). attached thereto by II fr11gment of flesh or They continue with me now three days. akin, and no fresh creation wns needed. The verb used here. (7rpo1Tµlv,iv) implies We m11y well understand the word to signify close attendance ·perse\'cred in ao-ainst •• deformed," or depri-red of the use of hand obstacles; it is used in Acts xi. 23° in a or foot. The Awbic Version renders it spiritual sense, "He exhorted them all that "dried up," or "withered." Cast them with purpose of hen.rt they would cleave down. The expression implies the pre- (7rpo<Tp.r!v«v) unto the' Lord.'' The three cipitllncy with which their friends offered days, according to the Hebrew formula;· of the sufferers to Christ's notice, appealing computation, would consist of one whole to his mercy and relying on his power-not dlly and parts of two others. Thus con- with careless abandonment, but with an stantly employed in healing and teaching, earne.st rivalry to be :first attended to. Jesus thinks not of himself; his whole care Ver. 31.-The maimed to be whole. This is oentred on the people who, in their clause is omitted by ~ and some other e.nxiety to see e.nd hear him, forget their manuscripts, the Vulgate and other versions, own necessities. There would be nothing and some modern editors. Probably the strange in the people camping out· for e. difficulty mentioned above led to its being night in Palestine. Men and women ordi- :first obelized and then rejected. The God narily lie down to rest in the clothes wl'lfoh or Israel. Jeho,ah, whose covenanted they -have worn during the day, and ntied mercies they were enjoying. St. Matthew no·special 11reparation for sleeping. Thus is careful on all occasions to exhibit Jesus ii. man covers himself with his heavy outer as the Messenger and Representative of the garment, lies on the dry ground, like Jacob God of the Old Testament. The apostles, at Bethel, with o. stone or his arm for a. 8-'3 Alford suggests, might joyfully contrast pillow, and sleeps comfortably a.nd safely this abundance of acts of mercy with the till a.wakened by the morning sun. I will great difficulty with which a. Gentile's faith not send them a.way fasting. Like a. good had lately obtained help. "Seest thou," master of a household, in his tender pity, says St. Chrysostom, "how the woman Christ takes the circumstances of the multi~ indeed he healed with so much delay, but tnde into consideration, e.nd cannot endure these immediately? not because these a:re tbe idea· of dismissing thc,m wearied e.nd better than she is, but becalllle she is more unfed to :fiud their way to their own homes, faithful than they. Therefore, while in her which, as St. Mark adds, were, in the case case he defers and delays, to manifest her of many of them, at a long distance. Faint, constancy, on these he bestows the gift Travellers tell us that out of the· motley immediately, stopping the mouths of the crowd of pilgrims that flock to Jerusalem nnbeliering Jews, and cntting away from at Easter-tide, many run short of provisions them every plea. For the greater favour and perish on the road. Christ's thought- one hath received, so much more is be liable ful care regards the possibility· ·of such to punishment, if he be insensible, e.nd the disaster, and prepares the remedy.· He hi.t.d very honour makes him no better." treated the sicknesses of the multitude; he Ver. ·32.-Ca.lled his disciples unto him. had instrnct.ed their ignorance ; now he will Seeing the necessities of the mnltitude, feed their bodies. They had sought nothing Jesus, as it were, takes hie disciples into from him, nor begged for food; probably council, treating them not as servants, but they had no idea of looking to him to supply as friends. They were doubtless dispersed their- want. But they who follow· Jesll/l e.mong the crowd, and Jesus summons them shall never lack. They were seeking firs't around him, and puts before them the the kingdom of God and his righteon:snese, special point to which his attention is and temporal blessings were ndded to- then:i. tnroed. Thllll he tries their faith, and Ver. 33.-Whenoe should we have .so m11oh shows that there were no human means bread, eto.? Christ had said nothing to hj.s available for feeding these famishing peo_ple. disciples concerning his design of feeding Thllll God, so to speak, takes Abraham rnto the people, but his remarks pointeu to· the his confidence before visiting the iniquity possibility of such a design, and the apostles of Sodom : " Shall I hide from Abraham at once throw cold we.ter upon the project. that thing which I do?" (Gen. xviii. 17). They do not indeed, e.s they did before I have compassion (u..-J\.a-yxvl(oµ,) on the urge him to send the multitude a.way, that multitude. The human heart of Jesus felt they mi,.y supply their own needs, but  OR. xv. 1-39.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. to~